RTHK: Biden taps Nicholas Burns as ambassador to China

President Joe Biden on Friday nominated career diplomat Nicholas Burns as ambassador to China and former Chicago mayor and Democratic party heavyweight Rahm Emanuel to head the embassy in Japan.

The White House also announced Biden had tapped another experienced diplomat, Michael Battle, for ambassador in Tanzania. The ambassador posts require confirmation in the almost evenly divided Senate.

Beijing and Tokyo are in the top drawer of US diplomatic posts, with China an ever-stronger economic competitor, as well as a rising military rival in the Indo-Pacific, while Japan has been a key US ally for more than half a century.

Burns, long a prominent name at the State Department, where he was under secretary of state for political affairs and ambassador to NATO and to Greece, has worked previously with China's government on issues including Afghanistan, UN sanctions on Iran, North Korea and US policy in the Indo-Pacific.

Currently teaching diplomacy and international relations at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, he has also taught on US-Chinese relations.

The White House said Burns is fluent in French and familiar with Arabic and Greek, but not Chinese.

Emanuel seeks the Japan post with a very different profile.

Before being elected mayor of Chicago, he was best known as White House chief of staff during Barack Obama's presidency.

He also was a Democratic member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2009 and served as a political advisor to Bill Clinton during his presidency.

"Rahm Emanuel and Nick Burns are smart decision makers, experienced leaders and dedicated public servants," Clinton tweeted after the nominations were announced.

The Democratic speaker of the House and a close Biden ally, Nancy Pelosi, welcomed Emanuel's nomination, saying "his great experience, from the US House to the White House, will serve our nation well, as he works to deepen one of our nation's most important alliances." (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-20. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Jabs necessary for airport staff

The latest vaccination requirements for airport staff are for their protection against the health hazard they are exposed to in light of the epidemic situation overseas, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said today.

The Airport Authority has announced that targeted groups of workers will be required to receive COVID-19 vaccines, with negative test results no longer a substitute for vaccination.

Speaking to reporters, Prof Chan said: If we look at the airport, it is a high-risk place, especially when we are having inbound travellers, be it transit or coming to Hong Kong from places where there may be very high risk in terms of the epidemic situation.

The groups subject to the new requirements include those with close-range contact with arrivals or transfer and transit passengers.

For those people who are working in the areas whereby they would have close contact with inbound travellers or transit passengers, it is important to protect them and also to ensure that they are vaccinated.

The vaccination requirements will be effective from September 1.

This story has been published on: 2021-08-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Police, lockdown activists clash in Australian cities

Australian police clashed with hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne and Sydney on Saturday as officials reported the country's highest ever single-day rise in Covid-19 cases.

Mounted police used pepper spray in Melbourne to break up crowds surging toward police lines, while smaller groups of protesters were prevented from congregating in Sydney by a large contingent of riot police.

There was no information immediately available on arrests. Police in Victoria had vowed to hand out fines of A$5,000 (US$3,600) to any protestor they could identify taking part.

Sydney, a city of more than 5 million people, has been in a strict lockdown for more than two months now, failing so far to contain an outbreak that has spread across internal borders and as far as neighbouring New Zealand.

The vast majority of the 894 cases reported across Australia on Saturday were found in Sydney, the epicentre of the Delta variant-fuelled outbreak.

"We are in a very serious situation here in New South Wales," state Health Minister Brad Hazzard said. "There is no time now to be selfish, it's time to think of the broader community and your families."

Police patrolled Sydney's streets and blocked both private and public transport into the centre of the city to reduce the number of people gathering at an unauthorised protest.

In Melbourne, a large crowd managed to march through the city, with some protesters clashing with police, after state Premier Daniel Andrews expanded a lockdown in that city to entire state.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton had earlier warned people to stay away from the protest, adding it was "just ridiculous to think that people would be so selfish and come and do this."

Several hundred people also protested peacefully in Brisbane, which is not in lockdown. (Reuters)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: Taliban co-founder Baradar in Kabul for talks on govt

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks on establishing a new "inclusive" government in Afghanistan, a senior official said.

It comes after other senior Taliban leaders were seen in the capital in recent days, including Khalil Haqqani - one of America's most wanted terrorists with a US$5 million bounty on his head.

A senior Taliban official said that Baradar would meet "jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up".

Hours later, pro-Taliban social media accounts showed Haqqani announcing that Ahmad Massoud - the son of Afghanistan's most famed anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud - had "declared allegiance" to the movement.

Massoud had earlier this week appealed to the United States to supply arms to his resistance movement in the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul, saying he wanted to follow in his father Ahmad Shah Massoud's footsteps.

Massoud has not issued a statement.

Haqqani has also met with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar - a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s, but still influential in Afghan politics.

Baradar arrived in Afghanistan last Tuesday from Qatar, choosing to touch down in the country's second-biggest city Kandahar - the Taliban's spiritual birthplace.

Within hours of his return, the group announced its rule would be "different" this time.

But they have given few details about who would form their government.

Arrested in Pakistan in 2010, Baradar was in custody until pressure from the United States saw him freed in 2018 and relocated to Qatar.

He was appointed head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, where he oversaw the signing of the agreement last year that led to the withdrawal of US forces and an end to their 20-year campaign.

The Taliban scotched any hopes of a negotiated peace deal with the Afghan government by overrunning the country in under two weeks - a lightning offensive that ended with them taking Kabul unopposed last Sunday.

On Friday, Haqqani - the uncle of Taliban deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani - was seen leading prayers at a mosque in Kabul.

Another key leader of the feared network - Anas Haqqani - was also in the capital and had met former president Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who led the overall peace process for the previous administration. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
RTHK: US tells citizens to avoid Kabul airport

The United States on Saturday urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid travelling to Kabul airport for now, citing "potential security threats" near its gates.

The warning, posted on the website of the US Embassy in Afghanistan and tweeted by the State Department in Washington, provided no detail on the nature of the threat.

But conditions outside Hamid Karzai International Airport have been chaotic amid the crush of people hoping to flee the Taliban takeover of the country.

As thousands of Americans and Afghans wait in the airport for flights or gather outside its gates, there have been "sporadic" reports, confirmed by the Pentagon, of Taliban fighters beating and harassing people trying to flee.

"Because of potential security threats outside the gates at Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so," the US embassy alert said.

Underlining the threat that the White House sees in the unfolding chaos - and likely also due to concern over a hurricane approaching the US northeast - President Joe Biden cancelled a planned trip home to Delaware on Saturday.

Pentagon officials, speaking not long after the warning was issued, declined to offer details of the threat, merely saying they were continuing to process people reaching the airport gates.

"There has been no reported change to the current enemy situation in and around the airport at this time," Major General Hank Taylor said.

He said 17,000 people had been evacuated since the operation began on August 14, with many flown first to Qatar or Kuwait. The total included 2,500 Americans.

In the past 24 hours, Taylor said, six military C-17 planes and 32 charter flights had departed Kabul airport, carrying 3,800 people.

Taylor said three flights had already reached Dulles International Airport outside Washington, adding that Afghan citizens were being sent on to the Fort Bliss army base in western Texas for processing.

The United States hopes to evacuate a total of 30,000 Americans and Afghan civilians.

On Friday, the US military sent helicopters to rescue over 150 Americans unable to reach the airport gates, an official said.

That was the first evidence that US forces were willing and able to go beyond the US-secured compound to help people seeking evacuation.

American officials earlier confirmed that evacuation operations from Afghanistan had stalled for about seven hours on Friday, because a receiving base in Qatar was overflowing.

Biden has promised to help any American in Afghanistan seeking to evacuate, saying, "Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home."

But he has admitted that the presence of thousands of US soldiers at the airport does not guarantee safe passage to that vast compound. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2021-08-21. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Situation across Afghanistan remains extremely fluid: UN

Xinhua) 09:05, August 21, 2021

Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

550,000 people had been forcibly displaced inside Afghanistan this year, there were also 2.9 million internally displaced persons from prior crises, and 2.6 million Afghans who had fled worldwide over the past decades, according to UN officials.

GENEVA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The situation across Afghanistan remained extremely fluid and bolstered support for the humanitarian response inside Afghanistan was urgently needed, said UN officials on Friday.

Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said at a press briefing here that while widespread fighting had decreased since the takeover of the country by the Taliban on Sunday, the full impact of the evolving situation was not yet clear.

The vast majority of Afghans were not able to leave the country through regular channels, Mantoo said, adding that some 200 UNHCR colleagues, both national and international, remained in Afghanistan.

The Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (C, rear) attends a press conference in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

"UNHCR was working with 18 local non-government partners with some 900 staff throughout the country. At present, they were able to access all provinces and working in two-thirds of all districts," she said.

Mantoo told reporters that 550,000 people had been forcibly displaced inside Afghanistan this year, but there were also 2.9 million internally displaced persons from prior crises, and 2.6 million Afghans who had fled worldwide over the past decades.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said at the press briefing that WHO was also committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services.

Photo taken on Aug. 15, 2021 shows a road in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. (Photo by Rahmatullah Alizadah/Xinhua)

At the start of 2021, he said, half the population of Afghanistan, including more than four million women and nearly ten million children, already needed humanitarian assistance.

"One-third of the population was facing acute food insecurity and more than half of all children under five years of age were malnourished. The current drought was expected to elevate those figures," he said.

According to the WHO spokesperson, most major health facilities in Afghanistan were functional, and health workers had been called to return to, or remain at their posts, including female health staff.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Ismail Sabri appointed as Malaysia's new PM amid worsening COVID-19 pandemic

Xinhua) 09:06, August 21, 2021

Ismail Sabri Yaakob leaves for an audience with Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Aug. 19, 2021. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Ismail Sabri, 61, was appointed by the king as Malaysia's new prime minister. He is the vice president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and had served in Muhyiddin's cabinet as defense minister before being appointed as deputy prime minister in July.

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has appointed former deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as new prime minister of the country, the national palace said on Friday.

In a statement, the national palace said Ismail Sabri had received the backing of 114 out of the 220 members of the parliament (MP) in the lower house of parliament, a simple majority to form the government, hence Sultan Abdullah had agreed to appoint him as the prime minister in accordance with the constitution.

Ismail Sabri is scheduled to be sworn in on Saturday, the statement added.

Ismail Sabri's appointment came as Malaysia was mired in political fighting despite a dire situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Malaysia saw a new record high of daily COVID-19 infections for the third consecutive day with 23,564 reported on Friday, bringing the national total to 1,513,024.

"His Majesty expressed his view with the appointment of the Prime Minister, the government must continue its efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic immediately for the benefit and security of the people and the well-being of the country, which is greatly affected by the crisis and the threat caused by the pandemic," the national palace said in a statement.

"His Majesty expressed the hope that with the appointment of the new Prime Minister, the political crisis can be ended immediately and all members of parliament can set aside their political agenda to unite and unanimously work to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the interest of the people and the country," it said.

Ismail Sabri is succeeding Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned on Monday after losing majority support in the lower house of parliament.

Ismail Sabri, 61, is the vice president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and had served in Muhyiddin's cabinet as defense minister before being appointed as deputy prime minister in July.

He has received backing from his own party UMNO and other parties in Muhyiddin's government, which gave him the simple majority in the lower house of parliament.

However, Ismail Sabri might not have much "honeymoon" on his new post as he would face an immediate task to consolidate his power and form a cabinet which is capable of handling the pandemic and the economic hardship.

With an identical political coalition of Muhyiddin's, Ismail Sabri came to power with a slim majority and this poses challenges for him to enjoy a stable government, political analysts said. Muhyiddin was forced to resign after about a dozen of UMNO MPs withdrew their support.

Political observer Azmi Hassan said the new prime minister will face pressure from his coalition partners as well as from his own party, with each competing to secure their interest.

He said the new prime minister needs to ensure that his cabinet appointments are made based on merit, and that he forms a capable cabinet.

"Ismail Sabri needs to demonstrate that he will design his cabinet not according to the party hierarchy but according to capabilities," he said.

Oh Ei Sun, principal advisor for Malaysia's Pacific Research Center, said Ismail Sabri will need to rapidly consolidate his political position to face the COVID-19 situation.

On politics, he is likely to face the same problems as Muhyiddin because he would have a very slim majority and if any of the coalition's components who are not happy with whatever policy or positions, they could throw tantrums just like UMNO did to Muhyiddin, and then his administration would be unstable just like Muhyiddin's, Oh Ei Sun said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
U.S. imposes fresh sanctions against Russia over Navalny, Nord Stream 2

Xinhua) 09:08, August 21, 2021

Photo taken on March 16, 2020 shows the White House Visitor Center in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The U.S. sanctions against Russia came amid the first anniversary of the alleged poisoning of Alexei Navalny.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday announced new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The Department of the Treasury said in a statement that it designated nine Russian individuals and two Russian entities "involved in Navalny's poisoning or Russia's chemical weapons program." Many designated are members of Russia's Federal Security Service.

In addition, the Department of State designated two Russian Ministry of Defense scientific laboratories that have engaged in activities to develop Russia's chemical weapons capabilities, according to the statement.

These sanctions came amid the first anniversary of the alleged poisoning of Navalny.

The U.S. intelligence community assessed that Russia's Federal Security Service officers used a nerve agent known as Novichok to poison Navalny on Aug. 20, 2020. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden in March this year announced multiple sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the issue.

Russia repeatedly denied such accusations, saying the Navalny case is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed.

File photo taken on Oct. 8, 2012 shows Nord Stream pipeline equipments before the opening ceremony of the North Stream second gas link in Portovaya bay, in northwestern Russia. (Xinhua)

In a separate move, the Department of State said Friday it had submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019 (PEESA), as amended. The report lists one Russian vessel and two Russian persons involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

"With today's action, the Administration has now sanctioned 7 persons and identified 16 of their vessels as blocked property pursuant to PEESA in connection with Nord Stream 2," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

The 1,230-km gas pipeline, expected to be completed soon, would bring 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

The United States has long claimed that the Nord Stream 2 is a geopolitical maneuver by Moscow that will undermine Ukraine's role in transiting energy to Europe and increase European dependence on Russian gas. Germany and Russia insisted that the project is purely commercial.

Citing the importance of relations with Germany and the difficulty to stop the nearly completed pipeline, the Biden administration in May waived sanctions against a company behind the pipeline project and its German CEO, which led to opposition from bipartisan lawmakers.

The United States and Germany reached a deal in July over the controversial pipeline project. Berlin agreed to support Ukraine to strengthen its energy sector and act against Russia if it weaponizes the energy.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Tibetan Thangka art exhibition opens in Malta

Xinhua) 09:21, August 21, 2021

A student majored in thangka painting in the Tibet Vocational Technical College works on a ceramic vase at a cultural development company in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Dec. 3, 2020. (Xinhua/Jigme Dorje)

The exhibition, which will last until Oct. 6, give an insight into Tibetan cultures and customs, as well as the origin, evolution and techniques and the profound culture of the Thangka art.

VALLETTA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A Tibetan Thangka art exhibition, with the theme of "China's Tibet, Tashi Delek," opened in Malta on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation.

The exhibition, also accessible online, is jointly hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta and the Cultural Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Around 20 Thangka artworks have been selected for the exhibition, covering different schools of Thangka art, such as the Qi Wu Gang School and the Mian Tang School.

A giant Thangka painting is displayed at the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Xigaze, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, July 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Chogo)

All these artworks are rich in symbolism and characterized by strong composition, delicate details, vivid expression and dazzling colors -- a testimony to the wisdom of Tibetan people and the unique charm of Thangka, traditional Buddhist artworks painted on cotton or silk.

The exhibition will connect art lovers in China and Malta and promote cultural exchanges and cooperation, said Jinmei Wangcuo, director of the Cultural Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

A student practises Thangka painting skills at a school in Rangtang County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 24, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhang Chaoqun)

The exhibition is also the first in a series of events celebrating the upcoming Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, which will take place on Sept. 21, said Yang Xiaolong, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta.

The exhibition, which will last until Oct. 6, features Tibetan landscapes and travel videos, which give an insight into Tibetan cultures and customs, as well as the origin, evolution and techniques and the profound culture of the Thangka art, Yang told Xinhua.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Over 1,600 internet hospitals established in China

Xinhua) 09:34, August 21, 2021

YINCHUAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,600 internet hospitals have been established in China so far, and nearly 49 million people took online diagnosis and treatment in 2020 with the prevalence of online healthcare service, according to an official of the National Health Commission.

Yu Xuejun, vice director of the commission, said this Friday at a healthcare forum held at the ongoing fifth China-Arab States Expo in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which boasts the country's first pilot zone for Internet Plus Healthcare.

"Digital healthcare has become a strategic direction for many countries to transform and upgrade medical care, and China has been making great efforts to integrate information technology with hygiene and health," Yu said.

Yu pointed out that Internet Plus Healthcare has become an indispensable part of medical care, and its advantages such as being contactless have been fully displayed during the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic in China.

His opinion was echoed by Dr. Gauden Galea, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to China. Speaking via video to the forum, he said harnessing the power of digital technology is critical to achieving universal health coverage, and cutting-edge technologies such as virtual therapy and remote monitoring have the potential to support health systems to achieve better diagnoses and better coverage.

"There's a lot we can work on together to harness science and technology innovation to benefit the health and well-being of all people," Galea said. "I believe, through collaboration, we are contributing to a safer and healthier world and to a better future."

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
China urges Japan to exercise discretion on Taiwan question

Xinhua) 09:44, August 21, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan must exercise discretion and refrain from any wrong words or deeds on the Taiwan question, said a mainland spokesperson Friday.

Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks when commenting on the recent attempt of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party to hold "security talks" with Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority.

China is resolutely opposed to the series of wrong statements concerning Taiwan made recently by the Japanese government and relevant persons, said Ma.

"Japan should reflect on its history, immediately correct its mistakes, and abide by the one-China principle and the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan with concrete actions," said Ma.

The spokesperson added that the DPP authority's attempt to collude with external forces to seek "Taiwan independence" is doomed to fail.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
China's space-tracking ship Yuanwang-5 back from monitoring mission

Xinhua) 09:44, August 21, 2021

NANJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Yuanwang-5 space-tracking ship returned to its homeport on Friday after completing a maritime monitoring mission for the launch of the Zhongxing-2E satellite.

The Zhongxing-2E satellite was sent into space by a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Aug. 6.

The tracking vessel conducted a space-ground information exchange and provided significant data support to ensure the smooth execution of key stages of the launch, including the satellite's orbit determination and entry.

Yuanwang-5 was at sea for 33 days and has sailed more than 10,000 nautical miles for this round of mission.

After docking at the port, crew members will examine the facilities and replenish supplies for the upcoming missions.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Chinese products add sparkle to Somalia's largest e-commerce platform

Xinhua) 09:51, August 21, 2021

An employer walks past exhibition boxes printed with the logo of Alibaba Group in the Taobao City of Alibaba Group in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, March 25, 2014. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Soomar Online, a major e-commerce marketplace in Somalia, finds its business niche in retailing Chinese products.

MOGADISHU, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The increasing penetration of the internet, ownership of smartphones and low cost of data in Somalia has spurred the growth of online commerce in the Horn of African Nation.

Soomar Online, one of the largest e-commerce marketplaces in Somalia is enabling customers to get products they see in global markets at their nearest picking points or even in the comfort of their homes.

According to Soomar Online executive officer, Mohamed Mohamud, the company has established pick-up points in major cities such as Mogadishu and Hargeisa.

But what makes Soomar Online unique is that it has established itself as the source of goods from China whereas other platforms still go for traditional markets known to many Somalia nationals such as Turkey and Gulf States.

"We chose to specialize in Chinese products because of several reasons," Mohamud told Xinhua during a recent interview in Mogadishu.

"We can get all varieties of products and in good quality to the liking of our customers from China. They range from home appliances, mobile phones and accessories among others and the prices are affordable," he added.

Mohamud said it is easy to negotiate and get suppliers from China who can facilitate and connect their clients to shipment agencies, easing one of the challenges of importation in business.

"Perhaps one of the most interesting reasons we choose China is because the suppliers send us high-quality resolution images of the products to enable us to make a good judgment on how the products look," Mohamud said.

Soomar Online has a wide range of products ranging from electronics, shoes, rugs, kitchenware, and beauty products among others.

"We contact the suppliers directly through online platforms such as Alibaba or AliExpress. We also get in touch with factories and agencies," said Mohamud.

Through this, the company is able to compare prices and settle for the best offer.

Some of the clients who spoke to Xinhua expressed confidence in Chinese products.

"I love products from China because you can get every type of product you want. China enables us to get a variety of products," said Mohamed Muse, an avid fan of Chinese products.

Abdifitah Mahdi, a client, said he likes Chinese products because they are good and cheap at the same time.

"I am a regular customer of the Chinese products and now I can order them online. This will make me use the Chinese products with much enthusiasm," said Mahdi.

Despite the boom in online business, challenges abound but Mohamud contended they will be able to overcome them with time.

"Sometimes it takes a long time to receive products in Somalia and the COVID-19 travel restrictions have worsened that situation," he added

Mohamud said that as a result of COVID restrictions, he has not been able to travel to China to meet new suppliers.

He said the lack of defined home and postal addresses in Somalia also makes it difficult to deliver products to clients. Additionally, poor road networks always present challenges in reaching clients either in their homes or localities.

However, with a growing young population that is technology savvy coupled with experiences from those returning back to the country from abroad, e-commerce will no doubt become entrenched in Somalia's cultural psyche.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Commentary: Expo demonstrates strengthened China-Arab unity, cooperation

Xinhua) 09:52, August 21, 2021

YINCHUAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- In ancient times, vast deserts and arduous journeys failed to stop Arab and Chinese merchants from striking deals with one another. Today, China and Arab countries continue to expand economic and trade cooperation while jointly fighting the raging pandemic, setting a positive example of overcoming difficulties together.

Their strengthened strategic coordination and the synergy of their actions are evident at the fifth China-Arab States Expo, which is being held in northwest China and has seen active participation.

More than 1,000 domestic and overseas enterprises have registered as exhibitors for offline and virtual events. A total of 239 companies are displaying their latest products and innovations in offline exhibitions covering an approximate total area of 12,000 square meters.

This year's event is an extension of the exchanges between China and Arab countries, which feature peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefits and win-win results.

Despite the impact of the pandemic, the foundation of Chinese-Arab trade and economic cooperation remains solid. China is the largest trading partner of Arab countries. Last year, the total trade volume between China and Arab states neared 240 billion U.S. dollars. Arab states' imports from China hit 122.9 billion U.S. dollars, up 2.1 percent year on year.

The expo has shown both sides' willingness to expand cooperation in extensive areas. The expo's in-person events are themed around healthcare, clean energy, new materials, the digital economy, and cross-border e-commerce, which are key areas in which China and Arab states can bolster exchanges and achieve win-win cooperation.

The two sides, both advocates of multilateralism and a fair and just international order, are also expected to take measures to facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and jointly safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system.

Joint efforts have also been made by China and Arab countries, bound by the history of the ancient Silk Road, to promote the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The expo witnessed the signing of 13 cooperation projects under the BRI, involving an approximate total of 617 million U.S. dollars. Highly complementary in terms of their economies, China and Arab countries are taking practical actions to fulfill their commitment to building a community with a shared future, and passing down the time-honored spirit of openness and cooperation.

China has so far donated and exported more than 72 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to 17 Arab states and the Arab League. Arab states were among the first to cooperate with China on vaccines.

The ongoing expo has seen opportunities for the two sides to strengthen their anti-pandemic cooperation, including their procurement of medical supplies, investment in their medical and health sectors, and their future joint production of vaccines.

The pandemic is fraught with uncertainty, but it is certain that China and Arab states will stand in solidarity to build a Chinese-Arab community with a shared future for the new era. The expo has demonstrated the determination, great resilience and potential of Chinese-Arab cooperation.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
China, Arab states should deepen energy cooperation: Chinese energy chief

Xinhua) 09:57, August 21, 2021

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows the cross-border e-commerce and digital economy exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.(Xinhua/Wang Peng)

YINCHUAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Energy cooperation plays a vital role in China-Arab strategic partnership as both sides face the issue of ensuring energy security and realizing energy transition amid the global background of carbon neutrality, Zhang Jianhua, head of China's National Energy Administration, said Thursday.

Zhang made the remarks at a forum held on the sidelines of the ongoing fifth China-Arab States Expo, which opened Thursday in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

China and the Arab states should deepen cooperation in traditional energy to achieve win-win results and mutual benefits, and join hands to push forward the transition to clean, low-carbon energy including solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear power, Zhang noted.

He added that China welcomes the Arab states to join the Belt and Road Energy Partnership, an energy cooperation platform inaugurated in 2019 under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, to facilitate collaboration in the area.

Arab states are the most important source of crude oil imports for China, and a number of China-invested enterprises have engaged in energy projects in Arab countries including Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, Zhang said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
China to ensure success of UN biodiversity meeting in Kunming: FM spokesperson

Xinhua) 09:58, August 21, 2021

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to work to ensure the success of the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), which will be convened in two parts this year and next year in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks on Friday, saying the two-part schedule had been decided by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and China, the host country.

The first part of the COP15, including an official opening and a high-level segment, will take place both online and offline on Oct. 11-15, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The second part, to be held in-person in the first half of 2022, will see broad and deepened negotiations towards an ambitious and practical post-2020 global biodiversity framework, said the ministry.

Hua said the COP15, themed "Ecological Civilization: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth," is expected to set new goals for global biodiversity conservation.

China will continue to push forward preparations for the COP15 in an orderly manner, and will work with all parties to overcome the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure the success of the COP15, she said.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
National parks can effectively alleviate isolation of wild giant panda population: research

Xinhua) 10:08, August 21, 2021

A staff member takes care of a giant panda cub. In 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers believe that giant panda national parks in the country can effectively alleviate the isolation of the species' population.

At present, there are 1,631 giant pandas in 17 populations living in national giant panda parks. The number of isolated giant panda populations could be reduced from 33 to 21 nationwide if the habitats in the parks are connected, according to the website of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), which reported the research results.

The researchers from the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the CAS proposed that less number of isolated small populations could reduce the risk of giant panda extinction.

According to the fourth national survey of giant pandas, there are 1,864 wild giant pandas across the country. They are first class, key protected wild animals in China and are seen as the flagship and umbrella species of China's endangered-species protection.

In the future, climate change could exacerbate the fragmentation of giant panda habitats and increase the number of isolated small populations.

The researchers simulated the current and future extinction risks of wild giant pandas under climate change, and analyzed the impact of giant panda national parks on protecting the species.

Their study is aimed at giving practical advice for conservation policies and management and has implications for the conservation of other species in the world that live in isolated, fragmented habitats, according to the research article published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Interview: COVID-19 origins tracing should not be politically motivated, says Bangladeshi FM

Xinhua) 10:13, August 21, 2021

DHAKA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 origins tracing should be objective rather than politically motivated, Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview.

"In the area of finding the origins and the causes, I think it should be left to the scientists," Momen said on the sidelines of the signing ceremony earlier this week of an agreement between Bangladesh and China on vaccine co-production.

"Sometimes, when there is a politically motivated investigation, that results in disaster," Momen noted, citing the unpopular U.S.-led Iraq war as an example.

There was first a political motivation, and then came an assessment that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, with pictures and other false evidence, misleading the world into believing that it was true, he said.

"But eventually after they captured Iraq, they tried their best for more than two years to find an iota of that," he said.

Stressing that all countries need to work together to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, Momen said the most important thing at this time is to have enough vaccines distributed to countries around the world, whether they are rich or poor.

"It is very sad that many rich countries ... have accumulated a lot of vaccines, and they are not sharing those with the poorer countries," he said.

"Vaccines should be a public good, and should be distributed to all countries without any discrimination," he said. "If everyone is not out of COVID, no one is out of COVID."

Momen expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and people for helping Bangladesh in the anti-pandemic fight.

"From the very beginning, they have been very supportive to us," he said, adding that Bangladesh-China relations have further deepened during the pandemic.

When China was having difficulty at the early days of the outbreak at home, Bangladesh sent medical equipment to China, and later when Bangladesh got into trouble, the Chinese government as well as private companies also offered much help to Bangladesh, he said.

"We are very lucky. We have a good friend like China," he added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Chile receives more Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines

Xinhua) 10:50, August 21, 2021

SANTIAGO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chile received Friday a new shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac.

The shipment, which was delivered at the Santiago international airport, will allow more people to receive vaccination, said Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza.

The Chinese vaccine was approved for emergency use in Chile earlier this year by the Public Health Institute, based on the recommendations of the committee of experts convened for the evaluation of vaccines against the virus, which indicated its use for people over 18 years of age.

Chile has received more than 31.4 million doses from various laboratories, with 6.2 million doses having arrived since July 22.

Some 84 percent of Chile's target population has been fully vaccinated, while nearly 90 percent of the target population has received at least a first dose, according to the government.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Int'l community closely monitoring situation in Afghanistan

Xinhua) 11:02, August 21, 2021

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

The international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on Sunday, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with British First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or more chaos.

It also shows that governance imposed from the outside has not been supported by the Afghan people, and lacks a social foundation, Wang said, adding that relying on military intervention to solve regional hotspot issues will lead nowhere.

Wang said the international community should fully respect the independence and sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of its people, conduct more dialogue and provide more guidance, refrain from a predetermined mindset and exceeding one's duties to meddle in the affairs of other countries and not turn Afghanistan into an arena of geopolitical games.

Taliban fighters are seen in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2021.(Str/Xinhua)

Raab agreed that the international community should sum up experience and lessons from Afghanistan, saying that the country should not become an epicenter of terrorism once again.

The international community should cooperate on the issue of Afghan refugees, Raab said, noting that Britain has announced that it will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees and is ready to increase humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in support of the United Nations in helping the neighboring countries of Afghanistan accept Afghan refugees.

On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press briefing that China hopes the Afghan Taliban can follow through on its positive statements, unite with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, establish a broadly-based, inclusive political framework that fits the national conditions and win public support through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies.

Meanwhile, Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Thursday called for efforts to continue to fight terrorism in Afghanistan in order to prevent it from again becoming a paradise for terrorists.

Taliban fighters stand beside the belongings of Afghan security soldiers in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

For 20 years since the war on terror in Afghanistan started, the threat of terrorism has not been eliminated. Instead, the number of terrorist organizations in the country has increased from a single digit to more than 20 with close to 10,000 foreign terrorists in the country, Dai warned.

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Putin and Macron noted the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians and addressing pressing humanitarian challenges, the Kremlin said in a press release.

They expressed a willingness to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan through cooperation, including efforts within the framework of the United Nations Security Council and the Group of 20.

During the talks between Putin and Draghi, both sides underlined the significance of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the safety of the Afghan people.

Putin and Draghi stressed the need to further counter the spread of terrorist ideology and deal with the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The leaders called for consolidating international efforts to help establish peace and stability in the country.

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of U.S.-led military troops, the Group of Seven (G7) on Thursday sought to secure close cooperation in personnel evacuation and the resettlement of refugees.

The foreign ministers of the G7 as well as the high representative of the European Union met online and "spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days," according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The G7 will continue efforts to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport, the ministers concurred during Thursday's meeting, which set the stage for a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan early next week.

At the same time, the blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden (C) delivering remarks on Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing. I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Since the U.S. troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield. During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

After the takeover of the capital city, the Taliban said Tuesday it intends to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
Canadian media dares not face up to online petition for justice over Meng case

By Yu Ning (Global Times) 14:11, August 21, 2021

China's Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at the court in Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 18, 2021. Canada's British Columbia Supreme Court concluded the hearings of Meng Wanzhou's extradition case Wednesday afternoon, with a final decision expected to come later in October. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)

An online petition demanding the immediate release of Meng Wanzhou, Chinese tech company Huawei's chief financial officer, drew more than 10 million signatures from netizens around the world in just over a day. With the number still mounting rapidly, the petition, launched on Wednesday by the Global Times, has also attracted attention from international media outlets such as those from Russia and India. Ridiculously, media of Canada, which illegally detained Meng at the request of the US government in December 2018, mostly turned a blind eye to the petition, as if they dare not face up to the public will and just voices concerning Meng's case. As of press time, only the Globe and Mail published a brief report on the petition, in which it accused the Global Times of not mentioning the cases of the two Michaels.

Why can't the call for justice attract Canadian media's coverage? It could be said that the Canadian media has acted as an accomplice of the Canadian government in the political persecution of Meng for a long time. Their focus has never been the legal problems of the case and the unlawful treatment Meng has suffered. They are more obsessed with linking the case of the two Michaels to Meng's, trying to turn Canada from an offender of human rights to a "victim" by accusing China of using "hostage diplomacy" to retaliate against Canada. In this regard, it's fair to say many Canadian media outlets have lost objectiveness and impartiality that a news outlet is supposed to have. Different from Meng, which has not violated any Canadian laws, there is solid evidence proving the two Michaels' violations of Chinese laws.

The online petition represents the call for justice. The increasing number of international signatures reflects a simple fact that more and more people have been aware of the injustice Meng has suffered. It's also indicative of the Chinese public's strong dissatisfaction toward the Canadian government.

It has now been increasingly acknowledged worldwide that Washington, out of the purpose of safeguarding its high-tech hegemony and preventing a Chinese company from becoming a leader in the tech field, instructed Ottawa to illegally detain Meng. It's in essence a form of political kidnapping. Just as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, the Meng case is a downright political event concocted by the US with Canada acting as an accomplice. It's apparent the US is behind it.

"Canada shouldn't get caught up in the China-US strategic competition and bear losses for US interests," Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times. "If it stubbornly insists on the current wrong path, its destiny will be doomed: to be either abandoned by the US, or to suffer counterattacks from China while the US will only act coldly like an onlooker," Shen noted.

For the good of its own interests, Canada only needs to make a simple decision -- stop blindly acting as a lackey of the US. No one will ask Canada to stand with China to be against the US. But there is no need for Canada to confront China for the interests of the US, which will bring unbearable consequences to Canada.

Regrettably, the Canadian government and media have done nothing to put an end to the country's wrong path of blindly following the US. This demonstrates Canada's political and strategic ignorance and immaturity. First, Ottawa blindly believes it has an obligation to serve the US. Second, it overestimates itself, thinking it can do whatever it wants with China without paying a price. The US has never been a reliable ally, but it seems Canada hasn't learned a lesson. US President Joe Biden in January - shortly after assuming office  formally revoked the permit needed to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, an $8 billion project that the struggling Canadian crude sector has long supported, without a little consideration for its ally's interest. "What's wrong with Canada? Why is it so desperate to prove the world its obedience to the US and the fact that it is a semi-sovereign country?" Shen asked. Shen noted Canada appears to have a Stockholm syndrome toward the US - it blindly "loves" the US while being hurt by the US.

It's time for the Canadian government and media to wake up and respond to the call for justice. Otherwise, the Chinese and international perception that Canada is the 51st state of the US will continue to deepen.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
COVID-19 origins: What has China done for origins tracing?

(CGTN) 14:35, August 21, 2021

A staff member performs random sample check on inactivated COVID-19 vaccines at a packing line of the Sinovac Research & Development Co., Ltd. in Beijing, capital of China, on Dec. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

Origins tracing has been one of the priorities of China's scientific research since the COVID-19 outbreak, and Chinese scientists have done a lot of work on this issue, Xu Nanping, vice minister of Science and Technology, said at a recent press conference on COVID-19 origins tracing.

Origins tracing is substantially a scientific matter, so scientific research has played a crucial role in searching for origins of the virus, said Xu.

Responding to the call by the Chinese government to make the utmost effort to find out where the virus came from, Chinese research groups from academic institutes and universities carried out scientific research on a number of priority areas including animals, humans, molecules and the environment.

In terms of tracing animal origins, Xu said researchers conducted nationwide viral tests over wild animals, poultry and livestock in 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions soon after the outbreak, covering dozens of species, such as pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, turkeys, wild rabbits and wild boars.

"We tested more than 80,000 samples over a short period of time, and no COVID-19 antibodies or positive nucleic acid test results were detected."

The researchers further conducted COVID-19 challenge trials on animals in the lab, and classified them into such groups as "highly susceptible", "not susceptible" or "resistant to COVD-19", which Xu said helped them "further understand the situation and determine the priorities in tracing animal origins."

Through studies on coronaviruses carried by bats and other animals, the researchers found that the suspicious RaTG13bat coronavirus has a remote evolutionary relationship with SARS-CoV-2.

They also detected multiple strains of coronavirus in smuggled pangolins seized by customs, among which the highest genome homology with SARS-CoV-2 is 92.4 percent, lower than RaTG13, but one strain shows 96.9-percent amino acid homology with SARS-CoV-2, higher than that of RaTG13, indicating that pangolin coronavirus may have played a role in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, Xu explained.

He added that joint efforts with international scientists facilitated the origins tracing work.

By July 19, Chinese researchers and their counterparts from the U.S., the UK and other countries had jointly published 225 articles related to tracing origins of the virus. Chinese and U.S. medical scientists held six dialogues via video link on containment of COVID-19, said Xu.

Efforts on data and information sharing were also beefed up with a database for global sharing established, he added. "By July 19, the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Resource database had garnered and shared more than 2.53 million collections of worldwide SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences, and offered access to almost 300,000 users from 177 countries and regions."

Chinese scientists' work was recognized by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Peter Daszak, a British zoologist and member of the WHO team to Wuhan, told the New York Times about the cooperative and extensive work that Chinese scientists had done.

Daszak said they were provided with new data on their first day, and when asked for more data, "the Chinese scientists would go off, and a couple of days later, they've done the analysis, and we've got new information. It was extremely useful."

He added that what the Chinese scientists did in the Wuhan Huanan seafood wholesale market, where the first cases were linked to in China, was "a very extensive study, swabbing every surface of this place."

"They'd actually done over 900 swabs in the end, a huge amount of work. They had been through the sewage system. They'd been into the air ventilation shaft to look for bats. They'd caught animals around the market," he added.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
US govt feeds media with fake proof to discredit China on virus origins, as intelligence probe stalls

(Global Times) 15:01, August 21, 2021

Origin-tracing. Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The US government is gearing up efforts to manipulate American media outlets to cooperate with its intelligence's investigation on COVID-19 origins targeting China and create a favorable atmosphere for public opinion to discredit and blame China on the issue. Its tactics include "feeding the US media fake information to fabricate the "China lab-leak theory," encouraging some media to stir up the "Chinese wildlife market theory" for virus origins, and manipulating its media to strengthen positive reports about Fort Detrick, a source close to the matter told the Global Times on Friday.

It comes as the Joe Biden-set deadline for the 90-day investigation into the virus' origins draws to a close. In order to formulate the report, the US is stepping up its efforts to coerce China's neighbors to participate in its campaign to smear China as the "source of the coronavirus," using vaccine aid, talent training and industrial investment as bait, and is pressuring the World Health Organization (WHO) and marshaling its allies, including the EU, Australia, Japan and other countries, to launch a "second-phase origins tracing" probe on China despite that even its own research institutions and allies believe that the virus was almost certainly not created via artificial means, sources told the Global Times previously.

But high-level officials from the US government believe that US intelligence agencies have not yet obtained substantial evidence for the "Chinese origins theory" or the "China lab-leak theory," while China's position of upholding the China-WHO joint study report and opposing all politicization of virus-tracing has won the support and recognition of many countries, the source said. Some governments and experts have joined China in calling on the WHO to investigate the US' Fort Detrick.

Given this backdrop, the US government will make full use of the dominant position of its media in terms of international communication, and "guide" relevant media outlets to promote the American narrative from all angles, resisting the "counterattack from China" and creating a favorable public opinion that believes discrediting and blaming China is the right thing to do, the source said.

To do this, the US government has been feeding the media with fabricated evidence of the "China lab-leak theory," and hyping reports from the WHO and international scientific community which were negative for China, the source said.

Recently, the US government stirred up some media to hype the theory that Chinese wildlife markets were the source, providing alternative plans to "convict" China, the source said.

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The US government has also been manipulating its media to strengthen the number of positive reports on Fort Detrick, disassociating the relationship between Fort Detrick and the novel coronavirus and trying to bring the focus of the investigation back to China.

Bloomberg on Thursday cited a study published in June which claims that a study on infected Wuhan wild animals may shed new light on the virus' origins.

The Wall Street Journal also published an opinion piece on August 15 jointly written by Robert Redfield, who previously served in the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and a Fox News medical correspondent.

The article hyped rumors that employees of the Wuhan lab were becoming sick with COVID-19-like symptoms in the fall of 2019, which has been repeatedly rejected and slammed by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

After the Cold War, the politicization-orientated US intelligence agencies failed in dealing with all major decisions, including the Iraq War and Afghanistan War. It is clear now that US intelligence agencies did not provide balanced, neutral and objective analysis on issues, but catered to the political and public opinion of the US, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

He said politicization will determine the structure of the report on virus origins tracing even if it does not come out.

The US' virus tracing efforts are all about weakening China's influence, and it is understood by US policy makers to be a political attack that caters to its strategy of comprehensive competition and confrontation with China, Li said, noting it uses all of its available tools including allies and media to pull China away from its neighbors to the greatest extent, creating confrontation.

(Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Sheng Chuyi)
The China Manned Space Agency says two of the three crew members on board the Chinese space station module Tianhe have conducted their second spacewalk since the crew arrived there in June.

Chinese state television broadcast the six-hour spacewalk live, showing astronauts Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming hard at work fixing a robotic arm, installing thermal control equipment and adjusting a camera.

The third astronaut, Tang Hongbo, carried out the team's first spacewalk July 4, and he assisted Friday's event from inside the module's control room. The spacewalk was the third ever in Chinas space program.

The crew members arrived June 17 for a three-month mission aboard the Tianhe module, which will make up the core of China's third orbital station, scheduled to be fully operational and crewed by the end of next year. The module was launched April 29.


Before the two leaders met for talks in the Kremlin Friday, Merkel took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Russia's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow and viewed a military procession immediately after.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, scheduled to leave office later this year after nearly 16 years, is in Moscow for one final meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Later, at the Kremlin, Putin presented the German chancellor with a bouquet of flowers as they met for a photo opportunity before their talks. In front of reporters, Merkel told Putin though they have deep differences, she feels it is important they meet for talks.

Merkel said the two leaders had much to discuss, including, among other issues, the situation in Afghanistan and Libya as well as bilateral relations.

Putin and Merkel are likely to broach Russia's Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline to Germany, which is nearly complete. The U.S. has raised questions about the deal, as it represents a huge blow to ally Ukraine by bypassing the historic gas transit country.

The two were scheduled to hold a joint news conference soon after their talks. Merkel is scheduled to visit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday.


Shared bikes reduce our carbon footprint

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2021-08-21 16:25

Just before the ninth National Low-carbon Day, which falls on August 25 this year, Hello-bike released an annual sustainability report, stating that a total of 667,000 tons of carbon emissions had been reduced by its users by the end of 2020.

An inclusive city requires efficient, equal, and diversified travel modes, with safety as a backbone. Shared bicycles can increase the efficiency of urban travel by 15 to 19 percentage points, according to Dr. Yin Zhifang of the China Academy of Transportation Sciences (CATS). Hello-bikes shared bicycles and e-bikes have filled up the short- and medium-distance travel gap and relieved the pressure on urban traffic congestion effectively.

As the report shows, by the end of 2020, 24 billion kilometers had been ridden by users of Hello-bike. Last year, around 30,000 bikes were recycled by the company or went through eco-friendly treatment. It also created nearly 400,000 full-time and part-time maintenance jobs, and 50,000 jobs were created directly for upstream enterprises in the industry. 15% of the workers were women over 40 years old and males over 50 years old who had difficulty competing for employment in the labor market.

Hello-bike has covered over 460 Chinese cities so far. Since its founding, the company has paid high attention to the green management of each bikes life cycle. Regarding the last step, it follows the 3R (reduce-reuse-recycle) concept.

(Photos/Hello-Bike)
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Press Release

August 21, 2021 De Lima urges DICT to fast track development of national vaccine database Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has filed a Senate Resolution urging the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to fast track the development of a national vaccine database of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as a standard measure to verify proof of inoculation. In Senate Resolution No. 857 she filed last Aug. 17, De Lima said the DICT, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Local Government Units (LGUs), must urgently act on national vaccinee database to avoid falsification and ensure that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will not face further challenges when traveling. "The absence of a central and national database and system of releasing of vaccination cards by LGUs, which do not have a uniform design, contributes to the challenge of efficiently identifying authentic vaccination cards and confirming if an individual has been really inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines," she said. "While there have been several efforts to improve the security features of LGU-issued vaccination cards by several local chief executives, the lack of a standard verification system in place continues to make vaccination cards even more susceptible to counterfeiting or illegal replication," she added. As the government rolled out its vaccination program, health experts, LGUs, and law enforcement entities expressed concern on the capacity of the government to verify the validity of vaccination cards due to the unavailability of a central repository or database of vaccinated persons. For one, the Muntinlupa City government received reports of alleged faking and selling of fake vaccination cards in numerous computer shops in the city. "It was 'chaotic' for LGUs, as they had to create their own style. It is further claimed that DICT's supposed task of issuing digital vaccination cards remained as a mere 'plan'. To date, each city in Metro Manila has its own designs and styles of vaccination card," De Lima noted. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr., meanwhile, recently announced that Hong Kong is not accepting the country's locally issued vaccination cards because "they are not connected to a single source," leaving OFWs working in Hong Kong stranded as they wait for the government to meet the requirements of Hong Kong. Additionally, an individual who has received two full doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Mandaluyong City attempted and successfully received his third or booster shot in Quezon City last Aug. 13. "The said breach in the approved protocol on the allowed number of COVID-19 jabs proves that there are serious challenges in validating and ensuring that all individuals are following the existing policies on the administration of COVID-19 vaccines in the country," she said. The lady Senator from Bicol said the development of a national database of COVID-19 vaccination will comprehensively address the legitimate concerns and issues that put into question the standards and capacity to guarantee and certify that all vaccinated persons in the country are authentically inoculated. "This apparent gap between what is required by law and what is happening before our eyes will create a major backlog and more problems in the near future as more Filipinos are beginning to travel abroad for work," she said. "The availability of a centralized database of COVID-19 vaccinations will allow law enforcement units to efficiently identify and verify truthfulness of presented vaccination cards, discourage and apprehend individuals who are faking said documents, and sustain the progress and efforts that the government has made in the vaccination program," she added.
Press Release

August 21, 2021 De Lima condemns killing of ex-tabloid editor Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima condemned the killing of salon owner and former tabloid editor Gwen Salamida whose death adds to the increasing number of journalists killed under the Duterte regime. De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar should ensure that justice is served for Salamida and his family by keeping true to his word that the PNP will investigate all angles on the murder. "Mariin nating kinokondena ang isa na namang karumal-dumal na pagpatay sa kawani ng media. Kailangang magsagawa ng mabilis at patas na imbestigasyon para mapanagot ang nasa likod ng krimen na ito, kung hindi ay mapapabilang lang ito sa mga numero ng mga walang pinatutunguhang kaso ng pamamaslang," she said. "Needless to say, we will hold the PNP and PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar to his promise, that ALL angles of the killings will be investigated thoroughly and with dispatch," she added. Reportedly, Salamida was killed while her companion remains in critical condition after they were shot inside the salon they owned in Quezon City last Aug. 17. She sustained two gunshot wounds to her head and two more in different parts of her body resulting to her instantaneous death. Police have eliminated the holdup/robbery angle in the shooting and murder of Salamid after a witness, a Grab food delivery rider who refused to be named, confirmed that the victim and her partner may have been intentionally killed. According to the delivery rider, he was delivering the food ordered by the victims when he was suddenly accompanied into the salon by a man armed with an unknown caliber gun and immediately shot the victims. Eleazar said that he has "tasked the Quezon City Police District to thoroughly investigate this incident," adding that "lahat ng anggulo ay ating titingnan upang malaman ang tunay na motibo sa krimen at madakip ang salarin." De Lima said she hopes that the continued dangers faced by Filipino journalists would prompt her colleagues to help push for the swift passage of Senate Bill (SB) No. 1523 or the Journalist Protection Act of 2020, which she filed May of last year. "Instead of threatening them, we need to safeguard the welfare of our journalists considering the dangerous and even life-threatening circumstances they encounter on a daily basis. This is the least that we can do for them as they continue to serve the public despite the dangers of their jobs," she said. "I hope that my Senate colleagues would help push for the swift passage of this very important and timely legislation," she added.
Home > 2021 > India in world affairs during last 74 years | P S Jayaramu

by P. S. Jayaramu

( 16th August, 2021)

India has entered the 75th year of its independence and it is a proud moment for us, though it is not a long time in a nations history. An attempt is made here to reflect on the role played by India in world affairs.

In a way, Indias role in international affairs preceded its independence. The Indian National Congress (INC) which led the freedom movement, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi had a cell devoted to foreign affairs. It was headed by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru with his vast exposure to international affairs. The INC thought of a cell because it wanted to project to the world that its views on issues of international affairs were at variance with that of the British who ruled over us. The INC felt it was necessary to articulate its views openly and clearly. The INC passed resolutions opposing the British annexation of upper Burma and the spread of its imperial hold over Egypt and other countries.

Nehru attended, in February 1927, the Congress of Oppressed Nationalities at Brussels and made a stirring speech opposing the imperialists and lent INCs support to the cause of freedom from imperialism and Colonialism. During the second world war, the INC gave vent to its opposition to the war by upping the ante for Indian independence.

As Prime Minister of the provisional government, Nehru hosted the first Asian Relations conference in March-April1947. He reiterated Indias support to freedom for Asian nations saying we stand at the end of an era on the threshold of a new period of history. Indias independence which formally happened on 15th August 1947 led to Nehru making his historic speech about our tryst with destiny. From then on, India took up the cause of independence of Asian-African nations with greater vigour.

India also expressed itself strongly against the entangling alliances which emerged in the wake of the Cold War engulfing the Soviet-American relations. As is well known, the cold war led to the birth of an independent path to pursue our foreign policy, which came to be known as Nonalignment. India also played an active part in the Asian-African nations conference at Bandung (Indonesia) in 1955, signalling its renewed commitment to the cause of many Asian-African nations which were still fighting for freedom from imperial powers. The efforts of Asian-African nations for the pursuit of an independent foreign policy culminated in the first conference of the Nonaligned nations at Belgrade in Sepetember 1961, under the leadership of Marshall Tito, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sukarno and Nasser, leading to the eventual formation of the Nonaligned Movement (NAM), which was described by Peter Willets, as the emergence of a non-military alliance.

At the global level, India, under Nehru steadfastly took up the cause of Nuclear Disarmament and pleaded with the nuclear weapon states to give up the nuclear arms race. When the Partial Test Ban Treaty was signed in1963, Nehru welcomed it as a small, but significant first step towards nuclear disarmament and made India a signatory to it.

Under Indira Gandhi, Indias role in international affairs got a further boost and the same was evident in the manner in which she opposed the nuclear nonproliferation treaty (NPT). She opposed the NPT for its unequal and discriminatory character and refused to make India a signatory to it. As a realist in foreign affairs, keen on keeping the national security interests in mind, Mrs. Gandhi ordered the carrying out of the first ever peaceful nuclear explosion on 18th May 1974. To cut the story short ,Vajpayee, as Prime Minister, made India a nuclear weapon state in 1998. Dr. Man Mohan Singh signed the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, popularity known as the Nuclear Deal, with the US in March 2006.

To briefly get back to the Mrs. Gandhi era, it needs noting that under her, India played a key role in getting the UN General Assembly to pass the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, expressing our opposition to the policies of big powers to have military bases in the Ocean region. It is a different matter that the declaration has remained a dead letter in reality. It was a symbolic protest of imperialist policies, at best.

Under Mrs. Gandhi India also took up the issue of establishing a new international economic order, as a sequel to the gradual political independence of Asian-African nations. The year 1974 saw the UNGA passing the New International Economic Order (NIEO) resolution which called, in later years, for a North-South dialogue to translate the NIEO resolution into reality. Mrs. Gandhi also convened the NAM summit in New Delhi in March,1983. The foregoing narration is only to highlight that India played an extremely active and positive role under Nehru and Indira Gandhi in international affairs aimed largely at achieving systemic goals rather than focussing only on national self-interest oriented goals.

Though India continued to take up international causes with the dawn of the Liberation, Privitisation and Globalisation (LPG) era in world politics, in the opinion of this writer, the focus from the time of P.V. Narasimha Rao has been to integrate the country with the global North, be it in the economic or military-strategic field, rather than seek a transformation of the system, specially from the perspective of the developing South. There appears to be a dilemma in the minds of our contemporary political leaders as to whether India belongs to the developing South or has gradually integrated with the developed North. No wonder, many analysts (and some senior politician) feel that India has lost the leadership role of the South in its enthusiasm to integrate the country with the developed West. Indias neglect of NAM for many years lends credence to such thinking. For some years, NAM summits were ignored by the top political leadership However, some course correction seems to have taken place during this year. The same was evident in Prime Minister Modis virtual address to the NAM summit on 6th May. Calling Covid-19 the most serious crisis humanity is facing, Modi called upon NAM to help promote global solidarity to address global health issues. It was gratifying to hear him referring to NAM as the moral voice and that in order to retain its role, it (NAM) must remain inclusive. Arguing that the Covid-19 has shown the limitations of the existing international system, Modi made a case for a new template of globalisation based on fairness, equality and humanity.

The above views of Prime Minister Modi, along with his address to the US-sponsored virtual summit of 40 global leaders on climate change in April this year, in which he called for concrete action at a high speed, on a large scale and within global scope for an ambitious renewable energy target of 450 Gigawatts by 2030. His appeal to the global community to take initiatives for International Solar Alliance and Disaster Resilient Inrastructure, provides a glimmer of hope for some fresh thinking on meeting the global climate related challenges. It is hoped that in the 75th year of its independence, India will discovers its earlier elan and vision for fighting for an inclusive international system based on justice and equity, which, as the late Prof. Hedley Bull, ( a well known India watcher of Australian origin) wrote, will help India play an influential, though not a militarily powerful, role in world affairs.

(Author: Dr. P. S . Jayaramu is former Professor of Political Science, Bangalore University and former Senior Fellow, ICSSR, New Delhi)
The UAE will host next year in March, during Expo 2020, an international Summit to find appropriate solutions to some of the ongoing issues around the world, the Gulf country said Thursday.

The conference to take place March 30 will also focus the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other issues related to racism, gender equality, women empowerment, intolerance and discrimination, reports say.

Governmental, charitable, religious, and human rights institutions, intellectuals, artists, media professionals, cultural associations and the private sector are expected in the attendance to discuss current concerns that the world needs to address at Expo 2020 Dubai. The summit will provide a platform to discuss the challenges of providing humanitarian assistance in crises, in order to lead, coordinate, and put efforts toward assistance overseas responding to humanitarian crises, natural disasters and man-made disasters, the announcement on state-run WAM news agency said.

The International Humanitarian Summit will play a major role in promoting and assisting international humanitarian organizations that can better peoples lives and save more lives, it added.

The announcement came in coincidence with World Humanitarian Day. It also came a day after the countrys Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE vice president and Prime minister, and ruler of Dubai said, the Gulf country will grant Golden Visas to charity and humanitarian aid workers in recognition of their efforts and sacrifices.

The Arab country is one the world leading donors. UAE, according to the Dubai ruler, has dedicated over Dhs320bn in humanitarian aid to recipients in 201 countries since its inception.

In the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Arab country until July 2021, provided a total volume of humanitarian aids valued at 2,154 tons, including medical aid, including respiratory and examination devices and PPE that reached beneficiaries in 135 countries around the world.
King Mohammed VI of Morocco adressed the nation in a televised speech and indicated that the Kingdom has been recently targeted by attacks planned and hatched by some countries and organizations known for their hostility towards the Kingdom, a country steeped in history. The King added that these countries concocted a full-fledged campaign to distort the image of Moroccan security institutions and undermine their usefulness and effectiveness in preserving Moroccos security and stability.

Morocco is a target because it is a country steeped in history  it has existed for more than twelve centuries, not to mention the nations longstanding Amazigh history  and it is governed by a citizen-based monarchy which has existed for more than four centuries, and which is rooted in a solid bond between the throne and the people, said the Sovereign in a speech he delivered Friday evening on the celebration of the 68th anniversary of the Revolution of the King and the People.

The Royal speech actually comes at the end of an unprecedented episode of fallacious accusations to which Morocco responded with firmness to thwart all tendencies that aim to destabilize it or to discredit its action and its position.

The King made it clear that Morocco is also a target because of the security and stability and the sterling reputation and indisputable prestige it enjoys. These are invaluable assets, especially in light of the upheavals characterizing todays world, the Sovereign said, noting that the Kingdom also has a solid network of relationships and connections and is a trustworthy, credible nation at the regional and international levels.

Like some other countries of the Arab Maghreb Union, Morocco is the target of deliberate, hostile attacks, the King insisted, adding that the enemies of the Kingdoms territorial integrity build their positions on ready-made, yet obsolete, premises and do not want Morocco to remain free, strong and influential.

Regrettably, a few countries, especially European ones, which are traditional partners, fear for their economic interests, markets and spheres of influence in the Maghreb region, he went on to say, noting that some of their leaders fail to understand that the problem does not lie in the systems of Maghreb countries, but in their own.

These are systems which continue to feed on the past and cannot stay abreast of new developments. Recent months have shown that these countries are facing significant inadequacies when it comes to respecting the states institutions and its basic, traditional functions, King Mohammed VI stated further.

Therefore, they want us to become like them. And to that end, they invoke unfounded pretexts and accuse our national institutions of failing to uphold rights and freedoms in order to tarnish their reputation and try to undermine the esteem and great respect enjoyed by our country, the king pointed out in his speech.
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Over the course of the last several months, a series of chilling videos have been shared across Zambian social media, purporting to link COVID-19 vaccines with a global plot to reduce the worlds population through the mass murder of Africans. Such videos are easily framed within the Western folk category of the conspiracy theory, and in a literal sense the videos certainly do aim to reveal a conspiracy: to murder Africans. The problem with the framing of the conspiracy theory, however, is that it implies that the very idea that there might be a conspiracy is the result of a kind of primordial irrationality whose epistemological bases bear no serious consideration. In this piece I do the opposite: taking seriously my Zambian friends and interlocutors as savvy consumers and analyzers of global information, I examine the different epistemological justifications that lead them and I to arrive at such different truth claims. Tabling for a moment a discussion of the truth of the matter, I suggest that our vastly different experiences of and stories about moral legitimacy form the basis for our different forms of epistemological justification.

Zambia is currently experiencing its third wave of COVID-19 infections, with almost 200,000 confirmed cases and 3,000 confirmed deaths [1] : morgues in the country have been overwhelmed. There are two vaccines currently available in Zambia: AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, both donated through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative by countries such as the USA. Skepticism of the vaccines in Zambia is high, however, and only 1.3% of the population have received at least one dose of a vaccine.

In one of the most extensively shared videos on Zambian social media in recent weeks, entitled Wake up Africa, Wake up Black Man, Nevers Mumba, the former vice president of Zambia and former Zambian High Commissioner (ambassador) to Canada, gives forceful remarks at the beginning and end of the video addressed directly to the viewer. In these remarks, Mr. Mumba states the following:

Zambia must not inject any vaccine in any Zambian body before strenuous verification and validation is done to this vaccineWe must declare that the vaccine is unsafe until it is scientifically proved to be safeby our own scientists and our own doctors. I heard somebody say: where are we going to get scientists and doctors? Well, if you cant verify what is given you by your own people, then I suggest you dont get involved in catching things that are meant by othersThen you can be poisoned, and we can all die like fools like Martin Luther King, Junior said.

We may be poor, but we are not stupid. We can read when they write on the vaccine this is not for distribution in the United States, and this cannot be used in the European UnionTheyre even telling you that this is not for us, because they have got some other substandard stuff that they make for us. How do you know the injection given to President Biden is the same vaccine as the one which is coming here?You can watch it on CNN and say even President Biden got a dosage of it. Are you sure? Did you see it? Did you get the drop and analyze it that it is the same drop getting into an Africans body?Our salvation, outside God, will be from responsible government on the continent of AfricaWe shall die like fools if we have a government which is corrupt and is only waiting to be given money by the international community.

Between these opening and closing remarks made by Mumba are spliced a number of ominous pieces of footage of different interviews and recorded panels, in which white men discuss the overpopulation of the world, and how it is necessary for three billion people, beginning in Africa, to be eliminated in order to return the global human population to balance. The video continues with footage of an interview in which a retired member of the South African Institute for Marine Research (SAIMR), a bogus front for a mercenary organization with ties to the former Apartheid regime in South Africa, admits to working with his organization in the 1990s to infect large numbers of black Africans with HIV under the guise of philanthropic vaccination campaigns. The rhetorical effect of this repeated interview footage is to make it seem quite plausible, when the video returns at its conclusion to Mumbas remarks, that white actors might once again use the cover of a mass vaccination campaign to murder large numbers of Africans.

At a moment when many in the global North are concerned about vaccine hesitancy around the world, a widely-disseminated video such as this one might easily seem extremely dangerous. What if tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of people were to die due to vaccine hesitancy promoted by popular videos such as this one? What if, as the COVID-19 virus circulates unrestrained among a largely unvaccinated population in Zambia, new variants like the Delta variant mutate and spread to once again infect already-vaccinated populations concentrated in the global North? What if, in short, the unruly epistemologies of people in Zambia and elsewhere in the global South refuse to submit themselves to the authority of hegemonic biomedical authorities of the global North, and thus threaten the lives and physical safety of those who subscribe to the knowledge claims of these authorities and choose to become vaccinated?

This, then, is an epistemological contest in which the stakes, both moral and practical, are high. Countless lives hang in the balance, whether it is true that a mass COVID-19 vaccination program will poison and kill millions of Africans, as Nevers Mumba suggests when he says well die like fools, or that a new COVID-19 variant mutating in bodies of unvaccinated Zambians returns to kill millions of already-vaccinated people, as the biomedical establishment suggests. As the essays in this series, Contested Truths over Covid-19 in Africa, demonstrate, however, under conditions such as this when the epistemological stakes are so high, there is danger in thinking too fast, in too quickly coming to already-settled conclusions about the obviously true and the patently false. It is dangerous because it is too easy for the stakes to make it possible to reinforce existing epistemological hierarchies and power structures, and to perpetrate epistemological as well as physical violence upon Black and Brown bodies.

Taking seriously an imperative to slow down and think carefully through these competing knowledge claims, in this piece I reflect upon issues raised by the question of epistemological justification. In traditional Anglo-American analytic philosophy, epistemology is often framed as an analysis of justified true belief, sometimes glossed as the JTB view of knowledge (Ichikawa and Steup 2018). Of course, what counts as truth is inexorably linked to prevailing power relations, as has long been demonstrated by scholars in feminist, queer, and black studies (Ahmed 2007, Haraway 1988, Weheliye 2014, Wynter 2003). There is no universal, non-positioned stance from which to judge absolutely what is true and what is false, even if it is the case that within any particular language game (Wittgenstein 1969) or regime of veridiction (Foucault 2008) it is possible to advance certain claims of truth and falsity. Here I wish to shift focus from the notion of truth to the less-often considered notion of justification, without thereby relegating the knowledge claims of the Wake up Africa video to a different mode of existence (Latour 2013), separate and therefore unjudgeable within the regimes of knowledge inhabited by the claims of the mainstream biomedical establishment. In short, I ask: in a global system that at its ideological foundations continues to be violently anti-Black (Harney and Moten 2013; Jenkins and Leroy 2020), what are the evidentiary bases that can form appropriate justification for knowledge?

One important consideration is the question of how epistemological authority, and therefore the epistemological justification that authority can grant, is related to moral legitimacy. As a subject who subscribes to the knowledge claims of the scientific, biomedical establishment concentrated in the global North, I of course rely upon the epistemological authority of others to form my own knowledge, which I believe to be justified, just as much as does anyone in Zambia who subscribes to the knowledge claims of the Wake up Africa video. To state the perfectly obvious: as a non-scientist, non-medical practitioner, I had absolutely no unmediated knowledge regarding the COVID-19 vaccine (in my case, Pfizer/BioNTech) before I allowed a nurse to inject it into my arm this past spring. I took it on blind faith that the news reports and health advice I had received were not part of a conspiracy to do me harm, and that the vaccine I received would fill me with life-preserving antibodies and not life-murdering poison.

As Evans-Pritchard (1937) long ago demonstrated, however, knowledge systems of all kinds tend to be anchored by closed loops of self-reinforcing poles of justification that allow for little doubt. For the Azande, Evans-Pritchard argued, these poles were witchcraft, oracles, and magic. I might say that the poles of my own knowledge system are the mainstream Western news media (the New York Times, BBC, et al.), the claims of university-trained experts, and the advice of government and inter-governmental agencies (CDC, WHO). Any particular source in this scheme can of course be doubted. But, crucially, I can only doubt any of these poles in terms of the other two: I can only doubt the reliability of the WHO because I read critical reports of it in the New York Times, etc. Because this is the language game and way of life (Wittgenstein 1969) I inhabit, I am not really able to evaluate knowledge claims made outside of this system, nor am I likely to wonder if all three poles of my knowledge system might all agree and yet be giving me false (or even malicious) knowledge.

But all knowledge is also storied (Ingold 2011). The story I accept of my justified knowledge is plausible precisely because as a straight, white, cis, American man the powerful institutions that surround me: the American state, the university, the capitalist news media, have served to protect me and people who look like me for most of my life. A story of biomedical science as a gradually progressing field over centuries that is constantly pushing to develop new methods of serving the health needs of my body is plausible to me precisely because it accords with my lived experience. Meanwhile, for my friends and interlocutors in Zambia, other kinds of stories are more salient. Biomedical mass vaccination campaigns and clinical drug trials in Africa have a long, storied history of being accomplished through violent coercion (Feldman-Savelsberg, Ndonko, and Schmidt-Ehry 2000, White 2000) with sometimes murderous effects (Nyalile and Loo 2021). Moreover, as a front-line state once surrounded by hostile and aggressive white minority regimes in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa, Zambia has a specific history of being targeted for violence intended to maintain white supremacy in the region. As the different clips of video spliced together in the Wake up Africa video demonstrate forcefully, in the 21st-century Zambians are still keenly aware of global discourses of anti-Blackness which figure them as the least desirable, and therefore most expendable, members of the global population. At one point in the Wake up Africa video, a certain Dr. Robert Young provides testimony to the ITNJ Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Weaponization of the Biosphere, providing the following comments, ostensibly regarding the COVID-19 vaccine:

For the purpose of sterilization and population control. Theres too many people on the planet we need to get rid of, in the words of Bill Gates: at least 3 billion people need to die. So, well just start off in Africa, well start doing our research there and well eliminate most of the Africans because theyre deplorable, theyre worthless, theyre not part of this world economy, so they have their rights taken away, and theyre suppressed and theyre experimented.

Though sometimes contemporary Africa is held to be relatively isolated from American-centric discourses of racism and anti-racism, as Pierre (2013) notes the very production of Africaits colonial history, its geographical, political, and cultural mapping as well as ongoing discursive constructions of the continents incorrigible differenceoccurs through ideas of race (5). The Wake up Africa videos very ubiquity across Zambian social media in recent weeks, not to mention its explicit endorsement by a prominent Zambian elder statesman, similarly suggests that the storyand therefore knowledgeof murderous anti-Black racism the video tells is more real for many Zambians than alternative stories of philanthropic care emanating from the global North.

If then knowledge is justified true belief, as many philosophers have it, what justification would people in Zambia have, as one of my friends there recently asked me, to trust the pro-vaccine pronouncements of the BBC, CNN, and Al-Jazeera? These powerful media corporations are part and parcel of a global capitalist system founded upon the often-times murderous racialization, exploitation, and dispossession that disproportionally falls upon Black and Brown bodies (Bhattacharyya 2018, Jenkins and Leroy 2020, Robinson 2000), especially in Africa (Mbembe 2017). Operating from my own positioned realm of knowledge, I respond to my Zambian friends over social media with links to articles in the BBC and the New York Times that seek to document and discredit various conspiracy theories regarding the COVID-19 vaccine(s). I consider the knowledge I derive from these sources well-justified, even if I cannot be sure it is true. But that is precisely the point. My knowledge that there is no plot to drastically reduce the worlds population does not feel risky, or precarious, or naive, because the type of racialized subject I embody has never been the target of similar such plots. Other racialized subjects have.

As one of my good friends in Zambia, Miyanda Miyoba, recently phrased it to me bluntly: My biggest concern is why are there too many contradicting theories about the vaccine? Am concerned. You seem not so concerned about that. For you, these guys opposing [the vaccine] are fake unless guys from the WHO, the same people with an agenda of depopulating the world, agree with it.[2] My friends comments raise starkly the issue of moral legitimacy. I agree with my friend that powerful institutions such as the WHO headquartered in the global North probably have a compelling interest in checking and even reducing the worlds population, probably starting in places with high population growth, like Africa. But, insulated as I am from violent histories of biomedical control and exclusion, I remain blithely unconcerned that this vaccine is part of such an attempt to depopulate the world. But from my friends perspective, such nonchalance is irresponsibly risky. In a situation of ambiguity (Giles-Vernick, Traore, and Bainilago 2016) arising from contradictory theories about the vaccine, the epistemological dictates of hegemonic institutions such as the WHO cannot be trusted, precisely because of their long history of complicity with regimes of anti-Blackness and inequality that have created widespread disease and death in Africa (Fassin 2007; Tilley 2011). No matter, then, whether the COVID-19 vaccines poison and kill millions or whether widespread vaccine hesitancy arising from lack of trust in biomedical institutions causes dangerous new variants to emerge: the immoral histories of anti-Black biomedical practices in Africa have come to threaten us all.

Justin Haruyama is a Ph.D. candidate in cultural anthropology at University of California, Davis. His research examines the controversial presence of Chinese migrants in Africa today, with a focus on social interactions between Chinese expatriate and local Zambian communities as they come to interact in contexts of work and religion in southern Zambia.

Notes

[1] There is also a strong possibility that these numbers are vastly underreported.

[2] Miyanda requested to be identified with his real name in this piece to make clear that these comments were his own.

Works Cited

Ahmed, Sara. 2007. A Phenemonology of Whiteness. Feminist Theory 8, no. 2 (August): 149-168.

Bhattacharyya, G. 2018. Rethinking Racial Capitalism: Questions of Reproduction and Survival. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.

Evans-Pritchard, E. E.. 1937. Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic among the Azande. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

Fassin, Didier. 2007. When Bodies Remember: Experiences and Politics of AIDS in South Africa. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Feldman-Savelsberg, Pamela, Flavien T. Ndonko, and Bergis Schmidt-Ehry. 2000. Sterilizing Vaccines or the Politics of the Womb: Retrospective Study of a Rumor in Cameroon. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 14, no. 2: 159-179.

Foucault, Michel. 2008. The Birth of Biopolitics: Lectures at the College de France, 1978-79. Translated by Graham Burchell. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Giles-Vernick, Tamara, Abdoulaye Traore, and Louis Bainilago. 2016. Incertitude, Hepatitis B, and Infant Vaccination in West and Central Africa. Medical Anthropology Quarterly 30, no. 2: 203-221.

Haraway, Donna. 1988. Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective. Feminist Studies 14, no. 3 (Fall): 575-599.

Harney, Stefano and Fred Moten. 2013. The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning & Black Study. New York: Minor Compositions.

Ichikawa, Jonathan Jenkins and Matthias Steup. 2018. The Analysis of Knowledge. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2018 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2018/entries/knowledge-analysis/>.

Jenkins, Destin and Justin Leroy. 2020. Histories of Racial Capitalism. New York: Columbia University Press.

Latour, Bruno. 2013. An Inquiry into Modes of Existence: An Anthropology of the Moderns. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Mbembe, Achille. 2017. Critique of Black Reason. Laurent DuBois, trans. Durham: Duke University Press.

Pierre, Jemima. 2013. The Predicament of Blackness: Postcolonial Ghana and the Politics of Race. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Robinson, Cedric. (1983) 2000. Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition. Chapel Hill: Universit of North Carolina Press.

Tilley, Helen. 2011. Africa as a Living Laboratory: Empire, Development, and the Problem of Scientific Knowledge, 1870-1950. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Weheliye, Alexander G. 2014. Habeas Viscus: Racializing Assemblages, Biopolitics, and Black Feminist Theories of the Human. Durham: Duke University Press.

White, Luise. 2000. Speaking with Vampires: Rumor and History in Colonial Africa. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Wynter, Sylvia. 2003. Unsettling the Coloniality of Being/Power/Truth/Freedom: Towards the Human, After Man, Its OverrepresentationAn Argument. CR: The New Centential Review 3, no. 3 (Fall): 257-337.

Wittgenstein, Ludwig. 1969. On Certainty. Translated by Denis Paul and G. E. M. Anscombe. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

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Woodbine Mohawk Park fans were treated to an Ontario Sires Stakes smorgasbord on Friday, Aug. 20 with a pair of $100,000-plus Gold Series divisions for the two-year-old trotting fillies and three $23,850 Grassroots divisions for the three-year-old pacing colts.

Dabra Day kicked things off in the first $101,400 Gold Series split with a front end effort that saw her sail through fractions of :27.2, :57.1, 1:25.4 and on to a half-length victory in a 1:55.2 personal best. Resolving was a hard-closing second and pocket-sitting favourite Elegant Mermaid was third.

Were very excited about her, said trainer Meg Crone. She has tons of talent, just very, very quirky. My husband (Anthony Haughan), he absolutely loves her, but he is the most patient person in the world. I dont know if shed have come this far if someone else had her, because shes very trying. He deserves all the credit with her. I wouldnt even say shes a handful, I cant even describe her.

Louis-Philippe Roy of Guelph, Ont. piloted the Kadabra daughter to her second lifetime win for Cambridge, Ont. resident Crone and owners W. J. Donovan of Monument Beach, Massachusetts and Purnel And Libby LLC of Delray Beach, Florida. Dabra Day was victorious in the first leg of the Pure Ivory Series on July 22 at Woodbine Mohawk Park, but she also has a pair of breaks on her card through five starts.

Her gait is flawless, said Crone. She actually only wears the trotting hopples just because shell see something and it will just throw her off, but shes a great gaited filly and she wants to please you, shes just quirky.

In the second $102,200 Gold division, Adare Castle extended her flawless record to three with an impressive off-the-pace effort for driver James MacDonald of Guelph, Ont. Fourth at the three-quarter marker, the fan favourite laid down a :27.1 final fraction to grab the 1:55.3 victory, digging in hard at the wire to hold off a fast-closing Mischevious Rose by a head. Needa Little Magic was six lengths back in third.

She got away a little farther back than I would have liked, and James said that himself. He said, We didnt get her in the right position, but shes just such a gutsy thing and just keeps going forward, said trainer Mark Etsell. He said, I thought Bobby (McClure with Mischevious Rose) was going to go right by me, and I asked again and she dug in and went. Shes just a good horse.

Rockwood, Ont. resident Etsell shares ownership of Adare Castle with Robert Newton of Walkerton, Ont., Graham Hopkins of Chesley, Ont., and Peter Porter of Port Dover, Ont. The partners were relieved to see the Muscle Mass daughter race well after missing a few days last week due to a bout of abdominal discomfort.

It was weird, the day we were going to school her I said, That filly doesnt look right, and took her temperature and she had a bit of a temperature, said Etsell, who then called his veterinarian out to examine Adare Castle. She was little colicky and it wasnt like a major, major thing, but there was something bugging her in her stomach so we had to do the normal colic stuff and then she had a couple of days off.

I trained her on the Friday and she was a little blah, but she can be that way. She kind of fools you. She knows the difference between racing and training, added Etsell. She jogs every day with loose lines, and she putts around there like a 14-year-old, but when you bring her to the track here tonight, her ears are up and she grabs a hold of the bit, like, Okay I know what it is, its race time. And thats only three starts in, so Im pretty tickled.

Father and son team Gregg and Doug McNair were also ticked with the performance of their three-year-old pacing geldings, who swept all three Grassroots divisions.

Jimmy Connor B kicked things off in the first pacing colt division, taking command heading by the half and keeping the pedal down on the way to a one-length victory in a personal best 1:50.1. No Plan Intended and Twin B Fighter were second and third behind the fan favourite.

Jimmy, he was good tonight, real good, said trainer Gregg McNair, who shares ownership of the Big Jim gelding with Grand Slam Stable of Walkerton, Ont. I think were getting a little used to him and hes got better. At the start there, he was even hard to warm up and hes not hard to warm up now, and hes been pretty good to race the last few starts, keep your fingers crossed, but hes been pretty good.

The win was Jimmy Connor Bs second in Grassroots action and his fourth of the sophomore campaign.

In the second division, Doug McNair fired Stonebridge Rex away from Post 6 and the fan favourite reeled off fractions of :26, :54.4 and 1:22.3 on his way to a personal best 1:49.3, three lengths ahead of Century Hannibal. Saltwater Savage was two more lengths back in third.

He was one of the better colts last year in the Grassroots, said the trainer. He was really good tonight. He beat a pretty nice bunch of horses. A couple of the better ones maybe had poor positions and stuff, but he sure raced good.

A two-time Grassroots winner at two, Stonebridge Rex had been winless before Fridays effort. Guelph, Ont. resident Gregg McNair co-owns the Control The Moment son with breeder Angie Stiller of Arva, Ont., and Gary Colter of Mississauga, Ont.

Team McNair completed the Grassroots trifecta with Bettor Sun, who took command before the half and motored around the Woodbine Mohawk Park oval to a 1:49.4 victory. Cantstoplying and Armor Seelster finished one and three-quarter lengths back in second and third.

You could tell by the way the betting board was they thought he was in where he could do, but he raced good, said McNair of the fan favourite. I dont think he was pacing quite as good as he has been the last couple starts up here before he went to Cleveland, but he raced good. I hope that hell be a little bit braver off of that mile there tonight.

The win was the first in sophomore Ontario Sires Stakes action for Bettor Sun. The Sunshine Beach geldings last start came in the August 14 Carl Millstein Memorial at Northfield Park, where he finished fifth. Gregg McNair shares ownership of Bettor Sun with Willow Oak Ranch of Rogersville, Tennessee.

The Campbellville, Ont. oval wraps up an exciting week of Ontario Sires Stakes action on Saturday, Aug. 21 with a single $154,800 Gold Series division for the three-year-old pacing colts. The pacing colts will compete in Race 9 on the card, which gets under way at 7 p.m. Fans can download a program and watch the live stream on the Woodbine Mohawk Park website or register to attend in person.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park.

(With files from OSS)
At the start of September, six people will have the opportunity to become racehorse owners just by showing up at the track.

Fans that attend harness racing at the Shenandoah County Fair this year will have something extra special in store besides four days of pacing and trotting action from September 1-4.

Six attendees over the four days will win a unique chance to "Own a Horse for a Day". The lucky winners will return on Saturday, September 18  opening weekend of the Shenandoah Downs pari-mutuel meet  and actually own a horse in a $4,000 race.

Those six, joined by two winners from a local radio station contest, will each draw one of eight horses in the "Own a Horse" race field. Each winner will get to spend time in the paddock with their horse, trainer and driver before the race, enjoy lunch on the VIP trackside viewing deck, and keep the purse money their horse earns in that race.

The "owner" of the horse that finishes first will win $2,000. Owners of horses that finish second thru fifth will receive 25%, 12%, 8% and 5% of the purse, per the regular owner distribution formula. Finishers of the sixth thru eighth place finishers will receive $100 in addition, of course, to a memorable time.

Fans can register by attending the Shenandoah County Fair harness races in Woodstock, Va. any day  or all days  between Wednesday, September 1 and Saturday, September 4 and filling out an entry. Post time each day is 12:00 p.m. One winner will be drawn at random after the sixth race each day and as a weekend bonus, two names will be drawn on both Friday and Saturday.

Two more "Own a Horse" opportunities will be available during the Shenandoah Downs meet. Fans can register during the race cards on September 18 and October 2 for a chance to own a horse on Saturday, September 25 and Saturday, October 9 with respective $4,000 purses. The promotion is sponsored by the Virginia Harness Horse Association (VHHA).

Fans attending the Fair are encouraged to stop by the track's promotional booth in the exhibit building to register to win a Shenandoah Downs VIP Experience. Two winners will return to the races on Friday, September 24 and enjoy a harness enthusiast's dream package. They will each get dinner, a $20 betting voucher, a ride in the starter's car, a race named in their honour complete with a winner's circle presentation and souvenir picture, plus they will each announce a harness race that day and compete in a double-seater sulky race. Two additional winners will be selected at the September 18 race card.

Both the County Fair and Shenandoah Downs races take place at the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, Virgnia, located at Exit 283 off I-81 halfway between Harrisonburg and Winchester. Complete promotional details are posted at shenandoahdowns.com.

(Shenandoah Downs)
Vernon and Tioga Downs will host over $1 million worth of major stakes next weekend with the $600,000e Dr. Harry M. Zweig Memorial Grand Circuit stake for three-year-old trotters being raced at Vernon on Saturday, August 28 and the $500,000e Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) for New York-Sired three-year-old pacers at Tioga on Sunday, August 29.

A New York Sire Stakes event for two-year-old filly trotters is also on the Vernon Saturday card with the Zweig.

Details on these stakes are as follows;

The draw for the Zweig will be on Monday, August 23 with a box close on 9:00 a.m. The Vernon draw is done remotely and electronic entry is encouraged. Phone entries may be placed at (302) 222-1222 between 8:00 and 9:00am on draw day only. The Vernon condition sheet is available online.

The Zweig and Zweig filly stakes are raced in the multiple tier format, the top nine 2021 money winners eligible for the main events with consolations for those with lesser earnings. Conditions for the Zweig are available here.

The EBC draw will be done on Thursday, August 26 with a box close of 9:00 a.m. Electronic entry is preferred and the Race Office number is (607) 699-7688. The Tioga condition sheet will be available on Monday.

The EBC will be raced as a single dash with up to 10 entries, should more than 10 declare the stake will raced in divisions with the purse and entry fee equally split. EBC conditions are available here.

There will be no detention requirements for either stake.

Those horsemen requiring dinner reservations or hotel accommodations at either track should contact Racing Operations Manager Brett Risi at (315) 985-8717, with participants encouraged to book early.

(Vernon / Tioga)
National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Bahrains leading bank, has signed an agreement to continue its strategic partnership with StartUp Bahrain and Startup MGZN.

StartUp Bahrain was established in 2017 to be a national platform for innovative and scalable startups. Its goal is to unite startups, companies, investors, accelerators, incubators, educational institutions, the private sector and the government of Bahrain to help develop the ecosystem.

Startup MGZN dates back to 2013, and is a Bahrain-based regional digital community and platform for startups, SMEs, entrepreneurship, and youth in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Their evolving strategic partnership will further advance the NBB's goal of leading the way as the kingdoms national bank when it comes to the support and backing not only of startups and SMEs, but the world of entrepreneurship in Bahrain as a whole.

Announcing this in the virtual presence of key stakeholders from NBB, StartUp Bahrain and Startup MGZN, Eyad Ebrahim, Head of Business Management, Commercial & SMEs, said: "Through this partnership, NBB is able to deliver tremendous support to the ecosystem by providing the necessary means to enable the growth of Bahrains startups and SMEs."

"Our ongoing partnerships with organisations within the SME ecosystem highlight our commitment and our support of the sector, particularly over the course of the past year and its accompanying challenges," he noted.

Right from its first year of partnership with StartUp Bahrain and Startup MGZN, NBB has been an active supporter and catalyst of the ecosystem, especially in the times of Covid-19.

Through the renewal of this partnership, NBB aims to further extend its supportive efforts towards the growth of Bahrains startups and SMEs, as well as to create a favourable environment for Bahrains business sphere, he added.

Through its partnership, NBB hosted a number of live segments on StartUp Bahrains social media to communicate directly and informally with members of the ecosystem while covering specific topics.

The Bahraini bank also supported Startup MGZNs Startup Evenings as it went virtual due to Covid-19. Startup Evenings is an exclusive, free-to-attend, get together for startups and entrepreneurs aiming to host the exchange of ideas, and inspiring others.

NBB hosted one Evening with Minister Zayed R. AlZayani where the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourisms supportive efforts were highlighted and discussed.

Another session was moderated by the bank's CEO Jean-Christophe Durand, in a session that answered many questions in early pandemic days, with over 200 people attending each session.

Ebrahim pointed out that NBBs commitment towards the ecosystem has been quintessential, with initiatives such as the launch of Tamweel Al-Watani; a new lending scheme that aims to support locally owned businesses, partnering with Tarabut Gateway, a startup, to become the first bank in region to launch Open Banking solutions.

Project Manager of StartUp Bahrain & Startup MGZN, Sarah Faisal, said: "We are enthused to announce our steady, strategic partnership with NBB is entering a new phase."

"It is through the banks leadership and collaboration with startups - given their unwavering role in incentivising and supporting the SMEs and the ecosystem in the kingdom, that we can envision the direction were heading towards with Bahrains digital economy and startup ecosystem, and its one that is certainly promising, even during an ongoing pandemic," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Leading global engineering conglomerate thyssenkrupp said it has secured a contract from Emirati company Helios to perform a technical study for a new green hydrogen and green ammonia project in Abu Dhabi.

A water electrolysis plant as well as a facility for sustainable ammonia production are planned to be constructed at Kizad in Abu Dhabi based on thyssenkrupp technology.

A privately-owned special project vehicle company (SPV), Helios Industry, plans to invest over AED3.67 billion ($1 billion) in the construction of the facility over several years, which it aims to develop with local and international partners in two phases.

It is projected to produce 200,000 tonnes of green ammonia from 40,000 tonnes of green hydrogen.

According to thyssenkrupp, the planned facility will integrate its green hydrogen and green ammonia technologies with the first phase set to incorporate a multi-megawatt electrolyzer plant and an ammonia production facility with a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per annum with a next step to increase this to 200,000 tonnes per annum.

It will be the first commercial plant to produce CO2-free green ammonia from renewable resources in the UAE.

Helios Managing Director MK Saiyed said: "This project is another important milestone for in the UAEs shift to a lower carbon renewable energy future. The new facility will produce green ammonia which is an energy carrier that enables easy transportation of renewable energy e.g. via ship. It can also be used as emission-free transport fuel and in the fertiliser and chemical industries."

Sami Pelkonen, CEO of thyssenkrupps Uhde business unit, said: "We are very excited to work together with Helios to support the UAE on its way into a sustainable future."

"In doing so, we are building both on our innovative technology solutions as well as on thyssenkrupps regional and local footprint and long heritage as a partner to the region," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), in partnership with Fertiglobe, has sold a cargo of blue ammonia to Inpex in Japan, for use in power generation applications.

The sale builds upon the recently announced joint efforts to enhance industrial cooperation between the UAE and Japan and support the development of new UAE-Japan blue ammonia supply chains and follows the recent sale of blue ammonia cargos to Japans Itochu and Idemtisu, a WAM report said.

Adnoc and Inpex have a longstanding and trusted partnership. Inpex participates in a number of Adnocs upstream concessions, has partnered with Adnoc and Intercontinental Exchange Inc on the launch of ICE Futures Abu Dhabi, and most recently announced participation in a joint study agreement with Adnoc and other Japanese partners to explore the commercial potential of blue ammonia production in the UAE.

Fertiglobe, a 58:42 partnership between OCI and Adnoc, will produce blue ammonia at its Fertil plant in the Ruwais Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi for delivery to Adnocs customer, Inpex, in Japan.

The shipment, which was sold at an attractive premium to grey ammonia (ammonia produced without CO2 capture and sequestration), underscores the favourable economics for blue ammonia as an emerging source of low-carbon energy.

The sale represents a further production milestone of a planned scale-up of blue ammonia production capabilities in Abu Dhabi, which is expected to include a low-cost debottlenecking programme at Fertil. In addition, it was announced in June that Fertiglobe will join Adnoc and ADQ as a partner in a new world-scale 1 million metric tonnes per annum blue ammonia project at TAZIZ in Ruwais, subject to regulatory approvals.

Ammonia can be used as a low-carbon fuel across a wide range of industrial applications, including transportation, power generation, refining and industries including steel, wastewater treatment, cement and fertiliser production. For Japan, in particular, hydrogen and its carrier fuels, such as blue ammonia, are expected to play an important role in the countrys ongoing industrial decarbonisation efforts.-- TradeArabia News Service
by Mathias Hariyadi

This is the largest priestly ordination in recent years for the Indonesian Province. Their work in the remote areas of the Diocese of Ketapang is fundamental; home to many indigenous ethnic Dayak, the area is geographically isolated.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Archbishop Robertus Rubiyatmoko of Semarang ordained eight Jesuit priests yesterday in Yogyakartas Saint Anthony of Padua Church, Central Java province.

This is the largest priestly ordination in recent years for the Indonesian Jesuit Province (Provindo). The new priests come from various Indonesian dioceses (Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan, Pangkalpinang and Lampung on the island of Sumatra, Jakarta, and the Archdiocese of Semarang).

In his homily, Archbishop Rubiyatmoko addressed the new priests, saying: Each of you is challenged to become a man of the Church, a man of prayer and a man of evangelisation.

For his part, Fr Benedictus Hari Juliawan, superior of the Provindo, said: As Jesuits and men sent on a sacred mission, each of you is expected to show a joyful heart and spirit to perform your tasks, wherever you are sent.

Fr Juliawan then gave a new pastoral assignment to Fr Philipus Bagus Widyawan from the parish of St Mary's Bayat in Klaten, the first Jesuit to become parish priest in the Diocese of Ketapang.

Fr Widyawan will serve in the parish of St Martin's in Balai Berkuak, a remote location in the Diocese of Ketapang, West Kalimantan, where he will pay special attention to the city of Botong, which could become a new parish.

Since 1910, when Christianity first arrived in the area with lay missionaries from Shantou, mainland China, the Diocese of Ketapang has been largely isolated due to inaccessible roads, lack of electricity, and poor communications.

It takes seven to eight hours to travel by car from Ketapang to Balai Berkuak; from there it takes another three to four hours to reach Botong.

Those who go to Botong must have a strong motivation and great courage, both during the journey inland and across the river, said Fr Simon Yogatomo, secretary of the Diocese of Ketapang.

"You have to carry two, three jerrycans with petrol on the trip because there is no gas station," explained Markus Mardius, a native Dayak from Ketapang.

Ethnic Dayak are often forced to leave their villages to attend schools in the cities.

In these remote areas, the Augustinian nuns, the Little Brothers of Mary Immaculate and the Jesuit Fathers work in the field of education to enable the natives to remain in West Kalimantan.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

After months of impasse, the trilateral group resumes work on finding a solution to the conflict. The first objective is to reopen communication routes in the South Caucasus. However, the parties are still far apart.

Moscow (AsiaNews)  After more than two months, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia resumed high-level meetings on Thursday with the participation of deputy prime ministers, namely Mher Grigoryan for Armenia, Shahin Mustafayev for Azerbaijan, and Alexey Overchuk for Russia.

The three men looked at the possibility of re-establishing communication routes in the South Caucasus and discussed the results of the negotiations between the leaders of the three countries, on 11 January 2021.

The resumption of negotiations is somewhat surprising, given tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders in recent months. Grigoryan had personally announced on 1 June the interruption of trilateral talks because of the border clashes.

According to Armenia, contacts would only be possible if Azerbaijani forces pulled back from disputed areas, which has not happened.

The change in attitude on the part of the Armenians is attributable to the new situation created by the re-election of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, now clearly less pressured by his defeated opposition in parliament.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Pashinyan said that Armenia is ready to resume negotiations with Azerbaijan at all levels, and is waiting for concrete proposals, especially to resolve the communications problem.

According to Pashinyan, there are issues that can be resolved faster, and others that take longer to resolve, but our intention must be to find solutions. One of the issues that can be decided more quickly is precisely the reopening of regional communications, unblocking the most critical current matters.

Unfortunately, Armenia is opposed to that, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev speaking to CNN Turk after Pashinyan's statement.

Until recently they had been opposed to the opening of the Zangazur (Syunik in Armenian) corridor, Aliyev added. But Just that a few days ago, some positive opinion was expressed there that they do not object to it.

The Armenians have always said that they never accepted, and do not accept, either now or in the future, the idea of the corridor,, but that they are only seeking to unblock communications in the Armenian region.

Aliyev also asked Russia not to sell weapons to Armenia. Irked, Russia responded through Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Arms supplies abroad is Russias sovereign right, she said, adding that bellicose statements do not help the pacification of the situation according to the three-way agreements between the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

One particular aspect of the dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia concerns toponyms.

Aliyev called on his country's media to always use only Azerbaijani place names, even if they are in Armenian territory.

The province of Vardenis is thus called Basarkecr, Lake Sevan becomes Lake Goyc and so on, sparking the same reaction by Armenians.

The war is not only about conquest and revenge, but above all about historical and cultural superiority in areas with an ancient and symbolic past for both Asia and Europe.
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But as graceful as the Te Deums flight was on the Pavilion stage, Elegia Andina said just as much in a tight, wordless 10 minutes. The great writhings of the Grant Park Orchestra shifted from skyward-stretching landscapes to hair-raising Stravinskian passages that similarly transformed the orchestra  violins sounding like woodblocks, double basses like slapsticks. The heart and soul of the piece, however, are episodes for flute and clarinet which evoke the zampona (double-rowed Andean panpipes): Flute then clarinet take solos, until later, when two flutes play a double cadenza thats later echoed by twin clarinets. Flutists Mary Stolper and Alyce Johnson and clarinetists Gene Collerd and Trevor ORiordan played the respective duets gorgeously, entangled as limbs wrapped in an embrace.
The Islamic State group  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years, carrying out waves of horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.
Rabine has said he previously had COVID-19 and does not need to be vaccinated despite a contrary recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabine also again repeated misinformation about the safety of the vaccine, contending it caused thousands of deaths. Only three fatal cases have been identified, and they were associated with rare blood clots from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that are now treatable.
About 1:35 a.m., a 14-year-old boy was stabbed and shot in the Little Village neighborhood in the 2600 block of West 24th Street. Police said the boy was outside when he was punched and kicked by a group of people before being stabbed twice in the shoulder. It later was discovered he also was shot in the arm. The boy was taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital. Police said the boy was being uncooperative about the circumstances leading up to the attack.
A Tibetan Thangka art exhibition, with the theme of "China's Tibet, Tashi Delek," opened in Malta on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation.

The exhibition, also accessible online, is jointly hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Malta and the Cultural Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Around 20 Thangka artworks have been selected for the exhibition, covering different schools of Thangka art, such as the Qi Wu Gang School and the Mian Tang School.

All these artworks are rich in symbolism and characterized by strong composition, delicate details, vivid expression and dazzling colors -- a testimony to the wisdom of Tibetan people and the unique charm of Thangka, traditional Buddhist artworks painted on cotton or silk.

The exhibition will connect art lovers in China and Malta and promote cultural exchanges and cooperation, said Jinmei Wangcuo, director of the Cultural Department of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

The exhibition is also the first in a series of events celebrating the upcoming Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, which will take place on Sept. 21, said Yang Xiaolong, director of the China Cultural Center in Malta.

The exhibition, which will last until Oct. 6, features Tibetan landscapes and travel videos, which give an insight into Tibetan cultures and customs, as well as the origin, evolution and techniques and the profound culture of the Thangka art, Yang told Xinhua.
Chinese astronauts have completed the extravehicular activities (EVAs) and returned to the space station core module Tianhe, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Friday.

This was the second time that the astronauts conducted EVAs during the construction of the country's space station, and the CMSA declared the EVAs a complete success.



Astronauts Nie Haisheng and Liu Boming left the core module in the morning and completed all the scheduled tasks after approximately six hours of EVAs.

They returned to the space station core module at 2:33 p.m. (Beijing Time), about one hour ahead of schedule, according to the CMSA.

Astronaut Tang Hongbo has been staying inside Tianhe in cooperation with Nie and Liu for their EVAs.

The scheduled tasks of the EVAs, including extravehicular extended pump sets installation and panoramic camera lifting, were accomplished with close coordination between space and the ground, as well as between the astronauts inside and outside the spacecraft.

The EVAs further tested the performance and function of the new-generation homemade extravehicular mobility units and the coordination between the astronauts and the mechanical arm, as well as the reliability and safety of related EVA supporting equipment, said the CMSA.

The three astronauts were sent into space onboard the Shenzhou-12 spaceship and entered Tianhe on June 17. Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo completed the first EVAs on July 4.

The Shenzhou-12 spaceship crew will continue to carry out the scientific and technological space experiments before their planned return in the middle of September.

Before their return, the Shenzhou-12 spaceship will conduct circumnavigation and radial rendezvous tests, the CMSA added.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill of U.S. President Joe Biden just passed by the Senate is kindling some Americans' dreams of taking a journey across the country via high-speed rail.



Netizens have been tweeting images of a fantasized high-speed rail network that links New York City to Los Angeles. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg retweeted the image and commented, "Gen Z is dreaming big."

Unfortunately, they are indeed dreaming. The dream of high-speed rail crisscrossing America will remain a fantasy. For various reasons, including its low population density, the U.S. is fundamentally ill-suited for high-speed rail.

Add in political gridlock, and even those stretches on the East and West Coasts that might be able to sustain such lines will be axed by obstructionist politicians who oppose government spending on infrastructure and want to see Biden fail. Republican politicians even blocked Obama's attempt to merely increase the speed of some lines.

I, too, love the idea of rail travel, but for me it's no fantasy  a memory, rather. I studied abroad in China a decade ago, and enjoyed the luxury of traveling on the country's rail network for two months during one summer.

Even ten years ago, China already had more miles of high-speed rail track than the U.S. by orders of magnitude. It has only continued to expand since, growing by 29,000 kilometers, with tracks stretching right across the country. The journey from China's eastern coastal area to Yunnan province, that took me 32 hours in 2013, only takes 11 hours nowadays.

Even slower routes were, and are, still fast and comfortable. During the six years I lived in China, I often took the old green train from Nanjing to Zhuzhou, Hunan province. I stepped on in the evening and woke up the next morning in the land of spicy food. The old ladies on the Hunan route were so friendly, and enthusiastic to talk to a young foreigner. They offered snacks of duck tongue, sunflower seeds, and melons.

In the summer of 2011, I went from Sichuan to Hunan to Guilin, by bus through the Dong ethnic villages of southeastern Guizhou, back to the rails to make it to Kunming, and eventually to Dali and Lijiang. Because of the vast transportation infrastructure of China, I was able to see many different kinds of scenery and culture.

For example, the seemingly endless karst mountains of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region that resemble a forest of oversized stone bamboo; the terraced rice fields of Guizhou; and the snow-capped peaks and high alpine lakes of Yunnan.

But some of the best times I had traveling were actually onboard the train. I would sit in the dining car for hours looking at the passing scenery, imagining what it might be like to live in the small towns. I met some friends in the dining car and even went on journeys with some of them.

Ten years later, I am still nostalgic for such carefree days. There was a night train ride in June from Guiyang to Kunming where the college students returning home, who filled most of the car, played guitar and drank beer all night. I stayed in hostels and spent all day exploring scenic and cultural sites.

Vagabonding for months with no destination and no timetable will always be a treasured memory. Take a stroll through the Dali Ancient City and you'll see so many young Chinese using the trains and buses like I did. However, the rail network provides real economic benefits to China aside from benefiting the self-indulgent cultural travelers. They connect second-tier and third-tier cities to global hubs. They even lessen economic disparities.

MarcoPolo, the Paulson Institute's think tank, wrote this year: "So was it worth it? Our short answer: from an economic standpoint, it was worth it. Based on a careful cost and benefit analysis and using a framework similar to the World Bank's, we estimate that the HSR network confers a net benefit of $378 billion to the Chinese economy and has an annual ROI of 6.5%."

For me, China's rail network allowed me to fulfil my dreams of adventure and travel. But its real value is in how it helps make life easier for everybody. For example, the person from the countryside who is now able to take a trip to Guangzhou for a job interview; the worker, who because of new economic benefits, doesn't need to go so far to find a job; and finally the daughter who can get home for Spring Festival in a few hours instead of a dozen hours.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday that Britain will work with the Taliban "if necessary," as the group has regained the control of Afghanistan.

"What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan -- working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary -- will go on," Johnson told reporters.

He said the situation at the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans gathered in hopes of boarding an evacuation flight, was getting "slightly better" and he saw "stabilization."

Britain has been able to evacuate about 2,000 people, including British nationals and Afghans who worked with Britain, since Thursday, the prime minister said.

Earlier this week, Britain's Home Office introduced a "bespoke" resettlement plan, promising to take in up to 20,000 Afghans "in the long-term," with some 5,000 being in the first year.

The plan was considered far from enough to deal with the Afghan crisis by British lawmakers who met for an emergency parliament session on Wednesday.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) will meet online early next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the former's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, French daily Le Monde said "Europeans were trapped in hasty American withdrawal." British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said last Friday that the U.S. decision to pull its military forces out of Afghanistan was a "mistake."
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday pledged the world body's support for victims of terrorism.

"The United Nations will continue to support member states' efforts to address the needs of victims of terrorism," he told a high-level event to mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, which falls on Aug. 21.

"I look forward to learning how we can advance these efforts, and to hearing directly from victims about their needs and challenges, during the first-ever Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, which we still intend to hold at the United Nations in 2022."

Remembrance means honoring those who have lost their lives. It also means looking forward and understanding our responsibility to prevent more deaths. This is why the United Nations is committed to preventing terrorism, including by addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and supporting efforts to hold terrorists accountable for the suffering they have caused, he said.

"On this International Day, let us stand with the victims of terrorism. Let us listen to those who so often feel unheard. Let us act every day to uphold their rights. And let us ensure that we do everything we can to prevent more victims of terrorism," Guterres said.
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The United States on Friday announced new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

The Department of the Treasury said in a statement that it designated nine Russian individuals and two Russian entities "involved in Navalny's poisoning or Russia's chemical weapons program." Many designated are members of Russia's Federal Security Service.

In addition, the Department of State designated two Russian Ministry of Defense scientific laboratories that have engaged in activities to develop Russia's chemical weapons capabilities, according to the statement.

These sanctions came amid the first anniversary of the alleged poisoning of Navalny.

The U.S. intelligence community assessed that Russia's Federal Security Service officers used a nerve agent known as Novichok to poison Navalny on Aug. 20, 2020. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden in March this year announced multiple sanctions and restrictions against Russian individuals and entities over the issue.

Russia repeatedly denied such accusations, saying the Navalny case is a purely domestic affair and foreign intervention is not allowed.

In a separate move, the Department of State said Friday it had submitted a report to Congress pursuant to the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act of 2019 (PEESA), as amended. The report lists one Russian vessel and two Russian persons involved in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

"With today's action, the Administration has now sanctioned 7 persons and identified 16 of their vessels as blocked property pursuant to PEESA in connection with Nord Stream 2," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

The 1,230-km gas pipeline, expected to be completed soon, would bring 55 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

The United States has long claimed that the Nord Stream 2 is a geopolitical maneuver by Moscow that will undermine Ukraine's role in transiting energy to Europe and increase European dependence on Russian gas. Germany and Russia insisted that the project is purely commercial.

Citing the importance of relations with Germany and the difficulty to stop the nearly completed pipeline, the Biden administration in May waived sanctions against a company behind the pipeline project and its German CEO, which led to opposition from bipartisan lawmakers.

The United States and Germany reached a deal in July over the controversial pipeline project. Berlin agreed to support Ukraine to strengthen its energy sector and act against Russia if it weaponizes the energy.
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Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has appointed former deputy prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as new prime minister of the country, the national palace said on Friday.

In a statement, the national palace said Ismail Sabri had received the backing of 114 out of the 220 members of the parliament (MP) in the lower house of parliament, a simple majority to form the government, hence Sultan Abdullah had agreed to appoint him as the prime minister in accordance with the constitution.

Ismail Sabri is scheduled to be sworn in on Saturday, the statement added.

Ismail Sabri's appointment came as Malaysia was mired in political fighting despite a dire situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Malaysia saw a new record high of daily COVID-19 infections for the third consecutive day with 23,564 reported on Friday, bringing the national total to 1,513,024.

"His Majesty expressed his view with the appointment of the Prime Minister, the government must continue its efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic immediately for the benefit and security of the people and the well-being of the country, which is greatly affected by the crisis and the threat caused by the pandemic," the national palace said in a statement.

"His Majesty expressed the hope that with the appointment of the new Prime Minister, the political crisis can be ended immediately and all members of parliament can set aside their political agenda to unite and unanimously work to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the interest of the people and the country," it said.

Ismail Sabri is succeeding Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned on Monday after losing majority support in the lower house of parliament.

Ismail Sabri, 61, is the vice president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and had served in Muhyiddin's cabinet as defense minister before being appointed as deputy prime minister in July.

He has received backing from his own party UMNO and other parties in Muhyiddin's government, which gave him the simple majority in the lower house of parliament.

However, Ismail Sabri might not have much "honeymoon" on his new post as he would face an immediate task to consolidate his power and form a cabinet which is capable of handling the pandemic and the economic hardship.

With an identical political coalition of Muhyiddin's, Ismail Sabri came to power with a slim majority and this poses challenges for him to enjoy a stable government, political analysts said. Muhyiddin was forced to resign after about a dozen of UMNO MPs withdrew their support.

Political observer Azmi Hassan said the new prime minister will face pressure from his coalition partners as well as from his own party, with each competing to secure their interest.

He said the new prime minister needs to ensure that his cabinet appointments are made based on merit, and that he forms a capable cabinet.

"Ismail Sabri needs to demonstrate that he will design his cabinet not according to the party hierarchy but according to capabilities," he said.

Oh Ei Sun, principal advisor for Malaysia's Pacific Research Center, said Ismail Sabri will need to rapidly consolidate his political position to face the COVID-19 situation.

On politics, he is likely to face the same problems as Muhyiddin because he would have a very slim majority and if any of the coalition's components who are not happy with whatever policy or positions, they could throw tantrums just like UMNO did to Muhyiddin, and then his administration would be unstable just like Muhyiddin's, Oh Ei Sun said.
 Flash

The first batch of the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese company CanSino Biologics arrived in Malaysia on Friday, boosting the country's capability in the fight against the pandemic.

The first batch, comprising some 200,000 finished products, is part of a total of 3.5 million doses that have been ordered by Malaysia, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry said in a brief statement.

This supply will be able to further intensify the National COVID-19 Immunization Program especially in low access areas and in turn help Malaysia to achieve immunity targets, the statement said.

Malaysia conditionally approved emergency use of the vaccine in June. The COVID-19 vaccines developed by China's Sinopharm and the vaccines made by the Chinese biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech have also received approval.

Among them, Sinovac's Coronavac finished vaccines imported from China and the locally fill-and-finish products have been used in Malaysia's national immunization program.

Malaysia has been ramping up its vaccination drive which started in February. As of Thursday, 54 percent of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine and 36 percent are fully vaccinated.
Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Chocolate (Confectionery) Market in Saudi Arabia - Outlook to 2025; Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analyticsunder Food and Beverage Market Research Reports category. The Chocolate (Confectionery) Market in Saudi Arabia is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports.



Chocolate (Confectionery) Market in Saudi Arabia - Outlook to 2025; Market Size, Growth and Forecast Analytics is a broad level market review of Chocolate Market in Saudi Arabia.





Chocolate - covers all chocolate based products, including boxed chocolates, moulded chocolate bars (e.g. Cadbury's Dairy Milk), chocolate covered bars (e.g. Twix) whether in single bars or bite-sized versions sold in multipacks, seasonal novelties (e.g. Easter Eggs), and local specialities. Includes milk chocolate. Excludes cooking chocolate.





Chocolate market in Saudi Arabia registered a positive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.06% during the period 2015 to 2020 with a sales value of SAR 3,796.57 Million in 2020, an increase of 7.20% over 2019. The market achieved its strongest performance in 2020, when it grew by 7.20% over its previous year and its weakest performance in 2017, when it increased by 2.18% over 2016.









The research handbook provides up-to-date market size data for period 2015-2020 and illustrative forecast to 2025 premised on Covid-19 hit, covering key market aspects like Sales Value and Volume for Chocolate and its variants Boxed Chocolate, Chocolate Countlines, Chocolate Straightlines, Molded Bars, Novelties and Other Chocolate.





Furthermore, the research handbook details out Sales Value and Volume for top brands for the year 2017 to 2020 and overall market sales by Distribution Channel (Dollar Stores, Variety Store & General Merchandise Retailers, Cash & Carries and Warehouse Clubs, Convenience Stores & Gas Stations, Department Stores, Drug Stores & Pharmacies, Chemists/Pharmacies, Parapharmacies/Drugstores, eRetailers, Food & Drinks Specialists, Health & Beauty Stores, Hypermarkets & Supermarkets, Direct Sellers, Others, On Trade, Vending Machines, Other Specialist Retailers, Tobacco Specialists) where ever applicable.





Due to on going large scale uncertainties in the market due to COVID-19 pandemic, the research handbook acts as an essential tool for companies active or planning to venture in to Saudi Arabia's Chocolate (Confectionery) market. The comprehensive statistics within the research handbook provides insight into the operating environment of the market and also ensures right business decision making based on historical trends and industry model based forecasting.

Sales Values in the handbook are depicted in USD ($) and local currency of country and Volumes are represented in M Kilograms.





*Note: Certain content / sections in the research handbook may be removed or altered based on the availability and relevance of data.

Scope

- Overall Chocolate (Confectionery) market value and volume analytics with growth analysis from 2015 to 2025.

- Value and Volume terms for the top brands.

- Distribution channel sales analytics from 2017-2020.





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Nandini Rai, whos been shooting non-stop post the pandemic, finally found time to go on a 20-day rejuvenating trip to Ladakh along with her friends. Describing her journey as blissful and serene, she says how shed found people constantly writing about Ladakh, which she found fascinating.

Since Ive never been to Ladakh, I decided to go there this time, explains Nandini, who prefers the mountains to beaches and has been to Kashmir and Manali previously. I love mountains; they bring me peace. In fact, I have a phobia of water, so I dont even get into a pool.

Initially, when Nandini landed in Ladakh, she suffered from an oxygen problem probably because shed travelled all the way from the south to the north. Despite the oxygen issue, the actress instantly fell in love with Ladakhs beauty. Id experienced bliss while moving around the Indus River and Hunder Sand Dunes (the coldest desert in India).

The weather was unpredictable; while it was humid during the mornings, it used to be chilly by evenings. I have never seen sand become like ice. My hands were literally freezing, she rattles away recalling her experiences. So while she and her friends wanted to try their hand at river rafting and paragliding, they were smart to back off from the plans owing to unpredictable weather.

While during the day she used to visit new places, such as going through the highest passes like Khardung La and Chang La, which gave her a new high, during nights, they used to be accommodated in local houses.

The royal touch

Nandinis trip also included a visit to Turtuk Village, at the border, which is, incidentally, Indias last village on the map. She reveals that she even visited the palace of the last king of Turtuk, who belongs to the Yabgo Dynasty.

Apparently, Pangong Lake, which is half in India and half in China, was a spectacle. It was so beautiful and crystal clear. And just as I was also told that the colour of the lake changes according to the atmosphere and cloud moment, the water was blue during the night and changed to light green during the daytime, she elaborates.

It felt surreal because it seemed like there was no COVID-19 there; the air and water was so pure and I spent around 10 days in natures lap. I made a lot of memories in this trip, all of which have become a lifetime memory, the actress says, signing off.

An unscheduled Rakshabandhan stop

Nandinis trip was originally scheduled till 31st August, but she cut it short for Rakshabandhan, a day she ensures she ties rakhi on her older brother, Kumar.

Rakshabandhan is a huge tradition in my family; so this rakhi (which is a Sunday), Ill be landing in Hyderabad and straightaway heading to my brothers house, she reveals.

The actress then shares an interesting tradition her brother and she follow  the siblings go to a photo studio to get clicked; then, they print those photos and upload them in their album called Rakhi Bandhan.

Thats something we have been practising since childhood. No matter how many pics we have in our mobile, we still continue that practise, she says, describing her brother as very close to her. I can be myself with him and I open up to him more than I do with my parents. Hes very protective, and at times, he behaves like my father, she smiles.
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said he received a phone call from German foreign minister Heiko Mass during which they discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan.

"Appreciate the call from Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas of Germany. Discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan and the policy implications of the changes there," Jaishankar tweeted.

Afghanistan's future is hanging in balance as the country's government collapsed on Sunday soon after President Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul.

The Taliban entered the presidential palace in the Afghan capital on Sunday and declared its victory over the government.

Efforts are being made to maintain stability in Afghanistan. However, thousands of people are rushing to the airport to flee the nation as they are afraid of the terror group's brutal atrocities in the nation.

Several countries including India and Germany are evacuating their citizens from the war-torn country as uncertainty and fear following the Taliban takeover grow.

Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "The [Afghan] army collapsed at a breathtaking pace," Merkel said at an election event. "We had expected the resistance to be stronger."

Merkel said the focus now was on rescuing people from Afghanistan, but later there would need to be a discussion on what had or had not been achieved.
A Taliban fighter stands guard along a road near the site of an Ashura procession which is held to mark the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad, along a road in Herat on August 19, 2021, amid the Taliban's military takeover of Afghanistan. (Photo:AFP)

Guwahati: The Assam police on Saturday arrested 15 persons, including a student of medical college and a constable, from different places for their alleged social media posts supporting the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Pointing out that they had started arresting them since Friday night, police said that the accused have been booked under different sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IT Act and the Criminal Procedure Code.

Director-General of Police (Special) G.P. Singh told reporters, We were on alert and monitoring social media for inflammatory posts. We found at least 18 such posts on social media in which pro-Taliban inflammatory remarks were found.

People are advised to be careful in posts or likes etc., on social media platforms to avoid penal action, he added.

Two people each were arrested from Kamrup Metropolitan, Barpeta, Dhubri and Karimganj districts, police said. One person each was arrested from Darrang, Cachar, Hailakandi, South Salmara, Goalpara and Hojai districts.

Deputy inspector-general Violet Baruah said that the Assam Police were taking stern legal action against pro-Taliban comments on social media that are harmful to national security. Were registering criminal cases against such persons. Please inform the police if any such thing comes to your notice, she tweeted.

Among those arrested were three maulanas, a police constable and an MBBS student of Tezpur Medical College. The medical student belongs from Hailakandi. Police said that they have identified two more residents of Assam who were involved in posting pro-Taliban posts from abroad.
The imperative now if for the international community to keep up the pressure on it to eschew terrorism and repression against women. Representational Image. (AFP)

At the height of the Cold War in the 1970s, a weary Polish poet, tired of Communist jargon, and the intrusively pervasive presence of the former Soviet Union in East Europe, wrote the evocative lines: Workers of the world Leave me alone!. A weary Afghanistan, tired of the presence of foreigners for decades, must be echoing these lines.

This does not mean that the Taliban, which has swept to power in the war-torn country, must be left alone to run havoc. There can be no Taliban 2.0. The Taliban, by its very nature is unlawfully violent, fanatically religious, repressive to women, compulsively terrorist, and insensitive to democratic governance. International pressure, for it to behave must continue, and increase.

However, the principal point of this column is different. And that is that countries must ultimately resolve their internal problems on their own, and foreign presence or military intervention has self-defining limitations, and cannot continue in perpetuity. In fact, I would further assert that military intervention in the end exacerbates problems and delays the solutions which countries can better arrive at as part of their autonomous evolution.

History is replete with examples to illustrate this verity. In Iran, a rootless anglicised elite under the Shah of Iran in the 1970s was sought to be propped up by a US-UK backed military coup. In the end, it failed. More significantly, the fact of this intervention, and the kind of regime it was trying to prop up, created its own backlash in the bazaar, and we had the empowerment of an ultr a-regressive regimen led by Ayatollahs. The consequences of foreign intervention are being felt till today.

In Kampuchea, the carpet-bombing by the USA led to a quantum leap in the recruitment of the abhorrent Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Ultimately the Pol Pot dictatorship came to power, which carried out a genocide against its own people in which millions died. China supported this genocidal regime, providing 90 per cent of Cambodian aid, and more than 15,000 military advisors. Left to itself, Cambodia has today resolved its internal problems.

In Vietnam, the iconic Ho Chi Minh formed the Communist Viet Minh party to oppose Japanese invaders and the French colonial administration. The US, in the thrall of the Cold War, then intervened, and fought a long bloody war to prevent Communism succeeding in Vietnam. At least three million Vietnamese were killed as also some 58,000 Americans. Communist forces ended the war by seizing control of South Vietnam in 1975. Today, Vietnam is a prosperous and stable country, and the United States is one of its most enthusiastic investors.

These are snapshots of history, but they illustrate the essential point that foreign military intervention, however well intentioned, is usually counter-productive, and nations must resolve their internal issues on their own. In Afghanistan, Russia intervened during the Afghan war of 1978-82 in support of the Afghan

Communist government. The Russians stayed for 10 years, none the better for their intervention, leaving Afghanistan only more bruised and battered. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attack, the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001. It stayed for two decades, at an expense of one trillion dollars. During this period, it trained over 300,000 Afghan soldiers and police, and equipped them with state-of-the-art military equipment. However, the moment the US left, the Taliban reconquered all of Afghanistan at lightening speed. The US has been vilified by many for leaving Afghanistan to the mercy of the Taliban. The truth is that the Americans, for once, understood the lessons of history. Joe Biden spoke the truth when he said that endless American presence in the middle of another countrys civil conflict was not acceptable to me (emphasis mine).

Now, what remains is for Afghanistan to begin and complete its own process of national reconciliation. It is a highly complex country, opaque to foreigners, and overlapped with multiple ethnicities, fiefdoms, local loyalties, and internal dynamics. Yet, we have little option but to repose trust in the Afghans themselves to work out their destiny. What should give us hope is that Afghanistan is not what it used to be two decades ago. Two-thirds of its population is below the age of 30; 60 per cent of Afghans have Internet access; the bulk of Afghani people have been exposed to democratic freedoms; and, Afghani women, having experienced new freedoms, are likely to fight to retain them.

This does not mean that we underestimate the threat of the Taliban. The imperative now if for the international community to keep up the pressure on it to eschew terrorism and repression against women. It is hoped that China will learn from the experience of Russia and the US, and keep out of Afghanistan. Pakistan will be complicit with Taliban, but history may well bring out that it was sleeping with a Frankenstein monster.

During the transition period, with the Taliban in power, the threats to India are very real. There are many advocates of greater activism on the part of India, including building bridges with the Taliban. I dont think that is advisable, and we should act as per the options available to us. In such a situation, it is useful to remember what Chanakya said. In addition to sama, dama, danda, bheda, he spoke about a fifth upaya or instrument, asana, the strategic art of sitting on the fence. This essentially means that we should identify our feasible priorities, add our voice vehemently to international pressure on the Taliban, and look to what we need to do to protect our own interests: the evacuation of our remaining citizens from there; strengthening our defences (especially in Kashmir) against the possibility of greater terror emanating from the Afghanistan-Pakistan axis; and wait to see how the situation evolves in Afghanistan.

In the interim, the world should allow Afghanistan to negotiate its own destiny, free from outside military intervention.
Archaeologists discover evidence of slaughtered Polish citizens by Nazis in Death Valley. Among the finds were personal items from those killed by the Nazis that serve as evidence of atrocities done in World War II.

It's been years since the Second World War, and experts uncovered substantial evidence of heinous massacres in Poland.

Items that archeologists found are cremated remains, wedding rings, and bullets are seen by the scientists covering the dig.

Massacre of civilians

Early in the Second World War, in Poland, 30 to 35,000 Polish civilians were killed mercilessly by Nazis in the Pomeranian province, later called Death valley after Germany conquered Poland, reported the Daily Mail.

These killing fields where thousand died without the world knowing the crimes committed by the Nazis. In the final months of 1945, as the allied approached, that spurred recovery of the bodies left and burn the remains to conceal the atrocity.

Years later, these crimes are uncovered by discovering the hidden massacre excavated by the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw.

Working with a team of experts to prove the evidence via the archives and coordinating with locals to pursue digs in the area where the remains are, they found proof of slaughtered Polish citizens by Nazis is crucial for the study.

Read Also: Nazi Bunker Destroyed in 1944 Was Found During Excavation of Carpark in Lubin Poland by Accident

Death Valley in Poland is only one of the 400 places where the Nazis have killed masses of civilians. Dug up in the mass graves where numerous dead artifacts were seen, left with the corpses after getting sprayed and shot up, and dumped in a non-descript grave.

War crimes

From 1939 to 1940, the systematic killing of civilians is a campaign with mass execution of 12,000 people, close to Piasnica village. Mass killings were common in this period with the occupied territories.

Dr. Dawid Kobialka, an archaeologist and cultural anthropologist at the Polish Academy of Sciences, with the other researchers, also examined archived material and interacted with the local community and learn about these events, cited the Heritage Daily.

Kobialka added that he lived close to Death Valley during childhood and played there. Thirty years later, a mass grave of 500 polish dead is discovered, which is quite ironic.

Right after the war, 168 victims were dug up in the site, and there might have been more graves that were still unknown. In 1945, before the war ended, Nazis rush to keep their war crimes, noted Live Science.

Dr. Kobiaka remarked that the research in 2020 that helped trace the lost grave in 1945 came with the items they had when they died.

He added that they found a wedding ring among the items from the dead, identified by doctor Dariusz Burczyk of the Institute of National Remembrance. Archeologists found out that Irena Szydowska owned it.

She is a courier of the Polish Home Army. Her family has been informed of the find, and soon the ring will be restored to them.

These items will help determine the identities of the slaughter individuals, where mass killing in 1945 is composed of captured resistance fighters.

Soon the victims in the Polish 'Death Valley' will be known via these items and the fate of the dead. In the area where the excavation is about 10 acres, evidence of slaughtered Polish citizens by Nazis has been found there.

Related Article: Nazi Artifacts Discovered Behind Wall Hidden for Years, Family Didn't Know It Was There

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After the Afghanistan collapse jeopardized many EU citizens, Nigel Farage slams Joe Biden for disregarding the calls of Boris Johnson. The actions of the US president are viewed as a letdown by the allies. They see his derelict ways as a loss of confidence.

Farage was infuriated at how Biden seemed not to care but says full of contempt for the UK. To even say how his actions impact the other allies, leaving them in a rock and a hard place.

Instead of solving the crisis, nobody could believe how the 46th US president has sunk into denials and blame.

Biden ignored Boris' calls amid Afghan crisis

Losing Afghanistan and the mistakes and missteps along the way was a terrible execution of US foreign policy. The NY Post said that during the first 36-hours of the crisis, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was frantically contacting Biden, who did not answer, the results were disastrous.

Sources say that the UK prime minister was on the phone to discuss the crisis happening on Monday morning, but the US leader only answered on Tuesday at 10 pm, reported the Express UK.

While silence was on the other line, the Afghans were in chaos and fear as the Taliban surged ahead. Everyone was rushing to Kabul airport to fly out of harm's way before the Taliban got there.

Farage called it a challenging subject to discuss how the leader of the free world has spiraled.

The GB News host added that for 20 years, he dealt with US companies, the commercial business world, and media. He said that he had friends in America, and it was a special connection too.

Related Article: Taliban Hordes Force the Afghanistan President to Give Up as the Western Powers are Abandoning the Country

Farage stated that at some time, he dabbled in US politics as well. But, the events from Monday onwards had made an impact on this idea.

Biden told no to disregard gains in Afghanistan

While on the topic, he stressed the contemptuousness of how PM Johnson was treated is deplorable, and it included NATO leaders as well.

He argued it was a crucial call that the UK prime minister wanted to communicate. Instead, it took 36-hours for the US president to answer back.

Biden was silent for the duration all the hard work done by the Coalition crumbled in a mere 48-hours, leaving EU citizens in danger while he slept.

Farage then mocked the US declaration by the Democrat president that the US is back, which is a sick joke on other nations.

Last Tuesday, the National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the White House press that the president had no answer nor talks with other world leaders.

One claim by the White House is that an eventual phone call happened, with Biden and Johnson quoting the need for cooperation among allies to deal with the Afghan problem.

Ironically, despite ignoring the call, both the US and UK will meet with G7 nations next week. Relevant concerns will be addressed, despite losing confidence in his leadership of the most powerful country on earth.

In a brief message, the UK leader told Joe Biden seriously not to mess up and disregard gains by the allies in Afghanistan. Farage slams Joe Biden viciously in his rant, but in the US, there is a move to impeach his derelict ways, noted Sky News.

Related Article: Taliban Betrays Promise Not to Murder Civilians As Photos Reveal Traitors Disposing Dead Bodies of Victims in Mass Graves

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Experts believe the chaos in Afghanistan might jeopardize Joe Biden's presidency if Republicans try to impeach him over the escalating catastrophe. A succession of critical blunders in the war-torn country is suspected to have sparked a revival of Islamist terror assaults in the United States.

Both Democrats and Republicans have chastised Biden for his handling of the problem after he vowed the US would leave Afghanistan in a "safe and orderly" way. On Sunday, Taliban terrorists took control of Kabul, prompting a quick and "humiliating" US retreat.

The way the issue has unfolded is tremendously detrimental to Washington's reputation, according to US politics expert Thomas Gift of University College London. Biden's handling of the crisis has been dubbed a "debacle," prompting some Republicans to suggest impeachment or invoking the 25th Amendment.

Biden gives a second address

As the exit of Americans and allies from Afghanistan proceeds, fears grow that Afghan refugees are being neglected after Kabul was captured by the Taliban on Sunday. US President Joe Biden is giving his second address to the nation this week.

Biden is scheduled to address worries over the evacuation of Americans, allies, and Afghan refugees, amid reports that the mission is running behind. Biden acknowledged last week that "chaos" was unavoidable with his country's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Senator Lindsey Graham has threatened Biden with impeachment if one American or Afghan ally remains in Kabul. After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan this weekend, it's unclear how many people are waiting for airlifts out of the nation before the agreed-upon deadline of August 31, as per The Independent.

Since August 14, the US military has evacuated 9,000 civilians, and 14,000 since late July. On Thursday, 3,000 people flew out on 16 different aircraft. While the ability to transit 5,000 to 9,000 passengers per day exists, getting people via Taliban checkpoints to the airport is a major obstacle. With tens of thousands still trapped in Afghanistan, the Biden administration was compelled to reverse its decision on $2,000 evacuee fees on Thursday, amid allegations that people fleeing the Taliban were being forced to repay the US.

The case to impeach Biden isn't "compelling," but that won't stop Republicans from trying, according to Rob Singh, an expert on American politics. If the Republicans retake control of the House of Representatives in next year's midterm elections, Biden's future may become more challenging.

Per The Sun, Singh says the GOP may try to take advantage of the "toxic" atmosphere on Capitol Hill. Foreign policy has typically been less important to voters than concerns such as the economy or COVID-19, but if the crisis worsens, Afghanistan might come to the top of the agenda. It's expected that the Taliban siege's instability would serve as a breeding ground for ISIS and Al-Qaeda terrorists.

Read Also: China's Xi Jinping Puts Wealthiest Citizens on Notice to Give Back to the Society, Signals Stricter Regulation of Incomes

Lawmakers invoke the 25th Amendment

In contrast to elders who are "content" with dominating Afghanistan, Singh added that extremist members of the terrorist group want to export Jihad beyond Afghan boundaries. Senator Lindsay Graham accused Biden of being "oblivious" to the Taliban's terrorism threats to the United States.

It comes 20 years after the 9/11 attacks when an intelligence report revealed that Al Qaeda has a "safe place" in which to plot murder. ISIS has taken advantage of the political instability and increase in violence as the West retreated, according to a report compiled by the Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General.

An increasing number of Republican leaders have suggested invoking the 25th Amendment, resignation, and impeachment as possible remedies in recent days, claiming that Biden's actions since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban put into doubt the president's fitness to serve.

The use of the 25th Amendment, which permits the vice president, a majority of the president's Cabinet, and two-thirds of Congress to vote to remove a president who is unable to fulfill the powers and duties of his office, has been suggested by several lawmakers.

Biden has the option of stepping down willingly, which many Republicans have urged him to consider. No other member of the government would be required to take any more steps to carry out the resignation. If Biden resigns, he will be the second president in US history to do so on his initiative, following former President Richard Nixon's 1974 resignation.

In a series of appearances this week, Biden has defended his strategy in Afghanistan, where thousands of US citizens and Afghan nationals who are eligible for US visas are stranded. He cited the Trump administration's February 2020 agreement with the Taliban, which promised US force withdrawal by May 1, 2021, Washington Examiner reported.

Related Article: Donald Trump Describes Afghanistan Withdrawal The Greatest Embarrassment in US History, Praises His Relationship With Kim Jong Un



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An Alabama doctor said he would no longer treat patients who have yet to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, citing the low vaccination rate and spread of the Delta variant as the two main reasons for the growing pandemic.

Diagnostic and Medical Clinic Infirmary Health physician Dr. Jason Valentine from Mobile recently uploaded a photograph on Facebook. The image showed him next to a sign that said, "Effective Oct.1, 2021, Dr. Valentine will no longer see patients that are not vaccinated against COVID-19."

Unvaccinated May Not Get Treated

Valentine revealed that after he shared the post, three unvaccinated patients immediately asked him where they could get inoculated. He said that if people asked him why he would say that it was because the coronavirus was a "miserable way to die" and that he could no longer watch people suffer the same way.

In a statement, the medical professional said he planned on mailing a letter to his patients telling them about his decision. To get all of his patients, he opted to post the letter online, announcing his plans to only treat vaccinated individuals, NBC News reported.

In North Texas, a group of doctors sent an email this week telling members that they could take vaccination status into consideration when determining who gets ICU beds. The decision comes amid the potential threat that the region could experience another crisis.

The memo from the North Texas Mass Critical Guidelines Task Force was leaked and published on Thursday. It wrote that since vaccination against the coronavirus greatly increases the chances of surviving the infection, a patient's vaccination status could be used to determine whether or not they get an ICU bed.

Read Also: Booster Shots of Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccines Will Begin on September

The guidelines were created with a level 3 crisis stage in mind, which Dr. Robert Fine, a co-chairman of the task force, said could happen in the next two weeks. While the task force's guidelines are not enforceable, they are generally followed, Yahoo News reported.

Vaccination Status as Determining Factor

On Thursday, Dr. Mark Casanova, the director of clinical ethics for Baylor University Medical Center, said that the memo was only meant to guide doctors in triaging patients in limited situations. Hours after his initial statement, Casanova said the memo was only a "homework assignment" that members could give their feedback to.

The medical professional said that in the midst of their discussions, the task force said that they will not consider vaccination status as a determining factor for who gets an ICU bed. The guidelines advise doctors, in the direst scenario, to score each patient for a variety of medical factors in deciding who has the best chance of survival. Characteristics such as race, gender, disability, age, or weight cannot be used as factors to avoid discrimination.

Additionally, factors such as religion, socioeconomic status, insurance status, or ability to pay shall not play a role in who gets the highest level of care in the hospital. Casanova explained that there was a great degree of neutrality in how the task force approached the situation but added that they were also individualizing it, NBC DFW reported.



Related Article: Study Allegedly Measures How Many SARS-CoV-2 are Really Asymptomatic, Is This Accurate?

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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies have enough planes to fly foreign nationals and Afghan colleagues out of Kabul, but land access to the airport remains a "major difficulty," the alliance's top official warned.

Following a video meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Alliance Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg also stated that several members were seeking more time to complete their evacuations. The US, which maintains overall command of the airport, had earlier set an August 31 deadline for the withdrawal of its personnel from Afghanistan.

NATO countries struggle to rescue citizens, Afghan refugees

However, given the evacuations, several other NATO countries have raised the potential of that being pushed back. Their citizens, as well as vulnerable Afghans who worked for international missions, are still stranded in the country, which has been taken over by the Taliban.

NATO has 500 civilians working at the airport, including approximately 200 Afghans, to keep it open while national military rescue operations continue. Many supporters have emphasized the need to work harder on how to get more people out of the airport, as per New Age.

Afghanistan people sit in the aircraft landing gear upper surface... #kabulairport pic.twitter.com/pXfOiO3FCe  Ahtesamul haque (@haque_ahtesamul) August 16, 2021

Following the videoconference, NATO's 30 members released a statement urging those in positions of responsibility in Afghanistan to respect and enable their safe and orderly withdrawal. However, it is unclear how long the allied military force will remain at the airport.

The majority of the personnel protecting the perimeter of what has become Afghanistan's last link to the outside world and the last hope for refugees coming from the United States. Military contingents from the United Kingdom and Turkey are also stationed at the airport, and Germany, France, and other allies have been using it to secure evacuees.

Read Also: China Mocks US Troops Afghanistan Withdrawal, Welcomes "Friendly Relations" With Taliban

People are desperate to leave the Taliban-control country

Per Daily Mail, a baby was reunited with her father after being seen in a viral video being delivered to a US Marine over a barbed-wire-topped wall at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The wailing infant, thought to be a girl, is given over to a Marine over a reinforced wall at Hamad Karzai International Airport, who then passes the baby to a fellow soldier, according to the footage filmed by Omar Haidari, a human rights activist.

This horrific photograph

(Omar Haidari via @Reuters) should haunt Joe Biden & Boris Johnson for the rest of their terms in office. A baby passed up by frantic family to US military at Kabul airport. Imagine how desperate you have to be to do this? What fate awaits that child? pic.twitter.com/Xej2NtBCSe  Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 20, 2021



A member of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is seen receiving a child in a viral video showing the baby being handed through the masses, according to Marine Corps officials. It's the latest striking image to emerge as individuals desperate to leave the Taliban seek the support of troops and US allies.

Marines on babysitting duty inside the Kabul airport



Via @ZeroBlog30 pic.twitter.com/geBjioYsAG  Wu-Tang Is For The Children (@WUTangKids) August 20, 2021

At a press briefing on Friday afternoon, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stated the baby was merely transferred to the Marines for medical treatment and wasn't sent over to board an aircraft as originally thought. The Marines returned the infant to the father after the baby underwent medical treatment at a Norwegian field hospital near the airport.

Meanwhile, images captured by Sky News show British forces approaching the capital city's airport, which is currently Afghanistan's sole exit. The United Kingdom has been collaborating with the Taliban to remove British and Afghan civilians from Kabul.

PHOTO: First photo of Afghan civilians evacuated from Kabul airport by American forces on a military transport plane pic.twitter.com/sV254feKBx  Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) August 16, 2021

Since the Taliban took power, more than 18,000 individuals have fled the nation, but there are still massive populations attempting to flee. Families are so desperate that they are tossing newborns over razor wire at the compound and requesting that British soldiers take them. Britain is unable to evacuate children on its own.

On Sunday, the Taliban rushed into the capital city, causing the government to collapse, signaling the end of a two-decade US-led war. By the end of this year, the government aims to welcome 5,000 Afghan refugees to the UK, with another 15,000 arriving in the coming years.

Related Article: UK to Accept 20,000 Afghan Refugees Under Resettlement Scheme Prioritizing Women, Children Who Face Persecution



@YouTube

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged residents to follow her guidelines that aim to quickly eliminate the highly transmissible Delta variant spreading across the country as she announced an extension to the national lockdown amid a surge in confirmed cases.

However, despite her success last year in staving off the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, some critics are questioning if she can do the same now. The statements come amid a relatively low vaccination rate compared to other well-developed countries.

New Zealand's Return to Fight COVID-19

In a news conference, Ardern said that the country has been in this situation before last year and noted that elimination strategy works in keeping the infection at bay. She said that cases will rise and fall until there is no longer a threat. Ardern urged people to follow guidelines and endure temporary hardships.

The country of nearly five million people has opted to extend its lockdown until midnight on Tuesday. The decision came after the outbreak widened beyond the country's largest city, Auckland, and into the capital, Wellington, NBC News reported.

On Friday, authorities recorded 11 new cases, three of which were in Wellington, which brought the total number of infections to 31 so far. The three cases from Wellington were individuals who traveled to Auckland and visited areas considered to have been exposed to the outbreak.

Officials revealed that the patient at the center of the most recent cluster of cases was an unvaccinated 58-year-old man who traveled to other parts of the country. They said that he did not have direct links to the border, Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said on Tuesday.

Read Also: Vaccination Status Could Help Determine Whether or Not Patients Gets ICU Beds

His diagnoses urged Ardern and several other public health officials to implement a level four lockdown, the strictest in the country. The decision forces residents to stay at home and businesses to close down with the exception of essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies, CNN reported.

Sydney Outbreak

On Tuesday, Ardern noted that New Zealand is one of the last countries to experience the highly transmissible Delta variant. She said that officials and residents can look at other nations and learn what should be done in order to prevent the infection from taking over the country.

The New Zealand infection came from an outbreak in Australia, where a state leader warned on Friday that Melbourne was slowly losing control of the Delta variant. Officials first discovered the surge in mid-June in Sydney, the largest city in Australia. The region reported more than 600 new infections in each of the last four days.

While neighboring nations have succeeded in using lockdowns as a means to prevent clusters from invading, the Delta variant is proving to be more powerful. Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said he was slowly losing hope that the region could eliminate the latest outbreak in Melbourne, which has already undergone its sixth lockdown on August 5.

On Friday, Victoria reported 55 new community infections, but the majority of new patients were already infecting other people before they began isolating themselves, which made "today a bad day," Andrews said, the Associated Press reported.



Related Article: New Zealand Announces Lockdown Over Single COVID-19 Case, 5 Delta Infections Recorded Since Then

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Authorities reported that two children died and three other individuals were injured after a suicide bombing that targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in the southwestern region of Pakistan on Friday.

Officials revealed that the terrorist attack occurred at the East Bay Road in the port of Gwadar at around 7:00 p.m. They said that the Chinese nationals suffered minor injuries despite the gravity of the attack.

Suicide Bombing Targeting Chinese Nationals

The area is located in the southwestern province of Balochistan and is home to separatist militants who have been engaged in a long-running insurgency. Two children were found to have been collateral victims of the attack while three others were injured. Liaquat Shahwani, a spokesman for the Balochistan government, said.

In a statement, the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack. They said, "BLA carried out a 'self-sacrificing' attack against a convoy of Chinese engineers, Reuters reported.

As part of a $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the Asian country is involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea. The program itself is part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure project.

The attacker was reportedly a young boy who ran out of a fishermen's colony and blew himself up about 15 to 20 meters away from the convoy, the Pakistan interior ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said, "as a result, a Chinese national was injured, he was rushed to nearby Gwadar hospital where he is stable.

Read Also: Joe Biden Threatened With Impeachment If He Leaves Americans, Allies in Afghanistan as Blunders May Expose US to Terror Attacks

The Chinese workers were traveling inside three vehicles and were escorted by a single vehicle filled with security forces. Officers failed to intercept the attack before he was able to detonate his device.

In recent years, China has played a crucial role in developing the deep-water port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. However, attacks on Pakistanis and Chinese workers involved with the economic corridor projects continued, Aljazeera reported.

Continued Attacks Against Asian Envoys

In a similar attack last month, a bus carrying Pakistan and Chinese workers fell into a ravine in northwestern Pakistan after a suicide bomber targeted the vehicle. Authorities reported that nine Chinese and four Pakistanis were killed during the horrific attack in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which borders Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials have announced that they are conducting a comprehensive review of the security of Chinese nationals in the country, the South China Morning Post reported.

Residents have also begun protesting against China's multi-billion-dollar projects in the country which has allegedly caused a shortage of water and electricity, threatening the livelihoods of residents.

Demonstrators, including fishermen and other local workers, blocked the roads in Gwadar this week. They burned tires, chanted slogans, and largely shut down a large part of the city, demanding water and electricity. They also demanded authorities to stop Chinese trawlers from illegally fishing in the nearby waters and taking the products to mainland China. During the protests and subsequent crackdowns by authorities, two people were confirmed to have been injured.



Related Article: Biden Says US Troops to Remain in Afghanistan Until Evacuations are Completed

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By all indications, a U.S. return to the Moon hangs in the balance, with plans apparently set to be dictated by litigation.

Blue Origin, an aerospace company owned by Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. The suit is seeking to overturn a NASA decision to award the $2.9 billion Artemis lunar lander contract to Elon Musk's SpaceX, Reuters reported.

Blue Origin Seeks to 'Restore Fairness, Create Competition, Safe Moon Return'

According to a statement sent to CNBC, Blue Origin seeks to "remedy the flaws in the acquisition process," while stating the issues it addresses in the legal action would "restore fairness, create competition, and ensure a safe return to the Moon for America."

With this court suit, NASA and SpaceX have reached a major stumbling block in proceeding with the crewed mission to the Moon by the mid-2020s.

In its motion to file the suit under seal on Friday, Blue Origin said it was questioning NASA 's"improper award" of the contract to SpaceX, which would further delay the scheduled mission launch in 2024, UPI indicated in a report.

Read Also: NASA Makes Jeff Bezos Sad, Elon Musk Happy: Agency Confirms $2.9 Billion SpaceX Contract After Bezos' Complaint

NASA previously planned to award human landing system (HLS) contracts to two aerospace companies for the construction of two lunar landers for the Artemis program. However, NASA instead awarded a sole $2.9 billion contract to SpaceX, justifying that their decision was due to a lack of Congressional funding.

In a statement sent to Reuters, NASA said the U.S. space agency's officials are "currently reviewing details of the case." NASA added that despite the court action, it will still continue its bid in going to the Moon. It also vowed to provide more updates on the Artemis initiative for a safe and quick way to return to the Moon.

Blue Origin's suit remains under seal, with NASA being ordered to file a response to the charges by October 12.

The lawsuit comes two weeks after the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) junked Blue Origin's protest, upholding NASA's contract with SpaceX. The GAO said it found no basis in supporting Blue Origin's claim that NASA acted improperly in making a single award to SpaceX.

Blue Origin Claims SpaceX's Starship Unfit for Moon Mission, Musk Responds

After it lost the lucrative contract, Blue Origin went on the offensive against SpaceX--particularly on its next-generation Starship that will be used for the lunar missions. Per CNBC, the company claimed Starship lacks the "technologies, developments, and operations" for a targeted lunar mission, and stressed that the SpaceX launch vehicle "has never flown to orbit and is still being designed."

In response, Musk mocked Blue Origin and its capabilities in a tweet:

The sad thing is that even if Santa Claus suddenly made their hardware real for free, the first thing youd want to do is cancel it  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 13, 2021

SpaceX will use a modified Starship rocket for the lunar mission that is currently being developed at the company's facilities in Boca Chica, Texas. Blue Origin, meanwhile, had planned to utilize a system that includes an ascent module, which is quite akin to the Apollo-era spacecraft.

Blue Origin's bid costs $5.9 billion, which is twice the amount proposed by SpaceX. However, Bezos wrote to NASA in July and stressed that Blue Origin will waive $2 billion in payments and shoulder the pathfinder mission cost to test its lander in Earth orbit.

Related Article: Elon Musk Reveals SpaceX Starship Refuel Plan Without Landing, Destroys Jeff Bezos' Moon Landing Complaint
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a construction site for riverside apartments in Pyongyang, in this photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency Aug. 21. Yonhap



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the construction site of riverside apartments in Pyongyang for the third time in nearly six months, state media reported Saturday.



Kim inspected the residential district building project on the Pothong River that runs through the North Korean capital and called for timely measures for the supply of equipment and materials, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.



"Expressing great satisfaction over the radical change brought about in the riverside area, making it totally different from how it was about 140 days ago, by the builders' patriotism and loyalty despite lack of everything and difficulties, he highly appreciated the labor feats of all the builders," it added.



The KCNA did not reveal the exact date of the inspection.



The construction site is in an area that until the 1970s housed a special residence for Kim Il-sung, the late state founder and grandfather of current the leader. The area is considered most propitious and sacred in the North.



The site had been left vacant since 2009, though houses were built in the surrounding area.



As he conducted the inspection, Kim instructed that the district be named Kyongru-dong, meaning "beautiful gem terrace."



He also stressed the need to take thorough "sci-tech measures" to improve the quality of the river water.



In March, North Korea unveiled a plan to build around 800 "terraced apartments" along the Pothong River section of Pyongyang. Kim visited the construction site that month and in April.



Jo Yong-won, secretary for organizational affairs of the Worker's Party Central Committee and a close aide to Kim, was one of a group of officials greeting the North's leaders.



"He was greeted on the spot by Jong Sang-hak, Jo Yong-won, Ri Hi-yong and other cadres of the Central Committee of the Party and commanding officers and leading officials of the units involved in the construction," the KCNA said.



Just last month, Jo was addressed by Kim before Jong as they accompanied him to a monument symbolizing friendly relations with China.



Jo, a member of the Workers' Party of Korea's Presidium, is considered to be No. 3 in the reclusive state's hierarchy. (Yonhap)


Health Minister Kwon Deok-cheol, center, visits a clinical trial center for the development of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments at Korea University Anam Hospital, Seongbuk District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap



By Lee Hyo-jin



Questions are growing over how serious the government is about homegrown COVID-19 vaccine development, as it is offering a set of incentives too unappealing to encourage people to participate in the clinical trials.



According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, clinical trial volunteers will get discounted admissions to national parks and museums, including the National Science Museum, National Institute of Ecology, Sejong National Arboretum and several state-run theaters. They will also receive four volunteer hours for their participation in a clinical trial.



The participants will also be granted with "vaccination leave" from work, while their health condition will be constantly monitored by doctors. In the case of possible side effects, they will receive compensation from the government.



However, many people are questioning whether such incentives are sufficient enough to encourage people to participate in the clinical trials and receive vaccines that are still under development, instead of vaccines that have already been approved.



They suggested that discounted tickets to national parks and museums are not sufficiently attractive, as regular tickets are priced at only around 5,000 won ($4) anyway.



One internet user wrote, "I don't understand who would need 'volunteer hours,' other than high school or university students. The government should really come up with suitable, more substantial rewards for volunteers doing this kind of good deed for the country."



Another wrote, "It seems inappropriate to provide discount tickets to museums and parks, when people are being encouraged to refrain from outdoor activities amid the pandemic."



President Moon Jae-in said during his Liberation Day speech, last Sunday, that the government will help domestic companies develop their own COVID-19 vaccines by the first half of next year.


A healthcare worker gives a COVID-19 vaccine shot at a vaccination center in Yangcheon District, Seoul, Aug. 21. Yonhap



President Moon Jae-in said Saturday that South Korea's vaccinations are proceeding at a faster pace than expected with over half the country's population receiving at least one shot, as he vowed to speed up the inoculation drive to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.



A total of 25.7 million people have received their first shots of COVID-19 vaccines as of 11 a.m. Saturday, accounting for around 50 percent of the country's population, while those who are fully vaccinated reached 11.5 million, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA).



Moon asked people to actively get their vaccines to help slow down the spread of the virus and bring life back to normal.



"Over half of the people have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines, and inoculations with the second shots are also gaining speed," Moon said in a Facebook message. "They are proceeding faster than expected."



If the current pace continues, Moon expects the nation to be able to partially inoculate 70 percent of the population before the Chuseok holiday, which is scheduled for Sept. 20 to 22, and complete vaccinations for more than half of the population within that month.



Moon has ordered top officials to earmark sufficient funds related to COVID-19 vaccines in next year's state budget to prepare for a potential surge of a new variant, Park Soo-hyun, a senior secretary for public communications, said.



Earlier this week, the government and the ruling party agreed to raise the preliminary vaccine procurement budget for next year to 2.5 trillion won from 1.5 trillion won ($1.3 billion), in accordance with Moon's call to ramp up the country's vaccine supply in order to be ready for any unexpected developments, such as a new virus variant, Park said.



Moon's remarks were seen as efforts to assuage public concerns over the vaccine supply as a delay in the Moderna vaccine has forced the health authorities to extend an inter-dose interval of some age groups.



South Korea also began allowing adults aged 30 and older to receive AstraZeneca vaccines left over after people do not show up for appointments.



The country earlier only allowed vaccines manufactured by British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca and Oxford University to be taken by people aged 50 and older, following concerns over blood clots.



While Moderna earlier this week said it will expand shipments of its COVID-19 vaccine to South Korea for August and September, health authorities said they will push for various ways to secure enough vaccines.



The Romanian government has approved a decision to donate 450,000 doses of Moderna's vaccines nearing their expiry date to South Korea on humanitarian grounds, Romanian state news agency Agerpres reported.



The vaccination task force team said it has been consulting with the Romanian government for vaccine cooperation, without elaborating on the schedule of the vaccine delivery.



South Korea received 1.4 million doses of the Janssen vaccine from the U.S. government in June to inoculate reserve forces and other military-related personnel, and secured about 780,000 doses of Pfizer's vaccine from Israel in July under an exchange deal. (Yonhap)






U.S. special representative for North Korea Sung Kim arrived in Seoul, Saturday, for talks with his South Korean and Russian counterparts, as they seek Pyongyang's return to negotiations amid renewed tensions over ongoing military exercises being conducted by Seoul and Washington.







Kim, who doubles as ambassador to Indonesia, began his four-day visit here, after Pyongyang again reacted furiously to the allies' exercises, calling them the "most vivid expression of the U.S. hostile policy" toward the North and warning of a serious security crisis.







"I'm looking forward to very close consultations with our Korean government colleagues," Kim told reporters upon arrival at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.







Kim added he will meet with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, who is set to arrive in Seoul, Saturday.







"So, I think it is going to be a very productive visit," Kim said.







On Monday, Kim is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Seoul's top nuclear envoy, Noh Kyu-duk, to discuss how to attain substantive progress in efforts for the complete denuclearization of, and the establishment of lasting peace, on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said.







In a separate press release, the U.S. State Department said that Kim's visit to Seoul "illustrates the U.S. and ROK commitment to ongoing close collaboration on DPRK issues as we seek to advance complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula."







ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea, while DPRK refers to the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.







Morgulov is set to make a six-day trip here  he will meet with Noh, Tuesday.







No trilateral meeting among Noh, Kim and Morgulov has been arranged yet, according to a ministry official.







The planned talks between the nuclear envoys come amid concerns over possible military provocations by the North to protest the ongoing South Korea-U.S. military maneuvers, which the North has consistently berated as a rehearsal for an invasion.







The North reportedly issued a navigational warning for early next week for ships off the east coast, a possible indication that it is preparing for a missile test. (Yonhap)






Former President Chun Doo-hwan has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.







The 90-year-old former military strongman has been hospitalized in Yonsei Severance Hospital in western Seoul since he returned from a 660-kilometer round trip to the southwestern city of Gwangju to attend an appellate court hearing on a defamation case.







The gaunt-looking Chun appeared at the Gwangju District Court's appellate division Aug. 9 and left the courtroom only 25 minutes after the hearing began citing breathing difficulties. He answered some of the judge's questions with the help of his wife and was seen dozing off.







"(Chun) has been in bad health for a while," his close aide told Yonhap News by phone. "He is expected to be hospitalized for a while."







Last November, the Gwangju District Court sentenced Chun to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, for defaming the late Catholic priest Cho Pius, who testified to having witnessed Chun's troops shooting from helicopters at Gwangju's pro-democracy demonstrators.







Chun was indicted in May 2018 on defamation charges after denouncing Cho as a "shameless liar" in his controversial memoirs published in 2017.







The former Army general seized power in a 1979 coup, and his troops ruthlessly cracked down on the 1980 uprising, leaving more than 200 dead and 1,800 others wounded, according to conservative official data.







Chun received a death sentence in 1996 for treason and bribery but was released in December 1997 on a presidential pardon. (Yonhap)


U.S. President Joe Biden walks from the podium after speaking about Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House, Aug. 16, in Washington. AP-Yonhap





By Scott Shepherd




A Chinese residence in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection



By Robert Neff



In 1888, the vice consul in Shanghai for the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway was an Austrian businessman named S. Krips. In the past, countries that did not have diplomats in a distant port would sometimes assign consular positions to citizens of their own country or to trusted people of foreign nationality, usually businesspeople. Krips, an auctioneer and consignment merchant, was one of these "trusted" foreign businesspeople.



We don't know much about his consular activities (nor do we know his full name) but we do know about his business activities and the level of his trustworthiness. He frequently did business with the British merchant enterprise Gibbs, Livingston & Co., and sold their goods on consignment in the Shanghai region. They entrusted him with a great deal of goods and for the most part he always fulfilled his contracts with them, but sometime in the late 1880s, greed  and perhaps a sense of adventure  got the better part of him, and rather than follows his instructions, he decided to speculate.



Instead of selling goods for the price specified by Gibbs, Livingston & Co., he decided to hold on to them in the belief they could be sold for a much higher price. He was wrong. The market collapsed and Krips was forced to sell the goods at a great loss. Instead of telling the British merchants about his poor speculation, he kept it a secret with the hopes that he could pay it back before anyone knew of his failure.





Chinese laborers in Chefoo (Yantai), China, in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection



He used the money from the goods to purchase the Anshin Maru, a newly built 45-meter-long steamship. The Austro-Hungarian government was probably quite pleased, as there were few merchant vessels in this part of China flying the national flag. But the Austro-Hungarian flag probably never graced the Anshin Maru's mast, for Krips did not own the vessel for long. This venture, like the earlier one in speculation, failed spectacularly, and he lost not only the money he had embezzled but also incurred more debts. He applied for a second mortgage with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank but was refused.



The world was collapsing in around him. Creditors hounded him, seeking payments on his increasing debts, and his health began to fail. At the end of August 1890, he announced that a change of scenery was needed, and that he would make a short trip to Chefoo (modern Yantai) for a few days of rest.



Accompanied by his trusted Chinese servant, he spent a short time in Chefoo before he vanished suddenly. China, at this time, was still a relatively dangerous place for foreigners, so the local authorities began an extensive search that lasted for a couple of days. However, no trace of Krips or his servant could be found. Some, knowing of his situation, may have suspected suicide, but the servant's disappearance also suggested another dark scenario  not murder but rather flight.





A Chinese junk in the Yellow Sea in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection



People claimed that Krips and his servant, despite making an effort to remain inconspicuous, were seen boarding a junk that left port shortly afterwards bound for Korea.



Joseph Hass, the Austro-Hungarian consul in Shanghai, had notices posted throughout the city proclaiming that Vice-Consul Krips was to be arrested immediately and be tried in the consular court. Consul Haas also had missives sent to Korea, asking the various foreign representatives to keep a lookout for the runaway diplomat.



The rumors were true. Krips and his servant had taken passage aboard the junk and had successfully escaped China but not from karma. Near the Korean coast, the junk was grounded and he was forced to walk ashore barefooted over the sharp stones, and then walk several kilometers to Jemulpo (the former name for Incheon). This journey took a great toll upon Krips, and by the time he arrived in the Korean port he was barely able to walk.



Jemulpo, at this time, had a very small Western population and it was somewhat difficult to remain inconspicuous  the only option available to Krips was to avoid the General Foreign Settlement (where he would likely be recognized) and seek sanctuary in the Chinese Settlement. For nearly five days he hid  nursing his injured feet and slowly losing his feeble grip on reality  until his Chinese servant was able to secure them passage on another junk bound for Japan.





Jemulpo harbor in the early 1900s / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection



On the morning of their scheduled departure, Krips (dressed in Chinese clothing) and the Chinese servant were recognized as they made their way to the junk. The Chinese consul was notified and he promptly sent a number of consular police, armed with sticks, to apprehend Krips. According to one English-language newspaper in Japan, "His arrest was effected by the Chinese Consular police, after considerable resistance on his part."



According to the Chinese authorities, when Krips realized that the consular police were there to arrest him, he pulled out a revolver and fired six shots at them, but missed. The only way they could disarm him was to beat him severely with their long sticks. Krips and his servant denied the fact that shots had been fired and insisted that the Chinese beat them for no reason.



He and his servant were then handed over to the German consul at Jemulpo until a British constable arrived from Shanghai and escorted the two fugitives back to China aboard a Chinese steamship. There was a great deal of concern about Krips' mental state, and so the cabin in which he was confined was made suicide-proof: the windows were barricaded with wooden planks so that he could not jump out and drown, and his meals were passed to him through the door, with his only silverware a spoon. Throughout the passage to China, he was delirious and often babbled about having hundred-dollar banknotes in his luggage, but everyone knew he was broke.





Jemulpo in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection




American automaker General Motors said it will expand the recall of Chevy Bolt electric vehicles equipped with South Korean supplier LG's batteries over fire risks, which is expected to cost the U.S. company an additional $1 billion.







The latest recall covers 73,000 Bolt EVs and EUVs from model years 2019 through 2022 sold in the United States and Canada to replace the defective battery modules.







This is on top of about 69,000 Bolt EVs from 2017-2019 model years included in the previous recall in July over the same issue, which cost about $800 million.







"In rare circumstances, the batteries supplied to GM for these vehicles may have two manufacturing defects  a torn anode tab and folded separator  present in the same battery cell, which increases the risk of fire," GM said in a statement.







GM said it will pursue reimbursment from LG after further investigation, saying it has discovered manufacturing defects in certain battery cells beyond the Ochang plant in South Korea.







LG Energy Solution operates a battery factory in Michigan, while its joint venture with GM, Ultium Cells, has been building another facility in Ohio, with plans to open another in Tennessee.







LG said it has been actively working with its client and partners to ensure that the recall measures are carried out smoothly.







LG Electronics has supplied GM with battery modules that are made with battery cells from LG Chem's wholly owned subsidiary, LG Energy Solution.







"The reserves and ratio of cost to the recall will be decided depending on the result of the joint investigation looking into the root cause, currently being held by GM, LG Electronics and LG Energy Solution," LG said referring to its subsidiaries.







Earlier this month, LG Electronics set aside 234.6 billion won as a provision expense for the Bolt EV recall, while LG Chem earmarked 91 billion won.







The recalls are a blow to GM's plan to go all-electric by 2035 and to LG Energy Solution, which is preparing to go public on the Seoul bourse later this year. (Yonhap)


Rural Development Administration (RDA) Director Hur Tae-woong / Courtesy of RDA



'Combining high-technology with agriculture can boost the competence of Korea's agriculture'



By Baek Byung-yeul



In 2020, the Moon Jae-in administration announced its Korean New Deal program in order to boost the country's economy post-COVID-19, as well as create more jobs by investing 160 trillion won ($137 billion) until 2025.



As part of the ambitious plan, the Rural Development Administration (RDA) has been spearheading efforts to digitalize agriculture in an attempt to resolve problems that the country's agricultural sector has been facing, such as the aging of the agricultural workforce.



Due to the decline in the working population, RDA Director Hur Tae-woong said that he believes digitalizing the country's commercial agriculture is essential, as the labor-intensive practices of the agricultural industry are facing limitations.



"In 1970, 14.42 million people were engaged in the agricultural industry, accounting for nearly half of the total population, but the figure decreased to 2.31 million in 2020, amounting to only 4.5 percent of the entire population. The decreasing population of farmers, the aging population of rural areas and rapid climate change, such as heat waves, record-breaking rainy seasons, typhoons and cold waves, are problems shaking the foundations of Korea's agricultural industry," Hur said in a recent email interview with The Korea Times.



Digitalizing agricultural technology



To revitalize the declining industry, the director said the agency has tried to combine emerging technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution with agriculture.



"The agency is working on lowering barriers to entry into agriculture and developing ways to help farmers make more profit conveniently than before. Our goal is to make the agricultural business a lucrative one so that the industry can attract more young people who want to attempt to make more profit in it," he said.



What the RDA calls "digital agriculture" means attempting to make agriculture more efficient using emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data and cloud technology, he said.



"Using these technologies, we intend to maximize the convenience, productivity and quality of farming by automating and digitalizing the entire process of agriculture and providing optimal decision-making services," Hur said.



To help farmers cultivate their crops more efficiently, the RDA established an integrated data system, providing data about 16 kinds of crops, including rice, wheat, beans and corn; four types of livestock, such as "hanwoo" or Korean cattle, dairy cattle, pork and fowl; as well as information on types of soil, weather, livestock diseases and insects.



The RDA is also developing automation technologies in an attempt to increase the convenience and profitability for farmers.



It has developed agricultural observation and automation technology that significantly reduce labor requirements by using technologies such as remote exploration, sensing and autonomous driving. To provide video information on major pests, the agency also plans to develop automatic diagnosis technology based on deep learning technology.



In addition, the RDA is slated to launch an agriculture-purpose satellite in 2025, investing 116.9 billion won to forecast the weather, diseases and insects.



Among its efforts to digitalize agricultural technology, the RDA says that it has been trying to combine high technology with rice farming by developing a self-driving rice seedling planting machine, video and sensor technology-based autonomous paddy irrigation machines and rice seed planting drones.



Individual technologies for digital agriculture, such as direct autonomous driving transplantation applicable to rice farming, video automatic feeding, and drone direct seeding, are being packaged and applied to the field.



"Farmers have been struggling with inconsistent rice harvests due to labor shortages and climate change. To solve this issue, we have developed these machines using various technologies and provided them to farmers in a bundle," he said adding that these machines help reduce labor costs.



"It costs about 40 million won ($33,969) to attach self-driving equipment onto a rice planting machine. Given that it costs 150,000 won ($127) a day to hire one employee, about 30 days of operation of this equipment can offset the device's costs," he claimed.



"Also, farmers can check and control the water level of their rice paddies via smartphones when using video and sensor technology-based autonomous padding machines. This tool could potentially drastically reduce the time and labor required to manage rice paddies." he said.





Rural Development Administration (RDA) Hur Tae-woong, center, volunteers to help farmers who grow pears at an orchard in Buan, North Jeolla Province, May 27. Courtesy of the RDA
Afghanistan should not be turned into a geopolitical battlefield and the world should support the war-torn nation instead of putting more pressure on it, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.







In a phone call with his British counterpart Dominic Raab, Wang said the situation in Afghanistan remained unstable and uncertain with the insurgent group Taliban retaking power after it was forced out by a US-led military action which lasted two decades.







"Afghanistan is still unstable and uncertain, and the international community should encourage and guide it in a positive direction, instead of exerting excessive pressure," Wang said, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.







"The international community should fully respect the independence and sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of its people, conduct more dialogue and provide more guidance, refrain from a predetermined mindset and exceeding one's duties to meddle in others' affairs, and not turn Afghanistan into an arena of geopolitical games."







China has not officially recognized the Taliban as the new government. But Wang hosted Taliban chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Tianjin last month  recognizing the insurgent group as an important political force in Afghanistan but also demanding it cut ties with other terrorist forces.







"The major change to the situation in Afghanistan reflects that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or chaos," Wang was quoted as saying in the phone call with Raab. "The situation in Afghanistan is yet another negative example, and if the United States does not learn from the painful lesson, it will suffer new ones," he said.







Wang said China was willing to continue to play a constructive role on the Afghan issue, but called on Afghanistan to draw a clear line from terrorism and crack down on terrorist groups.







Since taking over the capital Kabul, Sunday, the armed group says it has become moderate and pledged more rights for women and an amnesty for government officials. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group did not want any internal or external enemies and would maintain peaceful relations with other nations.







The Taliban has declared the restoration of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the country's formal name under Taliban rule before the militants were ousted by US-led forces in the wake of the September 11 attacks.







Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying on Thursday said China was aware of the suspicions towards the Taliban but added that "nothing in the world is set in stone," and the pledges by Taliban officials in recent days had sent positive signals.







But diplomatic observers said Beijing remains sceptical as to whether the Taliban will keep its promise to cut ties with terrorist groups. They pointed out the Taliban had made similar pledges before, but its connections with other terrorist groups remained close.


Afghans gather on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul, Aug. 20, hoping to flee from the country after the Taliban's military takeover of Afghanistan. AFP-Yonhap



Reports of targeted killings in areas overrun by the Taliban mounted Friday, fueling fears that they will return Afghanistan to the repressive rule they imposed when they were last in power, even as they urged imams to push a message of unity at weekly prayers.



Terrified that the new rulers would commit such abuses and despairing for their country's future, thousands have raced to Kabul's airport, where chaotic scenes continued unabated. People seeking to escape struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and U.S. bureaucracy. Video images showed crowds gathered in the dark outside the barbed-wire topped walls. Occasionally someone shot a stream of gunfire into the air.



What appeared to be American troops stood in the distance. In one dramatic image, a U.S. Marine reached over the razor wire atop a barrier and plucked a baby by the arm from the crowd and pulled it up over the wall.



Reports of planes leaving at least partly empty underscored how difficult it still is for people to get into the airport. In an indication of the extent of the chaos, the Belgian foreign affairs ministry confirmed that one of its aircraft took off from Kabul without a single passenger because the people who were supposed to be on board got stuck outside the airport.



Also Friday, American officials confirmed to The Associated Press that U.S. military helicopters flew into Taliban-held Kabul to scoop up would-be evacuees, and President Joe Biden pledged to bring all Americans back from Afghanistan  and Afghans who aided the war effort, too.



''We will get you home,'' Biden said from the White House.



The Taliban say they have become more moderate since they last ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s and have pledged to restore security and forgive those who fought them in the 20 years since a U.S.-led invasion toppled them from power.



But many Afghans are skeptical, fearing that the Taliban will erase the gains, especially for women, achieved in the past two decades. Opposition to the takeover has included street protests  acts of defiance that Taliban fighters have violently suppressed.



An Amnesty International report provided more evidence Friday that undercut the Taliban's claims they have changed.



The rights group said that its researchers spoke to eyewitnesses in Ghazni province who recounted how the Taliban killed nine ethnic Hazara men in the village of Mundarakht from July 4 to July 6. It said six of the men were shot, and three were tortured to death. Hazaras are Shiite Muslims who were previously persecuted by the Taliban and who made major gains in education and social status in recent years.



Amnesty International warned that more killings may have gone unreported because the Taliban cut cellphone services in many areas they captured.



Separately, Reporters without Borders expressed alarm at the news that Taliban fighters killed a family member of an Afghan journalist working for Germany's Deutsche Welle on Wednesday. The broadcaster said fighters conducted house-to-house searches for their reporter, who had already relocated to Germany.





Taliban fighters march in uniforms on the street in Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, in this still image taken from social media video uploaded Aug. 19. Reuters-Yonhap




India's drug regulator has granted emergency use approval for Zydus Cadila's COVID-19 vaccine, the world's first DNA shot against the coronavirus, in adults and children aged 12 years and above.







The approval gives a boost to India's vaccination program, which aims to inoculate all eligible adults by December, and will provide the first shot for those under 18, as the country still struggles to contain the virus spread.







The vaccine, ZyCoV-D, uses a section of genetic material from the virus that gives instructions as either DNA or RNA to make the specific protein that the immune system recognizes and responds to.







Unlike most COVID-19 vaccines, which need two doses or even a single dose, ZyCoV-D is administered in three doses.







The generic drugmaker, listed as Cadila Healthcare, aims to make 100 million to 120 million doses of ZyCoV-D annually and has already begun stockpiling the vaccine.







Zydus Cadila's vaccine, developed in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology, is the second home-grown shot to get emergency authorization in India after Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.







The drugmaker said in July its COVID-19 vaccine was effective against the new coronavirus mutants, especially the Delta variant, and that the shot is administered using a needle-free applicator as opposed to traditional syringes.







The regulatory nod makes ZyCoV-D the sixth vaccine authorized for use in the country where only about 9.18 percent of the entire population has been fully vaccinated so far, according to Johns Hopkins data.







Zydus Cadila had also submitted data evaluating a two-dose regimen for the shot in July and plans to seek regulatory approval for the same.







The firm had applied for the authorization of ZyCoV-D, July 1, based on an efficacy rate of 66.6% in a late-stage trial of over 28,000 volunteers nationwide. (Reuters)




Salt Lake Community College is seeking a bilingual, Spanish-speaking Mental Health Therapist to join our multidisciplinary team at the Center for Health and Counseling. As the higher education institution serving the most diverse student population in Utah, SLCC is committed to hiring qualified candidates with demonstrated experience and commitment to providing mental health services to underserved and marginalized populations, including Black, Indigenous and People of Color, LGBTQ+, and religious and cultural minorities.



The successful candidate will show competency in providing mental health services to and understanding of minority populations, strong crisis assessment and intervention skills, as well as a solid foundation in providing appropriate, therapeutic mental health services to adults of all ages and backgrounds. Responsibilities include intake assessment, individual, group and couples therapy using an outcome focused, brief treatment model, prevention, outreach and consultation with faculty and staff from departments across campus, as well as coordinating services with our integrated medical and psychiatric providers. Opportunities for developing and presenting workshops, supervising interns and serving on department and campus committees exist in this role. Please note: This is a temporary, one year position with funding through June 30, 2022. Position may or may not continue after this date based on funding availability.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

Assess clients through clinical interview and establish appropriate case formulation and treatment plan Provide short-term therapy to individuals, couples, and groups which may include crisis intervention, supportive therapy, and evidence-based treatment Maintain a confidential, safe, client-centered, quality experience for clientele Develop and present mental health outreach presentations Maintain timely, accurate documentation of client contacts and outreach activities Participate in departmental staff meetings Collaborate with college departments and community service agencies to provide care, case management or referrals as appropriate Maintain reliable attendance and punctuality to ensure a smooth, efficient department operation Other duties as assigned

Essential Responsibilities and Duties Continued

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working with college-age population



Experience providing mental health services in higher education



Full, independent licensure; i.e., LCSW, LMHC, LMFT, Licensed Psychologist.



Demonstrated experience with and commitment to communities of color and/or other marginalized populations.

Minimum Qualifications

At a minimum, candidates must demonstrate eligibility for licensure for independent practice in Utah as follows:

For Social Work, have completed a Master of Social Work with licensure as a Clinical Social Worker (CSW). For Professional Counseling, have completed a Masters of Mental Health Counseling with licensure as an Associate Clinical Mental Health Counselor (ACMHC). For Marriage and Family Therapy, have completed a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education with licensure as an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT). For Psychology, have completed an APA-accredited doctoral internship in counseling or clinical psychology and obtained licensure as a Certified Psychology Resident.



Two (2) years, paid, full-time, post-graduate experience (or equivalent) providing therapy to individuals, couples and groups.



Fluency in Spanish and English

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Ability to assist students from diverse backgrounds and perspectives with mental health challenges in order to improve academic, occupational, social, relational and health outcomes. Assess clients through clinical interview and establish appropriate case formulation and treatment plan. Provide short-term psychotherapy with individuals, couples and groups, including crisis intervention, supportive therapy, and evidence-based treatment. Collaborate with college and community service agencies to provide assistance as appropriate. Maintain a confidential, safe, client-centered, quality experience for students. Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills. Computer literacy, including experience and aptitude with electronic health records. Well-developed skills in and commitment to working as part of an interdisciplinary team of mental health and medical professionals, support staff, and health promotion specialists. Familiarity with local mental health resources and willingness to assist students in accessing resources such as health insurance, food, housing and other basic needs. Ability to work independently and creatively to support students in their unique challenges in the college environment. Ability to work with individuals who identify as LBGTQ and students of all religious backgrounds. Ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of diverse people, ability, culture, and ethnic background, to maintain good working relationships across the College. Ability to work with all groups in a divers academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic background of community college students, faculty, and staff, including those with disabilities. Non-Essential Responsibilities and Duties

Special Instructions

Full consideration will be given to applicants who apply on or before the priority review date indicated above. More information about Salt Lake Community College benefits: http://i.slcc.edu/hr/benefits/benefitsinformation.aspx Please indicate on your resume if your work experience is full time or part time.

Successful completion of a criminal background check may be required for this position. Please note: This is a temporary, one year position with funding through June 30, 2022. Position may or may not continue after this date based on funding availability. FLSA Exempt

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Job Title: Itinerant Bilingual Counselor



Office: Office of Teaching and Learning



Date Posted: 8/20/2021



Salary Range: 1-16 / $60,730 - $119,087



NTE Date: N/A



Position Overview The Office of Social Emotional Academic Development works with the Chancellor to ensure coherence in the educational experience for our students, families, and schools. Our goal is to initiate change and lead DC Public Schools into the highest performing school district in the nation. We are currently in the process of creating our next strategic plan. After engaging with over 3,000 internal and external stakeholders to help shape the future of DCPS, our draft strategic priorities include: Promote Equity: Define, understand, and promote equity to close achievement gaps and interrupt institutional bias.

Empower Our People: Recruit, develop, and retain a talented, caring, and diverse team.

Educate the Whole Child: Provide rigorous, joyful and inclusive academic and social emotional experiences for all students.

Ensure Excellent Schools: Increase the number of high quality schools across the district by defining blended autonomies for schools and creating opportunities for innovation.

Engage Families: Deepen partnerships with families and community. The mission of the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) is to deliver high-quality instructional resources, enhance classroom practice and scale effective programs to increase DCPS student achievement and prepare all students for success in college, career, and (see application details) spans four core competency areas: Curriculum; Professional learning; Enrichments and interventions; and Formative assessment. Team members support school-based staff in implementing DCPS's existing academic programs while simultaneously working to rethink and redesign school programming, academic and curricular resources and educator professional development. The Language Acquisition Division (LAD) is focused on providing high quality data, information and analysis to assist schools in meeting the needs of English language learner (ELL) students in the District of Columbia Public Schools. LAD serves as the analytic hub for the district's English language learners by providing data to support program implementation from the Central Office to the classroom. In addition, LAD assists schools with the initial screening for English language proficiency and supports schools with several reports throughout the year. The Itinerant Bilingual Counselor is responsible for supporting the development of a comprehensive school SEL support programs that is preventative in design, developmental in implementation, and supports DCPS students in the areas of academic achievement, career and college planning, and personal and social development. The Itinerant Bilingual Counselor will be involved in the following five key areas: (1) preventative work with students, staff, and families that promotes positive school climate and social/emotional well-being, (2) program development to meet the unique needs of the schools and the EL students they serve, (3) program planning that contributes to the development of school-wide policies, (4) advocacy that supports students and families, and (5) direct services to students and families. The incumbent also serves as a consultant to educators, families, and community partners. The incumbent reports to the Language Acquisition Division (Director, Academic Programming for ELs) in order to provide targeted supports to EL students and their families in instances where the students are enrolled in schools that do not have a school-based bilingual counselor. The incumbent will receive technical assistance, guidance, and instruction while working in coordination with the Director, Counseling Program. Additionally, the incumbent will work closely with faculty and staff of local schools, DCPS central administration, various social services agencies (i.e., D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA)), the Superior Court, personnel from other public-school systems, and parents. This is an 11-month position. The incumbent is required to report for duty for the two (2) weeks immediately following the end of the school year and the two (2) weeks immediately preceding the start of the school year. This position is a safety-sensitive position. As a result, throughout employment this position will be subject to the Employee Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy. The Itinerant Bilingual Counselor will report to the Director, Academic Programming . Essential Duties and Responsibilities The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned. see html override Qualifications Bachelor's degree.

Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in school guidance and counseling preferred

Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.

Meets the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education certification requirements for school guidance and counseling and retains a current and valid certification as a professional school counselor.

Ability to learn the student information system (ASPEN).

Familiarity with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Title5 Education, The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, ASCA National Standards, ASCA School Counselor Competencies, ASCA Ethical Guidelines, and ASCA School Counselor Performance Standards; and ability to learn and follow Directives of the Chancellor, internal operating procedures, and other guidelines established by the Office of Teaching and Learning.

Ability to analyze data to inform work and decision making, analyze and evaluate available data, assess student needs, and develop and implement procedures and policies to support student achievement.

DCPS Values STUDENTS FIRST : We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.

: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do. COURAGE : We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.

: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success. EQUITY : We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.

: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds. EXCELLENCE : We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.

: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions. TEAMWORK : We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.

: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically. JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.




Videos



Duties



Summary This position is at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). This position serves as an IT Specialist (SysAnalysis), in the Division of Portfolio & Program Management. Learn more about this agency



Responsibilities As an IT Specialist (SysAnalysis), you will: Serve as a customer advocate to document business needs, as well as current workflow and to-be workflow from various stakeholders.

As a team member, support the development of custom software applications and business information systems to include requirements in management, design, programming, implementation, and training.

Support OCIO program and project managers for information system and project deployments by performing requirements gathering and analysis; coordinate with developers and subject matter experts to validate business requirements; and, coordinate with customers and subject matter experts to complete system and process documentation and training guides for business information systems.

Support business process reengineering efforts aimed at finding operational efficiencies to recommend to management.

Participate in the validation and/or testing of new software releases prior to their release for agency use.

Prioritize work requests in accordance with the Division Director's and/or IT Prioritization Council's (ITPC) direction and technical subject matter experts to satisfy internal and external audit requirements.



Travel Required Occasional travel - Once onsite work resumes, you may be expected to travel for this position. Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 13 Job family (Series) 2210 Information Technology Management



Requirements



Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen.

Suitable adjudication of background/security investigation is required.

A probationary/trial period may be required.



Qualifications All applicants applying for the CU- 12 level must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the CU/GS- 11 level obtained in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience working with customers to elicit and document business requirements to create functional and/or technical requirements in support of information technology projects.



All applicants applying for the CU- 13 level must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the CU/GS- 12 level obtained in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience (1) working with stakeholders to identify, understand and document business requirements and translating these requirements into technical specifications for new or enhanced information systems, (2) coordinating with stakeholders to complete or validate information system and business process documentation, and (3) supporting business process reengineering efforts.



In addition to the above qualifications, all individuals must have IT related experience demonstrating each of the four competencies listed below and demonstrate each of the following in your resume:



Basic Requirement:



Attention to Detail - Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.

Customer Service - Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.

Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Problem Solving - Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.



You must meet the qualifications for this position by the closing date of this announcement.

Please note, all experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.



YOUR RESUME MUST provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience and support your responses to the online questionnaire as described in the vacancy announcement. When describing your experience in your resume, please be specific. We will not make assumptions regarding your experience. Please ensure that your resume includes the grade (if you are a current or previous federal employee), month, and year that you began and ended for each position held or that position may not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Full-time employment will be assumed unless otherwise stated on your resume. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating.



Your resume must also support your responses to the online questionnaire. Failure to provide support may result in a lower rating and/or you may be excluded from consideration. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.



Education Education is not required for this position nor may it be used to qualify.



Additional information Note: Career Ladder Promotion Statement

For positions that are multi-graded, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next grade level in accordance with OPM regulations and NCUA policies.



SALARY: Pay will be set within the advertised pay range to align with the selectee's skills and experience and the requirements of the position.



Pay will be set using NCUA's compensation policy. The salary range shown is NCUA's Local Pay Rate (LPR) which includes the locality rate for the Alexandria, Virginia geographical area. Please click here to review all salary ranges based on locality.



SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. You may register or check the status of your registration by visiting the Selective Service website at: (see application details) .



This position is in the bargaining unit.



NOTE: Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES (political) employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the point of contact listed on this vacancy announcement.



Illegal drug use by individuals working for or on behalf of the federal government, whether on duty or off duty, is contrary to the efficiency of the service and in direct violation of the Controlled Substance Act and the Drug-Free Workplace Act.



Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCUA's current posture will not require employees to perform official travel or work onsite at NCUA offices any earlier than August 30, 2021. This date may be extended.



If it becomes necessary for NCUA to request on-site work, NCUA may solicit volunteers for the assignment. Management reserves the right to request employees to perform on-site work in exigent circumstances.



NCUA IS A COMPETITIVE SERVICE FEDERAL AGENCY.



NCUA uses E-Verify, a web-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify , including your rights and responsibilities.



More than the number of positions listed may be filled through this vacancy announcement Read more



How You Will Be Evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. First, your application package will be reviewed for completeness (resume, completed assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation). You will not be considered if you fail to submit all the required documents as outlined in this vacancy announcement.



Second, if you have a complete application package, your resume will be reviewed to determine if you meet the basic qualifications and specialized experience requirements (see "Qualification" section). You must provide specific details in your resume as to how your experience meets the specialized experience.



Third, your resume and supporting documentation may be compared to your responses to the assessment questions. The numerical rating you receive is based on your responses to the questions. If upon review it is determined that your resume and supporting documentation do not support your responses to the questions, your numerical rating may be adjusted and you may be excluded from consideration for this position.



In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.



The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.



The self-assessment questions have been developed to evaluate your competency in the following areas: Accountability

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Flexibility

Influencing/Negotiating

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Learning

Self-Management

Stress Tolerance

Teamwork

Technical Competence



Reference Checks: Reference checks will need to be conducted prior to an offer of employment for the top candidate(s) for this position. The reference checks will need to be conducted with current and former supervisors, if applicable, as a part of NCUA's selection assessment process.



If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, your application will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, please click here: (see application details)



Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Read more



Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance Not Required Drug test required No Position sensitivity and risk High Risk (HR) Trust determination process Suitability/Fitness



Required Documents To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:

1. Resume

2. Other supporting documents: Cover letter, optional

College transcript(s), if qualifying based on education or if a basic requirement

Most recent SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal Service)

DD-214, SF-15 Form, and VA letter, or certification of expected discharge or release from active duty for veterans for consideration under veteran hiring authorities.

Non-competitive appointment authority documentation, if applicable.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g. Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction In Force separation notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)

Most recent performance appraisal, optional CURRENT AND FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES:

Current and former federal employees must submit a Notification of Personnel Action, or SF-50, that indicates grade, status, tenure, and the full performance level (FPL) of the position held. Please do not submit an SF-50 for a cash/time off award.



Note : Current permanent NCUA employees are not required to submit a Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50). The status will be confirmed by the Agency.



VETERANS:

If you wish to receive consideration under an applicable Veteran's authority such as VEOA, 30% or more disabled vet, VRA, etc., you must submit a copy of your Veteran's documentation including a DD-214 (member 4 copy preferred, however, the documentation provided must contain dates and character of service), along with a VA letter, SF-15 , etc., if applicable. If you are a current active duty service member, please submit an official statement of service from your command.



Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and is claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days from the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by, or by the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters.



CTAP/ICTAP: Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must submit proof of their eligibility: Copy of agency notice;

Most recent performance rating; and

SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location or Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction In Force separation notice.

Note: To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well-qualified or above on the rating criteria for this position. For additional information, click CTAP .



Benefits A career with the U.S. Government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits . Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.



Fair & Transparent The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.



Equal Employment Opportunity Policy The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants Read more



Reasonable Accommodation Policy Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits. Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when: An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.

An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events. You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency. Read more Legal and regulatory guidance Financial suitability

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Salary $68,868.80 - $105,164.80 Annually Location (Sequoia Plaza) *ART Bus Accessible*, VA Job Type Full-Time Department Department of Human Services Job Number 6614-22B-DHS-EM Closing 9/2/2021 11:59 PM Eastern Position Information The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Human Services (DHS) is hiring an experienced clinician for the position of Family Development Specialist (Foster Families). This professional will work to recruit, train, and certify foster families; provide placement support to children receiving foster care and adoption services; and clinical case management for foster families in need. The Family Development Specialist (Foster Families) will work collaboratively with families and professionals within an integrated system of mental health and child welfare services. Permanency planning goals for children may include returning home, placement with relatives, and/or adoption. The employee serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population.



To learn more about our services, please visit DHS Foster Care .



Responsibilities include: Providing crisis intervention services and referrals for foster families;

Completing relative, kin and resource family searches to identify potential adoptive placements;

Assessing potential foster/adoptive families to determine best fit for a child and providing post-placement supervision;

Securing the placement of children needing respite foster care in appropriate foster families and coordinate ongoing placements as needed;

Completing follow up visits with each child and families;

Complying with mandates for service delivery including court reviews, record documentation, and administrative/statutory requirements throughout the foster care and adoption process;

Utilizing the OASIS information system to complete all mandatory record requirements;

Supporting the development of certified resource families to provide emergency, ongoing and respite care according to state and local standards;

Collaborating with team members to plan annual retention activities for certified resource families;

Conducting home studies in accordance with state policy to include the completion of joint and individual interviews, CPS, DMV, criminal history and reference checks;

Completing renewal of existing foster families including home visits, vendor evaluations, and criminal history checks as required by policy;

Facilitating support groups and rate structure meetings;

Collecting data for the respite grant; and

Facilitating after-hours child placements and kinship approvals on a rotating basis. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of child welfare issues and regulations, family dynamics; proven experience working with multiple systems; ability with working as part of a team; strong and effective communication and writing skills.



Arlington County DHS is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to: cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs.

Selection Criteria Minimum: Master's degree in a clinical discipline such as Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or another directly related clinical discipline, which required a clinical practicum involving diagnostic, treatment, and case management services;

A minimum of two years of post-Master's degree full-time experience providing clinical social work services which included the application of diagnostic, treatment, and case management; and

At least one year of post-Master's degree experience in a child welfare services (foster care, adoption, child protective services and/or family services). Substitution: A directly related higher level clinical degree may substitute for the Master's degree education requirement and one year of experience. In the case of such substitution, the remainder of the qualifying work experience must have been gained after the higher-level degree was awarded.



Desirables: Preference may be given to candidates with experience in one or more of the following: Child welfare experience including foster care, adoptions, and/or performing child protective service investigations;

Working with clinical treatment methods including individual and family therapy;

Recruiting, evaluating, and/or training foster/adoptive families;

Group facilitation;

Overseeing a budget and managing grants; and/or

LCSW licensed or license eligible.

Special Requirements A pre-employment criminal records check will be conducted. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit history. You may be required to sign a release authorizing the County to obtain your background information.



Applicant must possess, or obtain by time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator's license from the applicant's place of residence or the applicant must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary work site. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record.



Must complete pre-hire federal background check and State of Virginia Central Registry check

Additional Information An online application is required

.

Work Hours: This is a 40 hour/week position with a flexible schedule around the core hours of Monday -Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. Regular hours may be required to include nights and weekends depending upon the needs of the organization.



The Family Development Specialist must be available to the on-call CPS social worker in the event that a foster family placement is needed.



An online application is required. Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are considered part of the application process and are required for this position. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Arlington County Government employee benefits depend on whether a position is permanent, the number of hours worked, and the number of months the position is scheduled.



Specific information on benefits and conditions of employment can be found on the Arlington County Human Resources Department website: (see application details)



Permanent, Full-Time Appointments

All jobs are permanent, full-time appointments unless otherwise stated in the announcement. The following benefits are available:



Paid Leave : Vacation leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. Leave accrual increases every three years until eight hours of leave are earned biweekly for twelve or more years of service. Sick leave is earned at the rate of four hours biweekly. There are eleven paid holidays each year.



Health and Dental Insurance : Three group health insurance plans are offered - a network open access plan, a point-of-service plan, and a health maintenance organization. A group dental insurance plan is also offered. The County pays a significant portion of the premium for these plans for employees and their dependents. A discount vision plan is provided for eye care needs.



Life Insurance : A group term policy of basic life insurance is provided at no cost to employees. The benefit is one times annual salary. Additional life insurance is available with rates based on the employee's age and smoker/non-smoker status.



Retirement : The County offers three vehicles to help you prepare for retirement: a defined benefit plan, a defined contribution plan (401(a)), and a deferred compensation plan (457). The defined benefit plan provides a monthly retirement benefit based on your final average salary and years of service with the County. You contribute a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to this plan. General employees contribute 4% of pay; uniformed public safety employees contribute 7.5% of pay. Employees become vested in the plan at five years of service. The County also contributes to this plan.



For general employees, the County also contributes 4.2% of pay to a defined contribution plan (401(a)) . The County also matches your 457 contribution, up to $20 per pay period, in this plan. The 457 deferred compensation plan allows you to set aside money on either a pre-tax (457b) or post-tax (457 Roth) basis up to the IRS annual limit. New employees are automatically enrolled with a pre-tax contribution equal to 2% of your base pay.



Other Benefits: The County also offers health, dependent care, and parking flexible spending accounts; long-term care insurance; tuition assistance; transit and walk/bike to work subsidies; a college savings plan; wellness programs; training opportunities; and a variety of other employee benefits.



Permanent, Part-Time Appointments:

Part time employees who work ten or more hours per week receive paid leave and benefits in proportion to the number of hours worked per week.



Limited Term Appointments:

Benefits are the same as permanent appointments except that the employees do not achieve permanent status.



Temporary Regular Appointments:

Temporary regular employees who work 30 hours or more per week are eligible for health, dental, and basic life insurance as described above. They are also eligible for vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.



Temporary Seasonal and Occasional Appointments:

Temporary employees who work on a seasonal basis or variable hours receive sick leave, but do not normally receive other paid leave or benefits. Exceptions are noted in individual announcements.




Business Development Manager - Home Services Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Sales and Business Development Summary

Posted: Aug 20, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200277482 Apple is a place where extraordinary people gather to do their best work. Together we craft products and experiences people once couldn't have imagined - and now can't imagine living without. If you're excited by the idea of making a real impact, and joining a team where we pride ourselves in being one of the most diverse and inclusive companies in the world, an impactful role with the Apple Home Services team might be your dream job! We are looking for a proven Business Development Manager with a passion for helping transform consumer experiences in the home. You will work closely with product, engineering, business operations, and others teams to bring phenomenal experiences to life. As our ideal candidate, you are dynamic, results-drive and enjoy a high-change environment that will focus on building the next generation of Home Services experiences. You have an insatiable curiosity, are comfortable with ambiguity, enjoy thinking about edge cases, and are a strong verbal and written communicator. You are a self-motivated and driven individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You have a high level of integrity, energy, and sense of urgency to "make things happen". You can balance the needs of multiple teams and maintain a strong sense of empathy for your partners - while driving progress. This will be a hybrid in-office/WFH position in either Cupertino, CA or New York, NY once Apple returns to the office. Key Qualifications 10+ years of business development experience in deploying solutions associated home services with a focus on driving scale through partners.

Experience in managing complex partner relationships including significant communication

Interpersonal, teamwork/collaboration, and organizational skills

Solid understanding of home technologies

Proficiency with Apple products and applications is preferred Description We are looking for an individual with a strong background in developing collaborative and impactful relationships with a diverse portfolio of partners relevant to the home technology space. You will be an analytical problem solver with a can-do attitude and flexibility to accommodate to evolving business needs both inside Apple and beyond. Travel will be required. Education & Experience BA/BS Required




Bilingual People Support Specialist Austin , Texas , United States Corporate Functions Summary

Posted: Aug 19, 2021 Weekly Hours: 40 Role Number: 200275492 Do you have a passion to help others succeed? Do you genuinely believe that talent is the greatest asset of any company? As a member of Apple's People Team, you'll help discover and develop our most important resource: our people. Together, we'll search the world to build our collective of talented visionaries and inventors. All the while, your efforts will maintain Apple as the most innovative company by striving to make us the most diverse - open to all people, all backgrounds, and all perspectives. And that's just the beginning, because throughout Apple employees' careers, you will continue to help them grow expertly and support them in work and life. Join our People Team as a Bilingual People Support Specialist and help support the extraordinary talent it takes to make extraordinary products. This position is based on site in Austin, Texas or in Raleigh, North Carolina. Key Qualifications Bilingual in Spanish and English (reading, writing and speaking) is required

You are a master at multi-tasking. You have the ability to make a personal connection and explore employee needs all while efficiently navigating resources, systems, and relevant data to resolve inquiries quickly.

You have exceptional communication skills, enjoy connecting and helping others and working in a highly collaborative environment

You understand the importance of discretion and confidentiality in the type of work we do. You practice this with the upmost integrity

You are a creative person who can capture trends and offer solutions. You see pain points as an opportunity to innovate and get better

You are a detail-oriented, organized individual with analytical skills who can pull, understand, and report on business metrics

You have experience with enterprise HR systems (Oracle, PeopleSoft, SAP, Workday, etc)

You have previously worked with MacOS or have a strong desire to learn

Schedule for this position will be 10a-7p Central Time Description We're looking for someone who is passionate about Human Resources and specializes in topics related to employment such as benefits, compensation, personal data, HR systems and web tools. We care for our Apple colleagues across Canada, US and Latin America by providing answers and support, efficiently and effectively, and always keeping privacy in mind. - Responsible for providing expert personal support to employees and managers across multiple lines of business and country locations. - Ensure employee inquiries are properly researched and handled in the most complete and professional way. - Connect with employees by phone and email to explore their needs and determine level of support required. - Use your exceptional analytical skills to research and resolve complex and sensitive issues. - Take ownership in the employee experience and contribute directly to the company culture for all employees. - Obsess over the customer experience in every interaction. - Document employee inquiries and resolutions accurately and effectively in a customer relationship management system. Education & Experience - You bring a minimum of 3 years related experience in employee support and have a strong working knowledge of the dependencies between company policies, benefits, payroll and HRIS. Or, you bring a minimum of 4 years of experience in customer service support and working knowledge of Human Resources. - Bachelor's degree or equivalent and relevant work experience.




AI/ML - Software Engineer, Information Intelligence Seattle , Washington , United States Machine Learning and AI Summary

Posted: Aug 19, 2021 Role Number: 200279438 Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, great ideas have a way of becoming great products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Do you want to make Siri and Apple products smarter for our users? The Information Intelligence teams are building groundbreaking technology for algorithmic search, machine learning, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence. The features we build are redefining how hundreds of millions of people use their computers and mobile devices to search and find what they are looking for. Our universal search engine powers search features across a variety of Apple products, including Siri, Spotlight, Safari, Messages and Lookup. As part of this group, you will work with one of the most exciting high performance computing environments, with petabytes of data, millions of queries per second, and have an opportunity to imagine and build products that delight our customers every single day. Key Qualifications Strong coding skills and solid understanding of algorithms and data structures.

Expert knowledge and experience in one or more languages such as Go, Python, Java, C++.

Excellent interpersonal skills able to work independently as well as in a team.

Solid understanding of the software development process, including unit testing and release management.

Strong software architecture and design skills. Description We design and build services and infrastructure to support features that empower billions of Apple users. Our team applies state of the art machine learning techniques to improve the quality of search relevance, ranking, query understanding and question answering systems. We design and implement reliable production services and APIs which can handle millions of queries per second and build a search experience that delight our customers. The ideal engineer deals with ambiguity well, designs large scale systems, writes high quality code and is comfortable in contributing code to both legacy and new systems. Excellent communication skills will be required to coordinate work across multiple teams. Education & Experience MS, Ph.D. in a related field , or equivalent experience Additional Requirements Experience with Large Scale Distributed Systems is a plus.

Experience in Machine learning and/or Natural Language Processing is a plus.








CAD Virtuoso Engineer Santa Clara Valley (Cupertino) , California , United States Hardware Summary

Posted: Aug 17, 2021 Role Number: 200278187 Do you love creating elegant solutions to highly complex challenges? Do you intrinsically see the importance in every detail? As part of our Silicon Technologies group, you'll help design and manufacture our next-generation, high-performance, power-efficient processor, system-on-chip (SoC). You'll ensure Apple products and services can seamlessly and efficiently handle the tasks that make them beloved by millions. Joining this group means you'll be responsible for crafting and building the technology that fuels Apple's devices. Together, you and your team will enable our customers to do all the things they love with their devices. We are looing for a CAD Engineer to join our Custom Infrastructure Support team to provide support for digital, analog and mixed-signal designs using Cadence. Responsibilities in this role will include general user support for both layout and schematic designers, tool customizations, Unix/Linux support and development testing of new tools and flows. As a CAD Engineer of Custom Infrastructure Support, you will provide support for digital, analog and mixed-signal designs using Cadence. Responsibilities include general user support for both layout and schematic designers, tool customizations, Unix/Linux support and development testing of new tools and flows. Key Qualifications We are looking for strong engineers with:

4+ years of experience in analog and digital new product development IC CAD support using EDA tools

Prior experience supporting Cadence Composer Virtuoso, Layout tools, VXL, Custom router, PCELLs, and CDFs

Deep knowledge of programming languages such as SKILL, Perl, Tcl

Proficiency with Unix / Linux OS, utilities, and scripting

Strong communication skills both oral and written Description In this highly visible role on our team, you will: - Provide full support for Cadence custom flows, tool development, installation and maintenance - Support Virtuoso Layout and schematic software and release flows based on revision control system - Work with the CAD team to provide general CAD services support, utilities, and scripts while also working closely with the Design and Layout teams - Support tool configuration and application - Participate in test development, automation and regression flow support - Create and maintain relevant documentation Education & Experience BS or MS degree in relevant technical discipline.




Description



System ID 723869

Category General Management

Relocation Type No

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

Sodexo is seeking a Manager 2, Regional Operational Support for the New-Jersey Area. This position will be assigned as need by the client executive. In this role you will support, Environmental Service and Patient Transport. This manager will have direct accountability for all Sodexo Systems and Program's. We are looking for someone who can communicate with the staff and other departments within the hospital. This position with have public and client interaction We are looking for someone with high energy. Great attitude and teamwork are a must. This is a primarily a day shift position, with some weekends or holiday. This position will report directly to a Client Executive. We are looking for a candidate who: has experience leading and managing a team

has experience driving customer service satisfaction results

possesses strong leadership skills and has the ability to work independently

safety driven

provides a clean and safe environment for patients, visitors and staff

strong Environmental Service Skills

Position Summary

The Manager II, Regional Operations Support (ROSI) has overall responsibility, or a portion of an on-sight operations area (ie Food, ES, Clinical, Culinary, Facilities, CTM) as assigned by the Client executive. In this role, the ROSI has direct accountability for executing Sodexo systems, programs, resources, tools, and talent management that drives operational excellence and our service commitments that are: Predictable, Reliable, and Repeatable Primary Responsibilities: Client / Customer Service - 20% Navigates the client organization through effective communication while influencing and persuading at multiple levels. Seeks to collaborate for win-win outcomes.

Provide effective communication for clients and customers to ensure excellent customer service.

Effectively partners with client and Sodexo employees to drive successful outcomes.

Complies with all client policies and procedures. Operational Excellence - 40% Owns, drives, and measures operational excellence outcomes of Sodexo and client.

Effectively deploys, embeds and ensures Sodexo standardized processes are in place.

Creates a continuous quality improvement culture that drives operational efficiencies.

Drives change and creates a culture where change is embraced and operationalized.

Utilizes all operational processes to drive continuous improvement and celebrate successes. Analysis & Decision Making - 20% Utilizes tools within Sodexo Healthcare to drive and manage middle of the page (Labor Expense, Raw Materials) to deliver positive outcomes.

Accountable for effective utilization of labor resources.

Analyses data to engage in data driven decision making using data, logic, benchmarking, and leading practices in decision making to determine best solutions for the business.

Effective risk management by ensuring consistent regulatory and legal compliance.

Compliance with supply chain management requirements.

Understands and effectively manages unit finances in the Sodexo budgets.

Sets operational goals with key metrics and ensures quick analysis of variances to ensure a prompt resolution and mitigate adverse impact on our clients or our performance.

Delivers predictable top and bottom-line results at the site, relentless focus on driving efficiency, and makes difficult decisions.

Effectively delegates operational responsibilities to appropriate individuals / positions.

Follows best practices in decision making to determine best solutions for the business. Safety - 10% Ensures that individuals performing service-related tasks have the competence to do so without putting the health and safety of themselves or others at risk.

Behaviors include: Working as a team for safety

Communicating Effectively for Safety

Managing Safety Risks

Optimizing Human and Environmental Factors

Recognizing, respond and reporting incidents

Adherence to all operational safety practices and protocols

Drives a safety culture throughout the team Talent - 10% Ability to effectively manage aspects of Human Resources (ie. Leadership, People Management, Employee Relations, etc) to support individual and team development and drive operational outcomes.

Creates a culture of continuous learning and development for self and those within the unit assigned.

Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience Basic Management Experience - 3 years Basic Functional Experience - 3 years work experience in facilities (e.g., maintenance, plant operations, engineering services, grounds, custodial/environmental, or transportation) or food (e.g., food services or operations, concessions, retail sales, store operations, or vending) services, CTM, or Clinical Nutrition Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description






Description



System ID 724041

Category General Management

Relocation Type Yes - According to Grade

Employment Status Full-Time

Unit Description

Lifesaving technology, powered by you. Your expertise impacts the lives of others. Sodexo is seeking a Director level Regional Operations Support Manager 3 to manage high level Clinical Technology Management in units in the state of Florida. They will manage several types of medical equipment. This individual should be a high level leader that can manage teams of approximately supervisors and technical professionals. This is a fantastic opportunity for an accomplished HTM leader! The successful candidate will work in Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Orlando and other cities as signed in Florida by the Client Executive. The ideal candidate will have a successful track record of management performance within Healthcare Technology and have a broad understanding of the many service aspects that they will encounter and resolve day to day. The Director level (ROSI) will partner with region HTM Leaders to drive operational effectiveness and client satisfaction for clinical engineering services which enhances patient outcomes and client organization objectives. Our HTM professionals should have: Experience managing biomedical/ imaging services in a large healthcare system. Candidate must be knowledgeable about regulatory compliance (CIHQ, DNV, JACHO).

Solution oriented approach, critical thinking skills and the ability to navigate and successfully resolve conflict.

Ability to provide world class service and develop unbreakable partnerships with our customers, staff, and vendors.

Superior business acumen, agility, adept at making decisions and budget management proficiency.

Experience leading high performing teams including mentoring/development of new and existing talent within the organization.

Executive presence. Learn more about Sodexo's Benefits Not the job for you? At Sodexo, we have HTM positions at numerous client locations across the United States. Continue your search for HTM jobs

Position Summary

The Manager 3, Regional Operations Support (ROSI) has overall responsibility, or a portion of an on-sight operations area (ie Food, ES, Clinical, Culinary, Facilities, CTM) as assigned by the Client executive. In this role, the ROSI has direct accountability for executing Sodexo systems, programs, resources, tools, and talent management that drives operational excellence and our service commitments that are: Predictable, Reliable, and Repeatable. Primary Responsibilities: Client / Customer Service - 20% Navigates the client organization through effective communication while influencing and persuading at multiple levels. Seeks to collaborate for win-win outcomes.

Effectively partners with client and Sodexo stakeholders to drive successful outcomes.

Complies with all client policies and procedures. Operational Excellence - 20% Owns, drives, and measures operational excellence outcomes of Sodexo and client.

Effectively deploys, embeds and ensures Sodexo standardized processes are in place.

Creates a continuous quality improvement culture that drives operational efficiencies.

Drives change and creates a culture where change is embraced and operationalized.

Brings innovation to client organization through deployment of Sodexo programs and brand.

Utilizes data driven decision making processes around operational expenses and performance outcomes to drive continuous improvement and celebrate successes. Analysis & Decision Making - 20% Utilizes tools within Sodexo Healthcare to drive and manage middle of the page (Labor Expense, Raw Materials) to deliver positive outcomes.

Accountable for effective utilization of labor resources.

Analyses data such as labor and turnover reports, etc. to engage in data driven decision making around talent.

Brings insightful analysis to issues using data, logic, benchmarking, and leading practices in decision making to determine best solutions for the business.

Effective risk management by ensuring consistent regulatory and legal compliance.

Compliance with supply chain management requirements.

Knows, understands and effectively manages comprehensive unit finances including both Sodexo and Client budgets.

Set operational goals with key metrics and ensures quick analysis of variances to ensure a prompt resolution and mitigate adverse impact on our clients or our performance.

Delivers predictable top and bottom-line results at the site, relentless focus on driving efficiency, and makes difficult decisions.

Effectively delegates operational responsibilities to appropriate individuals / positions. Safety - 20% Ensures that individuals performing service-related tasks have the competence to do so without putting the health and safety of themselves or others at risk.

Behaviors include: Working as a team for safety

Communicating Effectively for Safety

Managing Safety Risks

Optimizing Human and Environmental Factors

Recognizing, respond and reporting incidents

Adherence to all operational safety practices and protocols

Drives a safety culture throughout the team. Talent - 20% Ability to effectively manage critical aspects of Human Resources (ie. Leadership, People Management, Employee Relations, etc) to support individual and team development and drive operational outcomes.

Creates a culture of continuous learning and development for self and those within the unit assigned.

Develops rigorous plans to continually enhance employee engagement and recognition



Qualifications & Requirements

Basic Education Requirement - Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent work experience Basic Management Experience - 3 years Basic Functional Experience - 5 years work experience in facilities (e.g., maintenance, plant operations, engineering services, grounds, custodial/environmental, or transportation) or food (e.g., food services or operations, concessions, retail sales, store operations, or vending) services, CTM, or Clinical Nutrition; Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.



Requirements

See Job Description




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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The South Sudan government has named a road in its capital Juba as Bangladesh Road.

It was constructed with the help of the Bangladesh UN Peacekeeping Engineering contingent.

The Bangladesh UN Peacekeeping Engineering contingent received lots of applause from the people and the government of South Sudan for their pro-people construction works, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen met South Sudanese acting defence minister General Chol Thon Balok at his office in Juba on Friday.

The acting defence minister praised the role of Bangladesh peacekeepers deployed in UNMISS.

He referred to the contribution of Bangladesh peacekeepers in infrastructure development of South Sudan as well as that in health services and commended Bangladesh Peacekeepers for being trained, disciplined and efficient.

Momen offered to build development partnership with South Sudan saying Bangladesh attaches great importance to its relations with South Sudan.

The FM suggested that cooperation between the two countries may be built in areas like pharmaceuticals, RMG, agriculture and ICT sectors.

The philosophy of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman which stipulates peace as a prerequisite of development, said Momen said.

Momen underlined the importance of collaboration and partnership to achieve the common aspirations of the peoples of the two countries for social and economic development.

He referred to the support of Bangladesh for the membership of South Sudan in the United Nations.

Later, the FM attended a programme arranged by the local Bangladeshi community in Juba in a hotel.

A diner was hosted by the Bangladesh expatriates community in honour of the FM.

The Bangladesh community mainly comprised businessmen, entrepreneurs and service holders.

The FM hoped that the Bangladesh community in South Sudan would play a significant role in developing the bilateral relations between two countries.


GOVERNMENT has committed close to $270 million towards construction of a VVIP hospital at Manyame Airbase in Harare and the structure is almost complete, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has disclosed.

The facility is meant to benefit the countrys VVIPs and service chiefs, who have often been accused of blowing large sums of foreign currency seeking medical treatment in far-away countries like China and India while avoiding dilapidated medical facilities back home.

Because most of the government-run hospitals were in bad shape with reports of drug shortages, and incapacitated doctors and nurses perennially downing tools, the late former President Robert Mugabe often flew to Singapore for treatment. President Emmerson Mnangagwas deputy, Constantino Chiwenga has also been frequenting China for treatment.

Construction of Manyame VVIP hospital is progressing well with an amount of $269,5 million having been availed to the project during 2021, Ncube said in his recent mid-term budget review statement.

This has seen the first-floor deck being completed while plumbing and electrical works on the second and ground floor are underway with the project now expected to be completed by October 2021.

Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike yesterday blasted government over its misplaced priorities, saying the money used to build the political elites state-of-the-art Manyame Hospital could have been channelled towards the refurbishment of public hospitals which were in a sorry state.





The proposal to construct a VVIP hospital is highly misplacedand not a priority as that money can be used to refurbish and equip the existing public health institutions in the country such as Parirenyatwa, Harare, Mpilo and UBH Central Hospitals for use by the VVIPs, Rusike said.

The government should appreciate that equity and universality are implicitly in universal health coverage. Having differences in service availability and quality of care for the VVIPs while neglecting health institutions used by the general public should be condemned as it will widen the equity gap and will not move us towards achieving universal health coverage.

He added: Instead of building a VVIP hospital, there is need to address equity in terms of access to health services in the country.

In his budget review statement, Ncube added that over $400 million had been set aside for refurbishment of public hospitals dotted around the country.

At Mpilo Central Hospital, rehabilitation and upgrading works on three burnt doctors flats, wards, theatres and other support facilities such as incinerators, laundry and off-site facilities is ongoing as well as rehabilitation of the Kwekwe flats which were also destroyed by fire. Phase 1 of the upgrading of the gas reticulation system at the commissioned 30-bedded COVID-19 isolation centre at Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital is complete.

He said there has been notable progress realised at United Bulawayo Hospitals, with the COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre, having been officially commissioned in May this year. He said the private sector has also chipped in through provision of equipment for the facilities. Newsday
Dr Masimba Mavaza

John Mabhureza of Northampton United Kingdom sits in a corner in prison. He has grown so thin and he is not eating well. He has reduced himself into a silent dying man.

Mabhurezas problems started when he told his wife that he was divorcing her. Things were not well in my marriage. I decided to call it quits. As we were going through our divorce proceedings, we remained in the same house, but using different bedrooms, said Mabhureza.

One early morning, I was waken up by the police. They shook me off the bed and tripped me to the floor. Before I knew it, I was in handcuffs. The officer told me that I was being charged of rape, that I had rapped my daughter who was 12.

The police took me to the police station where I was processed and thrown in cells. Before I knew it, I was sent to prison to wait for my trial while I was in custody. The trial was conducted after ix months of waiting.

I was brought before a jury of women and they were all white. The trial was very short. I was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Mabhureza paused with tears running down his cheeks. He struggled to continue, but finally with a very weak voice he said: Last week my daughter came to see me. She told me that she was sorry she lied in court. She was promised toys and monies every week. She was assured that she will be an independent woman.

She cried as she looked at me. Her last words were she was going to kill herself if I am not released. My lawyer of choice said it will not be possible to appeal as we are late. He promised he will do his best. But now I am still here two years later.

My wife took everything I worked for. I sit here as an example of a womans rage. Mabhureza is not the only victim of a nasty divorce, many Zimbabwean men in the UK pay for their divorces with their time in prison.

Zimbabwean men have been accused of sexual offences by their wives as a weapon to get rid of them or as a result of anger. The law is mostly abused as courts are quick to believe a fake rape victim than the man.

Some Zimbabwean men have seen their dreams of prosperity tumbling down like a sand castle as they are bundled into police cars and eventually taken to prison over false accusations from their wives. In many British prisons, there are some Zimbabweans doing time for offences they never committed.

Some are serving harsh sentences for actions which were not theirs and will not otherwise constitute a crime back home.

Some are found on the wrong side of the bed and are paying for being men. But, yes, some are on the other side of the law for doing what every Zimbabwean would naturally do back home. As a result, there is a rise of Zimbabweans in British jails.

One possible explanation for the rise is that there are now more Zimbabwean women in the UK are turning to the justice system to settle scores. That means Zimbabwean men are in the British prisons, most of them for something they have not committed.

The media focus on illegal immigrants and deportations might lead some to think that the Zimbabwean prisoner population increase is linked to convictions of immigration-related matters.

The Ministry of Justice data shows that between October 2012 and January 2015, there were 20 Zimbabweans out of 178 foreign prisoners who had been jailed for non-immigration matters.

Between 2017 to 2019 more Zimbabwean men were arrested and jailed on allegations of rape. Almost in all cases, it was revenge crime.

Besides being victims of their angry bitter partners, some have been jailed just for being Zimbabweans. Toga Kawadza, not his real name, was in a shopping mall on a Sunday afternoon.

A young girl of six smiled and waved at him. He smiled back and started playing with the child like every other person would do.

The mother turned and saw this huge black man smiling at her child. She screamed and in no time, Toga was floored by security officers.

The next thing he was in a police station being charged with attempted kidnapping and child abuse. He thought it was a joke, but his world collapsed when he was hauled before the courts and convicted.

He was sentenced to 17 years in prison and placed on the sex offenders register for life. His plea that he was just being friendly and humane fell on deaf ears. His race did not help at all and if ever he comes out alive, he will be deported and will be allowed to carry a changani bag back home.

Tonde from Zimbabwe got lost in Luton stopped to ask for directions. Two boys offered to take him where he was going, so they jumped into his car and showed him the place. As a true Zimbabwean, he gave the children 10 as a thank you.

Two days later, he was woken up by dozens of police turning his house upside down.

They arrested him for being a paedophile, and brought the 10 note he gave the two boys as exhibit. In no time, he was facing an all-white jury and was locked up for 15 years.

Negative stereotyping is one of the reasons for the disproportionate representation of Zimbabweans at all stages of the criminal justice system in the UK.

They are more likely to be stopped and searched, more likely to plead not guilty and more likely to be tried and more likely to be given unreasonable jail terms.

These disparities are often part of a complex mix of educational, employment, health and social inequalities that have characterised many of their lives.

It should be noted that policymakers and politicians havent fully grasped the impact of negative stereotyping and cultural difference.

Most of the Zimbabwean prisoners have said that they are treated differently because of their race, ethnicity or culture.

Blacks are stereotyped as drug dealers, especially those who wear dreadlocks. Could it be that negative stereotypes and institutional discrimination, or sheer innocence as its referred to, is fuelling the increase in Zimbabweans being arrested?

Complacency in Zimbabweans abroad has made the British government utterly clueless about the growing Zimbabwean population. It should be noted that some Zimbabweans are in the UK ride on South African, Malawian or Botswana passports.

The Ministry of Justice says the government is committed to ensuring the criminal justice system is fair, inclusive and impartial, and represents and serves the whole community.

In a statement, the department said: Each prison has a multi-faith chaplaincy team to meet the religious and pastoral needs of all faiths, including Muslims, and we expect every prisoner to engage in purposeful work and rehabilitation to give them the opportunity to turn away from crime for good.

But the issue is Zimbabweans face adaptation challenges and are more often blinded by their culture and are prone to offend.

Few would disagree with that. In fact, the re-offending rates of Zimbabwean prisoners are already substantially lower than others.

But it seems weve only just started understanding the reasons so many are locked up in the first place.

Madzibaba Herbert was employed as a bus driver in Croydon. He was told by the spirit at masowe that he needs to carry some holy stones and a knife to attack the evil spirits.

During his lunch hour, he sat in his bus and prayed. After his prayers, he put his stones on the dashboard and started waving his knife in the air in a gesture of attacking the evil spirits. A workmate called the police.

Herbert was arrested when he explained that the spirit gave him the holy stones and the holy knife, the police referred him to a mental health institution. The more he tried to explain, the more he was found to be insane.

Some years ago, two Zimbabwean Adventist nurses, a husband and wife, were convicted of child abuse and neglect after they made their child a vegetarian. Following religious lines would not normally be a crime in Zimbabwe, unless there is a harm to the child.

Dozens of men and women are languishing in prisons for disciplining their children. Sheer innocence has led many Zimbabweans to British prisons.

Many men are paying for being men. The ladies have not stopped plotting against men who threaten to divorce them. Matrimonial matters have become one way ticket to prison and a chartered flight back home. Herald vazet2900@yahoo.co.uk
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The European Union Friday in a statement strongly condemned the cowardly attack by a terrorist group in Boukama, northern Burkina Faso, which left 85 people dead on Wednesday, including 65 civilians and around 15 gendarmes
Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Tunisia has called on the international community and the United Nations to step up efforts to mobilize the necessary resources to support national structures and associations assisting victims of terrorism in countries affected by this scourge
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
A round-up of some of the week;s mining stories in London

BHP is to split off its oil arm

( ) ( ) reported a 69% jump in full-year underlying earnings, a record final dividend, plans to end its dual-listing in London, and a positive outlook for long-term commodity demand.

The world's largest diversified natural resources company also announced the merger of its oil and gas assets with Woodside Petroleum Ltd and the approval of a US$5.7bn (4.1bn) investment in its Jansen Stage 1 potash project.

( ) ( ) ( ) reported record interim earnings helped by strong copper prices, but was forced to reduce its production guidance for the year due to anticipated low levels of rainfall in Chile. The FTSE-100 miner revised its copper production guidance to 710-740,000 tonnes from the previous 730-760,000 tonnes.

( ) ( ) has hired Terravision Exploration which will conduct geophysical programmes across three lithium projects in Arizona. Terravision will shoot ground-penetrating radar (GPR), referred to as GPRplus, at Braddas Burro Creek, Wikieup and San Domingo projects.

( ) ( ) ( ), a specialist graphite producer and graphene and advanced materials developer, has agreed to buy strategic graphite projects in Mozambique from ASX-listed Battery Minerals Ltd for A$12.5mln (6.6mln) in a cash and shares deal.

Capital Ltd ( ) has reported the strongest half-year in its history with revenues up by 52% and operating profits more than doubling as gold drilling activity continues to increase.

( , ) (AIM:AAU, ) ( ) reported drilling results from the Karakavak area, northeast of the Kiziltepe gold-silver mine in western Turkey, and said a resource estimate and the definition of an exploration target was underway.

BlueRock Diamonds PLC said it discovered a 58.6 carat diamond at the Kareevlei mine in South Africa, just one week on from a 21.56 carat diamond find from the same mine.

( , , ) (LSE:HOC, OTCQX:HCHDF, ) ( ) saw its adjusted earnings more than double in the first half on higher gold and silver production and precious metal prices.

( ) ( ) has signed up a new partner which has optioned the Atlin West gold-silver project in British Colombia, Canada. The new partner, 1315843 BC Ltd, joins project generator Cloudbreak for the venture to explore the recently staked Atlin West acreage which is located around 14 kilometres from Atlin and is seen as potentially hosting polymetallic vein systems.

( , ) (AIM:TRR, ) announced that chairman Paul Smith and non-executive director Peter Bacchus bought 323,000 shares in the company on the open market.

( , ) (AIM:SRES, ) ( ) reported positive test results from recent commercial concrete pours using natural pozzolan from its CS pozzolan-perlite deposit in Nevada, US.

( , , , ) (LSE:ADT1, ASX:ADT, FRA:3FNA, ) ( )s Vares silver project in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has been valued at US$1.06bn in a final definitive feasibility study.

( , ) (LSE:ORR, ) ( ) said multiple areas of elevated gold concentrations have been identified on the Central Licence Package (CLP) in Cameroon.

Amur Minerals Corp ( ) said it has completed the Permanent Conditions Report or TEO on its far east Russia Kun-Manie nickel/copper sulfide project. Analysis and documentation are complete and are now undergoing the mandatory review process by the Russian Government Commission for Natural Resources Reserves (GKZ).

( , , ) (AIM:ARS, FRA:0FK, ) said it has faced many challenges from the impact of Covid-19 in Indonesia but is making "substantive progress" on the development of the BKM copper project.

( , ) (LSE:AFRK, ) says markets for ferrochrome are starting to pick up and it expects a more stable business environment in the second half of 2021.

( , , ) (AIM:BSE, ASX:BSE, ) has restated its mining reserves to reflect production over the past year and to incorporate Kwale Special Mining Lease 23 in Kenya.
It was an active week in the small-cap oil and gas sector.

( ) has begun drilling the Tai-2 exploration well at the Rukwa Project in Tanzania. It comes quickly after the Tai-1 well, which proved a working helium system, encountered helium gas shows but could not be definitively tested due to problem well conditions.

Tai-2 is targeting the same prospects that were identified in the preceding well. The new well is located some 20 metres from Tai-1, using the same drill pad which reduces costs and timelines.

Zephyr Energy PLC chief executive Colin Harrington described the State 16-2LN-CC well as an excellent platform from which to assess wider field development options in Utahs Paradox basin.

It comes as the company has opted to conduct a diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT) on the horizontal well prior to production testing.

( , , ) expanded and extended its credit facility, with the borrowing base increasing by US$200mln to US$625mln. The maturity date on DECs credit facility is extended by two years to August 2025, with the cost set at LIBOR plus 2.75% to 3.75% depending on utilisation.

( , , , ) told investors that the acquired Atomic Oil and Gas assets are performing significantly ahead of expectations. Oil production from the assets is up some 80% measured at 2,200 barrels per day, up from 706 barrels at April 1 (the effective date of the transaction). Production volumes are expected to rise further.

i3 Energy Plc described its second quarter as another intensely active and transformational period and its deal to acquire production assets from Cenovus Energy is due to complete in the coming days. The strategic acquisition adds around 8,400 barrels of oil per day of production in the Central Alberta area of Canada.

Second-quarter production, excluding assets in the Cenovus and Wapiti acquisitions, averaged 8,905 boepd  and in the final week of July the rate was 10,031 boepd. I3 said it is forecasting full year net operating income at US$62.4mln for 2021, and for the next twelve months (starting August 1) it expects the figure will be around US$94.8mln.

Challenger Energy PLC said it had reinvigorated talks with potential farm-in partners for its offshore acreage in the Southern Territorial Waters off the Bahamas. It dubbed the area highly prospective following post-drill analysis of its first well.

While Perseverance-1 was deemed non-commercial, there was enough data to encourage the company to press the authorities to renew its licence for another three-year term. The logs showed the presence of hydrocarbons at various horizons downhole to 3,905 metres.

( , ) told investors its latest well in Egypt was this weekend spudded by operator Kuwait Energy. The ASX-1X well got underway on August 14, the company said in a statement. The drill programme is expected to last for up to 54 days.

ASX-1X is located some 7 kilometres to the north of the producing Al Jahraa field. It is a vertical well, targeting stacked reservoir targets. The targets are described as being similar in structure to the nearby discovery that was recently made at ASD-1X well.

( , ) is now planning an appraisal well for the Merlin project, after latest analysis of this years well results confirmed the presence of light oil. The company, in a statement, said that well evaluation successfully demonstrated the presence of oil in the N20 and N18 targets, and additionally shows that a new target referred to as N19 was also penetrated in the first well. A total of 41 feet of net pay was encountered by the well, it added.

Locations to the east of Merlin-1 are now being considered for appraisal. There, the company is expecting enhanced reservoir thickness and quality. An appraisal drill programme is anticipated in the first quarter of 2022.

( , , ) told investors that it will take steps to protect its rights in the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, after it received notice from the regional governments Ministry of Natural Resources stating its intention to terminate the Bina Bawi and Miran PSCs.

In a stock market statement, it said: Genel believes that the KRG has no grounds for issuing its notices of intention to terminate. Genel wishes to continue operations under the PSCs and to work with the KRG on the development of these fields. However, Genel will take steps to protect its rights under the PSCs and, if necessary, seek compensation, including for its material investment.

( , ) told investors that it will not proceed into the next phase of the Zermatt (P2497) and Glenn (P2499) licences in the North Sea, and accordingly the licences will cease on 29 August. The company, in a statement, noted that entering the next phase would have committed it to drill a well on each licence. It added that neither Zermatt nor Glenn feature in the planned Greater Buchan Area (GBA) development project concept, announced in March, which sees the company build up a production hub over three phases.

( ) and ( ) have announced that the Ruvuma joint venture has received a two-year extension to its licence from the Ministry of Energy of Tanzania. Both Aminex and Scirocco each own a 25% share of the JV. The operator, ARA Petroleum Tanzania Limited (APT) secured the extension until 15 August 2023 to allow the JV to complete the acquisition of 3D seismic data over 200 square kilometres, drill the Chikumbi-1 well and conclude negotiations of the gas terms for the Ruvuma production-sharing agreement (PSA).
A horizontal well in s ( , ASX:88E) Alaskan shale discovery will flow oil at high rates, in theory at least, according to Aussie broker Hartleys.

Whether or not the HRZ shale can flow at sufficiently high rates is the important question for investors, says analyst Simon Andrew, who highlights the issue will be the focus as the next well is drilled in early 2017.

In a note he says flow rates of at least 2,500 to 3,000 barrels of oil per day would be needed to justify the additional investment costs of operating in Alaska.

He also notes, however, that analysis of the first Icewine well to date would suggest the HRZ shale has the potential to be as prolific a producer as some of Americas major unconventional plays such as the Eagle Ford - he highlights that at their March 2015 peak some Eagle Ford wells flowed as much as 14,000 barrels per day.
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Afghan Womens Mission has been in touch with RAWA to address their needs at this urgent time. In this brief Q&A with AWM Co-Director Sonali Kolhatkar, RAWA explains the unfolding situation on the ground as they see it. Click HERE to donate to RAWA now.

Sonali Kolhatkar: For years RAWA spoke out against the U.S. occupation and now that it has ended, the Taliban are back. Could President Biden have withdrawn U.S. forces in a manner that would have left Afghanistan in a safer situation than currently? Could he have done more to ensure the Taliban were not so quickly able to take over?

RAWA: In the past 20 years, one of our demands was an end to the US/NATO occupation and even better if they take their Islamic fundamentalists and technocrats with them and let our people decide their own fate. This occupation only resulted in bloodshed, destruction and chaos. They turned our country into the most corrupt, insecure, drug-mafia and dangerous place especially for women.

From the very beginning we could predict such an outcome. On the first days of the US occupation of Afghanistan, RAWA declared on October 11, 2001:

The continuation of US attacks and the increase in the number of innocent civilian victims not only gives an excuse to the Taliban, but also will cause the empowerment of the fundamentalist forces in the region and even in the world.

The main reason we were against this occupation was their backing of terrorism under the nice banner of war on terror. From the very first days when the Northern Alliance looters and killers were installed back into power in 2002 to the last so-called peace talks, deals and agreements in Doha and release of 5000 terrorists from prisons in 2020/21, it was very obvious that even the withdrawal wont have a good end.

The Pentagon proves that none of the theory invasion or meddling ended up in safe condition. All imperialist powers invade countries for their own strategic, political and financial interests but through lies and the powerful corporate media try to hide their real motive and agenda.

It is a joke to say values like womens rights, democracy, nation-building etc. were part of the US/NATO aims in Afghanistan! US was in Afghanistan to turn region into instability and terrorism to encircling the rival powers especially China and Russia and undermining their economies via regional wars. But of course the US government did not want such a disastrous, disgraceful and embarrassing exit that left behind such a commotion that they were forced to send troops again in 48 hours to control the airport and safely evacuate its diplomats and staff.

We believe the US left Afghanistan out of its own weaknesses not defeated by its creatures (Taliban). There are two significant reasons for this withdrawal.

The main reason is the multifold internal crisis in the US. The signs of the US system decline was seen in the weak response to Covid-19 pandemic, attack on Capitol Hill and the great protests of the US public in the past few years. The policy-makers were forced to withdraw troops to focus on internal burning issues.

The second reason is that the Afghan war was an exceptionally expensive war whose cost has gone into trillions, all taken from taxpayer money. This put such a heavy dent on the US financially that it had to leave Afghanistan.

The war-mongering policies prove that their aim was never to make Afghanistan safer, let alone now when they are leaving. Furthermore, they also knew that the withdrawal would be chaotic yet they still went ahead and did it. Now Afghanistan is in the limelight again due to the Taliban being in power but this has been the situation for the past 20 years and everyday hundreds of our people were killed and our country destroyed, it just was rarely reported in the media.

Sonali Kolhatkar: The Taliban leadership are saying they will respect womens rights as long as it complies with Islamic law. Some Western media are painting this in a positive light. Didnt the Taliban say the same thing 20 years ago? Do you think there is any change in their attitude toward human rights and womens rights?

RAWA: The corporate media is only trying to put salt on our devastated peoples wounds; they should be ashamed of themselves the way they try to sugarcoat brutal Taliban. The Taliban spokesperson declared that there is no difference between their ideology of 1996 and today. And what they say about womens rights is the exact phrases used during their previous dark rule: implementing Sharia law.

These days the Taliban have declared an amnesty in all parts of Afghanistan and their slogan is what the joy of amnesty can bring, revenge cannot. But in reality they are killing people every day. Just yesterday a boy was shot dead in Nangarhar only for carrying the tricolored Afghan national flag instead of the white flag of Taliban. They executed four former army officials in Kandahar, arrested a young Afghan poet Mehran Popal in Herat province for writing anti-Taliban posts on Facebook and his whereabouts is unknown to his family. These are just a few examples of their violent actions despite the nice and polished words of their spokespersons.

But we believe their claims may be one of the dramas being played by the Taliban and they are just trying to buy more time till they can organize themselves. Things happened so fast and they are trying to build-up their government structure, create their intelligence and make the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which is responsible for controlling the little details of peoples daily lives like the length of the beard, the dress code and having a Mahram (male companion, only father, brother or husband) for a woman. Taliban claim that we are not against womens rights but then it should be within the framework Islamic/Sharia laws.

Islamic/Sharia law is vague and construed in different ways by Islamic regimes to benefit their own political agendas and rules. Furthermore, the Taliban would also like the West to acknowledge them and take them seriously, and all these claims are part of painting a whitewashed image for themselves. Maybe after a few months they would say that we will hold elections since we believe in justice and democracy! These pretences will never change their true nature, and will still be Islamic fundamentalists: misogynist, inhuman, barbaric, reactionary, anti-democracy and anti-progressive. In a word, the Taliban mentality has not changed and will never change!

Sonali Kolhatkar: Why did the Afghan National Army and the U.S. backed Afghan government fall apart so quickly?

RAWA: Some major reasons out of many are:

1) Everything was done according to a deal to handover Afghanistan to Taliban. The US govt. negotiating with Pakistan and other regional players had agreement to form a govt. mainly composed of Taliban. So the soldiers were not ready to be killed in a war that they knew there was no benefit of the Afghan people in it because finally it is set behind closed doors to bring Taliban to power. Zalmay Khalilzad is highly hated among Afghan people due to his treacherous role in bringing the Taliban back to power.

2) Most Afghans understand well that the war going on in Afghanistan is not the war of Afghans and for the benefit of the country, but waged by foreign powers for their own strategic interests and Afghans are just fuels of the war. Majority of the young people are joining the forces because of severe poverty and unemployment so they have no commitment and morals to fight. It is worth mentioning that the United States and the West have tried for 20 years to keep Afghanistan a consumer country and have hindered the growth of industry. This situation created a wave of unemployment and poverty, paving the way for the recruitments of the puppet government, the Taliban and growth of opium production.

3) Afghan forces were not so weak to defeat in the course of a week, but they were receiving orders from the presidential palace not to fight back Taliban and should surrender. Most provinces were peacefully handed over to the Taliban.

4) The puppet regime of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani were calling Taliban dissatisfied brothers for years, and released many of their most ruthless commanders and leaders from prisons. Asking Afghan soldiers to fight a force that is not called enemy but brother, emboldened the Taliban and hit the morale of the Afghan armed forces.

5) The armed forces were unprecedentedly plagued by corruption. The large number of generals (mostly former brutal warlords of the Northern Alliance) sitting in Kabul grabbed millions of $, they cut even from food and salary of soldiers fighting in the frontlines. Ghost soldiers was a phenomenon exposed by SIGAR. High-ranking officials were busy filling their own pockets; they channelled salary and ration of tens of thousands of none-existing soldiers into their own bank accounts.

6) Whenever forces were besieged by Taliban in the hard fight, their call for help was ignored by Kabul. In numerous cases tens of soldiers were massacred by Taliban when they were deserted without ammunition and food for weeks. Therefore the rate of casualties among armed forces was very high. In the World Economic Forum (Davos 2019), Ashraf Ghani confessed that since 2014 over 45,000 Afghan security personnel have been killed, while in the same period only 72 personnel of US/NATO were killed.

7) Overall in society growing corruption, injustice, unemployment, insecurity, uncertainty, fraud, vast poverty, drug and smuggling, etc. provided a ground for reemergence of Taliban.

Sonali Kolhatkar: What is the best way for Americans to help RAWA and Afghan people and women right now?

RAWA: We feel very lucky and happy to have the freedom-loving people of the US with us during all these years. We need the Americans to raise their voice and protest against their governments war-mongering policies and support the strengthening of the peoples struggle in Afghanistan against these barbarians.

It is human nature to resist and the history bears witness. We have the glorious examples of US struggle Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matter movements. We have seen that no amount of oppression, tyranny and violence can stop resistance. Women will not be shackled anymore! Just the next morning after the Taliban entered the capital, a group of our young brave women painted graffiti on the walls of Kabul with the slogan: Down with Taliban! Our women are now politically conscious and no longer want to live under the Burqa, something they easily did 20 years ago. We will continue our struggles while finding smart ways to stay safe.

We think the inhuman US military empire is not only the enemy of the Afghan people but the biggest threat to world peace and instability. Now that the system is on the verge of decline, it is the duty of all peace-loving, progressive, leftist and justice-loving individuals and groups to intensify their fight against the brutal war-mongers in the White House, the Pentagon and the Capitol Hill. Replacing the rotten system with a just and humane one will not only liberate millions of poor and oppressed American people but will have a lasting effect on every corner of the world.

Now our fear is that the world may forget Afghanistan and Afghan women like under the Taliban bloody rule in late 90s. Therefore, the US progressive people and institutions should not forget Afghan women.

We will raise our voice louder and continue our resistance and fight for secular democracy and womens rights!
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.


The Adani Group has said that it has not received any formal communication from the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) with respect to Adani Wilmar initial public offering (IPO) observations being kept in abeyance. The Capital markets regulator has kept the proposed Rs 4,500-crore initial share-sale of edible oil major Adani Wilmar Ltd (AWL) in "abeyance". Without disclosing the reason, Sebi said "issuance of observations kept in abeyance" with regard to the Adani Wilmar IPO, according to an update in the SEBI website as on August 13. SEBI has put on its website that Adani Wilmar IPO 'Issuance of observations kept in abeyance'. However, we have not received any formal communication from SEBI with respect to the IPO observations being kept in abeyance," a spokesperson of Adani Group said. "While we have always been fully compliant with applicable SEBI Regulations, we have made full disclosure to SEBI on specific information requests from them in the past. We will continue to co-operate with the regulators in the future as well," the spokesperson added. Wile the regulator has not given reasons, reports have suggested that Adani Wilmar IPO was put on hold due to an ongoing investigation into the group's flagship company, Adani Enterprises. Gautam Adani-led Adani Enterprises holds 50 per cent stake in Adani Wilmar, which owns the popular edible oil brand 'Fortune'. During the monsoon session of the Parliament, Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary said that the SEBI is investigating some Adani group companies with regard to compliance with SEBI regulations while the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence is also probing certain entities under the laws administered by it. However, the minister added that the Enforcement Directorate is not probing these companies. The Adani Group spokesperson said that the group has no connection with FPIs, either directly or indirectly and these are investors like other investors/shareholders in Adani Group and act independently having no relationship with Adani Group. As per the SEBI rules, if one of the departments of the regulator is investigating in a company, its related entity may not receive the regulator's approval for 90 days, which can further extend by 45 days. Adani Wilmar's biggest business is edible oil, which is a high-volume but low-margin segment. The company's flagship Fortune brand is among the largest oil brands. As per the SEBI (Issuance of Observations on Draft Offer Documents Pending Regulatory Actions) Order, 2020, issued by the SEBI on February 5, 2020, the regulator is obligated to keep issuance of observations in abeyance for a period of 30 days or 45 days or 90 days or more, as the case may be. Adani Wilmar is a joint venture of Adani Group and Singapore's Wilmar Group.




Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of targeting AAP leaders using his power.

Sisodia's remarks came during a brief digital press conference on Saturday, in which he said, "We have learned from reliable sources that Prime Minister Modi has shared a list 15 names with Delhi Police, CBI and ED and asked them to conduct raids and file fake FIRs against those on the list and ruin their career before the next elections."

He claimed that Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has promised to get the job done. "Rakesh Asthana is Modiji's brahmastra. He has promised that come what may, he will get the job done. You can send the CBI and the ED, we will welcome them," he said.

He claimed most of the names in the list belong to the AAP.

Sisodia said there had been previous instances where AAP leaders were 'targeted' but nothing came out of it.

"I want to ask BJP, what did you get in the earlier raids? There are 12 cases against Satyendar Jain. The CBI has raided my house and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office. Police raided CM's house and even entered his bedroom. What came out of those raids?" he questioned.

He alleged that fake cases were registered against 21 AAP MLAs and the courts scolded the police for filing such cases. "The Centre got the Shunglu Committee to scrutinise 450 files of our government but what came out of it. We have full faith in ourselves," Sisodia claimed.

He further claimed that the BJP is worried because AAP is gaining popularity in other states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and had even won 27 seats in the municipal corporation polls in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal echoed similar sentiments and said nothing had come out of the earlier raids or fake cases. "Do politics for votes, win public trust. So many false cases were made against us. Nothing found. Want to do more false cases, want to do raid? You are welcome."
As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on August 15, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with the UK's First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or more chaos, reports Xinhua news agency.

It also shows that governance imposed from the outside has not been supported by the Afghan people, and lacks a social foundation, Wang said, adding that relying on military intervention to solve regional hotspot issues will lead nowhere.

Raab agreed that the international community should sum up experience and lessons from Afghanistan, saying that the country should not become an epicentre of terrorism once again.

The international community should cooperate on the issue of Afghan refugees, Raab said, noting that the UK has announced that it will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees and is ready to increase humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in support of the UN in helping the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan accept refugees.

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Putin and Macron noted the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians and addressing pressing humanitarian challenges.

They expressed a willingness to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan through cooperation, including efforts within the framework of the UN Security Council and the G20.

During the talks between Putin and Draghi, both sides underlined the significance of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the safety of the Afghan people.

Putin and Draghi stressed the need to further counter the spread of terrorist ideology and deal with the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The leaders called for consolidating international efforts to help establish peace and stability in the country.

As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of US-led military troops, the G7 on Thursday sought to secure close cooperation in personnel evacuation and the resettlement of refugees.

The Foreign Ministers of the G7 as well as the high representative of the European Union met online and "spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days".

The G7 will continue efforts to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport, the ministers concurred during Thursday's meeting, which set the stage for a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan early next week.

At the same time, the blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

Since the US troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield.

During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

After the takeover of the capital city, the Taliban said it intends to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.
Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has appointed former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as new Prime Minister of the country, the national palace announced.

In a statement on Friday, the national palace said Sabri had received the backing of 114 out of the 220 MPs in the lower house of Parliament, a simple majority to form the government, hence Sultan Abdullah agreed to appoint him as the Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ismail Sabri is scheduled to be sworn in on Saturday, the statement added.

His appointment comes as Malaysia is mired in a political turmoil despite a dire situation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Malaysia saw a new record high of daily cases for the third consecutive day with 23,564 reported on Friday, bringing the national total to 1,513,024.

"His Majesty expressed his view with the appointment of the Prime Minister, the government must continue its efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic immediately for the benefit and security of the people and the well-being of the country, which is greatly affected by the crisis and the threat caused by the pandemic," the national palace said in the statement.

"His Majesty expressed the hope that with the appointment of the new Prime Minister, the political crisis can be ended immediately and all MPs can set aside their political agenda to unite and unanimously work to address the pandemic in the interest of the people and the country," it said.

Sabri is succeeding Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned on Monday after losing majority support in Parliament.

Sabri, 61, is the vice president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and had served in Muhyiddin's cabinet as Defence Minister before being appointed as Deputy Prime Minister in July.

He has received backing from his own party UMNO and other parties in Muhyiddin's government, which gave him the simple majority in the lower house.

However, Sabri might not have much "honeymoon" on his new post as he would face an immediate task to consolidate his power and form a cabinet which is capable of handling the pandemic and the economic hardship.

With an identical political coalition of Muhyiddin's, Sabri came to power with a slim majority and this poses challenges for him to enjoy a stable government, political analysts said.

Muhyiddin was forced to resign after about a dozen of UMNO MPs withdrew their support.

Political observer Azmi Hassan said the new prime minister will face pressure from his coalition partners as well as from his own party, with each competing to secure their interest.

He said the new prime minister needs to ensure that his cabinet appointments are made based on merit, and that he forms a capable cabinet.
The Golden Eagle is the national bird of Afghanistan where 39.7 million Golden Eagles are seemingly ready and eager for flight.

by Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne from Montreal

They did what humans have done for centuries when life became untenable They did what human beings looking for freedom, throughout history have done. They left. ~ Isabel Wilkerson: The Warmth of Other Suns

They fly from the land that bore them ~ W.H. Stillwell

Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson starts her brilliant epic story of Americas great migration of the suppressed colored in the South of the United States with an extract of a poem: Must we remain in the South, or go elsewhere? Where we can go, to feel the security that other people feel? Is it best to go in great numbers or only in several families? These and many other things are discussed over and over ( A Colored Woman in Alabama-1902).

For the deeply fearful people of Afghanistan there seems to be no time to discuss things over and over. They are like the proverbial blind man in a dark room, looking for a black cat, which is not there. They crowd the evacuated embassies of Western countries that gave them so much hope for two decades, in the hope of getting imaginary visas, just to get out of the country, to anywhere. Whether or not Emily Dickinsons words  Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul -and sings the tune without the words -and never stops - at all mattered to the desperate mothers who have been throwing babies over razor wire at a compound at Kabul airport as they begged British paratroopers to take them to safety as reported in The Sun, is moot. Some of the mothers had been so desperate as told by The Independent who reported the words of a soldier: "They shouted, save my baby and threw the babies at us. Some of the babies fell on the barbed wire. It was awful what happened. By the end of the night there wasnt one man among us who was not crying."

The Washington Post has reported that, while Kabul International Airport is under the control of the armed forces of the United States (and its allies), thousands of U.S. troops have been flown into Kabul to protect evacuation efforts. Washington has moved some 5,000 people out so far, with an additional 2,000 Afghans relocated to the United States as special immigrants. About 11,000 people in Afghanistan have identified themselves as Americans, while more than 80,000 Afghans may need to be evacuated. This is indeed a heartrending situation. The poem above applies to Afghans as much as any of us in the comfort of our secure homes  they should be able to go, to feel security that other people feel.

The United Nations has asked the countries sharing borders with Afghanistan to keep their borders open for refugees, to no avail. The International Monetary Fund has stopped aid to the country. Neither of these entities, or anyone for that matter, did anything to ensure safety of the Afghan people which was illusory for 20 years. CNNs Fareed Zakaria revealed in his weekly programme GPS : the deal made by the US government with the Taliban made it appear to the public as if American troops were maintaining peace in Afghanistan when it was not the case  the US was masking the reality that the Taliban were gaining ground in Afghanistan for years.

When it comes to feckless rhetoric theres none to beat us in the West: we who must be seen by the hapless and terrified Afghans as mendacious scumbags. CNN reported on 8 January 2002:  British Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised Afghans that the world will not abandon their country again, saying the international community had learned the high price that is paid for neglect. In Bagram, North of Kabul, Prime Minister Blair is reported to have said: Afghanistan has been a failed state for too long and the whole world has paid the price -- in the export of terror, the export of drugs and finally in the explosion in death and destruction on the streets of the U.S.

James Bovard, writing for Strategic Culture Foundation on May 21, 2021 says: In his 2002 State of the Union address, Bush boasted, The mothers and daughters of Afghanistan were captives in their own homes. Today women are free. But a United Nations report the following year on rural Afghanistan concluded that the situation of women has not changed to any great extent since the removal of the Taliban. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, who visited Afghanistan in early 2004, reported that many Afghan women are still captives in their homes

Amidst all this, it is somewhat heartening that The World News reported on 16 August 2021 that US Ambassador to UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield had said: the United States promises to be generous in resettling Afghans in our own country, and I'm heartened by pledges we've seen from other nations to do the same. We urge Afghanistan's neighbours and others to give refuge - temporary or permanent to Afghans attempting to flee.

The Gorge W. Bush Presidential Centre has issued the following statement by President Bush:  Laura and I have been watching the tragic events unfolding in Afghanistan with deep sadness. Our hearts are heavy for both the Afghan people who have suffered so much and for the Americans and NATO allies who have sacrificed so much.

The Afghans now at the greatest risk are the same ones who have been on the forefront of progress inside their nation. President Biden has promised to evacuate these Afghans, along with American citizens and our allies. The United States government has the legal authority to cut the red tape for refugees during urgent humanitarian crises. And we have the responsibility and the resources to secure safe passage for them now, without bureaucratic delay. Our most stalwart allies, along with private NGOs, are ready to help.

It is time to put our money where our mouth is. Richard Haas, Chief of the Council on Foreign Relations talks of sovereign responsibility, which means that sovereignty should not stop at borders but extend to helping countries and their people who might suffer as a result of arbitrary and capricious decisions of leaders taken under the shroud of national sovereignty. It is a sovereign obligation that rests with States to help the nation of Afghanistan.

The Golden Eagle is the national bird of Afghanistan, and it is appropriate to quote from Flight of the Golden Eagle: Tales of the Empty-Handed Masters: Imagine that the golden eagles look down from the sky at the world below and see the bird cages and feel the sorrow of the confined birds. Feeling great compassion, the eagles descend to earth to show the caged birds how they can be free, but few want to learn. Most prefer to go on pretending that their cage is the whole world. But some do listen to the great eagles and realize that the door is open. They too are afraid at first and remain within the safety of their cages. Their wings are weak; they can barely remember how to fly. But some try, and try again, and their wings grow broad and strong. The eagles lead them out of their cages to soar in the expanse of sky. Then the newly free birds look down at the earth below and see all the little cages and feel the sorrow of the remaining prisoners. And they, in turn, return to help their caged friends below.

In Afghanistan, the 39.7 million Golden Eagles are seemingly ready and eager for flight.
We were able to successfully manage the first wave of the COVID-19 virus due to the actions that we took at that time. Such stern decisions had to be made at that time because there were no other options available at that time.

Text of President Gotabaya Rajapaksas special address to the nation

The accepted opinion of the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of medical experts and according to the global standardized methodology is that the vaccination is the only solution for the COVID-19 pandemic.

That is why, I made a special commitment to bring in vaccines to Sri Lanka in the recent past. I personally spoke to the Heads of Governments in countries like China and India. I personally wrote letters to several other Heads of State. Discussions were held with vaccine producing countries through our Foreign Ministry, Ambassadors and High Commissioners. Our officials coordinated with vaccine manufacturing companies.

All these efforts were made because I wanted to vaccinate all the people of our country.

As a result of this effort, the country is now receiving a large number of vaccines that we need monthly.

Initially, we received the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India.

Afterwards, we were able to get the Sinopharm vaccine manufactured in China, but the administration of the vaccine to the public was delayed for about a month due to the delay in getting the vaccine approved by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA). Nevertheless, the Government took measures to administer Sinopharm vaccine continuously since May 8 this year. In addition, we have received the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from the United States, the AstraZeneca vaccines from Japan, and the Sputnik vaccines from Russia, placing us among the countries that administer the highest rates of COVID-19 vaccines to its people. As at the 19th of this month, a total of 12,019,193 vaccine doses have been administered as the First Dose.

Meanwhile, fifty one million twenty four thousand one hundred and eighty five (5,124,185) vaccines have been administered to the people as the Second Dose. In addition, we have approximately three million doses of vaccines to be given as the Second Dose. Another 3 million doses will be received later in this month. At present, about 98% of the people who are above the age of 30, have been vaccinated while 43% have been given the both doses. By August 31, more than 81% of the population will be able to receive the second dose. By 10th of September, 100% can receive both the doses.

With this development, the number of patients and the number of deaths will decrease.

The Government took steps to vaccinate all frontline health workers, persons engaged in essential services such as ports, security services, and factory workers by giving them the priority. People over the age of 60 were also vaccinated by giving them the priority. In addition, more than a million factory workers under the age of 30 were also vaccinated.

We continue to follow the restrictive measures such as imposition of inter-provincial travel restrictions across the country, isolation of Grama Niladhari Divisions, imposition of curfew, summoning only the essential public service employees to work, halting the functions like weddings, closure of certain businesses, ban on inter-provincial travel and prohibition of gatherings at places of worship.

We were able to successfully manage the first wave of the COVID-19 virus due to the actions that we took at that time. Such stern decisions had to be made at that time because there were no other options available at that time.

The country has to be placed under a complete lockdown for several months continuously. Through all these efforts, we were able to overcome the first COVID-19 wave.

Though we took measures to place the country under a lockdown occasionally, we should understand the consequences of this decision.

The lowest economic growth of the country since Independence was seen during the first wave of COVID-19 as a result of placing the country under a lockdown.

Especially, the apparel sector that brought in a revenue of about USD 5 billion to Sri Lanka was gravely affected. Their orders were stopped. Many lost their jobs. Export earnings fell.

Our tourism industry, which generated over USD 4.5 billion and provided a livelihood to over 3 million people, completely collapsed. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost.

The occasional lockdown of the country dealt a severe blow to the construction industry. They are not able to bring in employees they require. It is not possible to obtain the raw material at the required time. Over the past one and half years, we have lost most of the expected local and foreign investments in this sector.

Small and medium enterprises are another important sector of our local economy. The COVID-19 pandemic was a major obstacle for these businesses that contribute more than 50% of the GDP. Due to the continuous disruption of their business activities, these companies lost revenue and faced grave issues without being able to repay their loans or pay salaries.

Those who obtained leases for vehicles could not pay the installments. Housing loan borrowers could not settle the loan installments.

Addition to this, close to 4.5 million self-employed personnel and daily wage earners became helpless since they lost their sources of income completely.

Amidst all these obstacles, we also had the responsibility to keep the people alive. We did not abdicate that responsibility.

Each time the country was placed under a lockdown due to COVID-19 risks, we spend around Rs. 30 billion in each round to provide an allowance of Rs. 5,000 to the people who have become helpless without a daily income. The government has borne this cost on a number of occasions.

In addition to the cost of quarantine centres maintained by the government, each family quarantined in their own homes is provided with a relief package worth Rs. 10,000 for two weeks.

Even under this dire situation, the government has never taken any action to reduce the salaries or curtail the allowances of more than 1.4 million public servants.

Though our foreign exchange earnings dropped, we did not default on the governments loan installments. We had to pay a colossal loan installment of about USD 4 billion a year as a result of the loans obtained by various governments in the past. All these loan installments were settled on time.

The countrys economy would be in great crisis if the country was put under another complete lockdown. It is not a situation that this country can bear. A large number of orders have been received by the apparel industry in the export sector. If we are not able to deliver these orders on time, we may lose a large amount of foreign exchange.

We are also making great efforts to rebuild the collapsed tourism industry. At the moment, nearly 200 tourists enter the country on daily basis. If we close down the country, we will have to restart attracting tourists from the very beginning.

Moreover, by having to provide relief to the daily income earners, small and medium enterprises and companies once again due to a lockdown, the countrys economy will be gravely affected. The people should understand the impact of a complete lockdown. Today, except for a few countries, most others including economically powerful ones have fully opened up.

The tourism industry in the world is gradually recovering. The countries that are open today are taking advantage of that opportunity. Our country, which has a small economy should also take advantage of this opportunity. We cant allow the countrys economy to collapse completely by refusing to take required action.

However, I have decided to impose a lockdown from 10 pm today till 4 am on 30th Monday of this month in order to contain the increase of COVID patients.

This situation is not a rivalry or conflict between different ideologists, trade unions, doctors, other health officials and the government. We have to understand the reality. This is a serious issue that the whole world faces. Today, all the countries are adapting to the method of New Normal. As a government, we have properly taken all necessary measures that need to be taken.

Although the government does everything it can to provide oxygen, establish intermediate treatment centers and administer vaccines, it is the role of the doctors to manage patients appropriately. Also, I highly appreciate the service rendered by the doctors, nurses and all other health sector officials so far, despite the risk to their lives. I also pay my respects to the health sector officials belonging to all ranks who have sacrificed their lives.

It is clear that this is not a time for strike actions and protests. Do not attempt to destabilize the country.

Although the health sector looks at this issue from one angle, as a government we will have to manage the small economy in our country if we are to continue to pay off foreign debts, pay salaries, and provide subsidies without any interruption.

Most of the people passed away from COVID-19 virus are over the age of 60. The majority of people out of them have been suffering from chronic diseases for a long time. And, they have not been vaccinated. People with these chronic diseases should seek treatment as soon as they develop COVID-19 symptoms. Therefore, I have advised the health sector to conduct Rapid Antigen Tests at least once a week targeting the people over 60 years who are suffering from chronic diseases.

I request everyone in the country to be prepared to make more sacrifices, if the country is to be placed under a lockdown for a longer period of time in the future.

At this crucial juncture, everyone should take the country forward strategically by acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

Therefore, I respectfully request everyone to work together in unity as a team to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.

May the triple gem bless you!
gibraltar. The government of Gibraltar is to change the law so that anybody who is found to be in unauthorised possession of petrol containers will face harsher sentences which could even include life imprisonment.

The Bill, which was published on Wednesday, aims to amend the Petroleum Act. It states that the penalties for the offences regarding the amassing or transporting of petrol are to be substantially increased, and the offences are to be made indictable only.

The government has already changed the law once this year to make possession of fuel in large quantities a criminal offence, but despite this the number of people found to be in possession of large amounts of fuel has increased and there have been numerous cases in Gibraltar in recent weeks.

The full containers are often taken out to sea to fuel the boats used by drug traffickers who are travelling between North Africa and Spain.

On Twitter on Wednesday morning, chief minister Fabian Picardo said "We are changing the law to make possession of fuel canisters without consent (which we recently made a crime) punishable by prison sentences of up to life imprisonment. We will not tolerate Gibraltar being used as part of the logistics chain of the drug trade".

A statement from the Gibraltar government on the same day also referred to the dangers inherent in storing large amounts of volatile fuels. "If a vehicle carrying twenty fuel canisters were to explode, the loss of life, personal injuries and physical damage in Gibraltar would be enormous. The explosion would potentially result in devastation," it said.

The Royal Gibraltar Police force has welcomed this new legislation and the efforts to end this "iniquitous drugs trade".
It was a complaint from a customer that alerted the company. He said that whenever he rang a particular saleswoman she was never available and she never returned his calls. This, combined with a progressive drop in performance by this particular employee, which coincided with the start of working from home because of the pandemic, made the company decide to investigate.

They contracted the services of a detective agency to dispel or confirm their suspicions that the saleswoman was not at her home.

"In two days we had all the proof we needed," says Juan Rojas, the managing director of Detectives Unipol. After watching her, they saw that she left home each morning and met a man "with whom she had a relationship". They took a stroll through the centre of Malaga, did a bit of shopping and then had lunch in a beach bar.

The economic crisis of a decade ago and employees' fear of losing their jobs had reduced absenteeism to a minimum. It became too risky to try to sneak out of the office, but Covid-19 seems to have reactivated this practice, facilitated by new work and sanitary protocols imposed by the pandemic, such as working from home and obligatory isolation after contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus.

"Many people are using this situation to do other things during their working day, but are still being paid at the end of the month," says Rojas.

This detective, for whom the profession is in the blood (his father founded the agency in 1963), says "cheeky people" take advantage of the situation and end up spreading these bad habits to colleagues. "They are like rotten apples," he says.

Many companies have identified the profile of staff who do this, because they are the ones who often take time off sick when a bank holiday is coming up or the weekend is approaching, so they get more days off.

On other occasions, though, the company will turn to detectives to ensure that their staff are complying with the Covid-19 protocol.

"Sometimes the companies aren't concerned about the employees' performance but about their health. They want to make sure they are all complying with the health and safety regulations to the letter," says Rojas.

Complicated circumstances

In this complicated situation, private detectives have had plenty of work. Until now a large part of their investigations had to do with changes in the family environment and fraudulent sickness claims, but since coronavirus arrived they have taken on other services.

"Before, a business owner could afford for their workers to be off sick, but now with such small workforces, (many employees are furloughed), they need everyone who is working from home to function 100 per cent and that's why they are turning to us more now," says Jose Alberto Dominguez, the Andalusian delegate of the Professional Association of Private Detectives of Spain (APDPE), a benchmark in the sector with a presence in every region.

He says that around 30 per cent of the services that detectives provide are related to the pandemic, especially in regions with a strong business network such as Madrid, Catalonia and the Basque Country.

"People who tend to shirk have always found excuses, but with quarantine, which can last up to 15 days and is also considered a work-related accident, so they receive full pay, they are in their element. In Spain, we don't stop to think that the money paid out by Social Security comes out of everyone's pocket, and what's more, if someone commits this type of fraud everyone laughs, but in fact they should be indignant about it," says Dominguez.

Family consequences

Not all the detective work related to the pandemic has to do with companies. A couple of months ago Dominguez's agency was contracted by a client who feared that her ex-partner was not protecting their seven-year-old son from possible contagion when he stayed with him, which would be sufficient to ask a court to change the access arrangements.

"This client lived with her grandfather, who is ill, and she was afraid that the little boy might infect him after he had been staying with his father," says Dominguez.

After following the father for a while he surprised him in a pub which was full of people, with nobody socially distanced or wearing a mask.

Not being careful enough

"The bar owner was failing to comply with the Covid-19 regulations, but in this case the father could have avoided the situation. The mother's suspicions were confirmed. She was afraid he wasn't being careful enough, but she never imagined that he would do anything like that," he explains.

An increasing number of companies and law firms are turning to these detectives so they can present courts with hard evidence which could overturn a situation they consider unjust.

"With good detective work and legally acceptable evidence, the lawyer has what he needs. With what we provide and the client provides, the lawyer can resolve a case," says Javier Ruiz, the managing director of Dea Detectives, who confirms that there has been more work since the pandemic began.

"Of the 4,000 enquiries we received in the past three months, between 30 and 40 per cent have been Covid related," he says.

Common situations

Common situations which the agency is asked to help prove include people who go to work and leave children on their own, allow another partner to live in the family home with them when they are officially separated from their spouses, and people who continue to work for a company even though they are not registered with Social Security, in order to keep their income hidden and avoid having to pay a pension. The evidence often enables someone to apply to a court for their existing arrangements to be modified.

The detectives have also come across situations such as that of a Malaga company that had a staff member "where things didn't seem right". And, indeed, they found that the employee left his computer connected all morning but was actually working in a beach restaurant in another town.

"He realised he had been caught red-handed and had no answer, so the case never actually had to go to court," says Ruiz.

In another case, they discovered a worker who was supposed to be self-isolating but was actually going to a plot of land he owned in the countryside to help build a house there.

At another agency, the Investigo group, they say that part of this "rogue behaviour" could have been avoided if the track and trace system had worked and there had been a database where companies could have monitored how many days of quarantine had passed.

They haven't had many cases of this type, but some business owners have consulted them with regard to suspicions about an employee, asked them for a quote, but finally decided not to go ahead because of their financial situation and because they were afraid that even with the evidence they wouldn't be able to sack the employee.

"Some of them don't think it's worth carrying out an investigation when it is going to cost them money and may not even lead to a conclusive answer. So they prefer to wait and get rid of the employee when another opportunity arises," says Nuria Medina, the director of Grupo Investigo.

Suspicions

With that in mind, the data provided by these agencies shows that in most cases the companies' suspicions are confirmed in the end. "In our case, it's 85 per cent of the time," says Juan Rojas, of Unipol. "It's a service that costs money and when they decide to proceed it's because they are almost certain," he explains.

These investigations are billed by the hour. They need careful planning, an analysis of needs and the preparation of a budget. "A work-related investigation lasting two or three days can cost between 1,000 and 2,500 euros," says Rojas.
Bahrains government revenues increased by 23% year-on-year (YoY) to BD1,119 million ($2.95 billion) in the first half of 2021, primarily due to a 33% increase in oil revenues caused by higher oil prices, while non-oil revenues increased by 4% YoY.



Actual government expenditure decreased by 4% YoY to BD1,639 million, while recurrent expenditure decreased by 2% YoY, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA), citing the Biannual Financial Report 2021 published by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, noting that this reduced the deficit by 35% to BD520 million.



Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy, said: "The Biannual Financial Report 2021 is a measure of progress that quantifies the remarkable work all public agencies do to meet citizens' requirements."



"Strategic planning, along with the persistent dedication of Team Bahrain, has yielded tangible outcomes in the Kingdom's path to development, buoying the economy during the Covid-19 crisis."
The value of Bahrains exports of national origin increased by 62% to BD327 million ($862 million) during July2021, compared to BD202 million for the same month of the previous year, said the Information &eGovernment Authority (iGA).



The top 10 countries in terms of the value of exports of national origin purchased from Bahrain accounted for 75% of the total value, with the remaining countries accounting for 25%, added iGAs foreign trade report of July 2021.



The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first among countries receiving Bahraini exports of national origin, importing BD75 million from Bahrain. Meanwhile, the US was second with BD54 million and Egypt third with BD29 million.



Unwrought aluminium alloyed emerged as the top products exported during July 2021 with BD97 million, agglomerated iron ores and concentrates was second with a value of BD67 million and third semi-finished iron and steel with BD18 million.



The total value of re-exports increased by45% to reach BD60 million during July2021, compared toBD41 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 87% of the re-exported value, while the remaining countries accounted for the 13%.TheKingdom of Saudi Arabia ranked first with BD25 million, United Arab Emirates second with BD11 million, and the Singapore third with BD6 million.



Portable digital automatic data processing machines the top product re-exported from Bahrain with BD9 million, Parts for use with telephone came in second place with BD7 million, and parts for aircraft engines came thirdwithBD6 million.



The trade balance, difference between exports and imports, the value of the deficit of the trade balance reached BD31 million during July of 2021 versus BD135 million for the same month of the previous year with a decrease of 77%.



The value of imports increased by 10%, reaching BD418 million during July2021compared to BD378 million for the same month of the previous year. The top 10 countries accounted for 71% of the value of imports, with the remaining countries accounting for 29%.



According to the report, Brazil ranked first when it came to imports to Bahrain, with a total ofBD59 million, China was second with BD50 million; and the United Arab Emirates was third with BD31 million.



Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates emerged as the top product imported into Bahrain with a total value of BD67 million, while aluminium oxide was second with BD26 million, and four-wheel drive cars third with BD17 million.  TradeArabia News Service


















Oman's Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) has assigned infrastructure works worth RO9 million ($3.3 million) for Phase One of Ibri Industrial City covering a 3-million-sq-m area.

By establishing Ibri Industrial City, Madayn aims to achieve its vision in spreading a lineup of industrial cities throughout the sultanates governorates, contributing to the advancement of the national economy, and providing direct and indirect job opportunities for the nationals in Al Dhahirah governorate. The project will be implemented within 18 months.

Engineer Nasser Al Mabsali, Director General of Ibri Industrial City said as per the deal Madayn will invest in developing the infrastructure including roads, lighting, water and communication networks, sewage networks, landscaping, and electricity network in coordination with Majan Electricity Company.

Al Mabsali said: "The strategic location of Ibri Industrial City is a key attraction due to its close proximity to Omans oil concession areas. Located about 200 km from Sohar Port and 300 km from Muscat governorate, the industrial city will serve the mining, marble and food investment sectors."

Ibri Industrial City will comprise a variety of industries ranging from oil and gas services, food industries, building materials, warehouses, and showrooms.

In terms of incentives and privileges granted to investors to boost investment opportunities in Ibri Industrial City, Madayn has announced earlier this year exemption from rental value for a period of two years for all new projects, followed by a reduction in the rental value for a period of three years by 50 per cent for contracts concluded during the period from 2021 to 2024, he added.

He pointed out that once the Rub Al Khali (Empty Quarter) border opens, it will facilitate the movement of goods from Saudi Arabia and the Levant countries, thus activating the warehousing and storage sector, and boosting the volume of exports in marble, foodstuff and other sectors.

Madayn, in coordination with Al Dhahirah branch of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), is making efforts to enable and support contractors and suppliers in Al Dhahirah governorate to apply for its projects and services, noted Al Mabsali.

"There are also projects that shall be assigned to the Small and Medium Enterprises registered in Riyada from Al Dhahirah governorate," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubais Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has unveiled a transportation plan to serve visitors of Expo 2020 from around the UAE. The plan specifies 9 locations across the country in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah.

A total of 70 dedicated buses will be deployed to run 193 daily trips during weekdays, and 213 daily trips on Thursdays and Fridays, said a statement from RTA.

Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said: "As part of its master operational plan for transporting Expo 2020 visitors, RTA has dedicated a full fleet of public buses compatible with the low carbon emission standards of Euro 6 buses, which will be making their debut in the Mena region."

"The plan illustrates RTAs keenness to reduce the carbon footprint of these buses. Each bus has a low-floor entry to make it easily accessible to people of determination. Buses are designed to deliver premium services to mass transit riders thanks to the high-class finishing works, roomy seats, dedicated seats for children, WiFi service, USB charging ports and an array of smart systems," noted Al Tayer.

ABU DHABI & AL AIN

The plan specified 4 stations in Abu Dhabi for transporting Expo 2020 visitors. The first is at Abu Dhabi International Airport. RTA will deploy 10 buses to run 31 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 33 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays.

The second is Abu Dhabi Main Bus Station. RTA will deploy 10 buses to run 26 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 29 daily trips in both directions on Thursday and Friday.

The third is the Marina Mall Station. RTA will deploy 10 buses to run 27 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 28 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays.

The fourth is Al Ain Bus Station. RTA will deploy 9 buses to run 22 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 25 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays. The service frequency at the four locations is every 20 minutes.

SHARJAH

RTA has specified 2 locations for transporting Expo 2020 visitors from Sharjah. The first is Al Jubail Bus Station. It will deploy 10 buses to run 29 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 33 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays. The service frequency at this locations is every 20 minutes.

The second location is Muwaileh Station, where RTA will deploy 10 buses to run 32 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 37 daily trips in both directions on Thursday and Friday. The service frequency at this location is every 15 minutes.

RAS AL KHAIMAH & AJMAN

RTA has identified one location to transport Expo 2020 visitors from Ras Al Khaimah, which will be Ras Al Khaimah Bus Station. Similarly, visitors from Ajman will be served from Ajman Bus Station.

It will deploy 7 buses to serve both locations and the service will start from Ras Al Khaimah and head to Expo via Ajman. The RTA will run 17 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 18 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays. The service frequency at both locations is every 60 minutes.

FUJAIRAH

RTA will deploy 4 buses to serve Expo 2020 visitors from Fujairah, which will be nearby City Centre Fujairah. RTA will run 9 daily trips in both directions from Saturday to Wednesday, and 10 daily trips in both directions on Thursdays and Fridays. The service frequency at this location will be every 2 hours.
Kabul, Aug 21 (UNI) Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Supreme National Reconciliation Council, and former Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Saturday met Abdul Rahman Mansour, the acting Taliban governor for Kabul, and urged that the safety and security of citizens should be prioritised.

The two sides discussed the security of the citizens of Kabul, tweeted Abdullah.

We reiterated that protecting the life, property and dignity of the citizens of the capital should be prioritised., he posted.

We added that in order to return to normality in the capital Kabul, it is imperative that citizens of the capital feel safe and secure.

Mr Mansour assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of Kabul, Abdullah said

In another development, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hizb-e-Islami party, said that there are indications that the Taliban wants to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

Hekmatyars comments come five days after he met with Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah and formed a coordination council to prevent chaos and ensure a peaceful transition.

Hekmatyar said that violence against Afghan civilians at Kabul airport is not acceptable.

There are also reports that an Afghan delegation comprising several influential political leaders that visited Pakistan recently has not returned to the country.

According to the reports, some of these leaders have fled to a third country from Islamabad, Tolo News reported.

UNI RN SHK1848
Doha/New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday met Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, and had a useful exchange of views on Afghanistan.

Met Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani @MBA_AlThani DPM & FM Qatar during my stopover in Doha. Had useful exchange of views on Afghanistan, he tweeted.

The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister, tweeted: Delighted to welcome again my colleague @DrSJaishankar, Indias Minister of External Affairs. Our discussion included ways of developing the historical relations between our two friendly nations, along with the recent developments in Afghanistan.

Doha had been the hub of peace talks on Afghanistan, with many of the top Taliban leaders having a base there.

Taliban co-founder, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was in Qatar, returned to Afghanistan on Tuesday after the fundamentalist group took control of Afghanistan.

Baradar held talks with Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Tuesday before leaving for his country.

Al-Thani had urged Baradar to ensure that civilians in Afghanistan are protected.

On Saturday, Qatar had called for the Taliban to adopt a ceasefire, but the militant group marched into Kabul on Sunday almost unopposed, as President Ghani left the country.

Early this month, Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, the Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of Qatar, had paid a two day visit to India, during which he met Jaishankar and other top officials. He had also extended an invite to India to join the Doha talks on Afghanistan.

UNI RN SHK2212
Bangaluru , Aug 21(UNI) On the back drop of schools with class 9 to 12 reopening on August 23, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the government has taken extreme care to ensure children study with complete protection from Covid-19.

Speaking to newsmen here, before flying to Almatti reservoir in Bagalkote, he said all necessary steps were taken with all preparations for the schools' reopening, besides issuing appropriate instructions to private and govt schools on how children should be brought, consent of parents/guardians, seating arrangements, having classes in shifts on alternate days and sanitisation. He will visit a couple of schools along with primary and secondary education minister BC Nagesh in Bengaluru and other places on Monday.

He stated that the government intention is to bring back the children slowly to the schools . They have not attended school for one-and-a-half years now and want school attendance to pick up in a phased manner.

He said all covid-19 guidelines should be followed and extreme care to ensure classroom learning while protecting them from Covid-19.

Chief Minister urged parents to get vaccinated and instill confidence among kids. Once kids come back home from school, parents should monitor them, he added.

The CM will meet elected representatives and officials from Bagalkot and Vijayapura to discuss Covid-19 and floods. Later to Belagavi and hold a meeting in the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha where he will take decisions and redress grievances on the spot, he said. Chief minister will return to Bengaluru on Sunday afternoon.

UNI BSP SY 1731
US Navy helicopter crashes off San Diego coast - Pacific Fleet 01 Sep 2021 | 10:01 AM Washington, Sep 1 (UNI/Sputnik) A US Navy helicopter crashed off the coast of San Diego, California, search and rescue operations are under way, the US Pacific Fleet said in a statement on Twitter. see more..

New Zealand reports 75 new community cases of COVID-19 Delta variant 01 Sep 2021 | 9:05 AM Wellington, Sep 1 (UNI/Xinhua) New Zealand reported 75 new community cases of Delta variant of COVID-19, including 74 in the largest city Auckland and one in the capital Wellington on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases in the country's community outbreak to 687. see more..

2 killed, 10 injured in US Mississippi after highway flooding 01 Sep 2021 | 8:58 AM Washington, Sep 1 (UNI/Xinhua) Two people were killed and 10 others injured after part of a two-lane highway was washed away on Monday night near Lucedale, a town in southern U.S. state of Mississippi, authorities said. see more..

Macron says to discuss situation in Afghanistan with Dutch Prime Minister 01 Sep 2021 | 8:52 AM Paris, Sep 1 (UNI/Sputnik) French President Emmanuel Macron said he would discuss the situation in Afghanistan at a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. see more..
Lucknow ,Aug 21(UNI) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Ex-Governor of Rajasthan Kalyan Singh breathed his last here at the SGPGIMS on Saturday night.



He was 89.



He was admitted at the SGPGIMS on July 4 last in the Intensive Care Unit in a critical condition.



He died due to sepsis and multi organ failure, a SGPGIMS statement here said.



Meanwhile, Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has rushed to SGPGIMS along with several of his ministerial colleague.



Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had visited the hospital to inquire about the health of Kalyan Singh.



Kalyan Singh is survived with his son Rajveer who is a BJP MP from Etah and grand son Sandeep, who is a minister in the Yogi government.

UNI MB ACL2159
The Rev. Danny Webb has presided over the storied Old Mount Zion Baptist Church in Greenwood, S.C., for 13 years. The church was first pastored by the Rev. Ned Starks when it was founded in 1861.


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Both Paducah Hospitals Urge Vaccines, Protocols

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - As COVID cases continue to spike in the region, Baptist Health and Mercy Health  Lourdes Hospital released a joint statement Friday urging people to do as much as possible to slow the trend.Calling it an urgent plea, both healthcare facilities asked everyone to avoid large gatherings, wear masks, maintaining social distancing and wash their hands frequently. This comes as both hospitals are near their capacity for patients."Today, we are at a near all-time high for COVID-19 inpatients, with 41 positive patients in the hospital. Our previous high for COVID-19 patients was 43," said Mercy Health  Kentucky Chief Clinical Officer Jenny Franke, MD. "We are rapidly approaching critical care capacity and we need our community's help to stop the spread so we can continue caring for all the patients who come to us."Brad Housman, Chief Medical Officer for Baptist Health Paducah, echoed that sentiment. He said their testing, numbers of people diagnosed, and hospitalizations are at all-time highs. He urged everyone to follow protocols and get vaccinated."Bed capacity, in particular our ICU bed capacity, has almost reached its limit. Hospitals across the state and nation are strained, but we are diligently working every day to be able to provide care to our community. Please support our doctors, nurses and the entire medical community, in the coming weeks," Housman said.Franke said Mercy Health - Lourdes is also seeing a trend towards younger and healthier people being hospitalized, and agreed that everyone who can get the vaccine should begin the process."Given the increase in transmissibility of the Delta variant, we encourage all who are not vaccinated to consult with their personal health care provider or reach out to the health department or CDC website for further information and education. The vast majority of COVID positive individuals requiring hospitalization or dying from COVID related illness are unvaccinated," she said.
Drug Investigation Nets Three Arrests

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A tip about drug activity in McCracken County led to the arrests of three people Friday.Detectives were told that people were selling methamphetamine at a home on Lackey Street. When they came to the home, detectives saw 47-year-old Jason Jett driving nearby and pulled him over.A search of Jett and the vehicle revealed about 90 grams of meth and more than a pound of marijuana. Detectives also determined that a passenger, 41-year-old Nicholas Davis of Junction City, Kansas, was under the influence of controlled substances. Both were arrested.While searching the home, detectives found meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and arrested 37-year-old Katie D. Sisco of Paducah.The total street value of the drugs seized was over $10,000.Jett faces charges of trafficking in a controlled substance 2nd or subsequent offense, trafficking in marijuana 2nd or subsequent offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia.Davis faces a charge of public intoxication.Sisco faces charges of possession of meth, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Man Arrested on Felony Charges in Two Counties

By West Kentucky Star Staff

HARDIN - A Hardin man has been arrested on multiple charges including theft of a handgun.The Calloway County Sheriff's Department says the investigation into the theft began several months ago and led to 33-year-old Matthew Duncan being named as a suspect.On Thursday, deputies went to a home on Brooks Chapel Road and Duncan was arrested. He faces Calloway County charges of theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and tampering with a witness. After an unrelated Graves County Grand Jury indictment, Duncan also faces charges of burglary, theft by unlawful taking and being a persistent felony offender.Duncan was taken to Calloway County Jail.
Sheriff: Catalytic Converter Theft Suspects Found

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MAYFIELD - Two people have been arrested after an investigation into the theft of catalytic converters from a Mayfield Church.Graves County Sheriff's Detectives began investigating last Saturday after surveillance video showed two suspects pull a pickup truck into the parking lot of Enon Baptist Church, where the parts were removed from a van. The truck was eventually traced back to a man in Carroll County, Tennessee, but he said the truck was taken from him fraudulently. Carroll County authorities are investigating that claim.The woman who had the truck was identified as 36-year-old Letia Leco, who has addresses in Graves and Marshall Counties, and in Tennessee. She was already wanted on warrants from Graves, Marshall and Lyon Counties.Once information about the truck was shared, the Weakley County Sheriff's Department found two people in the truck in Greenfield. They were identified as the Graves County suspects, so detectives went there to interview them. Leco and 32-year-old Richard Flowers of Weakley County reportedly confessed to trespassing and theft of the converters.Detectives say the couple was selling the stolen parts and still had some at the time of their arrest. They will be extradited to Graves County to face their charges. Authorities say the church could have to pay as much as $3,600 to replace the parts.Leco faces charges from 15 outstanding Graves County warrants along with warrants from other counties for theft, bail jumping and other alleged crimes. She and Flowers will face additional charges of theft and trespassing related to the Mayfield incident caught on video.On the Net:
Biden to Americans in Kabul: We Will Get You Home

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON DC - President Joe Biden pledged firmly on Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan  and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too  as officials confirmed that U..S. military helicopters were flying into Taliban-held Kabul to scoop up would-be evacuees.But Biden's promises, and the limited U.S. helicopter sorties beyond the concrete barriers ringing the Kabul airport, came as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy."We will get you home," Biden promised Americans who were still in Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, ending a two-decade war. American officials confirmed to The Associated Press that limited helicopter rescues were underway.Biden's comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport.His commitment to find a way out for Afghan allies vulnerable to Taliban attacks amounted to a potentially vast expansion of Washington's promises, given the tens of thousands of translators and other helpers, and their close family members, seeking evacuation."We're making the same commitment" to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies "equally important" in the evacuations.Meanwhile, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had disconcerting news for the lawmakers he briefed on Friday, confirming that Americans are among those who have been beaten by the Taliban at airport checkpoints.Biden is facing continuing criticism as videos and news reports depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport."I made the decision" on the timing of the U.S. withdrawal, he said, his tone firm as he declared that it was going to lead to difficult scenes, no matter when. Former President Donald Trump had set it for May in negotiations with the Taliban, but Biden extended it.Thousands of people remain to be evacuated ahead of Biden's Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops. Flights were stopped for several hours on Friday because of a backup at a transit point for the refugees, a U.S. airbase in Qatar, but they resumed in the afternoon, including to Bahrain.Still, potential evacuees faced continuing problems getting into the airport. The Belgian Foreign Ministry confirmed that one of its planes took off empty because the people who were supposed to be aboard couldn't get in.A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment that's building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.Senior American military officials told the AP that an American CH-47 Chinook helicopter picked up Afghans, mostly women and children, and ferried them to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Friday. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division airlifted the Afghans from Camp Sullivan, near the Kabul airport.The officials said such sorties have been underway for several days from various points in Kabul as Afghans seek to flee the country taken over by the Taliban. Intelligence teams inside Kabul are helping guide both Americans and Afghans and their families to the airport or are arranging for them to be rescued by other means.For those living in cities and provinces outside Kabul, CIA case officers, special operation forces and agents from the Defense Intelligence Agency on the ground are gathering some U.S. citizens and Afghans who worked for the U.S. at predetermined pick-up sites.The officials would not detail where these airlift sites were for security reasons. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations.In Washington, some veterans in Congress were calling on the Biden administration to extend a security perimeter beyond the Kabul airport so more Afghans could get through.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said a "small number" of U.S. troops did go outside the perimeter a short distance for a "short amount of time" to help bring in 169 people, but gave no details. Those were Americans, Biden said. The administration has said it's not capable at current deployment levels in Kabul of bringing order to the chaos.The lawmakers also said they want Biden to make clearer that the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops is not a firm one.The deadline "is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever," said Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., who served in Iraq and also worked in Afghanistan to help aid workers provide humanitarian relief.With mobs of people outside the airport and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. renewed its advisory to Americans and others that it could not guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside. The Taliban are regularly firing into the air to try to control the crowds, sending men, women and children running.The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside. It said: "We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open."While Biden has previously blamed Afghans for the U.S. failure to get out more allies ahead of this month's sudden Taliban takeover, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that American diplomats had formally urged weeks ago that the administration ramp up evacuation efforts.Biden said Friday he had gotten a wide variety of time estimates, though all were pessimistic about the Afghan government surviving.He has said he was following the advice of Afghanistan's U.S.-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, in not earlier expanding U.S. efforts to fly out translators and other endangered Afghans. Ghani fled the country last weekend as the Taliban seized the capital.Biden has also said that many at-risk Afghan allies had not wanted to leave the country. But refugee groups point to yearslong backlogs of applications from thousands of those Afghans for visas that would let them take refuge in the United States.Afghans and the Americans trying to help them also say the administration has clung to visa requirements for would-be evacuees that involve more than a dozen steps, and can take years to complete. Those often have included requirements that the Taliban sweep has made dangerous or impossible  such as requiring Afghans to go to a third-country to apply for a U.S. visa, and produce paperwork showing their work with Americans.
Former State Rep. Yonts Dies from COVID at Age 72

By The Associated Press





GREENVILLE - Former Kentucky lawmaker Brent Yonts has died after battling a COVID-19 infection. He was 72.The Muhlenberg County Democrat was first elected to the Kentucky House in 1996. Yonts sponsored mine-safety legislation and led a key House committee. He served in the House until his defeat during a statewide Republican wave in 2016.Former colleagues say he was vaccinated against COVID-19. He still contracted the virus, was hospitalized for weeks and eventually was placed on a ventilator.Gov. Andy Beshear says Yonts worked to improve the lives of Kentuckians. Yonts legacy drew praise from both sides of the political aisle.
New Laws Limiting Beshear's Powers Upheld, for Now

By Bill Hughes

FRANKFORT - The Kentucky Supreme Court has issued a ruling on new laws passed that would limit Governor Beshear's executive powers.Saturday's decision says the injunction granted in February by the Franklin Circuit Court was improper, and that court must allow the new legislation to limit Beshear's power.The lead opinion, in which all justices concurred, states that the lower court, "abused its discretion," by agreeing with the governor's assertion that his constitutional powers would suffer, "immediate and irreparable harm," if House Bill 1 and Senate Bills 1 and 2 were allowed to be enforced.The high court ruling explains that the governor's claim in court was not fully substantiated by legal arguments so the judge's ruling was improper.An additional opinion by Justice Lisbeth Hughes concedes that there are still more legal battles to come. While the Supreme Court took action to combine and expedite cases last year, she said, "the maelstrom will continue absent some direction from this court."While Saturday's decision has ruled on a lower court's injunction, she says the merits of the constitutional challenges presented by recently passed legislation have not yet been argued in court. Hughes said that while efforts by the legislative branch to limit executive orders to 30 days gives them more input into managing a state emergency, the new laws may not be consistent with the current constitutional framework that spells out how the three branches of government are balanced.Both opinions recommend that the circuit court address the issue, since, "the trial court needs the benefit of legal analysis from both sides," Hughes said.On the Net:
OP-ED: 'Smart on Crime' is Soft on Crime

By State Senators John Schickel and Danny Carroll and State Representative Kevin Bratcher





FRANKFORT - The increase in violent crime across our nation and Kentuckys cities should not surprise us. The Kentucky legislature the last several years has set the table for it. House Bill 463 reduced penalties for drug offenders. There is so-called juvenile justice reform to severely restrict judges from using juvenile detention in the state.Violent juvenile crime has exploded in our cities. Police in Louisville tells lawmakers that no consequences for crime are a big problem in the city. Now there are proposals by the Kentucky Smart on Crime Coalition and some justices on our Kentucky Supreme Court to eliminate cash bail. Policymakers have reduced criminal penalties, and the Governor released thousands of convicted felons out of our prisons and onto Kentucky streets using the COVID-19 pandemic as the excuse. Law enforcement personnel have been demonized and restricted in performing their duties. Then, as serious crimes increase, we wonder why. Quite simply, public policy is becoming increasingly soft on crime.A misleading claim that has been perpetuated is that drug treatment is very effective. The truth is that drug treatment has a higher recidivism rate than for those who are released from prison. Punishment has its place in the criminal justice system.A new term has been coined for people who traffic and use illegal drugs. It is referred to as substance abuse disorder, as if its a sickness like any other sickness such as breast cancer, a heart attack, or even COVID-19. It is as if the person who is doing this has no personal responsibility for their actions and that it can be treated like any other sickness. The facts show this is simply not true. Drug treatment has its place and should be used. However, justice should be our first priority.Louisville small businesses were forced to board up their windows last summer, and downtown was an area avoided by many. As the city endured 170 record-breaking homicides and carjackings increased 160% to 211 last year, there wereand still arecalls from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to eliminate cash bail. First of all, this is an expressed constitutional right laid out in the Constitution of Kentucky. Secondly, this would completely eliminate the ability of locally elected judges to decide who should be held in jail and who should be released. These locally elected officials are in the best possible situation to make these critical decisions. However, advocates for no-cash bail want this decision to be made by an algorithm developed in Frankfort as a one-size-fits-all solution. This was tried in New York and California and has been a disaster.Ask any small business owner in New York City.Despite these failed policies, interest groups outside Kentucky advocating for so-called criminal justice reform have spent thousands of dollars the last several legislative sessions advocating for their implementation here in the Commonwealth. Some of these groups are among the biggest spenders on lobbyists in Frankforthiring some of the best lobbyists Frankfort has to offer.Kentucky Smart on Crime Coalition and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce advocate for second chances, and certainly we all believe in that. However, we would like them to spend one day in court in Louisville or Covington to observe the proceedings. They would quickly realize we are not talking about second chances, but instead fourth and fifth chances. We are confident that our independent and locally elected judiciary is doing a good job setting bail and releasing people charged with crimes from jail. Appropriately, this decision should rest in their hands. As the misguided experiments in New York Cityand now Louisville have shown, well-intended do-gooders have hurt small businesses in these cities. Nothing is more devastating to small businesses and the vitality of a community than the perception that it is not safe.As we move forward, hopefully, we will have learned from our mistakes. We hear a lot about mass incarceration, and there is no question that we have too many people in our prisons and jails. This is a reflection of our society as a whole and not the fault of the criminal justice system. The fact is that with these high incarceration rates, we had a historically low crime rate. However, recently criminals have been released onto our streets, yielding tragic consequences.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-14 23:42:38|Editor: huaxia

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Nabiha Badour, a 75-year-old Syrian woman, prepares dairy food in the backyard of her village house in the countryside of Sweida province, southern Syria, on June 21, 2021. Nabiha Badour refuses to stay home and wait for sons to take care of her. Instead, she chooses to do hard work to make her own living amid the harsh economic situation in the country. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)



SWEIDA, Syria, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Nabiha Badour, a 75-year-old Syrian woman, refuses to stay home and wait for sons to take care of her. Instead, she chooses to do hard work to make her own living amid the harsh economic situation in the country.

At dawn, Badour wakes up and begins a long day's work with feeding chickens. Then she carries piles of firewood sticks to a small yard behind her village house in the countryside of Sweida province in southern Syria.

The woman lights the firewood and boils the milk to make yogurt, cheese, and ghee for the customers who have been impressed by her dairy products.

For most of the day, the lady keeps herself busy. The smoke from the fire couldn't erase the smile on her face.

After doing this job for 20 years, the woman believes that women, in general, have more stamina and determination than men, disagreeing with the perception of women as mere housewives.

"At the age of 35, I was a tailor making dresses. Afterward, I worked in handcrafts and many women helped me. I continued to do that not because I was poor or wanted to be rich but because I wanted to feel alive and productive," she told Xinhua.

Because the cooking gas was in shortage in her village, Badour now had to use firewood, which is much heavier to carry and inconvenient to use. But this didn't stop her from working.

She endured the laboring task of preparing firewood and the heavy smoke it produced without any complaint, despite her sons' repeated requests for her to retire and enjoy a less busy life.

Failing to persuade their mother, the children helped Badour collect firewood and stack them in piles.

Sanctions imposed on Syria have resulted in a lack of fuels, which affected millions in the country struggling to recover from a brutal civil war.

"I have been using firewood to cook the milk for two years amid the lack of cooking gas. This is tiring as you can see but I still maintain the same price even though I have to put more efforts using the firewood than the cooking gas," she said.

Badour encourages women to break social stereotypes, find a job they love and stay independent.

"We live in a tough situation as a result of the sanctions and war. However, women should be productive and our society should open more toward giving women a greater role to build the country," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-16 03:37:24|Editor: huaxia

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DOHA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Qatar called on Sunday evening for an immediate cease-fire in the Afghan territories, stressing the need for a peaceful transfer of power.

In a statement on its official website, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Qatar is closely following the rapid developments in the Afghan capital Kabul, and calls for an immediate and comprehensive cease-fire.

The statement said that Doha urges for a peaceful transfer of power that will pave the way for a political settlement which involves all Afghan parties and achieves security and stability in the country.

It also stressed the need to ensure the safety of civilians in Afghanistan.

Moreover, the statement reiterated Qatar's commitment to continue working with the United Nations and international partners to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-18 09:49:04|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission (UNSMIL) in Libya on Tuesday condemned the recent obstruction of Libya's main water supply system by an armed group.

"On 14 August, armed actors forced the closure of the eastern branch of the Man-Made River. The closure threatens the water security for millions of people in Libya and risks provoking a humanitarian crisis," UNSMIL said in a statement.

"Any obstruction of vital infrastructure, such as the Man-Made River, is a violation of international human rights and humanitarian law and is particularly reprehensible when committed to extort political concessions," the statement said.

The Mission described the obstruction of the water system as similar to a form of collective punishment of people, demanding that all perpetrators be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

UNSMIL reiterated that access to water and water supply should never be politicised, urging all actors to "work in the national interest of Libya and all people in Libya to ensure the water supply is resumed immediately and that water infrastructure is both respected and protected."

An armed group stormed the control center of the system and forced workers to shut down the water supply, according to the Man-Made River system administration. The group was pressing for the release of a former intelligence chief. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 10:40:21|Editor: huaxia

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A Dhaka-bounded ferry is seen packed with travellers in Munshiganj on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on July 31, 2021. (Xinhua)

After posting a loss of around 2.33 billion U.S. dollars due to the pandemic, tourist destinations in Bangladesh are allowed to reopen at half of their capacities from Aug. 19, a move trying to save millions of people involved in the sector.

DHAKA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Clubs and community centers, resorts as well as recreational facilities across Bangladesh reopened to tourists on Thursday, after having remained closed for months in phases since last year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bangladeshi government on Aug. 12 decided to allow tourist destinations to reopen at half of their capacities from Aug. 19, asking everyone to follow the health guidelines.

Bangladesh's Cabinet Division made the announcement, directing relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the government-issued health safety protocols, including wearing masks outdoors.

Photo taken on July 4, 2021 shows a pedicab driver having lunch on a street in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. (Xinhua)

The announcement came after Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) demanded reopening of tourist spots to save millions involved in the sector.

Md Rafeuzzaman, the TOAB president, recently in a press conference said the sector had to incur a loss of around 200 billion taka (around 2.33 billion U.S. dollars) due to the pandemic since last year.

He said the pandemic has created untold suffering to some four million people involved in the country's tourism industry.

The resurgence in COVID-19 cases since June prompted the government to enforce the latest lockdown that began on July 1 and continued till July 14.

Bangladesh re-imposed the lockdown from July 23 to Aug. 10 in phases after relaxing restrictions for a week on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha festival which fell on July 21.

Instead of imposing again lockdown, Bangladesh since last month strengthened COVID-19 vaccination drive in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country thanks largely to the Chinese government's vaccine support so far.

A medical staff inoculates a man with a dose of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 18, 2021. (Xinhua)

To further strengthen the countrywide vaccination drive, Bangladesh Monday signed an agreement on co-production of the Chinese Sinopharm doses locally.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between China's Sinopharm Group, Bangladesh's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Incepta Vaccine Ltd., a leading local vaccine manufacturing company.

Bangladeshi Health Minister Zahid Maleque Monday said the Bangladesh government is in need for 260 million doses of vaccine to bring 80 percent of its population under vaccination to control the pandemic outbreak.

Bangladesh reported 6,566 new COVID-19 cases and 159 new deaths on Thursday, making the tally at 14,47,210 and death toll at 24,878, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said.

Bangladesh recorded the highest daily new cases of 16,230 on July 28 and the highest number of deaths of 264 twice on Aug. 5 and 10.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-20 22:57:44|Editor: huaxia

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An artist paints at a studio during a charitable art symposium in the resort city of New Alamein, Matrouh province, Egypt, on Aug. 17, 2021. At the crystal beaches of Egypt's Mediterranean tourist resort city of New Alamein, a charitable art symposium brought together dozens of painters from different countries to hold discussions, in addition to raising funds for children with special needs. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Ahmed Shafiq

NEW ALAMEIN, Egypt, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- At the crystal beaches of Egypt's Mediterranean tourist resort city of New Alamein, a charitable art symposium brought together dozens of painters from different countries to hold discussions, in addition to raising funds for children with special needs.

Dubbed Artmarsana, the week-long event, which kicked off on Tuesday, is organized by Egypt's Omar Saada City in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture. It gathers 40 painters from 25 countries, including China.

"The symposium aims to raise awareness of the importance of art in defending the rights and causes of people with special needs, founder of Omar Saada City and head of the symposium, Yasser Ragab, told Xinhua.

When it comes to art, he said, no one pays attention to colors, genders, nationalities, religions, or social status differences, adding that "art is a message of inspiration that feeds every soul."

In addition to live painting by the beach, artists also hold daily discussions and workshops to share their ideas amid a lively atmosphere at the seaside outdoor painting studio.

Furthermore, an exhibition will be held by the end of the symposium where the artists' paintings will be sold and the revenues of their works will go to Omar Saada City, an Egyptian foundation that cares for children with special needs.

"One of the goals behind holding this event is providing funds for children with special needs through selling the works the 40 artists painted during the symposium... our dream is bigger than this event, we plan to turn this symposium into an annual festival for all kinds of arts from different cultures," Ragab revealed.

In addition to the human message, the symposium also helps artists from different schools and backgrounds meet in one place where they can share ideas and work jointly, Ragab said.

The idea of joining the symposium was received warmly by the artists who expressed high willingness to participate.

Doaa Alaa, an Egyptian artist from Cairo, said the symposium is a platform where she can share her ideas about helping people with disabilities through painting.

"Helping people with special needs has been the case that I always wanted to demonstrate in many of my works since I was a college student," Alaa told Xinhua as she cleaned her brushes after a long day of painting by the beach.

She expressed happiness that the idea of helping the "differently-abled" people through art has been tackled, adding that art should always be used to address human cases.

Alaa also said that the symposium is unique because it managed to bring together many painters from different countries and cultures to work together.

"It is the first time to be surrounded by such a big number of artists who have different painting styles... this is very inspiring," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:03:17|Editor: huaxia

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A volunteer checks information of a COVID-19 vaccine recipient at a vaccination site in Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 20, 2021. The South African government began vaccinating people aged 18 to 34 from Friday. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Friday warned that people should be vigilant against the virus as new cases began increasing in the past seven days.

"The worrying trend for South Africans is that over the last seven days there has been an 18.2 percent increase in new infections compared to the previous seven days," he said during a virtual media briefing, noting the rising cases over the past week was the reason the National Coronavirus Command Council and the Cabinet decided to keep South Africa at lockdown level three.

He said while new cases were down in Gauteng, they were picking up in other provinces.

"This battle is not yet over, the third wave stubbornly remains in our midst with the resurgence moving decisively from Gauteng to the coastal provinces," he said. "It is now picking up again driven largely by the Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape."

South Africa had recorded the highest COVID-19 cases in Africa at 2,624,254 as of Wednesday.

Phaahla said at least 13,900 people were currently being hospitalized, with 7,113 in public hospitals. The 4 percent decrease in hospitalization was a positive sign in the battle against the virus.

"It means less pressure on our hospitals facilities and medical staff," he said.

The government began vaccinating people aged 18 to 34 from Friday.

Over 10 million people have received vaccines so far. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:25:39|Editor: huaxia

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addresses a high-level event to mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism via a video link, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Aug. 20, 2021. Guterres on Friday pledged the world body's support for victims of terrorism. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday pledged the world body's support for victims of terrorism.

"The United Nations will continue to support member states' efforts to address the needs of victims of terrorism," he told a high-level event to mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, which falls on Aug. 21.

"I look forward to learning how we can advance these efforts, and to hearing directly from victims about their needs and challenges, during the first-ever Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, which we still intend to hold at the United Nations in 2022."

Remembrance means honoring those who have lost their lives. It also means looking forward and understanding our responsibility to prevent more deaths. This is why the United Nations is committed to preventing terrorism, including by addressing conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and supporting efforts to hold terrorists accountable for the suffering they have caused, he said.

"On this International Day, let us stand with the victims of terrorism. Let us listen to those who so often feel unheard. Let us act every day to uphold their rights. And let us ensure that we do everything we can to prevent more victims of terrorism," Guterres said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 01:11:34|Editor: huaxia

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A medical worker administers a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to a recipient in Casablanca, Morocco, on Aug. 20, 2021. Morocco announced on Friday 8,216 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the North African country to 799,775. (Photo by Chadi/Xinhua)

RABAT, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Morocco announced on Friday 8,216 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally of infections in the North African country to 799,775.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased by 8,671 to 707,143.

The death toll rose to 11,587 with 115 new fatalities, while 2,406 people are in intensive care units.

Meanwhile, a total of 17,220,526 people have received their first vaccine shots against COVID-19 in the country, while 12,810,014 have taken two doses.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccine. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 01:32:55|Editor: huaxia

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A damaged vehicle is seen at the blast site in Gwadar district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Aug. 20, 2021. Two children were killed and three others including a Chinese national were injured in the suicide attack, a Pakistani government official said. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two children were killed and three others including a Chinese national were injured in a suicide attack in Gwadar district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Friday, a Pakistani government official said.

The Chinese embassy in Pakistan confirmed that a Chinese national was injured in the suicide blast.

Spokesperson of the Balochistan government Liaquat Shahwani said on Twitter that a suicide bomber attacked a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in Gwadar.

The spokesperson said two children who were playing nearby died while three others sustained injuries, including a Chinese national.

Local media quoting police reported that the attack took place at the expressway near the Baloch Ward area in the district.

Police, security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site, shifted the bodies and the injured to a local hospital.

Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

Shahwani condemned the attack, adding that police and teams of counter-terrorism department are at the site and are investigating the attack.

No group has claimed the attack yet. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 02:56:17|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The imposition of external values on Afghanistan is an irresponsible policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday during a press conference following talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow.

"It is necessary to end the irresponsible policy of imposing one's external values from the outside, the desire to build democracies in other countries according to external principles, without taking into account historical, national or religious specificities and completely ignoring the traditions by which other peoples live," Putin said.

During a discussion of the current situation in Afghanistan and the consequences of the Taliban's takeover, Putin said it is necessary to prevent the collapse of the Afghan state.

He added it is completely counterproductive to impose new forms of government on the region, as such experiments only lead to the collapse of states and the destruction of political and social systems.

Putin said that while the Taliban have announced they are working toward establishing public order and are prepared to guarantee the safety of local residents and diplomatic missions, it is important that all of this is put into practice.

"It is especially important to prevent the movement of terrorist groups into the territory of states adjacent to Afghanistan, including under the guise of refugees," he added.

Merkel in turn said that the situation in Afghanistan is very worrying and the international community must prevent the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan.

She also asked the Russian leader to raise the issue of humanitarian aid during future negotiations with the Taliban. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 04:18:04|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- About 1 billion children -- nearly half the world's 2.2 billion children -- live in 33 countries classified as "extremely high-risk" of the impacts of climate change, according to a report of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) launched Friday.

These children face a deadly combination of exposure to multiple climate and environmental shocks with a high vulnerability due to inadequate essential services, such as water and sanitation, health care, and education, says the report.

Children living in the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau are the most at risk, threatening their health, education, and protection, and exposing them to deadly diseases, it says.

Launched in collaboration with Fridays for Future, also known as School Strike for Climate, the report is the first comprehensive analysis of climate risk from a child's perspective.

It ranks countries based on children's exposure to climate and environmental shocks, such as cyclones and heatwaves, as well as their vulnerability to those shocks, based on their access to essential services.

"For the first time, we have a complete picture of where and how children are vulnerable to climate change, and that picture is almost unimaginably dire. Climate and environmental shocks are undermining the complete spectrum of children's rights, from access to clean air, food, and safe water; to education, housing, freedom from exploitation, and even their right to survive. Virtually no child's life will be unaffected," said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director.

The report finds that 240 million children are highly exposed to coastal flooding; 330 million children are highly exposed to riverine flooding; 400 million children are highly exposed to cyclones; 600 million children are highly exposed to vector-borne diseases; 815 million children are highly exposed to lead pollution; 820 million children are highly exposed to heatwaves; 920 million children are highly exposed to water scarcity; 1 billion children are highly exposed to exceedingly high levels of air pollution.

While nearly every child around the world is at risk from at least one of these climate and environmental hazards, the data reveal the worst-affected countries face multiple and often overlapping shocks that threaten to erode development progress and deepen child deprivations.

An estimated 850 million children -- one in three worldwide -- live in areas where at least four of these climate and environmental shocks overlap. As many as 330 million children -- one in seven worldwide -- live in areas affected by at least five major shocks.

The report also reveals a disconnect between where greenhouse gas emissions are generated and where children are enduring the most significant climate-driven impacts. The 33 "extremely high-risk" countries collectively emit just 9 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Conversely, the 10 highest emitting countries collectively account for nearly 70 percent of global emissions. Only one of these countries is ranked as "extremely high-risk."

"Climate change is deeply inequitable. While no child is responsible for rising global temperatures, they will pay the highest costs. The children from countries least responsible will suffer most of all," said Fore. "But there is still time to act. Improving children's access to essential services, such as water and sanitation, health, and education, can significantly increase their ability to survive these climate hazards. UNICEF urges governments and businesses to listen to children and prioritize actions that protect them from impacts, while accelerating work to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 04:50:22|Editor: huaxia

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GENEVA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The situation across Afghanistan remained extremely fluid and bolstered support for the humanitarian response inside Afghanistan was urgently needed, said UN officials on Friday.

Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said at a press briefing here that while widespread fighting had decreased since the takeover of the country by the Taliban on Sunday, the full impact of the evolving situation was not yet clear.

The vast majority of Afghans were not able to leave the country through regular channels, Mantoo said, adding that some 200 UNHCR colleagues, both national and international, remained in Afghanistan.

"UNHCR was working with 18 local non-government partners with some 900 staff throughout the country. At present, they were able to access all provinces and working in two-thirds of all districts," she said.

Mantoo told reporters that 550,000 people had been forcibly displaced inside Afghanistan this year, but there were also 2.9 million internally displaced persons from prior crises, and 2.6 million Afghans who had fled worldwide over the past decades.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), said at the press briefing that WHO was also committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services.

At the start of 2021, he said, half the population of Afghanistan, including more than four million women and nearly ten million children, already needed humanitarian assistance.

"One-third of the population was facing acute food insecurity and more than half of all children under five years of age were malnourished. The current drought was expected to elevate those figures," he said.

According to the WHO spokesperson, most major health facilities in Afghanistan were functional, and health workers had been called to return to, or remain at their posts, including female health staff. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 05:05:28|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Six paramilitary Hashd Shaabi members were killed and four others wounded on Friday in an attack by militants of extremist Islamic State (IS) group in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, a source with the Iraqi Interior Ministry said.

The incident took place in the evening when IS militants detonated a roadside bomb near a Hashd Shaabi vehicle in Tarmiyah area, some 30 km north of Baghdad, sparking a clash between the Hashd Shaabi members and IS militants, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

During the past months, IS militants have intensified their attacks on the Iraqi security forces in the province the militants had previously controlled, leaving dozens dead and wounded.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since Iraqi security forces defeated the IS militants in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted into urban areas or deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 05:56:15|Editor: huaxia

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MANAMA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain will assist in transfering the Afghans fleeing their country to other nations, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

Bahrain is closely following the domestic situation of Afghanistan, which is now under the control of the Taliban, the ministry said, adding that it hopes "all parties will commit to stabilizing the internal situation and protecting the lives of civilians."

Earlier this week, Bahrain's foreign minister consulted with the Gulf states concerning the developments in Afghanistan. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 07:21:42|Editor: huaxia

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Ji Bingxuan, vice chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over an oath-taking ceremony held by the 13th NPC Standing Committee to pledge allegiance to the Constitution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Tao)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 09:01:58|Editor: huaxia

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TEHRAN, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran registered on Friday 28,833 new COVID-19 cases, taking the national count to 4,616,516, according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education.

The countrywide death toll now hits 100,810, after 555 new deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, the ministry said in a briefing.

Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries now stands at 3,868,196, while 7,587 remain in intensive care units.

As of Friday, 16,378,331 people have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the country, while 5,427,548 have taken two doses.

Nader Tavakoli, vice president for Clinical Affairs at Iran University of Medical Sciences, said the delivery of the third doses or booster doses is on Iran's agenda, state TV reported.

Iranian medical staff who were inoculated in March will be the first to receive it, Tavakoli added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 10:48:54|Editor: huaxia

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SANTIAGO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chile received Friday a new shipment of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac.

The shipment, which was delivered at the Santiago international airport, will allow more people to receive vaccination, said Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza.

The Chinese vaccine was approved for emergency use in Chile earlier this year by the Public Health Institute, based on the recommendations of the committee of experts convened for the evaluation of vaccines against the virus, which indicated its use for people over 18 years of age.

Chile has received more than 31.4 million doses from various laboratories, with 6.2 million doses having arrived since July 22.

Some 84 percent of Chile's target population has been fully vaccinated, while nearly 90 percent of the target population has received at least a first dose, according to the government. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 10:54:20|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

The international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.



BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on Sunday, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with British First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or more chaos.

It also shows that governance imposed from the outside has not been supported by the Afghan people, and lacks a social foundation, Wang said, adding that relying on military intervention to solve regional hotspot issues will lead nowhere.

Wang said the international community should fully respect the independence and sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of its people, conduct more dialogue and provide more guidance, refrain from a predetermined mindset and exceeding one's duties to meddle in the affairs of other countries and not turn Afghanistan into an arena of geopolitical games.

Taliban fighters are seen in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

Raab agreed that the international community should sum up experience and lessons from Afghanistan, saying that the country should not become an epicenter of terrorism once again.

The international community should cooperate on the issue of Afghan refugees, Raab said, noting that Britain has announced that it will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees and is ready to increase humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in support of the United Nations in helping the neighboring countries of Afghanistan accept Afghan refugees.

On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press briefing that China hopes the Afghan Taliban can follow through on its positive statements, unite with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, establish a broadly-based, inclusive political framework that fits the national conditions and win public support through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies.

Meanwhile, Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Thursday called for efforts to continue to fight terrorism in Afghanistan in order to prevent it from again becoming a paradise for terrorists.

Taliban fighters stand beside the belongings of Afghan security soldiers in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 16, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

For 20 years since the war on terror in Afghanistan started, the threat of terrorism has not been eliminated. Instead, the number of terrorist organizations in the country has increased from a single digit to more than 20 with close to 10,000 foreign terrorists in the country, Dai warned.

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Putin and Macron noted the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians and addressing pressing humanitarian challenges, the Kremlin said in a press release.

They expressed a willingness to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan through cooperation, including efforts within the framework of the United Nations Security Council and the Group of 20.

During the talks between Putin and Draghi, both sides underlined the significance of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the safety of the Afghan people.

Putin and Draghi stressed the need to further counter the spread of terrorist ideology and deal with the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The leaders called for consolidating international efforts to help establish peace and stability in the country.

Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a view in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of U.S.-led military troops, the Group of Seven (G7) on Thursday sought to secure close cooperation in personnel evacuation and the resettlement of refugees.

The foreign ministers of the G7 as well as the high representative of the European Union met online and "spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days," according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The G7 will continue efforts to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport, the ministers concurred during Thursday's meeting, which set the stage for a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan early next week.

At the same time, the blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden (C) delivering remarks on Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing. I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Since the U.S. troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield. During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

After the takeover of the capital city, the Taliban said Tuesday it intends to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 14:44:04|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, political chief of Afghanistan's Taliban, said the Taliban intends to have economic and trade ties with all countries around the world.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants diplomatic and trade ties with all countries, particularly with the United States of America," Baradar wrote on social media platform twitter on Saturday.

Baradar denied media reports that the Taliban has not intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with the United States.

"We never talk about cut of trade ties with any countries. Rumor about this news has been a propaganda. It is not true," he said.

Earlier in the day, unconfirmed reports said Baradar has arrived in Kabul from southern Kandahar to conduct consultation with Afghan leaders about the creation of a new government. He returned to Kandahar from Doha, capital of the Gulf state of Qatar on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they intended to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 15:30:02|Editor: huaxia

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Ismail Sabri Yaakob waves to the media as he leaves his residence for the national palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Aug. 21, 2021. Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in as Malaysia's new prime minister on Saturday. (Malaysia's Department of Information/Handout via Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ismail Sabri Yaakob, former deputy prime minister, was sworn in on Saturday as the new prime minister of Malaysia.

TV live-broadcast showed Ismail Sabri, wearing traditional Malay clothes, took the oath of office in front of Malaysia's King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah at the national palace.

Ismail Sabri, 61, is the vice president of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and had served in the cabinet of previous Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin as defense minister before being appointed as deputy prime minister in July.

He has received backing from his own party UMNO and other parties in Muhyiddin's government, which gave him the simple majority in the lower house of the parliament.

In a statement on Friday, the national palace said Ismail Sabri received backings of 114 out of the 220 members of the lower house of the parliament which given him the confidence of the parliamentary majority to form the government, hence Sultan Abdullah agreed to appoint him as prime minister in accordance with the constitution.

According to Malaysia's constitution, the King shall appoint a prime minister who in his judgment is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the lower house. The constitution also stipulates that if the prime minister ceases to command the majority, the prime minister shall tender resignation of the cabinet unless at his request the King dissolves the parliament.

Ismail Sabri is succeeding Muhyiddin who resigned on Monday after losing majority support in the lower house of the parliament.

Before Ismail Sabri's appointment, Sultan Abdullah instructed any new prime minister being appointed shall seek a confidence vote in the lower house of the parliament as soon as possible to prove the support of the majority. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 16:31:57|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- This summer vacation, Guo Qile, a third-grader in east China's city of Shanghai, attended classes almost every day. Despite this, Guo enjoyed it a lot.

"The teachers are so nice, and I have many friends here to play with. I'm having so much fun!" Guo said.

What Guo attends is actually a daycare program initiated by a local community. In Shanghai, these programs are offered in the entire city this summer vacation.

In 2021, with the support of the Chinese government, summer vacation daycare is booming. Many students went back to school during this summer vacation - not for regular classes but for activities such as watching films, group games, and painting.

FAVORABLE POLICIES

Summer vacation daycare, a new option for busy parents, became a trend this year after Chinese education authorities mobilized to offer more choices for school-age students during their summer vacation.

In early July, the Ministry of Education issued a notice asking local authorities to encourage qualified schools to provide these childcare services.

Solid progress was made in many places, including Shanghai, for example. From July 5 to Aug. 13, 543 daycare programs were set up across the municipality, benefitting nearly 40,000 students. Among the programs, 407 were held on school campuses.

Similar programs have been in place for years in many areas with encouragement from local education departments.

Since 2017, the Jiyang District of Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, has set up public welfare summer childcare courses. The courses have been well received by parents, many of whom are migrant workers with no time to look after their children, said an official with the district's education bureau.

ADDRESSING PARENTS' NEEDS

"Small children aren't able to look after themselves, and we parents find it unnerving to leave them alone at home," said Li Yan, a parent from Shandong Province.

From Li's perspective, daycare programs provided by schools are a great solution for parents who have such worries.

To meet the needs of more parents, the scale of the childcare program in the Jiyang District has expanded year by year, with the number of students participating increasing from 600 in the first year to more than 2,600 this year.

The country's education authorities have stipulated that daycare programs ought to be, in their nature, a public service that doesn't create financial burdens for parents. Organizers across the country have strictly adhered to this principle.

For instance, in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, a summer vacation daycare service is provided at a reasonable price of 50 yuan per day. Students from families with financial difficulties can attend daycare courses for free.

POOLING EFFORTS OF SOCIETY

With daycare programs gaining popularity, daycare program organizers are pooling society's efforts to boost the quality of the services they provide.

In Shanghai, this summer, more than 12,000 college student volunteers were recruited, and each of them attends to no more than five children. Thus, all children can receive adequate attention and care.

For the future development of vacation-time daycare services, there is still room for improvement, experts said.

"Organizers of daycare programs should be familiar with the traits of students at different ages and understand what they need most," said Yao Zongling, the headmaster of a middle school in Tai'an, Shandong Province.

Yao proposed dividing children into different groups based on their age and abilities and design courses accordingly, instead of organizing one-size-fits-all activities.

In the meantime, having their children attending daycare programs doesn't mean parents are free of responsibilities, said Lyu Yugang, an official with the Ministry of Education. He called on parents to balance their children's daycare hours and leisure hours. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 17:06:45|Editor: huaxia

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-- "I think much of the sanctions are done for political reasons. But it has no effect, and it's just a waste of time. And as far as businesses are concerned, it means nothing to us, absolutely nothing," says U.S. businessman Jim Thompson.

-- "It (the national security law) has some long-term, very positive effects, in my view, in order to maintain stability," says Richard Cullen, a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong.

-- "The work environment in Hong Kong is still great, especially for young people who want to do finance. I like to see myself in Hong Kong for a long period," said Stefano Dell'Erba, a project manager in an investment firm.

by Xinhua writers Fang Dong, Kong Weiyi

HONG KONG, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong has regained peace and order with a landmark national security law enacted over a year ago.

Xinhua recently interviewed three foreign residents. While differing in age, profession and background, they are unanimous that no matter what happened over the past years, including the social unrest and COVID-19, Hong Kong's charm has not been diminished and the city is still attractive to dream chasers looking for an opportunity to spread their wings.





HONG KONG, MY HOME

"I will stay here. I am not going anywhere. This is my home," said U.S. businessman Jim Thompson, who has operated a business in Hong Kong for more than 50 years.

Thompson, chairman of logistics company Crown Worldwide Group, set up his company in Japan in 1965. Thirteen years later, he moved the group's headquarters to Hong Kong and has remained committed to the city ever since.

"We haven't found any place that's better to operate in than Hong Kong," he said.

U.S. businessman Jim Thompson is seen during an interview with Xinhua in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

Thanks to Hong Kong's extensive business network, Thompson's company is able to expand more easily into the rest of Asia, especially the Chinese mainland.

"Hong Kong is so much more attractive for many reasons, particularly because it is part of China. And the opportunities in China are just going to be enormous for international companies," he said.

Over the last decades, Thompson has witnessed how the city has always survived and thrived.

"I've seen lots of ups and downs, the Asian financial crisis, the SARS epidemic, the global financial crisis and some political disturbances. But in every case, Hong Kong adapts very quickly to whatever the new issue is, and always comes back and got stronger and stronger each time," he said.

Knowing the place longer and better than many, Thompson is a believer in Hong Kong's future.

Responding to the so-called U.S. sanctions on Hong Kong and the latest warning about doing business here, Thompson said such moves are ridiculous. "I think much of the sanctions are done for political reasons. But it has no effect, and it's just a waste of time. And as far as businesses are concerned, it means nothing to us, absolutely nothing."





CORNERSTONE FOR PROSPERITY

Foreigners used to come to Hong Kong for a three to five-year stint but decades later many are still here. Richard Cullen is one of them.

Cullen, 73, is a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong. He moved here 30 years ago and has since spent most of his time in Hong Kong, apart from brief returns to Australia.

"I originally came like for two years. Here I am about 30 years later, still here," he said.

Richard Cullen, a visiting professor at the University of Hong Kong, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

During his stay, Cullen has experienced a number of major events in Hong Kong, but none shocked him as much as the 2019 chaos.

"If I look back to 2019, it is the most frightening period in my life on a continuing basis that I have ever experienced in Hong Kong or anyway," he said, recalling the dark time when the rule of law and freedom were in jeopardy. His work and life were also adversely affected.

"We had to end Friday night classes, because the fear was the students would not be able to get home," he said. Eventually, all teaching ceased on campus.

Nearly two years have passed, Cullen still thinks of those tumultuous days from time to time. But the national security law has ended the chaos and violence and people have regained their peaceful lives.

"It (the national security law) has some long-term, very positive effects, in my view, in order to maintain stability," he said.

The law professor disagrees with those who allege freedom and human rights are eroded. "In terms of actual freedom, there is much more now than there was in 2019," he said.

In the eyes of Cullen, the rule of law is one of the cornerstones of Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, which is now respected and practiced again.

"I will continue to live here. Now that stability and safety are being restored," he said.





THE REAL HONG KONG

Seven years ago, with a longing for the mysterious East, 26-year-old Stefano Dell'Erba came to China.

Dell'Erba grew up in Italy, but also studied and worked in the United States. "I saw Europe and also I went to the United States. I think life there is a little bit flat, especially if you're young," he said. "I was very curious about Asia and China. So that's why I decided to come here."

After living in Shenzhen for one year, Dell'Erba came to Hong Kong and immediately fell in love with the international metropolis.

Stefano Dell'Erba takes a walk in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 11, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

"My first impression of Hong Kong was the city is really great. Especially it's great for young people as it's very dynamic," said Dell'Erba, adding that the passion and energy of Hong Kong are particularly intriguing to dreamers. He loves to make new friends from all over the world and comes up with better business ideas.

Dell'Erba now works as a project manager in a small investment firm and part of his job is to look for global investors. "When we invite the investors to come over to Hong Kong, they always have a positive opinion because some of them basically don't expect to see such a development, such a very dynamic and international city," he said.

The stay in Hong Kong has introduced the young Italian to the Chinese culture and made him more aware of the West's ignorance, misunderstanding and even misinterpretation of Hong Kong affairs.

"I think in the Western societies or in the Western countries, people don't really have a knowledge or information about how is life in Hong Kong or in China," he said.

Referring to views on the national security law, Dell'Erba said every country has a national security law, so why some people are worried about such a law in China's Hong Kong?

In order to show the real Hong Kong to the outside world, Dell'Erba has hosted several shows on the Internet, inviting opinion leaders in Hong Kong to talk about a variety of issues, from "yellow" and "blue" political ecology to COVID-19 and the digital renminbi.

Photo taken on July 8, 2021 shows a view of a ferris wheel and the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Hong Kong, south China. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

Hong Kong has become the place where Dell'Erba has lived for the longest time except his hometown in Italy.

"The work environment in Hong Kong is still great, especially for young people who want to do finance. I like to see myself in Hong Kong for a long period," he said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporters Wu Xiaochu, Zhang Yichi, Chen Peiying, Huang Xitian also contributed to the story.) 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 17:46:18|Editor: huaxia

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Richard A. Black, the Schiller Institute's representative at the United Nations in New York, speaks during an interview in South Hackensack, New Jersey, the United States, on Aug. 20, 2021. There is a fulfillment of the United Nations (UN) Charter spirit in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said the long-time member of the Schiller Institute, a Germany-based political and economic think tank. (Xinhua/Zhang Mocheng)

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- There is a fulfillment of the United Nations (UN) Charter spirit in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said a long-time member of the Schiller Institute, a Germany-based political and economic think tank.

The UN Charter affirms the equal rights of all nations, no matter big or small, said Richard A. Black, the Schiller Institute's representative at the United Nations.

The BRI is an exemplar of the way in which a big nation like China can cooperate with "nations across Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, and treat them as equal partners, because the process is win-win," Black told Xinhua in an interview on Friday.

Black also sees the BRI as the great up-lifter of nations out of poverty in the 21st century while the Article 55 of UN Charter outlines that the "conditions of stability and well-being" among nations demand "higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development."

China's complete victory against absolute poverty is an astounding achievement for mankind and "it is one that I think is not appreciated enough at the UN organization," said Black.

Black noted that the Maritime Silk Road, one of the two arms of the BRI, is extremely important for world peace.

In the last weeks of tremendous turmoil and transition in Afghanistan, fertilizer has been coming into the port of Gwadar of Pakistan along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and making its way safely to farmers in Afghanistan, said Black.

"When we look at the Maritime Silk Road, it is a way of connecting the world land bridge through all the continents, a key component, and it is functioning quite well," Black said.

Chinese rebound in exports from the hit of the COVID-19 pandemic benefits from China's foresight in taking the long term approach embodied in BRI, according to Black.

The ability of China to bounce back so quickly after the horrendous pandemic, said Black, "was not only its very wise and strict public health measures applied universally to the population, but (also) that the basis of the BRI is very, very wise," said Black.

China's goods trade with countries and regions along the Belt and Road surged by 37.9 percent in the first half of 2021 year on year to reach 824.55 billion U.S. dollars, according to data issued by China's National Development and Reform Commission.

China has understood that the key to continued prosperity is advanced, energy-intense infrastructure, which transforms the entire economic process, added Black. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 18:13:05|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Aug. 22, 2021 shows the clean energy and new materials exhibition area of the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Energy cooperation has been highlighted at the fifth China-Arab States Expo in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Feng Kaihua)

YINCHUAN, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- While China pledges to achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060, Arab countries are also actively seeking energy transformation to avoid overreliance on fossil fuels.

As the two sides face similar tasks including ensuring energy security, energy cooperation has been highlighted at the ongoing fifth China-Arab States Expo in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

In 2020, Arab countries' crude oil exports to China accounted for 51.3 percent of China's total crude oil imports, making them China's most important source of crude oil imports, said Zhang Jianhua, head of China's National Energy Administration.

Chinese energy companies are also actively participating in power infrastructure construction in Arab countries. The State Grid Corporation of China has participated in a renovation project of Egypt's main power grid. Shanghai Electric took part in constructing a photovoltaic and photothermal hybrid power station in Dubai, he said.

"Over the past two decades we have seen China become the biggest trade partner and strategic external investor for many Arab and Gulf countries, especially in the energy sector," said Awaidha Murshed Ali Murshed Almarar, director of Energy Authority of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

"Now, with the international consensus that we must act to mitigate climate change, scaling up renewable energy adoption has become a global trend," he said.

Official data shows China ranks first globally in newly installed wind-power capacity and is also a global leader in the production and use of solar energy and hydropower.

By the end of 2020, more than 40 percent of China's installed power generation capacity came from renewable resources, supporting nearly one-third of the country's electricity consumption, data from the National Energy Administration showed.

Mohammad Abunayyan, chairman of ACWA POWER, an electricity and water company in Saudi Arabia said their relationship with China started in 2008. "It has been on investment, on Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) and on equipment supply and services focused at that time in the conventional power. Then we have been able to go to the renewable (energy)."

"China is willing to help Arab states speed up transformation toward low-carbon energy. We will help them develop and utilize wind and solar energy resources based on local conditions," Zhang Jianhua said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 19:39:59|Editor: huaxia

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HONG KONG, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported three new imported cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, taking the total tally to 12,052.

According to the CHP, a total of 45 cases have been reported in the past 14 days, including one untraceable local case and an import-related case, with the rest imported.

Since the launch of a government inoculation program in late February, around 3.88 million people, or 57.7 percent of the eligible population, have taken at least one shot of the vaccine in Hong Kong, while around 3.06 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Secretary for the Civil Service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government Patrick Nip said Saturday that more than 7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine would have been administered as of Saturday night, adding that the vaccination rate for citizens aged above 12 who have received the first dose of the vaccine may reach 60 percent by next weekend. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 20:56:42|Editor: huaxia

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SANAA, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Fatimah Saleh was faced with a cruel and unlikely dilemma of whether or not to sell his cow, the only economic source of the family, to save his daughter from acute malnutrition.

"Of course, I love my daughter more than anything in the world," the 32-year-old Yemeni peasant said, visible pain written over his face.

"But the cow was the only source of my family. If I sell it, how do I in the future feed my family, my little Kaukab?" Saleh lamented, knowing that there were no viable choices for him, only worse ones.

Day by day, the situation of Kaukab, Saleh's 9-year-old daughter, was getting worse and worse. At a point, she became so weak that she could barely utter a word.

Eventually, Saleh made up his mind, sold the cow, and brought his daughter to the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa for treatment. Fortunately, after 11 days of treatment in the Al-Sabeeb Hospital, Kaukab looked much better than when she first checked in. She was lying on the bed with her beloved doll, energy and happiness returning to her watery eyes.

"Kauakab only began to recognize the people around her after two days of treatment," the girl's mother said.

"I am grateful that my girl has been saved. But I have to worry how I could feed my family when we return home because I sold the cow, the most valuable property of ours," Saleh said worriedly.

The malnutrition ward in Al-Sabeen Hospital, which was a primary medical center for treating malnourished children in Houthi-controlled Yemen, receives hundreds of malnourished children every month. Most of them come from remote villages, like Kaukab, where health services have been completely paralyzed.

"We have been living like this since the war began six years ago. It is always getting worse," Saleh said, when Kaukab was born, he hoped to give her a happy childhood, but now he could barely keep her alive.

Saleh is just one of the millions of Yemenis who have been corned with impossible choices amid the country's full-scale catastrophe. Every day, in every town, every village, there are people like Saleh who have to face excruciating dilemmas: some people have to choose between buying medicines for ailing family members and buying bread for the starving ones; some have to choose which of their children they want to save.

The United Nations describes the humanitarian crisis in Yemen as the worst on the planet, with hunger, acute malnutrition, epidemics, and economic blockade killing thousands of Yemen's children.

Save the Children, a humanitarian group, warned recently that the spike in food prices and collapse of the Yemeni Rial to historic lows in the past month are driving more children into poverty and hunger, with families unable to afford food in local markets.

The malnutrition rate among Yemeni children has soared to the highest level ever recorded as many children are surviving merely on bread and water.

"We have to go back to our home when Kaukab is cured because we can't afford life in Sanaa. But there is nothing left in our home. I don't know what to do. It's just one dilemma after another," said the Yemeni man. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 21:51:17|Editor: huaxia

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Russian President Vladimir Putin meets visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Kremlin, Moscow on Aug. 20, 2021. (Kremlin press release)

The talk was held as Merkel is nearing the end of her 16-year-long leadership of Germany.



MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday exchanged views over current situation in Afghanistan, Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, among other pressing issues of mutual and international concern.

The talk was held here as the German chancellor is nearing the end of her 16-year-long leadership of Germany.

WRONG TO IMPOSE OUTSIDE VALUES ON AFGHANISTAN

On the current situation in Afghanistan and Taliban's takeover, Putin said "imposing values from outside" upon the region was counterproductive and irresponsible and would only lead to negative consequences at a time when it was necessary to prevent the collapse of the Afghan state.

While the Taliban has claimed it will ensure order and stability in Afghanistan, Putin underscored the importance to prevent the movement of terrorist groups to adjacent regions.

The Russian president called on the international community to unite and support the Afghan people in seeking stability.

For her part, Merkel said the situation in Afghanistan was very worrying, urging the international community to prevent the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan.

She also asked the Russian side to raise the issue of humanitarian aid during future negotiations with the Taliban.

PROSPECTS FOR GAS TRANSIT THROUGH UKRAINE

On the developments related to the contentious Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the two leaders discussed the prospects for gas transit through Ukraine.

"We are ready to transit gas through the territory of Ukraine even after 2024," Putin said, adding that Russia need to get an answer from its European partners as to how much they are ready to buy.

"The transit contract will depend on the state of the Ukrainian gas transportation system," he added.

Putin reiterated that the Nord Stream 2 isn't a politically motivated project and warned against interpreting it in this manner, adding that the pipeline is nearing completion with only 15 km left to construct.

MAINTAINING PEACE IN LIBYA

"The international community should continue engaging in dialogue with all key political forces in Libya," Putin said, adding that this would help secure all the previous positive developments in relation to the Libyan peace process.

He also gave positive assessment of the results following the International Conference on Libya held in Berlin in January 2020.

Merkel in turn stressed that goals outlined during the Berlin conference on Libya needed to be achieved, and that it was necessary to make sure all foreign mercenaries would leave the country for the national government to be able to independently govern the state.

MERKEL'S FINAL VISIT AS CHANCELLOR

Putin praised the work of the German Chancellor over the past 16 years, adding that she was rightfully considered to be one of the most influential European leaders, and that Germany remains an important political and economic partner of Russia.

Despite the differences, Merkel said "it is a good thing that we talk to each other, and we intend to keep in touch and continue talking."

After meeting Putin, Merkel is scheduled to visit Kiev on Sunday to discuss security issues and bilateral ties with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 22:43:09|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- More than 20 Asian-American advocacy groups have jointly sent an open letter to U.S. President Joe Biden, urging him to pause an ongoing initiative of the Department of Justice targeting China.

The letter, released on Thursday, also called for an independent review on whether the program unfairly targeted individuals based on their race and ethnicity, urging Biden to "redouble" efforts to combat hate and violence against Asian Americans.

"The Initiative ostensibly aims to investigate and prosecute economic espionage and the theft of trade secrets," said the organizations, adding "However, in practical effect, the Initiative, which formally began under the previous Administration, subjects Asian American and Asian immigrant scientists and others -- particularly those of Chinese descent -- to racial profiling, surveillance and wrongful prosecutions, where no evidence of economic espionage or trade secret theft exists."

In the letter, the organizations said the Biden administration should "pause the Initiative's work, pending the results of an independent review to determine whether it unfairly targeted individuals based on their race, ethnicity, or ancestry."

In late July, nearly 100 members of Congress urged U.S. Attorney General Merrick Brian Garland to investigate the Justice Department's alleged racial profiling of Asians.

The so-called "China Initiative" was launched by the U.S. Justice Department in 2018 to probe trade secret theft and economic espionage activities considered threats to U.S. national security.

However, the initiative was widely criticized, according to U.S. media reports, as many scholars and scientists of Asian descent including Asian Americans involved in most of the cases were prosecuted wrongly or despite lack of evidence.

A study released by Johns Hopkins University showed that the initiative also requires 94 federal judicial districts to file at least one accusation regarding China annually.

In the meantime, the letter also expressed strong concerns over the Biden administration's order on a 90-day investigation into the origins of COVID-19 by the intelligence community, saying that the "sad but undeniable truth is that the simple existence of that report will put our communities at risk."

"As you well know, while most scientists agree that transmission via natural origins is a more likely explanation, the hypothesis that COVID originated from Chinese laboratory experiments has sparked a flurry of conspiracy theories that have been weaponized by politicians and pundits resulting in a false scapegoating of Asian Americans as somehow to blame for the pandemic," the letter continued.

The White House said in a statement on May 26 that Biden has asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts on the analysis of the origins of COVID-19 and report back to the president in 90 days. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 23:06:23|Editor: huaxia

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Afghan Taliban members are seen at a security checkpoint in Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 20, 2021. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

-- The Taliban said it intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with all countries around the world, including the United States.

-- A Taliban official denied reports that foreign nationals were kidnapped near the Kabul airport, where people still crowded amid U.S.-led evacuation efforts.

-- U.S. President Joe Biden once again defended his decision for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

KABUL, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban said on Saturday that it intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with all countries around the world, including the United States, while its political chief had reportedly arrived in Kabul to discuss the formation of a new government.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants diplomatic and trade ties with all countries, particularly with the United States of America," Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, political chief of Afghanistan's Taliban, wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Baradar denied media reports that the Taliban had not intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with the United States.

"We never talk about cutting trade ties with any countries. Rumor about this news has been a propaganda. It is not true," he said.

Earlier in the day, Baradar reportedly arrived in Kabul from southern Kandahar for consultations with Afghan leaders about the formation of a broad-based new government. He returned to Kandahar from Doha, capital of the Gulf state of Qatar on Tuesday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said they intended to form an inclusive government and did not want to have any internal or external enemies.

A Taliban member stands guard in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 21, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

In another development, a Taliban official denied reports that foreign nationals were kidnapped near the Kabul airport, where people still crowded amid U.S.-led evacuation efforts.

"The report about kidnapping is a rumor. The Taliban members are helping all foreign nationals to get access to the airport. We are determined to provide safe passage to all foreigners to get to the airport," Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesperson, told local media Eitlalatroz.

He said Taliban forces were escorting about 150 Indian citizens to safely enter the airport.

Following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan capital on Sunday, thousands of Afghans flocked to the Kabul airport to try to leave the country.

The evacuation flights were continuing as three flights took off on Saturday morning, Kabul resident Farhad Mohammadi said. Nearly 6,000 U.S. troops have been deployed at the airport to help with the civilian departure.

At least 12 people have been killed in gun shootings and stampedes in the airport since Sunday.

People work at a bakery in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, Aug. 21, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

The situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain after the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country. However, normalcy has been seemingly returning to Kabul.

"Security situation is better than the past, but fluctuation in the prices of food items in market is a matter of concerns for people and the Taliban has to check the prices as the people are poor and can't afford," Kabul resident Mukhtar Hayat told Xinhua.

He expressed delight over the improvement of situation as few crimes such as theft and robbery had been reported and there had been no bomb blast or suicide attack recently.

Meanwhile, Western nations have been scrambling to speed up evacuations from Afghanistan.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States has made "significant progress" and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since Aug. 14.

Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden (C) delivering remarks on Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The U.S. president once again defended his decision for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

"Let's put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al-Qaida gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al-Qaida in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did," Biden said in a televised speech from the White House on Friday.

Biden, who has been widely criticized on the botched pullout, said he has "seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world."

"And all our allies have agreed with that ... everyone of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to end - jointly end - our involvement in Afghanistan," he said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-22 02:21:35|Editor: huaxia

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Video: Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang expressed his birthday wishes to giant panda Xiao Qi Ji at the Smithsonian's National Zoo via video. (Xinhua)

"You came into the world last year during the pandemic. At such a difficult time, your arrival and every bit of your growth have given us joy and hope. For us, you are a miracle," said Chinese Ambassador Qin Gang in a birthday message to giant panda Xiao Qi Ji.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Saturday expressed his birthday wishes to giant panda Xiao Qi Ji at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and sent him a birthday gift via video.

"Hello Xiao Qi Ji, as you turn one today, let me wish you a very happy and fabulous birthday," said Qin in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

Xiao Qi Ji, which literally means "little miracle," was born on Aug. 21, 2020 to giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

"You came into the world last year during the pandemic. At such a difficult time, your arrival and every bit of your growth have given us joy and hope. For us, you are a miracle," said Qin.

Over the past year, with care and support from both Chinese and Americans, Xiao Qi Ji has grown from a tiny cub to an energetic and curious panda, said the ambassador.

Photo taken on May 20, 2021 shows the giant panda cub "Xiao Qi Ji" (little miracle) during a media preview at Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

"You also made your public debut not long ago. People have been watching and sharing every step of your life journey and got excited about it. You have truly added a splash of color to the exchanges between Chinese and American peoples," said Qin.

The ambassador also shared a piece of good news: The number of pandas in the wild in China is increasing. Forty years ago, there were only 1,100 pandas in the wild, but now there are 1,800. They are not "endangered" anymore, yet they will continue to be protected, Qin added.

The cooperation between China and the United States on the protection of giant pandas started in 1972. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived in the United States in 2000. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-11 10:08:37|Editor: huaxia

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Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses the commemoration ceremony of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces Day at the State House in Harare, Zimbabwe, Aug. 10, 2021. In a speech to mark the 41st anniversary of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces Day on Tuesday, Mnangagwa applauded the men and women of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) for their dedication to the fight against the pandemic. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

HARARE, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday commended the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) for its role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a speech to mark the 41st anniversary of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces Day on Tuesday, Mnangagwa applauded the men and women of the ZDF for their dedication to the fight against the pandemic.

"The ZDF has joined the fight against the pandemic through enforcement of lockdowns, secondment of health personnel to assist in the management of confirmed cases as well as the national vaccination program," Mnangagwa said, highlighting the ZDF's unwavering willpower, expert contribution and resolve.

He also praised the ZDF for safeguarding the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, saying the forces continue to play their part in the implementation of multi-dimensional policies with regard to a speedy recovery, modernization, industrialization, as well as equitable and sustainable development of Zimbabwe.

"Going forward, we must therefore consolidate the prevailing peace dividend and pull together in one direction as principled compatriots in building the Zimbabwe we all want," Mnangagwa said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-17 03:25:57|Editor: huaxia

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Yaregal Bante, director general of the National Blood Bank Service, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 16, 2021. (Photo by Michael Tewelde/Xinhua)

ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Asegash Gossa, 56, is one of the few regular voluntary blood donors in Ethiopia, where the practice of blood donation has demonstrated steady progress.

Gossa has donated blood a staggering number of 81 times, each time she donated 450 ml and is regarded as a "hero" at the Ethiopian National Blood Bank Service where she works as a nurse and communication officer.

Gossa's regular voluntary blood donation started in 1992 when she was approached by a disheartened man who wanted to donate blood to his wife who suffered from postpartum hemorrhage.

"It was a heartbreaking moment when the man said his wife was nearing to die due to bleeding after giving a birth at Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa," said Gossa, who donated blood on the man's behalf and has since then become a regular donor.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that 1 percent of a country's population should donate blood to meet the national demand. Accordingly, about 1.1 million Ethiopians are expected to be regular blood donors, said Yaregal Bante, director general of the National Blood Bank Service in a recent interview with Xinhua.

In Ethiopia, blood donation service began in 1969 by an Israeli doctor along with members of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.

Prior to 2011, the blood bank had used a 'replacement donor' system whereby a family member of a recipient donates blood in exchange of the same volume of blood in the bank. After 2011, the bank has been collecting blood on a voluntary basis and managed to get 288,000 donors on average every year, each donating 350 ml to 450 ml of blood, Bante said.

According to Bante, the bank distributes the collected blood to 80 state-run and 17 privately-run hospitals through its 43 branches across the country.

Matias Tesfaye, 11, is one of the thousands of regular blood recipients in the Black Lion Hospital, Ethiopia's main referral hospital, where up to 80 percent of the national blood transfusion exercise takes place.

Tesfaye, who suffers from Aplastic anemia, a rare disorder in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells, receives blood every three days.

"My son would have not been saved, had it not been for the blood transfusion treatment in the hospital," said Meseret Fituma, Tesfaye's mother who spoke to Xinhua recently.

"Tesfaye needs to undergo bone marrow transplantation every three days to help him stay alive," said Beweketu Getnet, a coordinator in the Hospital's Specialized Cancer Center Laboratory.

According to the coordinator, Tesfaye has received a total of 60 units of red blood cells and 1,000 units of platelets; each unit has a volume of 50 ml since he was admitted in June 2018.

"It is like an expensive medicine," said Fituma, who wished long and healthy lives to all voluntary blood donors.

The donated blood is saving lives of thousands of patients who suffer from different types of cancers and car accidents among others, said Getnet, the coordinator.

Contrary to WHO's estimation, the majority of the donated blood in Ethiopia is used by mothers who suffer from postpartum hemorrhage, according to Yaregal Bante, the director general of the National Blood Bank Service.

"In a country like ours, 54 percent of the donated blood is used by recipients ranging from 15 to 44 years old. 71 percent of them are women," Bante said. "We supply blood to patients who are in critical condition, to victims who are bleeding due to accidents; to mothers suffering from bleeding after giving birth and newborn babies requiring blood transfusion."

Even if the bank falls short of meeting WHO's recommendation, it has managed to achieve the country's demand for blood transfusion purposes, Bante said.

Women seem more willing to donate blood than men despite the limitations that affect their donation rate due to delivery and breastfeeding.

Things are changing. Nurselam Shiferaw is another volunteer who spoke to Xinhua as a beginner blood donor in the National Blood Bank Service in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. He said he was donating blood to help those patients who suffered from injury amid ongoing conflict in the northern part of the country.

"If you go to hospitals, you see many people dying from lack of blood. The number of people who are victims of traffic, manmade and natural accidents is increasing. Hence, I consider donating blood to the needy is not a big deal," Shiferaw said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-18 09:08:02|Editor: huaxia

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TRIPOLI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Libya on Tuesday announced plans to reopen its border crossing and resume flights with neighboring Tunisia.

Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah issued instructions to the interior minister and transportation minister on the resumption of movement between the two countries, while stressing the need to take protective measures against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to government sources.

Earlier in July, Libya closed its border with Tunisia amid rising COVID-19 infections due to the Delta variant.

The Libyan government recently launched an "exceptional" vaccination campaign against COVID-19, where people above the age of 18, whether Libyans or foreigners, can go to temporary vaccination centers for inoculation.

The country's total caseload now stands at 286,894, including 208,551 recoveries and 3,956 deaths, said the National Center for Disease Control.

A total of 882,844 people have been vaccinated in Libya so far, the center added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-19 00:46:55|Editor: huaxia

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ACCRA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Ghana-China Friendship Association presented a citation of honor to the 10th batch of the Chinese medical team to Ghana for its contribution to the West African country's health sector on Wednesday, a day before the Chinese Doctor's Day.

Benjamin Anyagre, General Secretary of the association, said at the presentation that the citation is a manifestation of their appreciation for the team's efforts in helping Ghanaians.

He said the Chinese doctors not only demonstrate their dedication to humanitarian aid in Ghana but bring valuable experience to their counterparts, especially in combating the COVID-19, which vastly benefit Ghana.

"They have proven that they are ready to help mankind, they have demonstrated it to us," he added.

Expressing gratitude to the association, Zhuang Shaohui, chief of the Chinese medical team, told Xinhua that the team, which consists of many top-notch doctors in various fields, has treated more than 2,000 Ghanaian patients since the beginning of the year.

"Despite a lack of medicine and equipment here, we completed many complicated surgeries and helped save many patients that are critically ill," said Zhuang.

She said that through daily medical practice, the team members also shared lots of experiences with their Ghanaian counterparts, which helped boost their capacities for conducting sophisticated operations.

Over the years, China has dispatched 10 medical teams to Ghana, which significantly helped boost its health sector. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:31:25|Editor: huaxia

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NAIROBI, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to promote domestic coffee consumption in order to reduce reliance on foreign markets, a government official said on Friday.

Lawrence Omuhaka, chief administrative secretary with Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Co-operatives, told journalists that out of the 45,000 metric tons produced annually in Kenya, only three percent is consumed locally while the remainder is mostly exported as a raw commodity to international markets.

"Kenya will promote a coffee drinking culture so that there is a growth of consumption of local produce from the current three percent to seven percent by the end of the year 2025," Omuhaka said during the launch of Kenyatta University coffee house in Kiambu county that was funded by International Coffee Organization (ICO) through the Inter-African Coffee Organization (IACO).

Omuhaka said that the east African nation has a very low figure for domestic coffee consumption as compared to other coffee producing countries.

He revealed that comparatively, other coffee growing countries such as Ethiopia, Brazil, Columbia and Guatemala consume much of their national production in any given year and this helps in employment creation and stabilization of the volatile global coffee price fluctuations.

The ministry of agriculture is also keen to reverse the slow growth of the lucrative domestic market for Kenyan coffee by promoting locally manufacturing of coffee making equipment through fabrication and patenting of coffee making machines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:57:50|Editor: huaxia

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JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The past three months have been brutal on women in South Africa as 10,006 people were raped between April and June 2021, according to statistics released on Friday in Pretoria.

"This is an increase of 4,201 cases, amounting to a 72.4 percent increase, compared to the skewed previous reporting period," Police Minister Bheki Cele said.

He said that comparing the two periods would leave the statistics distorted because of the hard lockdown in 2020, which severely restricted freedoms and movement, resulting in less crime.

According to the statistics, if the latest figures are compared with the same period in 2019, there has been a 2.8 percent increase in raping. Cele told the media that a sample of 5,439 rape cases showed that 3,766 of the rape incidents happened at the home of the victim or the home of the rapist while 487 cases were domestic violence-related.

The statistics revealed the Inanda police station in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by Delft in the Western Cape and Lusikisiki station in the Eastern Cape registering the highest number of rape cases in the country.

Between April and June, 5,760 people were killed during the same period. This represented a 66.2 percent increase in murder compared with the same period in 2020, or 6.7 percent if compared with the first quarter in 2019.

Cele said more than 2,500 people were killed in public spaces including open fields, parking areas, and abandoned buildings. More than 1,300 killings took place at the home of the victim.

Gender expert Lisa Vetten said the figures revealed an increase in violent crimes. She said while the police could do a lot of work to prevent serial rapes, preventing rapes in homes was more complicated.

She said issues with DNA forensic laboratories must be sorted out. "It's really worrying that there's been an increase in violent crimes," she told Xinhua.

Commenting on the stats, Javu Baloyi, spokesperson at the Commission for Gender Equality told Xinhua that the crime report was horrifying.

"These are alarming, we were hoping that the numbers would go down," he said, adding that the police should "prioritize" gender-based violence. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 04:19:16|Editor: huaxia

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KINSHASA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Young people living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are among those most at risk of the impacts of climate change, threatening their health, education, and protection, according to a UNICEF report launched Friday.

The report, titled "Climate Crisis Is a Child Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children's Climate Risk Index," ranks DRC ninth out of 33 countries globally, whose children are particularly exposed to air, soil and water pollution.

"Congolese children are well aware that climate change threatens their future, and they call on decision-makers to act now," said Edouard Beigbeder, the UNICEF representative in the DRC. "We must all act together in a concerted way to build a better world for all children."

In the DRC, the young people aged 0 to 24 years represent 67.4 percent of the Congolese population, of which 48.7 percent are children under 14 years. UNICEF is committed to helping Congolese youth take action to protect their future and their planet by raising their voices and participating in the effort to combat climate change and the preservation of their environment.

To support these advocacy efforts to preserve the environment, the child reporters trained by UNICEF produced a documentary titled "Young people and climate change," as well as a publication featuring their concerns around the environmental and climate challenges they face on a daily basis.

"We are the Congolese youth, and we are committed to defending the rights of the child for a more equal, fairer and more sustainable world," said Ketsia, 16, a child reporter trained by UNICEF in Kinshasa. "We have rights, and we intend to defend them! We want all generations to come together to re-imagine the world of tomorrow. We must act together for the good of all."

UNICEF also urged governments, businesses and relevant actors across the world to increase investment in climate adaptation and resilience in key services for children.

It also called on them to protect children, communities and the most vulnerable to the worst impacts of the already changing climate, adding that critical services must be adapted, including water, sanitation and hygiene systems, and health and education services. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 12:57:00|Editor: huaxia

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KHARTOUM, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Sudan on Friday vowed to support the efforts to achieve peace and stability in Somalia in cooperation with all Somali parties and the regional and international partners.

Sudan welcomed the recent agreement reached between the African Union (AU) Commission and the federal government of Somalia to extend the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), said Sudan's foreign ministry in a statement.

The ministry stressed AMISOM's important role in pushing the peace efforts in Somalia since its deployment.

The statement further pointed to the importance of supporting the federal government of Somalia to implement the national security strategy, conduct training and build the Somali security capabilities to actively contribute to ensuring sustainable security and stability in Somalia.

On Thursday, the AU announced that it reached a deal with the federal government of Somalia to extend the mandate of AMISOM which was established in 2007.

The AMISOM is set to gradually hand over the security responsibilities to the Somali security forces. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-22 00:14:30|Editor: huaxia

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A batch of Sinovac vaccine donated by China is seen at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport in Lome, Togo, Aug. 20, 2021. Togo has received the second batch of Sinovac vaccines donated by China, as part of the cooperation between the two countries to fight against the upsurge of COVID-19 cases. (Photo by Tian Yun/Xinhua)

LOME, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Togo has received the second batch of Sinovac vaccines donated by China, as part of the cooperation between the two countries to fight against the upsurge of COVID-19 cases.

Chinese Ambassador to Togo Chao Weidong and the Togolese Minister of Health Moustafa Mijiyawa received the vaccines at the Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport on Friday evening.

"In recent months, despite the huge demand for vaccines, we have mobilized all resources, and managed to ship to Togo two batches of the vaccine in less than four months," said Chao, noting that the donation is an illustration of China's solidarity with Togo in the face of the continued spread of the novel coronavirus.

"With this vaccine donation, we would like to support the efforts of the Togolese government to accelerate the vaccination campaign and build a Great Wall of immunity against the epidemic," said the Chinese ambassador.

Mijiyawa thanked China for the donation. Recalling that the last batch of vaccines donated by China had been deployed for the vaccination of students of two public universities in Togo, he noted that Togo would make good use of these vaccines.

Togo received on April 23 the first batch of Sinovac vaccines donated by China. So far, the West African country has reported 19,128 confirmed cases with a death toll of 172 since it recorded its first COVID-19 positive case on March 6, 2020. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-17 13:34:37|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's COVID-19 tally rose to 184,950 after 1,298 new cases had been registered over the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said Tuesday.

Four more deaths were reported, bringing the national count to 884, said the ministry.

So far, 62.2 percent of Mongolia's population has been fully vaccinated since the Asian country launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign in late February. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-18 14:14:43|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Lao National Assembly (NA) President Xaysomphone Phomvihane has asked Thailand to help Lao nationals working in the neighboring country overcome the COVID-19 crisis.

Xaysomphone made the proposal while holding talks with the speaker of the lower house of Thailand's Parliament, Chuan Leekpai, via videoconference on Tuesday.

The NA president also requested Chuan to push concerned sectors in Thailand to assist Lao workers, especially in facilitating their return to Laos, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.

Latest statistics show that more than 246,000 Lao workers have returned from Thailand since the pandemic began, with around 150,000 coming back in 2020.

A recent major outbreak of COVID-19 in Thailand over the past few months resulted in the cutting of many jobs and forcing hundreds of Lao workers to return home.

At least 30 percent of those who returned brought the coronavirus with them, ramping up pressure on Laos' efforts to contain the spread of infections.

During the talks, Xaysomphone thanked Thailand for helping Lao workers in the past and for providing medical equipment to support Laos' battle against the pandemic.

The two leaders said they highly valued the development of bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries, especially in economic relations, trade, investment, tourism, education and health.

The two sides agreed to push for the implementation of agreements signed by the two countries in past years for mutual benefits. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 09:25:26|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on Sunday, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with British First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or more chaos.

It also shows that governance imposed from the outside has not been supported by the Afghan people, and lacks a social foundation, Wang said, adding that relying on military intervention to solve regional hotspot issues will lead nowhere.

Wang said the international community should fully respect the independence and sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of its people, conduct more dialogue and provide more guidance, refrain from a predetermined mindset and exceeding one's duties to meddle in the affairs of other countries and not turn Afghanistan into an arena of geopolitical games.

Raab agreed that the international community should sum up experience and lessons from Afghanistan, saying that the country should not become an epicenter of terrorism once again.

The international community should cooperate on the issue of Afghan refugees, Raab said, noting that Britain has announced that it will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees and is ready to increase humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in support of the United Nations in helping the neighboring countries of Afghanistan accept Afghan refugees.

On the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press briefing that China hopes the Afghan Taliban can follow through on its positive statements, unite with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, establish a broadly-based, inclusive political framework that fits the national conditions and win public support through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible, and adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies.

Meanwhile, Dai Bing, the charge d'affaires at the Chinese Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Thursday called for efforts to continue to fight terrorism in Afghanistan in order to prevent it from again becoming a paradise for terrorists.

For 20 years since the war on terror in Afghanistan started, the threat of terrorism has not been eliminated. Instead, the number of terrorist organizations in the country has increased from a single digit to more than 20 with close to 10,000 foreign terrorists in the country, Dai warned.

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Putin and Macron noted the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians and addressing pressing humanitarian challenges, the Kremlin said in a press release.

They expressed a willingness to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan through cooperation, including efforts within the framework of the United Nations Security Council and the Group of 20.

During the talks between Putin and Draghi, both sides underlined the significance of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the safety of the Afghan people.

Putin and Draghi stressed the need to further counter the spread of terrorist ideology and deal with the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The leaders called for consolidating international efforts to help establish peace and stability in the country.

As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of U.S.-led military troops, the Group of Seven (G7) on Thursday sought to secure close cooperation in personnel evacuation and the resettlement of refugees.

The foreign ministers of the G7 as well as the high representative of the European Union met online and "spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days," according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The G7 will continue efforts to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport, the ministers concurred during Thursday's meeting, which set the stage for a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan early next week.

At the same time, the blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

"I don't think it could have been handled in a way that ... but the idea that somehow, to have gotten out without chaos ensuing. I don't know how that happens," said Biden in an interview with ABC News on Wednesday.

Since the U.S. troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield. During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

After the takeover of the capital city, the Taliban said Tuesday it intends to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 20:19:43|Editor: huaxia

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PHNOM PENH, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Anti-Drug Department police have arrested two men for allegedly trafficking over 28 kilograms of illicit drugs, the National Police reported on Saturday.

The suspects, a 38-year-old Cambodian and a 54-year-old Thai, were caught during a simultaneous raid at two locations in capital Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

"More than 24 kg of crystal methamphetamine and 4 kg of ecstasy as well as four cars, one pistol and six phones were seized from the duo," the National Police said on its website.

The Southeast Asian nation has no death sentence for drug traffickers. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be jailed for life.

The Anti-Drug Department said that during the January-July period of 2021, the authorities had nabbed 7,876 drug suspects in 3,517 cases across the country, confiscating some 963 kg of illicit drugs. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 21:07:58|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- India's federal government Saturday said it has identified two autonomous institutes of the department of biotechnology - National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, for upgradation as central drug laboratories, according to officials.

The financial support for the upgradation was provided under the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) fund.

"The two facilities are expected to test approximately 60 batches of vaccines per month. Considering that the facilities are located in proximity to the vaccine manufacturing hubs of the nation, logistics for vaccine manufacturing and supply are expected to be eased up," a statement issued by the federal ministry of science and technology said.

"The generous support through PM-CARES Funds and the relentless efforts of the two institutes have enabled the rapid up-gradation and setting up of the state-of-the-art, modern Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliant vaccine testing facilities and contribute to the national requirement."

Officials said the move would further strengthen the vaccine supply chain and boost the massive vaccination drive in India.

The ministry of science and technology said in public interest it was necessary to establish more facilities to regulate the testing of COVID-19 vaccines for quick release of vaccine batches for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 21:52:08|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Indian army trooper was killed and several others hospitalised on Saturday after they collapsed during a training session in the northern Indian state of Punjab, officials said.

The incident took place at Mamun military station in Pathankot district, about 237 km north of Chandigarh, the capital city of Punjab.

Reports said the troops were undergoing training in hot and humid conditions.

A local newspaper report said 34 troopers collapsed during the activity and were removed to the Pathankot military hospital.

"In an organised, supervised and monitored training activity near Pathankot, due to severe weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty and a few individuals admitted to military hospital Pathankot. The affected persons are being provided with requisite medical care," the local media quoted an army statement as saying. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 22:26:56|Editor: huaxia

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KABUL, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Taliban said on Saturday that it intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with all countries around the world, including the United States, while its political chief had reportedly arrived in Kabul to discuss the formation of a new government.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants diplomatic and trade ties with all countries, particularly with the United States of America," Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, political chief of Afghanistan's Taliban, wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

Baradar denied media reports that the Taliban had not intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with the United States.

"We never talk about cutting trade ties with any countries. Rumor about this news has been a propaganda. It is not true," he said.

Earlier in the day, Baradar reportedly arrived in Kabul from southern Kandahar for consultations with Afghan leaders about the formation of a broad-based new government. He returned to Kandahar from Doha, capital of the Gulf state of Qatar on Tuesday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said they intended to form an inclusive government and did not want to have any internal or external enemies.

In another development, a Taliban official denied reports that foreign nationals were kidnapped near the Kabul airport, where people still crowded amid U.S.-led evacuation efforts.

"The report about kidnapping is a rumor. The Taliban members are helping all foreign nationals to get access to the airport. We are determined to provide safe passage to all foreigners to get to the airport," Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesperson, told local media Eitlalatroz.

He said Taliban forces were escorting about 150 Indian citizens to safely enter the airport.

Following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan capital on Sunday, thousands of Afghans flocked to the Kabul airport to try to leave the country.

The evacuation flights were continuing as three flights took off on Saturday morning, Kabul resident Farhad Mohammadi said. Nearly 6,000 U.S. troops have been deployed at the airport to help with the civilian departure.

At least 12 people have been killed in gun shootings and stampedes in the airport since Sunday.

The situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain after the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country. However, normalcy has been seemingly returning to Kabul.

"Security situation is better than the past, but fluctuation in the prices of food items in market is a matter of concerns for people and the Taliban has to check the prices as the people are poor and can't afford," Kabul resident Mukhtar Hayat told Xinhua.

He expressed delight over the improvement of situation as few crimes such as theft and robbery had been reported and there had been no bomb blast or suicide attack recently.

Meanwhile, Western nations have been scrambling to speed up evacuations from Afghanistan.

U.S. President Joe Biden said the United States has made "significant progress" and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since Aug. 14.

The U.S. president once again defended his decision for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

"Let's put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al-Qaida gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al-Qaida in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did," Biden said in a televised speech from the White House on Friday.

Biden, who has been widely criticized on the botched pullout, said he has "seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world."

"And all our allies have agreed with that ... everyone of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to end - jointly end - our involvement in Afghanistan," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:29:43|Editor: huaxia

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ZAGREB, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Half of Croatia's adult population have been vaccinated with at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) announced on Friday.

According to the HZJZ, 41.69 percent of the total population and 50.1 percent of adults in Croatia have been vaccinated with at least one dose.

"With this unselfish gesture, anyone who has been vaccinated has contributed to the health, safety, preservation of life, hospital system, jobs, and the tourist season," the director of the institute Krunoslav Capak said in a press release.

However, the country is falling behind its initial vaccination goals. A massive vaccination program started in April and the plan was to vaccinate more than half of the adult population by the end of June.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Friday called all citizens to get vaccinated. "The vaccine is the best prevention against heavy illness from COVID-19. The government has secured enough vaccines. I call on anyone with doubt to get a vaccine," he wrote on his Twitter account.

Croatia has recently seen an increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases. According to HZJZ, 468 new infections were confirmed after 9,948 tests in the past 24 hours. The country currently has 2,509 active cases and 251 hospitalizations.

To date, Croatia has reported a total of 368,887 cases, including 8,295 deaths. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 15:37:13|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday exchanged views over current situation in Afghanistan, Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, among other pressing issues of mutual and international concern.

The talk was held here as the German chancellor is nearing the end of her 16-year-long leadership of Germany.

WRONG TO IMPOSE OUTSIDE VALUES ON AFGHANISTAN

On the current situation in Afghanistan and Taliban's takeover, Putin said "imposing values from outside" upon the region was counterproductive and irresponsible and would only lead to negative consequences at a time when it was necessary to prevent the collapse of the Afghan state.

While the Taliban has claimed it will ensure order and stability in Afghanistan, Putin underscored the importance to prevent the movement of terrorist groups to adjacent regions.

The Russian president called on the international community to unite and support the Afghan people in seeking stability.

For her part, Merkel said the situation in Afghanistan was very worrying, urging the international community to prevent the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan.

She also asked the Russian side to raise the issue of humanitarian aid during future negotiations with the Taliban.

PROSPECTS FOR GAS TRANSIT THROUGH UKRAINE

On the developments related to the contentious Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the two leaders discussed the prospects for gas transit through Ukraine.

"We are ready to transit gas through the territory of Ukraine even after 2024," Putin said, adding that Russia need to get an answer from its European partners as to how much they are ready to buy.

"The transit contract will depend on the state of the Ukrainian gas transportation system," he added.

Putin reiterated that the Nord Stream 2 isn't a politically motivated project and warned against interpreting it in this manner, adding that the pipeline is nearing completion with only 15 km left to construct.

MAINTAINING PEACE IN LIBYA

"The international community should continue engaging in dialogue with all key political forces in Libya," Putin said, adding that this would help secure all the previous positive developments in relation to the Libyan peace process.

He also gave positive assessment of the results following the International Conference on Libya held in Berlin in January 2020.

Merkel in turn stressed that goals outlined during the Berlin conference on Libya needed to be achieved, and that it was necessary to make sure all foreign mercenaries would leave the country for the national government to be able to independently govern the state.

MERKEL'S FINAL VISIT AS CHANCELLOR

Putin praised the work of the German Chancellor over the past 16 years, adding that she was rightfully considered to be one of the most influential European leaders, and that Germany remains an important political and economic partner of Russia.

Despite the differences, Merkel said "it is a good thing that we talk to each other, and we intend to keep in touch and continue talking."

After meeting Putin, Merkel is scheduled to visit Kiev on Sunday to discuss security issues and bilateral ties with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 15:41:39|Editor: huaxia

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ATHENS, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Greece's borders will remain secure in wake of developments in Afghanistan, said a Greek minister during a visit Friday to the Evros region near the border with Turkey, according to the country's national news agency AMNA.

"The crisis in Afghanistan has changed the geopolitical sphere and increased the possibility of migration flows," said Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis.

"We examined ways to boost the borders. Greece continues to shield against any possible or existing security threat," National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said.

Following the increased pressure on Evros borders in spring 2020, the Greek government has upgraded surveillance systems, and the construction of a 40 kilometers long new border fence has been completed, according to the minister.

Many Greek officials have stated this week following the recent Taliban takeover of most parts of Afghanistan that Greece is on alert to avoid a replay of the 2015 refugee and migrant crisis. Athens has repeatedly asked for a common European approach to address any new challenges.

Since 2015 more than one million people reached Greece, fleeing war zones and extreme poverty countries, among them many were Afghans.

Most continued their journeys to other European countries until the spring of 2016 when the borders en route from the Balkan country to central Europe were closed.

Currently Greece hosts some 46,000 asylum seekers in state-run structures, according to the latest data provided by the Greek Migration and Asylum Ministry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 22:03:24|Editor: huaxia

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A C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying Romanians and Bulgarians evacuated from Afghanistan lands near Bucharest, Romania, on Aug. 21, 2021. The Romanian military plane returned here on Saturday from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, bringing back 15 Romanian nationals and four Bulgarian citizens. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua)

BUCHAREST, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Romanian military plane returned here on Saturday from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, bringing back 15 Romanian nationals and four Bulgarian citizens.

In a press statement, President Klaus Iohannis stressed that the authorities will continue the efforts to evacuate Romanian citizens who are still in Afghanistan and who want to be repatriated.

The president noted that Romania will also provide evacuation assistance to Afghan citizens who had supported the activity of Romanian military in Afghanistan over the years, as well as those benefiting from the Romanian state scholarships.

According to him, over 30 Romanian citizens were evacuated in the previous days with the aircraft of other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) members.

The Romanian Air Force sent the C-130 Hercules aircraft to Afghanistan on Tuesday to evacuate its citizens, most of whom work for a security company there.

Romania first sent its military personnel to Afghanistan in 2002, and since then 27 of its soldiers have lost their lives in combat, while about 200 have been injured. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 23:07:55|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday with a focus on the current situation in Afghanistan.

The presidents underlined the importance of ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan as well as the strict observance of law and order, the Kremlin said in a press release.

Putin and Erdogan emphasized the prioritized tasks of fighting terrorism and drug trafficking, and agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination on Afghan issues. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 23:15:25|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- New U.S. sanctions against Russia showed the Biden administration's "lack of political will and unwillingness" to build Moscow-Washington relations on a partnership basis, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

The ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova made the comments in a statement after the United States on Friday announced new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities over the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project.

Zakharova considered such "hostile actions" contrary to the spirit of the Geneva summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden in June.

The new sanctions "under far-fetched pretexts" were announced against the backdrop of "the largest foreign policy failure for the United States in Afghanistan," she noted.

"It is useless to put pressure on Russia and our response, as always, will be tough and adequate," Zakharova said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 00:45:07|Editor: huaxia

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CHICAGO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- A University of Michigan (UM) survey finds that only 34 percent of Detroit adults living with children between the ages of 12 and 17 report that they have either gotten their child/children vaccinated or are likely to get their child/children vaccinated against COVID-19.

When asked about the likelihood of getting younger children vaccinated once they are eligible, just 13 percent adults living in households with children under age 12 say they are comfortable having their kids vaccinated once they are eligible.

The discomfort that many adults feel toward vaccinating the children in their household is also evident in their willingness to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves. Only 38 percent of adults living in Detroit households with children, as against 70 percent of adults living in Detroit households without children, report that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Equally notable is the large share of adults living with children in Detroit that have no intention of getting vaccinated. Some 31 percent of adults living in households with children say they are unlikely to get vaccinated, as against 16 percent of adults living without children in their household.

According to the survey, 56 percent of Detroit adults support requiring vaccines for students to attend K-12 schools in person, once they are eligible. Twenty-four percent of Detroit adults oppose requiring COVID-19 vaccines for K-12 school enrollment, and 19 percent remain unsure. These levels of support are similar to those expressed for vaccine requirements in other public activities, including attending large events, flying on an airplane, using public transit, attending school in person, and working outside the home.

The support for vaccine requirements is largely driven by Detroiters who have already gotten vaccinated. Detroiters who have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are twice as likely to be in favor of vaccine mandates as unvaccinated residents. For example, while 74 percent of vaccinated Detroiters support requiring proof of vaccination to attend a K-12 school in person, just 33 percent of unvaccinated residents support such a requirement.

For adults living in Detroit households with children who are significantly less likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves or their children, the reasons behind the decision not to vaccinate are similar to those of households without children. Both groups listed concerns about the safety, 78 percent, and side effects, 78 percent, of the vaccine as a reason behind their choice.

Since 2016, UM's Detroit Metro Area Communities Study has been conducting a panel survey of a representative sample of Detroit households. The study stands apart from many others in that participants are randomly selected from a list of validated Detroit addresses, permitted to take the survey online or over the phone with a live interviewer, and compensated for their participation. Final responses are weighted to reflect the city's demographics. The latest survey was open from June 2 to July 9, 2021, and captures the views of 1,898 residents. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 03:51:56|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a screen displaying U.S. President Joe Biden (C) delivering remarks on Afghanistan at the White House in Washington, D.C. Biden on Friday once again defended his administration's handling of withdrawal from Afghanistan, denying America's allies questioning the country's credibility over the ongoing chaotic evacuation. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday once again defended his administration's handling of withdrawal from Afghanistan, denying America's allies questioning the country's credibility over the ongoing chaotic evacuation.

"This is one of the largest, most difficult air lifts in history, and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America," said Biden, who has been widely criticized on the botched pullout, in a televised speech from the White House.

Biden said he has "seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world."

"And all our allies have agreed with that ... every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to end - jointly end - our involvement in Afghanistan," said Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan standing behind him.

"Let's put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did," Biden said.

Calling the past week "heartbreaking," Biden said the United States has made "significant progress" and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since Aug. 14.

He pledged to use the full force of the U.S. military to complete the withdrawal and bring Americans and their Afghan allies who assisted the United States in the 20-year conflict to safety.

Nearly 6,000 troops are on the ground, providing runway security, and standing guard around the airport to assist civilian departure, said Biden, acknowledging the evacuation mission is "dangerous."

"We will get you home. Make no mistake, this evacuation mission is dangerous and involves risks to our armed forces. And it's being conducted under difficult circumstances. I cannot promise what the final outcome will be," he said.

This is Biden's second press conference at the White House since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul last weekend.

The world was shocked to see scenes of chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport.

In his speech on Monday, Biden said Kabul's fall to the Taliban came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.

While saying he bears responsibility for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, Biden has also cast blame on top Afghan leaders, Afghan forces and his predecessor Donald Trump.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Biden said he believed the withdrawal could not have been executed without chaos ensuing and he was open to extending the Aug. 31 deadline for a total withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan just two weeks before the United States was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 16:49:31|Editor: huaxia

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Photo taken on Aug. 20, 2021 shows a new container terminal at the Port of Long Beach in California, the United States. The Port of Long Beach, U.S. second busiest port, announced Friday the completion of a 1.5-billion-U.S.-dollar new container terminal designed to become one of the most technologically advanced cargo facilities in the world. The Port of Long Beach alone handles trade valued at around 170 billion dollars annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the nation and one in every five jobs in Long Beach. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

by Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Port of Long Beach, U.S. second busiest port, announced Friday the completion of a 1.5-billion-U.S.-dollar new container terminal designed to become one of the most technologically advanced cargo facilities in the world.

"This terminal can move 3.5 million containers per year," Mario Cordero, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach told Xinhua at a completion ceremony here in southern California.

"And any time you talk about needing more capacity, you are talking about China," he noted.

With two thirds of the port's imports coming from China, Cordero is confident that terminal will be beneficial to both sides.

"Our goal is to operate as efficiently as possible and this terminal is a grand example of that," said Cordero, as he described the new terminal, which took over a decade to plan, design and build, as "the greatest achievement at the port of choice, a wonder of the maritime industry."

"It was well worth the investment," said Cordero. "The Port of Long Beach 's mission for their new terminal is to create efficiency and reliability. In an age of e-commerce, consumers expect their products tomorrow. And we have an Amazon frame of mind," he added.

While capacity in most terminals on the U.S. West Coast have remained static, the Port of Long Beach's additional capacity will bring it a greater speed and efficiency reflected in its berth productivity, speed of trucks through their gates, and the velocity of their rail system throughput, the largest in North America.

"Additional capacity means more cargo, more supply chain jobs, a strengthening of our regional and national economy," said Long Beach Container Terminal CEO Anthony Otto.

The cost of shipping a 40-foot container from China to U.S. West Coast has soared from 11,000 dollars in July to almost 20,000 dollars this week, shows Freightos index, giving rise to some concern that these exorbitant fees will negatively impact on the terminal's business.

But Cordero was unconcerned. "High rates aren't going to impact this terminal. We're very busy."

He pointed out that the carriers charging an arm and a leg now were the same ones that suffered during the 2008-2009 global recession when the rates bottomed out.

"That's all just part of the larger economic equation," he shrugged, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic has been the real disruption here, more so this past year than the trade war.

The executives said the Port of Long Beach is one of the most sustainable container terminals in North America, with a chock full of electric cranes and a robotic transport system operating at 90 percent fewer emissions than competing docks.

He noted that it is truly a technological marvel that will allow the port to increase its throughput, improve air quality and maintain its status as a leading gateway for trans-Pacific trade.

Regarding labor issues, he also pointed out that longshore workers displaced by the automated systems are being retrained to operate the control center and provide maintenance on the new machines.

The San Pedro Bay ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in southern California handle approximately 40 percent of all containerized imports and 30 percent exports for the United States.

The Port of Long Beach alone handles trade valued at around 170 billion dollars annually and supports 2.6 million jobs across the nation and one in every five jobs in Long Beach. Enditem.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-08-21 23:19:52|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang on Saturday expressed his birthday wishes to giant panda Xiao Qi Ji at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and sent him a birthday gift via video.

"Hello Xiao Qi Ji, as you turn one today, let me wish you a very happy and fabulous birthday," said Qin in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

Xiao Qi Ji, which literally means "little miracle," was born on Aug. 21, 2020 to giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.

"You came into the world last year during the pandemic. At such a difficult time, your arrival and every bit of your growth have given us joy and hope. For us, you are a miracle," said Qin.

Over the past year, with care and support from both Chinese and Americans, Xiao Qi Ji has grown from a tiny cub to an energetic and curious panda, said the ambassador.

"You also made your public debut not long ago. People have been watching and sharing every step of your life journey and got excited about it. You have truly added a splash of color to the exchanges between Chinese and American peoples," said Qin.

The ambassador also shared a piece of good news: The number of pandas in the wild in China is increasing. Forty years ago, there were only 1,100 pandas in the wild, but now there are 1,800. They are not "endangered" anymore, yet they will continue to be protected, Qin added.

The cooperation between China and the United States on the protection of giant pandas started in 1972. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived in the United States in 2000. Enditem
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has embarked on its 2021 annual recess and barring any unforeseen circumstances that may warrant emergency resumption, the recess will last for two months.

It offers opportunity for the federal lawmakers to return to their constituencies to give account of their stewardship, retrospect or review the journey so far in order to project into the future. This is ordinarily the norm.

However, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, representing Enugu East Senatorial Zone, a medical doctor and teacher is taking a different perspective.

While most senators embark on the vacation, Senator Nnamani goes to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) to teach in the Department of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine. He will however do so pro bono.

In March 2020, the foremost state university appointed Senator Nnamani as a Visiting Professor of Physiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology. This, ESUT said "is in approval and recognition of his works, research and promotion of maternal and child health".

The university Registrar, Dr. Leonard O. Khama confirmed this in the appointment letter to Senator Nnamani.

In the letter, the Registrar told Senator Nnamani that "as a Visiting Professor, your duties include block teaching, students supervision and research in your department and such other related assignments as are consistent with your status."

Reacting to the appointment, Senator Nnamani said it is another window to contribute to health sector by helping to train medical personnel and giving back to the society.

The two time Governor of Enugu State stated: "I will make my contributions to the university using the available time during recess in Enugu to provide teaching, research and guidance to students."

He said he would focus on maternal and fetal medicine, obstetrics, gynecology and medical physiology as well as special clinical areas such as fetus surveillance and complications in pregnancies.

The appointment as a professor, he reiterated is another opportunity to impact knowledge on the younger generation of health care providers bringing his American health system and Nigerian experiences to bear. The twin advantages, he hopes would enrich the knowledge of his students.

Senator Nnamani, a graduate of University of Nigeria, Enugu Medical School is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.

He belongs to a number of professional societies such as the Society for Perinatal Obstetricians, American Society for Cell Biology, and Society for Gynecologic Investigations amongst others.

It is to his credit as the governor of the Coal City state between 1999 and 2007 that ESUT moved from the old campus in Enugu to its new permanent site in Agbani built by him. Senator Nnamani also transformed the then Parklane Specialist Hospital into a modern and well equipped Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine for ESUT.

It should be noted that since his return to the Senate in 2019, Senator Nnamani has made the issue of maternal and child health the centre of his legislative advocacy. He is also an unrepentant promoter of education for the girl-child.

He is in the forefront of the campaign against violation of women and children's rights. He abhors all forms of discrimination against women such as early or forced marriage, child labour as well as obnoxious harmful cultural practices including genital mutilation and denial of right to inheritance.

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Informed decisions through sincere dialogue and legislative advocacy, Senator Nnamani believes would put Nigeria in a better stead for the good of all.

Hate or love him, Senator Nnamani is a phenomenon, an ideas man and an irrepressible stakeholder in the politics of Enugu State since the return of democratic rule. His Ebeano political empire has continued to produce the state governors, senators and virtually all the political office holders in the Coal City state since 1999.

Even in the forthcoming 2023 general elections, it is almost certain that the Ebeano family would dictate the pace in Enugu politics based on the political arithmetic.

Nnamani unarguably holds sway.
New data released by music streaming service Spotify showed that local podcasts are making waves on the platform. Top on the list is the popular 'I Said What I Said' podcast hosted by Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu. The duo is known for their frank discussions on issues affecting millennials. From finance to mental health.

Topping the list too is 'Articulate One', a podcast by Adekunle Tolulope that encourages its community to share ideas. Inspirational and Christian themed podcasts also make the list of the top 10 most streamed podcasts. They include 'Apostle Joshua Selman' and 'Divercity 1 Love Christian Network.'

Podcast listening became popular in Nigeria two years ago and for Spotify which recently entered the Nigerian market, the data released showed the popularity of its platform. In April this year, the company announced a paid subscription platform for podcasters that gives them maximized revenue, wide reach, and discoverability. It was first launched in the U.S. Tech Crunch reported that the streamer's podcast ad revenue increased by 627% in the second quarter while its paid subscribers are now 165 million.

Today, there are over two million podcast titles available to Spotify listeners in Nigeria. On Wednesday, the company inked a new deal with WWE which will see Spotify as the exclusive home for WWE podcasts including a new original audio content developed by WWE and Spotify's The Ringer division.

The new data also showed that the preferred topics and themes of Nigerian podcast listeners are extensive, from millennial experience to comedy, inspirational talks, lifestyle to religion. Other podcasts that made the list include 'So Nigerian', 'TED Talks Daily' and 'Joel Osteen Podcast'.
The Eggon people of Nasarawa State recently celebrated their royal father, HRH Dr. Bala Abaine Angbazo, as he marked 40 years on the throne of Eggon Nation.

On July 11, 1981, Dr Bala Abaine Angbazo was selected to occupy the exalted stool of Aren Eggon by 22 kingmakers. The stool became vacant following the death of Alhaji Abdullahi Idde, his predecessor, on May 6, 1981. On July 30, 1981, the executive governor of the then Plateau State, late Chief Solomon Daushep Lar, gave official approval to the selection of Bala Angbazo as the paramount ruler of the Eggon people.

It was only fitting that on July 11, 2021, the Eggon people and their well wishers witnessed their traditional ruler, HRH Dr Bala Abaine Angbazo clock 40 years on the throne of his ancestors.

Consequently, the Aren Eggon's Palace at Nassarawa Eggon town in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State was filled to capacity on that day as people travelled from far and near to the traditional home of the Eggon nation to celebrate the Aren Eggon's 40th anniversary.

Speaking at the event, the Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd), thanked God for sparing their lives to see that day; the 40th anniversary of the Aren Eggon, Bala Abaine Angbazo, on the throne of the Eggon nation.

According to him, "I was privileged to witness when Baba (Bala Angbazo) was installed as the Aren Eggon 40 years ago, because when Baba (Bala Angbazo) was chairman of the then Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) in Keffi, my own biological father; was his very close friend and associate, chairman of the NPP in Lafia. Because of that relationship, I became very close to Baba (Bala Angbazo).

"Each time my father was to visit the Aren Eggon, I came along with him, over 40 years. And that time I had already graduated, I had already passed through the law school. But my father will insist each time he visited the Aren Eggon, I must be there. Baba embraced us like he did to James and the others of his children. We pray God to give him long life so that we will continue to benefit from his wisdom and experience."

For the senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, it was a congratulations to one of the longest serving traditional rulers in Nasarawa State and one of the longest living true citizen of Nasarawa State, Bala Angbazo; the Aren Eggon.

Al-Makura said he wanted to "congratulate the Aren Eggon on his 40th anniversary and by the special grace of God, to celebrate with the royal father, and also to recognise him and appreciate him for what he has done to humanity. Al-Makura's thought was that the day was an opportunity to extol the qualities of a good leader and qualities of citizenship that the royal father has attained over his 80 years on earth.

Al-Makura, who is the immediate past governor of Nasarawa State said: "His Royal Highness, the Aren Eggon, has been a frontliner in bringing about development in different facets of life not only in Nasarawa State, but in the former Benue-Plateau State, in the former Plateau State and now Nasarawa State.

h"The Aren Eggon has paid his dues in terms of commercial activities by expanding the scope of business across the state right from when he started in Keffi to when he reached his optimum when we were in Plateau State. He also contributed to the physical development of Nasarawa State by being one of the best contractors Plateau State has ever had."

"Aren Eggon has also tremendously promoted educational development in Nasarawa State by establishing a school that many citizens, not only of Eggon land but beyond, have benefited. And what is more, His Royal Highness has contributed to the development of politics; politics without bitterness, politics with a focus, politics with a vision which some of us who were in NPN then had very special respect to the Aren Eggon."

Not only that, Senator Al-Makura continued that he was privileged in his growing years to be part of an entourage in which His Royal Highness led with other leaders of Plateau State to go and organise the first trade fair of Nasarawa State. He explained that that was way back in 1982.

"The Aren Eggon was one of the leaders that led us across the world from London to America, Japan, Korea and Taiwan to organise the first trade fair that Plateau State would ever remember as one of the best outings the state has ever had.

"On this note, I want to associate myself with the earlier speakers who have extolled the good qualities of the Aren Eggon, and also pray for his good health, wisdom and also pray for his domain that may the Almighty continue to give peace and stability in Eggon land and in Nasarawa State," Al-Makura prayed.

"For the 40 years Bala Angbazo has been on the throne of his ancestors, he remains grateful to God for the respect accorded to him by his people. Very importantly, is the peace prevailing over the Eggon nation," these were the words of chairman of the event celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Aren Eggon, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Senator Adamu, who was the first executive governor of Nasarawa State, said God called Bala Angbazo to be the platform for the peace and unity being enjoyed in the Eggon nation. However, he said there was bound to be little skirmishes here and there occasionally which is not peculiar to any group. He however said when such arises, the Aren Eggon and the Eggon people would not allow it to fester too long.

Abdullahi Adamu, who is the senator representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, added: "One of the greatest calls he (Aren Eggon) often makes and to which the people have heeded and have been acting on is the call to send children to school. In the last 40 years, the Eggon have recorded giant strides in the educational attainment. He (Aren Eggon) is often happy about the feat the Eggon people have been recording in different fields of education.

"In the last 40 years, the Aren Eggon has championed peaceful and cordial neighbourliness between his people and their neighbours. To God be the glory, the Eggons are found in every local government in the state as farmers. Therefore, every ethnic group in Nasarawa State is a neighbour to Eggon people, and his (Aren Eggon) message always is that the Eggon people must embrace peace at all times. Thank God they have heeded to the call and this has paid off very well."

Senator Adamu, who is the Turakin Keffi, stated further that the Eggon community had had its sad moments which is natural and human as within the past 40 years, the Aren Eggon experienced a few hiccups. Adamu continued that one of Aren Eggon's saddest moments in the past 40 years, precisely in 2007, "was when devil planted the seed of bitterness in some few disgruntled youths to set fire on their traditional ruler's palace which destroyed quite some valuables. So much historical documents were lost in that fire."

"The Ombatse saga was indeed a terrible nightmare to the Aren Eggon. It is a development he prayed would never occurred again. The palace was overwhelmed during the period it lasted right through the panels of inquiry."

Nevertheless, the Turakin Keffi stated that the only directive that the Aren Eggon issued to his people which had been kept in the bridge was the bride price he pegged at not more than N15,000; the educational or social standing of the girl not withstanding.

"The issue has been of great concern to him (the Aren Eggon) because it is not giving a good image to the people. Aren Eggon however believes that his people will soon respond to that directive and act appropriately," Senator Adamu maintained.

Perhaps, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State was one of the happiest person on that day to learn much how much the Aren Eggon has touched the lives of many, adding that the Aren Eggon also touched his life too.

According to Sule, "my father didn't meet him (Aren Eggon) in the area of politics. My father has been a friend to him in the area of carrying out their contracts. I have the opportunity to see one thing that he had done for my father. The very first brand new 404 Peugeot that my father drove, he was the person that bought it for him. And that is one thing that I have never forgotten. And that is why time and again I used the opportunity when I was passing by to stop and see him, and everytime we remember the good old periods of that time.

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"Unlike our father the Emir of Lafia, my father was in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), but they were the best of friends even though he was in the NPP. One of the greatest thing Baba (Aren Eggon) has done to me today is changing my tittle from "Alaku" to "Madauci". What a wonderful tittle to give me on a day like this. The only day I received this kind of emotional tittle was in Kwandare when I was been made and given tittle the same time with the man I so much love, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, being the "Sardauna".

"I pray that God will continue to unite people of the state. We must be united. We must continue to respect each other. We must have peace for one another. There is time for everything; there is time for politics, there is time for governance. This is the time for governance, let us keep politics aside and let us continue to embrace the unity of this state, and the development of this state."

Sule said Nasarawa is a state with great potentials, with talented people and they must be able to utilise all the available resources they have to develop the state. He therefore called on people of the state, especially in Nasarawa Eggon, to come together and embrace peace.

"I want to congratulate my brother, Danladi Envulanza, who was mentioned here that he is single handedly renovating the Aren Eggon's Palace. And it will be a great honour for me to come and commission this palace," he concluded.

The celebrant, HRH Dr Bala Abaine Angbazo, said the last time he did an occasion like this was in 2009, adding that on July 11, 2021 was the next time he was doing it. He prayed for long life on earth to enable him turban the Madaucin Eggon himself.

According to him, "the day Governor Sule will commission the renovated Aren Eggon's Palace, will be the day that I will turban him as the Madaucin Eggon."
As Niger Deltans eagerly await the fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari's promise to inaugurate NDDC's Senate-screened substantive Board upon submission of the forensic audit report, Igonibo Danagogo and Ofem Okang denounce a so-called OMPALAN, led by one Bishop Udo Azogu for its deliberate falsehood in stating that the Board, which has not yet been inaugurated was dissolved, while also reminding stakeholders that there is no court order against the 2019 Senate-confirmed Board

Our attention has been drawn to a recent newspaper report purported to have been made by a body styling itself as The Oil Mineral Producing Areas Landlords Association of Nigeria, OMPALAN, and signed by one Bishop Udo Azogu requesting Mr. President to constitute a new Board for the NDDC rather than inaugurating the NDDC Board which Mr. President appointed in October 2019 and confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on November 5, 2019 and has been awaiting inauguration since then. The said Bishop Azogu went ahead to state that the "Board that was dissolved by the President on the grounds of incompetence cannot be retained and inaugurated". This is false.

The substantive NDDC board has already been screened by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, was, in fact, on the verge of assuming duties at the commission before its inauguration was put on hold for the now concluded forensic audit to take place.

We can state authoritatively that the confirmed board of the NDDC was never dissolved by President Buhari because the board had not even been inaugurated in the first place and, even at that, a board that had not been allowed to work for even a single day could not possibly be dissolved on grounds of incompetence as claimed by the said Bishop Azogu of the so-called OMPALAN.

This publication credited to the so-called OMPALAN, is a most toxic cocktail of shameful lies and barefaced falsehoods.

Even more lamentable is the fact that the so-called OMPALAN is obviously an exercise in political hustling being fronted by one Bishop Azogu, a self-styled "prophet" and "man of God" who had most ridiculously and highly irresponsibly once prophesied on October 1, 2020 that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would be removed from office before 2023!

This same Azogu had in that same year 2020 also predicted victory for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the last Edo Governorship election, and when Ize-Iyamu lost, he continued to prophesy that Ize-Iyamu would still become Governor by court decision! We all know how that turned out.

It is truly sad that the likes of Azogu and phantom associations like OMPALAN are the latest ruses those hell-bent on continuing with illegality and mismanagement of the collective property of the Niger Deltan people would be turning to in their desperation.

We find it most unfortunate that these highly vexatious stunts are being pulled for personal aggrandizement and private gain with scant concern for the sustenance of the fragile peace of the Niger Delta region or regard for the feelings and sensibilities of its people who have had to put up with an NDDC they have neither representation in nor, accountability from.

The much touted forensic audit, the reason given for the delay in inaugurating the NDDC board has been concluded.

Mr. President had assured the people of the Niger Delta that the board he had earlier constituted and had already been confirmed by the Senate, would be inaugurated immediately the forensic audit was concluded.

On the 24th day of June 2021, while receiving the Ijaw National Congress at the State House in Abuja, President Buhari said that the NDDC Board would be inaugurated as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted.

The President specifically said: "Based on the mismanagement that had previously bedeviled the NDDC, a forensic audit was set up and the result is expected by the end of July, 2021. I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC Board will be inaugurated"

On Azogu's baseless and ludicrous claim of litigations against the Board inauguration, it is on record that there is also no court order or judgement against the inauguration of the Board appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari since it was confirmed by the Senate on November 5, 2019.

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The truth is that the so-called claims and suits referred to by Azogu and his nondescript cohorts have not been upheld anywhere because they are false claims.

All these truly shameful shenanigans machinated to distract our President from doing the right thing must stop forthwith and the substantive board of the NDDC immediately inaugurated as promised by President Buhari.

QUOTE

We find it most unfortunate that these highly vexatious stunts are being pulled for personal aggrandizement and private gain with scant concern for the sustenance of the fragile peace of the Niger Delta region or regard for the feelings and sensibilities of its people who have had to put up with an NDDC they have neither representation in nor, accountability from

*Igonibo Danagogo is the National President and Ofem Okang, National Secretary of the Coalition for the Restoration of Legality in the NDDC
The Kogi West Elders' Forum (KWEF), a non-profit socio-cultural group comprising leading personalities and opinion leaders of Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State, has called on the Governor Yahaya Bello to support power equity and measured balance in favour of Kogi West Senatorial District to complete his administration principle of EBIGO which has been popularised to manage the power- sharing complexity of the confluence state.

KWEF made the call in a communique signed by its chairman, Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd). In the communique, the forum expressed dismay over the skewed political power play in the state that has denied the good people of the west, despite their good intention and active participation in previous elections, the ability to produce an Executive Governor of the state since the creation of the state in 1991.

"In contrast, the two other senatorial districts of East and Central have occupied the seat of the state governor for about 21 years now and 25 years by the time the incumbent leaves office in 2023. It is in the light of the above that the forum states that political parties should consider candidates from Kogi West Senatorial District. We reject running mates in all political parties. That the state governor, his Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello and all political actors in the state should take conscious note of this demand and support every arrangement that will meet the aspiration.

"That all political parties in the Western Senatorial District must endeavour to work together to stimulate actions that would produce credible candidate(s) leading to their state primary elections in the state," KWEF said.

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The forum added that all political parties in this regard must, however, align with the Eastern and Central Senatorial Districts of the state to accomplish the objective by working to produce a governorship candidate that will be acceptable to all the flanks of the state in the 2023 governorship election.

"The forum wishes to remind his Excellency of our unalloyed support during the last election when we made a public statement that endorsed his re-election based on our insight that he was a democrat, courageous and would honour our modest agitation for power rotation in the state. As an aspiring president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor needs to more than ever before, demonstrate his support for an enduring power sharing and restructuring arrangement at the grassroots level in Kogi State and then Nigeria as widely conversed by all critical and discerning minds in Nigeria. This demonstration will show the infallible strength of good character and integrity he poses to lead a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria," it added.

KWEF noted stressed that the Kogi West Senatorial District has embellished numbers of qualified candidates that understands the need for good governance that will benefit every part of the state.

"His Excellency must not allow any individual or group to take the state back to the woods when the whipping of sentiment, pettiness and selfishness of interest groups influenced previous administrations to be parochial in the management of the power equation among the various ethnic groups in the state," the forum declared.
Head, Enterprise Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Emeka Obasi has reiterated the bank's commitment to providing the proper support and solutions for individuals and businesses to achieve their goals.

In a statement, he said Stanbic IBTC established SME Capacity Building series, which has trained over 3,500 entrepreneurs in the country.

"As part of its commitment to help stimulate and grow a solid and active small and medium scale enterprises sector in Nigeria, the bank established SME Capacity Building series, which has trained over 3,500 entrepreneurs in the country.

"To further strengthen the initiative, the Bank, in 2019, entered a partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) of the Lagos Business School. This partnership aims at equipping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with skills and competencies needed to manage their businesses profitably, develop and pitch viable business proposals, maximise their business capital, trade and prepare them for easy access to finance.

"Stanbic IBTC's commitment to building capacity among enterprises stems from our deep understanding of the important role these enterprises play in providing linkages to industries, employment generation and driving growth of the Nigerian economy," he stated.

He added that participants are trained in essential topics such as Understanding your Market (Competition Analysis, Marketing Plan, Segmentation); Operation and Business Model; Business Plan (Template review and Development); Taxation; and Marketing, Business Management; among other relevant topics.

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He said Stanbic IBTC Bank boasts of highly trained and motivated staff with the requisite expertise in enterprise financing and support.

Executive Director, Business and Commercial Clients at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Remy Osuagwu, reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to supporting enterprises.

According to Remy, "Our key mandate of financial intermediation ensures that we are mindful of providing the right support and solutions for individuals and businesses to achieve their goals and this workshop series represents another opportunity for Stanbic IBTC Bank; to help develop and sharpen participants' business skills."

He explained that as part of its support for small and medium scale enterprises, Stanbic IBTC regularly organises training for enterprise operators. This is among other benefits, and the trainings seek to equip enterprise operators with financial, marketing, and management skills that they can readily apply to transform their businesses to grow their bottom lines and ensure business continuity.
The US Department of State is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and, or conviction of Guinea Bissau's former head of Armed Forces Antonio Indjai.

In a statement on Thursday, the department of state said Mr Indjai has been the subject of a United Nations travel ban since May 2012, as a result of his participation in an April 2012 coup d'etat in Guinea Bissau.

He is accused of leading a criminal organisation, which took an active part in drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau and the region for many years, even while serving as head of the Guinea Bissau Armed Forces, the statement added.

Indjai was seen as one of the most powerful destabilising figures in Guinea-Bissau, operating freely throughout West Africa, using illegal proceeds to corrupt and destabilise other foreign governments and undermine the rule of law throughout the region, the US Department of State statement adds.

According to the January 2013 indictment, in the summer of 2012, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential sources, representing themselves as members or associates of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), began communicating with Indjai and his co-conspirator associates in Guinea-Bissau.

Between June and November 2012, Indjai agreed to receive and store multi ton quantities of cocaine purportedly owned by the FARC, which he understood would be sold for the benefit of the FARC.

"Indjai and other co-conspirators agreed to purchase weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles, for the FARC using drug proceeds and established a front company in Guinea-Bissau to complete the illicit weapons transactions."

"Indjai was charged in two indictments, an initial indictment, filed on December 12, 2012, and a superseding indictment filed on January 8, 2013."

Both indictments were filed in the Southern District of New York, charging Indjai and five others with violations of Title 21, U.S.C. Section 960a, Narcoterrorism Conspiracy, Conspiracy to Import Cocaine in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Section 959(a) and 960(a)(3), the statement adds.

The first indictment also charged Indjai and his co-conspirators for the violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2339b, Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The superseding indictment also charged Indjai and four of his co-conspirators with violating Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2332g, Conspiracy to Acquire and Transfer Anti-Aircraft Missiles, the statement added.
The irresponsible comments by some western media journalists do not contribute to resolving the conflict and only fuel the existing differences in Ethiopia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakhariva said.

Spokesperson Maria said that the toxic atmosphere surrounding this conflict created by some international media is also a cause for concern.

"We believe that the irresponsible comments by some journalists do not contribute to resolving the conflict and only fuel the existing differences, preventing the parties from reaching a mutually acceptable resolution," she added.

"We call on the international community and regional organizations to support the steps taken by the Ethiopian Government to normalize the situation in Tigray in order to return the region to peace and restore normal life. We believe that Ethiopians themselves must play a decisive role in settling the intra-Ethiopian conflict, primarily with the assistance of the African community," she stated.

As to her, Russia closely follows the military-political situation in Ethiopia, where recently armed clashes between the government army and units of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) have increased.

The TPLF has continued fighting, taking control of several areas not only in Tigray but also in the neighbouring provinces of Afar and Amhara, which had not previously been affected by the conflict.

The terrorist Tigray forces have attempted to take control of the strategic road linking Ethiopia and Djibouti, which threatens to worsen the already difficult humanitarian situation and increase the number of refugees and internally displaced persons.
ADDIS ABABA - Office of the Prime Minister disclosed that the terrorist TPLF is not only a threat anymore to Ethiopia, but also to the stability of the larger Horn region.

In yesterday's press briefing, Office of the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Press Secretary Billene Seyoum stated that all international partners need to be wary and vigilant of the vicious alliances that is making, including with other global terror cells in the Horn region.

She also call upon the international community to denounce the continued terrorism of the TPLF which have embarked upon covertly in the past three years and overtly as of November 2020, by attacking the northern command of the National Defense Forces.

She further stated that the local response and condemnation of the belligerence of the terrorist TPLF continues to be quite strong across the country.

"Many throughout Ethiopia are going out in public rallies and voicing their denunciation of the terrorist group itself, denunciation of its alliances and its refusal to ceasefire," she indicated.

She also said that millions of Ethiopians are also heeding the national call and extending their support in various ways to communities in need as well as to the Ethiopia National Defense Forces.

The federal government continues to encourage all Ethiopians throughout the country and across the world to continue mobilizing support for the country, harnessing unity, exposing the nature of the terrorist group and its operatives, she further reported.

She also said that aspecific call to action for Ethiopians in the Diaspora is to curb the illicit financial flows that TPLF operatives are intensifying. She added that, "We urge you [Diaspora] to use formal financial channels for remittances and not fall into the trap of aiding and abetting terror organizations through informal black market channels. Your country needs you at this particular moment, and in this critical juncture, to stand for the guard of Ethiopia."

She further noted that the terrorist TPLF has continued terrorizing civilian communities in the Amhara State. This is marked and characterized by continued looting of properties, destroying hospitals, health centers and other infrastructure on its destructive path as it is entering some communities.

The terrorist group undertook indiscriminate shelling on hospitals and civilians homes, killing an entire family in this indiscriminate targeting and shelling with heavy weaponry, as to her.

She also indicated that the group is now sacrificing an entire generation of the Tigrean youth in its destructive and futile terror ambitions and holding our people in the Tigray State hostage for its destructive aims and ambitions.

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Its international propaganda arm continues to fabricate and disseminated distorted facts and undertakes targeted defamation of government officials, she noted.

With regards to humanitarian assistance, Billene noted that, as of yesterday, August 19 2021, the number of humanitarian trucks that have arrived in Mekelle has reached 318 trucks, she said, adding that more than 300,000 displaced people in the Amhara and Afar states due to TPLF aggressions have been receiving humanitarian assistance as well through the support of the government of Ethiopia and World Food Programme.

It addition, regional Emergency Coordination Center has been established to facilitate the movement of trucks along with the Afar to Tigray route and also to coordinate emergency assistance to displaced people as a result of TPLF aggression, according to her.
Foreign independent Journalist, Ann Garrison, said that the main objective of the U.S. and EU is attaining hidden agendas via blaming the federal government taking terrorist TPLF unfounded allegations for granted.

Having a stay with local media, she said the U.S. for instance has no business that forces it to send military to Africa unless it is fond of quenching corporate interest. However, its oligarchic interest is not similar to that of the American people.

She said that the terrorist TPLF attacked a federal army base in Tigray province on Nov. 3 in the middle night and slaughtered a number of federal army soldiers. Following this shameful act, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) was forced to respond to the evil deed via sending military wing.

Surprisingly, the U.S and EU officials started blaming the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) citing minor loopholes instead of condemning the inhumane acts of the terrorist TPLF, which has been committing untold atrocities against innocent civilians such as slaughtering, raping, perpetrating genocide in Maikadra and Galicoma, running against humanity since its very inception. Clearly, they don't know the very nature of the group. Being misled by the fictitious talks of the terrorist and its leftovers, EU and the U.S. tried to intervene in the internal affairs of Ethiopia. Reversely, Russia and China passed a resolution stipulating that Ethiopia has to be left alone to address its internal problems by its own right.

According to Ann, in the history of the world 'there is no head of state that tolerates a militia of an armed group attacking their eternal national guard--the defense force. Ethiopia is a large and powerful nation with the fastest growing economy in Africa and endeavoring to complete the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which will provide the entire population even the Horn with electricity. So it will generate revenue, greatly increase manufacturing capacity, and a potential to become a regional powerhouse.

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She further stated that Ethiopia is the strong sovereign country and it has been exerting utmost effort to be a prosperous nation in the continent and well consolidate regional integration, but this move is not liked by the U.S. and EU as they need to form a weak nation that has always been struggling with debts.

Ann remembered that the U.S. has declared Ethiopian higher government officials visa restriction, because PM Abiy has been working to create an independent nation in all aspects as much as possible. On the other hand, Samantha Power was talking about the measure the incumbent is taking equating with genocide relating it to the case of Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and Syria. However, she doesn't talk much about Libya's case where she was a prime actor along that line. Though she has been the main actress in Libya's destruction and the whole world knows all this disaster, genocide and mass atrocities, she has never so far uttered about it.
analysis

The regional body has essentially ignored the plight of the emaSwati who continue to suffer under the brutal reign of King Mswati III, activists say.

"This is a regional problem. We have no confidence in any of the African organisations that should be taking a lead in this particular matter. They are turning a blind eye ... so we are certainly not happy [with the lack of solidarity]. This is why we are looking at different avenues."

So says Qhawekazi Khumalo, 37, spokesperson of the United eSwatini Diaspora, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that advocates for democratic governance and human rights in the country. Khumalo, who is a member of the South African chapter of the Swazi Lives Matter global solidarity movement, says the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) must execute its mandate to protect human rights by taking decisive action against violations taking place in eSwatini.

Speaking at an eSwatini solidarity march to the UNHCR's regional office in Pretoria on 13 August, Khumalo said: "No matter how small [eSwatini] is, we are all part of the human family and surely we deserve the same freedom that everybody enjoys."

At a Southern African Development Community (SADC) troika summit of the organ on politics, defence and security cooperation that was held in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 16 August, President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana only afforded two paragraphs to the situation unfolding in eSwatini. He simply said the ministerial and technical fact-finding mission sent on 4 July and again from 15 to 22 July had completed its assignment and the report had been shared with King Mswati III for consideration.

The fact-finding mission, which purported to speak to all "stakeholders", ignored eSwatini's banned main opposition party, the People's United Democratic Movement (Pudemo).

Lamenting the lack of time, resources, effort and depth of the mission's efforts, Khumalo said: "If you are not able to consolidate everybody who speaks on this system and speaks on change, then what's the point?"

A boys' club

Pudemo president Mlungisi Makhanya says the movement has been disappointed by the indifference of the governments in the region as well as SADC.

"What SADC has shown is that it has no interest in the citizens of the region. It is only a boys' club where the leaders, not the people, are what matters. When they approached the issue of Swaziland, what was foremost on their minds was how to serve Mswati and his murderous regime. They have no interest in the killed people of Swaziland, the multitude of people who continue to lie in hospitals and those who continue to languish in Mswati's jails. Their interest is regional stability at the expense of the human rights of the people of the region," he said.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), which was present at the march along with shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and the South African Federation of Trade Unions, called on progressive organisations to support eSwatini's citizens to achieve their demands in the face of King Mswati's brutally violent regime.

"This is another example of how SADC has failed and continues to fail to protect the interests of the masses, not only in the country, but also in the region. SADC has a duty to defend the people, but it is shamelessly protecting the interests of the political elite," said Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.

Security forces have allegedly killed more than 70 people during recent pro-democracy protests in eSwatini and severely injured or jailed many more. Activists claim that through NGO networks in the country, they have established that more than 800 people have been arrested and at least 500 injured.

In May, Thabani Nkomonye, a fourth-year law student, was killed, allegedly at the hands of the police. During his memorial service on 21 May, security forces fired rubber bullets at mourners. Nkomonye's mother was among those hospitalised. His death led to serious protest action and morphed from marches against police violence to calls for the monarchy to end.

In June, the eSwatini government, citing Covid-19 regulations, banned the submission of petitions to members of Parliament in all 59 constituencies by activists who wanted them to discuss Nkomonye's death and their pro-democracy appeals. This gave rise to further protests.

Political parties have been banned since 1973, but those wanting a multiparty democracy in which they can choose who governs them have become increasingly vocal. In the current system, King Mswati III selects who ascends to power, with many positions filled by members of his family.

Citizens still targeted

Makhanya claims that following the protests, many wounded and injured citizens have not gone to hospitals to seek treatment because they need a police report to do so and fear getting arrested when trying to obtain one. He says the police view these emaSwati as "looters" who attacked Mswati-affiliated properties and businesses during the protests.

According to Makhanya, the police and soldiers are "hunting down" every victim of protest shootings because "they used bullets that are not permissible, high-calibre ammunition, bullets that are used in open combat, which explains why most of those who were shot had to [have limbs] amputated".

What is unfolding is a struggle to ensure "the Swazi nation reigns supreme as opposed to what is happening now, where it is the supremacy of the royal interest. The royal interest supersedes the interest of the nation," Makhanya added.

eSwatini-born Mxolisi Ndlovu*, 23, a student currently living in South Africa, says the people of eSwatini need support and solidarity because of the censorship and propaganda circulated in the landlocked country, and because anyone who is pro-democracy or speaks against King Mswati III gets arrested.

"The people don't have a voice there. What the people want doesn't happen. What happens is whatever the king wants to happen ... [He is] above the law, according to the law. The very fact of him being above the law means there can't be freedom [for others]. He abuses that power a lot," said Ndlovu.

Twice as a teenager, Ndlovu experienced his family's house being raided by armed police in the early hours of the morning because they suspected that his father was involved in politics. They didn't find anything.

"If they find a T-shirt of a political party, you are arrested for that. A T-shirt! Which doesn't make any sense. Why should a T-shirt be a threat? How is it an act of terrorism? Who is it threatening?" he asked. "That's where I realised that all our rights are just privileges that we are allowed to have when it suits whoever is in charge."

Lying to the nation

Ndlovu says government propaganda is rife in his country. "The media is controlled ... The narrative [citizens] have of countries with a democracy is always one which paints it in a bad light. So they believe democratic countries have war all the time, strikes all the time, because that's all that's publicised about them."

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He says democracy is linked to more opportunities, a better quality of life and human rights that are upheld by the courts. Contrasting his experience of life in eSwatini with that in South Africa, he says: "In South Africa you are free to strike for what you need and want, for rights, without much fear of being killed. In Swaziland that's not the case. You will disappear [and] it won't even be reported."

Bonginkosi Dlamini, a founding member of Pudemo and convenor of the United eSwatini Diaspora, says SADC - and governments in the rest of the world - have allowed an absolute monarchy to destroy a nation of 1.3 million people.

"They don't call their fellow leaders to account for their atrocities. We are not happy about SADC. If they think that [eSwatini] is not going to be free because they are not supporting us, they must think again.

Dlamini wants "no more parasitic family that is feeding off the blood of other families in Swaziland. You can't kill so many of our people and then think that tomorrow we are going to recognise you as a king."

Makhanya says Mswati III no longer has the moral authority to rule and that any engagement about democratic reform must be convened by a credible neutral party. What a democratic dispensation and the transition to it should look like needs to be defined by the people, he says. "Ultimately, what happens in Swaziland is going to be determined by the Swazis themselves, not any particular party."

Makhanya also acknowledges that Mswati III still has a lot of support among certain sections of the population. "I don't think that the future of Swaziland can completely exclude a role in some form or shape that [Mswati] may play."

*Ndlovu wanted to remain anonymous to avoid trouble at home.
ODM leader Raila Odinga who jointly with President Uhuru Kenyatta were the key promoters of the push to amend the Constitution yesterday welcomed the appellate court's decision which found the initiative as unconstitutional.

Mr Odinga described the judgment as "remarkable as it forms part of the continuing conversation on the future of this country and the significance of the constitution".

According to the former Prime Minister who had identified himself with constitutional change, the next move will be decided separately by the proponents of the BBI, as he added that there are no plans to move to the Supreme Court.

"This is not the end of the conversation and the parties involved will each make their own decisions on how to proceed from the decision that has been delivered. That is welcome, as the issues involved need to be deliberated upon to the fullest extent," he explained in a statement to the newsrooms.

GOD,our heavenly FATHER has come THROUGH for Kenya & STOPPED the COALITION of the known, the mighty, & the powerful from destroying our CONSTITUTION.Our GOD,help the ALLIANCE of the unknown, the jobless,the Hustlers & struggling farmers to now ENGINEER our ECONOMY from BOTTOM UP. pic.twitter.com/R0mDihQaa6

- William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) August 20, 2021

Mr Odinga went ahead: "For us, as we have stated before, we shall engage only to the extent that circumstances will require. But we feel that we have to move on."

On the other hand, DP William Ruto yesterday said God had stopped what he termed as 'coalition of the known' while viewing it as a major win to his 'Hustler Narrative' . He said the focus will now be on building the economy through his bottom-up model.

"God, our heavenly Father has come through for Kenya and stopped the coalition of the known, the mighty and the powerful from destroying our constitution," Dr Ruto tweeted.

"Kenya will go on. BBI intended well but we must respect the constitutional authority of the courts and find other legitimate means to achieve Kenya's unity and prosperity. And for some of us, it is time for serious introspection on the political way forward," said Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru.

But as others welcomed the verdict, the Attorney-General Kihara Kariuki yesterday said he will challenge the judgement in the Supreme Court especially on what constitutes the basic structure of the constitution.

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The Solicitor-General Kennedy Ogeto said, "Immediately I get all the seven judgements, I will move to the Supreme Court to challenge several issues which the court failed to address conclusively."

Senior Counsel James Orengo said they will discuss on whether to explore other avenues over the BBI issue.

Narc leader Ms Martha Karua praised the judgement saying," It was great."

One Kenya Alliance (OKA) leaders said there is no need of further challenging the judgment arguing that it was time for the country to focus on the virus crisis and recovery of the economy.

The leaders, Wiper's Kalonzo Musyoka, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi, Ford-Kenya's Moses Wetang'ula, and Kanu's Gideon Moi, said as they respect the judgment, the contentious issues which had been raised during the process could be addressed through the parliamentary path.

"In light of this, we still have an opportunity as a country to hold broad-based, honest and people-driven dialogue on expedition of progressive proposals that require legislative and policy interventions such as strengthening of devolution through increment of resources to the grassroots," said the leaders in a statement.

According to Soy MP Caleb Kositany, who is viewed as DP's de-facto spokesperson, the judgment is a win for Kenyans.

Nyeri MP Ngunjiri Wambugu said the political game had toughened with the judgement on BBI.

Additional reporting by Richard Munguti, Mwangi Muiruri, Gitonga Marete and Reginah Kinogu.
The dispute over ownership of 37 acres of land at Katanga valley near Wandegeya in Kampala has taken a new twist as Makerere University pushes to develop the land amid a pending court case.

In 2015, the High Court in Kampala ruled that four family members and their licencees on the land at Katanga Valley are bona fide occupants and are by law entitled to continue occupying the land.

The four family members are Jonathan Yosamu Masembe, Bulasio Buyisi, George Kalimu and Samalie Nambogga.

They were battling with Makerere University and the commissioner for land registration over cancellation of their land titles and ownership of the land by Makerere University.

Being dissatisfied, Makerere University appealed against the decision and the case is pending hearing and determination.

But on August 11, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, wrote to various stakeholders over the disputed land, inviting them for an update meeting on the university's planned developments.

According to the letter, Makerere University acquired the land on Block 38 commonly referred to as Lower Katanga, and that it was reserved for 'future developments in line with our motto of building for the future. '

"The university is now ready to embark on some development activities on her land in Lower Katanga. I have no doubt you will be interested in developments at the university," reads the letter addressed to the Lower Katanga Village chairman, the chairperson of land guardians on Makerere land, and the LC3 councillor for Wandegeya Parish at the division.

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The letter was copied to the Inspector General of Police, Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Kawempe, Kampala Lord Mayor and the occupants, among them Pastor Daniel Walugembe of Internal Gospel Church.

But in response, the leaders declined to attend the meeting, saying the actions of the university amounted to contempt of court orders, which have never been overturned.

"Our LC leadership wishes to inform you that our respective subjects have occupied the entire Katanga Valley area and the university is not in possession of any vacant space in the area. Their occupation is by virtue of being bona fide occupants of the suit land; and are by law entitled to continue in the possession as decreed by the High Court," reads the response by the area leadership.

Occupants respond

The leadership of Wandegeya Ward in Kawempe Division asked the Vice Chancellor to retract his letter, citing misrepresentation of facts, among them that there is no 'chairman for land guardians on Makerere land', and that the matter is sub judice since it is still pending in court.

In an interview yesterday, Parish Council chairman for Wandegeya Ward, Mr Salim Wasswa, described the decision by Makerere University as an abuse but promised that the council will sit urgently to find a solution.

Court documents indicate that the disputed Katanga land comprises three zones situated on 37 acres, which have since been occupied by the complainants and their licencees.

However, the university claims to own 277 acres contrary to the 10.315 hectares on the land title in their possession.
There is anxiety again across Africa over low Covid vaccine supplies following announcements by several Western governments that they will start giving Covid-19 booster shots to their fully vaccinated populations.

It has since emerged that Europe is importing Johnson & Johnson vaccines from South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare, which was only recently licensed to begin production especially for African countries which had been locked out of the international supply chain.

Africa is still undersupplied, even with the increased Covax deliveries and donations from Western capitals, and thus the uproar by African vaccine equity activists on the disclosure by former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown of 10 million shots shipments to Europe from Aspen. His opinion piece published by The Guardian was the subject of anger and question why a section of the globe, already fully vaccinated, would be taking the few doses of vaccines from a population in crisis. Mr Brown wrote that the vaccines would be exported to Europe in August and September 2021.

By Friday, as per the official UK government website on coronavirus data, 87.3 percent of its (eligible) population had received the first Covid-19 dose, while 75.7 percent had received the second dose. Meanwhile, only 1.85 percent of Africa's 1.3 billion people had been fully vaccinated by Friday.

Vaccine nationalism

There were demonstrations in South Africa, calling for full disclosure of the South African government's contract with Johnson & Johnson and other vaccine manufacturers, in the face of legal action if none was forthcoming.

Following slow progress of the UN-backed World Health Organisation-led Covax facility to fast-track vaccine availability for African countries, Aspen, a South African drug manufacturer, was contracted by Johnson & Johnson to manufacture its vaccine under the "fill and finish" process.

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WHO Regional Office for Africa Director Dr Matshidiso Moeti said Thursday, "Just as our efforts seemed to be taking off, Africa is again encountering headwinds. Some rich countries continue to hoard vaccines, mocking vaccine equity There is an average of more than 103 administered doses per hundred people in high income countries compared with six per hundred in Africa."

She said failure to vaccinate the most at-risk groups in all countries will result in needless deaths, as well as bring conditions where the virus will very likely mutate further ultimately delaying the global recovery from the pandemic as newer more lethal variants emerge.

Mr Brown accused the EU of adopting a "neocolonial approach" to the supply of vaccines and demanded western nations relinquish their stranglehold on pandemic treatments.

"...in the process of securing preferential agreements rich countries locked out African countries from accessing the doses they urgently require."
An American missionary has been detained at a private hospital in Kitale over a Sh259, 465 medical bill.

Ms Sandra Joyce Lichtfuss, 68, who suffered a hip bone fracture after falling at her house at Gatua Estate, has been receiving treatment at Goodwill Cottage Hospital.

Ms Lichtfuss, who comes from Pennsylvania State in the US, was rushed to the hospital on July 29 where she underwent a surgery to repair the hip bone. She has been in the country for five years.

She told Nation.Africa that she was playing with her two dogs when she slipped and fell from a chair as she picked something from a shelf.

"I slipped from a chair, hit my ankle on the table before I fell. I felt a sharp pain before hitting the floor," she said.

Hip surgery

She was rushed to Goodwill Cottage Hospital where she underwent a hip surgery before being subjected to orthopaedic management.

Sandra said that the hospital only informed her of the medical bill at the time of discharge.

"Nobody had told me there was a policy to pay medical bills before leaving the hospital. You don't treat someone like the way they did, especially a foreigner who is spreading the word of God," she said, adding that she had been trying to reach out to the US embassy to assist her but they are yet to respond.

However, Dr Godfrey Onyango, who owns the hospital, told Nation.Africa that the patient felt offended when nurses asked her how she would settle her medical bill.

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The patient later requested the management to allow her stay, though she was due for discharge, to allow her raise money to pay the bill since her friends were running a funds drive.

Violation of her rights

"She said her friends had formed a WhatsApp group to raise funds, she has not paid a cent despite commitment by her friends," said Dr Onyango.

The patient termed her detention in hospital a violation of her rights saying that the facility had barred her from getting out to work and raise funds.

Ms Lichtfuss revealed that she had contacted a friend in South Africa to help her pay the bill but she had no bank details by the time she was being discharged. She appealed to well-wishers to help her pay the bill.

"Right now I seriously need help from people with a good heart to settle the bill," she appealed.
The number of people who have died of Covid-19 in Rwanda has passed 1000, the Ministry of Health announced on Friday, August 20.

According to the ministry's daily update on the Covid-19 situation, nine people succumbed to the coronavirus on Friday, raising the death toll to 1,005. 380 people tested positive for Covid-19.

With a total of 82,215 positive cases recorded so far, the death rate stands at 1.2 percent.

Rwanda recorded the first Covid-19 death in late May 2020.

While it took less than three months to reach 500 Covid-19 deaths last August, from then it has taken 12 months to pass 1000.

Since June this year, the country has been battling the third wave of Covid-19, which saw a record surge in new cases and deaths due to the Delta variant.

The latest wave had forced government to impose a lockdown in Kigali and eight districts. However, with the easing of restrictions, only 10 sectors remain under lockdown.

Vaccination continues

Nearly one million Rwandans have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

The government has encouraged people to get vaccinated. Health officials believe the number of deaths will decrease as more people get inoculated.

Rwanda plans to have vaccinated 30 percent of its more than 13 million people before the end of this year, and 60 percent by end of 2022.

As the country continues to receive more vaccine doses, the government is optimistic about reaching the targets.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

Tags:COVID-19
Pie Habimana, a lecturer of Law at the University of Rwanda and a member of the Rwanda Bar Association has criticized the behaviour of Vicent Lurquin, a Belgian lawyer who showed up in Rwanda's High Court Chamber for International and Cross-Border Crimes, dressed up in a lawyer's gown, yet he is not accredited to practise in the country.

Lurquin is said to be a lawyer of Paul Rusesabagina, one of the 21 terror suspects being prosecuted in connection to the FLN, a militia that carried out several attacks against civilians on Rwandan territory in 2018 and 2019.

During the attacks, 9 people lost their lives, many others injured, and property destroyed or looted.

Lurquin appeared in a court session on Friday, August 20, when the judges were announcing the dates on which the final verdict of the case will be pronounced.

"The Rwandan law is clear that a person who can practice law in Rwanda should be a member of the Rwandan Bar Association. But, a lawyer who is a member of another bar association can practise in Rwanda upon receiving authorization from the president of the Rwanda Bar Association. Without such authorization, it is against the law to practise in Rwanda," Habimana said.

In addition, he noted that it is as well not allowed for an unaccredited lawyer to visit a client in prison, unless he does it in another capacity - not as a lawyer.

"Not every person can go to a prison and say, 'I want to meet someone.' If you say that you are visiting a person in your capacity as a lawyer, then you have to prove that you are a lawyer. So, if you are a foreign lawyer, you have to make a request, and it should be endorsed by the Rwanda Bar Association," he said.

Habimana also had something to say about the fact that Lurquin was dressed up in a lawyers' gown when he came to court.

"First of all, dressing up as a lawyer is a privilege for lawyers only. That dress is not for just any person. If you dress like that, the message you are sending to the public is that you are a lawyer. Lurquin is a lawyer in Belgium, but not one in Rwanda," he said.

"If you are not a lawyer and you dress up like one, it is an offence. It is punishable," he added.

He noted that the incident can be taken up by the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) since it is against Rwanda's criminal law.

However, he noted that it can as well be sorted out in another way, through negotiations between the bar associations of Rwanda and Belgium,

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"The Rwanda Bar Association also has rights to inform the president of the Belgian Bar Association that their member came to Rwanda and did something against the professional ethical rules. At that time, he (Lurquin) can get disciplinary sanctions in Belgium. These two actions are possible: disciplinary action and criminal action," he said.

The Rwanda Bar Association also officially criticized Lurquin's behaviour,

"Rwanda Bar Association notes Me. Vincent Lurquin today appeared in court as a lawyer, in a lawyer's gown, although he is not a member of the Rwanda Bar Association and he is not allowed to practice in Rwanda. He has been requested to explain his behaviour," read a statement posted by the Rwanda Bar Association, via their Twitter handle.

In a Twitter post, Yolande Makolo, the Government Spokesperson also had something to say about the incident, referring to Lurquin's behaviour as "crooked."

"Lurquin's crooked behaviour is a clear violation of the rules of legal practice in Rwanda. They are desperate to distract from the facts of the FLN trial and Rusesabagina's suspected leadership role in terror attacks in Nyungwe in which 9 innocent Rwandans died, including 2 minors," she wrote
Kilifi County is home to tens of thousands of boda boda operators, dotting every corner of villages and towns because they provide affordable and quick transport.

But they face embarrassment, disgrace and mockery, labelled as perpetrators of sexual gender-based violence.

They are also blamed for pregnancies and early marriages among schoolgirls.

But less discussed is their critical role as "second parents" to vulnerable girls.

Twenty-one-year-old Baraka Amani (not his name) sits on a broken chair in the back of his mother's house in Misufini village, Kibarani, Kilifi North sub-county. He reveals that he had been providing basic needs to a girl for over one year when he was accused of defilement.

The two are neighbours and they started their friendship when Mr Amani was 17 and in Standard Seven and the girl was 16 and in Standard Six at the same primary school.

Their friendship started in 2014 after the deaths of their fathers.

"We used to play together, and the bond was so strong that she started telling me her mother was struggling to raise them due to a lack of money," he says.

Mr Amani, though he was a pupil, started doing menial jobs to earn money and help her mother with buying food.

He also gave some of his earnings to his girlfriend to buy exercise books, pens and sanitary towels. He also paid her money to pay for her school examinations.

"She could tell me that she did not like the vegetables her mother had prepared for them, and I would give her money to buy alternative food of her choice," he says.

The friendship grew into a sexual affair and she became pregnant.

He says the girl decided to get married to him because she had become pregnant.

Mr Amani's good deeds did not matter after his girlfriend's mother discovered her daughter had conceived.

He was thrown into police cells, wandered the corridors of Kilifi courts and dropped out of Godoma Secondary School in Form

Two, damaging the future of a bright boy who had scored 302 marks in his KCPE examinations in 2015.

"My girlfriend's mother did not raise any issues for all that period I was supporting her, but I became an enemy immediately after she became pregnant," he says.

He quit going to school to attend his court sessions for over four years with all the challenges, including his inability to pay for his transport to court.

His mother was poor, and a close maternal relative who was paying for his education later withdrew his support.

"Sometimes I was forced to trek from school to home ahead of my court session to avoid being issued with a warrant of arrest," he says.

He is serving three years on probation, which will end in 2022.

His girlfriend gave birth to a baby girl.

Mr Amani calls upon the community not to be quick to accuse boda bodas of sexually abusing schoolgirls.

"The society should look at both sides of the coin. We do not support vulnerable girls in exchange for sex, but the intimacy comes in the process of the friendship," he adds.

He attributes the woes facing the boda bodas to a lack of responsibility among many parents.

"The girls' parents do not provide their daughters with some of the little things they need, and that is why they open up to boda bodas seeking support," he says.

Vincent Mwaura says he has not heard of a case where parents had been charged in court for negligence.

"Boda-boda operators are always the weakest point. We have never had cases where a parent has been arrested and charged in court for failing to perform his parental roles," he says.

He wants child-protection agencies and law enforcers to hold parents accountable for their faults.

Mr Mwaura says there are cases where boda bodas are supporting poor girls, but their parents are yet to speak because their daughters are still safe in school.

"The girl becomes the responsibility of the boda boda and she is included in his budget at the end of the day, because he is her sole provider," he says

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The national director for children's services, Morris Tsuma, says apart from subjecting their children to child labour to provide for the families, parents also expose their children to commercial sex.

"Many parents are evading their role in bringing up their children," he says.

Another boda boda, Alio Guyo, from Kiwandani/Prison, wants all matters concerning them to be thoroughly investigated like any other cases.

"The majority of boda boda are victims of circumstances and we risk being jailed or even killed," he says.

The issue of boda bodas and schoolgirls is being discussed as the national government and its partners are reviewing the Children Act and the Sexual Offences Act with a view to strengthening them.

"We want to strengthen the laws so perpetrators can get tougher punishment that will also be a lesson to the community," he says.

This story is part of a series examining teen pregnancies in Kenya's Coastal counties.
Kampala  Authorities in Uganda have suspended 54 aid groups, accusing them of failing to comply with regulations. In return, the heads of the accused groups say they are being harassed for political purposes.

Addressing journalists Friday in Kampala, Steven Okello, the executive director for the National Bureau of Non-Government Organizations, said the 54 NGOs were not complying with the country's NGO law.

He said some organizations are operating with expired permits, some have failed to file annual tax returns, and others are operating without registering. He said all must halt their operations with immediate effect.

Okello, speaking at Uganda's Media Center, cited examples.

"The first one is Chapter Four Uganda that has not filed returns from 2016-2020. The second is Citizens Coalition for Democracy in Uganda, commonly known as CCEDDU. Now CCEDDU does not only have issues with the filing of returns, they have issues like they proceeded to observe elections without accreditation from the Electoral Commission," he said.

In December 2020, the executive director of human rights group Chapter Four, Nicholas Opio, was arrested on allegations of money laundering.

At the time, the organization was reportedly collecting evidence surrounding the killings and arrests that occurred during two days of protests in Uganda that began on November 18.

Reaction from aid groups

A top official of the Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, Miria Matembe, says they have only failed to file tax returns for one year because of COVID-19.

"And we went into lockdown. And the challenges have been quite a lot. And if within that year, you are a bit late in submitting returns, I do not think that that should earn us a suspension. So, me, I'm thinking, maybe, I don't know whether there could be another reason behind as you may imagine," Matembe said.

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Godber Tumushabe heads a research group, the Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies, which the NGO Bureau says is operating without registration.

Godber says a suspension letter received Friday morning accused the NGO of not disclosing its activities.

He argues that by law, his organization is only required to register and comply with requirements under the Companies Act and not the NGO Bureau.

He says the NGO Bureau was instituted by the government to harass organizations.

"The NGO Bureau has been consistently used as a tool to politically and administratively harass Ugandan NGOs and Ugandan NGO leaders. And actually even pro-democracy activists," Godber said.

Okello says all district NGO monitoring committees have been put on alert to ensure all the NGOs named do not operate.

Previous government action

This is not the first time the government has targeted NGOs.

In February, several NGOs were forced to either close or scale down activities after the government ordered the suspension of the International NGO Democratic Governance Facility.

Eight development partners formed the DGF in 2011 to provide well-coordinated support to state and non-state entities in order to strengthen pro-democracy campaigns and protect human rights.

In suspending the DGF, President Yoweri Museveni said that the fund was exclusively foreign managed, and that its activities were calculated to subvert the government.
Yaounde  Cameroon says its military has killed seven self-proclaimed separatist generals who blocked traffic for a month on roads in the central African state's English-speaking western regions. The military says during a two-week operation, it recovered 70 vehicles the fighters had seized from civilians and rescued several women and children held hostage in separatist camps.

Cameroon said Friday its military had eliminated separatists from roads the fighters had illegally occupied in the English-speaking North-West region since July. Lieutenant Conrad Onana says he commanded government troops in one of several operations to neutralize fighters blocking roads.

Onana says a heavy exchange of fire lasted for over two hours starting at 1 a.m. Friday, when government troops attacked the fighters in Bafut. He says many of the separatists and their five self-proclaimed generals killed by government troops had been wanted by the military.

Onana did not give the total number of separatists killed in the raid.

He said the military rescued several women, including a pregnant woman, and a nursing baby held hostage by the fighters. He said at least six men were arrested for collaborating with separatists.

General Nka Valere is commander of government troops fighting separatists in the North-West region.

Nka says several hundred government troops took part in operations in which two self-proclaimed generals were killed in Bali in addition to the five in Bafut, towns in the North-West region's Mezam Division. He says the generals killed by the military are called Small Pepper, Stone, Small Bible, Ibobe, Prince, Kobet and Babilla. He says his troops recovered many weapons and seized material the fighters were using for homemade bombs.

Nka said he is asking civilians to collaborate more than ever before with the military by reporting suspected separatist fighters hiding in their communities.

Separatists have said on social media that some of their fighters and generals were killed but have given no further details. The fighters say many government troops were also killed.

Nka said a few government troops sustained light injuries, but none were killed.

In July, Cameroonian officials prohibited use of motorcycles in Mezam. The officials accused separatists of using motorcycles for crimes, including the ambush and killing of five police officers in Bali July 18.

Cameroon said the separatist fighters also used motorcycles to attack and raze military positions, police stations and government offices.

On social media, separatists claimed responsibility for killing the police officers and burning buildings occupied by the military. The fighters also imposed a ban on motor vehicle traffic and promised to lift the ban when government officials allow motorcycle traffic.

The military said the separatists seized over a hundred vehicles that defied the ban and used the vehicles to erect road barricades.

The government said it ordered the military to clear the roads of separatist fighters because thousands of people who use the roads daily were stranded.

Deben Tchoffo, governor of the North-West region, said 70 vehicles were removed from the road. He said all the roads blocked by separatist fighters are now safe and useable. Tchoffo said Cameroonian President Paul Biya has reiterated that fighters who surrender and drop their weapons will not be prosecuted.

Twenty-four-year-old truck driver Innocent Njikong says it is the sixth time since 2015 that the government is assuring travelers that roads in the North-West region are safe. He says he is very certain that the fighters will not drop their weapons.

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"How do you meet and convince them [fighters] when they are still staying outside? They [the military] have burned their [fighters'] houses," Njikongsaid. "We are pleading to the government, let them [the military] drop their guns. We need to sacrifice in order to bring peace."

Njikong said by sacrifice, he means that the government should declare a cease-fire.

Cameroon has always said its military is not involved in any wrongdoing and that it will crush separatists who refuse to surrender.

Violence erupted in 2017 in Cameroon's English-speaking regions when teachers and lawyers protested alleged discrimination by the French-speaking majority. The military reacted with a crackdown and separatist groups took up weapons, claiming that they were protecting civilians.

The United Nations says over 3,000 people have been killed and 550,000 displaced in Cameroon and neighboring Nigeria since the conflict began.
Ahora | El jefe de Estado, @PedroCastilloTe, preside la 131 sesion del Foro del Acuerdo Nacional, donde se presentaran los lineamientos "Consensos por el Peru".

?? En vivo: https://t.co/dJIna2EqZF
#PongoElHombro ???? | Este sabado 21 y domingo 22 se llevara a cabo una nueva #Vacunaton contra la #COVID19 en Lima Metropolitana, Callao y 16 regiones mas.



Recuerda la importancia de contar con las dos dosis. ????

Una es ninguna! ???? pic.twitter.com/MKZSU7IRwn
"We will reactivate and revitalize operational aspects," the high-ranking official said concerning the arrival of vaccines against COVID-19.





In this sense, the minister acknowledged that the issue of the pandemic worries him and pointed out that the Foreign Affairs Ministry has fulfilled its role in said task.





Likewise, the Cabinet member indicated that he respects all opinions, regarding the sectors which have criticized him for being sworn in to office.





"I am a democrat, I built a democratic path, and I am working for a democratic and constitutional Government that has been chosen by the Peruvian population," he added.





Furthermore, 74-year-old Maurtua affirmed that the Foreign Affairs Ministry's doors are open to all media outlets.








#MINEMinforma | MINEM promovera nuevos proyectos de energias renovables.



Ministro Merino se reunio con gerente general de ENGIE Energia Peru con quien intercambio propuestas para el desarrollo sostenible de inversiones en el sector electrico.



Nota: https://t.co/OwHFG7hUmj pic.twitter.com/ckVYA1eJSP
YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. The United States condemns the recent escalation of violence along the international border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The US State Department called on the two countries to uphold their ceasefire commitments by taking immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.

Continued tensions along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border underscore the fact that only a comprehensive resolution that addresses all outstanding issues can normalize relations between the two countries and allow the people of the region to live together peacefully. The United States urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to return as soon as possible to substantive discussions under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to achieve a long-term political settlement to the conflict, the US State Department said in response to an inquiry from ARMENPRESS amid regular Azerbaijani attacks at the border.

On August 16, an on-duty Armenian serviceman was shot dead by an Azerbaijani sniper fire in Yeraskh. Later on the same day, Armenian military positions in the Gegharkunik province came under Azeri shelling, killing an Armenian soldier. Just a day later the Armenian military positions again came under Azeri fire in Gegharkunik, and one serviceman was wounded.

Aram Sargsyan
YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a phone conversation with President of France Emmanuel Macron, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister.

The interlocutors discussed the situation and the recent developments in the region. The leaders of the two countries emphasized the importance of the resumption of the peace process under the auspices of the Minsk Group co-chairmanship aimed at a comprehensive political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Prime Minister Pashinyan highly appreciated the efforts made by President Macron towards establishing lasting peace and stability in the region.

The parties also touched upon dynamics of the bilateral relations between the two countries and the prospects for deepening cooperation in a wide range of areas.
The host of a program for the right-wing website Infowars, Owen Shroyer, has been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to court documents filed Friday.

Shroyer, who hosts The War Room With Owen Shroyer" for the website operated by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, said on air Friday that his lawyer informed him there's a warrant out for his arrest and that he will have to turn himself into authorities Monday morning.

"There's a lot of questions, some I have answers to, some I don't. ... I plan on declaring innocence of these charges because I am," Shroyer said in a video posted on the Infowars website.

He faces misdemeanor charges such as disorderly conduct and entering a restricted area of Capitol grounds. No lawyer was listed for him in federal court records.

Authorities say video shows Shroyer marching to the Capitol from the Ellipse shortly before the building was breached, telling the crowd today we march for the Capitol because on this historic January 6, 2021, we have to let our Congressmen and women know, and we have to let Mike Pence know, they stole the election, we know they stole it, and we arent going to accept it!"
As movers were seen outside the governor's mansion in Albany Friday, the soon-to-be-ex-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's lawyer announced that she is sending a letter to Attorney General Letitia James demanding she "make corrections" and "supplement the record" to the report that led to Cuomo's resignation.

Attorney Rita Glavin said during a virtual briefing Friday afternoon the additional information and "corrections" needed to be included in the report because it's being used by the State Assembly in making its own findings.

"It is incumbent upon the chief legal officer of our state to make corrections include material omissions and supplement the record with information that bears directly on a number of the findings that were included in that report," Glavin said.
WASHINGTON  Most Canadians will continue to be barred from crossing the United States land border for another month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Friday, even though the Canadian side of the border opened to vaccinated Americans last week.

"To minimize the spread of #COVID19, including the Delta variant, the United States is extending restrictions on nonessential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through September 21, while continuing to ensure the flow of essential trade and travel," the Department of Homeland Security said in announcing the move on Twitter.

The ban on nonessential travel by land from Canada and Mexico had been scheduled to expire Saturday. The decision to extend the ban has been extended on a monthly basis since it was first imposed near the start of the Covid-19 pandemic on March 21, 2020.

The Canadian government has taken a different approach, reopening its side of the land border on Aug. 9 to vaccinated Americans who can show that they have tested negative for the virus within 72 hours prior to their arrival in Canada. That reopening proved to be relatively painless, with many vaccinated Americans able to cross into Canada without significant delays.
He was promoted to deputy prime minister in July as Muhyiddin sought to appease UMNO, which was unhappy at playing second fiddle to Muhyiddins smaller party. In the end, 15 UMNO lawmakers pulled support for Muhyiddin, causing his government to collapse.

Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Malaysias University of Science, said Ismail's key challenge is to bring about national unity in a highly polarized society.

You can imagine the feelings of close to half of Malaysias population who voted against UMNO in the 2018 elections, only to see an UMNO PM returning to helm the country just three years later," he said. Ismail has to be more conciliatory by bringing some opposition members into substantive policy-making roles, he said.

All eyes will be on Ismail as he assembles his Cabinet. Previously Muhyiddin's Cabinet had been slammed as bloated as he sought to reward allies with government posts.

Welsh said the test would be whether Ismail can step away from mistakes made by Muhyiddin's government and address serious governance issues.

The economy is in bad shape, weakened by the former government's mismanagement. He will have to put in a competent team and move beyond narrow racialized paradigms he has been known for," Welsh added.
New Yorks upcoming redistricting will test whether lawmakers are committed to fairness.

Among the consequences of the changes is this: The upcoming redrawing of legislative and congressional districts is likely to be contentious  and the temptation to play games in drawing them will be strong.

Gerrymandering, of course, is how politics has long been played by both political parties, leading to districts with notoriously absurd shapes. And with Republicans controlling most state legislatures nationally, there are predictions that congressional districts redrawn to favor the GOP will be all the party needs to retake the House.

For Democrats in Albany, then, the temptation will be to fight fire with fire. Rather than draw fair districts that are compact, contiguous and make visual sense, theyll be tempted to gerrymander out a Republican or two.

Self-interest will also be at work, of course, given that legislative districts drawn to the benefit of Democrats could solidify party majorities in the state Assembly and Senate, perhaps guaranteeing one-party rule.

But Democrats must resist the temptation. They must let New Yorks independent commission, tasked with fairly redrawing the lines, do its work without interference.
US Vice President Kamala Harris said issues stemming from a global chip shortage is very real," as she heads to Asia on a trip aimed at building trade relationships with countries seen as crucial to the supply chain.

Harris, who will visit Singapore and Vietnam where she will emphasize the U.S.s role as a global leader, said Friday the country had both an economic and security interest related to the region, and how dependent it is on its supply chains.

Her trip comes as global semiconductor shortage continues to cause production delays for the auto and consumer electronics industries in the U.S.. The Biden White House has for months engaged with industries and lawmakers on ways to alleviate the crisis, without much effect so far.

(Also read | Now, Pakistan's automobile industry hit by global semiconductor shortage)

Harris will land Aug. 22 in Singapore, which has sought to increase its chip-making talent and manufacturing capability. U.S.-based GlobalFoundries Inc. recently said it planned to build a $4 billion plant in the city-state, slated to start in 2023, and the facility is expected to primarily serve smartphone and auto

demand.

Her second stop Aug. 24 is Vietnam, which in particular plays an increasingly important role in many supply chains, as companies in recent years moved operations there from China. The pandemic has forced factory shutdowns in Vietnam, where a tiny fraction of the population is vaccinated. Intel Corp., one of the countrys biggest foreign investors, has spent 140 billion dong ($6.1 million) in just one month to meet strict anti-virus mandates to ensure it can keep operations going in the Ho Chi Minh City.

Kamala Harris Heads to Chinas Backyard in Diplomacy Reboot

Harris said the semiconductor issue was also raised in a discussion with General Motors Co. Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra. GM and other automakers have struggled to keep plants open due to shortfalls in chip supplies, which has forced them to limit production and see inventories dwindle. This month, Barra told reporters that GM is working to prevent a recurrence of the shortfall and expressed confidence the scramble for chips will ease -- but didnt provide any specific timeline.

(Also read | Volkswagen may cut production due to chip crisis, to follow Toyota)

Earlier Friday, GM said its recalling more than 73,000 of its Bolt electric vehicles at a cost of $1 billion due to the risk of their batteries catching fire. Faced with the expanding recall, the automaker said it was pressing its battery supplier, South Koreas LG, for reimbursement of this field action."

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Automakers are shutting or cutting down their production as the semiconductor shortage tightens its grip around the automobile industry. Even the biggest manufacturing plant by Volkswagen has not remained untouched by the crisis as now the former enters only one shift schedule starting Monday.

Volkswagens Wolfsburg plant that employs around

60,000 people will have one shift routine from next week. Audi, the biggest contributor in terms of profit to the automaker, informs that it will extend the summer break by one week at two of its German factories as the supply of semiconductors remains volatile, says a Bloomberg's report.

(Also read | US vice president says semiconductor supply chain issues very real)

Due to the rise in Covid-19 cases in Southeast Asia that has forced significant restrictions at chip processing plants, the disruption in the supply of semiconductors has taken an evident toll on the production by carmakers. Last month, Volkswagen did inform about constrained output during the third quarter, while BMW AG also reinstated the ongoing uncertainty.

Toyota has shared that it will suspend output at 14 factories across Japan for various lengths of time, even after striving to stockpile chips and other key components. The report says that the impact will be most severe in September, with Toyota cutting its production plan by 40 percent.

Although production hit, carmakers have been forced to lower their sales expectation, but with higher prices of vehicles, the automakers have been able to reduce the impact of the blow to some extent.

(Also read | Now, Pakistan's automobile industry hit by global semiconductor shortage)

The report also highlights research done by Susquehanna Financial Group which indicates that the amount of time it is taking for chip-starved companies to get orders filled has been stretched to more than 20 weeks, which only shows that the shortages are getting worse.
Xiaomis auto business said to be headquartered in Beijing

Beijing (Gasgoo)- Xiaomis auto business will be headquartered in Beijing where it will set up its first factory, according to local media outlet Auto Business Review.

Photo credit: Xiaomi

At the end of March this year, the smart phone maker announced it will set up a subsidiary for smart electric vehicle business. The initial investment of the new company will be RMB10 billion while the total investment in the next 10 years will be around $10 billion. Lei Jun, CEO of the group, will serve as the CEO of the electric vehicle business.

Since the announcement of its foray into the electric vehicle industry, Xiaomis headquarters and factory location have attracted much attention. It is said that Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Hefei and Xian all are wooing Xiaos auto business. And in the past four months, Lei Jun also visited numerous automakers and suppliers, such as Changan, GAC Group, SAIC GM Wuling, Great Wall Motor, CATL and Bosch.

Xiaomis headquarters are located in Beijing. The Xiaomi Technology Campus, in Haidian District of Beijing, covers an area of 220,000 square meters with an investment of about RMB2 billion. In addition, Xiaomi also has a smart factory in Yizhuang of Beijing. In June and July, Xiaomi posted more than 20 new positions which are related to autonomous driving, and all the staff for the above positions are expected to work in Haidian District.
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China has passed a law on protecting the lawful rights and interests of physicians, providing a legal guarantee for the implementation of the Healthy China strategy.

The legislation was adopted at the closing meeting of a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Friday.

The law, consisting of seven chapters and 67 articles, stipulates that August 19 is observed as China's Doctors' Day.

It also makes provisions on the qualification examination and registration, rules of practice, training and assessment, supporting measures, and legal liabilities for physicians.

The law requires strengthening the training of medical professionals in general practice, pediatrics, psychiatry, geriatrics and other disciplines that are in short supply.

It also asks measures to cultivate high-level professionals of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine and general practitioners who are able to provide integrated traditional Chinese and western medical services.

Doctors shall be encouraged to offer medical and health care services regularly at medical institutions below the county level, including township and village clinics and community health service centers, and the main institutions where they practice shall support them, reads the law.

It also stipulates that medical and health institutions should improve security measures and take the initiative to resolve medical disputes in a timely manner, thus ensuring the safety of doctors.

The law will take effect on March 1, 2022.

The number of practicing physicians and practicing assistant physicians in China hit nearly 4.1 million in 2020.
Foundational Strategies to Future Proof Your Enterprise Digital Infrastructure Platform

Recent IDC surveys tracking plans for digital business investment show that 71% of organizations worldwide rank digital infrastructure resiliency as a priority or top priority over the next two years.

And as organizations recognize that their ability to anticipate and react more quickly to unexpected conditions is nonnegotiable, they are taking full advantage of a new generation of compute, storage, and network infrastructure in datacenters.

Check out this white paper to learn about emerging, mission-critical business priorities around digital infrastructure resilience and how VMware vSphere is evolving to meet these needs.
In my book I (Robert Francis Kennedy Jr) reveal how Fauci:

has been the principal architect of agency capture  the subversion of democracy by a drug industry that manipulates regulators like sock puppets.

failed dismally over his 50-year career with the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to address the cause, to prevent or cure the exploding epidemics of allergies and chronic disease that Congress charged him with curtailing. The chronic disease pandemic is his enduring legacy. Those ailments now debilitate 54% of American children compared to 6% when he joined NIAD.

repeatedly used fraud, bullying, intimidation, dissembling and falsified science to win approval for worthless and deadly drugs and vaccines.

sabotaged safe and effective off-patent therapeutic treatments for AIDS while promoting deadly chemotherapy drugs that almost certainly caused more deaths than HIV.

transformed NIAD from a public health regulator into an incubator for pharmaceutical drugs for which he and his trusted deputies often file patents and collect royalties. Dr. Fauci has claimed Moderna vaccine patent rights worth billions of dollars for NIAD and hand-picked at least four of his NIAD underlings to receive $150,000 annually from royalties.

exercises dictatorial control over the army of knowledge-and-innovation leaders who appear nightly on TV to parrot his orthodoxies and debunk" his opponents who run his crooked clinical trials globally and who populate the independent federal panels that approve and mandate drugs and vaccines  including the committees that allowed the Emergency Use Authorization of COVID-19 vaccines.

violated federal law to allow his pharma partners to sacrifice and kill hundreds of impoverished and dark-skinned children and orphans in the U.S and Africa as lab rats in deadly experiments with toxic AIDS and cancer chemotherapies.

repeatedly concocted and weaponized fraudulent pandemics , including bird flu (2005), swine flu (2009) and Zika (2015-2016), in order to sell novel vaccines.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/oklahoma-mom-11-helps-rescue-10-girls-afghanistan-s-robotics-n1277153?fbclid=IwAR1A4e_qyuv_pQ8oG4igZRsmENA2jzXuiByyaoyUOfhahXv2GDw7amwhkvI

Aug. 19, 2021, 10:07 AM EDT / Updated Aug. 20, 2021, 12:01 AM EDT / Source: TODAY

Ten girls from Afghanistan's girls robotics team have been rescued out of Afghanistan. "Several members of the girls Afghan robotics team have safely arrived in Doha, Qatar, from Kabul, Afghanistan," a statement from the Digital Citizen Fund and Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs said of the Afghan Girls Robotic Team. The team, which consists of a group of girls ages 16-18 who have overcome hardship to pursue their love of engineering and robotics in Afghanistan, safely arrived in Doha, Qatar, days after Kabul fell to the Taliban. "The Digital Citizen Fund (DCF), the team's parent organization, is deeply grateful to the government of Qatar for their outstanding support, which included not only expediting the visa process but sending a plane after outbound flights from Afghanistan were repeatedly canceled," the DCF said in a statement. Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown, a board member on the DCF, said that she and the DCF founder had been working with Qatar since early August when it became clear that the Taliban would be overthrowing the government. "The flight out of Kabul was only at the very end of a journey in which safety was always a concern," she said. "Ultimately the girls 'rescued' themselves. If it were not for their hard work and courage to pursue an education, which brought them in contact with the world, they would still be trapped. We need to continue to support them and others like them," she said. Unfortunately, several members of the team remain in Afghanistan. DCF is working with Qatar to arrange transportation for the remaining members and their aides.

2017: Afghan girls compete in first international robotics competition JULY 18, 2017 01:39

When Kabul fell, the robotics team was on the mind of many.

Allyson Reneau, a mom of 11 who graduated from Harvard in 2016 with a masters in international relations and U.S. space policy, could not stop thinking about the girls when the Taliban began to take over the country.

Recommended

Reneau, 60, first met the girls through her work on the board of directors for Explore Mars, when the girls attended the 2019 Human to Mars conference. Reneau has kept in touch with the girls over the years, and as reports of a Taliban takeover grew, she had an overwhelming feeling the team of girls might be in danger.

"I remembered my former roommate in D.C. a couple of years ago was transferred to Qatar," Reneau explained. "She said she worked in the U.S. Embassy in Qatar... she was sure her boss would approve helping the girls."

Reneau and her former roommate attempted the necessary paperwork to get the girls out. It is unclear how much their efforts helped, but Reneau is relieved to know 10 of the girls are now safe. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the effort.

The girls were flown to a secure location, where they will be able to pursue higher education.

"We appreciate this and hope it translates to long-term commitment to girls' education," Brown said. "This is the most effective way to guarantee their safety and a better future for everyone."


Peekers



By Tian Yu Zhi



Please lay your hands on your heart

Feel the conscience, and ask yourself

Why you keep coming back here

When you should have

Played a few rounds of chess on a street corner

Like those old men do, until being checkmated by life;

Or gossiped tittle-tattles while spitting sunflower seed shells

Like those old women do, after their last sparks stamped out

If you dont have an answer,

Please put "a peeker loser" sticker on your forehead,

Each time you come here  you know

You are not welcomed, not YOU

A criminal often goes back to the crime scene

To check out on the victim, a sign of neurosis pervertion.

You know in your heart: you are part of the reason why she is here

Knowing "level and oblique tones" does not make you any better

Get a life. Stay out.











2021.8.20




The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has been watched closely by African insurgents

As Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, Islamist groups waging insurgencies in Africa were quick to celebrate.

"God is great," a media outlet linked to Somalia's al-Shabab wrote in response to the takeover.

Elsewhere, the leader of al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) used his first public message since 2019 to congratulate the Taliban.

"We are winning," Iyad Ag Ghaly said, drawing comparisons between the withdrawal of foreign troops in Afghanistan and France's decision to reduce its military presence in West Africa's Sahel region.

And it is not just Africa's Islamist fighters who have been seeing parallels with Afghanistan.

From Somalia in the east to Nigeria in the west, newspapers have published articles and citizens have taken to social media to share their concerns.

If a wake-up call was needed for African governments heavily reliant on foreign support in their fight against Islamist insurgents, then the Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan is likely to be it.

Fear in Mali

Since 2012, Mali - one of Africa's biggest countries - has been battling various jihadist groups in its northern and central regions.

It has had to rely on French troops and UN peacekeepers to keep the militants from taking control.

However, the presence of soldiers from the former colonial power has been unpopular with some Malians, as well as some in France.

In June, France announced the drawdown of its forces, reducing their numbers to 2,500-3,000 by early next year.

There is concern that Malian troops, who are often poorly trained and ill-equipped, will not be able to contain Islamist groups.

Thousands of Malians have fled jihadist violence

"Many people are afraid because the situation is likely to be the same [as Afghanistan]," says Bouraima Guindo, editor-in-chief of Mali's Le Pays newspaper.

"The presence of those foreign soldiers is very necessary because if they leave tomorrow, the situation will be more dangerous."

Story continues

Like other publications in Mali, Le Pays has called on the country's leaders to do more to strengthen its armed forces.

Running out of time in Somalia

There is also concern in Somalia, which has drawn some of the strongest comparisons to Afghanistan.

Somalia suffered state collapse and decades of civil war before an insurgency by the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab group began in the mid-2000s.

The internationally backed government has struggled to regain control of much of the country and is reliant on African Union troops operating under a UN Security Council mandate.

The Somali military is fighting Islamist group al-Shabab

The goal has been to uproot the militants while giving the government time to build institutions.

But as in Afghanistan, there have been widespread accusations of corruption. There have also been clashes in the capital this year over delayed elections, which saw parts of the security forces turn on each other.

These issues have raised doubts over Somalia's state-building project.

Ilham Gassar, a political advisor to the UN mission in Somalia, says international partners had been focusing on destroying al-Shabab, not developing a strong state.

"The focus was never to make the average Somali's life better and to create systems of sustainability," she says.

The Somali government was meant to take the lead on security operations by the end of this year, but that looks unlikely due to questions over the army's capability.

Samira Gaid, head of Somali security think-tank Hiraal Institute, says Somali forces are even less prepared to halt a potential militant offensive than those in Afghanistan.

"Somali security forces have not received 0.005% of what the Afghan security forces have received," she says.

"Tangible support towards the rebuilding of the Somali security forces has been minimal. Somalia is still under an arms embargo, so we are unable to purchase the type of weaponry that Afghanistan had."

But even in Somalia the focus has shifted to how and when to end foreign assistance.

The EU has already started cutting back its funding, and the government is running out of time to get itself ready to be self-sufficient.

Political solutions

As in Afghanistan, Islamist movements in Africa have flourished in countries where they have been able to capitalise on weak state institutions, a lack of services like education and healthcare, and issues with poverty.

These factors led to the emergence of insurgents in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado region, and were used by groups in West Africa as a way to recruit fighters and gain public support.

In some cases, insurgents have stepped in to provide services and better justice in communities, which has helped them gain legitimacy.

France is reducing its military presence in Africa's Sahel region.

There is a general acceptance across Africa that military operations will not be enough to eradicate violent extremism and that more needs to be done to find political solutions - perhaps even negotiating with insurgents.

But security expert Fulan Nasrullah says it would be a shock if any of the Islamist groups in West Africa were to capture a state and hold it.

"People should not interpret Africa or every other jihadi Islamist group through the prism of what just happened in Afghanistan - the contexts are different but there are a few similarities," he says.

The groups fighting in West Africa are not a cohesive force like the Taliban, they are a mixture of various militias, whose goals sometimes align but not always and increasingly the global contest between IS and al-Qaeda has seen their affiliates fighting each other.

West Africa's Islamist groups "exist in a climate where the state is weak, but they are weaker than the weak states", Mr Nasrullah says.

Lessons to be learned

It is too soon to know how developments in Afghanistan might affect policy in Africa. But the conversation has begun on how to ensure a better exit for foreign powers.

Comfort Ero, from the International Crisis Group think-tank, says there are "immediate lessons" to be learned.

She says there is a "perennial problem of governments mired in corruption, heavily dependent on foreign/external support, with little or sometimes flimsy legitimacy at home, so that when international support is withdrawn, what we are left with are artificial states unable to extend their remit".

Amid the shocking scenes of people trying to flee Afghanistan, Ms Gaid says she believes there would be a "pause on the part of international partners" to ensure there were not similar situations in countries like Somalia.

"It will be more staggered, and they will be more deliberate about an eventual exit," she says.

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People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier will not be invited to participate in the upcoming election debates. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press - image credit)

Leaders' Debates Commissioner David Johnston has confirmed that leaders of five political parties will be invited to participate in the upcoming election debates  but People's Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier is not among them.

The leaders of the Bloc Quebecois, Conservative Party of Canada, Green Party of Canada, Liberal Party of Canada and New Democratic Party met the criteria to take part.

In order to be eligible as a participant, the leader must meet one of these three criteria:

The party has at least one MP in the House of Commons who was elected as a member of that party.

The party's candidates in the 2019 federal election received at least four per cent of the total number of valid votes cast.

The party has a national support level of at least four per cent, five days after the date the election is called. That is measured by leading national public opinion polling organizations, using the average of those organizations' most recently publicly reported results.

The Leaders' Debates Commission calculated the People's Party of Canada's average level of national support at 3.27 per cent, slightly below the four per cent threshold established by the commission.

The Leaders' Debates Commission is a non-partisan and independent organization responsible for organizing federal leaders' debates.

Bernier said in a statement he is "disappointed, but not surprised" by the ruling.

"I do not blame the commission, whose criteria were clear and objective," he said. "Rather, I blame the political establishment cartel, which refuses to debate the crucial issues we raise and has done everything to marginalize us since the founding of the PPC."

The criteria for admission to the leaders debates were established by the commission.

"I can make this promise to Canadians today: debate or no debate, you will keep hearing from us!" Bernier added.

Earlier today, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he did not think Bernier should be invited to the debates on the grounds that he is "opposed to science" and has put out "dangerous rhetoric."

Story continues

WATCH | Singh opposes Bernier's participation in leaders' debates:

Bernier has said he does not plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine because he is relatively young and healthy, so he would be unlikely to experience severe symptoms if he became infected with the virus.

In the past, Bernier has flouted COVID-19 health restrictions by attending a number of rallies protesting against public health measures. He was arrested by Manitoba RCMP in June for violating public health orders.

A French-language debate will be held on Sept. 8 from 8 to 10 p.m. EDT, and an English-language event will be held the next day from 9 to 11 p.m. EDT. Both debates will take place at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que.

The debates are being produced by a coalition of media outlets: CBC News and Radio-Canada, APTN News, CTV News, Global News, L'actualite, Les coops de l'information, Le Devoir, Noovo Info and La Presse.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21) President Rodrigo Duterte advised the Commission on Audit to "reconfigure" its audit reports on government agencies by immediately saying there are no irregularities involved.

"Alam ko walang malisya (I know there's no malice). You are just doing your duty," Duterte said during a taped address aired on Saturday.

"But in making the report, kindly reconfigure everything and sabihin sa una, at the first instance, 'pag ma-interview ka, sabihin mo na kaagad there is no corruption here, because there is no money involved," he added.

[Translation: But in making the report, kindly reconfigure everything and say, at the first instance, if you're interviewed, immediately say there is no corruption here, because there is no money involved.]

Earlier this week, Duterte also suggested that COA continue its mandate but refrain from publishing findings, as doing so would taint agencies with "corruption by perception."

RELATED: Duterte hits COA on DOH audit report, defends health agency on 'deficiencies' over COVID-19 funds

The pronouncement was met with opposition from several lawmakers and experts who reminded the chief executive that he cannot give out orders to an independent constitutional body.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the COA is granted the "power, authority, and duty to examine, audit, and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property, owned or held in trust by, or pertaining to, the government, or any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations with original charters, and on a post-audit basis."

Repercussions?

Aside from the billions worth of "deficiencies" COA raised regarding the Department of Health's handling of pandemic response funds, state auditors also flagged issues concerning a number of other government agencies.

Duterte said he is not criticizing state auditors as he recognizes their duty under the law.

"Hindi naman personal 'yan. Pero 'yung mga repercussions lang na gusto man ninyo o hindi, gusto ko rin o hindi, ay mangyari pagkaganito 'yung environment ng ating bansa. Pulitika, pati 'yung mga tao na...well, there is a freedom to criticize," the president noted.

[Translation: That's not personal. But the repercussions  whether we like it or not  may happen if the environment is like this. Politics, and people who are...well, there is a freedom to criticize.]

'Uphold COA independence'

Meanwhile, some of the country's biggest business groups expressed their support for COA, and underscored the importance of upholding the body's independence.

"Such is the constitutional nature of the Commission, with the power and mandatory duty to serve as a robust check-and-balance on the power to disburse and use public funds and properties, ensure that effective controls are in place to protect government financial assets and properties, improve effectiveness and efficiency, and be a vital instrument against corruption and misuse of public funds and properties," members of the private sector said in a joint statement.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  Amid issues hounding the Department of Health, President Rodrigo Duterte said he will stand by embattled Health Secretary Francisco Duque even if it leads to his own downfall.

Maski mag-isa nalang ako (Even if I am the only one left), I will stand for Duque even if it will bring me down, Duterte said in a recorded address that aired on Saturday.

Sabi na pagkatapos nito, hindi na popular si Duterte, yung rating rating niyo. Look, tapos na ako. The rating does not really matter to me. Ang gusto ko lang magtrabaho nang matino, and whatever judgment you have for me, I dont give a shit, Duterte added.

[Translation: Some said, after this, Duterte would not be popular anymore based on ratings. Look, I am done. The rating does not really matter to me. I just want to work decently, and whatever judgment you have for me, I dont give a shit.]

Congress is conducting an inquiry on the audit report that flagged deficiencies in the agencys use of over P67 billion in pandemic response funds.

A number of lawmakers, some even crossing party lines, have repeatedly asked Duque to resign. Health care workers have called for the same, with Filipino Nurses United citing Duques incompetence and shortcomings in dealing with the pandemic as their basis. COVID-19 has so far killed 31,198 in the country, according to DOH data.

Duque has offered to resign in the past, but Duterte told him to stay because he did nothing wrong.

Now, he even said he is taking responsibility for Duques perceived mistakes.

Kawawa naman yung mama. You want me to fire Secretary Duque. Give me a reason bakit ko paalisinHindi naman iyan nag-apply, hindi naman nakiusap na kunin mo ako. Ako ang kumuha.

[Translation: What a pitiful man. You want me to fire Secretary Duque. Give me a reason to remove him. He neither applied nor asked me for his current position. I appointed him.]

He added: So kung ano ang pagkakamali niya, sa akin iyan.

[Translation: Whatever his mistakes were, that is on me.]

Duque has been criticized a number of times since the unprecedented health crisis last year. Among these is the delayed travel ban during the initial stage of the pandemic.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  Power supply was fully restored in the Visayas on Saturday after a lightning strike to a transmission line caused a blackout in a number of areas, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines said.

The last feeder  which was connected to the franchise area of Leyte V Electric Cooperative, Inc. or LEYECO V  was restored at 12:16 p.m., over 12 hours since an unscheduled power interruption hit Cebu, Leyte-Samar, and Bohol at 11:56 p.m. on Friday, the NGCP said.

The grid operator said lightning struck its Cebu-Quiot-Colon line.

It also affected areas covered by the Visayan Electric Co. or VECO. Restoration efforts began as early as 12:52 a.m.., the NGCP said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 20)  A former US Food and Drug Administration official believes the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinovac would require boosters in the future.

Ex-US FDA Associate Commissioner Peter Pitts told CNN Philippines that booster shots for Sinovac doses are "absolutely, positively, without any doubt" needed due to the vaccine's reported 50% efficacy.

"One of the issues with the Sinovac vaccines is that the Chinese government did not really share full data sets...but if you say 50% (efficacy), absolutely, positively without any doubt a booster shot is going to be necessary," Pitts said.

"If it is necessary for mRNA vaccines that are 95% effective and the J&J (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine that is 65-70% effective, any vaccine that is below that - like the Sinovac vaccine - is absolutely going to need a booster shot," he added.

In the Philippines, there's no clear decision yet on whether boosters will be offered anytime soon.

Local health experts have also pointed out that vaccines remain "highly effective" against the coronavirus despite calls for the government to purchase booster shots as soon as possible to secure supply for the country.

Early this week, US health officials announced that booster shots will be offered to Americans beginning September 20. This will serve as an added protection against the feared Delta variant, which now accounts for almost 99% of cases in the US.

Pitts said this will also prevent more breakthrough infections, which may be the way forward from now on for the US.

While there are no guidelines yet on boosters, Americans will most likely receive the same dose of the vaccine initially administered to them, according to Pitts.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  Health authorities are awaiting "enough evidence" to officially confirm community transmission of the highly contagious Delta variant, an official said on Saturday, despite data rom the Philippine Genome Center.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire acknowledged that the samples and results from the PGC suggest that community transmission may be present.

"Kailangan lang ng (We just need) enough evidence so we could officially declare," she said during a virtual briefing. The Department of Health earlier said community transmission refers to rising localized cases which links cannot be established.

"But the government has already pursued actions when it comes to this transmission level sa ating bansa (in our country)," Vergeire said.

In a radio interview earlier in the day, PGC executive director Cynthia Saloma said the Health department could draw conclusions from the data they have.

"I am also part of the TWG (technical working group) on variants, but... on the view of PGC, we do our analysis and we try to link the caseslahat lahat ng samples, siyempre may whole genome sequencing kami at saka napag-link link namin ang mga bagay na ito based on the phylogenetic tree that we have been doing, its really community transmission," the PGC official explained.

[Translation: I am also part of the TWG (technical working group) on variants, but... on view of PGC, we do our analysis and we try to link the cases  all samples, of course we have whole genome sequencing and then we have linked these things based on the phylogenetic tree that we have been doing, its really community transmission.]

"When you look at the samples in June, its really already community transmission. So with due respect with our experts at the DOH from our point of view at the PGC," Saloma said.

In a Palace briefing earlier this week, Saloma said they witnessed a rapid increase in Delta variant cases.

READ: Philippine Genome Center: Delta variant made up most of total cases sequenced in July

For instance, cases of the highly transmissible variant first discovered in India already made up 42.41% of total cases sequenced by the center nationwide as of July compared to 3.81% in May and 5.84% in June based on latest data from the group.

From rates within the 40% level in May and June, the Alpha and Beta variants percentages in overall sequences only rest on the 20% level as of July.

The increase was even "more noticeable" in the National Capital Region, Saloma said. The DOH previously said the Delta variant is present in all of Metro Manila.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Budget and Management to release additional funds for healthcare workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"DBM, I am giving you ten days," Duterte said in a taped address to the nation that aired on Saturday.

The President gave the order amid complaints from thousands of medical frontliners that they have yet to receive their special risk allowances (SRAs).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said his department has already requested an additional 311 million for the SRAs of 20,156 unpaid healthcare workers.

The DOH has also asked the DBM for an additional 3.6 billion for the renewal of contracts of medical personnel employed through the DOH's emergency hiring program, including the 4,800 who are part of the COVID-19 vaccination drive, the secretary added.

DBM Officer-In-Charge Tina Canda vowed to comply with Duterte's order, adding the department has already identified funding sources for the DOH's budget requests.

"Doon sa SRA, pwede po nating i-release mula sa miscellaneous personnel benefits fund," Canda said.

[Translation: For the SRA, we can release that from the miscellaneous personnel benefits fund.]

"Sa vaccinators, part of that - may nakita kaming 1.6 billion sa DOH pertaining to 2020 [budget] na hindi nila nagamit...Iyong balanse po na kailangan, pwede po nating kunin sa contingent fund," she added.

[Translation: For vaccinators - part of that or 1.6 billion can be sourced from the DOH's unused 2020 budget. The balance needed can be taken from the contingent fund.]
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21) President Rodrigo Duterte said he approved the dismissal of National Electrification Administration chief Edgardo Masongsong.

PACC (Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission) conducted the investigation and made the recommendation for his dismissal. So I have approved, Duterte said in a taped address which aired on Saturday.

He did not provide details.

In May, the PACC filed a complaint against Masongsong for allegedly allowing electric cooperatives to contribute funds to a party-list group's campaign in 2019. The commission said it recommended charges for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act as well as the Omnibus Election Code.

Masongsong called the claims "baseless and malicious." He added public funds were not used for campaign.

Innocent'

Meanwhile, Masongsong said that while he has yet to receive a formal notice of the dismissal, he would be ready to turn over his responsibilities to the next designated leader.

He added he could prove his innocence if given the chance.

These are allegations that I have addressed in the course of the PACC's inquiry into these accusations, and the records will show that I have fully cooperated with the PACCfully confident in the knowledge that these allegations are baseless, and that if granted due process and the opportunity to defend myself I can establish that I am innocent of any wrongdoing, Masongsong said in a statement.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 21)  The country on Saturday received one million more doses of Sinovac vaccine purchased by the government and 260,800 Sinopharm vials donated by China.

The Philippine Airlines aircraft carrying the vaccines landed at around 6:40 AM at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said in a statement.

A total of 26.5 million Sinovac doses, most of which or 24.6 million were procured, were delivered to the country this year, the task force said.

Meanwhile, the new batch of Sinopharm doses is in addition to the 739,200 delivered on Friday.

The country so far received 48,522,890 COVID-19 vaccines doses from different manufacturers, according to the task force.
(CNN)  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told House members in a call this afternoon that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban in Kabul, according to multiple sources on the call.

Austin called it unacceptable but would not rule in or out if Americans would go outside the gates to ensure safe passage through checkpoints. Still, he added that generally the Taliban were not hindering Americans seeking to get to the airport, echoing the claims made publicly by President Biden on Sunday.

The comments appear to contradict President Bidens statement earlier Friday that there's "no indication" US citizens have been unable to get to Kabul airport.

Politico first reported Austins comments.

Asked about Austins comments and reports of beatings, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said, we're certainly mindful of these reports and they're deeply troubling, and we have communicated to the Taliban that that's absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans. And by and large, that's happening.

Read more updates here.
Source: AdobeStock / Rob Byron

Regulation is becoming a very hot topic in the crypto industry as governments try to understand how they should respond to this still relatively new phenomenon. With United States-based crypto companies now fighting the infrastructure bill battle in the House after a defeat in the Senate, the industry could potentially look very different in a few years, after recently proposed rule changes have been implemented.

Various sub-sectors within crypto will likely be affected in different ways by incoming regulation, but one area that may be affected more than most is decentralized finance (DeFi). This is largely because, due to its arguably decentralized nature, it would potentially be very hard to carry out know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) checks on users if it becomes truly decentralized.

According to industry figures who spoke to Cryptonews.com, DeFi is currently dogged by vagueness, ambiguity and inconsistency in the application of existing rules, as well as proposed new laws. However, while most observers agree that DeFi will likely suffer from ongoing regulatory uncertainty in the short-to-medium term, they also say that regulators will ultimately choose to adopt guidelines that nurture  rather than nuke  the fledgling sector.

Ambiguity...and more ambiguity

The aforementioned infrastructure bill provides a good example of the kind of minefield that current and incoming regulations present to the DeFi world.

The original draft of the bill included decentralized exchanges and peer-to-peer marketplaces in its definition of broker, thereby encompassing much of DeFi with its proposal to subject all brokers to the requirement to report large transactions to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Coin Center executive director Jerry Brito celebrated an amendment that sought to remove both decentralized exchanges and peer-to-peer marketplaces from the scope of the bill. However, a subsequent proposed amendment proposed altering the language yet again, so that only proof-of-work mining appeared to be excluded by the new definition of broker.

This isolated example illustrates just how tricky it will be for DeFi players to navigate future regulations.

But there are plenty more examples of this kind of lack of clarity and certainty. Its a common feature of pretty much all laws and regulations that will affect the DeFi sector, from the European Commissions recent anti-money laundering proposals to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)s soon-to-be-revised guidelines.

There are two big sources of ambiguity: One is conceptual and linguistic, and the other relates to international consistency.

Anndy Lian, the Chairman of the crypto exchange BigONE and the Chief Digital Advisor to the Mongolian Productivity Organization, said,

At the FATF recent Plenary meeting in June this year, a key takeaway was the concern around the apparent lack of consensus across different jurisdictions and between industry players regarding the best way to comply with the Travel Rule. And while the private sector has led the way in developing solutions to enable implementation of the Travel Rule, a majority of jurisdictions have not yet implemented the FATFs requirements.

For Lian, the real issue and challenge for the DeFi sector is the uneven compliance with the Travel Rule across jurisdictions, which poses real headaches for both DeFi businesses and their customers.

But in terms of incoming and future regulation, theres also a big problem related to semantics and conceptual clarity. According to the MakerDAO (MKR) community member PaperImperium, technical terms arent used consistently by regulators and the crypto industry, making it unclear as to what exactly policymakers want.

PaperImperium told Cryptonews.com:

A great example of this is the debate around stablecoins. As the Gorton-Zhang paper from a few weeks ago makes clear, later confirmed by private discussions, even a term as simple as stablecoin has a different meaning in policy circles than in the cryptoverse.

Most people working within crypto would use the term stablecoin to signify any token that is purposefully trying to remain in a price band around a given benchmark. However, PaperImperium said, policymakers and regulators are generally talking about redeemable-upon-demand-for-fiat tokens to the exclusion of algorithmically managed tokens.

This creates a big headache for stablecoins such as DAI, which is generated by MakerDAO. In fact, prior to the recent infrastructure bill, the Democratic Representative Don Beyer has put forward a draft bill that would effectively outlaw all stablecoins that dont meet certain regulatory criteria and arent registered by their issuer. The latter condition is something that DAI, for instance, could never meet.

Still, most people working within DeFi claim that regulation is not only inevitable, but good for the sector in the long term.

Layerzero, a member of MakerDAOs Sustainable Ecosystem Scaling Core Unit Team, explained:

I believe regulation is necessary and a sign that the industry matures. Not having legal certainty is a risk that hinders future growth.

And Layerzero added,

I welcome good regulation that provides legal certainty to market participants and that doesnt hinder innovation, but of course, this is hard to achieve. The problem is that the current regulatory framework is outdated and was not designed for decentralized ledger technology.

DeFis golden eggs

New proposals are coming thick and fast at the moment, and its uncertain what regulatory hurdles the DeFi ecosystem will have to clear in the months and years to come. Its also uncertain whether all soon-to-be-imposed hurdles will actually be clearable, and whether further growth in DeFi sector might become somewhat restricted as a result.

Still, DeFi industry players estimate that the sector will endure for a long time to come, even if its mature form may be somewhat different from how it is now.

For Skirmantas Januskas, the CEO and Co-founder of DappRadar, DeFis survival will be guaranteed by the fact that its much too lucrative for regulators and governments to completely obliterate.

He told Cryptonews.com:

The sheer amount of wealth generated and locked into our industry  especially now, at a time when governments inject trillions into the economy by way of rescue packages to the detriment of, say, infrastructure and other long-term needs that must also be met  makes us the proverbial goose that laid the golden eggs. And the act of laying golden eggs is a potentially taxable event.

Given that DeFi went from USD 1 billion in total value locked in to around USD 90 billion in just under a year (according to DeFi Pulse), most governments will want to extract a portion of the value it has generated for tax and public spending. In other words, they will seek to avoid imposing too-stringent regulation.

Januskas added:

Regulators worldwide will likely seek to capitalize on our industry, just as we crypto natives have, and this places us in a very strong position in a dialogue that is only just starting. And while it may take years of regulations being proposed, effected, repealed, before we come to a solution that safeguards consumers and governments interests and still harbors innovation, the regulations that do come into force will likely work to DeFis advantage in the long run.

Anndy Lian agreed that DeFi will be too profitable to simply kill off with regulation, regardless of how that regulation will end up looking in a few years. In his view (as someone who actually does advise governments), DeFi poses both opportunities and challenges for governments and regulators emerging from the coronavirus pandemic.

Lian said,

The task for the DeFi sector is to carry on educating governments and regulators on the benefits of DeFi especially in parts of the world where banking is hard to access, and in promoting crypto entrepreneurship for the future. Nevertheless, governments are trying to know more to get themselves fitted with the new DeFi trends.

The question is: how long will DeFi need to wait until authorities produce the clear regulations the sector needs to grow sustainably?

In some areas, like tax or AML, its a matter of months. In some others, its unrealistic to expect full regulatory clarity even within years, said Jacek Czarnecki, the Global Legal Counsel at MakerDAO.

Given the likely lengths of time involved, Czarnecki suggested that new DeFi projects should definitely engage in dialogue with regulators and policymakers.

Czarnecki told Cryptonews.com,

We have pioneered such activities at Maker, and have been meeting with both multiple national regulators (including central banks) as well as international organizations (e.g. the OECD, FATF, the Financial Stability Board) since 2018. That has helped us gain trust and awareness among the regulatory community.

_____

Learn more:

- SEC Boss Gensler Hints that He Could Seek to Regulate DeFi

- Total Value Locked in DeFi is a 'Deceptively Complicated Metric'

- Square Targets Bitcoin DeFi Business

- Japanese Regulator Report Suggests DeFi Regulations Could Be Coming

- Bitcoin and Ethereum Can Coexist With DeFi Bridging the Two

- DeFi Has Had a Strong 2021, Driven By New Trends & Paradigms

- How Bitcoin and DeFi are Completely Different Phenomena

- The DeFi Sector Is Breaking The Law - Its Time to Act
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A medical staff prepares to vaccinate people in Ho Chi Minh City on August 15, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Nguyen

Southern industrial centers like HCMC, Binh Duong and Dong Nai should be prioritized for vaccination, the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam has said.

They have major industrial parks and make a big contribution to the economy, Mary Tarnowka, its executive director, said at a meeting with HCMC authorities Friday.

The safety schemes imposed on factories, like requiring workers to stay on-site and restricting travel between home and the factory, she said these are only temporary solutions and not sustainable in terms of health, safety or cost.

American businesses in Vietnam want to be able to do rapid tests on their employees and take full responsibility for the results, and that requires enough test kits, she said.

Echoing her, a spokesperson for the German Business Association said that the stay-at-work model is only suitable for four weeks, and any longer than that would disrupt manufacturing.

A European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam spokesperson said workers in the logistics sector should be prioritized for vaccination to help clear ports faster.

HCMC chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said the city has vaccinated around 286,000 workers and 3,000 experts working in industrial parks, processing zones and hi-tech parks, or 85 percent of the total number. The city is making plans to give them the second dose and the remaining 15 percent their first dose, he said.

The city can vaccinate up to 300,000 people a day, and plans to immunize everyone, including 70 percent of people aged over 18 by the third quarter, he added.

The Korean Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam and the Singapore Business Group want payment of social insurance premiums by employers deferred at a time when companies are shut down.

The latter also wants tax and fee cuts for manufacturers.

Vietnam has had over 319,200 Covid-19 cases since the end of April, when the latest wave began, nearly 53 percent of them in HCMC.

It has vaccinated 15.2 percent of its population.

HCMC, Binh Duong and Dong Nai house major electronics manufacturers like Intel and Samsung, footwear maker Pouyuen, and tire maker Kumho.

HCMC has 1.6 million workers working in factories, including more than 320,000 in 17 export processing zones, industrial parks and high-tech zones. Binh Duong is currently home to 29 industrial parks while Dong Nai has 32.
Workers assemble Ranger pickup trucks at a Ford plant in the northern province of Hai Duong. Photo courtesy of Ford

The recent proposal to halve registration fees for domestically produced automobiles has stirred a debate between auto firms.

If approved, it will see local products have a price advantage over imports. So, while it has found support among companies that manufacture in Vietnam, who see it as an opportunity to increase sales amid the prolonged COVID-19 outbreaks, companies that import vehicles called it unfair.

The fee cut is part of a decree drafted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment to support the industry amid the pandemic.

Subaru Vietnam said: "We hope that the government will also have measures to assist car importers and buyers in this difficult period."

Audi Vietnam said: "We want the registration fee cut to be applied to both [locally assembled and imported] automobiles."

Volvo and Volkswagen also called for a level playing field.

In March, the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association had called on the Ministry of Finance for a similar cut for both local products and imports, but the ministry rejected it, saying it was not appropriate. VAMA made a similar demand in July.

A Japanese automobile company, a member of VAMA, said it would be difficult for the government to cut the fee for both vehicles.

According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association, its members sold over 135,600 vehicles in the first half, up 32 percent. The numbers do not include the sales of Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, Subaru, Volkswagen, Volvo and some others, who did not reveal their numbers.

According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the country imported over 81,100 complete built-up vehicles in the six-month period, a 100.5 percent increase.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Nguyen Hung (R) and two staff members of the Vietnamese Embassy in Poland receive a batch of vaccine donated by Poland at Warsaw Chopin Airport, August 20, 2021. Photo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Poland officially handed Vietnam over 501,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines at Warsaw Chopin Airport Friday.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Nguyen Hung attended the event along with Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawe Jabonski, Polish Deputy Health Minister Anna Goawska and Polish National Strategic Reserve Director Micha Kuczmierowski, stated Vietnams Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jabonski and Goawska said they always kept in mind Vietnams support in the early days of the pandemic in Poland, affirming Vietnam and the Vietnamese community in Poland have contributed a significant part to Poland achieving its current positive anti-pandemic results.

Therefore, under the current pandemic situation in Vietnam, Poland hoped with the vaccine support, the country would soon overcome its fourth wave and stabilize economic development.

Ambassador Nguyen Hung said he highly appreciates Poland's support and believes the two countries will beat the pandemic together, and that the Vietnam-Poland relationship with a history of more than 70 years would continue to develop.

Poland on Aug. 17 announced it would donate more than 501,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to Vietnam, along with essential medical equipment for the prevention of Covid-19 worth $4 million. Vietnam is the first non-European country to which Poland has given such support.

It is expected that a batch of essential medical equipment will be transferred to Vietnam early next month.

Authorities of both nations are negotiating for Vietnam to receive more than three million doses of vaccine pledged by Poland.

Vietnam has received more than 20 million Covid-19 vaccine doses of different kinds, either via government support, the Covax facility or commercial contracts by local firms and the Health Ministry.

By Friday, the nation of 96 million had administered more than 16.3 million vaccine doses, with over 1.63 million people receiving two shots.
Russia promises to take revenge on me for Crimean platform, but this will not stop us - Kuleba on sanctions

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba considers the application of sanctions against him by the Russian Federation as revenge for the Crimean platform.

"Russia promised that it would take revenge on me for the Crimean platform. It took revenge. But that will not stop us. Crimea is Ukraine," Kuleba wrote on his Twitter account on Saturday.

By the decree of the government of the Russian Federation of August 20, 2021, changes were made to the so-called "sanctions list" of November 1, 2018. In particular, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba are included in the list of individuals subject to special economic measures.
Kyiv welcomes arrival of Granholm as head of U.S. delegation to events on Independence Day - MFA

Kyiv welcomes the participation of the U.S. delegation led by Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in the Crimean Platform summit and celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

"We welcome the participation of Minister Granholm in every possible way. It is very important and symbolic that the United States will be represented at the level of a presidential envoy and a member of the government, whose area of responsibility plays an important role in relations between Ukraine and the United States," speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolenko said in a commentary, transferred to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

Nikolenko said that energy is an important priority of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and the United States.

"In addition to participating in the Crimean Platform summit and celebrations of the 30th anniversary of independence, the visit of Jennifer Granholm will be an excellent opportunity for our states to discuss the issue of energy security of Ukraine and Europe as a whole, as well as efforts to combat climate change," the Foreign Ministry speaker said.

As reported, U.S. President Joseph Biden sent a presidential delegation led by Energy Minister Jennifer Granholm to the Crimean Platform summit and celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

Earlier there was information that the United States will be represented by the personal envoy of the President of the United States and a member of the government - U.S. Secretary of Transportation Peter Buttidzic.
Ukrainian military transport aircraft Il-76MD of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took off from Kabul airport (Afghanistan) on Saturday.

"As of 10:00 on August 21, the Il-76MD of the Air Force is at the Islamabad airfield (Pakistan)," the Facebook page of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

It is said that the number of evacuated citizens and the time of return to Ukraine is being specified.

The aircraft of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is in the Middle East with a mission to evacuate citizens of Ukraine and foreigners from Afghanistan, where the situation has worsened due to the Taliban coming to power.

Reportedly, more than 150 Ukrainians, their family members and other foreigners reported a desire to be evacuated from Afghanistan. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, two plans are being worked out: the evacuation of citizens by plane, which is already at the Kabul airport, and the evacuation by the plane of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, which departed on August 18 from Kyiv.

On August 15, a Ukrainian private plane took out 79 people from Afghanistan: eight citizens of Ukraine, as well as citizens of the Netherlands, Croatia, Belarus, and Afghanistan.
Since 2014, over 30,000 crimes related to the armed conflict have been registered in Ukraine, only more than 7,000 of them have been sent to court, Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said.

She said this at an online meeting with Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Ambassador Michael Kozak of the Office of Global Criminal Justice of the U.S. State Department and representatives of the Bureau for European and Eurasian Affairs, as well as the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. State Department, the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office said.

Venediktova invited American partners to join the work of the International Council of Experts on Crimes Committed in Armed Conflict.

"We invite American experts in the field of international humanitarian law and international criminal law, who would constantly work with our team, to join the work [of the Council]. The participation of military experts with experience of cooperation with international judicial bodies will also be very useful," the Prosecutor General said.
President of Council of Europe to take part in Crimean Platform summit, celebrations of 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence

President of the European Council Charles Michel, during a two-day visit to Ukraine on August 23-24, will take part in the Crimean Platform summit and celebrations on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.

This follows from the President's agenda, unveiled in Brussels on Friday.

In particular, Michel is expected to speak at the inaugural summit of the International Crimean Platform and visit the office of the Crimean Platform on August 23.

Also, on the same day, the President of the Council of Europe will hold a number of bilateral meetings, in particular, with President of Slovakia Zuzana Caputova, Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Lofven and the President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski.

The next day, August 24, 2021, Michel will take part in the official ceremony to mark the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is protesting against the expansion of the list of Ukrainian individuals against whom the Russian government imposes sanctions.

"This illegal step is a continuation of the Russian aggression against Ukraine in all its forms and manifestations. [...] We consider such aggressive actions of Russia as steps of despair from the failure of Russian diplomacy in the international arena, a provocation on the eve of the inauguration of the Crimean Platform summit," the press service of the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry notes that pressure from the Russian Federation will not stop Ukraine's consistent policy to counter Russian aggression.

"We will continue to make consistent efforts to end Russia's occupation of the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders," the statement says.

"The Ukrainian side reserves the right to take appropriate response measures in accordance with the norms and principles of international law. These aggressive steps by the occupying state will not remain unanswered," the ministry said.

As reported, by the decree of the government of the Russian Federation of August 20, 2021, changes were made to the so-called "sanctions list" of November 1, 2018. In particular, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba are included in the list of individuals subject to special economic measures.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Joana is coming to Ukraine to participate in the Crimean Platform and celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's Independence.

The corresponding announcement was distributed on Saturday in Brussels by the NATO headquarters.

"On August 23, the Deputy Secretary General will take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimean Platform, where he will speak at the inaugural session and in the panel discussion 'Threats to the Azov-Black Sea Region as a Challenge to International Security: Consolidation of Efforts and Solutions to De-Occupation'.

On August 24, he will take part in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence," the announcement reported.

NATO also said that during his visit, Joana will hold bilateral meetings with Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov, Secretary of the National Security Council and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov, head of the parliamentary committee on Foreign Affairs And Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Oleksandr Merezhko and deputy head of the Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Maryana Bezuhla.
James Le Mesurier's body was found in the early hours of 11 November 2019, on the cobblestones of Ali Pasha Street on the West side of Istanbul, Turkey. In death, the co-founder of the White Helmets left behind a tangled knot of truth and lies. Untangling that knot would mean finding out who he really was and how he came to die. Its a story which goes to the heart of a very modern war.More
Jake Bodart (L), Austin Johnson (C) and Jessica Rendon (L) of the Oregon Department of Agriculture look down at their attached boots while wearing hornet extraction suits, (Photo : REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson)

The first Asian giant hornet nest of the year has been found in Washington state, and plans are being developed to eradicate it, likely next week, the state's agriculture department said on Thursday.



The so-called stinging "murder hornets," the world's largest hornets, can grow to two inches (5 cm) in length and prey on native bee and wasp populations, consuming honeybee hives and threatening agriculture.



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"Any time you get any organism that is not native to an area move in, the consequences are really immeasurable," said Sven Spichiger, the department's managing entomologist.



A day before the nest was located, Washington and Oregon state Department of Agriculture employees gathered in an open-air classroom just south of the Canadian border to learn how to trap, track and eradicate the invasive species.



The employees donned protective suits, complete with black boots and blue gloves, and practised using telemetry systems to find the hornets, tag them and then destroy their nests.



Thousands of traps baited with orange juice or jam are hung in trees along likely hornet flight paths. Once spotted, the hornet must be tracked to its nest, so its queen and other hornets can be destroyed, ideally before reproducing.



When a hornet is captured, it is fitted with a radio transmitter and released, in the hope it can be followed back to its nest.



Once a nest of Asian giant hornets is confirmed by thermal imaging to be in a tree, the tree is wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent escape while its trunk is hit with a piece of wood to get the hornets out so they can be vacuumed up and eradicated.



"My biggest fear for this year is that there will be lots of nests out in our county and we just don't know where they are, that's the biggest problem, is nests going undetected. So that's why it's so important for the public to continue telling us when they think they see one," Looney said.


Merkel, Putin clash over Navalny on her last trip to Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a news conference following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia (Photo : Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday used her final official visit to Russia to tell President Vladimir Putin to free Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, but the Kremlin leader rebuffed her, saying the jailing was unrelated to politics.



The talks, as Merkel prepares to step down following elections next month, coincided with the first anniversary of Navalny's poisoning, an incident that strained Russia-Germany ties.



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Navalny was flown to Germany last year after being poisoned with what the West concluded was a military nerve agent. Moscow rejects that and alleges a Western smear campaign. Navalny was jailed when he flew back to Russia.



"We ... spoke about the depressing situation of Alexei Navalny," the German leader told reporters after the talks.



"I have demanded once again from the president to release Navalny and I have made it clear that we will remain on the case," she said.



Putin rebuffed Merkel's remarks, while not identifying Navalny by name and referring to him only as the "subject".



"As for the subject in question, he was not convicted for his political activities, but for an offence against foreign partners," Putin said, a reference to the embezzlement case.



"As far as political activities are concerned, no-one should hide behind political activities to carry out business projects, while breaking the law," he said.



On Friday, Britain and the United States imposed sanctions on Friday on men they said were Russian intelligence operatives responsible for the poisoning of Navalny. Neither the Kremlin nor any of those named offered any immediate comment.



Washington has also imposed sanctions on one Russian vessel and two Russian individuals involved in the yet-to-be-completed Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, soon after Putin said it is almost finished.



APPEAL TO THE WEST



In a letter to mark the anniversary that was published in three European newspapers on Friday, Navalny appealed to the West to do more to combat corruption in countries like Russia.



In Britain, the government published details of sanctions against seven individuals it said were Russian intelligence operatives suspected of involvement in his poisoning. There was no immediate reaction from Moscow.



Relations between Merkel and Putin, two of Europe's longest serving leaders, soured in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, drawing broad condemnation and sanctions from the West.



At a news conference following talks that lasted almost three hours, the leaders said they had discussed Afghanistan, Libya and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Germany.



Putin told reporters that there were just 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) left to complete the undersea gas pipeline that the U.S. has opposed. Washington says it will deal a huge blow to ally Ukraine by bypassing the historic transit country.



Merkel said she urged Putin to extend Moscow's gas transit deal with Ukraine that expires in 2024.



Putin told reporters that Russia planned to fully comply with its obligations on gas transit via Ukraine and that Moscow was ready to extend the transit agreement beyond 2024 but that it needed more details.



But Putin said he had the impression that the leadership in Ukraine had decided against a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine and that Kyiv looked poised to adopt legislation that he said would amount to it unilaterally exiting a peace deal.



On Afghanistan, Putin said it was not in Russia's interests to dwell on the results of the U.S. military campaign there and that it was important to establish good and neighbourly relations with Afghanistan.



Merkel is due to step down as chancellor after a Sept. 26 election that will end 16 years in office, while Putin, who has been in power for more than two decades, is next up for election in 2024, though he has not said whether he will run.



Merkel, 67, grew up in former Moscow-backed East Germany and speaks Russian, while Putin, 68, was based in Dresden during the Cold War as a KGB officer and speaks German.


Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks at the annual National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Dallas, Texas, U.S (Photo : REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo)

The Texas Supreme Court rejected Governor Greg Abbott's intervention to suspend a mask mandate, thus allowing schools to require students to wear masks as per the mandates by local authorities, according to a CNN report https://cnn.it/3y2B5zU on Thursday.



Abbott had argued that state officials did not have time to go through the regular appeals process and allowing local governments to set their own mandate rules would cause confusion, the report added.



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The ruling comes amid the coronavirus political battle in the southern United States where new infections are highest.



Several states across the U.S. have announced the change in plans on masking due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country and the announcement of new guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that requires fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks.



However, a few republican states clashed with local officials who are resisting their orders banning school mask mandates, to which, the U.S. President Joe Biden reacted by saying on Aug. 12 that wearing masks is not about politics but about keeping children safe.



On Aug. 18, Florida's Miami-Dade County School Board had imposed a mask mandate for the district's 360,000 students, as well as staff from Monday, defying the Governor Ron DeSantis' rule of banning local mask mandates.


Thunberg protests in Stockholm on third anniversary of first school strike

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and German climate activist Luisa Neubauer hold placards during a protest outside the Swedish Parliament as part of Fridays (Photo : Christine Olsson/TT News Agency/via REUTERS)

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg was back protesting outside the Swedish parliament on Friday, the three-year anniversary of her first school strike which grew into a global, youth-led protest movement.



Thunberg's grassroot initiative caught on around the world, with millions rallying at weekly "Fridays for Future" protests to call on world leaders to listen to scientists about, and act to stop, climate change, and in 2019 the Time magazine named her person of the year.



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Thunberg, who took a sabbatical from school in 2019 before starting high school, told Reuters on Friday her movement was far from achieving its goals.



"In one way of course I haven't achieved anything," she told Reuters. "In another way I have made lots of friends within the movement and we have been able to organise mass protests and it feels like more people are starting to wake up and demand change."



Her first protest outside parliament in August 2018 at the age of 15 "felt quite lonely," she said. "But it also felt very good to be actually doing something."



Thunberg was joined on Friday in Stockholm by several fellow activists who travelled from Europe to mark the day.



"We decided to unite today ... to strike together, to plan, to look at what's up next," said activist Luisa Neubauer, 25, from Germany, where general elections are scheduled for Sept. 26. [nL8N2PP1BR



"I'm also here in the midst of the German election campaign, so that's a big thing. Germany is a huge player, we have a huge responsibility, and right now all players are failing to live up to that responsibility," Neubauer said.



A recent U.N. climate panel report said global warming was dangerously close to spiralling out of control.



During her sabbatical year, which she took to advocate her cause full-time, Thunberg gave a speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9KxE4Kv9A8 to world leaders at a U.N. Climate Action Summit.


The Ministry of Health issued on Friday a new set of instructions regarding coronavirus vaccinations in Egypt, to facilitate the process for travelers as well as non-travellers.

According to a statement by the ministry, if an individual is registered to be vaccinated and has not receive either of the two doses, but wants to be vaccinated as a traveler instead, he or she can make a transfer request through the health ministrys official online vaccination registration by following up on the status of the original request online.

The individual can press the travel transfer tab and choose a travel center to be transferred to, the ministry statement said.

If an individual receives a message saying that they have been assigned to a vaccination center other than a traveler center, the individual must wait 72 hours before requesting a transfer online, or call the vaccination hotline at 15335.

Individuals can also go directly to the Traveler Vaccination Center to be directed, provided they have not received any previous doses.

If an individual has received the first AstraZeneca dose more than a month prior and wants to move up the date of the second dose due to travel arrangements, then he or she should contact the information center of the governorate in which their vaccination center belongs, provided that they have with them a proof of travel date.

AstraZeneca requires an eight-week interval between its first and second doses.

Currently, Egypt has assigned the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine to travelers.

The health ministry added that individuals who received the first and second doses will not be permitted to receive a booster vaccine.

The second dose of the vaccine must be administered at the same center where the first dose was received.

The ministry also stated that vaccinations for anyone under the age of 18 are prohibited.

If an individual has received a confirmation message for their first dose, but missed it, they must call the hotline at 15335 to reactivate the request, which is available for 48 hours, the ministry said in its statement.

As long as they have not been diagnosed with the coronavirus, the second dose will be available for a period of six days to individuals who miss their appointed date.

The ministry added that individuals will be allowed to receive a vaccination certificate if the first dose was administered outside of Egypt.

According to the World Health Organisation, 6,477,535 vaccine doses have been administered in Egypt, with 2,157,904 individuals fully vaccinated, and 4,319,631 receiving first dose.

Egypt has registered 285,831 COVID-19 cases since the outbreak in February 2020, including 16,647 fatalities and 235,317 recoveries.

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Egypt has begun testing China-made E70 electric vehicles on streets as a preliminary step to locally produce its first ever version of the battery-driven cars by state-owned El-Nasr Automotive Manufacturing Company starting mid-2022.

The test run, which includes nine E70 electric vehicles, is conducted in cooperation with ride-hailing company Uber, a statement by the Ministry of Public Business Sector said Saturday.

Egypt has received 13 E70 electric cars from Chinese Dongfeng Motor Corporation to be tried out on the streets of the capital as part of an agreement with El-Nasr Automotive to produce such vehicles.

Uber drivers were trained by a team from the Chinese company to drive and charge the cars, the statement added.

The cars are being put to the test under specific criteria, including running a distance of up to 30,000 kilometres over 3-4 months.

El-Nasr Company is slated to produce 25,000 cars in the first year starting mid-2022, according to the statement.

Egypt has 75 EV charging units and plans to increase them to 3,000 during the first year of the production of the E 70 cars.

Egypt has been working on a sustainable transport project in a bid to reduce fuel emission levels in the country. The country aims to boost its reliance on renewable energy as part of its efforts to achieve sustainable development.

Last year, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on the government to work on establishing a regional centre for manufacturing and exporting EVs in cooperation with global automakers.

In September 2018, Egypt had decided to exempt EVs from custom duties, only collecting value-added tax.

Tariffs were also reduced for hybrid vehicles operating on electricity and petrol.

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Egypt's Ambassador in Moscow Ehab Nasser said 60 flights will be operating weekly from Russia to the Red Sea resort cities of Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh as of 27 August.

At a press conference, the Egyptian diplomat said "Egypt warmly welcomes the return of Russian tourists to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh, as it is very important for tourism business organizations and the industry."

The ambassador noted that the resumption of regular flights between the two countries will help in boosting their ties, asserting that tourism is very important for the economies of both sides as it creates more job opportunities.

He made it clear that aviation movement will be running daily between the two countries.

Earlier this month, Russia resumed direct flights to Egyptian Red Sea resort cities after a 6-year hiatus.

Russian airlines and EgyptAir started operating of direct flights from Moscow to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada airports on 9 August.

In an interview shortly following the resumption of direct flights between Russia and Egypt's Red Sea resort cities, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled El-Enany stressed that coordination is underway to increase the number of direct flights between the two sides.

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.

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Egypt affirmed on Saturday its firm condemnation of all forms of terrorism, marking the UN International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism that takes place annually on 21 August.

On this day, we remember the suffering of the innocent victims of terrorism assaults in Egypt and around the world, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

The United Nations General Assembly established 21 August as the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, in accordance with a 2017 resolution.

The day aims to honor and provide support to the terrorism victims and survivors and also to ensure that they fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms, according to the UN.

Over the past seven years, Egypt has been battling terrorism especially in North and Central Sinai. Terror attacks nationwide have targeted Christian and Muslim worshippers, police and army forces and civilians.

Officials have frequently affirmed that the challenge of terrorism must be countered through a comprehensive approach that includes security and ideological solutions.

In this regard, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has affirmed the need to reform religious discourse as an important element in confronting extremist ideology.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi urged on Saturday developing, exploiting and completing infrastructure of the research village in Toshka, in southern Egypt, so that it becomes a high-level training and research centre.

This centre will help in the formation of cadres that are qualified to deal with mechanised agriculture and modern irrigation methods and to select the best types of crops, a presidential statement cited El-Sisi as saying.

The Toshka area in the southern desert contains a number of agricultural developmental projects and is the biggest plantation in Egypt on an area of 60,000 feddans.

In his Saturday meeting with Agriculture Minister El-Sayed El-Quseir and a number of officials, El-Sisi followed up on the future expansion of desert reclamation, especially in Toshka and East Oweinat, the presidencys statement said.

During the meeting, El-Sisi and the officials reviewed the joint efforts of the relevant authorities in terms of agricultural developmental projects in the southern valley area and the suggested future expansions.

These efforts aim to establish sustainable development projects around these areas and to reduce water loss from these areas, according to the statement.

During the meeting, the president also reviewed the integrated agriculture project in the Siwa Oasis, where he ordered the optimum use of natural resources in the area.

El-Sisi also reviewed the executive status of the Egyptian Company for Mining, Management and Exploitation of Quarries, highlighting how this company contributes to the good management of Egypts mineral wealth through its new structure.

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President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi last week ordered setting an executive plan to vaccinate teachers, teaching staff, workers, employees and students at universities and institutes before the beginning of the academic year.

This includes school students who are above 18 years of age as well as school staff and workers in public, private and international schools, Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad told the Al-Hayah Al-Youm TV program.

The mandatory vaccination will also be applied to students of public and private universities, Saad added.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly will issue a decision in regard to those who refuse to take the vaccine in the educational sector, Saad said.

Egypt had applied the mandatory coronavirus vaccination requirement to those working in the tourism sector in the Red Sea and South Sinai resort cities, Saad said, adding that this has had positive impact on encouraging the return of foreign tourism to the country.

Last week, Presidential Adviser for Health Awad Tag El-Din told Al-Hayah Al-Youm that vaccination will be mandatory in all governmental institutions in Egypt soon.

He added that soon, even some private institutions will not deal with unvaccinated people.

In a meeting with Health Minister Hala Zayed last Monday, PM Madbouly noted that the government is prioritising the vaccination of teaching staff, workers, employees and students at universities and institutes.

Zayed said vaccination facilities at university hospitals originally allocated to vaccinate medical staff will be committed to vaccinate university workers too, a Cabinet statement read.

Each institute and research centre will also establish its own vaccination clinic, Zayed added.

The health ministry will provide these vaccination facilities with medical staff, devices required for vaccination registration, and sufficient vaccine shots, Zayed said.

These vaccination facilities will be committed to administer the second shot to higher education staff before the beginning of the academic year, the minister added.

University hospitals will be tasked with vaccinating higher education students during the medical examination ahead of their first school year, according to Zayed.

These hospitals will also be assigned to schedule the vaccination of university students in higher grades, she noted.

School staff will be able to register on the health ministrys vaccination website under a new category named workers at the education ministry, the statement cited Zayed as saying.

The Ministry of Education will inform its employees to register on the website before 7 September, Zayed said. The health ministry will then send them messages with the dates to receive the two vaccine shots before the beginning of the academic year.

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France will join other major Western powers and Israel in boycotting a UN anti-racism conference next month over concerns about "anti-Semitic statements" at past editions, the presidential office said on Friday.

The follow-up meeting of the Durban Conference, named after the South African city where the UN's anti-racism conference was held in 2001, is scheduled to bring together world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

But the format has been controversial since its inception, with critics led by Israel charging that the first edition in Durban was tarnished by virulent and undisguised anti-Semitism.

Several countries, including France, also boycotted follow-up meetings in 2009 and 2011.

President Emmanuel Macron "has decided that France will not take part in the follow-up conference due to take place this year as he is concerned by anti-Semitic statements made within the Durban Conference", his office said in a statement.

"France will continue to fight against all forces of racism and will be watching to make sure that the Durban follow-up conference is held in accordance with the founding principles of the United Nations," it said.

The United States, the UK, Australia, Israel and numerous other European countries have already announced they are boycotting this year's meeting.

"Following historic concerns regarding anti-Semitism, the UK has decided not to attend the UN's Durban Conference anniversary event," the British foreign ministry said in a statement.

The initial Durban conference, from August 31 to September 8, 2001, just days before the terror attacks of September 11, was marked by deep divisions on the issues of anti-Semitism, colonialism and slavery.

Western countries believe that criticism of Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories frequently veered into open anti-Semitism.

The US and Israel walked out of the conference in protest at the tone of the meeting, including over plans to include condemnations of Zionism in the final text.

At the 2009 conference, a speech by Iran's then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attacking Israel sparked a temporary walkout by many European delegates.

"The original Durban conference was a show of hatred and anti-Israel propaganda and the follow-up events became events of anti-Israel incitement," said a spokeswoman for the Israeli foreign ministry, confirming Israel would not attend this year's event.

The Palestinian Authority said however it would be taking part in the conference "despite the position of several European countries".

Macron has vowed to fight against anti-Semitism in all its forms and last year warned of "the unbearable resurgence of anti-Semitism in our Europe". The government has in recent days expressed concerned over anti-Semitic slogans at protests against Covid-19 restrictions.

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Iran's ultraconservative President Ebrahim Raisi said Saturday his government will prioritise tackling Covid and accelerating vaccinations ahead of an economic revival, as he defended his cabinet choices before parliament.

The conservative-dominated parliament began debating the male-only, largely conservative lineup in the morning ahead of a vote of confidence expected later this week.

"The government's first priority is controlling the coronavirus, improving the health situation and widespread vaccination," Raisi said.

"The economy and the livelihood situation is the second" priority, he added, noting that his lineup is meant to bring about "justice and progress".

Since late June, Iran has seen what officials have called a "fifth wave" of Covid-19 infections, the country's worst yet, which they have largely blamed on the more contagious Delta variant of the virus.

Daily infections and deaths have hit record highs several times this month, raising total cases since the pandemic started to over 4.5 million and fatalities to more than 100,000.

Iran, battling the Middle East's deadliest Covid outbreak, launched a vaccination drive in February but it has progressed slower than authorities had hoped.

Choked by US sanctions that have made it difficult to transfer money abroad, Iran says it has struggled to import vaccines.

Raisi has tapped 63-year-old optometrist Bahram Eynollahi as his health minister.

He defended his pick as "a figure who can rally forces in the fight against coronavirus".

Eynollahi was named by local media as a signatory of a January open letter that warned former president Hassan Rouhani against importing vaccines made by the United States, Britain and France, as they may cause "unknown and irreversible complications".

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had in the same month banned the use of vaccines made by the US and Britain, calling them "completely untrustworthy".

More than 16.3 million people out of the country's 83 million inhabitants have been given a first vaccine dose, but only 5.4 million have received the second, the health ministry said Friday.

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Many people in west London with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan are seeking advice and information from a local organization set up to support Afghan and Central Asian refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, 52, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul, now that the Taliban are back in control of Afghanistan.

``She is begging,'' Hamdam said. ``She says, `Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment.' I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.''

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999. He said his organization has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls in recent days from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the sudden and chaotic turn of events.

``Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations,'' Nasimi said.

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Two small German military helicopters that were sent to Kabul in a move coordinated with the United States had been assembled and were ready for action on Saturday, German officials said.

The idea is for them to be used in Kabul if individual evacuees need to be picked up by helicopter and brought to the airport. But Germany's top military commander, Gen. Eberhard Zorn, said ``there is no concrete plan yet for their deployment.''

Zorn said the situation remains difficult at the gates of the airport in the Afghan capital. The number of people German planes have taken out has varied.

A German flight arrived in Tashkent on Friday night with 172 evacuees on board, but two subsequent flights _ also with an Airbus A400M _ carried out only seven and eight people.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany so far has evacuated nearly 2,000 people. ``The situation is difficult, but with our capabilities and everything that comes up on the ground, we will keep on taking out as many as possible,'' she said.

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France's says it has evacuated over 570 people, including at least 407 Afghan citizens, from Kabul onboard its military aircraft since Monday.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry added that a fourth evacuation plane landed Friday evening in Paris, carrying 4 French citizens and 99 Afghans, mostly people who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan.

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Italy says its military has evacuated nearly 1,000 Afghan citizens out of Kabul over the last five days.

The Defense Ministry said that two flights carrying 207 Afghans arrived Saturday in Rome from Kuwait, which Italy is using as a staging ground for the Kabul evacuations.

Italy has deployed more than 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Italy began what it has dubbed Operation Aquila Omnia in June, bringing to safety 1,532 Afghan citizens to date. Eighty, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID quarantine.

In a video distributed by the ministry, an Afghan man who was brought to the base thanked ``the Italian armed forces, who didn't leave us alone in Afghanistan. With all the difficulty, they brought us away.'' Speaking with his back to the camera, he said the journey took two days. ``We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country,'' he said, expressing also hope that one day ``if Afghanistan becomes safe, we can return to our country.''

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Romania's foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated 14 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement Friday evening that another Romanian citizen, a United Nations employee, could not reach Kabul airport because of security issues, adding that it will look to partner states to identify possible evacuation options.

Authorities said the evacuees were assisted on arrival by Romanian Embassy staff in Pakistan. It was Romania's third evacuation flight this week using a C-130 Hercules military aircraft.

The ministry also said that it has validated and contacted a number of Afghan citizens who collaborated with its troops during their mission in Afghanistan who have expressed a wish to be evacuated to Romania.

But the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens could reach the airport. In their case, the ministry said. (We) will continue to act to identify evacuation options.

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The kingdom of Bahrain has said it is allowing flights to make use of Bahrain's transit facilities amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early Saturday.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.

The kingdom also said it is hoping that all parties will commit to stabilizing the internal situation and to protecting the lives of civilians and the rule of law.

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Senior U.S. military officials say that the processing of passengers inside the Kabul airport has begun, but that there is a considerable backlog of people waiting to fly to Qatar.

Gates to the Hamid Karzai International Airport were closed overnight due to overcrowding in the area, and processing began Saturday morning. It would be roughly 5 to 9 hours before the backlog clears and more people could be allowed in through the gates.

The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss ongoing military operations.

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Heather Barr is a senior researcher on womens rights in the renowned Human Rights Watch. Currently based in Islamabad, Barr works extensively on womens rights in Afghanistan where she had already been based for several years.

Speaking to Al-Ahram Online on the phone from Islamabad, Barr said that the world needs to act and not just talk about standing up for the rights of Afghani women under Taliban because despite of the promises that the movement has been making since taking over Kabul on 15 August about respecting womens rights, there are reasons to worry about the fate of Afghani women under Taliban.

According to Barr, despite the concerns that Human Rights Watch (HRW0 has been raising about the level of commitment and performance of the Afghani government, which had succumbed to the Taliban take-over of the capital of the country, Afghani women are today facing a lot of uncertainty.

Barr noted that in their press conference, upon taking Kabul over, the leaders of Taliban promised that women can have activities, on the basis of rules and regulations specified by the Taliban interpretation of Sharia law, in education, health and [some] other areas.

She argued that this is already raising big concerns about the limitations that Taliban would impose on the types of jobs that women could have and about the Taliban read of womens rights according to Sharia.

There is a lot of uncertainty; we dont know what Taliban would allow women  what would they do with women working in the police force for example or in the media would they allow women to go to university or not; we just dont know, Barr said.

However, with years of experience in Afghanistan where she had talked to many women who had lived under Taliban from the mid-1990s until 2001, Barr had heard enough disturbing accounts that make her worry about the future of Afghani women today.

It is not just about the Burqa; I was once talking to an Afghani woman who said that Taliban think of women as sub-humans, she said.

It was in the early 1990s, upon the end of a decade long of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, which had lasted from December 1979 to February 1989, that Taliban was founded to preach a Salafi version of Islam.

Acting against the backdrop of the widely adopted jihad against the Soviet Union, which was promoted by the United States and its Arab and Muslim regional allies, Taliban, which literally means The Students, had always enjoyed a comfortable constituency, due to its association with the predominant Pashtun ethnic group.

In 1995 Taliban, which had first expanded its rule in the south of Afghanistan, took over Kabul for the first time. By the end of the 1990s, they took over almost all of the Afghani territories.

Under their rule, which only ended upon a US-led invasion in the wake of 9/11 attacks that the US blamed on the Afghanistan-based Al-Qaida, Taliban gave women a very hard time. Rights groups documented many forms of violations of basic rights including the right to education and work.

Today, Barr is convinced that these two rights are the most worrying concerns for women in Afghanistan today.

Burqa is not the biggest concern; I am not saying that women dont mind Burqa but I am saying that the real worry is about education and work, Barr said. She added that it is very hard today to know what Taliban would end up doing but it is not very difficult to expect some serious problems.

When all is said and done, during the past 20 years, Barr noted, women had made some advances in terms of access to education and work. Today, she added, Taliban is taking control of a country where effectively there is a very high level of poverty  70 percent according to some statistics  and where in some cases women are either the only breadwinner or are contributing to putting dinner on the tables of their families.

Now, overnight this is possibly vanishing, she said.

In 2018, Doha hosted talks between the Donald Trump Administration and Taliban. Regrettably, Barr said, securing womens rights was not guaranteed in the agreements that led to this month US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Taliban sets the bar as low as anyone would think of womens rights, Barr said. And, she added, the difference in the situation of women in Afghanistan today compared to where it was under the crumbled Afghani government is just about the difference between night and day.

Barr had been often critical of the level of commitment of the defunct Afghani government to fully implement the text of a law on the elimination of violence against women that was adopted in 2009. Today, she said, she is not sure about the nature of problems that Afghani women would have to put up with.

She argues that violence in the current context in Afghanistan could be so many things including possible forced early marriages of young women and adolescent girls as a result either of possible growing poverty or possible harsh interpretation of Sharia.

Barr would not even compare the possibilities of radicalism that Afghani women face today under Taliban to the radicalism that other women are facing in other countries where radical interpretations of Sharia is forced.

She notes that while doing interviews with women in an Afghani prison, she met a divorced woman who had allegedly been convicted with zena (adultery). And given that she knew it was so rare, almost impossible, for a woman to get a divorce in Afghanistan under Taliban, Barr learned that this woman got her divorce in Iran when she was once a refugee.

There have been millions of Afghani refugees in Pakistan and Iran and when the women who had lived there came back to Afghanistan they had difficulties adjusting to the gender norms which were more difficult under Taliban than in Iran or Pakistan.

This said, Barr agrees that the taste for radical gender conservatism has been high in Afghanistan  even before Taliban took over for the first time in the 1990s and also during the years prior their new takeover this month  although she would insist that the situations before and after Taliban cannot be compared.

Now, Barr added, there is also the question of new Afghani refugees. There are those who wish to get out, temporarily because they fear for themselves in Afghanistan but cannot get out mostly because of the situation at the airport. There are also those who had managed to get out and are not sure what would happen to them and how they would be able to support their families and relatives who are still in Afghanistan.

We dont know how things will go but for now the flow is not happening because people cannot get out; even people who have documentation cannot go to the airport, she said.

Like other rights activists, Barr is worried for many people who feel that they are trapped and are in hiding  including high profile women activists, for example.

I think that very few people want to leave for good; but people are scared, Barr said. Worse still, she added, those people who want and can eventually leave dont necessarily have a safe destination to head to. It is not on offer at all, she stated.

Today, Barr said, the international community has to act and not just talk about standing up for the rights of Afghani women. It is a question of political will, she said.

For now, she argued, Taliban seems to care about how they are perceived by the world and it is super important that the international community uses this wish on the side of Taliban to hold them accountable to womens rights.

Barr is very skeptical about the ability of using economic sanctions to get Taliban to respect womens rights. In a way, she argued, sanctions could end up causing more harm to a population with very high poverty rates than helping women.

Barr said that when 80 percent of the budget of the government comes from foreign aid, suspending aid could just mean a worsening humanitarian situation for the people. This, she said, could mean poorer health service, including COVID-19 prevention, and poorer quality of nutrition, among other things.

When talking about sanctions one has to look at how services would be delivered; one cannot use aid as a blunt way of exercising leverage, Barr said. Actually, she added, it would not matter much what are the Taliban policies, for example, on the education of women, if money is not there to get this service delivered.

During the past few days the US and the International Monetary Fund have curbed funds from Taliban.

Barr argued that what the international community needs to do is to make sure that the UN mission in Afghanistan is enabled to work closely, in cooperation with Afghani non-governmental organizations, to monitor the level of commitment Taliban is showing to womens rights.

Meanwhile, Barr argued, there is a lot of work for the international rights organizations to do to make sure that the world just does not look away when women in Afghanistan sustain possible discrimination and suffering.

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Here is a round-up of the latest developments:

Worsening security

The United States on Saturday urged its citizens in Afghanistan to avoid travelling to the Kabul airport for now, citing "potential security threats" near its gates.

Most roads in the capital were largely deserted save for the route to the airport, which was choked with people scrambling to join a US-led evacuation.

Conditions outside Hamid Karzai International Airport have been chaotic, with reports of people seeking to leave being beaten by Taliban fighters.

"Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time," the alert said.

The US military on Friday said it sent helicopters to rescue more than 150 Americans unable to reach the airport gates, in the first evidence that its forces were willing and able to go beyond the compound to help people seeking evacuation.

At Friday prayers in Kabul, an imam described those trying to flee as not having strong enough religious convictions.

"Those with weak faith are running after or hanging from American planes," he said.

Bottlenecks

US aircraft flew about 6,000 people, including a couple of hundred US citizens, out of Kabul in the 24 hours to early Friday, until flights had to be halted because of a lack of space at transit bases.

Officials confirmed that evacuation operations stalled for several hours on Friday because a receiving base in Qatar was overflowing and could not take any more evacuees.

Evacuee accounts from Qatar describe sleeping on the floor in sweltering heat in a US aircraft hanger for three days or more, with limited facilities.

More than 7,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan to Qatar, an official from the Gulf state said on Saturday.

"At the request of NGOs, educational institutions and international media organisations, we evacuated hundreds of Afghan employees and their families, as well as female students across the country," a Qatari official who declined to be identified told AFP.

That came "in addition to facilitating the evacuation of citizens from the United States of America, Germany and the United Kingdom, among others. Our evacuation effort is ongoing."

Doha will eventually settle up to 8,000 Afghans, according to the Qatari official, who stressed that many of the 7,000 people in Qatar were transiting to third countries.

The US and Germany had agreed on Friday to use the Ramstein US military base in western Germany to ease pressure on Doha.

The base can accommodate about 5,000 people.

Around 1,150 people landed there from Kabul on Saturday, from where they are expected to depart for the US in "a few days", according to a spokeswoman for the base.

Meanwhile, more than 8,500 people have transited the UAE so far, according to the government

Switzerland said the worsening security had delayed an evacuation flight they had organised from the Uzbek capital of Tashkent because too few people had been able to get there from Kabul.

They said the Germans had also postponed evacuation flights from Tashkent.

EU urges members to step up

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Saturday appealed to European Union states to take in Afghan refugees flown out from Kabul, promising financial support from Brussels.

"To those who cannot go back or stay home, we have to offer alternatives," said von der Leyen, after visiting a base in northeast Spain that will serve as a reception centre for Afghans who worked for the EU.

"The Commission stands ready to look into the necessary budgetary means to support EU member states who will step up and help resettle refugees," she added.

Compassion amid security fears

Meanwhile, images of US military appearing to aid desperate Afghan parents attracted attention, with one video of a Marine lifting a baby over the razor wire around the airport going viral.

The video, which shows the infant, its nappy slipping off, being pulled up by one arm high above a crowd of Afghans seeking to enter the airport, took over social media nearly one week into the airlift to evacuate foreigners and Afghans from the war-torn country.

"The parent asked the Marines to look after the baby because the baby was ill," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

"The Marine you see reaching over the wall took it to a Norwegian hospital that is at the airport. They treated the child and returned the child to the child's father," he said.

There was no information about the family's fate or status.

The US military released a number of images that appeared to show them caring for Afghan children -- including holding babies and giving water to a young boy in the airport compound.

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Within the framework of the governments attempt to develop and revive Historic Cairo to its original glory, Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities inspected the development of a number of monuments in Historic Cairo.

The visit included the Sabil (water fountains) of the Shaykho Al-Hataba area along with Sabils of Rokaya Dodo, Mostafa Senan, Hassan Agha Kokolian in Souq Al-Selah street.

During his tour, the minister met with the areas inhabitants and shop owners and talked about the governments new development projects in Historic Cairo.

He also visited an old house, which has been rehabilitated as a venue for workshops to raise cultural awareness of the areas inhabitants as well as teach them handicrafts.

The minister inspected the first phase of restoration work being carried out on the Al-Tanbagha Al-Mardani Mosque  which includes the prayer hall  in preparation for its official inauguration soon.

Khaled El-Enany also inspected the remains of the Fustat excavation site  the first Islamic capital in Africa  to check on the latest progress in transforming the whole area into an open-air museum that will add to tourists experiences in Historic Cairo.

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquites Mostafa Waziri said that the monuments visited by the minister have been undergoing restoration for almost two years under the framework of the national campaign launched by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to restore 100 monuments in the area. The campaign aims not only to rescue the monument's historical and archaeological value, but also to restore their role in the community by halting their deterioration, removing debris, and upgrading the sites and their surroundings.

The campaign also aims to develop the restoration skills of workers through their direct participation in the work, as well as provide investment opportunities to rehabilitate the ancient buildings. A permanent maintenance programme will be adopted after the completion of the campaign.

Hisham Samir, assistant to the minister for projects and supervisor of the Historic Cairo Rehabilitation Project, said that the restoration had been carried out according to the latest methods and after consulting original documents.

Every effort was made to ensure that all the original architectural features were retained, Samir said, adding that the restoration had been part of a project to see individual monuments preserved for future generations and neighbourhoods revived and upgraded.

The walls of the buildings were reinforced, the masonry cleaned and desalinated, and decayed parts of the mashrabiya windows restored and replaced with similar ones. The wooden ceiling was restored and its paintings retouched. A new lighting system was installed, giving the buildings a dramatic look.

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KYODO NEWS - Aug 21, 2021 - 12:22 | World, All, Japan

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is planning to talk with new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on Sunday, diplomatic sources said Saturday.

The meeting with Raisi, an anti-U.S. conservative hardliner who took office this month, comes as Iran faces a deadlock in nuclear talks with the United States and Europe. Japan, meanwhile, has built friendly ties with Tehran while also being allied with Washington.

Motegi is on a trip to the Middle East that also saw him visit Israel, another country that recently underwent changes in government.

After arriving in Tehran on Saturday, Motegi is expected to hold talks with Raisi and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday. He is also planning to meet with Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a former Iranian deputy foreign minister who is set to succeed Zarif under the Raisi administration, the sources said.

Raisi has called for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran, which have been strengthened since 2018 when then President Donald Trump's administration unilaterally walked out of the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

Under the deal, Iran and six major powers agreed to limit Tehran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.

While indicating he will continue indirect talks with the U.S. administration of President Joe Biden, Raisi's unwillingness to compromise on nuclear issues may intensify the confrontation between the two countries.

There are calls within the Iranian government to ask Japan to mediate and push the United States to ease the sanctions, according to the sources.

Since taking office, Raisi has held telephone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and has met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in person.

Related coverage:

Japan offers $410 mil. in aid to support Turkey's hosting of refugees

Japan seeks Israel's efforts toward stability in Middle East

Hard-liner Raisi becomes Iran's president, seeks end to sanctions
KYODO NEWS - Aug 21, 2021 - 11:14 | All, World

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday departed for Singapore and Vietnam on a trip to demonstrate U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific region amid the growing clout of China.

Her travel comes as U.S. President Joe Biden faces strong criticism at home and abroad over a chaotic withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan amid the Taliban's recent takeover of the country.

Harris will stay in Singapore for three days from Sunday, holding talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday, according to U.S. government officials. She is scheduled to deliver a speech the following day, underscoring the importance of partnerships and areas for further cooperation.

Harris will then fly to Vietnam for meetings with government officials and civil society representatives, becoming the first sitting U.S. vice president ever to visit the country.

Topics of discussion during her trip will include global health issues, economic partnership and security as well as regional issues, including China, one of the officials said.

The Biden administration has been striving to strengthen cooperation with its partners and like-minded countries to counter China's growing assertiveness in the region.

Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines, becoming the first member of Biden's Cabinet to visit Southeast Asia.

Related coverage:

Vice Pres. Harris to show "enduring" U.S. commitment on Southeast Asia trip

U.S., Singapore agree on need for rules-based order in Asia

U.S. Vice President Harris to visit Singapore, Vietnam in August
KYODO NEWS - Aug 16, 2021 - 18:22 | World, All

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin tendered his resignation to the country's king on Monday after losing his parliamentary majority following a revolt in his ruling coalition.

In line with the Constitution, his entire Cabinet also resigned, Muhyiddin announced in a televised address, ending the National Alliance coalition government's 17-month reign.

"It's clear that I have lost majority support. There is no need for my legitimacy as prime minister to be tested in the parliament. Therefore, today, I resign as prime minister," he said.

The palace also issued a statement, saying King Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin has agreed for Muhyiddin to carry on as a caretaker prime minister until a new premier is appointed.

The palace said the king believes that now is not the right time to call for a fresh election due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no clear successor in sight at the moment as none of the possible candidates can muster a solid majority in the parliament.

The king, who traditionally plays a symbolic role as a constitutional monarch, is again forced to intervene to resolve a political impasse.

In accordance with the Constitution, the palace said, the king will appoint as the prime minister a lawmaker who, in his view, commands the confidence of the majority in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the parliament.

Muhyiddin came to power in March last year after he led a dozen-odd lawmakers to defect from a ruling coalition led by his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad.

He and Mahathir had played crucial roles in defeating the United Malays National Organization-led coalition in the 2018 election.

But internal fighting and fear of perceived non-Malay dominance in Mahathir's government led to the political defections that caused the collapse of that government.

Muhyiddin, who heads the junior party Bersatu, then joined forces with UMNO to form a new government.

But the union quickly unraveled as both Malay-centric parties jostled for dominance, and things came to a head last week when 15 out of the 38 UMNO lawmakers withdrew their support for Muhyiddin.

Without the UMNO's 15 seats in the lower house, Muhyiddin reportedly only controlled 100 out of the total 220 seats. Two seats are vacant due to deaths.

A few names have been touted to fill Muhyiddin's shoes, including his deputy Ismail Sabri Yaakob from UMNO and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Ismail Sabri is seen as having a higher prospect of winning back the rogue UMNO lawmakers' support and keeping the National Alliance government intact. Anwar commands the support of 89 lawmakers, and he needs to win over the rest of the opposition plus some from across the floor.
KYODO NEWS - Aug 20, 2021 - 22:04 | World, All

Malaysia's king appointed former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the country's new prime minister on Friday, the palace said, making him the third leader in a span of three years as politics remain fragmented after a 2018 general election.

The king, Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin, confirmed that Ismail Sabri, 61, has secured backing from a majority of lower house members needed to form a new government, Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin said in a statement.

Ismail Sabri replaces Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned Monday with his entire Cabinet, in which Ismail Sabri served as deputy premier and defense minister.

His swearing-in ceremony is slated to be held on Saturday at the National Palace.

Ismail Sabri's premiership marks the return of the country's longest-ruling United Malay National Organization to the top seat of power. The affable politician is the party's No. 3 figure.

The current instability resulted from the May 2018 election, in which a four-party opposition coalition, led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, defeated the ruling National Front coalition, unseating then Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

UMNO, which had led the National Front coalition, was out of power for the first time since independence in 1957.

Mahathir, who replaced Najib as prime minister, did not last long. His government collapsed in less than 2 years due to infighting and political desertion led by Muhyiddin, who was his home minister.

Muhyiddin's faction joined forces with the then opposition UMNO, and he became prime minister in March 2020. But the union quickly unraveled.

With the coronavirus pandemic roiling the economy and case numbers continuing to rise, the Muhyiddin government came under criticism from both the ruling and opposition camps for its COVID-19 response.

The last straw came when 15 UMNO lawmakers withdrew their support for Muhyiddin, causing him to lose majority support in the House of Representatives. He tendered his resignation to the king on Monday.

The king, traditionally a symbolic figure as a constitutional monarch, stepped in as he did before appointing Muhyiddin as prime minister. He summoned 114 members of the 222-seat House of Representatives to the palace on Thursday to verify their support for Ismail Sabri.

The king then consulted with six hereditary rulers in a special meeting on Friday to affirm his decision.

Although largely unknown outside of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri is a four-term lawmaker who has held various ministerial positions since 2008 until the UMNO's defeat in the 2018 election.

The main challenge for the new prime minister will be "convincing an arguably skeptical public," said Keith Leong, the head of KRA Group, a public affairs consultancy.

Leong also said the parliamentary makeup of Ismail Sabri's administration will likely be more or less the same as his predecessor's.

With the UMNO now poised to lead the government, the new prime minister must work toward softening the rivalry between his party and Muhyiddin's Bersatu party, Leong said. "At the same time, he must ensure a similar detente takes place within the factions of UMNO."
New Delhi:

In a major development in the Punjab National Bank (PNB) scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached Rs 637 crore assets of diamantaire Nirav Modi, a key accused in the multi-billion fraud case.

The billion-dollar assets include two immovable properties having a total value of USD 29.99 million and 5 overseas bank accounts belonging to the fugitive businessman and his family in India, UK and three other countries. It is a very incident where an Indian agency has attached assets abroad in a criminal probe.

"Enforcement Directorate attaches properties and bank accounts to the tune of Rs 637 crore in Nirav Modi case," the news agency ANI reported.

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Enforcement Directorate attaches attaches properties and bank accounts to the tune of Rs 637 crore in Nirav Modi case. pic.twitter.com/Gsz6MFWq4O  ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2018

The action came after the central probe agency issued five separate orders against Nirav Modi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

According to an ED official, they also issued an Interpol Red Corner notice (global arrest warrant) against Aditya Nanavati, an accused in the USD 2 billion alleged fraud in the PNB.

Read | Petrol price crosses Rs 91-mark in Mumbai, diesel hits all-time high of Rs 75 in Delhi

Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi are the main accused in the case where it is alleged that the two businessmen allegedly duped and defrauded the Brady House branch of the Punjab National Bank, Mumbai in purported connivance with bank officials.

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New Delhi:

N. Ravi, the publisher of The Hindu Group of Newspapers, and Vijay Kumar Chopra, the chief editor of Punjab Kesari Group of newspapers, were on Saturday unanimously elected Chairman and Vice Chairman of Press Trust of India, the countrys largest news agency.

Ravi, 70, succeeds Viveck Goenka, Chairman and Managing Director of the Express Group.

The elections took place at a meeting of PTIs Board of Directors following the Companys 70th Annual General Meeting here.

In the incoming Chairman... we have been blessed with a person who brings with him formidable intellect, foresight, knowledge and wisdom, Goenka said. I am certain that he will enhance PTIs reputation and ensure its financial viability.

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He noted that the Company posted a revenue of Rs. 172.2 crore during 2017-18, against Rs. 172.8 crore the previous year.

Ravi, an award-winning journalist with a distinguished career in India and the U.S., is also currently Chairman of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans Chennai centre. He has also been the Chairman of the India Chapter of the International Press Institute and member of the Executive Board of the International Press Institute, Vienna.

He was President of the Editors Guild of India as well as a member of the governments National Integration Council from 2006 to 2008.

The Chennai-based Ravi has a Masters degree in economics and a degree in law, and has won several academic awards including a gold medal in constitutional and international law.

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He was a Fellow at the Harvard Law School in 2000 and Shorenstein Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in 2004. In 2013, he was a Visiting Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and St. Anthonys College, Oxford University.

He joined The Hindu in 1972, where he served as reporter, leader writer, Washington correspondent, Deputy Editor and Associate Editor. He was Editor from 1991 to 2011 and Editor-in-Chief from October 2013 to January 2015.

Ravi has covered several international conferences and travelled with prime ministers and presidents to cover international summits. His special areas of interest and writing include constitutional and political issues, economic policy, international economy, free speech and human rights, and India-U.S. relations.

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He is the recipient of several professional awards, including the G. K. Reddy Memorial Award and BREAD Role Model Award, and was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

Chopras Punjab Kesari Group publishes the Hindi language Punjab Kesari, the Jagbani in Punjabi and the Hind Samachar in Urdu, from eight locations in Punjab, Haryana and Jammu.

The 86-year-old Chopra, who was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 for literature and education, was Chairman of PTI twice before in 2001 and 2009.

Besides Ravi, Chopra and Goenka, the other members of the PTI Board are Mahendra Mohan Gupta (Dainik Jagran), K.N. Shanth Kumar (Deccan Herald), Vineet Jain (Times of India), Aveek Kumar Sarkar (Anand Bazar Patrika), M.P. Veerendra Kumar (Mathrubhumi), R. Lakshmipathy (Dinamalar), Hormusji N. Cama (Bombay Samachar), Justice R.C. Lahoti, Prof. Deepak Nayyar, Shyam Saran and J.F. Pochkhanawalla.

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New Delhi:

A Pakistani helicopter violated Indian airspace in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, reported news agency ANI. According to a news channel, the Indian armed forces opened fire at the chopper and the Indian Army has confirmed that it is a Pakistani provocation.

#WATCH A Pakistani helicopter violated Indian airspace in Poonch sector of #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/O4QHxCf7CR  ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2018

Jammu-based Army PRO Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said the helicopter violated the airspace around 12:10 pm. Official sources said a white-coloured chopper crossed into this side in Gulpur sector and hovered for sometime before turning back. "Air sentries at forward location had engaged it with small arms," he said adding that it was most likely a civilian chopper and was flying very high.

Pakistan is adopting an aggressive posture... This violation of airspace is a serious matter. It needs to be seen how deep the helicopter came inside the Indian territory and how long it was in Indian airspace... then only one could make out what could be the aim of this intrusion, is it recce, is it surveillance? Major General Ashwani Siwach (retired) told NDTV.

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According to NDTV, there are norms recognised by both India and Pakistan according to which helicopters are not supposed to come within one kilometre of the LoC and fixed-wing aircraft cant hover within 10 km of the LoC. In February too, a Pakistani helicopter was seen flying 300 metres from the LoC, NDTV reported.

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New Delhi:

Indigenously made coronary stents are as good as those manufactured in other countries by multinational companies, according to a recent scientific study. The studys findings were presented at the prestigious international conference on Non-Surgical Cardiac interventionsTCT (Trans Catheter Interventions) -- on September 22 in San Diego, USA.

The study, which involved around 1,500 patients, was conducted in various countries of Europe and monitored by an international reputed clinical research organisation (CRO), Cardialysis.

Read More | J&K: Pakistani helicopter violates Indian airspace in Poonch sector

The scientific study had the acronym TALENT.

The study dispels the perception among many doctors and patients that stents made in India may not be as safe and efficacious as those manufactured in foreign countries.

The TALENT trial was conceived by Prof Upendra Kaul, a well known interventional cardiologist who is currently the chairman of Batra Heart Centre, New Delhi, and Prof Patrick Serruys, an internationally acclaimed researcher in this field from the Netherlands.

Coronary stents are devices made of metal, usually chromium cobalt and coated with polymers and drug to treat blocked coronary arteries and also with a good and safe long term performance.

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In the recently conducted randomised trial to compare an India made stent Supraflex with the world leader Xience stent from Abbott Vascular, the Supraflex sirolimus-eluting coronary stent manufactured by SMT in Surat emerged to be as good as the Xience stent made in Europe and the USA.

The study was sufficiently powered to give the final answer regarding non-inferiority of the Supraflex sirolimus-eluting stent versus the best-in class Xience stent from Abbott. The study was done in all comers with no exclusions, Prof Kaul said.

The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that both stents are equal in performance and safety. To dispel the belief that imported coronary devices are better, it needed a scientific study without any bias, he explained.

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In February, last year, when the Indian government decided to cap the prices of coronary stents, there was a dramatic reduction in prices from an average of USD 1,800 for the drug-eluting stent (DES) to USD 480 irrespective of the country they were manufactured in.

This resulted in increase in the usage of domestic stents because they offered it at lower prices, Dr Kaul said.

However, the users still had the belief that India made stents may not be as good (as the imported ones). This required an acceptable scientific trial to draw a comparison between the two stents, he claimed.

The study was done in Europe to remove any bias and it was monitored by an international clinical research organisation (CRO), Cardialysis, which is world reputed, Dr Kaul added.

The study the showed that the composite end points consisting of cardiac death, target-vessel MI and clinically indicated repeat procedures at 12 months were similar for both.

Thus proving that the India made stent Supraflex was as good as the market leader Xinence, Dr Kaul claimed.

The study has important economic implications in countries where cost of the stent is an important issue. The full paper of this trial will soon be published in the Lancet, he said.

Dr Kaul further called upon other Indian manufacturers to do similar clinical trials to prove that their devices are worthy competitors to those made abroad. These trials should be published in peer reviewed journals.
New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the 48th edition of his monthly radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat' at 11 am on Sunday. The program is broadcast on the entire network of All India Radio and Doordarshan and the Narendra Modi (NaMo) App.

Besides, the monthly radio programme will also be streamed on the YouTube channels of the Prime Minister's Office, Information and Broadcasting Ministry, AIR and DD News and will be simultaneously broadcast on AIR's website - www.allindiaradio.gov.in.

AIR will broadcast the programme in regional languages immediately after the Hindi broadcast. The regional language versions will also be repeated at 8 pm.

Read | PM Modi in Gujarat: Amul is an excellent model of empowerment

Here are the Highlights on PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat:

# 11:21 am: This October, let us mark Sardar Patel's Jayanti and the 'Run for Unity' in a memorable way: PM Modi.

This October, let us mark Sardar Patel's Jayanti and the 'Run for Unity' in a memorable way. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/AqPm17bDih  PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 30, 2018

# 11:19 am: During Mann Ki Baat today, PM Narendra Modi speaks about the importance of human rights. He congratulates the National Human Rights Commission on completing 25 years.

# 11:18 am: PM Narendra Modi congratulates the people of India on the success of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' movement.

PM @narendramodi congratulates the people of India on the success of the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' movement. pic.twitter.com/uaOFR5EyEa  PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 30, 2018

# 11:17 am: A grateful nation pays homage to Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji: PM Modi.

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# 11:13 am: The Prime Minister promises to make a difference in the lives of others through his government's action.

# 11:12 am: Bapu gave an inspirational mantra to all of us which is known as Gandhi Jis Talisman. This Mantra is extremely relevant today: PM Narendra Modi during the 48th edition of Mann Ki Baat.

# 11:11 am: Gandhi Ji was a Lok Sangrahak. He endeared himself to people across all sections of society, PM Modi says.

# 11:10 am: 2nd October will be special this year- it marks the start of Gandhi Ji's 150th birth anniversary celebrations, says Modi.

The Gandhi charter that continues to inspire us all. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/8Gsob77TYJ  PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 30, 2018

# 11:08 am: Furthering equality and empowerment of women: Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

# 11:08 am: I talked to Commander Abhilash Tomy over the phone. Even after coming out of such a huge crisis, his passion and courage is an inspiration, it is indeed an example for the youth of the nation, says Modi.

# 11:07 am: Our soldiers will give an appropriate reply to anyone who tries to destroy the atmosphere of peace and progress of our nation: Modi.

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# 11:07 am: The Prime Minister salutes air warriors for their indomitable courage, valour and sacrifices, says "Time and again, the Indian Air Force has protected the nation". "The Indian Air Force is at the forefront of relief and rescue work during times of disasters," Modi added.

# 11:06 am: Speaking on a wide range of subjects during Mann Ki Baat. Tune in, Modi wrote on his Twitter handle.

Speaking on a wide range of subjects during #MannKiBaat. Tune in. https://t.co/8iDmYNUUg3  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 30, 2018

# 11:05 am: India is among the highest contributors to the United Nations peacekeeping forces.

# 11:05 am: PM Modi remembers the brave Indian soldiers who fought in Haifa.

# 11:04 am: India is committed to world peace, says Narendra Modi.

# 11:01 am: A day after Surgical Strike anniversary PM Modi said that India's youth must know more about the valour of our armed forces.

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In the 47th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat', Prime Minister Modi assured justice to Muslim women through Triple Talaq Bill. He also expressed his sympathy with those affected by recent floods in Kerala.

Apart from that, the Prime Minister congratulated all players, who won medals for the country in the 18th edition of Asian Games in Indonesia in August.

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New Delhi:

In a major development in the SEC fraud case, Elon mask agreed to resign as the Tesla Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Sunday. Furthermore, the US car company and Musk will pay USD 20 million each to settle the government lawsuit alleging the tech billionaire duped investors with misleading tweets about stock prices. The US Securities and Exchange Commission announced the settlement just two days after filing a case seeking to remove Musk as CEO.

"The resolution is intended to prevent further market disruption and harm to Tesla's shareholders," Steven Peikin, the co-director of the SEC's Enforcement Division was quoted as saying by Techcrunch.

However, Musk and Tesla reached their settlement without admitting to or denying the SEC's allegations about the proposed buyout of the company.

Following the announcement of his resignation, Musk on Saturday took to Twitter and thanked all Tesla supporters for helping with car deliveries all around the world, adding that "You Rock". "Just wanted to say thanks to all Tesla supporters. I damn well love you," Musk wrote in another tweet.

Read | SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweets pictures of Big Falcon Rocket and Mars Alpha Base

Huge thank you to all Tesla supporters for helping with car deliveries all around the world. You rock!!  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 28, 2018

The difficulties started back on August 7 after Musk tweeted that he could take Tesla private for USD 240 a share and that funding for such a deal had been secured. "Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured," the tweet read.

Musks tweet has allegedly caused Teslas stock price to jump by over six per cent, leading to significant market disruption.

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"In truth, Musk knew that the potential transaction was uncertain and subject to numerous contingencies," wrote the SEC while filling the fraud charges in a federal court New York against the former Tesla CEO.

On Friday, Tesla's stock plummeted 14 per cent after the SEC filed its lawsuit, erasing more than USD 7 billion in shareholder wealth. Many analysts predicted the shares were bound to fall even further if Musk steps down.

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Mumbai:

The Mumbai Police were engaged in a heady chase of a luxury sedan on Saturday night after the driver hit some pedestrians and sped away in South Mumbai. According to the police, as reported by news agency ANI, they got an information about an accident on Reay Raod at 12:30 am. They sent an interceptor vehicle that soon managed to tail the BMW sedan but could not catch up.

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After a four-kilometre chase, the police were able to corner the sedan. The motorists who chased the car managed to pull out the driver and some locals who were at the spot beat him up before he was handed over to the police. The driver, identified as Mehmood Alam, was driving in an inebriated condition. The locals also broke the car's windshield and dented the BMW sedan with blows using heavy sticks. The two injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital.

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We caught him after a four-kilometre. He's a driver and the owner had left for Dubai on Friday. The two injured persons have been taken to the hospital. Action will be taken against the errant driver, the police said.
New Delhi:

Shiv Sena's Kerala Unit Sunday called off its dawn-to-dusk hartal, which was scheduled on October 1 to protest against the Supreme Court's verdict allowing women of all age groups to enter Hindu pilgrim shrine Sabarimala temple. The 12-hour-long state-wide strike has been withdrawn in view of the forecast of heavy rain alert in a few districts across Kerala.

"The hartal is being withdrawn taking into account the forecast of heavy rain and issuance of yellow alert in a few districts," a press release from the Siva Sena state committee read.

The Supreme Court on Friday lifted restrictions on the entry of women of a particular age group in the Sabarimala temple. The court changed the Kerala shrines decade-old tradition of barring girls and women of menstruating age 10-50 years.

Read | Sabarimala verdict: Shiv Sena calls for 12-hour bandh in Kerala on October 1

However, the revised date for the hartal will be announced anytime soon. Shiv Sena will also ask other Hindu outfits to file a review period against the SC verdict, according to local news channel Manorama News.

While the BJP government and people from across different sectors welcomed the Sabarimala verdict, terming it a victory for womens rights, the ruling has stirred controversy among various sections of the society.

Read | Sabarimala Verdict: SC decision makes Hinduism even more inclusive, says Maneka

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New Delhi:

A powerful earthquake followed by a massive tsunami killed as many as 832 people on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Of the victims, one was a 21-year-old flight navigation service personnel, who saved several lives by sacrificing his own. He is being hailed as a "hero" across the country.



Anthonius Gunawan Agung, who would have celebrated his 22nd birthday next month, was present at Mutiara SIS Al-Jufri Airports air-traffic control room in Palu when the massive 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Island. While his co-workers chose to flee the scene, Agung decided to stay so that a plane carrying hundreds of passengers take off safely.



When the earthquake occurred, Agung had cleared Batik Air for takeoff. He waited until the aircraft was safely in the air before leaving his air traffic controller cabin, Jakarta Globe quoted Yohanes Sirait, a spokesperson for state-owned flight navigation service AirNav Indonesia.

Also Read | Indonesia Earthquake-Tsunami toll reaches 832, over 500 injured, thousands homeless in Sulawesi Island



Agung was working on the fourth floor of the ATC tower when the when the earthquake occurred. Once the flight safely took off, he jumped off the tower as the roof had collapsed. His legs, arms and ribs were broken.



Indonesian Flight Navigation Service Institution (AirNav Indonesia) sent a helicopter to rescue the brave man. However, he succumbed to the injuries as the chopper was on its way to a hospital in Balikpapan.

Telah wafat saat menjalankan tugasnya sebagai personel layanan navigasi penerbangan, Saudara Anthonius Gunawan Agung, Air Traffic Controller (ATC) AirNav Indonesia Cabang Palu pada Sabtu (29/09).#RIPAgung #DoaUntukSulteng#PrayforDonggala #PrayforPalu pic.twitter.com/6Wpobp3R7m  AirNav Indonesia (@AirNav_Official) September 29, 2018

The AirNav Indonesia hailed Agungs tremendous dedication and acknowledged his bravery of the highest standard by raising his rank by two levels. It was truly an incident that makes us believe in humanity.

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New Delhi:

Pakistan on Saturday warned India of a strong and matching response if the latter tried to venture across the LoC. Speaking at the high-level United Nations General Assembly session in New York, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi accused India of carrying out terror attacks on its soil.

Qureshi said while India continued to violate the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Kashmir, Pakistan acted with restraint but that will not be the case if the earlier tried to cross the LoC.

To divert the worlds attention from its brutalities, India frequently violates the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Kashmir. Despite numerous violations, Pakistan has acted with restraint. But if India does venture across the LoC, or acts upon its doctrine of limited war against Pakistan, it will evoke a strong and matching response, Qureshi said during his UNGA address.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that India must stop human rights violations in the Occupied #Kashmir and stop ceasefire violations at the Line of Control. He said that unresolved Kashmir dispute poses great threat to peace and stability in the region. #SMQatUNGA #UNGA pic.twitter.com/6zjXZhKqKS  Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) September 30, 2018

Speaking on Indias recent decision to cancel dialogues between the foreign ministers of both countries on the sidelines of the UNGA, he said: They used the pretext of stamps issued months ago, of a Kashmiri activist and depicting grave human rights violations including pellet gun victims, as an excuse to back out from the talks.

Qureshis address came hours after his Indian counterpart Sushma Swarajs aggresive speech at the 73rd UNGA session. In her seven-minute long speech, Swaraj had launched a scathing attack on Pakistan, accusing the country of breeding terrorism on its soil.

Sushma scratched the United States wounds of 9/11 to prove her point that Pakistan was harbouring UN-designated terrorists.

What America perhaps could not comprehend was that Osama would get sanctuary in a country that claimed to be Americas friend and ally: Pakistan. Eventually, Americas intelligence services discovered the truth of this hypocrisy, and its special forces delivered justice, Swaraj said.

The Pakistan foreign minister, however, completely ignored the issue of homegrown terrorism and probably forgot the fact that while pointing one finger at India, he ended up with three fingers pointing towards his own country.

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New Delhi:

In a sensational claim, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has said LTTE militants had planned to attack Colombo with an aircraft flying from Chennai in 2009.

"No one knew it better than me," said Sirisena while addressing the Sri Lankan community in New York where he spoke at the UN General Assembly.Sirisena was the acting defence minister during the last two weeks of the civil war with the LTTE in May, 2009, when the rebels were eventually defeated.

"The former president was away, the former prime minister was away. There was no defence ministry secretary and army commander in the country at the time," Sirisena said, adding that all senior leaders were out of the country fearing an LTTE air raid.

"The Tamil Tigers were going to operate an aircraft from Chennai or some other jungle area to bomb and destroy targets in Colombo," the president said.

"Even I did not stay in Colombo. I was at several locations outside Colombo in case the Tigers attacked the capital city," he said.

In 2007 and 2009, the LTTE had carried out two air raids in Colombo.

(With PTI inputs)

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Imphal:

The crisis-ridden Manipur University has suspended four professors as disciplinary proceedings were contemplated/pending against them for alleged misconduct.

Y Amar of economics department, N Nimai (physics), M Ranjit (mathematics) and N Debananda (biochemistry) have been charged with misconduct, an order signed by registrar in-charge M Shyammesho said. Though the suspension order was signed on September 29, it came to light on Monday.

The four were members of the Manipur University Teachers Association (MUTA). Except Amar, others were mentioned in an FIR lodged on September 20 by the universitys acting vice-chancellor, K Yugindro Singh, who accused them of kidnapping, wrongful confinement, attempt to murder, among others.

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Singh had gone to the central university to assume the charge of acting V-C, as per orders of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, but was allegedly gheraoed by agitators.

Security forces had raided the university hostel and the residential quarters at around 1 am on September 21 and taken 89 students and six teachers into custody, following an agitation on the institutes campus the previous day. The four suspended professors were not among those arrested.

Eighty students were released later, while seven and two students are in judicial and police custody respectively. The six teachers are also in judicial custody.

The MUTA, as well as the Manipur University Students Union (MUSU) and Manipur University Staff Association (MUSA), have been demanding that the FIR be revoked and the 15 arrested teachers and students be released.

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A prolonged battle between former vice-chancellor A P Pandey and the students and teachers have hampered academic activities for over four months.

President Ram Nath Kovind, in his capacity as Visitor of the university, recently placed Pandey under suspension as an inquiry was underway into the allegations of irregularities against him.

Singh was appointed as the acting V-C soon after the suspension of Pandey.
New Delhi:

Chinese handset major OPPO Monday said it has appointed former Samsung India executive Tasleem Arif to head its research and development centre that will be opened in Hyderabad in the next few weeks.

While the company did not disclose the investment being made for the R&D unit, it said the Hyderabad centre would be OPPOs seventh such facility globally.

OPPO has 4 R&D centres across China in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Dongguan, one each at Yokohama (Japan) and Silicon Valley (the US).

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The Hyderabad centrethe companys first R&D facility in Indiawill work towards gaining deeper insights about Indian consumers and market, and thereby help in building India-centric innovations and customised product offerings, OPPO said in a statement.

Arif, as the Vice President and Head R&D of OPPO India, will lead the team in its focus on software localisation for Indian consumers as well as device quality, it added.

He has about 15 years of experience in mobile software, design and development and was previously associated with Samsung in India.

Read More | Vivek Tiwari's wife meets Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, assured all possible help

We are focused towards offering unique experiences to our consumers in India through our innovations and technological capabilities. The opening of our first R&D Centre in Hyderabad is a step in that direction and strengthens our commitment to the Indian consumers, OPPO India President Charles Wong said.

He added that with Arifs expertise, OPPO will be able to build a strong R&D team and make the centre the second largest, after China.

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Shimla:

At least one shepherd died while another 50 are feared to be stranded in Dhauladhar ranges at Bara Bhangal area of Himachal Pradeshs Kangra district due to untimely and sudden snowfall, a district official said on Tuesday.

A helicopter has been sought for delivery of ration for the stranded shepherds, the official said.

We received information on Sunday of death of the shepherd Rakesh, who had gone to Dhauladhar ranges from Galogi village near Paddar in Nagrota Bagwan tehsil for grazing about 500 sheep, Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar told PTI.

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He said the district administration also got information on Sunday itself that about 50-60 shepherds had taken their sheep from Paddar area to Dhauladhar hills for grazing.

While Rakesh died, the others are feared to have stranded there due to sudden and untimely snowfall and are unable to cross over towards Kangra valley, he added.

Subsequently, we formed two search and rescue teams including some family members of the stranded shepherds but they are unable to tread to ranges to locate or assist anyone due to about six feet high snow there, the official said.

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A search party has returned with 35 sheep and goats and two dogs to Multhan, he added.

The DC said he has sent a request message to state chief secretary BK Agarwal to provide a helicopter for delivery of ration and ready-to-cook food stuff for the stranded shepherds till their rescue.

Kumar raised apprehension that the shepherds might have run out their food stock.
Singapore:

Myanmars neighbours in Southeast Asia have urged the country to hold those responsible for the Rohingya crisis accountable, Singapore said on Tuesday, in a rare call for justice from within the region.

Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmars western Rakhine state have fled across the border to Bangladesh since August last year following a military campaign that allegedly involved murder, rape, torture and razing villages.

The UN has accused Myanmars military of committing genocide against the Muslim minority.

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As global pressure has mounted over the atrocities, Myanmar formed an Independent Commission of Enquiry, which is chaired by former Philippine deputy foreign minister Rosario Manalobut gave no details of the commissions remit, powers or how long it would take to complete its investigation.

Critics have blasted the commission for its toothlessness after Manalo said her commission will not be blaming or finger pointing anybody.

Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said he and his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met on September 29 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and discussed the situation in Rakhine.

We expressed our grave concern with these alleged acts of violence that have led to loss of lives, injuries, destruction of homes and displacement of large numbers of people, he said in parliament.

To be brutally honest, this is a man-made humanitarian disaster and something which should not be happening in this day and age. He said the ministers told Myanmar that the commission should be given a full mandate to investigate and to hold all those responsible fully accountable.

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Myanmars military has denied nearly all wrongdoing, justifying its crackdown as a legitimate means of rooting out Rohingya militants.

But after a fact-finding mission, the United Nations set up a panel to prepare indictments against Myanmars army chief and five other top military commanders for crimes against humanity and genocide.

Much of Myanmars majority Buddhist society regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and has for decades systematically stripped them of their rights.

Balakrishnan noted that Myanmar cannot be compelled by ASEAN to act as the 10-nation grouping makes decisions by consensus, which effectively gives each member veto powers.

The bloc however can influence Myanmar through persuasion, through transparency and keeping this on the agenda of their annual meetings, he said.

ASEAN members typically steer clear of openly criticising each others domestic policies.

Singapore, the current chair of ASEANs rotating leadership, will host a summit of the groups leaders in November.

The blocs other members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

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New Delhi:

The Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional (Protection and Regulation during Emergency Situations) Bill, 2016 has got the Presidential assent, a home ministry official said on Sunday. President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the bill, India's first, which will give legal protection to the good Samaritans in Karnataka who help accidents victims with emergency medical care within the 'golden hour', the official said.

With this, Karnataka has become the first state to give legal protection to good Samaritans through a legislation amidst the rising incidents of accidental deaths in India, which saw 1,50,785 people getting killed in road accidents in 2016.

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The legislation will encourage people to offer first aid to victims without fear of harassment in the hands of police and investigations. In medical term, the golden hour is the first hour after a traumatic injury when emergency treatment is very crucial.

Under the new law, the Karnataka government will provide financial help to good Samaritans who help victims in a timely manner, they will be exempted from repeated attendance in courts and police stations, in case attendance is mandatory, expenses of such running around to courts and police stations will be taken care through the proposed Good Samaritan Fund.

After admitting the accident victim to the hospital, the good Samaritan can leave immediately, all government, as well as private hospitals, are bound to give first aid to the accident victims, according to the new legislation.

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Another official said there have been many instances when people get busy in clicking photos or making videos of the victims, instead of providing the accident victims medical help.

With the new law, there will be clear message that good Samaritans will not be harassed in any manner, the official said.

Karnataka is one of the top five states which saw a large number of people getting killed in road accidents in 2016 and 2015.

There is no central law to protect the good Samaritans. However, the Union Surface Transport Ministry had issued a set of guidelines in 2015 following a Supreme Court order to protect the good Samaritans.

(With PTI inputs)
Mumbai:

Air India will fly its 423-seater, double-decker Boeing 747 Jumbo aircraft to Mumbai and Kolkata from New Delhi, starting October 16 to meet the rising demand during the festive season. Equipped with 12 first class seats, 26 in business and 385 in economy class, the Jumbo plane will operate one flight each to Kolkata and Mumbai from New Delhi daily between October 16 and October 21, the national carrier said in a statement.

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The Jumbo aircraft will also operate two flights per day daily on the Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi sector from November 1 to November 11 to cater to passenger demand during the Diwali season, the statement added.

According to the national carrier Air India, the first B-747 will operate as AI 887. It will leave from Delhi at 0700 hours and arrive in Mumbai at 0910 hours. On its return journey, it will be operated as AI 809 and will leave from Mumbai at 1040 hours to reach Delhi at 1245 hours.

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The next B747 flight will operate as AI764, which will depart from Delhi at 1655 hours and reach Kolkata at 1910 hours. The return flight, AI 023, will leave from Kolkata at 2050 hours and reach Delhi at 2255 hours, the airline said.

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United Nations:

Syrias foreign minister on Saturday denounced US, French and Turkish forces operating in his country as occupying forces and demanded that they leave immediately.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, who serves as well as Syrias deputy prime minister, also called on Syrian refugees to come home, even though the countrys war is now in its eighth year.

Moualem said the foreign forces were on Syrian soil illegally, under the pretext of fighting terrorism, and will be dealt with accordingly. They must withdraw immediately and without any conditions, he told the assembly.

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Moualem insisted that the war on terror is almost over in Syria, where more than 360,000 people have died since 2011, with millions more uprooted from their homes.

He said Damascus would continue fighting this sacred battle until we purge all Syrian territories of both terror groups and any illegal foreign presence. The United States has some 2,000 troops in Syria, mainly training and advising both Kurdish forces and Syrian Arabs opposed to President Bashar al-Assad.

France has more than 1,000 troops on the ground in the war-wracked country.

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On the issue of refugees, Moualem said the conditions were fine for them to return, and he blamed the international community for spreading irrational fears that prompted refugees to stay away.

We have called upon the international community and humanitarian organizations to facilitate these returns, he said. They are politicizing what should be a purely humanitarian issue.

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Lucknow:

Condemning the killing of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari by a constable for not stopping his car at a checkpoint in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh police chief OP Singh asserted on Saturday that the rogue policemen will be dismissed from service. The Director General of Police (DGP) said that the shooting was a criminal case and no policeman is permitted to gun down anybody.

Vivek Tiwari, who was accompanied by his colleague Sana Khan, was shot dead late on Friday night in Lucknows upscale Gomti Nagar neighbourhood. Interacting with media persons hours after the incident, the DGP said the constables who were on a bike intercepted Tiwaris car for checking, but he did not stop and tried to ram the car into their bike. Constable Prashant Chaudhary claimed he had fired in self-defence. However, Sana Khan maintained that that they hadnt realised that the policemen wanted them to stop, and their vehicle had hit the motorcycle while trying to pass them. The two constables were arrested on the basis of an FIR lodged by Khan.

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Expressing anguish DGP Singh said as quoted by NDTV said, No amount of apology will suffice for the loss of a precious life, heal the wounds of the devastated family. My heart goes out for the little daughters, wife and family members of late Vivek Tiwari. He also said such a deviant and criminal behaviour by police personnel deserves the strictest punishment.

We are determined to punish and wean out such rogues in uniform who (make us) hang our heads in shame. At the same time, we have also embarked on systematic reforms through behavioural training and humanisation of the force, Singh asserted. He also reprimanded police personnel to change their attitude and revive image among the masses.

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Tiwari was hit on the neck when constable Prashant Chaudhary fired at the cars windshield. The vehicle ended up ramming into the pillar of a bridge nearby. Though Tiwari was rushed to the Lohia Hospital, he later succumbed to his injuries.

According to the post-mortem examination report, there was a firearm injury from a bullet on the left side of the chin and viscera. The police have set up a special investigation team (SIT). Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take effective action in the case. The chief minster has said if needed a CBI investigation will be taken up.
Pokhara, a mesmerising place just 200 km west of Kathmandu, is on the bucket list of, most probably, every traveller. The city is known as the city of mountains and beautiful lakes, making it a tourist hub for national and international tourists. Though small, the city, also known as Nepals tourism capital, has a lot to offer.

Most of the places in Pokhara can be travelled in a day, but it is best if you take time to experience the citys one element at a time. So, whether you are in a rush or you are a first-time traveller, here are a few must-visit destinations to travel in Pokhara:

1. Phewa lake

The Phewa lake, also spelt as the Fewa lake, is the most popular and most visited lake in Pokhara and in Nepal. What many might not know is that the lake, located in the southern part of Pokhara, was previously known as Baidam Lake.

File: Phewa lake, Pokhara

It is the second-largest lake in the country. The lake is also a famous destination for having a temple at its central part, Tal Barahi Temple. The lake is also renowned for being a point where one can see the reflection of Mount Machhapuchhre as well as Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges on its surface.

With water sports, fun parks, and lakeside hotels, restaurants and bars, the ambience of the lake and the vibrant attractions around it pull in people so much so that people spend the whole day or evening there.

2. Devis Fall

Devis Fall or Davis Fall today has become one of the major attractions of Pokhara with a park. It is a waterfall with a 500-foot-long underground tunnel. The best time to visit the place is the monsoon when the water level is high.

It is also called the Patale Chhango, which means underworld waterfall. One can enjoy the view of the waterfall going underground from Gupteshwor Mahadev cave, situated across the street of Devis Fall. Both the landmarks are popular, separately and together.

3. Mahendra cave

Named after the former king Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah, the Mahendra cave is a large limestone cave in Pokhara. It is a 125-metre-long passage, attracting thousands of tourists every year. It is made from limestone, and when it falls to the ground, it forms electrical sparks. Because of this, it is also considered one of the adventurous activities to do in Pokhara.

4. Bat cave

Nearby is the Chamere (Bat) cave, as it is filled with the nocturnal mammal. Due to darkness, tourists get a torchlight to observe the bats. The exit of the cave is the one that is considered adventurous, as the gap is narrow and it boosts ones adrenaline as they attempt to go out from there.

5. Sarangkot/Sarankot

A view from Sarangkot view tower in Pokhara.

Among the many popular sites in Pokhara is also Sarangkot. It is a hill on the west of Pokhara with a view tower at the height of around 1600 m above sea level. Sarangkot is known for its mesmerising landscape of Pokhara, with Phewa lake, and the mountains range including peaks like Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu.

Sarangkot is one of the best paragliding locations in the world, so many tourists travel there for paragliding as well as the beautiful sunrise over the Annapurna range. One can walk or take a cab to reach the top, they can also experience the local village life on the way.

7. International Mountain Museum

Pokhara has many thematic museums, a popular one is the International Mountain Museum. The entire place is one big exhibition of themes related to the mountains of Nepal, its history, mountain climbing, mountaineers, cultures and lifestyle of the people living in the mountains.

The museum consists of three parts, Hall of Great Himalayas, Hall of Fame, and Hall of World Mountains. It is spread across an area of 4,000 sq metres. The museum also exhibits a variety of flora and fauna that one can find in the Himalayan region of the country.

6. Gurkha Memorial Museum

Another thematic and popular museum of Pokhara is Gurkha Memorial Museum. It was established in the memory of the brave Gurkhas and focuses on the rich history of the Gurkha warriors who were a part of the British Army and the Indian Army.

As one enters, they will be greeted by vintage pictures and coins and souvenirs from the past. On the two floors, one can see the background story of the Gurkha warriors along with their lifestyle and their journey and achievements. Along with that, one can also see the uniforms, medalsincluding the highest bravery medals such as Victoria Cross and khukuris as well as other military ensembles.

8. Seti Gandaki Gorge

The Seti Gandaki or just the Seti is a river of western Nepal. It gets the name for being white (seto) in colour. It rises from the base of the Annapurna range and flows southeast past Pokhara.

Near the Gurkha Museum, a section of the water has been redirected for people to closely look at it. There, on a bridge, one can observe the gorge, said to be 250 metres in depth.

Seti river is very famous as it is close to many holy places and is the main point of many stories of Hindu mythology such as Mahabharata. As there is swift-flowing water, many tourists go there for adventurous rafting.

9. Shanti Stupa

One of the 80 peace pagodas in the world, Nepal has two in Pokhara and Lumbini. Shanti is a Nepali word meaning peace, so this stupa was built as a symbol of peace. The landmark discourages any loud noises.

The shrine is built in the Buddhist pagoda-style on the Anadu Hill. The place can be reached on a vehicle or on foot. It has become a major attraction, which holds big religious importance. Along with that, one can enjoy the beautiful scenario of the Phewa lake and Pokhara city as well as the mountains.
By Laura Gottesdiener and Ricardo Arduengo

MARCELINE, Haiti (Reuters) -Haitians desperate for food looted a humanitarian convoy on Friday and fought over donations as anger built over the slow pace of aid deliveries almost a week after a devastating earthquake killed more than 2,000 people.

Damaged or impassable roads have hindered efforts to deliver aid to remote parts in the south of the impoverished Caribbean nation, which were hardest-hit by last Saturday's 7.2 magnitude earthquake. With hundreds still missing, hopes are fading of finding anyone still alive.

Aid organization Food for the Poor said that four of its trucks were attacked by local residents and looted on Friday as they delivered food and water to rural communities in the south.

Neither the drivers nor the trucks were harmed, the charity said, and five other trucks were able to reach their destinations safely.

"Food For The Poor remains committed to its mission of helping those affected by this terrible tragedy," it said in a statement, adding that its staff were working hard to reach the most remote communities in need.

In the hard-hit city of Les Cayes, scuffles broke out after former President Michel Martelly visited a local hospital on Friday afternoon. A member of his staff gave an envelope filled with cash to one person in the crowd to be distributed amongst them, triggering a violent scramble for the money, a Reuters witness said.

Landslides and cracks in the tarmac on the mountain road between Les Cayes and Jeremie to its northwest - two of the worst-affected urban areas - made it harder to dispatch aid to farming communities short of food and drinkable water.

The route was littered with boulders and the occasional stranded truck.

"We are all absolutely overwhelmed," Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in a meeting with the Organization of American States, saying some communities had been flattened. "Every commune, every city, every village in that area was very hard hit."

Story continues

Henry thanked foreign allies for sending assistance.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000 people.

It was pitched into deeper instability by the assassination on July 7 of President Jovenel Moise by what authorities say was a group of largely Colombian mercenaries.

Last Saturday's quake destroyed tens of thousands of homes and claimed the lives of at least 2,189 people. Some 332 people are missing, while 12,200 people were injured, authorities said.

A powerful storm this week that triggered landslides made the search for victims even harder.

Many hospitals remained saturated in the worst-hit areas. At Les Cayes' airport, helicopters ferried the injured to the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The kidnapping by gangs of two doctors in the capital, including one of the few trained orthopedic surgeons in Haiti, has added to the strain. Some hospitals shut down temporarily in protest, demanding the doctors be released, local media reported.

DIGGING GRAVES

In the village of Marceline, 25 km (16 miles) north of Les Cayes, hundreds of people gathered to receive food and medical care at a mobile clinic and aid distribution effort organized by Haitian non-profit PWOP.

One of the patients was a girl who had debris embedded in a gash just below her knee, which cut down to the bone. She screamed in pain as the doctors cleaned and disinfected the wound without anesthesia.

Elsewhere in the village, some people dug graves to prepare for funerals, while other residents worked to remove a massive heap of rubble in efforts to find the remains of loved ones. The air smelled of decomposing bodies.

Amerlin Dorcy surveyed the rescue efforts. His mother Seralia Dejoit had been attending a voodoo ceremony in the house when the quake struck.

"She's still missing. We don't even have her body to bury," said Dorcy, explaining that his mother had been called upon to sing at the ceremony by the head priestess.

The calamity brought back memories for Dorcy of the 2010 quake, which he survived by fleeing the collapsing three-story building he was inside in Port-au-Prince.

"Now there's another earthquake and it's my mother who's the victim," he said.

(Reporting by Laura Gottesdiener and Ricardo Arduengo; Additional reporting by Gessika Thomas in Port-au-Prince; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Jonathan Oatis and Grant McCool)
In a late Friday night blow to Uber, Lyft and other gig worker-centered companies, a superior court judge ruled that Californias Proposition 22, which was passed in 2020 and designed to overrule the states controversial AB-5 law on the employment status of gig workers, violates the states constitution.

Frank Roesch, a superior court judge in Alameda County, which encompasses Oakland, Berkeley and much of the East Bay, ruled that the law would limit the power of a future legislature to define the employment status of gig workers. The lawsuit was filed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in January, after a similar lawsuit was rebuffed by the California Supreme Court and referred to a lower court.

The courts decision will almost certainly be appealed and further legal arguments are to be expected.

Todays ruling by Judge Roesch striking down Proposition 22 couldnt be clearer: The gig industry-funded ballot initiative was unconstitutional and is therefore unenforceable," said Bob Schoonover, president of SEIU California State Council in a statement. "For two years, drivers have been saying that democracy cannot be bought. And todays decision shows they were right.

The superior courts decision is just the latest in a long line of victories and defeats in the battle between companies that heavily rely on gig workers like Uber and DoorDash, and unions and advocates representing workers. Much of the debate centers on the legal distinction between a freelancer and an employee, and to what extent companies are responsible for the care and benefits of their workers.

Such a distinction is big business: Uber, Lyft and other companies spent more than $200 million collectively to push Prop 22 to victory last year. California voters passed the proposition roughly 59% to 41% in what was widely perceived as a major victory for gig worker platforms.

Such fights are not limited to merely Silicon Valleys home state, however. Earlier this year in the United Kingdom, Uber lost a legal battle over its employment classification decisions and ultimately reclassified tens of thousands of its drivers as workers, a decision which offered them a range of benefits not previously guaranteed.

Updated August 20, 2021 to include a statement from SEIU.
Who is Cathie Wood? What you need to know about Ark Invest's ace stock picker

Move over, Warren Buffett. Theres a new oracle in town.

Last year, Cathie Wood, founder of asset management firm Ark Invest, established herself as a master of the modern exchange-traded fund (ETF). In 2020, her flagship Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) posted eye-watering gains of 153%, easily crushing the return of the overall stock market.

Over the past five years, ARKK has averaged an annual return of greater than 40%.

While ARKK and another of the companys funds, Ark Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG), have struggled this year, money from investors continues to pour in and CEOs like Elon Musk want to be on her podcast. You may even have Ark funds in your portfolio.

Despite the choppy road Wood's offerings have bumped along in the past few months, investors continue to hold on. Here's why.

Just who is Cathie Wood?

kaohoon / Twitter

When she founded Ark Invest in 2014, Wood had already amassed 40 years of experience researching and investing in innovation. She managed over $5 billion in assets at AllianceBernstein and over $800 million at hedge fund Tupelo Capital Management, a company she also founded.

Wood launched Ark as a means of packaging active stock portfolios into an ETF format.

By concentrating on innovative, disruptive technologies, Ark invests in companies with the potential for both explosive short-term growth and long-term relevance. As the companys CIO and portfolio manager, the final call on Arks investment decisions is Woods to make.

Wood has received plenty of recognition for her investment performance in recent years.

She was a featured speaker at the World Economic Forum (China) in 2016 and 2017. In 2018, she was selected by Bloomberg as one of the 50 people defining global business. In 2019, Fortune chose Wood to be one of the experts included in the publications annual Fortune Investors Guide.

As of Aug. 11, Forbes estimated Woods net worth to be $400 million.

Investment philosophy and performance

Philsphotosberlin / Wikimedia Commons

Ark Invest describes its sole focus as disruptive innovation, which allows the firm to invest in companies whose products and services are expected to meet the needs of a planet barrelling from crisis to crisis.

Story continues

Arks big bet is that technology is the most effective solution to these crises and that a disruption-first ethos is a primary path to greater returns.

Were all about finding the next big thing, reads a quote from Wood on Ark Invests website. Those hewing to the benchmarks, which are backwards looking, are not about the future. They are about what has worked. Were all about what is going to work.

And Woods picks have definitely worked.

Despite the recent sluggishness that ARKK and ARKG are experiencing, both funds have crushed the market over the past five years

ARKK, which includes tech heavyweights Tesla, Zoom, Coinbase, and Shopify among others, has grown by about 450% since the summer of 2016.

Meanwhile, ARKG, which targets technologies like molecular diagnostic and genetics, and holds companies such as virtual healthcare provider Teladoc Health and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, is up roughly 340% over the same time period.

Recent struggles providing a buying window?

Vintage Tone/Shutterstock

Investors who purchased either ARKK or ARKG in 2021 have had little to celebrate, with the ETFs posting year-to-date declines of 9% and 15%, respectively.

With investors changing course from growth stocks to economic recovery plays this year, many of Arks tech-focused plays have seen their shares decline, dragging down the value of Arks ETFs.

Its one of the risks of the companys relatively narrow focus.

But despite the recent weakness, investors arent exactly losing confidence in the Ark ETFs. In fact, theyre backing Wood with even more money, suggesting they see the dip as an attractive buying opportunity.

For instance, ARKK has seen nearly $5.9 billion in inflows this year, bringing its total assets under management to a whopping $22.6 billion.

ETFs and beyond

jamesteohart/Shutterstock

Purchasing Ark ETFs is easier than you think. And now might be an ideal time to do it.

You can get started with a popular investing app, which offers not only ETFs, but also fractional shares. Another app allows you to build a diversified portfolio with little more than the spare change left over from your everyday purchases.

With a little help from the right platform, you can invest alongside Cathie Wood and, hopefully, profit massively from her next set of big ideas.

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Four Turkish military planes carrying troops evacuated from the country's operations in Afghanistan have landed in Tajikistan, as neighboring Uzbekistan welcomed hundreds of Afghan refugees and put them up in temporary housing on August 21.

The aircraft that landed at an airport 200 kilometers south of Dushanbe on August 20 were carrying an unknown number of troops.

A high-ranking official who spoke to RFE/RL on condition of anonymity said the Turkish troops were in transit and were not expected to remain in the country for long.

The source said that the troops were members of NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan.

Turkish officials have previously said that a 500-troop contingent was involved in noncombat missions in Afghanistan.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are among countries that have already begun or will soon begin transiting Americans, or in some circumstances others, through their territories, the U.S. State Department said on August 20.

Other transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

In Uzbekistan, 400 refugees were accepted and given accommodation on August 21, according to a source who spoke with the Russian state news agency TASS.

It is unclear how many Afghans have crossed into Uzbekistan since Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and Taliban militants arrived in Kabul on August 15.

Tashkent has denied that senior Afghan figures such as ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dostum were in Uzbekistan, despite reports that officers commanded by Dostum were in the country.

On August 20, Uzbekistan said it had sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan under an agreement with the Taliban and at the request of the refugees themselves.

With reporting by TASS
The sudden takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban ahead of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country has left China facing a precarious mix of opportunity and risk as it prepares to deal with the new power brokers in Kabul.



Only hours after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, the Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted by saying Beijing was ready for "friendly cooperation" with Afghanistan and intended to assume "a constructive role" in the war-torn country's reconstruction.



"On the basis of fully respecting the sovereignty of Afghanistan and the will of all factions in the country, China has maintained contact and communication with the Afghan Taliban and played a constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the Afghan issue," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on August 16.



The scenes of the chaotic evacuation from Kabul by Western forces were also a boon for Chinese propagandists, with state-run media using the images to further a narrative to both domestic and international audiences of American decline and Washington's unreliability.

But the diplomatic outreach to Kabul and schadenfreude Beijing feels from the U.S. withdrawal and clunky evacuation mask a deep uncertainty that China faces in Afghanistan as it scrambles to prepare for a reshaped geopolitical map and a new era of security risks in South and Central Asia on the heels of the Taliban's military victory.



Beijing's Top Priority



China shares a tiny 76-kilometer border with Afghanistan and has taken a laid-back approach to its neighbor, although the U.S. military withdrawal and fall of the elected Afghan government are poised to change that.

Beijing has economic interests in the country, with a particular eye on its vast mineral wealth, but China's main interest is that conflict doesn't spill beyond Afghanistan's borders.



Central to those worries are how to curb regional instability and eliminate any potential for Afghanistan becoming a safe haven for terrorist groups, especially Uyghur militants in the country. An early test for the new era of the Taliban's relationship with China will be if the militants ban the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) -- a Uyghur group that Beijing blames for unrest in its western Xinjiang Province -- from operating on Afghan soil.

While many analysts dispute the severity of the threat posed by Uyghur groups to China, it is seen as a major threat by Beijing -- with counterterrorism being central to the Chinese Communist Party's justification for its crackdown in Xinjiang, where it is believed to have interned more than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other Muslim minorities.

The Taliban have been distancing themselves from Uyghur groups and it will also be closely watched by other outside powers -- such as India, Russia, and the United States -- to see if the militant group will allow Afghanistan to be used as a base for operations by terrorist groups.



Beyond that narrow set of objectives, Beijing is looking to limit its exposure in Afghanistan. Chinese policymakers see the country as a very high-risk environment and remain more focused on limiting risks rather than chasing opportunities.



Chinese-Taliban Relations



Beijing has already laid the groundwork for this new reality, with Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosting Taliban leadership at the end of July.



China and the Taliban have a complicated, decades-old relationship. While both sides distrust the other, Beijing has stepped up its engagement of the militants since 2014 -- in part due to the interlocutor role donned by Pakistan as a Chinese ally and the Taliban's main patron -- and they have managed to find common ground.



China has no particular affinity for any political faction in Afghanistan. Prior to its collapse, Beijing also had a strong working relationship with Kabul and Afghan government forces also sought to monitor and target Uyghur militant groups at China's request.

As long as the Taliban can protect China's interests in Afghanistan, it will be able to reap the benefits of its pragmatic cooperation with Beijing.



Should the Taliban prove that it can be a more reliable partner in protecting China's security concerns than the Western-led Afghan government was, Beijing could put its political and economic muscle behind the group and help them in their quest for international legitimacy as Afghanistan's new government.



What About Afghan Resources?



Afghanistan is estimated to have rare earth metals worth trillions of dollars that can be used in everything from electronics to electric vehicles, satellites, and aircraft.



China's state-owned Metallurgical Group Corporation secured a $3 billion, 30-year concession in 2008 to mine Mes Aynak, a huge copper deposit south of Kabul, and the China National Petroleum Corporation holds a tender for oil fields in the north.



But these projects are at a standstill due to security concerns, which are likely to increase as Afghanistan settles into a tenuous political situation following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul.

While China would like to tap into Afghanistan's lucrative natural resources and also extend its economic footprint through the massive Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the difficult security environment means those remain long-term goals with no clear timeline.



Is The Taliban Takeover A Win for Beijing?



It's not that simple.



While the Taliban have indicated they are willing to cooperate with China and assuage its concerns, their victory likely means more instability in Afghanistan and the wider region, whether it be continued fighting, refugee flows to neighboring countries, or stepped-up terrorist activity across Central and South Asia.



Beijing remains cautious about extending the BRI into Afghanistan, but the vast infrastructure project is already deeply rooted across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Chinese investment and infrastructure projects in those countries have been a pathway to greater influence and China remains worried that getting sucked into Afghanistan's security vacuum could undermine its wider goals.

Chinese interests and personnel have recently been targeted in Pakistan, which is one of the focal points of the BRI.



A bus carrying Chinese workers in Pakistan was bombed on July 14, killing 13 people, nine of which were Chinese, and has since been attributed to attackers operating from inside Afghanistan.



This was followed by another attack on Chinese workers in Karachi on July 28.



For now, though, China will be watching to see what kind of government emerges in Afghanistan and how the Taliban wields its power across the country.



So far, Beijing has successfully laid the groundwork to protect its interests, but with the situation in Afghanistan still volatile, China will remain in a wait-and-see mode for the time being.
Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan waited nervously on August 21 to see whether the United States would deliver on U.S. President Joe Bidens new pledge to evacuate all Americans and all Afghans who aided the war effort.

In a new security warning, the U.S. Embassy on August 21 told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instructions from a U.S. government representative. The warning cited potential security threats outside its gates of the airport.

Meanwhile, crowds of document-clutching Afghans remained outside the concrete barriers and coils of razor wire that surround the Kabul airport.

Footage from Britain's Sky News showed soldiers covering three bodies with white tarpaulins outside of Kabul airport. It was not clear how they died.

A reporter for Sky News at the scene said people in the crowd were being "crushed" and that medics were rushing from casualty to casualty amid "dehydrated and terrified" Afghans who were desperate to leave the country.

There also were reports of the Taliban beating Afghans who were trying to reach the airport in order to flee the country.

WATCH: Deadly Stampede At Kabul Airport As People Try To Flee

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on August 21 that it is "mathematically impossible" for the United States and its allies to evacuate the tens of thousands of Afghan personnel and their families by an August 31 deadline Biden has set for the last U.S. troops to leave Afghanistan.

Borrell said the EU has "complained" to U.S. officials that their security at Kabul airport was overly strict and was hampering attempts by Afghans who worked for the Europeans to enter.

Bahrain has said it will open up its airports to flights evacuating people from Afghanistan and the United Arab Emirates announced it would temporarily host Afghan refugees as the United States faced overcrowding at facilities holding evacuees in Qatar.

The August 21 developments came a day after evacuation flights from Kabul were temporarily halted to allow destination and transit points to catch up with the number of arrivals.

U.S. facilities at the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar had rapidly filled up as Washington rushed to meet its deadline to withdraw U.S. forces, foreigners, and eligible Afghan citizens from Afghanistan by August 31.

Hosting Refugees

Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said on August 21 it was allowing flights to make use of Bahrains transit facilities, while the United Arab Emirates said it would host up to 5,000 Afghans prior to their departure to other countries.

More than a dozen countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while a further dozen have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees.

Chaotic scenes continued to unfold in Kabul on August 21 as the U.S.-imposed withdrawal deadline of August 31 approaches.

Six days after the Taliban moved into the Afghan capital, roads to Kabul's international airport remain clogged with traffic and people trying to clear Taliban-manned checkpoints amid reports that the militants were turning some Afghans away.

A witness told the dpa news agency that shots were being fired almost continuously outside the airport compound as thousands attempted to enter, and that loudspeakers were announcing that one gate to the airport would be closed for two days.

WATCH: Desperate Crowds Swell At Kabul Airport

Addressing the nation in a televised address on August 20, Biden called the evacuation effort one of the "most difficult airlifts in history" and acknowledged that the evacuation effort had been suspended for a few hours on August 20 because countries processing new arrivals were overwhelmed.

However, Biden said flights from Kabul had resumed and the United States had made "significant progress." Some 13,000 people, he said, had been flown out of the country since August 14, the day before Taliban forces swept back into the Afghan capital.

The U.S. president added more than 18,000 people had been airlifted out since last month, with thousands more evacuated on private charter flights "facilitated by the U.S. government."

In the first known case of U.S. forces exiting Kabul's airport to rescue Americans since the Taliban takeover, the Pentagon said it had deployed three Chinook transport helicopters to rescue 169 Americans at a hotel who were unable to reach the Kabul airport gates.

At least 12 people have been killed in and around Kabul's airport since the Taliban retook the city on August 15, NATO and Taliban officials have said.

"The evacuation process is slow, as it is risky, for we don't want any form of clashes with Taliban members or civilians outside the airport," a NATO official told Reuters on August 20 on condition of anonymity.

Based on Reuters, AP, and AFP
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun early, then becoming cloudy later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 57F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Former President Donald Trump told a radio show Friday that he "single-handedly" picked Alabama as the new home for U.S. Space Command, confirming a January Gazette report and drawing fire from Colorado politicians and retired generals worried that the move could disrupt America's defense of military satellites.

Speaking to "Rick and Bubba," an Alabama-based syndicated talk show, Trump said he alone chose to uproot the command from Colorado Springs and move it to Huntsville, Ala.

"I single-handedly said 'let's go to Alabama,'" Trump said, contradicting Pentagon statements that Huntsville was picked by a nonpartisan process that weighed Colorado Springs and other suitors for the command independently.

In the radio interview, Trump conflated the command  which oversees military missions in space for all armed services  with the new Space Force, a separate armed service for satellite troops.

The interview came ahead of an appearance by Trump Saturday night at an Alabama campaign-style rally that was expected to draw thousands of supporters.

Trump's Jan. 13 decision to move the command, which was reestablished in Colorado Springs in 2019, remains under investigation by the Pentagon's Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. Anonymous military sources told The Gazette of Trump's role in the decision as soon as it was announced.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said Trump's Friday radio interview should be enough to prompt a re-examination of the decision.

We have maintained throughout the process that the permanent basing decision for U.S. Space Command was not made on merit. The admission by former President Trump that he single-handedly directed the move to Huntsville, Alabama, supports our position," Suthers said via email.

"Our local governments and our Congressional delegation will continue to press our case in Congress and at the White House to re-examine and ultimately overturn the move in the best interest of our nation."

U.S. Space Command was recreated by the Trump administration to address rising threats from Russia and China to U.S. spacecraft. An earlier version of the command had been based at recently renamed Peterson Space Force Base until the command was shuttered amid post-Cold War belt-tightening in 2002.

Colorado Springs was picked as the initial home for the new version of the command because it contains the bulk of the military's space troops along with units that control most of the military's satellites and a center that brings together experts from the military, intelligence agencies and allies to set strategy that would be used if a war hits orbit.

An earlier Air Force decision will keep the command in Colorado Springs until at least 2026. Congress hasn't allocated money for the move, and the Pentagon has not issued contracts that would be necessary to relocate Space Command.

In a recent paper, retired Air Force Gen. Ed Eberhart and retired Army Lt. Gen. Ed Anderson  the former top space officers of their respective services  said uprooting the fledgling command would disrupt its mission to protect U.S. satellites, potentially wasting years of progress along with billions of dollars.

"U.S. Space Command was reestablished due to the criticality of its mission," the generals wrote. "Making a location decision without fully evaluating cost and time to achieve full mission capability has resulted in a decision that makes America vulnerable."

Colorado Springs U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn said Trump's announcement shows national security wasn't his top concern.

"When a decision is based on politics and personal preference, national security comes in second," said Lamborn, a longtime Trump supporter who broke with the president over the basing decision.

The congressman said the decision also shows that Pentagon officials might have lied to lawmakers when they said Alabama was chosen based solely on military criteria.

"The Air Force was not telling us the truth when they said it was based solely on merit," Lamborn charged.

Gov. Jared Polis and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera issued a joint statement calling on Biden to reverse the Alabama move based on Trump's admission.

"These callous comments fly in the face of Coloradans, military families, and those who have worked to cultivate our aerospace ecosystem that is suited to guarantee the operational success of U.S. Space Command and deliver the best value to taxpayers," the said in an email.

In a unanimous statement, El Paso County commissioners pledged to redouble their efforts to get the move rescinded.

"On its merits, its obvious Space Command needs to stay in Colorado Springs," they said. "It makes no sense to spend billions of taxpayer dollars and gain no mission enhancement by moving Space Command from its current location, the home to many critical space missions."

Reggie Ash, who heads military programs for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, said Friday's declaration by Trump confirmed a key argument local leaders have used in a bid to overturn the Alabama decision.

"As weve said all along, Space Commands basing decision needs to be determined by merit, not politics," Ash said. "Now that the former president is confirming what weve been saying all along, we again urge President Biden to overturn that decision now. Keeping Space Command in Colorado Springs avoids disrupting operations and interfering with their critical national security mission. Staying in Colorado Springs is the most cost effective, least risky, and overall best choice for the mission."

Alabama had been angling for the command for years, with Alabama U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers being one of the first lawmakers to push for its creation.

The Alabama decision came after a process to pick a permanent home for the command was stopped and restarted by the Pentagon several times.

The Alabama announcement came one week after a Trump rally in Washington decrying the results of the 2020 election preceded a riot that spilled into the U.S. Capitol where lawmakers were certifying the election result.

At the Jan. 6 rally, Trump's speech was preceded by remarks from Huntsville's Republican U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks.
Elwood Buster II's workspace for over 40 years at Speedometer and Alternator Service Co. could be a goldmine or a heap of junk. It depends on your point of view.

Jumbled car manuals are heaped on shelves. Countertops are strewn with screwdrivers and wrenches and weighted down by alternators and speedometers, and pieces of automotive electrical gear are propped in every nook and cranny.

"It's like walking back in time," Buster said, looking around the room.

Buster, who goes by the nickname Rusty, took over the auto repair business from his father, Elwood Buster, who bought the business in 1957 and then purchased the building that housed the business, at 449 E. Kiowa St. on downtown Colorado Springs' east edge, in 1961.

Previously a grocery store, the 16,000-square-foot shop saw thousands of collector and hot rod cars roll through its garage over the years.

"Where the parking lot is, there used to be a house," Rusty said. "And when my dad bought this building in '61, he bought the house next door. So we lived next door to the shop. So I was always in here and grew up around guys that like cars."

But like many retailers and small specialty businesses such as his, Rusty discovered in recent years that he was losing the sales race to online competitors. After 64 years in business, he decided to close the shop for good.

"Competing with the internet is really hard," Rusty said. "Now, people can go online and buy starters and alternators cheaper than we can fix them."

Rusty stopped rebuilding speedometers, alternators and generators this month and began liquidating the store's merchandise, with a plan to continue fixing only speedometers at his house.

Rusty sold the property to a real estate developer who bought several surrounding properties, too. The developer told him there were no immediate plans for the plot, Rusty said.

"When the developer came by and made an offer on the building, I weighed out all of this and decided that the offer to sell would let me close down that portion of the business on my own terms, instead of trying to ride it out another 10 years and then being forced to close down," Rusty said.

As a teen, Rusty spent his summers and afternoons helping his dad in the shop. He never planned to spend his career at his dad's car shop, but one full year spent working at the business after high school turned into a lifetime.

"I just kind of fell into the routine," Rusty said. "And then never left."

The transition of the business from father to son, however, was not an easy one.

While in the shop one day in 1989, 74-year-old Elwood Buster was visited by several of his longtime friends.

"They were all just having a bull session, like sitting around a general store," Rusty said. "And I didn't get any work done that day, because I was just listening to all the stories."

The time came to say goodbyes, and the elder Buster went home because he didn't feel well. He died that night.

"The hardest thing I've ever had to do was to call those six or seven guys and tell them that he passed away," Rusty said. "And each one of them could not identify why they had stopped by. They just (said), 'Hey, I haven't seen him for a while. I'm going to stop and say hi.'"

The family nature of the business went deeper than Buster and Rusty. Tom Nixon, who worked at the shop for 46 years, was a fixture of the store.

"He would hang around and stop by after school," Rusty said. "... My dad hired him in 1959, when he was 17, when he was a senior. And basically it was the only job he ever had."

Nixon, 79, said "old-timers" will miss the store when it's gone, but even now, he misses working in the shop.

"Buster was a great guy," Nixon said. "I enjoyed working with him."

During the start of August, Rusty was preparing to clean out the shop when a customer walked in looking for alternator repairs. Rusty broke the news that the business shut down over a week ago.

"Are you going to keep working on speedometers?" the customer, Nathan Nash, asked.

"Yeah, definitely  I'm still going to be doing speedometers," Rusty said.

Rusty tested Nash's alternator, hooking it up to a machine on the wall to see if it charged the proper way or if it needed to be replaced. The machine started to whir and hum.

"It's definitely bad," Rusty said.

He told Nash he could probably find the replacement at Quality Alternator and Turbo Service, one of the last shops of its kind in town, now that Speedometer and Alternator Service Co. is leaving the scene.

"Guys like him are hard to find, Nash said. And now theyre going to be harder to find.
Amid a flurry of district mask mandates hitting just before the start of the 2021 fall semester, some Colorado mental health experts are forewarning another difficult school year.

Especially if people face it alone.

On Thursday, two of those experts met for a virtual town hall, hosted by The Gazette, and 9News, on how educators, students, and their families can navigate a fall return to in-person schooling, mounting mental health concerns, and the lingering challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Their discussion was moderated by 9News' Chris Bianchi.

Heidi Baskfield, interim executive director for the Partners for Childrens Mental Health, and Dr. Steven Berkowitz, child psychiatrist and University of Colorado School of Medicine professor, primed teachers and families on the types of challenges their students, and they themselves, may see this year.

Chief among those, the two said, is the overall lack of consistency students face in the coming year, arising from the pandemic itself as well as the uncertain sense of normalcy its resulted in.

Examples of that lack of consistency they cited ranged from possibly varying mask mandates in schools, to returning to classroom settings that some havent seen for a long time, to student concern over their eligibility to be vaccinated and protected against the virus.

The two also discussed factors outside of the pandemic, like family instability, a lack of emphasis on social or emotional learning, or even recent weeks of Front Range haze driven by wildfires as ongoing contributors to the mental burden young people carry.

COVID is certainly front and center for all the various reasons, but kids are facing far more than a pandemic, Berkowitz said.

Baskfield, who is also the vice president of Population Health & Advocacy at Childrens Hospital Colorado, and Berkowitz also discussed isolation, which has become more commonplace for students as pandemic mitigation protocols separate them from their peers and in some cases, Baskfield said, has exacerbated challenges students may face.

But students arent the only ones facing a new set of challenges.

Teachers are being asked to do more than ever, Berkowitz said. They too are facing an inordinate amount of stress, and many of them have kids in school.

Part of that stress is the fact that teachers are often on the front lines of helping their students with mental health challenges, and need support to do that, Baskfield said.

Teachers need to be provided support themselves on what is their role in supporting youth mental health, she said. Where that starts is providing teachers with tools on How do you spot mental health issues?

Baskfield said Partners for Childrens Mental Health, as well as the nonprofit Mental Health Colorado, provide trainings for educators on spotting mental health challenges.

For parents with students facing mental health challenges, especially during the coming year, Berkowitz recommended a community approach.

Its a lot to ask parents to become psychiatrists and social workers, so one thing I tell parents in general  if you have any concerns or doubts, ask, find somebody to talk to about it he said. We dont do this in isolation.

One thing the two lamented, however, was what Baskfield described as a "pretty huge gap" in mental health resources and caregivers for children in Colorado.

"We don't have a comprehensive system of mental health care for kids in this state, we just don't," she said. "And that is informing so many of the challenges that we're seeing right now."

In 2021, state lawmakers inked nearly 20 bills into law on mental health care and young people.

Berkowitz said Colorado has one of the largest gaps in mental health care for children of any state he's seen.

"It's really important to recognize that while Colorado may be worse than a lot of places, no place has a sufficient number of providers  it's just not possible."

That's part of why seeking help among one's community should be treated as a rule of thumb.

It is going to be a hard year, and we have to acknowledge that, we have to accept that, Berkowitz said. The way were going to get through this is if we do it together. We really need to facilitate community and conversation, and we have to ask adults to put themselves in the skins of the children.
Last weeks review of some of the Colorado political superlatives of the last 50 or so years  a selection of the longests, the mosts, the firsts  didnt include the name of one of the states most renowned trailblazers.

Mary Estill Buchanan, the Boulder Republican who served two terms as secretary of state and came within fewer than 20,000 votes of the U.S. Senate, owns more than a couple of the states political firsts.

While Virginia Blue proceeded her as the first woman elected statewide, when the Republican won the race for state treasurer in 1966, Buchanan was the first woman to serve as secretary of state, beginning in 1974.

With an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Buchanan and her family moved in 1963 to Colorado, where she worked as a labor-management consultant.

In addition to serving on the Colorado State Board of Agriculture and the Colorado Commission on the Status of Women, she long had her eye on statewide office but lost a Republican primary for CU regent at-large in 1970 before being appointed secretary of state in 1974 and winning a full term later that year.

She was joined four years later when Democrat Nancy Dick was elected lieutenant governor, and four years after that, in 1983, Buchanan was succeeded as secretary of state by Republican Natalie Meyer. For all but four of the ensuing 40 years  from 2011 to 2015  Colorado could always count on there being a woman in statewide office, even though the state has never elected a woman governor or senator.

From 1995 to 1999, women even held the majority of the major state executive offices: Lt. Gov. Gail Schoetler, a Democrat; and Attorney General Gale Norton and Secretary of State Vickie Buckley, both Republicans, along with Democratic Gov. Roy Romer and Republican State Treasurer Bill Owens.

When Buchanan was elected secretary of state, she interrupted what had been a 98-year stretch of men holding the office. She also kicked off an unbroken run of women secretaries of state  all Republicans, the others were Meyer, Buckley, Donetta Davidson and Gigi Dennis  that came to an end when Republican Mike Coffman won the seat in 2006. (The offices current incumbent, Jena Griswold, is the first Democratic woman ever to hold the seat.)

Six years after Buchanan became secretary of state, she was the first woman nominated by either party to one of Colorados two most prominent statewide offices, governor and U.S. senator. Buchanan won the GOP nomination by notching another milestone, becoming the first major party candidate for statewide office in Colorado to petition their way onto the ballot.

Another distinction held by Buchanan: Nearly 50 years ago, she was the Colorado Republicans version of turn of the century Ken Salazar  or, since Buchanans situation preceded Salazars by a few decades, it could be more accurate to peg Salazar as the latter-day, Democratic version of Mary Estill Buchanan.

The same way Salazar spent some time from 1999 to 2005 as the only Democrat elected to major statewide office  when he was serving a term and a half as attorney general, before his election to the U.S. Senate  Buchanan found herself in an analogous position from 1975 to 1979, when she was the only Republican elected to major statewide office.

After four years, Buchanan got some company when fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Armstrong won a U.S. Senate seat in 1978, the same year she won a second term, though Democrats continued to occupy all the other statewide offices for another four years  Gary Hart in the other U.S. Senate seat, along with Gov. Dick Lamm, Lt. Gov. Nancy Dick, Attorney General J.D. MacFarlane and State Treasurer Roy Romer.

Buchanans political trajectory and all its firsts launched into high gear with one of the great  though little-known  right-place, right-time stories.

She tells the story in an extraordinarily detailed and candid 2013 oral history interview, part of the Boulder Public Librarys local history collection.

When Andy Anderson, the incumbent Republican Secretary of State, died in office, Buchanan spent a few days sounding out local party officials to see if she could drum up support for the appointment that would be made by Republican Gov. John Vanderhoof, but wasn't greeted with much enthusiasm.

Buchanan remembered that Vanderhoof had already picked someone to appoint  Robin Johnston, who had just come off the Denver Public Schools board  but kept her identity a secret even while teasing the announcement, saying he planned to appoint "a dynamic, Republican woman  whom the rest of the state might not know as well as he did  and he was very excited about it  and he hoped that she would be welcome and that she would be a wonderful addition to the Republican ballot."

After the governor floated that he would be appointing a woman  and not suspecting that he had already chosen someone  Buchanan set up a meeting with Vanderhoof to discuss whether she might run for the office that fall and to let him know she was open to being appointed. After making her case, Buchanan said, Vanderhoof only responded, "That is very interesting, Mary Estill."

A week passed by and the governor's chief of staff invited Buchanan to the office the next day for a press conference there he planned to announce he was appointing her secretary of state.

After Vanderhoof had leaked his description of the "dynamic woman" he planned to name to the position, Buchanan recalled that Johnston went to scope out the operation. Said Buchanan: "She walked across the hall into the secretary of states office"  the office was on the first floor of the State Capitol in those days  "and saw it. And it was chaos. It was rooms and rooms of file clerks, greyfile cabinets, papers blowing around. It was chaos. Lines and lines and lines of people trying to get documents. And the lines werent even organized. It was just terrible."

Johnston later told Buchanan that after one look, she walked into the hallway, found the ladies' room "and went in there and vomited," then went home, discussed it with her husband and returned to tell the governor she didn't want the job.

As it turned out, Buchanan said, "She had walked out of the office as I was sitting there waiting to walk in when I was just going in to make my offer  my suggestion  and her appointment had been to tell Johnny then that she could not accept this and was not going to do it. Now, my God, that man was between a rock and a hard place."

A quirk in the state constitution prevented Vanderhoof from appointing one of several prominent Republican women serving in the General Assembly, so, as Buchanan tells it, "In I trot, and so thats how that appointment happened."
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"La terza dose" di vaccino anti-covid "sara necessaria perche gli studi dimostrano che cala l'immunita vaccinale e i primi a cui scende sono gli immunodepressi. Quindi si partira da loro. Ma questo non significa che la terza dose occorre farla a tutti ad ottobre, l'autunno sara un punto di partenza per i richiami degli immunodepressi o perche sono passati 10 mesi". Lo ha detto Pierpaolo Sileri, sottosegretario alla Salute, ospite di 'Radio Anch'io' su Rai Radio1.
1. Yes. An unvaccinated worker is a potential health liability for the entire workforce.

2. Yes. But it should only be required in some businesses, like health care or food service.

3. No. The requirement shouldnt be forced on employees; its a discriminatory practice.

4. No. Not only should they not require COVID shots , but no proof of vaccination either.

5. Unsure. Its a hard choice between public safety concerns and personal freedoms.

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Biden Vows To Keep Troops in Kabul Until the Last American Is Evacuated

Aug. 19 , 2021 (EIRNS)President Joe Biden vowed yesterday that U.S. troops will stay at the Kabul airport until the last American who wants to leave has been evacuated. If theres American citizens left, were going to stay until we get them all out, Biden told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in an interview. U.S. officials estimate that there are more than 10,000 U.S. citizens in Afghanistan who want to leave, along with 50,000 to 65,000 Afghan allies also waiting to be evacuated. Biden vowed that the U.S. will do everything in our power to get all Americans out and our allies out, but acknowledged that doing so by the end of the month would require significantly increasing the number of individuals evacuated on flights each day.

Are you committed to making sure that the troops stay until every American who wants to be out is out? Stephanopoulos asked. Yes, Biden responded. As for the Aug. 31 deadline, Biden said that Americans should understand that were going to try to get it done before Aug. 31.

The problem, however, seems to be that the operation hasnt yet ramped up to the capacity to bring out all of those people by Aug. 31. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, during a joint press conference yesterday with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, said that there had been 20 C-17 flights out of Kabul during the previous 24 hours. Weve already evacuated approximately 5,000 people, and we intend to increase it, Milley said. The State Department, he said, is working to rapidly increase the flow of passengers available to get out on the aircraft, and we are fully supporting them with our military personnel at the entrance gates.

During an earlier Aug. 18 press briefing, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby indicated that in the 24 hours up to 0300 EDT Aug. 18, there were 18 C-17s that had departed, carrying about 2,000 passengers, 325 of whom were American, the remainder being Afghan and some NATO personnel. In the next 24 hours, the scheduled airlift numbers will be similar to the last 24 hours, he said. Thats obviously well short of 5,000 to 9,000 passengers per day that Kirby had been saying is the capacity goal of the operation. Were simply trying to get as many people out as we can. And there arethere are lots of factors that affect the numbers, he said.

There are also reports that there are people, foreigners and Afghans alike, who want to leave but cant get to the airport. Austin indicated that there is no plan to send forces out into the city to gather up those Americans who are stranded in Kabul or elsewhere in the country. The forcesnow numbering about 4,500 troopsthat we have are focused on the security of the airfield, he said. And you know how important that is, and you know what happens if weif we lose the ability to provide that security.

Milley further said that the State Department is working with the Taliban to facilitate safe passage of Americans to the airport and thats the primary effort. The U.S. military itself wont go around Kabul gathering up Americans wanting to leave. The State Department itself said yesterday that it cant guarantee safe passage for Americans to the airport. The United States government cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the embassy emphasized in all capital letters, in its security alert issued Aug. 18. Please be advised that a significant number of individuals have registered and space on these flights is available on a first come, first serve basis.... the embassys alert said, and further stressed: The security situation in Kabul continues to change quickly, including at the airport.
Biden Stands His Ground on Ending the Afghan War

Aug. 20 , 2021 (EIRNS)President Joe Biden defended his decision to end the insane Afghanistan war in an interview Aug. 18 with ABC News George Stephanopoulos. Despite the normal stammering and occasional confusion, Biden made several cogent and truthful statements, in sharp contrast to the hysterical coverage by all U.S. media, from Fox to CNN to PBS, which are lying about the actual situation on the ground and denouncing Bidens handling of the pullout. Unfortunately there was no discussion of reconstruction.

Some useful quotes:

Biden: I had a simple choice. If I had said, Were going to stay, then wed better prepare to put a whole hell of a lot more troops in 

Stephanopoulos: But your top military advisors warned against withdrawing on this timeline. They wanted you to keep about 2,500 troops.

Biden: No, they didnt. It was split. Tha that wasnt true. That wasnt true....

The reason why its been stable for a year is because the last President said, Were leaving. And heres the deal I wanna make with you, Taliban. Were agreeing to leave if you agree not to attack us between now and the time we leave on May the 1st..... There is no good time to leave Afghanistan. Fifteen years ago wouldve been a problem, 15 years from now. The basic choice is am I going to send your sons and your daughters to war in Afghanistan in perpetuity?... We spent over $1 trillion, George, 20 years. There was no good time to leave....

Stephanopoulos: They thought the Taliban would take over, but not this quickly?

Biden: But not this quickly. Not even close.... What we did was took precautions. Thats why I authorized that there be 6,000 American troops to flow in to accommodate this exit, number one. And number two, provided all that aircraft in the Gulf to get people out. We prepositioned all that, anticipated that. Now, granted, it took two days to take control of the airport. We have control of the airport now.

Stephanopoulos: Still a lotta pandemonium outside the airport.

Biden: Oh, there is. But no ones being killed right now, God forgive me if Im wrong about that, but no ones being killed right now.... One of the things we didnt know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do. What are they doing now? Theyre cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, etc.

Stephanopoulos: You talked about our adversaries, China and Russia. You already see China telling Taiwan, See? You cant count on the Americans. (laughter)

Biden: Why wouldnt China say that? Theres a fundamental difference between Taiwan [and] South Korea, NATO.... We made a sacred commitment to Article Five, that if in fact anyone were to invade or take action against our NATO allies, we would respond. Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with[but] Taiwan, its not even comparable to talk about that.

Stephanopoulos: Yeah, but those

Biden: Its not comparable to t

[Note: some press misinterpreted this to claim Biden was including Taiwan under an Article Five-type agreement, to assure defense if invaded. He was saying the oppositethat Taiwan was not comparable.]

Were going to be putting together a group of the G7, the folks that we work with the most. I was on the phone with Angela Merkel today. I was on the phone with the British prime minister. Im going to be talking to Macron in France to make sure we have a coherent view of how were going to deal from this point on.

Stephanopoulos: What happens now in Afghanistan? Do you believe the Taliban have changed?

Biden: I think theyre going through sort of an existential crisis about, do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government? Im not sure they do. But look, they have

Stephanopoulos: They care about their beliefs more?

Biden: Well, they do. But they also care about whether they have food to eat, whether they have an income that they can provide for their families, that they can make any money and run an economy. They care about whether or not they can hold together the society that they in fact say they care so much about....

Stephanopoulos: Beyond Americans, what do we owe the Afghans who are left behind, particularly Afghan women who are facing the prospect of subjugation again?

Biden: ...The idea that were able to deal with the rights of women around the world by military force is not rational. Not rational.... The way to deal with that is not with a military invasion. The way to deal with that is putting economic, diplomatic, and national, international pressure on them to change their behavior....

Stephanopoulos: How about the threat to the United States? Most intelligence analysis has predicted that al-Qaeda would come back 18 to 24 months after a withdrawal of American troops. Is that analysis now being revised? Could it be sooner?...

Biden: Theres significantly greater threat to other places in the world than it is from the mountains of Afghanistan. And we have maintained the ability to have an over-the-horizon capability to take them out.... The deal is, the threat from al-Qaeda and their associate organizations is greater in other parts of the world to the United States than it is from Afghanistan....

Stephanopoulos: Final question on this. You know, in a couple weeks, were all going to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11. The Taliban are going to be ruling Afghanistan, just like they were when our country was attacked. How do you explain that to the American people?

Biden: Not true. Its not true. Theyre not going to look just like they were when we were attacked. There was a guy named Osama bin Laden that was still alive and well. They were organized in a big way, that they had significant help from other parts of the world. We went there for two reasons, George. Two reasons. One, to get bin Laden, and two, to wipe out as best we could, and we did, the al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. We did it. Then what happened? Began to morph into the notion that, instead of having a counterterrorism capability to have small forces there or in the region to be able to take on al-Qaeda if it tried to reconstitute, we decided to engage in nation building. In nation building. That never made any sense to me.

Stephanopoulos: It sounds like you think we should have gotten out a long time ago

Biden: We shouldve.... I ask you, you want us to stay and send your kids back to Afghanistan? How about it? If you had a son or daughter, would you send them to Afghanistan now? Or later?

Stephanopoulos: How will history judge the United States experience in Afghanistan?

Biden: One that we overextended what we needed to do to deal with our national interest.
Former CIA Kabul Station Chief Graham Fuller: Neocons and Liberal Interventionists Exposed

Aug. 20 , 2021 (EIRNS)Graham Fuller, the former CIA Station Chief in Afghanistan and a 27-year veteran of the CIA and the State Department, published a strongly worded article on Aug. 16 in Responsible Statecraft, America Leaves Afghanistan, and the Regional Politics Take Over, regarding the situation in Afghanistan, subtitled: There will likely be a return to a much more historically normal state of global affairs in which multiple players are engaged. He is contemptuous of the American neocons and liberal interventionists who got us in the regime- change wars of the past decades, and points positively to Chinas Belt and Road as an avenue for rebuilding Afghanistan and bringing peace to the greater region.

Fuller writes:

The neo-imperialist neoconservatives all argue that the American departure and the subsequent collapse of the Kabul government are deeply destructive to American credibility as a superpower in the world. The underlying ideology of this view is of course the cherished concept that the United States must serve as global policeman everywhere and that a failure to do so is a sign of weakness and decline.

He may have added that British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said essentially the same thing today, that the pull-out of Afghanistan shows a lack of resolve which our adversaries like Russia find encouraging.

Fuller continues: This line of thinking is precisely backwards: it is the overall decline of America domestically and geopolitically that is the telltale sign of its deeper weakness; there is an increasing international belief that the United States is living inside a fantasy bubble of denial about maintaining its global hegemony. But, he observes, there is a deeper and more profound reason for the American invasion and lengthy occupation, namely, to

establish a military and geopolitical foothold in Central Asia on the very borders of Russia and China. That ambition was never nakedly articulated but was clearly understood by all regional forces. The nation-building and humanitarian aspects of the American occupation were largely window dressing to cover Washingtons geopolitical ambitions. Those ambitions still have not fully died among American neocons and liberal interventionists.

He points to the fact that all three countries which the United States perceives as enemiesIran, Russia, and Chinaactually all share with Washington the same major goals for Afghanistans future: stability and an end to bloodshed and jihadism. But all three of these countries also unite in vigorous opposition to American intervention and dominance in Afghanistan and Central Asia. He points to Chinas ambitious and visionary plan of the Belt and Road Initiative across Central Asia, as the best hope for transforming Afghanistan into a modern, peaceful nation.

As to the Taliban, Fuller writes that this is a new generation of Taliban leaders who have traveled, seen the world, and dealt with many other governments, and that if Taliban social policies are distasteful to Americans, they might wish to reflect upon Saudi Arabia in the same context.

He concludes: President Biden deserves at least some measure of credit in finally closing the spigots on U.S. blood and treasure in Afghanistan after 20 years. Hopefully it is the beginning of a sign of greater realism on the part of Washingtons geopolitical thinkers about the new limits of American power. And the need for a far more modest vision of what truly comprises American interests.

Responsible Statecraft is the publication of Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 , 2021

At the Crossroads: Chaos or Growth?

Aug. 19 , 2021 (EIRNS)Afghanistan can become stable, and its enormous potential for growth can be leveraged to the benefit of Afghans and the world at large, through helping to shape a new paradigm on this planet.

But even after two decades of U.S.-led warfare, attempts to destabilize the nation and region continue. The U.S. government has frozen the nearly $9.5 billion in assets of the Afghan central bank and halted shipments of cash to the nation. The International Monetary Fund has suspended Afghanistans access to IMF resources, including $440 million worth of Special Drawing Rights reserves. A cash shortage is developing in Afghanistan, where it is used for most purchases. Germany has announced a halt to all financial aid to the country, which will affect ongoing infrastructure projects. Facebook-owned WhatsApp has shut down a Taliban help hotline, as well as other Taliban-linked channels, in a decision attacked by humanitarian aid workers as absurd.

Are these decisions temporary, due to uncertainty of who runs the country? Or are they being used to foster ongoing chaos in a nation already suffering decades of warfare, a nation lying at a strategic crossroadsbordering or closely concerning Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, and three of the Central Asian republics? As has been the case for over a century, the British game of geopolitics seeks to ensure that there is no world rival to their dominance, exerted today through the special relationship with the United States. A new Northern Alliance has announced its emergence in Afghanistan, seeking Western military support. What will it receive?

The Belt and Road Initiative, which is overturning the worlds economic and strategic chessboard through a paradigm of infrastructure development and productivity growth, achieving, at Chinas initiative, a policy that parallels the World Land-Bridge concept developed by Lyndon LaRouche, Helga Zepp-LaRouche, and their collaborators. Into this dynamic Afghanistan can be integrated, with results that would be stunning in terms of how rapidly they could transform the region, which can hardly be said to have benefitted significantly from the over $1 trillion spent on military adventures there.

The antidote to chaosin addition to identifying its originis growth!

This Saturday, the Schiller Institute, founded by Helga Zepp-LaRouche, will convene an urgent international seminar to pursue the solution of peace through development. The seminar will continue the prescient discussion held by the Schiller Institute on July 31, with many of the same panelists, as well as new ones.

Zepp-LaRouche explained in her weekly strategic webcast AfghanistanOpportunity for a New Epoch on Aug. 17:

I do not agree with the hysteria of the Western media that this is the end of the world. ... I think it is, on the contrary, the real chance to integrate Afghanistan into a regional economic development perspective, which is basically defined by the Belt and Road Initiative of China. There is a very clear agreement of Russia and China to cooperate in dealing with this situation. The interest of the Central Asian republics is to make sure there is stability and economic development; and there is the possibility to extend the CPEC, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, into Afghanistan, into Central Asia. So, I think its a real opportunity, but it does require a complete change in approach.

Expressing her view of the proper role of the United States, Zepp-LaRouche said,

John Quincy Adams said that the United States should have alliances of perfectly sovereign republics, and this is now the moment to really do that. The idea is to not oppose China linking Afghanistan into the Belt and Road Initiative, but rather see it as an opportunity to cooperate, and stop this geopolitical confrontation which can only lead to catastrophe. ... Thats the kind of discussion which we have to catalyze.

The event will be this Saturday, Aug. 21, at 12:00 noon EDT (18:00 CEST), available the Schiller Institute website, or on the Schiller Institute YouTube channel.
Saturday, August 21, 2021

In an order by Justice Alito, the Supreme Court late yesterday temporarily stayed the district court injunction directing the Biden Administration to reinstate former President Trump's MPP policy until Tuesday at midnight. The brief order will allow the full Court to consider the Biden Administration's emergency application for a stay pending appeal.

Recall that the district court issued a permanent, nationwide injunction directing the Biden Administration to reinstate the MPP policy and send certain immigrants to Mexico pending their deportation proceedings. The Administration sought a stay of the injunction pending appeal, but the Fifth Circuit declined. The Administration then sought an emergency stay at the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court's order temporarily stays the injunction until Tuesday. It also directs the plaintiffs in the case to file their response to the Administration's emergency application by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. A Court order will presumably follow before midnight Tuesday.

All this is still preliminary, though: the Biden Administration is still pursuing its appeal on the merits to the Fifth Circuit. The Court's ruling late yesterday only means that the Biden Administration need not reinstate the MPP policy pending its appeal of the district court order until Tuesday, and perhaps later, depending on what the Court says.

The Court's docket for the case is here.

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/conlaw/2021/08/court-temporarily-stays-district-judge-order-in-mpp-case.html
Saturday, August 21, 2021

A single justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has concluded that an interim suspension is not warranted notwithstanding the attorney's "serious crime" conviction

in the Superior Court for Bristol County, Rhode Island, on six felony counts of neglect of an adult with severe impairments, in violation of R.I. Gen. Laws  11-5-12 (e).

The court discussed the factors implicated in the interim suspension calculus and concludes

I am mindful that, in determining whether to temporarily suspend a lawyer convicted of a serious crime, "the key consideration . . . is the public interest." Matter of DiMasi, 27 Mass. Att'y Discipline R. 193. Here, the respondent's multiple convictions of a serious crimes currently cloud his continued right to practice. Certainly, the public has an interest in shielding current and prospective clients from the discontinuity of legal representation that could result either from execution of a sentence of incarceration, or professional discipline. In the circumstances of this case, I conclude that the public interest is served if the respondent makes full disclosure to his current or prospective clients of the criminal convictions, the pending bar discipline investigation or proceedings, and the possible consequences to the client or prospective client of his incarceration and suspension or disbarment from practice, should that occur.

The Providence Journal reported on the conviction

A jury in December convicted Vose of six counts of criminal neglect of an adult with severe impairments, according to Attorney General Peter F. Neronhas office.

Authorities accused Vose of repeatedly failing to care for his 69-year-old mother. In six instances, she was found wandering outside, unable to identify where she was or return home.

On Jan. 29, 2015, Pawtucket police were called to Walgreens, where Voses mother was discovered walking around in a bath robe. Two weeks later, police were alerted that she was standing in the snow outside her house trying to flag down a passing snow plow.

Months later, she was found wandering in traffic in a busy intersection.

Vose sued the City of Pawtucket in federal court, accusing the police of violating his rights by falsely arresting him on charges that he neglected his mother, Pauline Vose.

He alleged that it was his mother and not him that repeatedly refused nursing-home care due to her desire to maintain her independence, despite her dementia.

He also accused the department, former Police Chief Paul King and four officers of conspiring with Peter Graham of the Rhode Island Division of Elderly Affairs to have him arrested to end the departments problem of responding to calls about his mothers strange statements to passers-by as she walked her dogs through the neighborhood.

The state Supreme Court in 2014 denied Voses petition to practice law in Rhode Island, accepting a finding that he lacks the qualities of trustworthiness, honesty, and judgment that are required.

The Rhode Island admission order is linked here. (Mike Frisch)

https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2021/08/a-single-justice-of-the-massachusetts-supreme-judicial-court-has-concluded-that-an-interim-suspension-is-not-warranted-notwit.html


Broadway, the collection of major theaters in the United States, has seen the longest shutdown in its history. It is set on proving that there is no business like show business.

Hopes are high for reopening of musicals and plays starting in September. They are led by the three big musicals in the industry: Hamilton, The Lion King, and Wicked. These three musicals were taking in about $1 million a week before the 18-month shutdown began in March 2020.

Theaters will be permitted to fill their seats to 100 percent. Actors and other crew members will be required to show proof of vaccination.

Always ready for risks, Broadway producers are backing new projects even with millions of dollars in lost sales.

Ken Davenport is a producer who has won Tony Awards, the highest award on Broadway, for his musicals Kinky Boots and Once on This Island. He said, Producers produce what theyre passionate about. Theres nothing safe about what we do. If we wanted safe, we would be in investment banking, or an accountant, or a lawyer.

Davenport has six new shows in development. He said, This is a business that favors the bold He believes there will be a rebirth of theater over the next five years.

Starting a new Broadway musical requires an immediate investment of about $10 to $15 million. This includes wages for the cast and crew, advertising, backgrounds, and makeup. Plays  without music - generally cost less than half that number.

Broadways hopes are still high even though important producer Scott Rudin said in April he would take a leave from the business for a while after several accusations of bullying actors and others. Rudin has apologized for his behavior.

Instead, Rudins step back has opened the way for new investors who want big projects like bringing back musicals from the past, such as Funny Girl and Dreamgirls.

Gordon Cox is a head writer on theater for Variety, which covers Broadway. He said Rudins step back has not left a hole. He added there are whole groups of people that now feel like they can get involved and it seems like a cool thing to do.

Black Investors

Sadly, Disney musical Frozen is not returning. Rudin-backed 2020 renewal of West Side Story is not returning. And the two-part Harry Potter play is being combined into one.

The Broadway League said it will not release official numbers of returns for the next few months. However, sales websites show formerly popular shows have had slow sales.

Seven new plays have been announced for this fall, all by Black writers. Some are being financed by first-time Broadway investors. They include co-founder of the television network BET, Sheila Johnson, who is putting money behind the play Thoughts of a Colored Man. Johnson and famous cook Carla Hall are also investing in a new musical called Grace about Black food and cooking history.

Actor Blair Underwood and former sportsperson Renee Montgomery are investing in the play Pass Over, a modern remake of Waiting for Godot.

Brian Moreland is the producer of Thoughts of a Colored Man, opening in October. He said, There is various new money that is coming into Broadway, and that money is extraordinarily helpful and it is also diverse money, which is also very interesting and new.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Jill Serjeant reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

passionate  adj. having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs

accountant  n. someone whose job is to keep the financial records of a business or person

bully  v. to frighten, hurt, or threaten (a smaller or weaker person)

classic  adj. used to say that something has come to be considered one of the best of its kind

various  adj. used to refer to several different or many things or people

diverse  adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other
Zuleydis Elledias has been waiting two months, hoping for a message about her husband and nephew. They were lost at sea after their boat sank as they were trying to reach Florida.

Six other families in the small town of Orlando Nodarse, Cuba, have also lost loved ones.

Due to the pandemic my husband lost his job. Many places closed and he had been home for more than a year And that made him desperate because we have a 2-year-old son, Elledias told The Associated Press.

Cuba is seeing a large increase in illegal migration to the United States. It is being fueled by an economic crisis made worse by the pandemic and U.S. sanctions. There is also less economic aid coming from Venezuela, which has its own economic crisis. Cuba has shortages in many goods. A number of protests against the government took place in July.

It has become harder in recent years to legally enter the U.S. from Cuba. The Trump administration almost completely closed the U.S. Consulate in 2017 after a number of diplomatic members became sick with a strange disease. Some claimed the disease could have been the result of an attack, which Cuba strongly denies.

Most Cubans who want to try for a U.S. visa now have to go to embassies in other countries, but getting there is very difficult due to cuts in air travel during the pandemic. Most do not have the money to pay for flights anyway unless relatives outside Cuba can give them the money.

These difficulties have pushed many Cubans to try to get to the U.S. illegally by water. They cross on small boats through the dangerous Florida Straits.

The U.S. Coast Guard said recently it has stopped 595 Cubans at sea since the fiscal year began October 1. That is larger than any fiscal year since 2017. That year, the U.S. announced that Cubans that reached U.S. shores would be sent back. Under previous American policy, all Cubans that made it to the U.S. were given asylum.

But the number is still small compared with the nearly 5,400 stopped at sea in 2016. And from 1994 to 1995, and 1980, Cubas government stopped preventing its citizens from leaving. Tens of thousands of people tried to make it to the U.S, and thousands died in the ocean.

Alina Barbara Lopez is a Cuban historian. She said that when Cuba opened its border in past years, it was because of social pressure at a time of political crisis.

But now, Havana cannot open its borders because of migration agreements signed with Washington.

At the same time, Cubas economic reforms have not been effective, Lopez said. The economy remains poor.

All this makes the underlying political foundation of this crisis much stronger than in the previous crises, she said.

Cuban officials admit there are symptoms of a possible immigration crisis. They say, however, that President Joe Biden could stop the crisis if he ended Trumps strict sanctions against Cuba.

The United States had been giving 22,000 visas a year to Cuba for 20 years until 2017, when Trump cooled relations.

Additionally, at the beginning of 2017, while former President Barack Obama was still in office, the White House ended the policy called wet foot-dry foot. The policy let Cubans who put a foot on U.S. shores (dry foot) remain as refugees. Those stopped at sea (wet foot) were sent back to Cuba.

Elledias husband and nephew were among a group of 18 men and two women who left Cuba for Florida on May 25. The boat sank the following night. Survivors were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard about 29 kilometers southwest of Key West. The search by sea, land and air lasted for days.

Back in Orlando Nodarse, Elledias is praying for her loved ones to make it home safely.

I would tell people who are thinking about this option (of crossing the Florida Straits) not to do it, that it is not a safe route. There is no money in the world that can pay for this suffering we are going through, she said.

Im Dan Novak.

Andre Rodriguez reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor.

_______________________________________________

Words in This Story

nephew  n. a son of your brother or sister

desperate  adj. very sad and upset because of having little or no hope : feeling or showing despair

sanction  n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

fiscal  n. of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business, or organization earns, spends, and owes

underlying  adj. used to identify the idea, cause, problem, etc., that forms the basis of something

foundation  n. a usually stone or concrete structure that supports a building from underneath

option  n. the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things

route  n. a way to get from one place to another place


Halfway between the United States and Japan is Alaskas Adak Island. It is one of the remote Aleutian islands.

It is a place known for its natural beauty. The coast is home to rich wildlife. Purple lupine flowers can be seen along roads through grassy hills. Hot springs cover the landscape. Snow-topped mountains and the Great Sitkin volcano rise in the distance.

It is also a strange place, with an important military history. Adak became a U.S. Army airbase during World War II to protect against a feared Japanese invasion of Alaska. The base was later used by the Navy. Because of its closeness to Russia, it remained an important military base and submarine look-out center throughout the Cold War.

Adak Island is home to the native Aleut people. It is not easy to get to. It requires a four-hour plane trip from Anchorage. People visit Adak to hunt, watch birds, climb mountains, or examine one of the many abandoned military bases.

American writer Nicole Evatt recently described her travels there for The Associated Press. She describes two Adaks: one filled with beautiful nature and one filled with Cold War military remains.

Like many other historical areas on Adak, the old LORAN --- long range navigation --- station is covered with painted words, called graffiti. And it is falling apart. The doors and windows are broken. Evatt calls the inside of the buildings spooky. As she walked through dark, partly wet rooms, paint was coming off the surfaces and broken equipment sat in disrepair.

Through broken windows, she saw the blue-black Bering Sea crashing into nearby Horseshoe Bay. This is the Adak experience: equal parts spooky and breathtaking natural beauty.

But the real reason to visit Adak is not the military buildings.

Most people come to hunt caribou. The animal was introduced to the area in the 1950s as a possible emergency food source.

Along with hunting, people also come to hike. There are many beautiful hikes on the island. One at Finger Bay offers views of the volcano. A hike to Lake Bonnie Rose includes an old abandoned military building built into hills.

At Horseshoe Bay, brave people can climb down a rope to the coast below and nearby hot springs. At Clam Lagoon you can watch sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions playing in the water and warming themselves on the rocks.

For bird watchers, the area is wonderful. And Adaks strange national forest is also worth a visit. This is a small collection of evergreen trees in an otherwise nearly treeless landscape.

Locals

In town, fewer than 100 people live full-time in old military houses. These houses sit in mostly empty neighborhoods with other buildings in need of repair.

So why do people stay? Some love the quiet. Others say they feel safe from the coronavirus. Some get extra pay for remote work.

People who live there often do many different jobs. One man who serves drinks at a bar also works at the airport.

Supplies are limited

Adak locals learn to live with very limited supplies. The only food store is in the old daycare center. It is open just a few hours on some evenings. The old high school and middle school now hold city hall, a healthcare center and the post office. A drink store that was once a gas station sells a case of beer for $50. In most states, a case of beer is under $20.

Food choices are limited. Restaurants and stores are often closed. One eatery in Adak does not open often, but when it does, it serves a large pizza for $28. Reporter Nicole Evatt wrote that it was surprisingly tasty considering how far the tomato sauce and cheese had to travel.

Im Anna Matteo.

Evatt reported this story from Adak Island, Alaska for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

remote  adj. far away from other people, houses, cities, etc.

landscape  n. an area of land that has a particular quality or appearance

abandoned  adj. left without needed protection, care, or support

graffiti  n. writing or drawing made on a public structure without permission

spooky  adj. strange and frightening

bar  n. a place of business for the sale of alcoholic drinks

beer  n. an alcoholic drink made from malt and flavored with hops

hike  n. a usually long walk especially for pleasure or exercise : hike  v. to walk a long distance especially for pleasure or exercise

view  n. the things that can be seen from a particular place
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One of South Africas first electric trucks  the JAC N55 EV  has been making deliveries in Gauteng for two months, thanks to a partnership with solar and electric company Aeversa.

The small flatbed truck landed in South Africa in June, marking the beginning of Jac Motors South Africas electric vehicle programme.

Aeversa is trialling its usability on local roads through a series of real-world tests conducted over the last few weeks, including using it to deliver goods in and around Johannesburg.

The truck draws power from a liquid-cooled 96.77kWh battery that offers around 200km of range per charge and can accelerate from 0-50km/h in eight seconds, with a top speed of 90km/h.

The N55 has enough power to scale inclines of up to 16.7 degrees while carrying a load of 2.5-tonnes.

Its cabin has space for three occupants and their gear and features height and telescopic adjustable multifunction steering wheel, air conditioning, anti-lock braking and electric windows.

The infotainment system boasts an 8-inch touch screen with Bluetooth connectivity and support for online music playback.

Aeversas Rick Franz said the company will use data gathered from the tests to plan, prototype, and roll out precision infrastructure for converting commercial fleets to be electrically powered.

The truck is charged via Aeversa DC fast chargers, which the company can install at logistics companies warehouses and distribution centres.

Aeversa specialises in renewable electric logistics solutions and aims to transition the industry away from traditional fuels.

It also offers solar installations which can be integrated with the chargers.

The N55 can charge at up to 50kW, which means its battery can go from 0-100% in about 2 hours while its in the bay. From 20% charged, it should take less than 90 minutes.

Aeversa offers these chargers in various configurations, from small single port 20kW units to large dual-port 150kW stations.

The company also converts warehouse roof space into solar PV generation space to maximise local energy production and offset electrical grid demand.

Aeversas products operate at a very high voltage of over 900V to ensure they are future-proofed for improved battery technology.

We believe JAC has made an excellent choice on starting down the path towards zero-emission vehicles, and our holistic solution helps to make this possible in South Africa, Franz stated.

When combining the energy savings of electric vehicles with the cost savings of local solar energy production, it starts to make an excellent business case for the operational running cost of an electric fleet.

This trend will continue to grow as fuel prices increase and solar production costs fall, Franz said.
The average data breach costs a South African company R46 million and takes around eight months to detect and contain, a new study from IBM Security has found.

The 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report, conducted by the Ponemon Institute, is based on an in-depth analysis of real-world data breaches experienced by organisations in South Africa.

The study suggested that security incidents at organisations have become more costly and harder to contain due to big operational shifts, increasing costs to South African companies by 15% compared to 2020.

According to the report, the average time it took a South African company to recover from a data breach was 237 days  184 to detect and a further 53 to contain. This is the longest this average has been in six years.

It also found that containing a breach in under 200 days could save a company almost R7 million, while each lost or stolen record cost around R2,300.

Data breaches in the financial, industrial and services industries were the most expensive by industry, at R1,548 per record.

Sheldon Hand, IBM Southern Africa head of data, AI, automation, and security said that South African organisations have growing remote workforces, which led to more sensitive data moving across less controlled environments.

Organisations need to double down on protecting their most valuable data  whether its customer, employee and company information  and ensure they have advanced security processes, like automation and formal incident response teams, in place.

The reports findings indicate that business security may have lagged behind these rapid IT changes, hindering organisations ability to respond to data breaches.

The researchers identified several trends among South African organisations which impacted their susceptibility to data breaches:

Remote work impact

Companies with more than 50% remote work adoption took longer to identify data breaches, on average taking 214 days to identify them and 52 days to contain them.

Compromised credentials

Compromised business emails were the most common method of attack to breach companies in the study  costing organisations over R71 million on average.

Malicious insider attacks, social engineering, and vulnerabilities in third-party software were some of the other primary initial attack methods for data breaches, with all three costing above R50 million on average.

Modernising lowered costs

The adoption of AI, encryption, Incident Response testing and cyber-resilience were the top mitigating factors that reduced the breach costs, saving companies between R2.7 million and R3.3 million compared to those that did not have significant usage of these tools.

Although certain IT shifts during the pandemic increased data breach costs, organisations that did not implement any digital transformation projects to modernise their business operations incurred higher data breach costs.

The breach cost was R10 million higher than the average at organisations that had not undergone any digital transformation due to Covid-19 compared to those at a mature stage.

The study also pointed out two specific measures that allowed companies to better deal with data breaches.

Firstly, a zero-trust security approach, which uses AI and analytics to continuously validate connections between users, data and resources, had an average data breach cost of R29 million, R25 million less than when not using this approach.

Secondly, incident response teams and plans also reduced data breach costs among the studied companies.

Companies with an incident response team that also tested their incident response plan managed to save R 3million in the case of a data breach, while those that had put an incident response team in place, cut the average cost by R2.7 million, IBM Security stated.

Now read: Transnet ransomware hackers did not get a single cent
On second thought, American Canyon has decided a taco truck can fit in with its Highway 29 main drag after all.

There was no food fight before the City Council last week. The council unanimously overturned a Planning Commission ruling and allowed Tacos Baja Cali to have a food truck on private land just south of City Hall.

We have a member of the community who is investing in the community who wants to go at it with their food and their product, City Councilmember David Oro said. Lets give them a chance.

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Vanessa Lara applied to park her food truck on leased land thats near Larrys Custom Truck Toppers, Miguels consignment store, Hurst Firewood and seasonal businesses such as pumpkin sales. At the end of each day, it would move offsite.

My business is always out of the city, and me being a resident of American Canyon, I wanted to do business here in American Canyon, Lara told the council.

The Planning commission, however, decided in May that a food truck didnt fit the citys vision for this stretch of Highway 29, which is also called Broadway.
Commissioner Bob Massaro cast the sole vote in opposition to the project, citing concerns about greenhouse gasses generated from vehicles idling while waiting in line at the restaurant drive-thru. Most commissioners also expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the drive-thru, but they ultimately approved a conditional use permit for it in the final vote.

Massaro said hed like to see Napa create a policy to not allow any more drive-thrus to be built in the city.

I cant in good conscience vote yes with the drive-thru, Massaro said.

Ronmor chairman Doug Porozni said his pool of potential tenants would be significantly reduced if the restaurant building didnt include a drive-thru. Particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic started, he said, drive-thrus have sustained businesses that otherwise wouldnt have survived. In some cases, Porozni said, 70% of restaurant sales are coming from drive-thrus. People arent inclined to park in front of a restaurant and go inside as much as they were before the pandemic, he added.

You need to generate a lot of sales, and you cannot do it with just people parking in front, getting out and going in, Porozni said. Im sorry  we live in a convenience world.
It was always interesting got see what would come into the plane next, and how to make it fit, safely.

You have to understand how many pounds the plane can handle, and where it should be balanced. You also have to know how to safely ship volatile materials such as batteries and other items.

Of course, the job wasnt always fun.

I remember once an aircraft came in and we had to load it with missiles, but before that it was it was loaded with cattle.

They literally had to pick the dung out of the crevices of the airplane. And it was a very hot day.

It was terrible but we got the job done, she said with a laugh.

More seriously, she also helped bring home the remains of service members who died while on duty.

I remember one time we were unloading an airplane and we had to pull the bodies off the plane that were coming home from Vietnam, she said. Its very humbling trying to make sure they get the respect they deserve.

Mueller said she also got to travel with the job. Many times shed fly to other bases where shed act as temporary relief for other cargo loaders.
The lawmakers also said they want Biden to make clearer that the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops is not a firm one.

The deadline "is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever," said Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., who served in Iraq and also worked in Afghanistan to help aid workers provide humanitarian relief.

With mobs of people outside the airport and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. renewed its advisory to Americans and others that it could not guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside. The Taliban are regularly firing into the air to try to control the crowds, sending men, women and children running.

The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside. It said: "We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open."
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The union SEIU and a group of drivers sued the state in January in the California Supreme Court to overturn Prop. 22. But the court declined to hear the case, directing the plaintiffs to file in lower courts.

Roesch's ruling stems from the case they filed in February.

SEIU California State Council President Bob Schoonover issued a statement celebrating the ruling.

"They tried to boost their profits by undermining democracy and the state constitution," Schoonover said, referring to the companies who pushed for Prop. 22. "For two years, drivers have been saying that democracy cannot be bought. And today's decision shows they were right."

In a statement, a coalition of gig companies and community organizations supporting Prop. 22 said it will immediately appeal Roesche's decision.

The provisions of Prop. 22 will remain in effect until the appeal process is complete, the coalition said. The case is likely to be appealed all the way to the California Supreme Court.

"We believe the judge made a serious error by ignoring a century's worth of case law requiring the courts to guard the voters' right of initiative," said Geoff Vetter, a spokesman for the Protect App-Based Drivers & Services Coalition.
California's two most explosive fires both steadily charred more acreage as the weekend began, thanks to dry vegetation and hard-to-reach spotting, as crews prepared for high winds expected to turbocharge their spread.

The Caldor Fire, burning in El Dorado County for the past week, covered 82,444 acres as of Saturday morning, a gain of about 10,000 acres since Friday, and remained 0% contained. To the north, the Dixie Fire  the state's biggest so far this year  had engulfed 714,219 acres total and was 35% contained.

Although the Caldor Fire's northern front had yet to reach Highway 50  the main route up to South Lake Tahoe  on Saturday morning, flames have hovered a few hundred yards of the roadway for several days. Caltrans officials closed a nearly 50-mile stretch of the highway on Friday out of fears that both fire, poor visibility and falling ash or trees could endanger drivers' lives.

Caltrans spokesperson Angela DaPrato said that drivers heading to and from Tahoe should take Interstate 80, but steer clear of back roads that could be unexpectedly impacted by the fire. There is no estimate for when the highway may reopen.

"Anything could happen," she said.
AQI BETWEEN 101 TO 150: UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS

Above 100 AQI, air quality is unhealthiest for more sensitive groups, but it also poses slight risks for the entire population, Pinkerton said. Sensitive groups should limit exposure in this range, and the general public will likely be affected in this range as well.

"For those who are really susceptible, an AQI that goes above 100 should be the indicator to stay indoors," Pinkerton said.

AQI BETWEEN 151 TO 200: UNHEALTHY

At this level of air quality, members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects if exposed to these levels of air quality, however regardless of one's health or age, everyone is still at risk.

At this level, tiny PM2.5 particles are being generated, which can easily enter into the respiratory system deep into the lungs. After inhaling too much smoke at this level, people begin noticing eye irritation, a runny nose, a sore throat, coughing spells, wheezing, difficulty breathing or a rapid heartbeat, Pinkerton said.

"Those are all signs that whatever we're breathing in the air is having an effect on our respiratory system, and also can have an effect on our heart as well," Pinkerton said.
The audio then cuts to the recording from the comedy club. The sound quality is poor, and parts of Elders speech are difficult to hear.

Think about it, how often can a white guy use the word n----- in front of a bunch of Blacks? I mean, he was into it, Elder says in the clip, before saying the N-word over and over again in various dramatic tones, to the sounds of raucous laughter.

Both DiPrima and Smiley castigated Elder for the clip.

It is presumably a predominantly white audience, and they just are lapping it up, DiPrima, who is Black, said on her show.

Elder defended the clip on Smileys show, saying the piece was a criticism of Bailey and comparing his performance to comedian Dave Chappelles use of the N-word.

Dave Chappelle doesnt spew out anti-Black rhetoric all the time, Smiley, who is also Black, told Elder on the show. And if you werent doing that all the time, people might have given you the benefit of the doubt on the joke. But when you put that out there  and combine that with your rhetoric for years and years and years  it aint funny.
There seems to be widespread agreement  throughout business and government  that we must avoid returning to the depressing life of stay-at-home shut-ins and closed stores and restaurants. And the best way to do that is to vaccinate everyone.

In California, about 64% of the population over age 12 has received at least one dose.

"You're much more likely to get the Delta variant if you're unvaccinated than if you're vaccinated," says Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of state Health and Human Services.

"If you take eight cases of COVID today, at least seven would be among people who are unvaccinated. More than 98% of those hospitalized are unvaccinated."

Ghaly talks about myths:

"A lot of people think the vaccine itself may make them more sick than COVID. That's just not the case. Sometimes they'll get mild side effects, but they won't need medical attention.

"Some feel if they haven't gotten [COVID-19] yet, they're not going to. But with the Delta variant, if you're not vaccinated you're just waiting to get infected. You can only hide from it for so long. It will find you.
Armenia national airline to be named Fly Arna

Armenia defense minister pays working visit to some military units

Pashinyan: I am convinced that Armenia-Uzbekistan mutual relations will further develop

615 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Moody's leaves Armenia sovereign rating unchanged

Russia peacekeepers ensure order, security in Karabakh on Knowledge Day

Psaki: US partners with Turkey, Qatar on Kabul airport

President to Armenia students: Learn to overcome challenges, to pursue dreams without despair

Five missing after US Navy helicopter crashes off California coast

Armdaily.am: Armenia President reacts to recent events taking place in Syunik Province

Newspaper: Azerbaijan carrying out large-scale construction in Artsakhs Shushi

Newspaper: Armenia authorities compile 'blacklist' of opposition MPs

Biden calls Afghanistan evacuation mission extraordinary success

Merkel says that Germany is trying to establish contact with Taliban

Digest: More on COVID-19 in Armenia, armed robbery takes place in Yerevan

Russia FM calls on Azerbaijan to unconditionally release Armenian POWs

Russias Lavrov: Rhetoric of both sides of Karabakh conflict needs to be moderated

Armenias Mirzoyan: We will respect Afghanistan peoples choice

Armenia FM: No negotiations on peace agreement with Azerbaijan underway

Eurasian Development Bank wants to become one of largest creditors of Armenia economy

Armenia Investigative Committee: Man found dead with gunshot wound inside car in Yerevan

Lavrov: In talks with Armenia FM we will separately discuss Nagorno-Karabakh situation

Opposition MP: Positive signals being exchanged with Turkey are new trap for Armenia

Armenia FM: Tense situation in region is consequence of Azerbaijan's destructive policy

ECtHR ruling: Ambassador to Sweden, Iceland to get compensation from Armenia government

Armenia, Russia FMs hold tete-a-tete meeting

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan case court hearing not held

Ombudsman: Azerbaijan MOD aims to cover up their criminal acts against Armenia civilian population

Fallen soldiers family stages protest outside Armenia government building

No electricity in court where Armenia 2nd president Kocharyan, ex-deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case is heard

Armenia ex-president Kocharyan, former deputy PM Gevorgyan criminal case court hearing resumes

524 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

OSCE Minsk Group new Russian Co-Chair visits Azerbaijan

Armed robbery occurs at bank branch in Yerevan shopping mall

37,000 first-graders start school in Armenia

Armenia PM congratulates Kyrgyzstan President on Independence Day anniversary

Some 30,000 people evacuated in California due to wildfires

Russia peacekeepers hold humanitarian action for Nagorno-Karabakh children

Dead body of man, 37, with gunshot wound is found in car in Yerevan

Newspaper: Artsakh independence anniversary to be celebrated without Armenia top leadership for first time in history

Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to cause rift among parliament opposition factions, MPs

Armenia PM goes on short vacation

UN Security Council adopts Afghanistan resolution

Pentagon announces US completion of evacuation out of Kabul airport

Armenia ombudsman reaffirms Azerbaijan soldiers deliberate starting fire near Sotk, Kut villages of Gegharkunik

Ukraine and Armenia to cooperate in attracting investments

Armenian Ministry of Education and French Embassy sign cooperation agreement

Israeli Defense Minister meets with the President of Palestine

Uzbekistan completely closes border with Afghanistan

IAEA: North Korea seems to have restarted nuclear reactor

EU recommends restoring restrictions on US tourists

Digest: Turkey talks normalising relations with Armenia, soldier injured in Karabakh

Dollar drops in Armenia

Azerbaijans Aliyev calls Karabakh Armenians hated enemy

Azerbaijan president: Current course of events shows that Karabakh conflict would never be resolved peacefully

Divine Liturgy served in Armenian church of Turkeys Malatya for first time since 1915 (VIDEO)

Economist: Armenia exports growth connected with external factors

Opposition Armenia Faction MPs health grows worse in prison

Moscow Armenian Theater actor dies during performance

Artsakh FM: Azerbaijan, with Turkeys complicity, sending militants from Afghanistan to occupied part of Karabakh

Opposition Armenia Faction MP summoned to Special Investigation Service

Officer charged with Azerbaijans capturing of 62 Armenia soldiers in Artsakh: They were forces 15 times greater

FM: Armenian captives in Azerbaijan are subjected to torture

Lawyer of Armenia officer accused in 62 Shirak residents case: How was connection cut off on day of Azerbaijan attack?

Health ministry: 275,138 people so far vaccinated in Armenia against coronavirus

Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh carry out actions to find drones

Confusion arises during Armenia appellate court hearing of case of ex-President Kocharyan, others

Armenia 2nd president Kocharyans lawyer submits to appellate court motion to cancel or reduce bail

Prosecution in case on Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan, others: Charge should be re-qualified

Artsakh Investigative Committee: Azerbaijan soldier who entered Martakert city apartment is arrested

275 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Armenia appellate court continues considering lawyers, prosecutors appeals in ex-President Kocharyan, others' case

Armenia FM to pay working visit to Russia

Coronavirus casualties worldwide exceed 4.5m

One dead, 2 injured after road accident in Armenia town

Brazil unveils largest Buddha statue in country

Unidentified gunman opens fire inside Toronto shopping mall

Explosions occur in Kabul Monday morning

Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan soldiers deliberately set fires near Sotk, Kut villages

Biden declares major disaster in US State of Louisiana

Death toll rises to 7 in US missile strike in Kabul

US hits Kabul territory

At least 30 people killed in airstrike on a Yemeni military base

Turkey speaks about normalising relations with Armenia

Pentagon confirms US attacked car in Kabul due to ISIS threat

Macron talks revival of ISIS activity in Iraq and Syria

Turkish MFA says it cannot accept refugees from Afghanistan

Central Bank of Afghanistan limits withdrawals to $ 200 per week

US evacuates nearly 2,000 people from Afghanistan over past day

Taliban kill Afghan singer

Afghans in Greece advocate peace amid chaos in Kabul

383 COVID-19 new cases reported in Armenia per day

Biden to recall American diplomats from Afghanistan by August 31

Azerbaijan opens fire on Sotk positions of Armenia

UK threatens Taliban with sanctions

State Emergency Service of Artsakh: The body of another Armenian soldier was found in the Jrakan region

Shelling from Azerbaijan damaged wall of one of residential buildings in Kut village

Soldier injured in Arstsakh

Protests against coronavirus health pass, mandatory vaccinations continue in France

Iran security council chief says Biden, Bennett statements threaten Tehran
We have set aside the parts of the interview that the President of Azerbaijan gave to CNN Turk on August 14 and the speeches he gave during visits to Karvachar and Berdzor which contain Armenophobia and hostility and have sent them to all deputies of the National Assembly of Armenia, the Armenian government and law-enforcement authorities, as well as non-governmental organizations in Armenian and English. This is what Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan wrote on his Facebook page.

The problem is that, with these speeches, he is generating hatred towards all Armenians and the populations of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), making threats, as well as remarks that are offensive and inflame hostility. These speeches undermine peace.

The cruelties of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces against the soldiers and civilians of the Armenian side, including the beheadings, tortures and murders attest to the fact that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces committed them by being inspired by their Commander-in-Chief.

The massive violations of the rights of residents on the borders of Armenia (gunshots fired at villages, threats to civilians, robberies, etc.) are the direct consequences of such policy of Azerbaijan.

The Office of the Human Rights Defender of Armenia always conducts studies on the messages and speeches of the authorities of Azerbaijan in order to document evidence of hostility and Armenophobic policy under the high patronage of the State. Moreover, the speeches are studied in Azerbaijani first.

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia does all this in order to prevent violations of human rights and eliminate the existing infringements, he added.
Armenias newly appointed Ambassador to Washington has only held one meeting so far, is totally absent on social networks and turns off comments on the official page of the Embassy of Armenia. This is what international relations specialist Suren Sargsyan wrote on his Facebook page.

Armenia and Azerbaijan sent new Ambassadors to the United States of America on literally the same days

The Ambassador of Azerbaijan has even changed his image (Tthe former Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Ankara shaved his moustache when he came to the US). Based on my information, the Ambassador has already had nearly a dozen meetings with several ambassadors accredited to Washington and other figures. Ambassador Ibrahim knows Washington very well since he has studied and worked in the United States. He is a weighty figure, and its clear that not everyone would be appointed Ambassador to Ankara or Washington. Now he has come to the United States and will actively work against Armenians along with Turkish lobbyists. As a matter of fact, he is also starting to hold a number of meetings with active members of the community in order to mobilize the resources of the Azerbaijani-American community.

Armenias newly appointed Ambassador to Washington has only held one meeting so far, is totally absent on social networks and turns off comments on the official page of the Embassy of Armenia. Ambassador Makunts hasnt addressed the Armenian community and hasnt held meetings with active members of the Armenian communities of various cities of the United States, he wrote.
Azerbaijanis continue cultural vandalism in the seized territories of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), as reported on war.karabakhrecords.info.

Azerbaijani soldiers are not only destroying Armenian churches and cross-stones (khachkars), the memorials dedicated to the first war in Artsakh and Armenian cemeteries, but also the statues of marshals of Armenian descent who played a role in the victory over Nazism during WWII and the memorials dedicated to WWII.

The satellite photos taken in July 2021 clearly show that in Mets Tagher village of Hadrut region of Artsakh the Azerbaijanis destroyed the bust of Aviation Marshal of the former USSR Armenak Khanperyants (Sergey Khudyakov), who was originally from Artsakh.

The satellite photos taken before the war show the bust of the marshal and the MiG-17 fighter jet located in the premises of the house-museum. However, in the photos taken months after the war, the bust of Armenak Khanperyants is missing in the same area, and the MiG-17 fighter jet is partially broken and thrown on the side.

Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh Davit Babayan had also informed that the monument to Sergey Khudyakov (Armenak Khamperyants) in Mets Tagher village, the statue of Colonel-General Sergey Sardarov (one of the founding fathers of the air defense system of the former USSR) and the statue dedicated to the memory of Admiral Hovhannes Isakov in Azokh village are destroyed.
Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan today visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and introduced newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan to the staff, as reported the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia.

In his speech, Pashinyan expressed gratitude to Armen Grigoryan for the work done as acting foreign minister and congratulated Ararat Mirzoyan on assuming office and wished him success.

Our country is facing extremely serious challenges, which are first and foremost challenges in terms of security. To manage all this and shape a favorable external environment for Armenia, we need to have a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic service that will be able to take and share political responsibility for the present and future of the country.

Mirzoyan and Grigoryan are a part of our political team, and my logic is that, especially in this period, the public administration system needs to function as a whole. In general, Armenia has an agenda for very serious reforms in the public administration system, and I believe, as in the other systems of public administration, we also need to develop and set specific criteria for evaluation of performance and assess the work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the diplomatic service.

Armen Grigoryan expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Pashinyan for the trust and the personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the cooperation and congratulated Ararat Mirzoyan on being appointed and wished him success with the team of the ministry.

In his turn, Ararat Mirzoyan said the following: Im thankful for the great trust. It is extremely difficult, yet also extremely honorable for me to assume the office of foreign minister of Armenia when there are challenges that havent been resolved and new challenges facing the country. At this moment, I must assure you that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wont spare efforts to help the country overcome the current challenges and undergo the tribulations. We will try to make our modest contribution to lead the country to a better future.

Once again, I am grateful for the trust and your wish for success. I would also like to thank Mr. Armen Grigoryan, who temporarily interrupted his work, which is extremely important, in order to ensure the unobstructed work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Prime Minister wished the newly appointed foreign minister and the staff of the ministry fruitful work for the benefit of Armenia and the Armenian people.
President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan today met with newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan.

President Harutyunyan wished Ararat Mirzoyan success in the major task of overcoming the foreign policy challenges and underscored the vital significance in terms of chronology, as reported the Staff of the President of Artsakh.

The interlocutors touched upon the current situation in Artsakh and the actions being taken to solve the current humanitarian and social issues, attaching importance to the strengthening of the constant ties and cooperation between the government agencies of Armenia and Artsakh.

Harutyunyan and Mirzoyan also stressed the need for resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process within the scope of the Co-Chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group and particularly emphasized the importance of recognition of the right of the people of Artsakh to live in their historic homeland and their right to self-determination.

The situation created as a result of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces provocations on the border of Armenia and on the line of contact with Artsakh was also discussed during the meeting.
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II today in Vienna had a meeting with soldiers who received severe injuries during the recent war in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and their family members who have been receiving treatment at high-class medical institutions under the auspices of the Austrian Catholic Church, with the blessing of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and at the invitation of the Pontifical Delegation of Central Europe since April of this year, as reported the Information System of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Supreme Patriarch gave his pontifical blessings to the soldiers and their families and learned, with satisfaction, that two soldiers returned to Armenia after successful surgeries, the placement of prostheses of extremities and rehabilitative therapy.

The Supreme Patriarch emphasized that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and all of its dioceses around the world have always supported and supports the Armenian Army, Armenian soldiers and their families. During the meeting, the Catholicos of All Armenians prayed for all wounded soldiers, wishing them speedy recovery, strength of spirit and the help of God.

On this occasion, the Supreme Patriarch gave his pontifical blessing to Patriarchal Delegate of Central Europe, Bishop Tiran Petrosyan and members of the Austrian-Armenian community.
Merkel asks Putin to free Kremlin critic Navalny

In a message from prison, Alexei Navalny thanked his supporters for saving him when he was poisoned. "Thanks to you I survived and landed in prison," he joked. File Photo: AFP

President Putin and Chancellor Merkel leave their joint news conference with much still to talk about. Photo: AP

German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to free his jailed opponent Alexei Navalny on the anniversary of a nerve-agent attack on the politician, whose life was saved by Berlin doctors.



"I demanded from the Russian leader that he free Navalny," Merkel  who blames Moscow for the poisoning  said standing next to Putin at a Kremlin press conference.



"And I made clear that we will keep doing that," she said, calling the situation around Navalny "distressing".



Putin  who denies ordering the poison attack and refuses to say Navalny's name in public  referred to his challenger as "the defendant". He denied Navalny was jailed for his political activity, saying he was behind bars for "criminal offences".



"I would ask that the judicial decisions of the Russian Federation be treated with respect," he said, claiming that Russia had an inclusive political system.



"The fight against corruption should not be used to achieve political goals," the Russian leader, in power since 2000, said of Navalny's work, which seeks to uncover the riches of Russia's political elite.



Merkel's demand comes as French President Emmanuel Macron also asked Putin to release Navalny in a phone call with the Russian leader on Thursday.



The UK on Friday announced new sanctions against several figures it says are Russian security agents that were involved in the poisoning.



The pair also discussed Afghanistan and Ukraine in the symbolic visit that is Merkel's last to Russia before leaving office next month.



The chancellor will travel to Russia's rival Ukraine after visiting the Kremlin chief, who infrequently receives Western visitors in Moscow. (AFP)
Helpers fear exploitation, bias in new travel plan

A foreign domestic workers' group has called on the authorities to give clear guidance on the procedures and requirements for new helpers to come. Image: Shutterstock

A migrant workers' group on Saturday called on the government to be mindful of the potential for foreign domestic helpers to exploited and discriminated against in a new plan to open the border to new helpers who have been fully inoculated in their home countries.



Officials revealed that discussions with the Philippines and Indonesia on the verification of local vaccination records have been going well and details of the proposal could come as soon as next week.



The chairperson of the International Migrants Alliance, Eni Lestari, said this was good news, but she expressed concern that extra procedures could subject helpers to unscrupulous practices.



"Last year, we received reports, many reports actually, some of the domestic workers who were supposed to come here and they were not able to fill up all the required forms by the Hong Kong government online, and some of the were cheated at the airport because some people were offering their services to fill up all these forms in English and they didn't even read and speak English," she told RTHK.



She said authorities should also set clear guidelines in their respective languages to reduce the risk of helpers being scammed.



She also criticised a proposal to designate one or two hotels for helpers to spend their 21-day quarantine.



"Why should they create designated hotels for domestic workers [when] it is not even free? For us, for me, it will create another kind of discrimination," she said.



Thomas Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Union of Employment Agencies, said he was concerned that two hotels may not be enough to take up thousands of helpers waiting to come to work in Hong Kong.



He pointed out that some helpers had been hired as long ago as last year and had waited a long time to start their employment here.



According to Chan, there are up to 8,000 helpers who have received visas to work in Hong Kong, and more than half of them will be eligible to come immediately as they have received two coronavirus jabs.
Taliban co-founder Baradar in Kabul for talks on govt

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar oversaw the signing of the agreement last year that led to the withdrawal of US forces. Photo: AFP

Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks on establishing a new "inclusive" government in Afghanistan, a senior official said.



It comes after other senior Taliban leaders were seen in the capital in recent days, including Khalil Haqqani - one of America's most wanted terrorists with a US$5 million bounty on his head.



A senior Taliban official said that Baradar would meet "jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up".



Hours later, pro-Taliban social media accounts showed Haqqani announcing that Ahmad Massoud - the son of Afghanistan's most famed anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud - had "declared allegiance" to the movement.



Massoud had earlier this week appealed to the United States to supply arms to his resistance movement in the Panjshir Valley, northeast of Kabul, saying he wanted to follow in his father Ahmad Shah Massoud's footsteps.



Massoud has not issued a statement.



Haqqani has also met with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar - a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s, but still influential in Afghan politics.



Baradar arrived in Afghanistan last Tuesday from Qatar, choosing to touch down in the country's second-biggest city Kandahar - the Taliban's spiritual birthplace.



Within hours of his return, the group announced its rule would be "different" this time.



But they have given few details about who would form their government.



Arrested in Pakistan in 2010, Baradar was in custody until pressure from the United States saw him freed in 2018 and relocated to Qatar.



He was appointed head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, where he oversaw the signing of the agreement last year that led to the withdrawal of US forces and an end to their 20-year campaign.



The Taliban scotched any hopes of a negotiated peace deal with the Afghan government by overrunning the country in under two weeks - a lightning offensive that ended with them taking Kabul unopposed last Sunday.



On Friday, Haqqani - the uncle of Taliban deputy leader Sirajuddin Haqqani - was seen leading prayers at a mosque in Kabul.



Another key leader of the feared network - Anas Haqqani - was also in the capital and had met former president Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who led the overall peace process for the previous administration. (AFP)
By Alexander Cornwell

DOHA (Reuters) - Afghans who fled their country this week have spoken about their despair at leaving loved ones behind and the uncertain future ahead of them after the Taliban's rapid takeover.

The Taliban advance has led to a mass evacuation of Afghans and foreigners amid fears of reprisals and a return to a harsh interpretation of Islamic law.

"It was very difficult to leave my country," a veiled woman told Reuters in Doha, Qatar. "I love my country."

She explained that before the Taliban arrived, she had never expected to go anywhere.

The woman said she fled with her husband, a dentist, and three children, fearing that her work with international humanitarian organisations would make them a Taliban target.

She described traumatic scenes at Kabul airport as thousands clamoured to board evacuation flights.

At one point when the crowd tried to rush into the airport, she recalled, a man standing next to her was shot in the leg by "military people". Reuters was not able to independently verify the claim.

"It was just shocking and I didn't know what should I do."

The woman is one of several hundred evacuees temporarily housed in a residential compound in Doha visited by Reuters.

The Qatar government is hosting thousands of evacuees until they can enter a third country.

A man at the compound told Reuters he was not hopeful that the Taliban would keep their promises, which have included respecting women's rights and an amnesty for those who worked in the government or with foreigners.

"The most disturbing part is that there is not a lot of hope for the future," said the man, who arrived in Doha this week with his wife, three children, parents and two sisters.

The man, a lawyer, said he feared that if he had stayed in Afghanistan he would have also become a target of the Taliban, in part because of his work with international companies.

"It's going to be a very, very different and challenging life ahead of us," he said.

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The Afghans Reuters spoke to in Doha all requested anonymity due to concerns for family members still in Afghanistan.

"It's not easy because they are not safe," the man said.

"There is a lot of expectation on me to help them get out of there and at times you really see yourself being really helpless."

Another man, a second-year university law student, spoke of looting by the Taliban as they took control of Kabul and said he had seen armed militants intimidate people on their way to the airport.

Evacuated to Qatar with his sister, he does not know how he will be able to complete his studies. He left behind his wife, whom he married in a video call before evacuating.

"Our minds are back home because our families remain. My wife is there. My parents are there, my siblings. I just hope they are evacuated ... in case that doesn't happen and things go wrong, I think I would make up my mind and wish to go back."

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Giles Elgood)
Arizonas high court didnt strike down a voter-approved tax increase on the wealthy, but its not going to let the influx of new revenue break a constitutional cap on education spending, either.

The Arizona Supreme Court remanded Fann vs. Invest in Education back to a trial court Thursday morning, saying its too early to say whether the ballot initiative is entirely unconstitutional.

Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott, and other lawmakers challenged the constitutionality of Prop. 208, seeking to enjoin the tax until they could prove it doesn't meet constitutional muster.

The lawmakers claim only legislators can levy a tax and voters wouldn't have approved the measure had they known most of the money would have been tied up under spending caps.

At issue is whether voters would have supported Prop. 208 had they known it was possible a large portion of the money couldnt be spent legally because of spending limits in the state constitution.

The new law is expected to raise about $800 million annually and be distributed to the states public schools to increase teacher pay and fund other initiatives. The justices estimated $600 million of that wouldnt be accessible under current laws capping annual education spending.

The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Robert Brutinel, said the defenses position that the 3.5% tax was a grant isnt valid, but the tax itself isnt ready for a final verdict.

We hold that the direct funding provision does not fall within the constitutional definition of grants in article 9, section 21 of the Arizona Constitution, and Prop. 208 is therefore unconstitutional to the extent it mandates expending tax revenues in violation of the Education Expenditure Clause, Brutinel wrote. Likewise, the remaining non-revenue related provisions of Prop. 208 are not separately workable and thus not severable. However, because we cannot determine at this preliminary stage of the case the extent to which, if any, such funding will exceed the constitutional expenditure limitation, we decline to enjoin the imposition of the tax pending further proceedings in the trial court.

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The court did hold voters could enact a tax on themselves via a ballot initiative, something Fanns camp claimed was the sole duty of the Legislature.

Vice Chief Justice Ann Timmer partially dissented, saying the measure should be allowed to remain if one part is deemed unconstitutional.

"Fann has not shown that Prop. 208 is facially unconstitutional," she said. "But because I disagree with the majoritys severability analysis and the framework imposed on the trial court for deciding whether Prop. 208 is unconstitutional, almost certainly dooming the measure, I dissent from that part of the opinion."

Gov. Doug Ducey reacted to the opinion.

"The Supreme Court has said it plainly and clearly: Prop 208 is, in their words, 'unconstitutional'. As one Justice put it: The framework 'almost certainly dooms the measure,'" he said. "There is a clear legal path to Prop 208 being knocked down entirely, it's only a matter of time. Today's ruling is a very positive one for the state and for taxpayers. The out-of-state proponents of this measure drafted bad language, and now they are paying the price."

Proposition 208 narrowly passed in the 2020 general election. It institutes a 3.5% tax hike on income over $250,000 for taxpayers filing individually or $500,000 for jointly filing. The higher income tax placed Arizona at the ninth-highest income tax brackets in the nation in terms of the top marginal rate. Business advocates called the new rates a growing crisis in terms of the states competitive stance compared with others that recently lowered their tax burdens.

The tax is separate from regular state income and cannot be reduced or supplanted by state lawmakers. To get around this, Republicans enacted a budget that eventually flattened the states income tax to 2.5%. They also included a 4.5% tax cap on what individuals could pay as a percentage of their income, which lowered those subject to the 3.5% tax to a 1% state income tax burden.

Invest in Education is leading campaigns to get initiatives on the 2022 General Election ballot to invalidate these laws.

The initiative had survived other challenges in lower courts, finding the controversial aspects of the measures language to hold constitutional muster.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: States, News, Arizona, Spending

Original Author: Cole Lauterbach, The Center Square

Original Location: Arizona Supreme Court upholds Prop. 208, wont allow it to break spending limit
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  Sri Lankas Christian community hoisted black flags at churches and homes on Saturday to express anger over the governments investigation into the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks, which killed 269 people.

Twenty-five people were charged last week in connection with the bombings. But the country's Catholic Church says these could be smaller fish, and accuses the government of still not taking steps to identify the true conspirators. The head of the archdiocese of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, has raised questions over allegations that state intelligence personnel knew and met with the attackers.

Two local Muslim groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group were blamed for the six near-simultaneous suicide bomb attacks, which hit three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21, 2019. It is not known if the groups had actual links to the Islamic State.

Under cloudy skies, a row of large black flags billowed in the wind Saturday in front of St. Anthonys Church, which was targeted in the 2019 attacks. Behind a concrete barrier, religious statues overlooked armed police and signs that read: Hiding the truth is a grand political conspiracy.

In some areas, Muslim residents hoisted black flags in a show of solidarity.

Church bells tolled at 8:45 a.m., the time the first blast occurred. Prayer services were held inside St. Anthony's, but with empty pews because of a 10-day coronavirus lockdown that began late Friday.

Still, a small group carried out a silent protest at St. Sebastians Church in Negombo, a predominantly Catholic area north of Colombo where 115 people were killed.

The government has swept the whole thing under the carpet, said Manilal Ranasinghe, a resident of St. Marys Parish in Dehiwala, a Colombo suburb. The former president has to be held responsible."

Friction and a communication breakdown between then-President Maithripala Sirisena and then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were blamed for the governments failure to act on near-specific foreign intelligence warnings before the attacks.

About 7% of Sri Lankas 21 million people are Christian, and most are Roman Catholic, according to Mathew Schmalz, a professor at the College of the Holy Cross and an expert on Christianity in South Asia.
The Bolivian prosecutor's office said on Friday it had filed charges of "genocide" and other crimes against former acting president Jeanine Anez, over the death of 20 opposition protesters in 2019.

Attorney General Juan Lanchipa said he had presented documents "against citizen Jeanine Anez" before the country's Supreme Court of Justice, including charges for "genocide," which carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, according to the Bolivian penal code.

The conservative Anez came to power in November 2019 after her predecessor and rival, former president Evo Morales, resigned following weeks of protests over his controversial re-election to an unconstitutional fourth term.

He fled the country after an election audit by the Organization of American States (OAS) found evidence of fraud.

After the election, at least 37 people died in violence that flared between supporters and opponents of Morales, as well as between protesters and the security forces.

Most of the deaths came in clashes between Morales supporters and security forces after the socialist leader's flight.

The specific accusation against Anez relates to two incidents in November 2019 in which a total 22 people died. A report released by the OAS on Tuesday described those incidents as "massacres."

Lanchipa said they had been "provisionally classified as genocide, serious and minor injury and injury followed by death."

Bolivia's opposition has decried the lack of separation of powers in the country, saying the courts, electoral body and pubic prosecutor's office are all loyal to leftist President Luis Arce, who is also a member of Morales's Movement for Socialism (MAS).

"First of all, we need to reform the judiciary because it is not independent or autonomous," said centrist lawmaker Alejandro Reyes.

"As long as there is no judicial reform, we cannot do anything."

However, the case is unlikely to go to court, as for that to happen, the supreme court must ask congress for authorization to hold Anez responsible for what happened.

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Authorization could only be given by a two-thirds majority, and although MAS controls congress, it does not enjoy a sufficiently large majority.

While MAS lost the presidency for a year to Anez, it never gave up control of congress.

After Morales resigned, Anez was the most senior parliamentarian left and was sworn in by congress as interim president, despite the lack of a quorum, with MAS legislators boycotting the session.

MAS cried foul and accused the interim government of having pulled off a coup.

Under Anez's administration, Bolivia held peaceful, transparent elections in October 2020 in which Morales's protege Arce stormed to a landslide victory.

He subsequently vowed to go after those he accused of staging a coup.

Anez was arrested in March 2021 on accusations of leading a coup against Morales. She also faces other charges of terrorism, sedition and conspiracy. She has remained in pre-trial detention since then.

Her detention elicited widespread international condemnation.

jac/bfm-bc/sw
The Caldor fire burns Wednesday in the Eldorado National Forest near the community of Kyburz, Calif., which was under mandatory evacuation orders. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

For the past five days, Frank and Jeannette Castaneda have been living out of their truck in the parking lot of a community center, among thousands of families forced from their Northern California homes by the raging Caldor fire.

The couple escaped the blaze, which has charred more than 82,000 acres east of Sacramento, with their 12-year-old dog Maggie, sanguine that they were all together.

When asked if it was the first time they'd had to evacuate in the 35-plus years since theyve lived in the rural Pacific House community in the El Dorado foothills, Frank, 73, just laughed.

Its about the sixth, he estimated.

With another intense wildfire season now raging across the state, the still-young Caldor fire in El Dorado County has become one of the largest threats. The fire, now a week old, has destroyed 245 structures, including 81 more Friday night. As of Saturday afternoon, firefighters had yet to contain any of the spreading flames.

Fire officials said Saturday morning that high winds and the dissipation of an inversion layer that had created some moisture could lead to further growth of the fire and dangerous conditions for firefighters.

We know that wind components out there, we know the potential for large fire spread is ramping up quickly this morning, and were going to continue to see that potential grow throughout the day, said Capt. Thomas Shoots, a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Authorities shut down a segment of Highway 50 and issued new evacuation orders Friday evening in anticipation of the weather. Nearly 30,000 people have been evacuated.

The Cameron Park Community Center was full Saturday, with 42 people staying inside and another 27 on the grounds. With the shelter at capacity, the Castanedas set up folding chairs under trees to spend the afternoon. Maggie, a catahoula, was sprawled out on a dog bed between them. The animal had finally started to eat and was even sleeping a little bit, said Jeannette, 70.

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While fires used to force them from their home every 10 years or so, the couple said, the pace has picked up recently and the blazes have grown fiercer.

The fires seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year, Frank said.

Still, they dont plan to move from their home, saying they enjoy what otherwise is quiet living.

I take it with a grain of salt, Frank said. The way I figure, I dont dwell in the negative. Theres nothing I can do. The fires there. Eventually well go home.

And either there is something there or there isnt, Jeannette said.

John Novak, 62, left his Pollock Pines home Tuesday after a sheriffs deputy came by and told him to leave. He and his wife dont drive, so a neighbor took them to the community center.

He brought the essentials: socks, underwear, his birth certificate, military discharge papers and the registration for his trailer.

I just want to go home, he said, adding its the first time hes had to evacuate in his 25 years as a resident.

On top of the stress of being displaced, Novak is worried about catching the coronavirus even though he and his wife are vaccinated and everyone staying at the shelter had to take tests before they were admitted, he said.

Like other residents, Novak is no stranger to living with fires but has watched them grow more severe.

Part of its global warming, he said. And nature just has a way of cleaning house now and then. A lot of these areas havent burned in 50 to 100 years.

Local officials have been trying to accommodate evacuees wanting to vote on the effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. Ballots have been mailed to all registered voters in advance of the Sept. 14 election. The Castanedas were able to pick up their ballots at the Diamond Springs post office and plan to vote in a drop box installed in the evacuation centers parking lot. Officials also are planning to set up in-person voting at evacuation centers next week.

Across the street from the firefighting base camp at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, a vendor had set up a tent and folding tables to sell Caldor fire souvenir T-shirts that were fashioned to look like action movie posters.

Business was booming Saturday. By midday, Justin Bethke, 25, a salesman for The T-Shirt Guy, based in Coloma, estimated hed sold about 100 shirts to firefighters and local residents.

Its definitely a good business, consistent, because theres always a fire season, he said.

Authorities dealing with multiple large fires are having to decide where to direct personnel and supplies. The battle continued against the Dixie fire, which had grown to 714,219 acres as of Saturday morning and is the state's second-largest wildfire on record. The fire, which is spreading in Butte and four other Northern California counties, has been active for more than a month. The fire is now 35% contained.

Firefighters battling the blaze there are expecting advantageous weather conditions Saturday. While winds could reach 35 mph or higher during the day, a shift in direction could drive the fire into itself, which would help keep it from spreading, said Doug Ulibarri, a spokesman for the Cal Fire incident response team.

"Were looking good right now, but obviously Mother Nature is Mother Nature and shes going to push where she wants to push," Ulibarri said.

On Friday, crews lifted an evacuation order for the Plumas County community of Chester, allowing 3,600 people back into the town. Saturday morning, the Seneca Healthcare District Hospital in Chester reopened as well.

Authorities had to issue another evacuation order Saturday afternoon due to the Dixie Fire, however, in the Sugar Loaf area in northern Plumas County.

Meanwhile in Southern California, a blaze that ignited Wednesday in Kern County more than tripled in size over Friday night.

The French fire near Lake Isabella grew to 11,295 acres and was 5% contained as of Saturday morning, according to the Kern County Fire Department. Evacuation orders were in effect for communities surrounding the lake, with evacuation warnings in place for areas north to the Tulare County line.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Dragged into a conflict not of their making, members of Ethiopia's Qemant ethnic group say their only choice was fleeing to Sudan -- marking another bleak turn in a widening war.

"Houses were burned, and people killed by machetes," said refugee Emebet Demoz, who, like thousands of others, ran from her village last month. "We couldn't even take the bodies and bury them."

Thousands have been killed since fighting erupted in November in Ethiopia's northernmost Tigray region, when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent in troops to topple the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the regional ruling party, saying the move came in response to TPLF attacks on army camps.

The violence has since sucked in other groups in bitter battles over land, and has spread from Tigray into Ethiopia's neighbouring Amhara region, homeland of both the Amhara people and the ethnic minority Qemant.

Amhara fighters supported Abiy's forces, in an attempt to settle a decades-long dispute over territory they claim was seized by the TPLF during its nearly three-decade rule before Abiy took power in 2018.

The Qemant have long chafed under the cultural and economic influence of the dominant Amhara people, and in recent years have called for self-rule.

A 2017 referendum on the question of creating a Qemant autonomous zone ended in rancour, with the resulting territorial dispute sparking increasingly frequent clashes between the two groups.

"The Amhara fighters backed by the government wanted us off our land," 20-year-old Emebet said. "They are killing us because we're an ethnic minority."

- 'Refused to take sides' -

But Amhara regional spokesperson Gizachew Muluneh squarely denied that members of the Qemant ethnic group were being targeted.

Amhara leaders say the Qemant's quest for self-rule has largely been stoked by Tigrayan rebels, who they allege are fighting a proxy war by backing the group.

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Gizachew told AFP that those described as refugees were "pro-terrorist TPLF, and they are created by TPLF for the purpose of distracting Ethiopia and Amhara".

The United Nations estimates that some 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Amhara, where the violence is driving a wedge deeper between the ethnic groups.

"The Amharas wanted us to pick their side in the conflict against the Tigrayans," said refugee Balata Goshi. "We refused to take sides, so they fought us."

Clashes between the Amhara and Qemant forced thousands to flee in April this year, according to the UN's humanitarian agency.

Qemant campaigners claim that their historic homeland includes villages bordering Sudan.

But that has also led to accusations that the Qemant have received support from Sudan, which has territorial issues with Ethiopia, mostly in areas located near the Amhara region.

Relations between Khartoum and Addis Ababa have also soured over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which downstream Egypt and Sudan fear threatens the water they depend on.

For civilians like Emebet stuck in the middle, the violence left her no option but to leave.

She is part of a stream of some 3,000 Qemant refugees who have crossed into Sudan in recent weeks, Sudanese officials said.

"We are expecting more Qemantis to arrive, as well other ethnicities," said Mohamed Abdelkareem, from Sudan's refugee commission.

Sudan already hosts more than 60,000 refugees from Ethiopia, according to the UN, putting heavy pressure on a country already struggling with its own acute economic crisis.

Emebet has found shelter in the Sudanese border town of Basinga, cramped inside a school converted into a makeshift camp, now a temporary home for a thousand refugees.

There are basic food supplies, but she is sleeping under plastic sheeting that offers little shelter from either sweltering heat or heavy rains.

"We are safe here at least," she said.

- 'Can't go back' -

Refugees said they are victims of long-running ethnic strife.

"Tensions had already been rising for years," said Aman Farada, a 26-year-old refugee from Ethiopia's northern city of Gondar.

"Initially, it was inter-ethnic disputes, but now it's the government fighting us."

Kasaw Abayi believes the Amharas used the Tigray conflict as "an excuse" to expand their control over other land.

"They see the entire area as theirs, so they want neither us (Qemant) nor the Tigrayans there," said the 50-year-old builder.

Early in the fighting, Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory after his forces seized Tigray's regional capital Mekele.

But in June, the TPLF recaptured much of Tigray, including Mekele, and pushed east and south into the Amhara and Afar regions.

The UN says the conflict has driven 400,000 people into famine-like conditions. Fighting continues.

Qemant refugees say they see little chance of returning to Ethiopia any time soon.

"We can't go back," said Emebet. "How can we return when this government is still in place?"

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The Daily Beast

HRH Princess Charlene/InstagramThe narrative of a love match between Prince Albert of Monaco and his bride, former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock, so relentlessly marketed by the tiny principality, has long struggled to maintain credibility when confronted with reality.Even before their wedding, there were extraordinary stories that Charlene tried to thrice flee the statelet only to be intercepted and brought back to the palace by the local security service.One of her escape at
Disney filed for arbitration in lawsuit involving Scarlett Johansson, star of Marvel's 'Black Widow.' Disney

Disney filed a motion Friday to move Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit to arbitration in New York.

Disney attorneys said Johansson and her legal team skirted around a 2019 arbitration agreement.

Johansson's attorneys responded that Disney filed the motion due to fear of public litigation.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Disney struck back against "Black Widow" star Scarlett Johansson and her attorneys, filing a motion to move the ongoing lawsuit between the two parties into arbitration late Friday night, Variety first reported.

According to the motion viewed by Insider, Disney alleges Periwinkle Entertainment Inc., Johansson's entertainment company, violated an agreement that all claims regarding and related to Johansson's work on "Black Widow" would be submitted confidentially to Disney in New York.

"In a futile effort to evade [arbitration] (and generate publicity through a public filing), Periwinkle excluded Marvel as a party to this lawsuit--substituting instead its parent company Disney under contract-interference theories," Disney attorney Daniel Petrocelli said in the motion.

Petrocelli went on to call the efforts of Johansson and her attorneys to publicize the lawsuit "gamesmanship," according to the motion.

The motion says that Disney made good on its promise to premiere the picture on "no less than 1,500 screens," saying that the film ultimately debuted on more than 30,000 screens in July and refuting Johansson's claims of interference and breach of contract.

"After initially responding to this litigation with a misogynistic attack against Scarlett Johansson, Disney is now, predictably, trying to hide its misconduct in a confidential arbitration," John Berlinski, attorney for Scarlett Johansson, told Insider.

Johansson took landmark action earlier this month in publicly suing Disney, the parent company of Marvel Studios that produced "Black Widow." Johansson claimed in her initial suit that the decision to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on Disney's streaming platform, Disney+, breached her contract and compromised her total box-office earnings.

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"Black Widow" hauled $158 million in its global box-office opening weekend, excluding streaming earnings. It performed relatively well for a film released during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not nearly hitting Marvel Studios' pre-pandemic numbers. Johansson's agents also accused Disney of trying to "weaponize her success" by revealing her earnings for the movie.

"Why is Disney so afraid of litigating this case in public?" Berlinski continued, speaking with Insider. "Because it knows that Marvel's promises to give Black Widow a typical theatrical release 'like its other films' had everything to do with guaranteeing that Disney wouldn't cannibalize box office receipts in order to boost Disney+ subscriptions. Yet that is exactly what happened - and we look forward to presenting the overwhelming evidence that proves it."

Directors, producers, and actors alike have taken issue publicly with the way streaming giants, like Disney+ and Hbo Max, have capitalized on the pandemic-driven demand fueling so-called streaming wars. Johansson's suit also paves the way for new studio-talent deals and relationships moving forward.

Berlinksi previously told Insider that the lawsuit won't be the "last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Taliban fighting unit called the Badri 313 Battalion was spotted patrolling Afghanistan with U.S.-made gear, and posting one photo appearing to mock the iconic World War II photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.

Propaganda videos posted this week on channels affiliated with the Taliban show soldiers in the little-known Badri 313 Battalion carrying U.S. and U.S. ally-made weapons and gear that appear to be stolen from allied militaries while patrolling parts of Kabul.

In one propaganda photo, members of the Badri 313 Battalion are seen hoisting a Taliban flag in a similar fashion to the six U.S. Marines who raised the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

"This has only been recently revealed, is a militia, a special operations unit of the Taliban that is being deployed not just in Kabul but elsewhere as well that has provided a completely different picture. No more just the sons of farmers and shepherds, a ragtag bunch of religious terrorists, but a special operations group comparable, perhaps, with the best in the world," senior editor and television anchor at India Today, Shiv Aroor, said in a news segment this week.

AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL A 'STUPID PLAN' THAT ARMED TALIBAN WITH US WEAPONS AND ABANDONED ALLIES: FMR STAFF SGT

The Badri 313 special unit differs from typical Taliban fighters as they are made to look more like U.S. soldiers, with camouflage, combat boots, and body armor. They also carry M4 carbines and drive armored Humvees, the Sinclair Broadcasting Group reported.

"With the Taliban now in power, there is every reason to believe the militia could grow in strength," Aroor added. "Expect to see much more of the Badri 313 in the weeks and months ahead."

President and founder of Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer, also posted a photo of Taliban fighters "with their new American gear" on Twitter Saturday morning.

The U.S. gave Afghan forces an estimated $28 billion in weaponry between 2002 and 2017 . But now, "everything that hasn't been destroyed is the Taliban's now," a U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters .

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The seizure of American weaponry, such as advanced aircraft, serves as a propaganda tool , as insurgents are unable to operate the aircraft without training.

TALIBAN ALLEGEDLY SETS WOMAN ON FIRE FOR 'BAD COOKING'

"When an armed group gets their hands on American-made weaponry, it's sort of a status symbol. It's a psychological win," Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Center for International Policy's Security Assistance Monitor, told The Hill.

"Clearly, this is an indictment of the U.S. security cooperation enterprise broadly," he added. "It really should raise a lot of concerns about what is the wider enterprise that is going on every single day, whether that's in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia."

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday that, "we don't have a complete picture, obviously, of where every article of defense materials has gone."

"But certainly a fair amount of it has fallen into the hands of the Taliban," he continued. "And obviously, we don't have a sense that they are going to readily hand it over to us at the airport."
WARSAW (Reuters) - The leaders of Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia came together on Saturday to condemn Belarus for allowing migrants to illegally cross its borders into the European Union.

"All European Union member states have a duty to protect borders and to stop illegal entries," read a Polish government statement published after a videoconference of the countries' prime ministers.

In recent weeks, Lithuania has reported a surge in illegal border crossings from Belarus and accused Minsk of flying in migrants from abroad and dispatching them into the EU.

Earlier this month, Poland accused Belarus of sending a growing number of migrants over the border in retaliation for Warsaw's decision to give refuge to Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, a Belarusian athlete who refused to return home from the Tokyo Olympics.

Belarus officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Polish authorities have faced criticism from human rights groups for not accepting migrants, and for denying those at the border adequate medical care.

A read-out of the videoconference, circulated by the Polish Prime Minister's Chancellery, stated that all illegal migrants had been cared for appropriately.

"It's important to underline that those who did in fact cross the border are being cared for in special sites for this purpose," the statement read.

More than 30 migrants have been camping out in the forest along Poland's border with Belarus near the village of Usnarz Gorne for almost two weeks, Polish media reports say.

Poland's border guard was seen unrolling barbed wire along the border, footage from private broadcaster TVN showed.

Poland's Border Guard said in a tweet published Friday that it had already asked Belarusian authorities three times to intervene and that Belarus said it was doing so.

Meanwhile, Poland in recent days flew in over 260 individuals fleeing Afghanistan, Polish prime minister chief of staff Michal Dworczyk told PAP news agency on Saturday.

(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Christina Fincher)
The Wrap

Either an identity has been stolen or it truly is the end of days: Ann Coulter is more pleased with Joe Bidens Afghanistan response than many liberals. The queen of conservative controversy posted two tweets Tuesday that left much of the Twittersphere scratching their heads and adjusting their glasses to make sure theyd read them correctly. Quote-tweeting a story in which Biden defended his withdrawal from Afghanistan (which has been slammed as chaotic by both sides of the aisle), Coulter wr
Afghan men clamor to greet the notorious Khalil Rahman Haqqani after his sermon during Friday noon prayers at Kabul's largest mosque. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

Friday prayer days are the inflection point of the Muslim week, and this was the first of them in the newly Taliban-conquered Kabul. In one landmark mosque, a hush fell over the congregation as the preacher revealed himself.

It was Khalil Rahman Haqqani, a senior member of the Haqqani network, a Taliban splinter group considered a terrorist organization by the United States  and one of the fiercest foes that American forces spent two decades trying to vanquish.

Flanked by armed guards, Haqqani cradled a rifle: an American-made M-4 carbine. From the pulpit, he delivered a message that was by turns reassuring and menacing: Life under the Taliban would be different than under the deposed national rulers he derided as weak and corrupt.

A member of the Taliban bows his head to a floor strewn with weapons at Kabul's Pul-i-Khishti Mosque. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

We have freed Afghanistan from Western imperialism and the infidels. Afghanistan will now be a peaceful and prosperous country, where there will be security, no corruption, and no theft, he said. All of the countrys various ethnicities and factions, he added, were brothers.

Across the capital, bewildering dissonance played out at every turn: Everyday life transpired as always, but inside the picture frame of a much-altered reality. Fruit vendors hawked their wares. A money-changer counted his currency. A young Taliban fighter  a teenager, by the looks of him  slurped an ice cream, his Kalashnikov rifle slung from his shoulder.

Perhaps in deference to the austere sensibilities of the new rulers, people in the central neighborhood of Shahr-e-Naw  home to hotels, banks, supermarkets  seemed to be double-parking less than usual.

And almost certainly in line with the new rulers inclinations, women were rarely spotted alone on Kabul streets, even though as yet, in the capital at least, there has been no formal injunction that they cannot venture out without a male companion.

Thousands of men listen to a religious address Friday at Kabul's Pul-i-Khishti Mosque. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

That restriction on women  guardianship in public, by even a small boy  was a staple of the Talibans previous five-year rule, which ended nearly 20 years ago. The requirement for a male guardian was one of many indignities of women's lives under the militant group's rule, along with being banned from school and working outside the home.

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In smaller towns and villages, it is already the norm again.

On this Friday in Kabul, some downtown establishments were shuttered, even on what is normally a busy shopping day. At one, an appliance store called M-Z, one can buy things like vacuum cleaners and toaster ovens and blenders, all having become commonplace household items since the Taliban were last in charge.

A top-floor restaurant called Aroma was open but empty, its signage glowing against the twilight.

Now, as before, Friday is the dedicated day of worship. About a thousand men, with an overflow in the courtyard, turned out for prayers at the blue-domed Pul-i-Khishti Mosque, Kabuls largest.

Khalil Rahman Haqqani, greeting Afghan men at Friday noon prayers, is a leader of the Taliban's offshoot Haqqani network and considered a terrorist by the United States. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

At every gate, armed security frisked arriving worshipers. But guards did not appear to be enforcing a strict dress code, and not everyone was in traditional dress.

Women were all but invisible. One, in an all-enveloping burqa, huddled behind some bushes nearby as the men gathered.

In advance of prayer day, the Taliban had handed down guidance to imams, or clerics, all across the country: They should use their weekly sermons to call for unity. They should urge their congregants not to try to flee, like the throngs surrounding Kabul's airport, the last American redoubt, in hopes of catching a flight out. And they should be wary of anyone spreading negative propaganda against the new rulers.

It was a message that echoed from mosque pulpits all over Afghanistan, but in this historic house of worship, with a white Taliban flag as backdrop, Haqqani  considered by many listeners to be insurgent royalty  stayed firmly on message.

Taliban fighters kneel at Islamic prayers Friday at Kabul's Pul-i-Khishti Mosque. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The Taliban has yet to formally assume governing power, and Haqqani is playing a significant role in that process. The network that bears his family name is known for urban terrorist strikes that exacted mass casualties, as well as kidnappings and a sophisticated finance network.

His appearance was marked by trappings not only of wartime power, but of victory over a despised foreign foe. His security detail was dressed like elite commandos, clad head to toe in what appeared to be captured American-made gear, including helmets and even night-vision goggles.

After prayers finished, Haqqani was mobbed like a rock star  or a conquering hero.

Already, the new order was taking hold. At a quiet intersection outside the central downtown area, two skinny boys stood in the middle of the street hawking oversized white Taliban flags.

A boy shows his wares  Taliban flags  to a potential buyer in Kabul on Friday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

A khaki-colored military vehicle drove up, carrying an eminence: Mullah Esmatullah Khadir, 30, from Musa Qala district in Helmand province.

He signaled to the boys that he wanted a flag, and one leaped excitedly to comply. The mullah, his feet in shiny leather loafers, hopped out of the vehicle, climbed onto the cargo bed and affixed the flag to the antenna.

Then he grinned.

Times staff writer Laura King in Washington contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Florida became the third state in the U.S. to reach 3 million cases of COVID-19, a total surpassed by only 15 countries in the world.

Cases in the state fell very slightly this week, with 150,740 compared to 151,764 last week, but deaths were on the rise. The state saw 1,486 deaths this week compared to 1,071 the week before. Florida reported an all-time death record, with 1,486 deaths in the past week  nearly 15% above the previous record of 1,296 deaths in a week of January.

Northeast Florida is bearing the brunt of the state's COVID surge, with Baptist Health's five hospitals in the area seeing more than double the number of patients with COVID they saw at the previous peak of the pandemic last summer.

Jacksonville is kind of the epicenter of this. They had one of the lowest vaccination rates going into July and that has probably really came back to bite them, Justin Senior, CEO of the Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance, told the Associated Press.

As hospitals are overrun with COVID cases, Orlando's mayor asked residents to conserve water and cut back on watering lawns and washing cars for at least a week. The city is facing a strain on potable water, and the liquid oxygen needed to treat the water is being prioritized for COVID patients in hospitals.

If worse came to worse, we would have to look at a boil water alert," Orlando Utility Commission Chief Customer and Marketing Officer Linda Ferrone said.

Orlando's largest health care system said there were 1,620 patients currently hospitalized, twice as many of last winter's peak.

This is unfortunately a crisis of unprecedented proportions, said Dr. Vincent Hsu, executive director of infection prevention and epidemiologist at AdventHealth.

Meanwhile, Florida school districts are in the middle of a tug-of-war between state and federal authorities over mask mandates.

Florida's State Board of Education has warned Broward and Alachua counties  which have defied the state's anti-mask mandate order  to reverse course and allow mask exemptions within 48 hours or else risk pay cuts to administrators.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, signed an executive order banning schools from implementing mask mandates, but several school districts have put masking in place anyway, citing rising numbers of hospitalizations and cases of COVID among children in the state.

U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has been in touch with school districts to urge them to hold out against those threats, ensuring them that federal funds designated for COVID relief could be used to make up lost pay.

"Let me reiterate: we stand ready to assist any district facing repercussions for imposing CDC-recommended COVID-19 prevention strategies that will protect the health and safety of students, educators, and staff," Cardona said Friday.

 Mike Stucka and Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY

Also in the news:

Mexico has already reported more COVID-19 deaths in 2021 than it did in all of 2020, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data.

Montana is the only state to ban vaccine requirements for employees under a new law passed earlier this year that deemed such requirements as a condition for employment to be "discrimination."

San Francisco became the first U.S. city to require full vaccination to participate in public indoor activities, including going to restaurants and gyms on Friday. The rule surpasses New York City, which only requires proof of partial vaccination.

Children in North Carolina must now get parental permission to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, after a new law was signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday. Previously, minors had the legal right to be treated for communicable diseases on their own, worrying some lawmakers who wanted more control over whether their kids received the COVID vaccine.

Honolulu officials notified the University of Hawaii that fans wont be allowed at season-opening events due to the states current surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitals being overwhelmed, the university said in a statement Friday.

Mississippi's poison control center has seen an increased number of people calling after taking an anti-parasite livestock drug to treat COVID-19 after misinformation spread on social media. "Patients should be advised to not take any medications intended to treat animals and should be instructed to only take ivermectin as prescribed by their physician," the state's health department said.

 Today's numbers: The U.S. has had more than 37.5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 627,821 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The global totals: More than 210.7 million cases and 4.4 million deaths. More than 169.9 million Americans  51.2% of the population  have been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC.

 What we're reading: Where are the most people declining COVID-19 vaccines? See how your state ranks. Read the full story.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more? Sign up for USA TODAY's Coronavirus Watch newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox and join our Facebook group.

In this Aug. 17, 2021 photo, Gretchen Blank recites the Rosary while visiting her husband Wesley, who has COVID-19 and is on a ventilator at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, La.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, wife Jacqueline hospitalized for COVID

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, 79, and his wife, Jacqueline, 77, have been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, according to a statement Saturday.

Jesse Jackson, a famed civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate, is vaccinated against the virus and received his first dose in January during a publicized event as he urged others to receive the inoculation as soon as possible. He and his wife are being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Doctors are currently monitoring the condition of both, according to the statement from Jesse Jackson's nonprofit, the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

A protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jesse Jackson was key in guiding the modern civil rights movement on numerous issues, including voting rights.

Despite having been diagnosed for Parkinsons disease, Jackson has remained active, and has advocated for COVID-19 vaccines for Black people, who lag behind white people in the United States vaccination drive.

 The Associated Press

Case count records shattered across the country; U.S. reports more than 1 million new cases

About 116 communities shattered their all-time case count records for the week ending Friday, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. The records included 29 counties in Georgia, 26 counties in Florida, 16 Mississippi counties, nine Kentucky counties, nine Oregon counties and eight Louisiana parishes.

The current surge of cases is also beginning to lead to records for deaths. Cases were rising in 44 states, down from 50 states earlier this month. Deaths were rising in 42 states.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has reported more than 1 million new coronavirus cases in the last week. That level of cases hasn't been seen in more than six months, since the week ending Feb. 1, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows.

At the last week's pace of 1,016,033 cases, the United States is reporting more than 100 cases every minute. The pace of new cases is nearly 13 times as fast as the last relative lull of 79,095 less than two months ago.

Deaths in the country have leaped up to 6,825 per week; an American is now dying about every 89 seconds.

 Mike Stucka, USA TODAY

Faith leaders are encouraging vaccinations, framing it as a religious obligation. And it's working.

Across the country, faith leaders are urging their community members to get vaccinated. Some have even called getting vaccinated a religious obligation grounded in concerns for the greater good.

While some faith communities are struggling with continued vaccine hesitancy, in many cases, the push by religious leaders is working  recent studies show hesitancy rates dropping by 11 to 15 percentage points across all major faith groups.

Messaging from religious leaders, more than from political or medical representatives, may be the most effective in encouraging vaccinations, according to a South Dakota State University survey.

Faith leaders are seen as those outside players who can approach somebody from within their community, said David Wiltse, an associate professor of political science at South Dakota State University who led the survey.

 Christine Fernando, USA TODAY

Puerto Rico touts some of the best COVID-19 vaccination rates in the country

About 79% of eligible Puerto Ricans have gotten at least one vaccine shot protecting them against the COVID-19 infection, giving this low-income, Democratic-leaning U.S. territory in the Caribbean one of the best vaccination rates in the country. Nationally, the rate for partial vaccination is about 70%.

As of Thursday, Puerto Rico hit 68.5% for full vaccination of eligible people, dramatically higher than the approximately 51% national rate.

Island officials attribute their success to a combination of clear public health messaging and a near-absence of conspiracy theorists and the political divide that has marked the pandemic elsewhere within the United States. And while Puerto Rican officials worry the delta variant is gaining strength, they are confident their high vaccination levels will protect the island's large elderly population.

 Trevor Hughes and Gabriela Miranda, USA TODAY

Nursing homes worry vaccination mandate for workers could worsen staff shortages

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that all nursing homes should require their staff members to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to continue receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding.

Some nursing home administrators are worried the decision will cause workers to head for the exits at facilities already struggling to keep employees. Others have applauded Biden's decision, calling it a way to help protect elderly nursing home residents, who are among the most vulnerable to severe effects of the virus.

Nursing homes have been at the frontlines of the outbreak since the start of the pandemic, and their workers were among the first to be eligible for the vaccine. But hundreds of thousands of nursing home workers nationwide still are not vaccinated, according to federal data. Staff vaccination rates nationwide range from 44% to 88%, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

 Christine Fernando, USA TODAY; Titus Wu, The Columbus Dispatch; and Deborah Yetter, The Courier Journal

CDC warns at-risk travelers not to go on cruises, even if vaccinated

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its guidance for travelers who are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 to recommend they avoid cruise ships, regardless of vaccination status.

The new guidance applies to older adults, people with certain medical conditions and pregnant and recently pregnant people. Prior to Fridays announcement, the agency recommended that only people who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 avoid cruise ships.

The CDC's website says the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread easily between people in close quarters on ships, and the chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high.

 Bailey Schulz, USA TODAY

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID situation in Florida is a 'crisis,' and getting worse
A former aide to former Vice President Mike Pence said the last administration deliberately obstructed visa processing for U.S. allies in Afghanistan due to the "racist hysteria" of Stephen Miller, a key adviser to former President Donald Trump.

On Friday, the former aide, Olivia Troye, who resigned from her position as a White House Homeland Security official in August 2020 and has since been critical of the Trump administration, accused Trump Cabinet meetings regarding the Middle East of being riddled with racist rhetoric and fears over taking in more refugees.

There were cabinet mtgs about this during the Trump Admin where Stephen Miller would peddle his racist hysteria about Iraq and Afghanistan," Troye tweeted, adding that she met with "numerous external organizations" to help U.S. allies apply for visas but "the system wouldn't budge."

ABOUT 17,000 PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM KABUL IN LAST WEEK, PENTAGON SAYS

"For four years, this administration under Trump, they did nothing, and they decimated the process. They destroyed it, and it was very challenging for those of us working on these issues to really push the needle forward or get anything done," Troye said on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show Friday night.

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Troye mentioned that Pence was aware of the issue, but she said it was impossible to make progress on helping more U.S. allies out of the country because Trump and Miller had "watchdogs in place" at the security agencies, as well as the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and State, who aimed to make finding refuge for allies even more challenging to accomplish.

The former Pence aide also pushed back against The Federalist's Ben Domenech, who said on Twitter Thursday that Trump "would have gotten every single American, interpreter, and piece of equipment out of Afghanistan."

"To people like Ben Domenech, JD Vance & others who are making blanket statements & pushing narratives of convenience on Afghanistan-especially on the [special immigrant visas]/allies issue-please, just stop. Your comments are uninformed & also hurtful. We see right through you," Troye tweeted in response.

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Representatives for America First Legal, the conservative law firm Miller founded in April, did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment.

President Joe Biden is facing scrutiny as many Afghans who worked alongside the U.S. military mission attempt to flee the country after Taliban insurgents cemented their control of Afghanistan on Sunday. The president harbors concerns over the political impact of Afghan refugees arriving into the United States and prefers that they travel to other nations, reports indicate. Resettlement groups have said that some 80,000 special immigrant visa applicants and their families needed to be evacuated.

The Pentagon announced Saturday that 22,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since July, and 17,000 have been evacuated since Aug. 14, the day before the Taliban took over the capital. Of the 17,000, roughly 2,500 were U.S. citizens, officials added. As of Wednesday, reports indicated up to 15,000 U.S. residents remained in Afghanistan following the Taliban insurgency.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Biden, who announced his intent to surge additional troops to Afghanistan in recent days, pledged Friday that he would "mobilize every resource necessary" to accomplish all evacuations despite chaotic images from Kabul's airport that showed some people falling to their deaths after clinging to departing U.S. aircraft.

"Let me be clear: Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home," the president said.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Mike Pence, Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Afghanistan, Taliban, Racism, Refugees, National Security, Foreign Policy, Immigration

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Former Pence aide faults Stephen Miller's 'racist hysteria' for US refusal to accept Afghan refugees under Trump
Aug. 21NASHVILLE  Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery is on the hunt for a fraudster or fraudsters who tried to scam consumers with text messages saying the recipient is eligible for government coronavirus funds.

The texts falsely claim to be from the office of the attorney general, which includes the Office of Consumer Affairs.

"A complaint was made to the office by someone who got the text," Slatery spokeswoman Samantha Fisher said in response to questions from the Times Free Press following the state issuing an alert.

"We're working to track down the number, but unfortunately, it is difficult to put an end to this conduct because so many scams like this originate from out of the country, which is why these news alerts, etc., are so important," Fisher said.

Slatery's office serves as the Tennessee government's law firm. It doesn't distribute funds of this kind to individuals.

Officials say the texts may include recipients' personal information including name, Social Security number and telephone number. Scammers often use phone calls, social media, text messages and email to target people seeking financial relief with false promises they can get money from the government, the attorney general's office said.

Typically, the scammer will ask for bank account information or a registration fee that the victim is to provide through a prepaid debit card or gift card.

"Legitimate government grants do not require a fee and are not offered to individuals to cover personal expenses," Slatery's office said.

Consumer affairs officials caution no one should provide banking information to someone they don't know and with whom the consumer didn't initiate contact.

"If you receive a phone call or a message like this, do not respond," the office said.

And, if approached by a suspected scam artist, Slatery's office recommends filing a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs at tn.gov/consumer.

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Here are some other recommendations from the Consumer Affairs Division:

 Be alert for for phishing and imposter scams that will typically target you online and through email.

 Don't click on links from sources you don't know and be careful with emails that purport to be from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

 Be aware that the Social Security Administration will not suspend or decrease benefit payments due to the pandemic. "Any communication that you receive that claims that is a scam," the state said.

Vaccine scams or fake checks:

Potential scams include being asked to pay out-of-pocket costs to get the free COVID-19 vaccine as well as to pay to put your name on a vaccine waiting list.

Also, consumers should be wary of ads for vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online or from unsolicited/unknown sources.

The state says government agencies are not sending emails asking for residents' personal information in order to receive funds or other pandemic opportunities.

How to file a state consumer complaint:

Report issues of price gouging and fake or misleading produce claims and services to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs by filing a consumer complaint at bit.ly/tn-consumer.

If you need assistance with a complaint, call 615-741-4737 or email consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov.

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israeli gunfire on Saturday wounded 24 Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head, health officials said. An Israeli policeman was critically wounded by Palestinian gunfire during the clashes along Gaza's border with Israel.

The violence erupted after hundreds of Palestinians took part in a demonstration Saturday organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers to draw attention to a stifling Israeli blockade of the territory. The demonstration grew violent after dozens of people approached the fortified border fence and threw rocks and explosives toward Israeli soldiers from behind a black smoke screen spewing from burning tires.

The Israeli military said that hundreds of demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and attempted to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. It said that troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters.

It also said a member of the paramilitary border police was hospitalized in grave condition after being shot. Amateur video from the Palestinian side showed a protester running up to the concrete barrier and firing a pistol into a hole used by an Israeli sniper.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said 24 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. Two of them, including the 13-year-old boy, were in critical condition.

The violent confrontations were reminiscent of the weekly border demonstrations organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers in 2018 and 2019 to draw attention to Israel's stifling blockade over the tiny seaside territory.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars and countless skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election. The most recent war, in May, ended in an inconclusive cease-fire after 11 days of fighting.

Khalil al-Haya, a senior Hamas official, told protesters that the confrontation with Israel was still open.

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There has been growing tension in recent weeks, with Hamas calling for Israel to ease the blockade, which greatly restricts movement of people and goods in and out of the territory. Israel has imposed the blockade with Egyptian help since 2007, saying it is needed to prevent Hamas from arming itself.

In a statement, the Israeli army said troops responded with live rounds after hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated at the Gaza-Israeli border.

During the border protests in 2018 and 2019, over 350 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. The protests ground to a halt after mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations brokered an unofficial deal in which Israel eased some of its economic restrictions on Gaza and allowed Qatar to deliver tens of millions of dollars in monthly payments to needy Gaza families and Hamas salaries.

Since the May war, the new Israeli government, headed by Naftali Bennet, has blocked the Qatari aid, calling for a mechanism to ensure Hamas doesnt benefit from the cash. It also has blocked the import of key reconstruction materials while demanding that Hamas first return the remains of two soldiers killed in a 2014 war and two Israeli civilians believed to be alive.

Running out of patience, Hamas called for Saturday's protest to signal its frustration with Israel delaying the Qatari cash injections.

On Thursday, however, Israel announced an agreement with the Gulf Arab country to resume aid payments to thousands of families in the Gaza Strip step aimed at easing tensions with the Palestinian territory in the wake of the war. Under the new arrangement, the funds are to be transferred by the United Nations directly to Gaza families, while giving Israel oversight over the the list of recipients. The payments are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Hamas made the call for the protest at Gaza-Israel frontier before the new agreement on the resumption of Qatari aid was reached. It also said the protest was meant to mark the anniversary of a 1969 arson attack at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque by an Australian tourist later found to be mentally ill.

At least 254 people were killed during May's Gaza-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Armed gunmen kidnapped at least 75 people from a village in northwest Nigeria, residents said on Saturday, the latest in a slew of abductions that have plagued the West African country's west.

The spate of kidnappings has thwarted all security forces' efforts to stem the crimes, often carried out for ransom, and posed a challenge to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

"The number of people kidnapped from (the village of) Rini must be more than seventy five," said Aliyu Tungar-Rini, a resident of the community in northwest Nigeria's Zamfara state.

Habu Abubakar, also a resident of Rini village, said more than 80 people were kidnapped by the gunmen, who he said came wearing black clothes on more than 50 motorbikes.

"My shop was looted and I was left with a few things," he said.

A police spokesman confirmed the abduction but declined to provide details.

"They abducted my uncle, I narrowly escaped death," said Mohammed Dan Auwal, another resident.

He described the attack starting Friday afternoon and lasting until the early hours of Saturday, as the kidnappers went from house to house snatching children and the elderly.

(Reporting by Maiduguri Newsroom; Editing by Christina Fincher)
Aug. 21Ninnekah students marched out of school at 12:45 p.m. on Friday to demand change in the district.

Ninnekah Schools was named in a recent lawsuit that alleges the district looked the other way while former basketball coach Ron Akins allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with female students.

The students held up signs that said, "Do you hear us now?", "I believe them," and "Fight 4 Our Future."

According to parents in attendance, the protest was sparked due to lack of action at Thursday night's school board meeting.

Members of the community requested that either Superintendent Todd Bunch resign, or the Ninnekah Board of Education suspend Bunch. Residents are calling for the resignation of high school principal, David Pitts as well. Pitts was among those named in the lawsuit for allegedly turning a blind eye.

Kelly Smith was at the protest, documenting much of it on Facebook Live. Smith and her children have attended Ninnekah Schools. She has also devoted her time to volunteering and substituting for the district.

Smith said she has felt disgusted since learning about the allegations.

"We're a small town. We have small graduating classes. We know all these kids. It breaks my heart that none of them felt they could go to anyone and say, 'help me.' There's no one here that would listen. Nobody."

Smith pointed out that Lawton Public Schools did take action when they learned about the lawsuit. In July, former Ninnekah teacher and basketball coach, Yackeyonney, resigned and later took a job at Lawton Public Schools.

According to an article by KSWO, Yackeyonney was suspended after he was named in the lawsuit. In the affidavit, Yackeyonney is accused of learning about Akins inappropriate behavior and not reporting Akins to the authorities. Moreover, the lawsuit alleges Yackeyonney began grooming a student at Ninnekah Public Schools.

Another parent, Patricia Terry, has since transferred her children to another district. She said she is concerned about the students who are still at the school.

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"The school system failed us," she said. "They don't have remorse for it. They're not trying to change it."

Due to the school's alleged indifference, Terry, like many parents in Ninnekah, wants to see the school board as well as the administration resign.

"They're still not getting the picture. They're not listening to where the problems are and what we can do to get restarted. Todd doesn't want to allow them to do that."

The students, however, have been listening.

"I'm extremely proud of the young students that we have," Terry said. "That is our future. And they do know what's going on here is incorrect. It's bad behavior."

Sandi Smyth, parent, said the district's lack of action sends a poor message to the students.

"The fact that our school board is telling our children that they do not matter. The fact that they are allowing someone to stay as a superintendent, who has told our children that they don't matter," she said.

"[Bunch] has allowed these predators in our school. And he has allowed them to stay."

Smyth said learning about the allegations sickened her.

"Reading through that lawsuit, all I did was cry my eyes out. It physically made me sick. I will not stand by anymore and let people like this be over our school," she said.

This feeling motivated her to take action alongside other parents, community members and students.

"I would change the world for my kids. And I'm going to start right here and do it."
A swath of the US East Coast, including New York City, was under alert Saturday, as storm Henri was upgraded to what could be the first hurricane in 30 years to hit New England.

Forecasters warned of violent winds, the risk of flash floods and surging seas as the storm churned in the Atlantic, packing maximum sustained winds near 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour.

"It's as serious as a heart attack," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, announcing a state of emergency and the deployment of 500 National Guard soldiers in anticipation of response efforts.

He said the hurricane was expected to make landfall on Long Island, home to the plush Hamptons villages where wealthy New Yorkers retreat in summer, around noon (1600 GMT) on Sunday.

"It will be about a 26-hour event," Cuomo added, telling New Yorkers to expect "significant power outages" and "significant flooding" in some suburbs of the Big Apple.

The US National Hurricane Center, in its latest bulletin, warned of "a dangerous storm surge, hurricane conditions and flooding" in areas of southern New England and Long Island.

Henri is expected to produce three to six inches of rain (7.5 to 15 centimeters) across the region, with isolated maximum totals near 10 inches, the NHC warned.

The heavy rainfall "may result in considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding," it added.

Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent as temperatures rise.

Officials in New England -- which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- have warned people to get ready.

"All residents are advised to begin storm preparations today, and to pay close attention to local weather," the office of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said Friday.

His state, which will close parks and beaches from Saturday to Monday, was bracing for the high winds to knock out electricity for up to 300,000 locals, the governor's office said.

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If Henri stays on its current course and maintains strength, it would be the first hurricane to directly hit New England in 30 years.

"The last hurricane to make landfall onto New England was Hurricane Bob in 1991," Dennis Feltgen, an NHC spokesman, told AFP. That storm killed at least 17 people.

It has been almost a decade since such severe weather threatened the region.

"The last time we had hurricane watches issued for the area was for Hurricane Irene, back in late August of 2011," tweeted the National Weather Service in New York City.

The last hurricane to make landfall in Long Island was Gloria in 1985.

New York beaches were ordered closed for swimming Sunday and Monday as officials warned of high winds and possible storm surges, as well as flash flooding on roads.

The warnings have reignited memories of Hurricane Sandy, a more powerful storm that knocked out power for much of Manhattan and flooded subways in 2012.

bur-pdh/bbk
Afghans run away from Taliban fighters at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

The US has warned Americans in Afghanistan to stay away from the airport in Kabul.

Officials reportedly believe the Islamic State group could launch an attack.

A security alert warned of "potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport."

US officials have warned American citizens in Afghanistan to stay away from the Kabul airport due to threats from the Islamic State group, multiple media outlets reported on Saturday.

The US Embassy in Afghanistan issued a security alert flagging "potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport."

"We are advising US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a US government representative to do so," the alert said.

Media outlets, citing unnamed US officials, reported that the main threat was coming from ISIS's Afghanistan branch.

US officials believe ISIS could launch an attack that would simultaneously harm Americans, and bruise the Taliban's sense of control, The New York Times reported. The Times added that it was unclear whether ISIS was capable of such an attack.

The warnings come just one day after President Joe Biden promised that "any American who wants to come home, we will get you home." He said more than 18,000 people have been evacuated since last month.

The new threats have frustrated American efforts to get evacuees to the Hamid Karzai International Airport and out of the country.

One official told the Associated Press that small groups of Americans will receive specific instructions on how to evacuate - namely, how to move to transit points where the military can greet them.

The Associated Press reported that the specifics of the ISIS threat were unclear, but officials described the threat as significant.

The scene around the airport Saturday morning was chaotic and desperate. Thousands - including children - were seen on video in a crushing crowd outside the airport gates, some pressed up against a barbed-wire fence.

The Associated Press reported that evacuations continued on Saturday, but the chaos meant that the flights had to depart before they were full.

Read the original article on Insider
In video footage captured by Reuters, residents were seen around commercial streets with various stalls selling products ranging from clothing to food open. Women were also seen to be walking freely.

Locals hoped the Taliban militant group, which had taken control of the capital, would be able to bring much needed peace and security.

"There is no job and we call on the Taliban to establish a government and bring peace, stability and security all over Afghanistan and create job opportunities for us," said a resident identified only as Naqibullah.

However, the situation around Kabul airport remains volatile with violent confrontations taking place, according to a statement made by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) on Saturday (August 21).
(Reuters) - In the last few days, TV crews from Afghanistan's Al-Emarah Studio, which produces pro-Taliban multimedia content, have been out on the streets of Kabul speaking to residents with reassuring messages about life returning to normal.

"How confident are you?" asked an interviewer with a Al-Emarah microphone in the city centre. "100%," came the reply. "Security is good, there are no thieves, we are very happy."

The message is in sharp contrast to the chaos in parts of Kabul since the Islamist militants swept in last Sunday after a lightning conquest of Afghanistan.

Thousands of people have swarmed around the airport, desperate to escape amid fears of reprisals by the insurgents and harsh Islamic law now that they are back in power.

It has presented one of the toughest tests yet for the movement's communications strategy, which has grown into a sophisticated operation in recent years and yet is struggling to calm widespread panic.

The Al-Emarah interviews were a tiny step towards trying to win back control of the message.

For the moment, Al-Emarah websites in five different languages have been difficult to access or apparently offline from Friday, for reasons which remain unclear. The clips could be seen on social media accounts, however.

On Saturday, several Taliban spokesmen took to television studios to reassure residents that the streets were safe. On the same day, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the top Taliban political leader in Afghanistan, arrived in Kabul to set up a police force.

'IT'S ALL LIES'

Getting their message across has proved harder since the Taliban conquered Afghanistan than it was when they were fighting an insurgency against foreign and U.S.-backed local armed forces.

Over the years, it has often been a step ahead of the government, getting its message out with a mix of multi-lingual social media accounts, videos, photos and responsive, well-prepared spokesmen equipped with ready answers to reporters' questions.

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While Facebook and YouTube have banned the group https://www.reuters.com/technology/facebook-says-it-would-not-automatically-allow-taliban-if-us-changed-designation-2021-08-18, it has an active presence on Twitter and dozens of social media accounts either directly linked to the movement or which stick close to its message have sprung up.

Many Afghans have treated those messages with disdain. The group has been blamed for thousands of civilian deaths in gun attacks and suicide bombings over the last 20 years, deaths it said were justified in its war against invaders.

And with growing turmoil in Kabul and some other cities, the movement can no longer fall back on accusations of abuse and wrongdoing by the Kabul government and its international allies.

The Taliban have tried to reassure both Afghans and the international community that they will respect people's rights and their forces will not exact revenge on members of the government and security forces.

The news conference held by the Taliban's main spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Tuesday put a public face on the movement's communications operation https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-taliban-media-idUSKCN1SH035 for the first time.

But social media feeds of beatings or shaky video of people being dragged from cars and houses have challenged the Taliban's narrative, sowing fear among a population still in shock from the sudden collapse of the government.

Many of the accounts of abuse cannot be verified, but Taliban officials acknowledge the widespread fears.

A senior official told Reuters he had heard of some abuses against civilians, but promised that any problems caused by people in the movement would be investigated.

In a tweet on Saturday, Mujahid said the Taliban were setting up a three-member commission to handle problems encountered by the media.

With smartphones as common in Kabul as anywhere else in the world and a youthful population that has grown up with the internet, the Taliban's communications strategy will likely keep evolving.

But unless they can restore order to the streets and get people back to work, messaging alone is unlikely to be enough.

"I don't believe what they say at all, it's all lies. Nobody trusts what they say," said one Kabul resident, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/cowering-bathroom-some-afghans-dread-taliban-knock-door-2021-08-20.

(Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
In a momentous legal defeat for Gov. Andy Beshear, the Kentucky Supreme Court in a rare Saturday decision ruled on the Democratic governors challenge of Republican-backed laws that limit his authority to enact emergency orders to help control the coronavirus pandemic.

In a 34-page order, the states highest court unanimously said Franklin Circuit Court abused its discretion in blocking the new laws from taking effect and sent the case back to the lower court to dissolve the injunction and hear legal arguments about the constitutionality of each law.

The challenged legislation was lawfully passed and the governors complaint does not present a substantial legal question that would necessitate staying the effectiveness of the legislation, the seven-member court ruled.

Beshear had sought injunctive relief against the new laws, arguing that the legislation undermined his ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and created a public health crisis that would result in increased disease and death. The governor sued the legislature and Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

The Supreme Court in a decision written by Justice Laurance B. VanMeter of Lexington largely agreed with Cameron and lawmakers. Cameron argued that the challenged legislation does not prevent Beshear from responding to emergencies and simply requires him to work collaboratively with other officials  including the legislature  in emergencies that last longer than 30 days.

In a separate concurring opinion, Justice Lisabeth T. Hughes of Louisville said more examination is needed of a law that requires calling the legislature into special session to address executive emergency authority. She said she hopes Franklin Circuit Court will address this issue as the case continues to be litigated.

She added: As a justice, and more pertinently as a lifelong Kentuckian, I implore all parties to this matter to lay down their swords and work together cooperatively to finish this immensely important task for the benefit of the people they serve.

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A spokeswoman for the governor responded to the decision Saturday afternoon, saying Beshear has had the courage to make unpopular decisions in order to keep Kentuckians safe  the court has removed much of his ability to do so moving forward.

Crystal Staley said in a statement that the courts order will dissolve Kentuckys entire state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. It either eliminates or puts at risk large amounts of funding, steps we have taken to increase our health care capacity, expanded meals for children and families, measures to fight COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, workers compensation for front-line workers who contract COVID-19 as well as the ability to fight price gouging.

It will further prevent the governor from taking additional steps such as a general mask mandate, she said.

Staley said the administration is assessing whether to call a special legislative session and will work to determine whether the General Assembly would extend the state of emergency.

If called into a special session, we hope the General Assembly would do the right thing, she said in the statement.

Republican House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers issued a joint statement, saying they continue to stand ready to work with the governor, as we have for nearly a year and a half, and address what is a very real public health crisis.

After months of deliberation, the Supreme Court has confirmed what the General Assembly has asserted throughout this case  the legislature is the only body with the constitutional authority to enact laws, they wrote. Let us be clear that todays ruling in no way diminishes the seriousness of this virus or its impact on our commonwealth, and the General Assembly will continue to work to maintain both the safety and rights of all Kentuckians.

The General Assembly has made it clear on numerous occasions that its disagreements with Governor Beshear were founded in process. This fact is affirmed throughout todays decision, in statements like the Governor has no implied or inherent emergency powers beyond that given him by the legislature, and the General Assembly establishes the public policy of the Commonwealth.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican, said he hopes Beshear will now consult with our General Assembly and find consensus on what is needed to protect Kentuckians.

For months, we have maintained that the governor must work with the General Assembly during the COVID-19 crisis, he wrote. Today, the Supreme Court unanimously agreed with our position. This is not a novel concept; in fact, its the bedrock of our system of government.

The Court wrote that [a]s we have noted time and again, so many times that we need not provide citation, the General Assembly establishes the public policy of the Commonwealth. Many Kentuckians share that sentiment and applaud the steps taken by our legislature.

The Supreme Court had heard nearly two hours of arguments in the case on June 11, a day before Beshear repealed many of his initial emergency regulations.

The most prominent he has in place now is his Aug. 10 executive order requiring almost all teachers, staff and students in K-12 schools, child care and pre-kindergarten programs across Kentucky to wear a mask indoors. It applies for 30 days and leaves open the indefinite possibility for renewal. A U.S. district judges ruling Thursday temporarily blocked that order in at least one school district. Beshear has asked that it be dissolved.

The state Board of Education on Aug. 12 implemented its own emergency regulations requiring a mask mandate for students for most of this school year, and the Department for Public Health did the same for child care facilities. A legislative panel has since found those regulations deficient, but Beshear overrode that decision. One of the new laws might limit those emergency regulations to 30 days.

]The Kentucky Department of Education said in a statement Saturday that the decision has no bearing on the Kentucky Board of Educations emergency regulation requiring masks in public schools.

The KBE acted under authority set forth in KRS 156.160 to promulgate administrative regulations necessary or advisable for the protection of the health and welfare of public school students. This authority was not reviewed by the Supreme Court in the opinions issued today, the statement said. Furthermore, despite the Franklin Circuit Court injunction the Supreme Court found improper today, the KBE followed all requirements of SB 2 for the promulgation of emergency regulations.

Finally, the KBEs regulation is consistent with the language of HB 1 providing for public school operation when a school meets or exceeds all applicable guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or by the executive branch, whichever is least restrictive.

The Kentucky School Boards Association said in a statement that it was reviewing the Supreme Court decision and urged all education stakeholders to take a slow approach in responding.

Hot takes absent a full understanding of the rulings impact on our public schools risk perpetuation of more misinformation in a time where our schools and communities are seeking clarity, the statement said in part.

Saturdays Supreme Court ruling came as the Delta variant of COVID-19 is raging across the state.

The state Supreme Court last year unanimously ruled that Beshears orders were legal, but that was before the legislature passed laws earlier this year restricting the governors powers.

They were Senate Bill 1, which limits Beshears ability to issue orders during a state of emergency to 30 days unless extended by the General Assembly and requires the governor to get permission from the attorney general before suspending any statute during an emergency; House Bill 1, which allows businesses, schools, nonprofits and churches to stay open if they meet COVID-19 guidelines set by either the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or Kentuckys executive branch, whichever is least restrictive; and Senate Bill 2, a companion bill to SB 1 to give the legislature more power over administrative regulations issued during an emergency.

At issue in Saturdays ruling were cases from Scott and Franklin circuit courts.

The Franklin case involved Attorney General Camerons appeal of Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherds decision to temporarily block the four legislative measures the General Assembly enacted this year that curb Beshears emergency powers.

In the Franklin case, Shepherd temporarily blocked House Joint Resolution 77, keeping Beshears COVID-19 restrictions in effect. The resolution specifies which of Beshears COVID-19 orders would remain in place if the legislature wins its legal fight against him. Shepherd had already temporarily blocked SB 1, SB 2 and HB 2 from taking effect.

The Scott case involved Beshears appeal of Circuit Judge Brian Privetts ruling to temporarily block the state from enforcing some of Beshears executive orders restricting crowd capacity and operating hours at several restaurants and breweries.

In the Scott case, Judge Privetts preliminary injunction came in a lawsuit brought by Goodwood Brewing Company, doing business as Louisville Taproom; Frankfort Brewpub and Lexington Brewpub; Trindys in Georgetown; and Kelmaro, doing business as The Dundee Tavern, in Louisville.

Privett said his order meant Beshear could not issue or enforce new restrictions against those specific businesses.

In another Supreme Court opinion written Saturday by Justice Michelle Keller of Kenton County, the court vacated the Scott Circuit Court order that granted the temporary injunction and sent the case back to the lower court for further proceedings.

Herald-Leader staff writer Valarie Honeycutt Spears contributed to this report.

Republicans react to Kentucky Supreme Court decision that limits Beshears power
Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool's "dreams were fulfilled" as the Reds celebrated the return of a full house at Anfield by sweeping aside Burnley 2-0 on Saturday.

Goals from Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane either side of half-time extended Liverpool's 100 percent start to the season with six points from their opening two games.

In front of a first capacity crowd since March 2020, an emotional pre-match tribute was paid to former players who passed away over the past 17 months as well as Andrew Devine, the 97th victim of the Hillsborough disaster, who died in July.

Liverpool ended a 30-year wait to win the title in the time while football was forced behind closed doors by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Everybody was really looking forward to this football fest today and nobody leaves this place with any kind of disappointment," said Klopp. "Our dreams were fulfilled atmosphere wise."

Burnley ended Liverpool's 68-game unbeaten run at Anfield in the Premier League on their last visit in January, which gave way to a club record six straight home defeats for the Reds in a difficult season blighted by a series of injuries to key players.

Sean Dyche's men are still without a point from their opening two games, compounding fears for their future in the top flight after a summer of little investment from the club's new American owners.

"Football doesn't judge you on whether your business is good," said Dyche on his lack of signings. "It's about getting players out there to win games so we've got to keep working hard to find that balance."

The visitors were not shaken by the return of full stands in the opening stages as Dwight McNeil struck the post and Alisson Becker was forced to turn behind Ashley Barnes's header at the near post.

But Dyche was frustrated at the manner in which his side conceded on 18 minutes as Kostas Tsimikas was given too much time to measure a perfect cross and Jota ran across Ben Mee to flick a header into the far corner.

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Liverpool then began to find their rhythm as only a VAR review denied Mohamed Salah doubling the lead as the Egyptian had just strayed offside before blasting home Harvey Elliott's pass.

The return of Virgil van Dijk from cruciate knee ligament damage has seen Liverpool keep two clean sheets to start the season, but they had to ride their luck at times.

James Tarkowski's header dropped just wide after beating Alisson to a free-kick launched into the box just before the break.

Early in the second-half, Burnley did have the ball in the net only for the offside flag to this time go against them when Barnes slotted high past Alisson.

Liverpool soon regained the ascendency, though, and should have ran out even more comfortable winners.

Mane's dip in form was another reason for the Reds' struggles in finishing a distant third last season.

The Senegalese had passed up two big chances to net his first goal of the season before he made sure of the three points by slamming home Trent Alexander-Arnold's perfectly measured through ball 21 minutes from time.

kca/dj
Twitter/Rep. Barry Moore

Contracting COVID-19 isnt stopping U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) from protesting mask mandates, even as his home state has run out of ICU beds in the latest pandemic wave.

I just dont believe in mandates from the federal government, Moore told The Daily Beast from his farm in Enterprise, Alabama on Saturday. If I died of COVID yesterday, I wouldnt want to force my beliefs and opinions on anyone.

Moore, an outspoken critic of mask mandates in the U.S. Capitol, announced Friday night that he and his wife had both contracted COVID-19. He said Saturday morning that he had experienced a fever, sore throat, and exhaustion, and was recovering at home.

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Three weeks earlier, he was loudly protesting Speaker Nancy Pelosis requirement that masks be worn inside the House of Representatives, calling her a tyrant and insisting on Facebook that he will NOT comply.

In a now painfully ironic video posted to Twitter July 29, Moore bemoaned the House mandate, saying, The Senate is wide open, but on the House side COVID is running rampant, according to Nancy Pelosi.

We cant figure out, as you travel to the Senate, where the COVID virus stops, he quipped. (In another tweet about vaccine mandates, he wrote: This isnt about science - its about government control.)

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Asked Saturday if his brush with the virus had changed his opinion about wearing masks at the Capitol, Moore said he didnt know what he would do, but added that he still was not convinced masks worked.

Ill have the antibodies and Ill already have had [COVID], he said about returning to the House. Im not sure that me wearing a mask, whether you think I should or not, really is going to help anybody. (He also suggested that wearing a mask only protected the wearer, which is incorrect; studies show that mask-wearing prevents the spread of disease by protecting both the wearer and those around them.)

Maine Lawmaker Whose Wife Just Died of COVID Joins Anti-Vax Rally

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Moores home state, meanwhile, was dealing with a devastating surge of COVID cases that left its hospitals without a single open ICU bed last week. The Alabama Department of Public Health requested federal assistance this week to keep up with the surging number of severely ill patients, and at least one hospital has asked for FEMA to step in. Gov. Kay Ivey reinstated a state of emergency last week.

Its a devastating time right now, Douglas Brewer, CEO of Whitfield Regional Hospital, told the Montgomery Advertiser. I think most hospitals will tell you were seeing it get worse by the hour.

The state also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, hovering around 35 percent.

Moore refused to answer questions about whether or not he was vaccinated, but did say the vaccines were untested, and that we don't know a lot about them yet. (The COVID vaccine went through all the same testing steps as most other vaccines.)

GOP Senator Railed Against Vax, Caught COVID, Then Hid It From Dem Colleagues

Moore has also scoffed at the idea of the government going door-to-door to offer the shot, calling it another step by the Biden administration to transform the federal government into Big Brother.

We have the responsibility to kill any scheme from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that gives more power to an out-of-control federal government and endangers our fundamental liberties, he told Yellowhammer News in July. (The congressman took a more tempered tone in his statement Saturday, suggesting supporters talk with their doctors and make an informed decision about the prevention and treatment that is best for you.)

While Moore claimed Saturday that he had few serious symptoms from the virus, there was one regrettable side effect: Because he needed to quarantine, he could no longer attend former President Donald Trumps rally in Cullman, Alabama that day.

However rest assured I will be tuned in watching one of the most beloved presidents in my lifetime, he wrote in a Facebook post. #MAGA.

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Aug. 21Who loves a parade?

These guys.

On Friday night, just hours before the Maine Bicentennial Parade was to set to begin, the musicians and band leaders were polishing their instruments and their performance.

In a sweltering hot classroom at Edward Little High School, a team of percussionists were getting in their final practice.

Two women and a young man were tapping out neat and tidy rolls on the snare drums. A young man stood rigid and ready at the bass drum while a woman held her cymbals up high and ready to go.

At the front of the room, percussion instructor Jim Hagar of Gorham tapped out notes on the podium, occasionally swiping at the sweat on his forehead.

Everything sounded clean and orderly. The team appeared ready to roll.

In a room across the hall, Band Director John Neal was addressing a different group of musicians. At the front of the hot classroom, he looked quite a lot like a gridiron coach giving his team a last-minute inspirational speech.

Neal didn't scoff at the comparison.

"It is like that a little bit," he said. "This is a team that's going out to achieve something."

Outside in the parking lot, the color guard worked in cooler air, twirling their flags to the stirring notes of "Stars and Stripes" playing on a portable speaker.

Were they, too, confident and ready to hit the streets?

Absolutely. Color Guard leader Jamie Cole was adamant about that.

"They look so good," said Cole, a music instructor at Edward Little, "especially since we've only had two in person practices together before today. And these people are strangers to one another. They're from all over the place. Everybody is looking forward to this. They're going to be amazing."

In the color guard, after just two live practices for the biggest parade in the state, there was no sense of jitters anywhere.

"You know what? I can't be nervous," said Carol Giasson, 46, of Auburn. "We have an amazing instructor. She's done such a wonderful job."

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Giasson was in the Edward Little color guard from 1991 to 1994. That's a long time ago, but she said when she heard about the parade's search for band members, she decided to go for it.

"It's been a while," she said, "but I thought it'd be fun to try it again."

The band members gathered in different areas of the high school Thursday night represented a diverse mix. Some were young, some were older. Some have musical skills that are sharp, others are working out the rust.

For Carrie Hebert of Greene, playing the alto saxophone in the parade marks the first time she's played since high school and yet she was not the least bit nervous.

"Nah," she said. "It's really cool because we've got such a variety of people. It's a good mix of experience levels. Some have been playing in bands all around the state, but some haven't played in 20 years."

Neal, the band director, made the same observation.

"For so many of these people," he said, "they haven't played in decades. It's given them a reason to pull the horn out of the closet, or the flag or the drum."

Bob Bennett, a school teacher from South China, is 71 and one of the older members of the band.

Bennett, a drum major, did not have rattled nerves, either. Why should he? This is a guy who has been playing in bands his whole life, including 20 years with the 195th Maine Army National Guard Band.

"No, I'm not nervous," he said, tapping his baton. "When I was in the Guard, we played in some pretty serious stuff."

Bennett recalled marching in a Mardi Gras parade that was six plus miles long, roughly six times longer than the the route he'll march on Saturday.

He marched just behind the Budweiser Clydesdales, weaving his way around what those horses left behind.

"When it was over," Bennett said, "everybody but me had a brown haze on their pants."

Bennett was also keenly aware Thursday night of the strange journey music had taken him on. Roughly 50 years ago to the day, he was flying out of Portland to Fort Dix for basic training.

On Saturday, bright and early, he'll lead the band through the streets of Lewiston and Auburn before thousands of eager spectators.

"I'm the drum major so I'm going to be out in front of everybody," Bennett said. "This is going to be interesting."

Neal, a life-long music educator, said he had small concerns about this or that as the big day approached, but otherwise he was a confident fellow, even though a lot of the band practice was remote, like so many other things.

"I'm very proud of these people," Neal said. "They've really pulled it together and that most of them did 90% of it by themselves at home using the information on the website. They know what they're doing. I'm very pleased."

Also confident of parade success on Saturday was Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque, who helped make it happen.

"Not only does the parade celebrate 200 years of proud Maine history that we have a history of overcoming adversity through grit, determination and a belief that 'the sky is not falling,'" said Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque, "My special thanks to the folks (at) Auburn Hall who have worked tirelessly since 2019 to make this celebration happen."
Aug. 21CALHOUN  The McLean County High School football team would not be denied on Friday night.

The Cougars bent but never broke, and got a 2-yard touchdown run from bruising fullback Lucas Mauzy with 56 seconds to play to upend a valiant, undermanned Ohio County team 38-30 in the season-opener for both teams before a big, festive crowd at Paulsen Stadium.

"We had to grind this one out against an Ohio County team that played very well," Cougars head coach Zach Wagner said. "There are a lot of things we need to work on, but I was proud of the way our guys finished this one.

"Mauzy and (James) Haerle really ran hard for us, and early on we were effective in our passing game, utilizing Brady Dame, and I thought that opened up the running game for us."

In a contest where the momentum continuously swung back and forth, the Eagles  featuring only 23 players  pulled into a 30-all tie on the final play of the third period when Matthew Smith scored on a 2-yard run.

It remained that way until McLean County's final drive  a time-consuming 12-play march to paydirt capped by Mauzy's game-winner.

McLean opened the game with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by Elijah Baldwin's 4-yard scoring run at 5:31 of the first period. Brodie Cline's conversion run made it 8-0, Cougars.

Ohio County struck back quickly, with quarterback Jake Simmons  subbing for Devin Gott (COVID quarantine)  conpleting a 26-yard TD pass to Jaylen Walker at 5:15. Matthew Smith's conversion run tied it at 8.

Early in the second period, McLean reclaimed the lead when Mauzy scored from 11 yards out. Dame then caught a conversion pass from Cline to push the Cougars in front 16-8 at 9:46.

Ohio answered on its ensuing possession when Smith scored from 20 yards out at the 4:07 mark. Smith then followed with a conversion run that made it 16-16  and that's where things stood at intermission.

Early in the second half, Mauzy scored from 13 yards out and Haerle followed with a conversion run to put the Cougars back on top, 24-16, but the Eagles quickly answered with a 49-yard TD aerial from Simmons to Walker at 6:01, and Smith's subsequent conversion run knotted things up at 24.

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McLean regained the lead on a 6-yard scoring run by Haerle at 1:10 of the third, but a conversion pass failed, leaving the Cougars with a 30-24 advantage.

Smith then scored a tying TD for Ohio, and a missed extra-point attempt followed  setting the stage for Mauzy's late heroics.

"Overall, I was pretty pleased  I saw some really good things out there from our guys," Ohio County head coach Josh Monin said. "We gave it everything we had and I think attrition got to us some in the second half.

"We've got a lot of good things to build on, though, moving forward."

McLean finished with 411 yards of total offense, including 99 through the air. Mauzy led the way with 100 yards on 15 carries, Haerle produced 89 yards on 14 carries, and Zach Clayton added 87 yards on only eight carries.

Ohio County had 273 yards of total offense. Smith led the ground attack with 135 yards on 13 carries, while Simmons completed 15-of-18 passes for 165 yards.

Both teams will be on the road next Friday, with McLean County visiting Breckinridge County, and Ohio County playing at Warren East.

OHIO COUNTY 8-8-16-0  30

MCLEAN COUNTY 8-8-16-8  38

MC-Baldwin 4 run (Cline run)

OC-Walker 26 pass from Simmons (Smith run)

MC-Mauzy 11 run (Dame pass from Cline)

OC-Smith 20 run (Smith run)

MC-Mauzy 13 run (Haerle run)

OC-Walker 49 pass from Simmons (Smith run)

MC-Haerle 6 run (pass failed)

OC-Smith 2 run (kick failed)

MC-Mauzy 4 run (Haerle run)
Najib Faizi, 21, describes himself as the first drag queen of Afghan descent. Najib Faizi/YouTube

Several gay Afghans spoke to Insider and described how they live in fear of their life after the Taliban's victory.

Under the previous period of Taliban rule, the militant group executed gay men.

One Afghan activist predicted gay people in Afghanistan would be "weeded out and exterminated" by the Taliban.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

In tears, Rameen* said that his life has felt like a "nightmare" ever since Kabul fell to the Taliban on Sunday. "I just hope that somebody comes and wakes me up from this bad dream," the 37-year-old gay Afghan told Insider during a phone call.

Rameen, who works for the United Nations, once enjoyed Afghanistan's vibrant "underground" gay scene.

Even though homosexuality was illegal, he said he felt relatively safe making his weekly visit to a clandestine karaoke bar in Kabul to sing and dance with other members of the country's hidden LGBTQ communities. "It was fantastic and so much fun," Rameen recalled.

But in days, Rameen's life, like so many gay Afghans, has been turned upside down. He now lives in constant fear and is too afraid to meet up with his boyfriend of three years.

"If the Taliban finds out about us, they'll sentence us to death," Rameen said, crying. "I think we will have to stop our relationship."

Taliban fighters display their flag on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan on Thursday, August 19, 2021. Rahmat Gul/AP

Like Rameen, 21-year-old student Ghulam* also fears that he may not see his partner again.

"If we get caught, the Taliban will kill us," he told Insider during a phone call.

The Taliban is expected to implement a stringent interpretation of Sharia law, which means homosexuality would be punishable by death. In July, German newspaper Bild reported that a judge from the radical Islamist group vowed to sentence gay men to death by stoning or by being crushed by a nine-foot wall.

Ghulam is so terrified of being identified as gay and put to death, that he has not left his home since the Taliban took over.

Story continues

"We cannot go out because we are just scared for our lives," he said.

The student, who has dropped out of his university studies, said he sees "no future" in Afghanistan. "If I had permission to get a visa to go to another country, I would not stay here for another second," he said.

Read more: Surreal videos appear to show armed Taliban fighters riding bumper cars and a merry-go-round following their takeover of Afghanistan

Sayed*, a 36-year-old gay man from northern Afghanistan's Balkh province, told Insider via Facebook Messenger that he is also desperately seeking asylum from the new hardline Islamist regime.

Life, he said, has dramatically changed for the worse in the space of a week. "Previously, I could meet face-to-face with a partner without feeling any shame about it," Sayed said.

Homosexual sex has technically been punishable by death in Afghanistan for decades, but according to the UK Country of Origin Report on Afghanistan, it has not been applied since the end of the Taliban's first regime in 2001.

Now, Sayed fears that executions will become common, as was the case during the Taliban's previous period in power. "It's clear to me that as soon as the Taliban know that I am a gay man, they will kill me without even thinking about it," he said.

Sayed told Insider he dreams of one day living authentically as a gay man in Canada.

Activist Nemat Sadat fears that gay people in Afghanistan will be "weeded out and exterminated" by the Taliban. Provided by Nemat Sadat

Nemat Sadat, the first public figure in Afghanistan to advocate for LGBTQ rights, told Insider that he is helping gay Afghans like Sayed apply for asylum and leave the country.

Sadat was an organizer of a nascent LGBTQ rights movement in Afghanistan while working as a political science professor at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. After receiving death threats, including a fatwa issued against him, he left the country in 2013 to live in the United States.

'It's not hyperbolic to say that gay people will get weeded out'

He is urging the international community to act quickly to help vulnerable people escape persecution at the hands of the new regime.

"It's not hyperbolic to say that gay people will get weeded out and exterminated by the Taliban, just like the Nazis did," he said. "People are messaging me saying here's my passport, here's all my information, please get me out of this country, I'm going to die."

Hamid Zaher left Afghanistan in 2001. Provided by Hamid Zaher

Hamid Zaher, 47, who was one of the first Afghan men to come out publicly, told Insider that while LGBTQ Afghans have always faced risks of violence and imprisonment at the hands of the authorities, those dangers pale in comparison to the brutality and intolerance of the Taliban.

He left Afghanistan in 2001 and, after living in Turkey, was able to claim asylum in Canada in 2008.

Zaher said that, even under the US-supported government, it was "a very bad time" for gay men. "Before they could be put in jail, or they could be beaten," he explained. "But now if the Taliban arrests them, they will kill them."

Najib Faizi hopes other LGBTQ Afghans will be granted asylum like him. Najib Faizi/Instagram

Najib Faizi, 21, who describes himself as the first drag queen of Afghan descent, left Afghanistan at aged 10 and sought asylum in Germany with his older sister.

Faizi told Insider that he doesn't take his freedom for granted. "I'm so happy here. I can do what I want. I'm free," he said.

His public activism and striking social media presence still mean he receives death threats from conservative Afghans.

The drag queen said that over the past week, he has been fielding desperate pleas on Instagram from people in the country who hope to live freely like him one day.

"I hope others can get asylum. I have contacted people in Germany and said they have to help LGBTQ people. They need help," he said. "Nobody accepts them."

'Now is the time for governments to step up'

Pressure is building on countries to accept vulnerable asylum seekers fleeing persecution at the hands of the Taliban.

Rainbow Railroad, a Canadian charity that helps LGBTQ people escape oppression in their home countries, released a statement urging governments to take in vulnerable Afghan refugees.

"Now is the time for governments to step up and support LGBTQI+ Afghan refugees," the charity said.

Canada has plans to resettle more than 20,000 Afghans, prioritizing minorities, including female activists and individuals from LGBTQ communities.

The US is predicted to take in fewer than 10,000 refugees this year, the lowest number since 1975, and has accepted fewer than 500 refugees from Afghanistan in 2021, Insider previously reported.

Over a dozen governors have urged President Biden to take in more Afghan refugees, and critics have said the application process is bureaucratic and badly backlogged.

The message to the politicians, bureaucrats, and officials in the West from the gay people of Afghanistan is clear. "I hope I get out of here alive," said Ghulam.

(* The names of the gay people that Insider spoke to in Afghanistan have been changed to protect their identities)

Read the original article on Business Insider
Two men carry the Mona Lisa back to the Louvre museum in Paris on 4 January, 1914, just over two years after it was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia. (Getty Images)

Its one of the most famous art thefts in history.

But when it happened 110 years ago, the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris barely registered with the wider world.

At the time, it was mainly art aficionados who were aware of Leonardo da Vincis masterpiece.

It was only its discovery, two years later, which truly brought it into mainstream consciousness and ultimately its status today as the world's most famous painting.

The police record of Vincenzo Peruggia, who stole the Mona Lisa. (Roger Viollet/Getty Images)

On 21 August, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by Italian carpenter Vincenzo Peruggia, who was carrying out repairs at the Louvre, which was closed on that day.

Prof Donald Sassoon, who chronicled the Mona Lisa in his 2001 book The History of the World's Most Famous Painting, tells Yahoo News UK: He decided to steal the Mona Lisa not because it was then the most famous painting, but because it was small  and he was a small man.

"His favourite painting was by Andrea Mantegna, but it was much bigger.

The Mona Lisa, which was painted on a wood panel, is 77cm by 55cm.

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Prof Sassoon continues: He removed the wood from the frame and he just left and went home to his bedsit. He kept it there for a couple of years, he didnt know what to do with it.

He kept it next to the stove, and because its a piece of wood it warped a bit, but otherwise it was OK.

Watch: Visitors rush to Mona Lisa as Louvre re-opens in 2020

It was a big story because it was stolen in August. Nothing happens in August, normally. So the press, especially the French and English popular press, picked up the story.

But even then, it was not widely regarded. The connoisseurs knew about it, but it was before the age of tourism.

Then a few weeks later, the prime minister of Russia, Pyotr Stolypin, was assassinated. So the story moved on.

By the time Peruggia took it to Florence, Italy, in 1913, the Mona Lisa had more or less been forgotten, Prof Sassoon says.

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The Mona Lisa is now one of the most famous paintings in the world  partly thanks to its theft in 1911 and discovery in 1913. (Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)

It was ultimately found when he wrote to a Florence art dealer claiming to have the painting. The dealer alerted Giovanni Poggi, the director of the citys Uffizi gallery. Poggi alerted the police, and Peruggia was arrested.

The discovery is truly what made the Mona Lisa well known, Prof Sassoon says.

It was so major that it toured Italy before being brought back to France on a train in January 1914. A crowd of people was even waiting for it.

Vincenzo Peruggia in court in Florence in June 1914. (Getty Images)

Peruggia, meanwhile, got six months in jail.

Prof Sassoon laughs: He claimed he was doing it out of nationalism and wanted to give the painting back to his motherland, or some nonsense like that.

He had his quarter of an hour of fame, but otherwise he was a normal carpenter."
Aug. 21Moscow Mayor Bill Lambert on Friday joined Idaho Gov. Brad Little in urging residents to seek a COVID-19 vaccine in light of new surges of the disease around the country driven by the more contagious delta variant.

"I have chosen to be vaccinated against COVID-19," Lambert said in a City of Moscow press release. "Given the impact of the COVID-19 Delta variant on our community and our health system and school system, I am encouraging those who have not been vaccinated to make the decision to get the shot now."

The release noted those who are fully vaccinated have a significantly lower likelihood of contracting an infection, but early evidence suggests they can still spread the virus even when they aren't experiencing symptoms.

The release urged residents to wear facemasks in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status, and to get tested if they're experiencing symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has been infected.

There were 55 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Whitman and Latah counties Friday, pushing in-county case totals to 4,665 and 3,485 respectively.

Latah County's share of new cases was 22, including one person younger than 18, four men and two women between the ages of 18 and 29, three men and two women in their 30s, a man and three women in their 40s, two men in their 50s, a woman in her 60s and a man and two women in their 70s. As of Friday, deaths related to COVID-19 remained unchanged in Latah County at 16, and 3,227 people have recovered from the disease since the pandemic began.

Whitman County Public Health reported 23 new cases Friday. The county's death toll remained flat at 54 and no new hospitalizations were reported.
Aug. 20Investigators are hoping someone will come forward to help them solve the shooting death of a Fridley man Wednesday afternoon in Mounds Views.

Mounds View Police Chief Nate Harder identified Jalyn Tremaine Bass as the man killed in Wednesday's shooting. Bass, of Fridley, died 10 days before his 21st birthday.

Harder said Friday that investigators, including those from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, were pursuing multiple leads, but that no one had been identified as a suspect and that "we have very limited cooperation from everyone involved at this point."

"We are looking for information from the public," Harder added.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mounds View police at 763-717-4071 or Minnesota Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

UNRESPONSIVE WHEN FOUND

On Wednesday, shortly before 4:30 p.m., Mounds View police were called to the 2500 block of County Road I, where multiple shots had been fired and someone was possibly injured.

Officers were soon notified by dispatchers that a vehicle had fled the scene with the injured person inside. The vehicle was then reported to be at Mounds View Boulevard and Pleasant View Drive, a little more than a mile from the shooting scene.

Officers then went to the second location and found Bass on the ground near the vehicle, according to police. He was unresponsive and had suffered a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, Bass died at the scene.

BASS ON PROBATION

At the time of his death, Bass was serving concurrent probation terms related to an April 2020 Speedway gas station shooting and for a previous assault for spitting on a Mounds View police officer's face in October 2019. However, the assault on the officer conviction didn't come until after the shooting.

According to court documents, Bass in an interview with police admitted to firing several shots at someone outside the Speedway at County Road I and Mounds View Boulevard and told them it was in self-defense against people with whom he had "bad blood." No one was injured.

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In a plea agreement with Ramsey County prosecutors on Oct. 19, 2020, Bass was convicted of a second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon charge and a second-degree attempted murder charge was dismissed. Judge Timothy Mulrooney stayed a 57-day jail sentence for Bass and put him on five years of probation. He had faced up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the attempted murder charge.

PREVIOUS TROUBLE

In January 2020, Bass pleaded guilty to felony fourth-degree assault after charging documents say he spit on a Mounds View police officer following an Oct. 22, 2019, traffic stop for speeding along County Road H near Long Lake Road.

Bass was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant, according to the criminal complaint. Outside a squad car, Bass physically resisted, repeatedly yelled and cursed at officers and threatened to "pop a cap in a couple of y'all," the complaint read. Once inside the car, he "violently kicked at the door, causing the car to rock from side to side," the complaint alleged, and then took a deep breath and spat at the officer through the partition. The saliva landed "all over his face and directly in his right eye," charges read.

A short time later, Bass said that he was sorry and had acted out of anger, according to the complaint.

In a court hearing on the criminal charge two days later, Ramsey County Judge Paul Yang released Bass with no bail amount or conditions.

Ten days after he was given probation for the gas station shooting, Judge Reynaldo Aligada Jr. stayed a 65-day jail sentence for Bass in the spitting case and gave him three years of concurrent probation.
(Reuters) -Myanmar's military government has arrested two more local journalists, army-owned television reported on Saturday, the latest among dozens of detentions in a sweeping crackdown on the media since a Feb. 1 coup.

Sithu Aung Myint, a columnist for news site Frontier Myanmar and commentator with Voice of America radio, and Htet Htet Khine, a freelance producer for BBC Media Action, were arrested on Aug. 15, Myawaddy TV reported.

Sithu Aung Myint was charged with sedition and spreading false information that Myawaddy said was critical of the junta and had urged people to join strikes and back outlawed opposition groups.

Htet Htet Khine was accused of harbouring Sithu Aung Myint, a criminal suspect, and working for and supporting a shadow National Unity Government.

BBC Media Action said in a statement it was concerned about Htet Htet Khine's safety and the charges against her, and was closely monitoring the situation.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the pair were being held incommunicado.

"We strongly condemn the arbitrary conditions of their detention, which reflect the brutality with which the military junta treats journalists," said its Asia-Pacific desk head Daniel Bastard.

Myanmar remains fraught with instability and opposition to army rule, under which more than 1,000 people have been killed, according to an activist group that has tracked killings https://reut.rs/3sze8TG by security forces.

The military, which has revoked the licenses of many news outlets, says it respects the role of media but will not allow news reporting it deems false or likely to create public unrest.

A report by the Committee to Protect Journalists https://bit.ly/3glb0WN last month said Myanmar's rulers had effectively criminalised independent journalism.

Human Rights Watch late last month said the army government had arrested 98 journalists since the coup and should stop prosecuting media staff https://bit.ly/2W6oezW. Of those arrested, 46 remained in custody as of the end of July.

(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Mike Harrison and William Mallard)
Weve had enough and were not taking it anymore, union workers said in a statement

If you were to walk into any grocery store in America, youd likely see the popular snack brands Oreo, Chips Ahoy and Ritz Crackers lining the shelves. Now, as hundreds of union employees for those brands manufacturer, Nabisco, are on strike over potential contractual changes, your favorite sweet and salty treats may not be so easy to find for much longer.

After Nabiscos previous contract with parent company Mondelez International Inc. expired in May, negotiations began for a new four-year contract with proposed changes including scrapping the old work schedule of eight-hour shifts, five days a week in favor of 12-hour shifts, three or four days a week, with overtime premiums only available for those who work over 40 hours in a week.

MIAMI  JULY 1: The Nabisco logo is visible at an Oreo cookie display in a store July 1, 2003 in Miami, Florida. Kraft Foods Inc., the nations largest food manufacturer and the maker of Nabisco cookies and crackers, plans to examine the nutrition of its products and take steps to fight obesity and promote health. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

According to Vice, many Nabisco workers were already working 12 and 16 hour shifts during the height of the pandemic, fueling employees displeasure with workplace conditions. Among the other proposed changes worrying employees is a new healthcare plan that workers say would cost significantly more for newly hired individuals.

Protests began on August 10 when roughly 200 workers at a Portland, Oregon production factory walked off the job and onto a picket line, later joined on Monday by approximately 400 employees who did the same at a Richmond, Virginia factory. On Thursday, workers at an Aurora, Colorado distribution hub joined the cause.

The day Portland workers began their strike, the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM), with which Nabisco workers are unionized, released a statement explaining the motive behind their efforts.

After years of Nabisco closing bakeries and moving thousands of BCTGM jobs to Mexico and threatening to move even more jobs to Mexico, our members are saying, Weve had enough and were not taking it anymore.

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Cameron Taylor, a business agent for Portlands BCTGM chapter told Insider: Were not striking for huge demands. Were striking to hold on to what we already have.

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Mondelez International released a statement Friday saying it is disappointed by workers decision to strike, emphasizing that its goal has always been to work in good faith with union employees.

We are disappointed by the decision of the local BCTGM unions at our Portland (OR), Richmond (VA) and Chicago (IL) bakeries and our Aurora (CO) and Addison (IL) sales distribution facilities to go on strike, Mondelez International said. Our goal has been  and continues to be  to bargain in good faith with the BCTGM leadership across our U.S. bakeries and sales distribution facilities to reach new contracts.

As the movement gains steam nationally, high-profile public figures are showing support for the cause, including Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders, who tweeted Wednesday: I stand in solidarity with @BCTGM workers in Oregon, Colorado, and Virginia who are on strike for a fair contract and for decent working conditions. If Nabisco can rake in billions of dollars in corporate profits, they can afford to treat their workers with dignity and respect.

American actor Danny DeVito also publicly supported Nabisco workers via Twitter on Wednesday.

Support Nabisco workers striking for humane working hours, fair pay, outsourcing jobs. NO CONTRACTS NO SNACKS, DeVito wrote.

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The post Nabisco workers nationwide are on strike amid possible increased hours, reduced benefits appeared first on TheGrio.
Aug. 20The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has scheduled a pair of local hearings on AES Ohio's bid for higher electric distribution charges.

The local hearings are scheduled to let the public to testify in what would be the former Dayton Power & Light's first distribution rate increase since 2015.

They will be 1 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Dayton Municipal Building, commission chambers, 101 W. Third St. and then 6 p.m. Sept. 28, 2021, at the same location.

The PUCO's evidentiary hearing will begin at 10 a.m. Oct. 26, at PUCO offices, hearing room 11-A, 11th floor, 180 E. Broad St., Columbus.

A PUCO staff report has recommended reducing the annual revenue requested by AES Ohio by nearly half  from $120,771,561 to a range between $61,115,418 to $66,665,151, said Matt Schilling, a spokesman for PUCO.

If the commission passes what PUCO staff has recommended, a customer using 750 kilowatt-hours a month would see a 5.47% increase in their bill.

The increase sought by AES Ohio  formerly Dayton Power & Light (DP&L)  would have amounted to a 14.3% increase.

One kilowatt-hour is enough to watch TV for 10 hours or run a vacuum cleaner for an hour.
U.S soldiers stand guard at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 16 as thousands and Afghans and foreigners try to flee Taliban control. (Associated Press)

A vassal state falls to an indigenous political movement, resulting in chaos locally and the departing occupier weakened after decades of military conflict and money spent on enriching oligarchs as much as sustaining infrastructure and institutions. For people of a certain age, this conjures memories of the U.S. fleeing Vietnam or states in Eastern Europe breaking free of Soviet domination.

Most recently, from an American point of view, this describes Afghanistan, another country "lost" by a dominant power. When the U.S.-backed government fell and the Taliban took control of Kabul on Sunday, hastening President Biden's promised withdrawal of American forces, most of our letter writers reacted by expressing sadness and anger over the scenes of chaos in the Afghan capital and the mortal danger in which many women, children and civilians who assisted U.S. personnel suddenly found themselves.

A smaller set of readers tried to put Afghanistan into context, with ample examples from recent history. Some of their letters are below.



To the editor: Everyone seems to be comparing the debacle in Afghanistan with Vietnam. I think they're wrong  the comparison should not be with Saigon in 1975 but with Tehran in 1979.

Then, as now, the U.S. government found itself wrong-footed because it failed to read the mood of the country as a whole rather than just listening to a relatively small Western-oriented elite. Our policies were shaped not to the needs of the country, but with wider geopolitical concerns (now, the need is to "contain" Russia and China).

Our policies toward Iran are still based on unremitting hostility, a Cold War mind-set and a sanctions regime designed to punish the population. Despite this, the Islamic Republic of Iran has survived, and it is likely that Afghanistan will follow a similar course.

Afghanistan isn't just a single point of failure in our foreign policy. It underscores our policy shortcomings in the whole region, from the Middle East to India. We need to rethink our regional goals and methods, because whatever we've been doing just isn't working.

Story continues

Martin Usher, Thousand Oaks

..

To the editor: U.S. support of the corrupt Batista regime in Cuba led to Fidel Castro. U.S. support of the corrupt Diem and Thieu regimes in South Vietnam led to a communist takeover. U.S. support of the Iranian shah led to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Most recently, U.S support of the corrupt regimes in Kabul led to the resurgence of the medieval Taliban.

Time and again, U.S. government hopes that deeply corrupt regimes will flower into liberal democracies with enough American dollars and military assistance have set those countries back for generations. When will we learn?

Michael Armstrong, Hawthorne

..

To the editor: While many make the comparisons of the current retreat from Kabul and that of Saigon in 1975, an equally frightening comparison is the 1842 British retreat from Kabul.

Under a brutal siege by local tribesmen of the 4,500 British and empire troops with 14,000 civilians, Maj. Gen. Sir William Elphinstone ordered an overland retreat to the British garrison at Jalalabad. The retreating caravan was promised safe passage, but it was nevertheless attacked.

One of the worst massacres in military history resulted. Only one British survivor and a handful of sepoys are said to have reached Jalalabad. Survivor William Brydon was asked, "Where is the army?" He answered, "I am the army."

This is the reason Afghanistan is referred to as the "graveyard of empires."

Cary Adams, North Hollywood

..

To the editor: Twenty years made no difference. That is the Afghanistan war. It was not an experiment in democracy. It was a shameful moneymaking venture, like all wars are. It's another American disgrace that will haunt the cemeteries where our soldiers are buried.

We are no smarter, wiser or more self-aware than after any war that came before. We don't have an obligation to force our way of life on the rest of the world. Who came up with this nonsense? It's flawed thinking like this that has led us to another shameful moment in history.

We march into countries, convincing them we know best. But do we really? Look around. Look at the tents strewn block to block in every major city in America.

If I were a U.S. soldier today, I would walk out in protest. Because it's the American soldier who has been sold a bill of goods.

Lisa Harmon, Yakima, Wash.

..

To the editor: So many commentators are asking about Afghanistan, "How can our allies ever trust us again?" These experts talk as if not trusting the U.S. is a bad thing.

Since the Eisenhower administration, the United States has successfully rallied our allies to reinforce some of the most ill-conceived military follies in modern history. We rallied our allies to war in Vietnam. We rallied our allies to invade Iraq. We rallied our allies to invade Afghanistan.

Just imagine how much better off the world would have been if our allies had not trusted us over these disastrous 60-plus years, and imagine how much better off the world will be when our allies cease trusting the United States.

Fred Gober, Playa Vista

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
In March, when Congress passed its $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus package, the legislation included a $4 billion loan forgiveness program targeted at Black and other minority farmers. Based on strong evidence that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had perennially discriminated against certain groups, placing them at much higher risk of foreclosure than white farmers, the program offered a one-time emergency payout to alleviate debt for what it called socially disadvantaged farmers.

The policy represented a worthy and long-overdue attempt to redress historic and ongoing discrimination by USDA. But now the program is under legal siege.

Over the past few months, white farmers and ranchers have filed about a dozen lawsuits against USDA, alleging that they were victims of racial discrimination because, unlike several minority groups, white people did not automatically qualify for the emergency debt relief. While the lawsuits have been filed in multiple states, a class action has been certified in a case in Texas, where five farmers sued with backing from Stephen Miller, President Donald Trumps former adviser. To the chagrin of Black and other minority farmers long awaiting relief, several federal courts have issued temporary injunctions blocking payments while these cases are decided.

Now, the Biden administration must decide whether to soldier on in court to defend the program or seek legislative fixes to inoculate it from legal challenges. But whichever strategic choice Democrats make, the program is worth fighting for. There are strong legal arguments in its favor, and it represents a necessary effort by the U.S. government to disrupt and repair its own legacy of racism against Black and other Americans.

If the federal bureaucracy is ever going to make amends for its history of discrimination  at USDA and beyond  it is going to have to adopt race-conscious policies like the one the Biden administration is trying to implement for farmers. Reckoning with a past and present of racial discrimination requires race-consciousness, not colorblindness.

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Under existing legal precedent, the government has a compelling interest in remedying racial discrimination and preventing its perpetuation. USDAs history of pro-white and anti-Black policies over the past century has been well-documented. As long as programs like this one are narrowly tailored to redressing and preventing racial discrimination against discrete groups, they ought to pass constitutional muster. Of course, how individual judges and Supreme Court justices might rule on these issues is likely to turn on their own judicial philosophies. But the instinct, in law and politics, to turn away from mean facts about systems that disparately harm people of color deserves to be challenged.

In the near term, the results of the white farmers lawsuits could have a significant impact on farmers of color across the country. In particular, without relief payments that USDA was supposed to begin distributing this summer, some Black-owned farms inevitably will collapse  in an industry in which African Americans already have been reduced to 1.4 percent of all farmers, 95 percent of whom are white.

Much is also at stake for President Joe Biden and Democrats, as conservatives could weaponize the USDA program for political gain with aggrieved whites in the 2022 midterms  or try to use one of these lawsuits to entice the Roberts Court to jettison or curtail all race-conscious policies. The question of whether the USDA program is upheld ultimately has profound implications for the Biden administrations efforts to promote racial equity in federal programs, and for the design of any program of reparations in the future.



USDAs history of discrimination has been copiously documented, including by the Biden administration in its brief opposing the temporary injunctions that blocked the debt relief program. Federal policy in the 20th century embodied the ideology of white supremacy, with New Deal programs that were administered on a racially discriminatory basis to exclude Black Americans from some of the largest wealth-building public subsidies. As author Ira Katznelson writes in When Affirmative Action Was White, Southern members of Congress ensured that farm workers  that is, Black sharecroppers  were excluded from New Deal payments to bolster agricultural markets. Black farmers who owned their land were blocked by other means. Decentralized control of funds, administered by local committees from which Black people were excluded, ensured that federal agricultural subsidies largely remained in the hands of powerful white planters.

Even during the Civil Rights movement, as laws were enacted to dismantle Jim Crow, USDA continued its anti-Black practices. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported in 1965 that USDA regularly discriminated against Black farmers when providing loans and financial aid. Historian Pete Daniel writes in his 2013 book, Dispossession: Discrimination Against African American Farmers in the Age of Civil Rights, that hundreds of thousands of Black farmers lost their land in this era because they were cut out of programs essential to capital-intensive farming  through a combination of bureaucratic obfuscation, intentional discrimination, violence and intimidation.

In the post-Civil Rights era, USDA pursued ostensibly neutral policies that in fact discriminated against Black farmers. According to a letter by 13 academic experts on agriculture, introduced into the Congressional Record, to this day federal farm programs perpetuate and exacerbate discrimination by subsidizing crops typically produced by white farmers and rewarding the largest farming operations, the vast majority of which are owned by white people. This, in turn, has distorted credit and farming markets, as well as input costs, to the disadvantage of Black and other minority farmers, the scholars stated.

The unvarnished truth is that discrimination by USDA bureaucrats facilitated the transfer of Black-owned land to whites. Over a century of discrimination, Black farmers lost 16 million acres, more than 90 percent of their land. Rather than being an equalizer, USDA made racial disparities in wealth and well-being between whites and nonwhites worse.

In 1997, Black farmers fought back  suing the agriculture department in a class action case, Pigford v. USDA, that alleged racial discrimination in the distribution of USDA loans and other payments. Two years later, the department offered a settlement, and in 2010, the Obama administration offered a second settlement, for a total of about $2.2 billion. But many farmers and activists were not satisfied because individual payments were meager, not enough injured farmers were reached and the USDAs discriminatory bureaucracy was not fundamentally reformed. According to a Mother Jones analysis, a typical payout [to an individual farmer under Pigford I] was about $50,000, which neither relieved most plaintiffs debts nor helped them regain their land.

Black and minority farmers remain at a disadvantage. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chair of the Senate agriculture committee, has cited studies estimating lost opportunities to minority farmers due to USDA discrimination at more than $120 billion. Meanwhile, white farmers received the overwhelming majority of recent agricultural subsidies and pandemic relief doled out in 2020. Almost all of the $9.2 billion provided through USDAs 2020 Coronavirus Food Assistance Program went to white farmers, as did the virtual entirety of a $21.2 billion Trump administration program created to offset a trade war with China that closed lucrative Chinese markets to American farmers.

The $4 billion debt relief program in the 2021 Covid relief package, signed by President Biden in March, was designed to ensure that the few remaining farmers of color in rural America would survive the pandemic; Black, Hispanic, Asian American and Indigenous farmers were disproportionately at risk of foreclosures and another tsunami of land loss. The policy also was meant to counteract the years-long perpetuation of discrimination at USDA. It would pay off USDA loans made to about 16,000 socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, which Congress defined as having been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. USDA has long interpreted socially disadvantaged farmers to include Americans of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander descent.

As Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) emphasized in supporting the program, USDAs brutal legacy of discrimination was what caused Black farmers and other farmers of color [to be] in a far more precarious financial situation before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Debt relief was necessary for them to survive.



In their lawsuits, white farmers and ranchers have claimed that they were denied equal protection under the U.S. Constitution because socially disadvantaged was a racial category that excluded them from a government benefit. In other words, they contend that race should never be a basis for government largesse.

Race-conscious public policies, however, can be legally justified, depending on the context. Legal precedent suggests that federal, state and local governments that offer a strong basis [of] evidence of racial discrimination can pursue race-conscious policies as long as they are narrowly tailored. That is precisely what Congress did in enacting the farmers debt relief program.

With regard to evidence, members of Congress, particularly Sens. Booker and Stabenow, cited the well-documented discriminatory practices I have surveyed here. It is worth noting, as well, that race-neutral reform efforts had been tried in the past and failed to remedy systemic discrimination at USDA. Untargeted pandemic relief of 2020 also barely reached minority farmers. And minorities individual claims of racial discrimination often were stymied. During the George W. Bush administration, the USDAs Office of Civil Rights made only one finding of discrimination among the more than 14,000 civil rights complaints it received. The Government Accountability Office has issued multiple reports surveying the agencys failure to address complaints due to mismanagement and discrimination. The Trump administration was openly hostile to minority civil rights claims, and hostile or lax at civil rights enforcement at USDA and other agencies.

The debt relief program also meets the narrowly tailored standard in the sense that it is a one-time emergency payout  not a perpetual racial preference  and white farmers could request in writing to be considered eligible for debt relief on a case-by-case basis. White farmers were not automatically included in the program because there is no evidence of white people experiencing systemic exclusion from USDA assistance programs.

The argument made by white farmers suing over the USDA program is not a new one. For more than a century, cynics and supremacists, intent on dividing and conquering to hold on to power, have propagated the false idea that conferring equality on nonwhite people amounts to discrimination against whites. In the late 19th century, the Supreme Court struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875, Congress first attempt to guarantee everyone equal access to transportation facilities, hotels, theaters and places of public amusement. In denying Congress the power to ban private discrimination against African Americans in 1883, the court rationalized that there must be some stage when a former slave ceases to be the special favorite of the laws. For decades afterward, judges often used legal formalities or willful fiction to convince themselves and others that separated Black Americans were treated as equal citizens. Today, advocates of colorblind constitutionalism would deny the state any power to consider race except to remedy recent acts of intentional discrimination.

This crabbed view of equal protection would denude the Fourteenth Amendment of its original purpose  to confer equal rights on African Americans that whites were bound to respect. The radical Republicans who drafted that amendment chose the broadest possible words  equal protection for any person  and specifically contemplated, for example, that Chinese immigrants battling exclusion on the West Coast also would gain constitutional protection from discrimination. In a reconstructed America, all persons were supposed to be free of the structures of supremacy. Of course, it is much easier to dog-whistle or bullhorn to stoke white resentment for ratings or votes than it is to grapple with a palpable legacy of white supremacy.

Yet, those who make the white rights argument should be dissuaded by more recent precedent, too. Justice Anthony Kennedy, while he was still on the Supreme Court, consistently refused to join colorblind constitutional conservatives, and instead carefully applied equal protection standards in individual cases. In 2016, Kennedy wrote an opinion upholding race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions at the University of Texas. In 2015, Kennedy provided the critical vote to uphold a theory of discrimination known as disparate impact under the Fair Housing Act of 1968. He acknowledged that Congress can, and has in several civil rights statutes, banned practices that are fair in form, but discriminatory in operation. He also acknowledged the federal governments history of redlining and promoting segregated housing, and stated that the government had a compelling interest in redressing that history, subject to narrow tailoring. In an earlier case, Kennedy wrote that government has a compelling interest in fighting racial segregation in schooling and listed examples of race-conscious policies that would pass muster, including drawing school attendance zones to disrupt, rather than reinforce, the effects of segregated housing.

If the white farmers lawsuits were to be taken up by the Supreme Court, with its current conservative majority, the prospects for the debt relief programs survival are grim. It is worth noting, however, that Kennedys former law clerks  Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, who reportedly engages in affirmative action in hiring his own law clerks  would be disavowing Kennedys legacy were they to side with advocates of absolute colorblindness.

Whatever the Biden administration or Congress decides to do about legal challenges to the debt-relief program, relentlessly telling the truth about USDAs past and present racism  and that of other government actors  is necessary to living up to our professed ideal of American equality.
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Photos Getty

Before the pandemic, Kiri Anne Ryan Stewart worked as a graphic designer in an office where she was the only trans employee. Stewart, who uses she/they pronouns and also identifies as non-binary, had to learn how to dress to make her colleagues comfortable.

I was dressing and presenting myself in a way that was palatable to straight people, Stewart, who is 35 and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, told The Daily Beast. That wasnt what I wanted to do, but it was what I had to do. I wanted to present in a way that made me feel good and signal my queerness in a way thats important to me, but also didnt offend these expectations the people around me have. It was very, very challenging and exhausting to be honest.

Stewarts office didnt have a very strict dress code. People generally wore whatever they wanted. Except for Stewart: she didnt want to freak people out. So, pre-COVID, Stewart ended up building what she calls a capsule wardrobe.

New York Fashion Week Shows How, and How Not, to Confront the Pandemic

As she explained, these outfits were made up of things that I knew worked and I felt pretty good in and didnt make other people uncomfortable. Very typical, Target, basic, white girl kind of things: cowl neck sweaters and skinny jeans and sneakers.

It was, in Stewarts words, the worst. Stewart grew up with a mother who designed wedding gowns and formalwear. As a kid, she lost herself in the pages of Harpers Bazaar, W, and Vogue. If she could choose, Stewart would dress like a classy badass, wearing a combination of timeless styles and colors but also showing off my love of rock n roll and runway fashion something thats a little bit edgy, or off, or out there.

This is the opposite of what she wore to work every day before the end of March 2020, when the pandemic forced Americans with non-essential jobs into lockdown.

Stewart is not alone in her sartorial journey. Plenty has been written about the way the pandemic changed clothing and fashion trends. During the first wave in March and April, comfort reigned, and the New York Times declared the fashion industry collapsed. Long live sweatpants.

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In a post-vaccine reality (well, for some of us), things look a bit different. Revenge shopping is back: Ad Week reported that Americans were eager to spend on what theyd missed during lockdown: occasion-wear, definitive going out clothes. Fashionista specified that people might just be drawn to whatever the hell they want, noting the rise of the individualized wardrobe.

And now, as people enter and circulate the outside world more, the question is, will they stick to their wardrobe changes, return to their traditional clothing, oras designers so often domix it up?

Stewart, for example, said she had stuck with her old-style wardrobe for two years pre-pandemic, and I got so bored, so stifled, it was just kind of the worst. So in that regard, the pandemic and working from home was one of the best things that could have happened.

The burden of having to please other people with her clothing was lifted overnight. Suddenly it was just Stewart, alone with her mirror. She could wear whatever she wanted.

I started to experiment more, Stewart said. What fashion havent I tried yet because I was too afraid? Being able to do that pushed my identity, too. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was just fully she/her pronouns, a trans woman. And then as I got to explore myself outside of the expectations of a cisgender, heteronormative society, I felt more comfortable using them pronouns. I became much more comfortable exploring the gender map. In August 2020, Stewart came out as non-binary. She changed her Zoom name to include her new pronouns.

Stewart had always wanted to wear more typically feminine clothing like dresses and skirts. But the more she wore those in lockdown, it hit her: I found that it was something I wanted because that was an expectation of femininity, not because I wanted it. So I really didnt end up going in that direction, though I finally could have without judgment.

Instead, Stewart now opts for things that are much more kind of aggressive and butch-y and have lots of top energy, as she put it. Button-down shirts that open really low and show my bra. I had long hair for most of the pandemic, but I shaved a big part off of one side of my head. I started to lean into things that reflected who I am as a queer woman and a non-binary person, that signal what culture I belong to.

A selfie Kiri Anne Ryan Stewart took when I hit upon laboratory safety glasses as a really cool accessory. Kiri Anne Ryan Stewart

Stewarts back in her office for one day a week. But shes content to continue dressing for herself, and not her coworkers. Its been over a year of dressing the way Ive been dressing and shaving the side of my head and doing dark eyeliner, she said. Its a routine for me now, and I dont think Id be able to stop doing it. I dont really think people care all that much about what the people who are coming back into the office look like, anyway. If people try to shoehorn the same people from March 2020 to September 2021, I think theyre going to find that doesnt work. Nothing is the same, and people are so different in so many ways.

Chris Costello, the senior director of marketing research for commerce intelligence platform Skai, told The Daily Beast that consumer conversations about apparel do seem to be evolving this summer. People are talking online about dresses and skirts for women, and theyre now talking about shoes and high heels. Anecdotal information suggests that no one is wearing high heels, but theyre talking about wearing them. Were in that assembly phase of getting your looks together.

Costello added that there is more of an interest online in makeup and cosmetics, including pink lipsticks. People want brighter colors, things like glitter, ways to show off more that were seeing people again. Online conversations about high heels for women increased 37 percent from Quarter 1 to Quarter 2, Costello said.

But not everyone is feeling the need to follow trends. I really dont give a fuck anymore, Samirah Raheem, a model and activist, said. I go to castings and now Im like, baby take it or leave it. There is less of a striving to wanting to be accepted and perceived. I sat down and was quiet for a year, and by the grace of god did proper internal work in this solitude. Now I step into spaces for work and Im more grounded in purpose.

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Raheems back at work now, but for so long she was stuck at home with nothing to dress up for. Being a model, sometimes you just throw on a look and feel like a hanger, she explained. But now Im taking up space in whatever I put on. Its rare that I get to put something on, so I wont take it for granted.

There are certainly no more hard and fast style rules for Pablo Hernandez Basulto, a 27-year-old New Yorker. Basulto works in community engagement for The Public Theater; its an office full of creatives who basically wear anything. Before the pandemic, though, Basulto remembers thinking he had to overdress a bit to counter his young age and look professional.

I felt like if Im not wearing a button down, Im not going to be taken seriously, Basulto said. His closet was full of the same J.Crew button-ups. He wore them at the beginning of the pandemic every day, even though he was working from home, to keep up a routine and stay sane. But when the summer of 2020 hit, and he wasnt going into an office with free AC, Basulto started to show more skin. Surprisingly, he liked it.

One of Pablo Hernandez Basulto's favorite shirts. Pablo Hernandez Basulto

I wore my shorts from the summer of 2019, and I thought, why are these so long? Basulto recalls. They were a 7-inch inseam, and that felt short before the pandemic. But now I have five-inch shorts, and maybe someday those will feel too long too. 2020 was also the first time I bought a Speedo and wore it proudly. I would never have done that.

For Basulto, a cisgender gay man, the pandemic has allowed him to find new ways to express his sexuality. Slowly but surely, I accept layers and layers of what it means to be queer, he said. Thats the biggest goal I have, and I want my clothes to reflect that. The definition of how they reflect that has changed. For instance, I had a light purple button down, and that was queer to me. It was a risk I was taking when I bought it: being a man and wearing purple. But now, Ive given that shirt away. Its not fun anymore. I bought these new bellbottoms, and a shirt with a crazy pattern that people compliment.

Maybe the trauma and chaos of a global pandemic has put things into perspective for Basulto. The things he used to be worried about before 2020 feel so small now.

Those fears, Ive grown past them, he said. Before I bought a Speedo, I would have been so afraid that I looked too gay. But now, I feel like, it can be too gay but so what if its too gay? It doesnt matter, because I am. These are my colors now.

Basulto has noticed his friends come out of their fashion cocoons as well. Weve aged almost two years in this weird incubator, he said. Maybe people are just finally seeing what they would have seen two years later regardless of a pandemic, but its more of a shock now because we were all inside. Coming out, it seems so stark.

One 29 year-old woman named Morgan R., who lives in Michigan and works for Chrysler, isnt all that eager to test out a new wardrobe. She had her son Liam in November 2019, and he was only four months old when the pandemic forced Morgan into lockdown. The majority of his life has been lived during [COVID] and to be honest, its pretty isolated, Morgan said.

Morgan with her son, Liam. Morgan

Morgan was laid off from a job she loved in March 2020. It was hard for her to process, especially as the world seemed to crumble around her. Dressing my baby is definitely an outlet for me, she said. While things may seem crazy around us, our bubble is happy. Our circle is small, but full of love. Every day I look forward to dressing Liam, even when we dont leave the house. During lockdowns, it always brought a sense of normalcy to get up and get him ready for the day.

But Morgan herself, well, shes still working on it. Its more difficult to dress myself, she admitted. A persons body changes so much after childhood. While I may weigh the same as before, clothes don't fit the same. With stores and dressing rooms being closed, I had to rely on online shopping and was often disappointed. My style has changed and Im still not exactly sure what I am most comfortable in. So for now, she puts Liam in adorable outfits for the serotonin boost.

One young woman named Hayley, who lives in San Francisco and works for a nonprofit, has been dating her partner Dylan for over a yearbut he just recently saw her in a dress for the first time.

The pair met on a dating app in March 2020, and the first two months of their relationship was entirely virtual. When they did meet in person, bars were still closed and date night meant take-out food and Netflix. The first time they hung out in real life, Hayley wore a slouchy sweater, leggings, and Vans, which she describes as a sort of lockdown uniform. She still remembers the first time she wore jeans around her partner. We were like, I guess real pants still exist, but why?

Ive embraced feeling more comfortable in my own skin, she said. Dylan never pressures me to get dolled up, but he notices when I do. Whether its clothes or makeup, he notices the little things and makes me feel special because of that, but he tells me Im beautiful even when Im wearing sweatpants.

During Hayleys birthday this year, she and Dylan went to a waterfront dinner on North Lake Tahoe. She packed a dress specifically for the reservation. After over a year of dating, hed never seen her wear one.

The first dress Hayley wore in a year. Hayley

When I put it on, Dylan was like, Wow! A dress? Look how cute you are, Hayley remembers. I laughed a little because its a super casual shirt dress, but it was enough to make him see another facet of me.

Hayley looks forward to more moments of dressing up, though she has mixed feelings about going back to the old ways.

Its actually pretty liberating to feel like Im not defined by the clothes that I wear, she said. I think that as the world reopens a bit, Ill continue to embrace my casual comfort and unrestricted freedom, but also take advantage of the opportunities that arise to get dressed up. I have some pretty cute clothes that havent been touched in over a year, and they deserve some time out in the world.

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SAN DIEGO (AP)  Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night in a matchup of struggling teams.

The Padres have lost eight of nine and are slipping in the race for the second NL wild-card spot. The Padres' loss, along with Cincinnatis 5-3 win over the Marlins on Friday, moved San Diego and Cincinnati into a tie in the wild-card race.

Philadelphia is four games back in the NL wild-card standings.

We really needed this win, Phillies manager Joe Girardi said. The bullpen did a terrific job. (Starter) Matt Moore did a terrific job.

The Phillies scored three runs in the third inning against Padres starter Blake Snell. With two out, Jean Segura walked and stole second base. J.T. Realmuto doubled home Segura, and Harper followed with a long home run to right field off an 84 mph slider.

It's really frustrating overall ... I have to limit the walks, Snell said. I am really surprised at Harper's at-bat. ... I hung a slider inside, which you never want to do to a lefty.

Trailing 3-0, the Padres scored two in the bottom of third against Moore. One batter after Tommy Pham walked, Manny Machado hit a low line-drive homer that hit the top of the left-field fence and bounced into the stands.

In the sixth inning against Phillies reliever Hector Neris, San Diego loaded the bases with two outs. However, Tommy Pham grounded out weakly to shortstop Ronald Torreyes, ending the threat.

We just have not been able to cash in with runners in scoring position, Padres manager Jayce Tingler said. We are trying to play good baseball, that's all we can control. ... This past week didn't go our way, but that doesn't mean it is going to continue. It's going to turn.

Philadelphia added an insurance run in the eighth for a 4-2 lead. Andrew McCutchen hit a double to left field off Emilio Pagan, driving in Segura from first base.

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McCutchen's RBI is the difference in the game, Girardi said. He was swinging the bat well all night.

Hosmer, who reach based four times via a single and three walks, led off the eighth with a free pass against Phillies reliever Archie Bradley and moved to third on a single to center by Wil Myers. Bradley then struck out Adam Frazier and pinch-hitter Trent Grisham before walking Pham to load the bases.

Bradley was lifted in favor of closer Ian Kennedy, who had to face Fernando Tatis Jr. with the bases loaded.

You probably couldn't draw up a tougher situation to come in there, Moore said of Kennedy having to face Tatis.

Kennedy hit Tatis in the helmet with a fastball, forcing in a run. Tatis dusted himself off and was not injured on the play.

It just got away from me, Kennedy said of hitting Tatis.

The next batter, Machado, eventually struck out to end the inning. But during the at-bat, Tingler was tossed for arguing balls and strikes. After the strikeout, Machado was ejected during a heated argument with the home plate umpire. Machado chucked his batting gloves at home plate as he walked back to the dugout.

I just tried to get ahead of Machado, Kennedy said. It's nice to get a call to go my way. ... The umpire didn't change the zone all game. As a pitcher, you just have to pitch to it.

Neris (2-5) earned the victory in relief for the Phillies, and Kennedy earned his 20th save by retiring the Padres in order in the ninth.

Snell (6-5) took the loss.

Every team is going to go through a stretch where you lose a bunch of games, Snell said. It's all about how you bounce back and fight.

TRAINERS ROOM

Phillies: CF Odubel Herrera (right elbow swelling) is day to day after he was hit on the right elbow with a pitch on Aug. 19 against the Diamondbacks. ... 1B Rhys Hoskins (strained left groin), who is on the 10-day IL, might return on August 21. Hoskins fielded ground balls and took batting practice on Friday. ... LHP Jose Alvarado (left shoulder impingement), also on the 10-day IL, threw a bullpen session on Friday. Alvarado will throw another session on Sunday.

Padres: Newly acquired RHP Jake Arrieta (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day IL, two days after he exited his first Padres outing in the fourth inning of San Diegos loss to the Rockies on Aug. 18. ... RHP Yu Darvish (lower back tightness) threw a bullpen session on Friday, his first since he exited his start on Aug. 12. Manager Jayce Tingler would not put a timetable on a potential Darvish return.  RHP Chris Paddack (left oblique strain) threw off the front slope of the mound on Wednesday, then went through an intensive bullpen session on Friday in which he threw 25 pitches. ... .RHP Dinelson Lamet (right forearm inflammation) threw a bullpen session on Thursday, his first since a hip he incurred in mid-August. Lamet, who has spent four stints on the IL with elbow/forearm related issues this season, is being prepped to return as a reliever in September. ... .LHP Drew Pomeranz (left flexor tendon tear) was moved to the 60-day IL and is not expected to return until next season.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (7-7, 4.48 ERA) takes the hill.

Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove (8-8, 3.11 ERA) starts in the second game of the three-game series.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/tag/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Bogensee bei Wandlitz owned by Joseph Gobbels. Hohlfeld/ullstein bild via Getty Images

Plans to turn Joseph Gobbels' former house into a yoga and artists' retreat have been scrapped.

One of the members working on the project was found to have had ties to far-right groups.

The bungalow was supposed to be turned into an environmental village for artists.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A plan to turn a bungalow owned by Hitler's henchman Joseph Gobbels into an artist and yoga retreat has been scrapped after it emerged that a team member behind the project had links to far-right groups.

The proposal for the project issued earlier this year by the LKC Bogensee initiative included turning the former country retreat of Hitler's propaganda chief into an environmentally friendly village complete with yoga studios and workshops for artisans.

The villa, which has a private cinema, a bunker, and former SS barracks, is located in a forest next to the Bogensee, a lake north of Berlin.

But officials rejected the proposal after it came out that one of the founding members of the initiative, Dirk Schneider, had links to the far-right Reich Citizen's movement or Reichsburgerbewegung.

Read more: Why Coca-Cola invented Fanta in Nazi Germany

The Reich Citizen movement rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state and is often connected to far-right and antisemitic positions. It has an estimated 19,000 members across the country.

In an email to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, Schneider wrote that he supports "the Kingdom of Germany in the search and development of real estate."

The LKC Bogensee initiative has claimed on its website that it wasn't aware of Schneider's connections.

"These people have been secretly working towards the goal of bringing the Bogensee area under the control of the KRD, taking advantage of our ideas, our power, and our commitment," LKC Bogensee initiative said on its website, according to The Times. "We expressly distance ourselves from the KRD, Reichsburger, anti-COVID campaigners, and all anti-democratic groups and views."

Story continues

German authorities have previously said that buildings linked to prominent Nazi figures should be torn down to keep away neo-Nazis and keep down maintenance costs.

Last year, Austrian authorities announced they would be turning Hitler's birthplace into a police station.

Read the original article on Insider
Aerial views showed protesters breaking through police lines and being met with pepper spray, as they continued to march through the city streets.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Saturday expanded a lockdown in that city to the entire state as he reported 61 new locally acquired cases.

At least 39 of the new Victoria cases were active in community while infectious, raising concerns over officials' ability to gain control over the outbreak. Eighteen people were in hospital, eight in intensive care and six on ventilators.

Australia's COVID-19 numbers are still relatively low compared to other developed countries, with just over 43,000 cases and 978 deaths, but the latest outbreak has seen a significant resurgence in cases.
More than twice as many Americans say students and staff should be required to wear masks in schools as say they shouldnt, according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll  and they oppose Republican efforts to prevent local school districts from requiring masks by a similar 2-1 margin.

The survey of 1,649 U.S. adults, which was conducted from Aug. 16 to 18, found that parents and the broader public are both firmly on the side of school districts that have taken to defying GOP governors such as Floridas Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott of Texas. Despite orders to the contrary, such districts have been implementing their own mask mandates as the hypercontagious Delta variant rips through undervaccinated parts of the country.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Nearly 6 in 10 Americans (57 percent) say they disagree with DeSantis-style bans on universal masking in schools; just half as many (29 percent) agree. When asked whether masks should be required in schools while Delta is surging, the gap is even larger: A full 62 percent of Americans say yes, while just 26 percent say no.

The reason why prohibiting mask requirements in school is so unpopular is simple: As kids under the age of 18 head back to class, nearly two-thirds of their parents (65 percent) are either very (38 percent) or somewhat (27 percent) worried about them catching and spreading COVID-19.

Already, tens of thousands of students and staff have been showing up for the first days of instruction only to discover  almost immediately  that they now have to isolate or quarantine for a week or more after testing positive themselves or coming into close contact with someone who has.

Its no surprise, then, that about 6 in 10 parents also say that students and staff should be required to wear masks at school while Delta is surging (61 percent) and that they will tell their own children to wear a mask at school, regardless of whether masks are required (62 percent).

Only about half as many parents say otherwise.

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Students entering Miami's St. Lawrence Catholic School on Wednesday, the first day of school. (Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images)

DeSantis and others have framed their opposition to masking in schools  which works best if everyone is doing it  as a matter of parental choice. But the poll makes clear that the vast majority of pushback to school mask requirements breaks down along partisan lines. More than 8 in 10 Democrats favor school mask requirements (88 percent), disagree with bans on them (83 percent) and, if they are parents, say they will tell their kids to cover their faces in class (82 percent). Six in 10 independents say the same.

Republicans, meanwhile, are the only group that takes the opposite view on each of these questions, with about half saying they oppose school mask requirements (50 percent), agree with bans on them (55 percent) and, if they are parents, will not tell their kids to cover their faces in class (49 percent).

Republican parents are also much less worried (39 percent) than Democrats (85 percent) or independents (63 percent) about their kids getting COVID  which likely explains why they are less inclined to want masks in schools.

Even so, its notable that anti-mask views are far less popular among Republicans than pro-mask views are among Democrats. A full 44 percent of Republican parents, for instance, say they will tell their kids to mask up at school, and the combined number of Republicans who say they either favor school mask requirements (36 percent) or arent sure (15 percent) is slightly larger than the number who oppose such mandates (again, 50 percent).

Families in Tampa protest the possibility of mask mandates. (Octavio Jones/Getty Images)

Overall, about half of parents (52 percent) report that their school districts require masks; 25 percent say they do not, and 22 percent are unsure. At least 10 percent of all parents, therefore, say they will send their children to school wearing masks in districts that do not mandate them.

Masks are one of the most effective and efficient strategies for minimizing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and one of the only methods available for children under 12, who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated. But experts also say that a key part of keeping younger children safe and schools open is for everyone around them  parents, siblings, teachers, staff and older students  to get vaccinated. The lower the infection rate in the surrounding community, the fewer cases will crop up in classrooms.

In light of Deltas rapid spread  and the early disruptions its causing in schools  the number of parents who now say they will get their kids vaccinated when such shots are fully approved for use in minors jumped 7 points over the last two weeks, from 33 percent to 40 percent, with the shift coming almost entirely from a decline in not sure responses. Another 17 percent of parents say their minor children  presumably children between the ages of 12 and 17  are already vaccinated.

Still, as the Yahoo News/YouGov poll has repeatedly shown, those who are most likely to contract and spread COVID continue to say they are doing the least to protect themselves and others. In this case, unvaccinated parents are more than twice as likely to say they will send their kids to school without masks (41 percent) as vaccinated parents (17 percent).

__________________

The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,649 U.S. adults interviewed online from Aug. 16 to Aug. 18, 2021. This sample was weighted according to gender, age, race and education based on the American Community Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, as well as 2020 presidential vote (or non-vote) and voter registration status. Respondents were selected from YouGovs opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.7 percent.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
PARIS (Reuters) - Thousands demonstrated across France for a sixth consecutive weekend on Saturday against a COVID-19 health pass required for daily activities, highlighting a simmering political risk for President Emmanuel Macron.

The Interior Ministry said around 175,500 people in total demonstrated on Saturday - down from roughly 215,000 last weekend although numbers could increase as people return from summer holidays.

The health pass is official documentation, with a QR scan code, that proves a person has had the COVID-19 vaccine. Many French bars, restaurants, museums and sports venues will not allow people inside unless they can show the health pass.

While the majority of people in France have been vaccinated against COVID-19, demonstrators argue the health pass discriminates against those who have not, and infringes upon people's liberties.

"This health pass divides French people. I think that is clear. And unfortunately, I believe we should abolish it," said civil servant Sophie Soulas at the Paris protest.

The protests have united a disparate group against the health pass, which is designed to encourage more people to get vaccinated and protect France against a fourth wave of the virus.

The biggest demonstration in Paris was led by far-right politician Florian Philippot, head of 'Les Patriotes' party, while there was also a demonstration by left-wing protesters linked to the 'Yellow Vests' ('Gilets Jaunes') movement.

(Reporting by Manuel Ausloos, Antony Paone, Christian Hartmann, Sudip Kar-Gupta and Gilles Guillaume; editing by Jason Neely)
Aug. 21The Queen's Health Systems declared an "internal state of emergency " Friday as an influx of COVID-19 patients at its West Oahu hospital outstripped available beds and the ability of staff to care for them.

"That means that all hands are on deck, " said Jason Chang, chief operating officer of The Queen's Health Systems and president of The Queen's Medical Center.

Chang said that at one point 63 patients showed up at the emergency department at The Queen's Medical Center-West Oahu, 26 of whom believed they were sick with COVID-19.

"That's a crisis because that emergency department has 24 beds, and 63 makes it very tough for us to provide the right amount of care, " he said.

All of the 104 beds at the West Oahu hospital are full, and as many patients as possible are being transferred to The Queen's Medical Center in downtown Honolulu and potentially the neighbor islands, said Chang.

But that too is a challenge, as those hospitals are also struggling to take care of the increase in patients as COVID-19 cases soar throughout the islands.

Earlier this week Chang said the hospital system had, was canceling elective surgeries and procedures, and postponing more serious surgeries when possible.

He said city officials are helping set up a triage tent outside the West Oahu hospital with about two dozen cots. The National Guard also may be called in to help.

"It's really a crisis out there, " he said. "The number of new COVID cases is just increasingly high."

Chang said area residents should still go to the West Oahu hospital if they have an emergency, such as a heart attack or stroke.

The emergency declaration applies to all of Queen's health care facilities. Queen's is expecting 74 relief nurses from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to arrive Monday. Overall, the state is expecting more than 500 health care workers to arrive in Hawaii to assist with the surge in cases.

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"It's overwhelming our system, " said Chang, who urged residents to get vaccinated and stay home from social events. He also advised residents to call the Queen's at 691-2619 if they are worried about symptoms and need health care advice.

Meanwhile, top state and county officials are debating various new restrictions to help curtail the spread of the coronavirus. On Friday state officials reported 845 new COVID-19 cases and four more deaths. The state is averaging 661 new cases a day.

Lt. Gov. Josh Green said the state is considering a vaccination verification program, similar to San Francisco and New York City, which would require people to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to enter restaurants, bars, gyms and other indoor establishments.

He said such a policy could be two to three weeks away.

"We are working up that policy and giving it as an option to the governor, " Green told Spotlight Hawaii, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's livestream program, on Friday.

A vaccine verification program for businesses is among a number of options Green said the governor and county mayors are considering as the highly contagious delta variant causes COVID-19 cases to surge throughout the islands and an influx of patients strains hospitals. Green said imposing a curfew to relieve pressure on emergency rooms is one idea, but he doubts it will happen.

While a portion of the public is pushing for more stringent measures to control the spread of the virus, Green said the policy decisions are complicated.

"I know there are people out there who say, 'Look, just shut it all down, '" said Green. "But that's a pretty difficult thing to do when suddenly a family who got vaccinated won't be able to pay their rent, won't be able to pay their mortgage, won't be able to pay for groceries for their children, may not have extra unemployment protection."

Green said it's difficult to punish everyone because 17 % of residents who are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine still haven't gotten it. But if case numbers can't be controlled or there are outbreaks in schools, Green said, the state will likely have to look at shutdowns.

As of Friday morning there were 381 people hospitalized with COVID-19 throughout the state, 90 % of whom are unvaccinated, said Green. On July 1, before the delta variant of the coronavirus caused a spike in cases, there were just 40 people hospitalized with the virus, according to state data.

Green said there are 3, 200 hospital beds throughout the state, about 2, 200 of which are currently staffed. The state is in the midst of bringing in more than 500 relief workers, including critical care nurses and respiratory technicians, which is expected to help the hospitals open up more beds.

Green said the state also has a variety of options to increase capacity, including turning hotels into makeshift hospitals, using the National Guard to set up portable hospitals and using the Hawai 'i Convention Center for patients.

On the more extreme end of options is building a new facility, which would cost about $300 million. "That would be if we had months and months of high levels in the hospital and our hospital facilities couldn't survive, " he said.
Senior Republican officials think President Joe Biden's handling of the situation in Afghanistan significantly boosts their chances of winning key races in the 2022 midterm elections, especially the Senate races in Arizona, Georgia, and New Hampshire.

Multiple GOP officials spoke with the Washington Examiner about how the Biden administration's strategic choices and messaging on the subject will play out in congressional races, even though midterm elections are generally not decided on foreign policy.

BIDEN IN 'CONSTANT CONTACT' WITH TALIBAN THROUGHOUT EVACUATION PROCESS

One official claimed the situation makes Biden look like a "failed leader," adding the idea that the president represented a "return to normalcy" has "quickly worn off."

A second GOP official agreed with that assertion but suggested Republicans wouldn't have to emphasize the specific point on Afghanistan, as it's yet another point of "general frustration" over Biden's foreign policy. That official also claimed the president and his top officials' inability to "get their stories straight" makes the administration look disorganized and incapable of performing executive branch duties.

In terms of specific races, Republicans already viewed sitting Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire as particularly vulnerable, and officials cite the high veteran populations in those states as a campaigning boon given the situation in the Middle East.

Georgia, in particular, had the fifth-most active military personnel living in the state and the ninth-largest total veteran population back in 2019.

Yet another official conceded that Hill Republicans in the minority have very few opportunities to take congressional action but joked that "luckily" some Democrats in Congress will take care of that for them.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia, and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed of Rhode Island have all called for hearings with administration officials on the planning and execution of the troop withdrawal and subsequent evacuation. Those members have also stated they wish to hear testimony from Trump administration officials on former President Donald Trump's planned withdrawal and peace negotiations with the Taliban.

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Furthermore, Republicans will also look to highlight several Democratic congressional candidates who have been "silent" on the subject, despite numerous lawmakers from both parties criticizing the Biden administration's handling of the situation in recent days.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has already issued statements attacking Democratic Reps. Val Demings of Florida, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio, and Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, all of whom are running for Senate in 2022, for "following the leader."

"As Americans across the country and legislators from both sides of the aisle are speaking out against President Bidens botched withdrawal in Afghanistan, some vulnerable Democrats are playing partisan politics and refusing to condemn President Biden and his administration," one such release reads. "If these vulnerable Democrats have any hope for 2022, they must speak out clearly to denounce what the Biden Administration has done and demand action and accountability. Americans deserve it and our allies deserve it."

T.W. Arrighi, an NRSC spokesman, claimed in a statement both Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate Democrats "are currently in hiding, praying and hoping that the quagmire in Afghanistan, created by President Biden, blows over quickly."

"Their brazen lack of leadership is making a bad situation worse," he continued. "The American people are disgusted and horrified with the continued poor handling of this situation by Democrats and are clamoring for new leadership."

Polling on both Biden's handling of Afghanistan and his general presidential approval shows figures have dropped significantly since the fall of the Afghan government on August 15.

Prior to the Taliban's quick conquest of Kabul and the surrounding provinces, nearly 70% of respondents approved of the Biden's planned withdrawal. That figure fell by as much as 15 points in some polls conducted this past week. Similarly, Biden's approval rating in the RealClearPolitics polling aggregate fell below 50% for the first time after the Taliban resurgence.

Biden has heartily defended his decision to withdraw and close the book on a 20-year "endless war," telling ABC's George Stephanopoulos on Wednesday there was no way to get out of Afghanistan that didn't end in "chaos."

"It was a simple choice," Biden said. "When you had the government of Afghanistan, the leader of that government, getting into a plane and taking to another country, when you saw the significant collapse of the Afghan troops we had trained, up to 300,000 of them just leaving their equipment and taking off, that's what happened."

"We're going to go back in hindsight and look, but the idea that somehow we could have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens," he concluded.

"This evacuation mission is dangerous. It involves risks to our armed forces, and it is being conducted under difficult circumstances," the president added in a national address on Friday. "I cannot promise what the final outcome will be or what it will be  that it will be without risk of loss. But as commander in chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary."

You can watch his comments in their entirety below.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Joe Biden, Afghanistan, White House, 2022 Elections, Raphael Warnock, Georgia, Arizona, Mark Kelly, New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan, Campaigns

Original Author: Christian Datoc

Original Location: Republicans optimistic Afghanistan chaos will win them Senate races in Arizona, Georgia, and New Hampshire
ShaCarri Richardson finished ninth in her first race since a 30-day suspension over a failed drug test, which kept her from competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

Richardson said she wasnt upset at all after the 100-meter race at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.

Count me out if you want to, talk all the shit you want, because Im here to stay. Im not done, she said after the race.

She congratulated the winners, including Elaine Thompson-Herah, who won the Olympic gold earlier this summer and who placed first on Saturday.

Richardson ran against all three 100-meter Tokyo Olympic medalists: Thompson-Herah, silver medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and bronze medalist Shericka Jackson, all of whom are from Jamaica. Richardson congratulated all three after their performance in the Games earlier this month, praising powerful, strong black women dominating the sport in a tweet.

Richardson was widely seen as an Olympic favorite ahead of the Tokyo Games, winning the 100-meter final at the U.S. track and field Olympic trials in Eugene in June. On July 1, it was reported that Richardson had failed a drug test at the trials, testing positive for marijuana. (The drug is legal for recreational use in Oregon, where she was when she used it.)

Sha'Carri Richardson after winning the Women's 100-meter final during the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. (Photo: Patrick Smith via Getty Images)

She accepted a 30-day suspension and apologized, telling NBCs Savannah Guthrie she used the drug after a reporter confronted her with news of her biological mothers death.

I know what I did, I know what Im supposed to do, what Im allowed not to do. And I still made that decision, Richardson said.

Though the timing of her suspension made it possible for Richardson to run as part of the U.S.s 4x100-meter relay team, U.S. Track and Field denied her a spot on the roster, saying in a statement that it was incredibly sympathetic toward ShaCarri Richardsons extenuating circumstances and strongly applaud her accountability  and will offer her our continued support both on and off the track.

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The Orange County Register reported Richardson has been training in Florida since her suspension.

Training has been going well, regardless of the situation, Richardson told reporters Friday. My talent has not gone anywhere. So just ready to get back on the track.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Aug. 21Emphasizing that the COVID-19 virus does not stop at any town or city border, two councils of governments joined together Friday to call on Gov. Ned Lamont to impose a unified, statewide mandate on indoor masking.

The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, which represents 22 cities, towns and boroughs, and the Capitol Region Council of Governments, which has 38 member municipalities, held a news conference, with the backing of their health districts, to highlight the importance of indoor masking. They advocated for a uniform mask mandate across the state's 169 municipalities, as coronavirus cases rise, fueled by the delta variant.

The councils together represent about a third of the state's municipalities.

East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc, chair of the Capitol Region Council of Governments, said the coronavirus transmission rate has accelerated through Connecticut, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that people in areas with substantial or high transmission rates wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status.

While Lamont's Aug. 5 executive order provides municipal leaders with the option of requiring masks in indoor public places, she said an overarching statewide mandate is necessary, as people come in and out of communities for shopping and work.

"We know that COVID and the pandemic and the variant do not stop at the borders of our communities," she said.

North Stonington First Selectman Michael Urgo, vice chair of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, said SCCOG members came to a consensus that masks should be worn in indoor settings, as health officials are telling people.

"We're especially concerned for kids," he said. "They cannot get vaccinated because they're not eligible, and we know masks prevent the spread (of the coronavirus)."

Urgo said the story has changed since mask mandates were lifted in the spring. "Unfortunately, not enough people took the vaccine and thus herd immunity was not accomplished, so now we have a new strain that we know even those vaccinated can be infected by and spread unknowingly," he said. "While those vaccinated are very unlikely to have serious symptoms, there are many, as I said, who can't get the vaccine."

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Urgo said people do not always live, work and shop in the same town, so it does not make sense to have different rules in different towns. He said a statewide mandate would immediately impact the infection rate and protect people.

"We don't want to see a mutation that can't be controlled by our current vaccines to pop up, so we've got to stop the spread now," he added.

Ledge Light Health District Director Stephen Mansfield said his agency and Uncas Health District strongly support a statewide masking protocol.

Without a statewide mandate, he said there is a patchwork of inconsistent protocols: some towns have implemented a mandate, while others are sticking with the status quo or issuing a strong recommendation for masks. This inconsistency sends a fragmented message to the public and may lead to disparate health and economic outcomes for municipalities.

"In short, our citizens are receiving different levels of protection from COVID while in public settings," Mansfield said.

On Wednesday, SCCOG Chairman Fred Allyn III, the mayor of Ledyard, sent a letter that informed the governor that SCCOG issued a recommendation urging voluntary indoor masking across the region. The recommendation came after 20 of the council's 22 municipal members met during a teleconference, along with representatives from regional health districts, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe, the Naval Submarine Base and Coast Guard Academy.

The letter also called on the governor to "issue a new Executive Order to require indoor mask wearing statewide until such time as the coronavirus infection rate in Connecticut is in decline and counties in the state are no longer in the CDC's substantial or high transmission categories."

In the region, the City of Groton, Town of Groton and New London on Wednesday announced indoor mask mandates, effective Monday.

After a discussion among most of the representatives of the Capitol Region Council of Governments' 38 member municipalities, the council of governments sent a letter to Lamont on Thursday that also called for a statewide mandate for indoor masking.

At a COVID-19 news briefing on Thursday, Lamont said some communities have low vaccination rates, and he thinks a mask mandate is very appropriate there. But he said there are some communities with high vaccination rates and, in those places, he wants to give people an incentive to be vaccinated.

However, he said the state will continue to monitor the numbers and, if coronavirus cases are rising, "it could change."

In the Capitol Region Council of Governments, municipalities implementing mask mandates include Bloomfield, Farmington, Hartford, Manchester, Mansfield, Simsbury, West Hartford and Windsor Locks, South Windsor and Windsor, the council's Chief Operating Officer Pauline Yoder said.

Leclerc said that while East Hartford is putting together a mask mandate, it is looking for a statewide mandate so there is no ambiguity for people passing through different towns.

C.J. Thomas, chair of the Farmington Town Council, said Farmington plans to implement a mask mandate but is requesting the statewide mandate. "We have in Farmington more people that travel into our town to work here than actually live here, so not having any of our surrounding towns following suit kind of makes our mandate ineffectual," he said.

Mansfield Mayor Toni Moran said that the town adopted a mandate for masking in all public places, including government offices and any facilities that handle 25 or more occupants. She said Mansfield, home to the University of Connecticut in the village of Storrs, is concerned about the impact of the 10,000 or more people coming next week from across the state and world, though she noted the university "has taken a very proactive responsibility on this."

"They have required everybody who is going to be on campus to be vaccinated, but I am really concerned about the spread of the delta variant, and without having mask mandates statewide, we can't guarantee that the people who come into our community will understand our rules and will abide by them," she said, "so we are very much in favor of a statewide mandate."

k.drelich@theday.com
WASHINGTON  On a sunny June afternoon, Joe Biden concluded the initial phase of his first foreign trip as president by confidently declaring that Americas reputation was on the rebound on the world stage.

Americas back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values, Biden announced from a seaside resort in England, where hed just wrapped up three days of meetings with some of the worlds most powerful leaders.

Biden assured reporters at the close of the Group of Seven summit that hed made progress in reestablishing American credibility among our closest friends.

Just two months later, Bidens own credibility is in question and his campaign to restore Americas reputation abroad is in doubt after the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the swift rout of the countrys American-backed government by Taliban insurgents.

In Europe, leaders who eagerly embraced Bidens presidency after four tumultuous years of Donald Trump have harshly criticized the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan amid harrowing and often violent airport scenes of Afghans desperately trying to flee their homeland.

Clearly, America wanted out of Afghanistan, but the way Biden did it was like someone wanting to lose weight and then cutting their leg off to do it, said Harry Kazianis, a senior director at the Center for the National Interest, a think tank founded by Richard Nixon.

What Biden did was simply not rational, and that will make Americas allies worry for years to come, Kazianis said.

'Disconnected response':Taliban's Afghanistan takeover deals a harsh blow to Biden's 'America is back' foreign policy promise

Taliban fighters stand guard in the main gate leading to Afghan presidential palace, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. The U.S. military struggled to manage a chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan on Monday as the Taliban patrolled the capital and tried to project calm after toppling the Western-backed government.

'A state of whiplash'

Analysts said its too soon to know if the turmoil in Afghanistan will cause long-term consequences for U.S. foreign policy but predicted that, at least initially, it could sow doubts about U.S. reliability in some foreign capitals.

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I think our allies are going to be in a bit of a state of whiplash, said Emily Harding, a deputy director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank.

Biden came in saying America is back, were going to reassert leadership in the world, Im interested in rebuilding alliances, Harding said. And then he sent a pretty clear signal with this withdrawal that we are not necessarily going to stick by those alliances when we decide that its better to pull out.

At the White House, Biden said Friday he had not heard any allies question U.S. credibility given the recent turmoil in Afghanistan. In fact, Biden said, he had heard the exact opposite in his conversations with foreign leaders.

Biden said he spoke to U.S. allies about Afghanistan during the G-7 summit in England, and every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to jointly end our involvement with Afghanistan.

Over the past few days, he also has discussed the unfolding events with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Leaders of G-7 nations also are planning a virtual summit next week to discuss a common strategy and approach in Afghanistan.

'Its just rubbish': Experts doubt Taliban's promises on women and girls

President Joe Biden addresses the fall of Afghanistan on Aug. 16, 2021.

'These are bitter events'

Before the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, Biden had good reason to believe that his campaign to restore Americas credibility abroad was producing results.

A Pew Research Center survey released in June showed that his election had led to a dramatic improvement in Americas image in other nations. The survey, which polled people in 16 countries, showed a significant boost in the U.S.s favorability rating abroad. In 12 nations, a median of 75% of those surveyed expressed confidence in Biden, compared to 17% for Trump last year.

But criticism of Biden and the U.S. among world leaders has been unflinching since Afghanistans stunning collapse.

For those who believed in democracy and freedom, especially for women, these are bitter events," Merkel told members of her party, according to reports in German media.

Norbert Roettgen, the chairman of the German parliament's foreign relations committee, was even more blunt, calling the withdrawal from Afghanistan a serious and far-reaching miscalculation.

This does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West, he said.

In the United Kingdom, Tom Tugendhat, a conservative who chairs Parliament's foreign affairs committee, wrote in an op-ed published in the Times of London that the fall of Kabul was a foreign policy disaster and complained that it revealed the nature of U.S. power and our inability to hold a separate line.

Considering recent events, the U.S. and some of its allies will probably be more reluctant in the future to engage in the kind of transformative, nation-building efforts that were attempted in Afghanistan, said Dan Hamilton, director of the Global Europe Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.

I think the Europeans in particular are going to take a step back from that, he said. I think theyve been stunned by the U.S.s sudden withdrawal.

Kazianis predicted that leaders all over the world will now question Bidens decision-making capabilities, something no U.S. president should ever have to worry about.

Americas allies need to know the Biden administration will have their back in a crisis  especially if that crisis means a challenge from China, Russia, Iran or North Korea, he said. Will Biden make a decision based on some sort of shrewd political calculation, like what seemed to be in the case of Afghanistan?

'Getting worse': Chaos at Kabul airport raises questions about U.S. evacuation effort

See it yourself: Harrowing video shows gunfire, families with crying children at Kabul airport

Adversaries sow doubts about U.S. credibility

U.S. adversaries also are emboldened by what they see as Americas failure in Afghanistan and are using it to cast doubts about Americas credibility.

Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russias Security Council, said the U.S.s exit from Afghanistan suggests it would one day abandon its Ukrainian allies in a similarly abrupt fashion, according to media reports.

Laurel Miller, director of the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group, a think tank, dismissed those kinds of remarks as Russian propaganda and said they arent likely to change the perception of the U.S in places like Ukraine, which is involved in its own protracted conflict with Russia.

But Kazianis suggested Bidens miscalculation in Afghanistan could cost him some of the political bandwidth needed to deal with crises in other parts of the world, such as challenges from China, North Korean denuclearization and the long-term threat Iran poses in the Middle East.

If I am sitting in North Korea, I would think now would be a great time to test an ICBM (missile) or nuclear weapons, he said. If I am in China, I would surely think about testing the Biden administrations will for a crisis over Taiwan. If I am Vladimir Putin, I am surely thinking now could be the time to see if Biden might willing to support Ukraine or in the Baltics.

Given Bidens missteps in Afghanistan, Americas enemies are wondering what other bad decision can we force him into, Kazianis said.

Harding said the Biden administrations pullout of troops from Afghanistan probably wont do long-lasting damage to the U.S. relationship with European countries.

We have a long-term historic alliance with the countries of Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, she said.  When the chips are down, we do tend to have each other's backs.

Even so, (Secretary of State) Tony Blinken and the State Department have a lot of work to do, she said.

Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on Twitter @mcollinsNEWS.

Fact check roundup: Whats true and whats false about the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan

The Backstory: Why we published the 2,443 names of US soldiers who died over 20 years of war in Afghanistan

What went wrong in Afghanistan? Perspectives on the 'forever war' from those who saw it up close

American deaths in Afghanistan: Remembering those we have lost

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Afghanistan: Will chaos hurt Biden pledge to repair U.S. reputation?
Hewad Hemat has been so consumed with anguish about the worsening crisis in his native Afghanistan that hes been unable to sleep.

I wake up after each hour because those pictures are coming in front of my eyes, pictures of women and kids crying, pictures of people clinging to airplanes, Hemat said.

A radio engineer and interpreter, Hemat came to New Haven in 2014 on a special immigrant visa for Afghans who worked for or aided the U.S. military. Now he is worried about those who remain in Afghanistan and face grave danger following the Talibans takeover.

Among those left behind are Hemats three brothers, who could be in jeopardy because of his work for the U.S. government. Im scared for their lives, he said. There have been reports of retaliation, of the Taliban just picking people up and killing them.

On Friday, President Joe Biden promised not to abandon Afghans who risked their lives to aid the U.S. over two decades. He acknowledged that the past week has been heartbreaking.

Bringing American citizens stuck in the country is his first priority, Biden said. But ... equally important almost, is all those who ... in fact helped us. They were translators, they went into battle with us, they were part of the operation,' Biden said during an afternoon news conference at the White House.

His comments came amid mounting criticism about the chaos in Afghanistan as Americans have watched troubling scenes of thousands desperately trying to flee. On Thursday, 55 U.S. senators, including Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, signed a letter urging the Biden administration to take immediate action to protect Afghans who supported the U.S.

The U.S. government should not turn its back on the interpreters, the guards and the others who stood by our side and working with us,' Blumenthal said.

Hemat was one of them. Working with the U.S. military, he ran 15 radio stations in Afghanistan. He hired female journalists and religious scholars who offered a counter to the Talibans doctrinaire interpretation of the Quran.

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We were putting out good messages in support of the U.S. Army and the Afghan government,' Hemat said. We were educating the local population.

But eventually, the radio stations drew the attention of local Taliban leaders. They targeted Hemat, who was a translator and engineer and served as the stations operations manager.

In 2012, when the Taliban learned that I was the person who developed and managed these programs, I started receiving death threats, he said.

He shared the information with his Army manager, who told Hemat he had to leave for his own safety. He fled to a safe house in Kabul, where he continued to run the radio stations for a while. But by 2012, the danger had become too grave and he applied for the special immigrant visa program. Almost two years later, he left the country and settled in New Haven, where his wifes cousin lived.

He was the only person we knew in the United States and he had been an interpreter like me,' Hemat said.

Nightmare images

Now, Hemat fields a constant stream of Whats App messages and Facebook DMs from friends and acquaintances seeking help escaping Afghanistan. One friend was approved for a special immigration visa five years ago and still has been unable to leave.

My heart goes out to him,' Hemat said. Someone waiting five years despite his initial approval  what kind of process is this? If hes not eligible, then deny him. But if hes eligible, why are you giving him five years to wait?

Like many Afghans in the U.S., his view of his own good fortune is tinged with guilt, frustration and a sense of powerlessness.

I receive messages from friends that theyre seeking help and Im helpless,' he said. I cannot promise them anything. Im telling them just forgive me because you guys dont deserve this. 

The feelings of frustration and anguish felt by Hemat are common among Afghans who have made it to the U.S., said Ann OBrien, director of community engagement at Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, or IRIS, in New Haven.

Our clients know that they cant actually do anything to help those other folks get out yet theyre just like them,' OBrien said. The survivor guilt is going to be enormous.

Over the past five years, IRIS has helped more than 500 people from Afghanistan settle in the U.S. In the past two weeks, the resettlement agency has handled four additional cases from Afghanistan: two large families and two individuals who were transported on evacuation flights.

They barely made it out and theyve confirmed what weve all seen on TV,' OBrien said.

IRIS is working to secure safe passage for several of its clients, who are stuck in Afghanistan. They are U.S. citizens with green cards who went back to visit family a few weeks ago and got caught in the chaos following the Taliban takeover.

The agency, like Hemat, also has received many calls and messages from people in Afghanistan desperate to get out.

All of these men took the leap of faith to work with the U.S. military because they wanted to rebuild their country and they did not like the rules of the Taliban,' OBrien said. They are incredible supporters of womens rights, they want girls to be educated and they want democratic rule not oppressive rule ... theyre devastated.

Hemat said he is hopeful the Biden administration will not turn its back on the Afghans who aided the U.S. military for so many years.

I appreciate his approach to refugees and all his good intentions,' Hemat said. But please, now its chaos. Please help those who are left behind ... speed up the process ... and give more help to U.S. troops back in Kabul so they can pick up more people.

He added: Please dont leave our good friends behind. History will record this ... the world is watching.

Daniela Altimari can be reached at dnaltimari@courant.com.
Thousands rallied in central London on Saturday to protest the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and show solidarity with Afghans opposed to the new regime in Kabul.

Several thousand people descended on the centre of the British capital from lunchtime, massing in Hyde Park and marching down Whitehall past Downing Street, the residence and office of Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The UK leader has faced stinging criticism this week over his government's handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, as Britain, the United States and other Western allies struggle to evacuate their citizens and others from Kabul.

Protesters at the London event marched behind a banner reading "Talib has not changed", while others held signs bearing slogans like "stop killing Afghans" and "stop the oppression of Afghan women".

Many attendees also waved the black, red and green national flag of Afghanistan and chanted slogans opposing the Taliban takeover.

The Taliban has insisted it will treat women fairly and not seek retribution against Afghans who cooperated with Western forces during their two-decade involvement in the country, as thousands try to flee from Kabul amid chaotic scenes.

Many Afghans and others, including those demonstrating in London, are highly sceptical about their reassurances amid reports that militants have already begun violent reprisals against people on so-called blacklists.

jj/har
Since 2007, at least 20 human feet in sneakers have washed up on the coastline of the Pacific Northwest.

Conspiracy theories about the Salish Sea feet discoveries previously blamed a serial killer with a foot fetish.

But, as a British doctor explained to his 4m TikTok followers, it's most likely the result of modern sneaker designs.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

A video of a doctor unraveling the mystery of why sneakers containing severed feet keep appearing on the beaches of the Pacific Northwest has gone viral on TikTok.

At least 20 human feet have washed up on the coastline of the Salish Sea, which stretches from Canada's British Columbia to the US State of Washington, since August 2007, the Mirror reported.

Related video: These hand-painted prosthetic body parts are deceptive

The most recent example took place on New Year's Day in 2019 when beachgoers on Jetty Island in Everett, Washington, found a foot in a boot.

While conspiracy theorists have suggested that the grisly discoveries could have been the victims of a serial killer with a foot fetish or the mafia disposing of bodies, Dr. Karan Raj told his four million TikTok followers that there is a simpler explanation.

In a video now watched over 650,000 times, Raj explained that the foot discoveries are down to the human anatomy and, in part, to footwear designs.

"When a human corpse falls to the ocean floor, it's quickly set upon by scavengers," Raj said in the video. "These scavengers are lazy feeders and prefer to tackle the softer parts of the body than the tough, grisly bits."

Raj explained how some of the softest parts of the human body are the tissues and ligaments around the ankles. "When scavengers chow down on this, the foot will detach pretty quickly from the rest of the body," the doctor continued.

Story continues

According to entomologist Gail Anderson, human feet and hands often detach from the rest of the body when in water, but they rarely float.

The buoyancy of modern sneakers, Raj said, is what makes them float and, eventually, wash up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest.

Sneakers made in the last decade often have gas-filled pockets in their soles makes them particularly unsinkable, according to National Geographic.

As to why the feet specifically appear along the Salish Sea's shores, oceanography professor Parker MacCready told National Geographic that the area has the "perfect storm" for shoes washing up.

The fact that it's a large and complex body of inland water acts as a trap and ensures that water-bound items stay in the Salish Sea, MacCready said. Also, he continued, the prevailing winds are westerly and tend to bring things in from the ocean rather than pushing them out.

According to The Guardian, the British Columbia Coroners Service has ruled out foul play in all investigations into Canadian human foot discoveries. None of the feet showed signs of trauma and all of the individuals appear to have died by suicide or been killed in an accident, a coroner said.

Read the original article on Insider
An elite Taliban unit recreated a photograph in seized U.S. military gear appearing to mock the famous World War II image of the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.

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The image was revealed Saturday along with a variety of new Taliban propaganda photos and images posted online this week after the militant group took over Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, on Sunday. Wearing U.S. military equipment and carrying specialized assault rifles, the Taliban's Badri 313 Battalion raised the Taliban flag into the ground in a similar stance to that of the U.S. service members in the 1945 photograph.

Unlike typical Taliban fighters, the Badri 313 Battalion is equipped with highly sophisticated equipment, such as armored Humvees, combat boots, body armor, camouflage clothing, and weapons such as M4 carbines, mirroring the gear employed by those fighting during World War II, according to the Sinclair Broadcast Group.

In this Feb 23, 1945, file photo, U.S. Marines of the 28th Regiment, 5th Division, raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Japan. (AP Photo/Joe Rosenthal, File)

Shiv Aroor, an India Today anchor, said Saturday that the special Taliban unit is not only being deployed to Kabul, but also elsewhere in the country, adding that the militant group is "no more just the sons of farmers and shepherds, a ragtag bunch of religious terrorists, but a special operations group comparable, perhaps, with the best in the world."

ABOUT 17,000 PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM KABUL IN LAST WEEK, PENTAGON SAYS

"With the Taliban now in power, there is every reason to believe the militia could grow in strength," Aroor added. "Expect to see much more of the Badri 313 in the weeks and months ahead."

The special forces unit's name is derived from the Battle of Badr, an ancient battle led by Muhammad, who commanded an army of roughly 313 warriors, according to Aroor.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Story continues

President Joe Biden's top national security adviser conceded Tuesday that a "fair amount" of U.S. defense equipment has fallen into Taliban hands after the insurgent group's takeover of Afghanistan.

The United States has spent close to $83 billion building Afghanistan's 300,000-plus armed forces, training them, and equipping the country's air force.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Taliban, Afghanistan, World War II, Japan, National Security, Foreign Policy, Social Media

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Top Taliban unit, donning US military gear, appears to mock famous WWII photo
President Biden discussed counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan with his national security team on Saturday as the U.S. Embassy warned Americans not to go to the Kabul airport "because of potential security threats."

The big picture: The president and his national security advisers "discussed the security situation in Afghanistan and counter-terrorism operations, including ISIS-K," a White House official said.

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In addition to evacuation efforts, the national security team also "discussed the aggressive efforts to finalize agreements with additional third-party country transit hubs," according to the official.

The Biden administration on Friday announced that its evacuation flights from Kabul can now land throughout the Middle East and Europe as Qatar has reached capacity, resulting in temporarily halted flights.

Biden and Vice President Harris  who joined by secure video teleconference en route to Singapore  met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley and other senior officials.

Driving the news: The U.S. Embassy guidance comes a day after Biden reiterated his commitment to considering "every opportunity and every means" to get Americans and Afghan allies through Taliban checkpoints and into the airport.

"Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so, " according to the embassy guidance.

On Friday, Biden said his administration has been in "constant contact" with the Taliban to "ensure that civilians have safe passage to the airport."

Weve made it clear to the Taliban that any attack, any attack on our forces or disruption of our operations at the airport will be met with swift and forceful response."

The White House said earlier Saturday that "in the last 24 hours, 6 U.S. Military C-17s and 32 charters departed Kabul. The total passenger count for those 38 flights is approximately 3,800."

Roughly 17,000 people have been evacuated since Aug. 14.

Why it matters: Biden on Friday vowed that "this evacuation mission is dangerous," adding: "It involves risks to our armed forces, and it's being conducted under difficult circumstances."

Story continues

But critics and some journalists viewed the commander-in-chief's comments as painting an inaccurate picture of continued chaos on the ground.

What else is happening: The Taliban's political leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrived in Kabul on Saturday to meet with senior leaders of the militant group about forming their new government.

It's still unclear who will lead what the militants call the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as president, but Baradar is widely viewed as the public face of the movement.

Go deeper...

The future of U.S. counterterrorism in Afghanistan

The cases for and against Biden's key decisions on Afghanistan

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HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam's government said it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

The move comes as Vietnam, which weathered much the pandemic with very few cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 3,500 of those infections.

People must absolutely stay put, isolate from each other, from house to house, from community to community, Prime Minsiter Pham Minh Chinh said during a meeting Friday with southern provinces hit by the outbreak.

The prime minster also called on migrant workers to stay in the city to avoid spreading the virus as the flee before further restrictions on movement come into effect.

Ho Chi Minh City has had strict coronavirus measures in place since June, including banning gatherings of more than two people in public and only allowing people to leave home for essential matters like buying food or going to work in certain permitted businesses. Under the new measures, people in high risk areas cannot leave home at all.

The city has set up over a dozen of temporary hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, but the high number of active cases means thousands of patients are not able to be hospitalized. According to the Health Ministry, some 19,000 patients with mild symptoms have been asked to stay at home using medical assistant from teams of mobile doctors in their communities.

In Hanoi, the capital, authorities on Friday extended the virus containment measures for another two weeks. People there are required to stay at home and are allowed to go shop for food three times a week using allocated coupons.

Vietnam managed to keep the infection rate relatively low up until April and until then had only recorded 35 deaths. Since August, it has reported average of more than 300 deaths daily.
As Hurricane Henri approaches the northeast United States, a group of Hampton Roads search and rescue specialists has been called in to help.

Eight members of Virginia Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue Team were activated and left for Boston around 5 a.m. Saturday. When they left, the storm was designated a tropical cyclone. Later, it grew to hurricane strength.

The Virginia Beach-based team operated under FEMA and is one of 28 teams across the country. Team members deployed to Surfside, Florida, in July to assist with search and rescue at the Champlain Condominium Collapse.

Hurricane Henri largely bypassed Hampton Roads, although the National Weather Services Wakefield office advised of high swells and rip currents Saturday.

The National Hurricane Center advised that Rhode Island, Connecticut, Long Island and southeastern Massachusetts would see heavy rains and potential flooding late Saturday or early Sunday.

Josh Reyes, 757-247-4692, joreyes@dailypress.com
Aug. 21Teaching girls to expand their horizons is a prime goal of the Zonta Club of the Coos Bay Area.

This week, the club did just that with its first Girls Rock it Tools and Trade camp. The camp was designed to teach girls ages 8 to 12 how to use tools to make their own creations.

During the five-day camp, the girls made tool boxes, bat houses and birdhouses while getting hands-on lessons from a variety of experts, mostly women.

"This is a longtime wish for our club," said club member Genelle Hanken. "We were set up for 15 and we got 13."

The idea of the camp came when Richard Stillwagon from Oregon Coast Artisan & Trade Education Collective got a suggestion to host a camp from a friend who saw a similar one in Portland. After he posted about the idea on Facebook, Hanken responded and a partnership between Zonta and the collective got started.

"It seemed like a great collaboration to kick something off," Stillwagon said.

Stillwagon said he had a nice career in the trades and he started his nonprofit as a way to teach and encourage others to follow the same path. The idea of introducing girls to the idea of working with their hands was one he was happy to be a part of.

Stillwagon was the main instructor during the camp, and the only man involved. He said the goal was to teach skills that can be useful in life, and maybe get a couple of girls interested enough to want to learn more.

"Really basic introduction to woodworking, things they can use around the house," Stillwagon said when asked what he taught during the camp. "But really, trades. We have a shortage of trades workers. I'm at the stage of my life where it's really time to start sharing these skills."

After Stillwagon and the Zonta Club decided to work together to host a camp, the Zonta Club applied for and received a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation. The Coos Bay Area Zonta Service Foundation also provided funding. The camp was geared toward low-income girls as well as members of both local tribes. Alternative Youth Activities and the Coos Bay Boat Building Center also participated in the camp.

Story continues

As the date for the camp approached, COVID restrictions almost shut it down, but Hanken said the organization talked to local schools and Coos Health & Wellness and decided to move the camp outdoors and require masks for all involved.

"We're just really excited we got to have this opportunity," Hanken said. "COVID made it touch-and-go. So, we decided to move outside and wear masks to go on."

And the COVID limitations did little to slow down the 8- to 12-year-old girls who were participating.

On Tuesday, they operated their own power tools, made their own measurements and painted as they neared completion of the tool boxes. Once finished, the boxes were to be filled with tools the girls could take home.

"They're doing really good," Hanken said. "They just started yesterday, and they're almost done with their boxes and will get to paint."

Stillwagon said the girls were quick learners, not that he was surprised.

"I teach martial arts, and it seems my women students are better students," he said. "These little girls are the same. I raised daughters, and I raised them so they can do anything boys can do, and these girls need to know that, too."

Each day during the camp, the girls worked on their projects and received hands-on lessons. During lunch, female speakers made presentations to the group in an effort to show the young girls that they can accomplish anything.

Hanken said despite the challenges, having the camp was a big moment for the Zonta Club.

"We've been working on this in the back of our minds for a long time," she said. "This project makes us really happy, and we want to do it again next year."
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London-listed energy and engineering giant Wood has secured a 430m government-backed green transition loan  the first of its kind in the fight against climate change. Firms operating in the UKs industrial heartlands, like Aberdeen-headquartered Wood, will be backed by the government in its bid for net-zero emissions by 2050, the government said in a statement.

The firms shares dipped 0.59 percent to 237p per share following the announcement.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) will offer Wood an 80 percent Transition Export Development Guarantee (EDG) as part of the loan agreement, which helps companies transitioning out of fossil fuel exports.

The new Transition EDG was launched ahead of COP26, which the UK is set to host in Glasgow, as part of the UKs pivot away from climate-harming emissions.

Green trade presents a major economic opportunity for Britain that will drive high-value jobs in every part of the nation, international trade secretary Liz Truss said.

Cleaner energy

The cash is set to go towards low carbon investments, research and development in more climate-conscious growth sectors and support clean growth projects globally.

Under the agreement, Wood will commit to expanding its green portfolio and significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years, the government added.

Related: Visualizing The Gradual Death Of EU Coal Production

Wood, which pulls in nearly 400m from its exports per year, has made a string of sustainable pledges, including making all its offices single-use plastic-free by 2025.

The business giant has, since 2019, been working on its transition towards cleaner energies  with its chief executive Robin Watson explaining that the momentum behind the energy transition is unstoppable.

We are already well advanced with our own transition, deliberately broadening our portfolio across energy and supporting our clients to achieve their own carbon reduction goals, Watson said.

UKEFs support will allow us to accelerate this journey and capitalise on the many opportunities emerging as we build the low-carbon energy systems of the future.

The loan facility was jointly coordinated by Citi and BNP Paribas, with Citi acting as the facility agent while Rothschild & Co acted as Woods advisors.

By City AM

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Oil and gas production from Indias northwestern state of Rajasthanhome to the countrys single biggest oil and gas deposithas slumped by 40 percent over the past two years, mostly due to the pandemic and its effect on oil demand and prices, officials told Hindustan Times on Friday.

Alongside with lower production of oil and gas, the state of Rajasthan saw its revenues from hydrocarbon production decline last year.

The area around Barmer is the biggest source of domestic oil and natural gas for India after crude oil and coal were discovered there in 2004.

Despite the COVID-induced slump, Indian companies havent given up on investment in new production in the Barmer area. State-controlled Oil India, for example, will be investing in oil and natural gas exploration, an official told Hindustan Times.

And upon commencement of production, the state will generate revenue at the rate of 12.5% on mineral oil and 10% on natural gas production, the official added.

Meanwhile, Indias fuel demand is recovering from the COVID wave in the spring, and as of mid-August, it was holding up despite the gloomier demand picture in the rest of Asia.

Indias fuel consumption recovery was a rare bright data point in the first half of August, while China, Japan, and Southeast Asia are struggling to contain a COVID resurgence with lockdowns and emergency measures that threaten to reduce immediate refined product demand.

Indias gasoline sales rose by 3.7 percent in the first two weeks of August compared to the same period of the pre-pandemic 2019, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing preliminary data from the three largest fuel retailers in the country. Sales of dieselthe most used fuel in Indiawere down by 8 percent compared to 2019, but still higher than in July 2021, when diesel consumption had declined by 11 percent, according to the data obtained by Bloomberg.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Energy and metals group En+ has reaped the benefits of the pandemic-induced commodity price surge as its revenue has jumped to $6.5bn in the past six months.

The Anglo-Russian group has seen its revenue climb 31.5 percent in the six months to 30 June, up from $4.9bn in the same period last year.

Shares jumped 4.6 percent in its early trading, up to 9.63 USD cents per share.

En+, which is the worlds largest producer of aluminium, pulled in $4.48bn from primary aluminium and alloys sales alone.

But the group also performed well in its electricity division, with sales up 21 percent from $595m to $720m.

The groups net profit jumped alongside the price of aluminium, as the pandemic and its logistics hang-ups stoked a commodity price surge, of which mining and metal firms have firmly enjoyed.

En+ posted a $2.23bn profit in the first half of the year, up from just $20m in the turbulent first half of 2020. Meanwhile, the price of aluminium per tonne swelled by 41 percent.

The group was struck by commodity price falls last year when pandemic uncertainty rocked the industry  however, En+ and similar metals firms have since bounced back.

In June, Abu Dhabi-based sovereign investor Mubadala snapped up 2.6 percent of the groups shares, which led to the metal firms free float lift, it said in a statement.

The group added that its free float was 12.5 percent by the end of June.

By City AM

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A technical team of the Anti-Armed Robbery Squad of the Ghana Police Service has been dispatched to Wassa Juabo in the Western Region to track down suspected armed robbers who allegedly shot and killed two men.



The incident, which happened on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at Wassa Juabo, led to the demise of Emmanuel Afful, 45 and 38-year-old Kofi Asante.



A statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwesi Ofori, Acting Director-General, Public Affairs said Emmanuel Afful, a gold buyer was shot in his vehicle while on his way from work to his house.



It said in the course of bolting with an unspecified amount of money and gold, the armed robbers saw Kofi Asante, a neighbour to Emmanuel, seated in front of his house making a phone call.



The statement said the robbers suspected he was making a phone call to raise an alarm and shot him too.



Both victims screamed for help which attracted some residents to the two crime scenes, the statement said.



It said the victims were rushed to the Green Sheild Hospital at Sefwi Bekwai for medical treatment but they were pronounced dead on arrival.



The statement said the bodies were photographed and later deposited at Sefwi Anhwiaso Community Mortuary for preservation and autopsy.



It said Crime Scene experts visited the two crime scenes and found two spent shells at both scenes and kept the same for ballistic analysis and further investigations.



The statement assured the public that Police were making strenuous efforts to track down and arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime to face the law.



It also urged the public to volunteer leading information that would assist in arresting the suspected armed robbers, for a reward.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Member of Parliament(MP) for Cape Coast North constituency in the central region, Dr Kwamena Minta Nyarku, has said even though Cape Coast is a cradle of education, a number of Basic Schools are unable to perform better to befit its status.



Thus there's poor performance in the basic schools.



He said one of the contributing factors according to, "our research was that our children in the basic schools lack desks to sit on in the classrooms so we picked an initiative dubbed 'operation 2000 desks' by targeting to providing 2000 desks for basic schools in the Constituency".



He emphasized that though there are no funds to support the cause, "this is our town and the children in these schools are our children. We must therefore make an effort to help them get desks to sit on in the classrooms to aid in their learning".



Dr Minta Nyarku disclosed this when he launched operation 2000 school desks and operation lights up in Cape Coast North.



In an interview with Peace News' Sally Ngissah, he mentioned that through his own resources he's been able to provide 75 classroom desks to the constituency, and "even after these 75, they will still need 2000 more desks".



He appealed to stakeholders and the general public to come and support the initiative to get classroom desks for these children.



Dr Minta Nyarku also revealed that there has been darkness in the Cape Coast township as well as the roadside which is causing armed robberies and rape cases in and around the communities to surge and is not giving a good image to the central regional capital.



He, therefore, donated street lights to all the educational institutions in the Cape Coast North constituencies.



He further donated about 200 street lights to all the 15 electoral areas for the assembly members to light up their communities.



Assembly members who received these street lights thanked the member of parliament and said this will go a long way to reduce crime rate in the communities especially where school children and workers are affected.

Source: Sally Ngissah/Peace FM News









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Nana Anima Ahwenepa, the Queen-mother of Bomaa-Dwenase in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region has said the Anglican Priest at St. Monicas College of Education at Asante Mampong deserves stiffer punishment.



A viral video in circulation identified the Reverend Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi, the Colleges Chaplain kissing some female students during a church service and the Anglican Church has since relieved him of all his duties pending the outcome of investigations.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Bomaa-Dwenase, Nana Ahwenepa, also the Founder and Executive Director of Naky Foundation, a non-governmental organisation described the act as serious sexual harassment which required prosecution.



She noted that the act of the reverend minister had not brought irreparable stigma to the Anglican Church alone, but Christendom, the victims, their families, communities, and womanhood.



Sexual harassment, she explained was among the worst form of human rights abuses inimical to the growth and development of girls, stressing that victims went through the emotional trauma that affected their mental faculty.



Nana Ahwenepa, therefore, called for vigorous reproductive health education in schools to empower girls to understand their sexual rights and report various forms of abuse they went through accordingly.



The queen-mother said it was unfortunate there were several incidents and instances of sexual abuse and harassment on girls and the perpetrators had gone unpunished and called on human rights activists and civil society actors to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion.



Nana Ahwenepa however, commended the Anglican Church for the bold action it has taken in relieving the priest of all his duties and hoped that if found wanting, the Reverend Minister would be made to face the full rigours of the law to deter others.



This is even clear. I dont think there is a need for further investigations into this despicable act because videos don't lie. What is needed now is to allow the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit to take up the matter, Nana Ahwenepa stated.



She said the act by the Anglican Priest was a taboo and 'great sin' against God and humanity that should not be tolerated in any godly society.



"Priests, queens, and chiefs are the embodiment of the people who are expected to live exemplary lives. So under no circumstances should we allow this despicable act to continue, if we want to raise a godly society" Nana Ahwenepa added.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The three-storey building at Makola market which was gutted by fire on July 5, 2021 is to be demolished per recommendations from a committee set up to investigate the incident.



The seven-member committee set up by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) recommended that the building structure was weak and compromised, and should therefore be pulled down.



Mr Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, Chief Executive, AMA, at a news briefing after receiving the report, said the demolition would be done by the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces on Sunday, August 22, 2021.



The Accra Mayor said government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry would compensate the affected traders on their loss.



He said government had also begun rewiring of markets in the metropolis including; the Makola market, Timber market, Kaneshie market, among others.



Mr Sowah said the committee also recommended that the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) repaired all faulty hydrants whereas the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) ensured power stability at the markets.



Critical observations from the committees report include; erratic power outages, exposure and dis-organised wiring systems, difficulty in accessing water, absence of insurance policy, among others, he added.



The Mayor said the committee on the cause of the fire incident noted that smoke was noticed in front of one of the shops namely Afia 123 Enterprise on the second floor of the building from a generator set switched on which could not be put off.



The AMA Chief Executive constituted a seven-member committee on Friday, July 9, 2021 to investigate the cause of the Makola fire incident and proffer solutions to prevent further incident.



The committee included; Mr Henry Plange, Chairman, who is also the AMA National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator; Mr Julius Azumah, Secretary to the committee, also the AMA Assistant Administrator and Mr Collins Owusu, District Commercial Officer, GWCL.



The rest included; Mr Enoch Sowah, District Engineer, ECG Makola; D.O.1 Lily Robertson, District Fire Commander, Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS); D.O.1 Ofori-Adjei, Acting Assistant Director of Operations, GNFS, and Superintendent Freeman Kumashie, Rapid Deployment Force Commander, Ghana Police Service.



They were to investigate the incident and report on the cause of it, shops and persons affected, mitigating such incidents at the markets, among others.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
US flights out of Kabul airport have resumed after major delays on Friday. But the US has advised citizens not to travel to Kabul airport because of a security threat at the gates.



American helicopters have been flying US citizens to the airport from a hotel compound nearby.



Scramble to leave Kabul intensifies



Journalist Nadene Ghouri is part of a group of people helping Afghans get on an evacuation list to leave the country.



Speaking to the BBC, she has described the cases she is dealing with, including an award-winning journalist hiding in a basement, and a female activist in a safe house.



She adds: "I've got another family of journalists, a mother who's about to give birth and then I had a really critical case that I did manage to get onto an evacuation flight this morning - his family have been arrested.



"Again they've been given a deadline to bring him to the Taliban, if they don't then the Taliban say there will be reprisals for his family. We managed to get him an evacuation flight. I've been WhatsApping him all morning.



"Heartbreakingly, he can't get into the airport."



Read Full Story .... HERE >>> :









Source: BBC









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Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, has commended the Forestry Commission for the success of the Green Ghana Project championed by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.



She said the enthusiasm of corporate bodies, the government, and Ghanaians as a whole on the day of planting was remarkable, memorable, and commendable.



The Minister said this when Mr John Allotey, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commission accompanied by Madam Joyce Ofori Kwafo, Corporate Affairs, and Media Relations Manager and other staff of the Commission, paid a courtesy call on her to begin monitoring and tracking of trees planted in the Region during the Green Ghana Day on June 11.



Mrs Assan charged various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Region to assist the Commission in ensuring the objectives and aims of the planting project were achieved fully.



She called on participants of the Project to ensure that their trees were well nurtured to yield the expected results.



The Minister pledged the Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC) unflinching support in greening the Region and the Country at large.



Mr Allotey on his part expressed gratitude to the Minister and the populace for their full participation on the Green Day and called for continual collaboration.



He applauded the Region for exceeding the target of 400,000.00 to 650,000.00 and urged that the planted trees would be monitored.



The Green Ghana project is a presidential initiative launched by President Nana Akufo Addo on March 23, 2021.

Source: GNA









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Former Auditor-General, Daniel Domelovo has reacted after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said his successor (Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu) has done better in a short time than he did in years.



The President during the Arrupe Jesuit and the Catholic Professional Guilds Town Hall Meeting in Accra on Thursday described the performance of the acting Auditor General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu as 'unheard of'.



"The Acting Auditor-General has demonstrated sufficient quality and independence of view. For instance, he is responsible for some things that are unheard of. In our history, the 12 statutory reports that have to be compiled and placed before Parliament in the year of Parliament, this is the first time it has ever been done.



Even the most touted Auditor General before him never managed to do it and this one has done it. I think on the basis of the work that he has done, the independence with which he has gone around with his work, if today efforts are made to confirm him, I believe it should be done, and that confirmation process will gather more public support, Akufo-Addo said.



However, in what seemed like a response to the President's comment, Daniel Domelovo said to get more results in the fight against corruption, there would have to be more action and less rhetoric.



"A good number of Ghanaians would like to see more action against corruption other than rhetoric. Unfortunately, the leadership of the country is very good at rhetoric. In my humble opinion, public funds are saved only when you have an effective administration with public accounting procurement systems, he said.













Source: Peacefmonline.com









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WASHINGTON  Senior aides to Vice President Kamala Harris are trying to avoid any potential comparisons between the falls of Kabul and Saigon as she prepares for her upcoming diplomatic trip to Southeast Asia.

We don't want to get bogged down in the historical comparisons, a senior administration official told reporters during a background briefing call Friday.

Yet the comparisons between the rapid collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government to the Taliban and the fall of the South Vietnamese government to communist forces seem unavoidable, particularly with the iconic image of a helicopter rescuing people from the U.S. Embassy in Saigon in 1975 being shown side by side with a similar photo taken recently in Kabul.

Vice President Kamala Harris. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Harris departs Friday for a weeklong visit to Singapore and Vietnam in hopes of continuing diplomatic relations and assessing the U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific. She will be the first vice president to visit Vietnam, where more than 50,000 Americans died during more than 10 years of U.S. military intervention in the country.

Harriss trip to the region was announced in early August, weeks before the collapse of the Afghan government.

So far, the vice president has made no public statements on the Talibans stunning takeover of Kabul, which occurred just days after the U.S. withdrew from the country. The administration is now facing rising criticism as Afghan allies have been left stranded and unable to evacuate through the airport in Kabul. The tumultuous scenes out of that city, including Afghans falling to their death from a departing U.S. military aircraft, have critics of the administrations withdrawal strategy comparing the discord to the scramble to leave Vietnam amid the fall of Saigon.

Yet senior aides to Harris, speaking on a background call with reporters Thursday evening, rejected those comparisons and said her team determined that her visit to the region should not be canceled despite escalating chaos in Afghanistan.

Story continues

The vice president and her team obviously constantly assess what she needs to be doing. In this case, this is a critical trip for all the reasons we have been discussing. And she  we are all confident that she can do this trip and pursue all of these important interests while staying engaged on the subject of Afghanistan, a senior administration official said.

A view of present-day Hanoi. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP via Getty Images)

Were not focused on the history of the Vietnam War, were focused on whats going on today in Afghanistan and doing everything we can to have the most successful outcome, the official said regarding the upcoming trip.

The official later shrugged off potential lessons learned from Vietnam. So, you know, others can speculate all they want about, you know, what took place after the war and what that led to. Theyre very different countries in very different parts of the world.

Officials on the calls with reporters said Harriss visit is a critical opportunity to strengthen ties in the region amid increasing competition with China.

She is set to host a press conference with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, visit American soldiers at Singapore's Changi Naval Base and facilitate the launch of the Southeast Asia office of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other events scheduled for both countries.

In the meantime, her team maintains that shell remain briefed and engaged on Afghanistan affairs.

Taliban fighters in Afghanistan's Laghman province on Sunday. (AFP via Getty Images)

The president, the vice president, the entire national security team have been working 24/7 and focused like a laser on working this issue and, in particular, over the last two days, obviously, getting Americans out, and others who have supported and worked with the United States on the ground, and other vulnerable Afghans, said the official. And she will continue to work on those issues and be in constant contact with Washington and her colleagues during this trip.

Harris has repeatedly stressed her role as the last voice in the room during the president's major policy decisions. In April, when President Biden first set his Sept. 11, 2021, troop withdrawal date, Harris told CNN that she was indeed the last person the president consulted before making the decision to withdraw all U.S. military presence from Afghanistan.

I wish the American public could see sometimes what I see, because ultimately the decision rests with him, Harris told CNNs Dana Bash. But I have seen him over and over again make decisions based exactly on what he believes is right, regardless of what the political people tell him is in his best selfish interest.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Divers can explore the underwater ruins of the ancient Roman party town of Baiae.

Fish dart across mosaic floors and into the ruined villas, where holidaying Romans once drank, plotted and flirted in the party town of Baiae, now an underwater archaeological park near Naples.

Statues which once decorated luxury abodes in this beachside resort are now playgrounds for crabs off the coast of Italy, where divers can explore ruins of palaces and domed bathhouses built for emperors.

Rome's nobility were first attracted in the 2nd century BC to the hot springs at Baiae, which sits on the coast within the Campi Flegreia supervolcano known in English as the Phlegraean Fields.

Seven emperors, including Augustus and Nero, had villas here, as did Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. The poet Sextus Propertius described the town as a place of vice, which was "foe to virtuous creatures".

It was where "old men behave like young boys, and lots of young boys act like young girls," according to the Roman scholar Varro.

But by the 4th century, the porticos, marble columns, shrines and ornamental fish ponds had begun to sink due to bradyseism, the gradual rise and fall of land due to hydrothermal and seismic activity.

The whole area, including the neighbouring commercial capital of Pozzuoli and military seat at Miseno, were submerged. Their ruins now lie between four and six metres (15 to 20 feet) underwater.

Now an underwater archaeological park near Naples, Rome's nobility were first attracted in the 2nd century BC to the hot springs at Baiae.

'Something unique'

"It's difficult, especially for those coming for the first time, to imagine that you can find things you would never be able to see anywhere else in the world in just a few metres of water," said Marcello Bertolaso, head of the Campi Flegrei diving centre, which takes tourists around the site.

"Divers love to see very special things, but what you can see in the park of Baiae is something unique."

The 177-hectare (437-acre) underwater site has been a protected marine area since 2002, following decades in which antiques were found in fishermen's nets and looters had free rein.

Divers must be accompanied by a registered guide.

A careful sweep of sand near a low wall uncovers a stunning mosaic floor from a villa which belonged to Gaius Calpurnius Pisoni, known to have spent his days here conspiring against Emperor Nero.

By the 4th century, the porticos, marble columns, shrines and ornamental fish ponds of Baiae had begun to sink due to bradyseism, the gradual rise and fall of land due to hydrothermal and seismic activity.

Baiae sits on the Italian coast within the Campi Flegreia supervolcano known in English as the Phlegraean Fields.

The underwater site has been a protected marine area since 2002 and divers must be accompanied by a registered guide.

"There are undoubtedly still ancient relics to be found," said the archaeologist in charge of the Baiae park.

Explorers follow the ancient stones of the coastal road past ruins of spas and shops, the sunlight on a clear day piercing the waves to light up statues. These are replicas; the originals are now in a museum.

"When we research new areas, we gently remove the sand where we know there could be a floor, we document it, and then we re-cover it," archaeologist Enrico Gallocchio told AFPTV.

"If we don't, the marine fauna or flora will attack the ruins. The sand protects them," said Gallocchio, who is in charge of the Baiae park.

"The big ruins were easily discovered by moving a bit of sand, but there are areas where the banks of sand could be metres deep. There are undoubtedly still ancient relics to be found," he said.

Explore further Greece's first underwater museum opens ancient world to dive tourists

 2021 AFP
In this Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, file photo, in a long time exposure photo, embers fly from burning trees as the Caldor Fire growing on Mormom Emigrant Trail east of Sly Park, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes. Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File

Smoke from California's wildfires choked people on the East Coast. Flames wiped out a gold rush-era town. Ash covers area that would dwarf Rhode Island.

Images of homes engulfed in flames and mountains glowing like lava would make it easy to conclude the Golden State is a charred black landscape.

That's hardly the case, but the frightening reality is that the worst may be yet to come.

California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.

"Here we areit's not the end of August and the size and distribution and the destruction of summer 2021 wildfires does not bode well for the next months," said Bill Deverell, a University of Southern California history professor who teaches about fire in the West. "The suggestion of patterns across the last two decades in the West is deeply unsettling and worrisome: hotter, bigger, more fires."

More than a dozen large wildfires are burning in California grass, brush and forest that is exceptionally dry from two years of drought likely exacerbated by climate change.

The fires, mainly in the northern part of the state, have burned nearly 1.5 million acres, or roughly 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers).

In this Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 file image from a U.S. Forest Service wildfire monitoring camera, plumes of smoke rise from the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes. Credit: U.S. Forest Service/ALERTWildfire Network via AP, File

Firefighters are witnessing extreme fire behavior as embers carried miles by gusts are igniting vegetation ripe for burning in rugged landscapes, where it's hard to attack or build a perimeter to prevent it from spreading. Fires that in the past would cool down at night are sometimes surging miles in the dark.

The Dixie Fire, the largest currently burning and second biggest on record, wiped out the historic town of Greenville and continues to threaten thousands of homes about 175 miles (282 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco. The Caldor Fire, burning about 100 miles (161 kilometers) to the south, blew up since Aug. 14, torched parts of the hamlet of Grizzly Flat and is chewing through dense forest.

Gusts and low humidity in the forecast that could vastly expand the blaze led to the closure Friday of a 40-mile (64 kilometers) stretch of highway that runs along the fire's perimeter and links Sacramento to Lake Tahoe.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, file photo, the Way Station Bar burns as the Dixie Fire tears through the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger, File

John Hawkins, a retired fire chief for the state and now wildland fire consultant, said he hadn't seen such explosive fire behavior in 58 fire seasons.

A fire 60 years ago that torched 100 homes and killed two people near Yosemite National Park once had the record for fastest expansion, covering nearly 31 square miles (80 square kilometers) in two hours. But that kind of spread is becoming more common today.

"The Harlow Fire of 1961 was one of a kind in its day," Hawkins said. "As we draw a comparison today, it's not one of a kind, it's one after another. Something has changed."

Hawkins said he saw similarly rapid growth in the Caldor Fire.

Dramatic time lapse video showed a massive plume growing above thick forest. The column rose up and dark smoke poured across the sky before the cloud erupted in flames shooting hundreds of feet in the air.

In this Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, file photo, Deer wander among homes and vehicles destroyed by the Dixie Fire in the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger, File

"It wasn't a slow deal," Hawkins said. "When you see one of those develop that fast in heavy timber and already see another dozen fires in California running crazy it doesn't take much to light your lightbulb or ring your bell."

Ten of the state's largest and 13 of the most destructive wildfires in the top 20 have burned in the last four years.

The largest of those fires, the August Complex, a group of lightning-sparked blazes that merged, began a year ago this week. The deadliest and most destructive, the Camp Fire, killed 85 and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings in November 2018.

In the past, forest fires have been dominant in late summer and fires in the fall have burned in chaparral and woodlands, driven by powerful dry winds created by high pressure over the Great Basin, said Malcolm North, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, file photo, buildings burn as the Dixie Fire tears through the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger, File

The offshore winds, known as Diablos in Northern California and Santa Anas in Southern California, usually have powered some of the worst blazes as they sap vegetation of moisture and pick up speed as they squeeze through mountain passes and canyons, becoming warmer and even drier.

With much of California experiencing exceptional drought, the highest intensity, according the U.S. Drought Monitor, large fires in the north could burn into early December, said Anthony Scardina, deputy regional forester for the Forest Service. Southern California could expect to see fires in September that could last to the end of the year.

Erratic infernos like the Creek Fire last year, the fifth-biggest ever, could be blamed in part on a 2012-16 drought. It is estimated to have killed more than 100 million trees in the Sierra Nevada, the state's largest mountain range and the setting for many of the fires, North said.

In this Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, file photo, a partially melted street sign marks the end of a Tyler Drive as the Caldor Fire burns through Grizzly Flats, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File

North was co-author of a 2018 scientific paper that predicted Sierra wildfires could burn at the intensity of blazes lit by fire bombings in Dresden, Germany and Tokyo during World War II.

"I do think that's what we're seeing," said North. "The current models we have for how fires are going to behave don't cover this because it's just off the charts. It's hazardous to firefighters and hard as hell to predict what it's going to do."

Fires have intensified across the entire West, creating a nearly year-round season that has taxed firefighters. Fire patterns used to migrate in seasons from the Southwest to the Rockies, to the Pacific Northwest and then California, allowing fire crews to move from one place to the next, Scardina said.

"But the problem is all of those seasons are starting to overlap," Scardina said. "We start to get stretched thin."

In this Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, file photo, a deer walks in the ashes left by the Caldor Fire which burned through Grizzly Flats, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File

In this Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, file photo, a sculpture rests in front of a Grizzly Flats home destroyed by the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.Credit: AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File

In this July 25, 2018 file photo, Hannah Whyatt poses for a friend's photo as smoke from the Ferguson fire fills Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, Calif. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now it's entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes. Credit: AP Photo/Noah Berger, File

As the Caldor inferno erupted, firefighters were diverted from the Dixie Fire. Repositioning crews, fire engines, and water- and flame retardant-dropping aircraft takes time, allowing newer blazes to advance and leaving communities near older ones vulnerable.

"Every time a new one starts it's like going to Toys R Us on Christmas Eve expecting to get a gift," Hawkins said, "and finding nothing on the shelf."

Explore further Forest Service maxed out as wildfires break across US West

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
A lifeguard watches waves crash on the shore in Boca del Rio in Mexico's eastern state of Veracruz as Hurricane Grace nears.

Hurricane Grace slammed into Mexico for a second time early Saturday as a major Category Three storm, threatening to bring significant flooding and mudslides, US forecasters said.

The storm made landfall near Tecolutla in Veracruz state, clocking maximum sustained winds of 125 miles (200 kilometers) per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Category Three is the third highest of five levels on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

A hurricane warning was in effect for coastline stretching from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo.

"Rapid weakening is expected as Grace moves inland over the mountains of central Mexico later today," the NHC said.

Nearly 8,000 civil defense members, soldiers and electricity board workers were ready to tackle the aftermath of the storm, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote on Twitter.

He urged residents living in places considered to be at risk to "seek refuge in high places with relatives and in shelters."

Highways closed

Authorities in the state of Veracruz said they had prepared 200 storm shelters and planned to open another 2,000 if necessary.

Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia warned of the risk of flooding and mudslides as the storm dumped heavy rain on the mountainous region.

Workers board up windows of a supermarket in Mexico's eastern state of Veracruz to prevent damage from approaching Hurricane Grace.

Members of the Mexican armed forces were ready to deploy if needed to protect residents, said civil protection national coordinator Laura Velazquez.

Authorities closed most highways in Veracruz, which is crossed by numerous rivers.

In preparation for the storm, workers along the coast boarded up windows to protect stores, fishermen brought their boats ashore and residents secured their homes after stocking up on canned food and water.

"We will spend many days without fishingalmost a week," said Isabel Pastrana Vazquez, head of Veracruz's federation of fisheries cooperatives.

"About 35,000 fishermen will be affected because we can't go out. We're going to have a swell and rain," he said.

'Dangerous storm surge'

The NHC warned that heavy rainfall in Mexico through the weekend "will result in significant flash and urban flooding as well as mudslides."

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Mexican coastline stretching from Puerto Veracruz to Cabo Rojo.

Intense wind and rain caused some damage to structures on the beach in the resort city of Cancun.

A "dangerous storm surge" would be accompanied by "large and destructive waves" near the coast, it said.

The hurricane had already lashed Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where more than 6,000 tourists and residents were evacuated to storm shelters earlier in the week across the southeastern state of Quintana Roo.

The storm first struck near the town of Tulum, famed for its Mayan temples, drenching a string of Caribbean beach resorts.

The hurricane passed the Riviera Maya coastline without any loss of life, according to Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquin. He said electricity had been almost completely restored across the state.

It then churned across the Gulf of Mexico, gathering strength as it headed for the mainland.

Authorities in Mexico City warned that the storm could also bring heavy rains to the capital over the weekend.

Explore further Grace regains hurricane force ahead of second Mexican landfall

 2021 AFP
A man walks in a flooded street due to heavy rains caused by Hurricane Grace in Tecolutla in eastern Mexico.

Hurricane Grace left at least eight people dead as it tore through eastern Mexico Saturday, causing flooding, power blackouts and damage to homes before gradually losing strength over mountains.

The storm made landfall in Mexico for a second time during the night near Tecolutla in Veracruz state as a major Category Three storm, triggering warnings of mudslides and significant floods.

The streets of Tecolutla, home to about 24,000 people, were littered with fallen trees, signs and roof panels.

Esteban Dominguez's beachside restaurant was reduced to rubble.

"It was many years' effort," he said.

"Over there was my house, but it's destroyed. I'm left with no roof or furniture," he told AFP.

In the Veracruz state capital, Xalapa, streets were turned into muddy brown rivers. Many homes in the region were left without electricity after winds that clocked 125 miles (200 kilometers) per hour.

"Unfortunately, we have seven deaths" in Xalapa and one more in the city of Poza Rica, including minors, Veracruz Governor Cuitlahuac Garcia told a news conference.

Flooding was also reported in parts of neighboring Tamaulipas state, while in Puebla in central Mexico trees were toppled and buildings suffered minor damage.

Grace weakened to a tropical storm as it churned inland, clocking maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour, according to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

At 1800 GMT, the storm was located 35 miles northwest of Mexico City, which was drenched by heavy rain, and moving west at 13 mph, forecasters said.

The storm toppled trees and damaged homes.

'Seek refuge'

Grace was "weakening rapidly over land but still causing very heavy rains and flooding over portions of east-central Mexico," the NHC said.

The storm was forecast to weaken to a tropical depression and dissipate by early Sunday, it said.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador had urged residents living in places considered to be at risk to "seek refuge in high places with relatives and in shelters."

Nearly 8,000 civil defense members, soldiers and electricity board workers were ready to tackle the aftermath of the storm, he said on Friday night.

Authorities in Veracruz state said they had prepared 200 storm shelters and urged residents to hunker down in safe places.

Veracruz Governor Garcia warned of the risk of flooding and mudslides as the storm dumped heavy rain on the mountainous region.

Authorities closed most highways in Veracruz, which is crossed by numerous rivers.

A lifeguard watches waves crash on the shore in Boca del Rio in Mexico's eastern state of Veracruz as Hurricane Grace nears.

Intense wind and rain caused some damage to structures on the beach in the resort city of Cancun.

Fishermen affected

In preparation for the storm, workers along the coast boarded up windows to protect stores, fishermen brought their boats ashore and residents secured their homes after stocking up on canned food and water.

"We will spend many days without fishingalmost a week," said Isabel Pastrana Vazquez, head of Veracruz's federation of fisheries cooperatives.

"About 35,000 fishermen will be affected because we can't go out. We're going to have a swell and rain," he said.

The hurricane had already lashed Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where more than 6,000 tourists and residents were evacuated to storm shelters earlier in the week across the southeastern state of Quintana Roo.

The storm first struck on Thursday near the town of Tulum, famed for its Mayan temples, drenching a string of Caribbean beach resorts.

The hurricane passed the Riviera Maya coastline without any loss of life, according to Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquin.

Explore further Grace makes landfall in Mexico as major hurricane

 2021 AFP
In yet another attempt to control its wealthy, Beijing has laid out a new plan aimed at restraining unreasonable income, hiking wages and giving a growth boost to the middle class.

This is Chinas eternal dilemma with its wealthy: Beijing needs them for global economic power; but it also needs to be able to control them as a growing threat to the Communist Party rule.

Earlier this week, the Communist Partys Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs announced measures that would curb what it described as excessive incomes, while also  encouraging the wealthy to give back more to society.

The official announcement of the new measure follows a sudden flurry of charitable activity on the part of Chinas tycoons, as SafeHaven.com reported last week.

Details of the new plan remain vague, but previously government officials had talked about higher property and inheritance taxes, as well as capital gains taxes, among other things.

According to a summary of the meeting published by state media Xinhua, the government pledged to strengthen the regulation and adjustment of high income, protect legal income, reasonably adjust excessive income, and encourage high-income groups and enterprises to give back to society more.

Chinese leaders agreed China must pursue a goal of so-called common prosperity where people share in the opportunity to be wealthy.

Even earlier this year, Chinas president, Xi Jinping said that the wealth gap was not just an economic issue, but a political one that could threaten the legitimacy of the party. And this is the real issue at hand.

We absolutely cannot allow the rich-poor gap to increase bigger and bigger, resulting in the poor poorer and the rich richer. We should absolutely not allow an insurmountable gap between the rich and the poor, president Xi said.

The government chose the province of Zhejiang, home to several major private sector companies, including Alibaba Group, as a pilot zone for these new initiatives.

Among other things, the provincial government will encourage workers to bargain collectively for wages, as well as prompting listed companies to raise cash dividends to shareholders. Furthermore, there will be a concerted effort to enhance educational opportunities for workers, and for the middle class. The short-term goal? By 2025, they expect to increase income per capita by 45%, and it will all happen at the expense of corporations that have grown too big for Beijing, which does not wish to destroy that wealth, but is more than willing to harness it for the national interest.

In China, income inequality is wide -- the richest 20% earn more than 10 times the poorest 20%.

According to a recent Credit Suisse report, the wealthiest 1% in China holds 31% of the countrys wealth, up from 21% just two decades ago.

The wealth gap was accelerated during the pandemic when the number of new ultra-rich surged 50% compared to 2019. On the other hand, according to statistics from last year, 600 million citizens only earn about $155 a month.

It should also come as no surprise because China is heavily cracking down on its wealthy, primarily from the tech industry, some of which have grown too big, too fast for the Communist Party to control.

In October, Chinese regulators stepped in to block the share market launch of Alibaba-backed Ant Group. Alibabas founder Jack Mas fortunes have suffered since he publicly criticized Chinas regulatory approach to the finance technology sector, directly challenging the Communist Party.

Back then, Ma boldly delivered a speech criticizing national regulators, saying Chinese finance has no system. Further, he compared lending practices to a pawn shop mentality.

In March, Chinese regulators fined a dozen companies over anti-monopoly violations, including Tencent, Baidu, SoftBank and Tik-Tok parent company ByteDance.

They will be allowed to survive, and even thrive, but not without giving back--significantly--and certainly not without helping Beijing create a more powerful middle class to balance them out.
Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers, which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993, or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1@gmail.com. And be sure to visit dennisbeaver.com.
A woman has taken home a stomach-churning souvenir following an overseas trip.

The woman, 62, went to a dermatology clinic in New York complaining of a biting sensation in her back, according to the case in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Doctors examined her and noted she had six nodules on her back and buttocks.

They were particularly itchy and she had received treatment from another doctor who provided her with medication for treating a bacterial infection.

A woman, 62, complained of itchy marks on her back and buttocks after a trip to Colombia. Source: New England Journal of Medicine

But unfortunately, this did not work to cure her ailment and they continued to itch.

She told doctors two months earlier she had visited Colombia and believed a mosquito or some kind of insect had bitten her. The bite marks were now leaking a small amount of fluid.

Doctors examined the nodules closer and found larval movement. Whatever was inside the nodules was alive.

The lesions were anesthetised with lidocaine, and the larvae were removed, researchers wrote.

In total, six larvae were extracted and identified as larvae of the human botfly.

These botflies were removed from the woman's body. Source: New England Journal of Medicine

According to the University of Florida, the human botfly is a small, hairy fly which looks like a bumblebee and is native to central and South America.

The insects lay their larvae in the skin of mammals in a process known as myiasis.

The university noted there are two ways to remove the larvae: the way in which the New York woman had hers removed and another way which involves covering the lesion so the larvae cant breathe. This leads to the larvae exiting the skin briefly for oxygen after which they can be safely removed with forceps.

The woman, like others who have dealt with the myiasis, came back a week later with the lesions mostly healed and a 70% reduction in her symptoms.
Photograph: Ahmad Yusni/EPA

Ismail Sabri Yaakob has been named Malaysias prime minister, as a scandal-mired party that previously governed for six decades reclaimed the leadership it lost in 2018s landmark election.

Ismail Sabri, who will be sworn in on Saturday, was the deputy prime minister in the coalition led by Muhyiddin Yassin. Muhyiddin resigned on Monday following months of political turmoil that culminated in the collapse of his majority in parliament.

King Al-Sultan Abdullah, Malaysias constitutional monarch, had ruled out an election, because of the countrys current Covid-19 outbreak, and instead appointed a candidate whom he believed commanded majority support from lawmakers.

Ismail Sabris appointment will see the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the countrys longest-governing party, regain the top leadership position. The party, which is the main constituent of the Barisan Nasional coalition, was ousted in the 2018 election after becoming entangled in the 1MDB graft saga  often referred to as the worlds biggest case of financial fraud.

The king said Ismail Sabri had secured the backing of 114 lawmakers, giving him a slim majority. He gained support from the same coalition that collapsed earlier this week.

Ismail Sabri, 61, comes to power amid growing public anger over the latest Covid wave, which is Malaysias deadliest since the start of the pandemic and has caused economic misery for many.

His appointment is unlikely to inspire hope that the management of the pandemic will improve, said Dr Serina Abdul Rahman, who is based in Malaysia and is a visiting fellow under the Malaysia program at ISEASYusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.

The response of the people is really  its back to the same old story in terms of Covid management ... [Ismail Sabri] was central to Muhyiddins handling of Covid, and now hes just moved up the ranks  from defence to deputy PM, to PM, she said.

Its the same people managing the same pandemic that is only getting worse by the day, Rahman added.

Story continues

An online petition opposing Ismail Sabris appointment, accusing him of failing to control the pandemic during his time as deputy prime minister, has attracted more than 350,000 signatures.

Malaysia has reported a daily average of 256 deaths and about 21,000 cases over the past seven days, according to Our World in Data. Cases have continued to rise, despite a lockdown that has been in place since June.

On Thursday, Malaysian authorities arrested 31 protesters who held a candlelight vigil to mourn the countrys Covid-related deaths. Photographs showed the protesters being carried away by officers to a police van. They were later ordered to pay a fine of 2,000 ringgit (347) for breaching Covid restrictions, according to the human rights group Article 19.

Amnesty International said the arrests were an ominous sign that even under a new government, the suppression of freedom of assembly in the country will continue.

Our concern is that Ismail Sabris government essentially represents a continuation of the previous administration  one led by the same politicians who have failed to respect human rights by cracking down on migrants, deporting refugees and repeatedly violating the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Amnesty Internationals Malaysia researcher.

There were also concerns over how corruption charges against some Umno members might proceed after the party retakes leadership of the country.

Muhyiddin, who is serving as caretaker prime minister, said on Thursday that his alliance would back his former deputy until it was suitable to hold elections. However, he said such support was dependent upon the cabinet being free of any members who have been charged with corruption.
In May, Greg Locke, the right-wing evangelical head pastor of Tennessees Baptist Global Vision Bible Church, told a cheering congregation that elites were trying to push an unsafe vaccine on the public while injecting themselves with sugar water. I know some of you, like, My goodness! What am I gonnamy boss told me that if I dont get the vaccination that Im gonna lose my job, he said. I can write you a religious exemption, and we will sue their stinkin pants off!

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Locke is certainly not the only faith leader promoting anti-vax objections in the guise of religious concerns. A pastor in Riverside County, California, told his congregation in the spring that the vaccine was unclean and directed them to a downloadable form Christians could use to claim religious exemptions. Some Catholic clergy and groups have made such resources available, despite the popes very clear position on the matter; the Colorado Catholic Conference even published a template for Catholics seeking religious exemptions. Other churches have offered the same.

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No major religions have expressed anything but support for the vaccine, but the rising number of vaccine mandates across the United States has spurred both the faithful and faith leaders to seek out and promote religious exemptions for the vaccine. While people like Locke make the concept sound simple, the reality is that there are no standard practices for determining or even allowing religious exemptions to vaccines. The idea of a religious exemption as a concept has a long and complicated history in the U.S., but it has rarely, and possibly never, come up against something as massive and urgent as the coronavirus pandemic. The reality is that religion is a powerful thing to wield, but its not necessarily a magic bullet.

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So when and where do exemptions work? The easiest answer is: wherever someone wants to offer one, given that its not clear anyone actually has to.

When businesses implement vaccine mandates for their employees, they are coming up with policies on the fly. Many add in language about a religious exemption on the advice of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which has recommended that employers make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees with sincerely held religious beliefs to comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. But even employers who dont specify that there are religious exemptions may quickly cave when presented with a religious objection. Given the number of people raring to sue over the vaccine mandates, it wouldnt be surprising if some businesses opted to offer exemptions to avoid getting lawyers involved.

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In the public sphere, things are similarly vague. Many states already have statutes guaranteeing religious exemptions for vaccines. When it came to mandates for public schools and government employees, the exemptions were often automatically built in. The U.S. military, which will begin requiring vaccines in the fall, has a formal process by which members request a religious exemption. The requirements can vary state by state, city by city, institution by institution.

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According to legal experts, its still an open question if anyone has to offer religious exemptions. While some argue that Title VII protections for employees include allowing religious exemptions for vaccines, others argue that an employer only has to accommodate an employees religious beliefs if they do not amount to an undue hardshipa caveat that could certainly be applied to the heightened risk of transmitting COVID. An employer may also choose to accommodate the employee by making them wear masks, social distance, take frequent COVID tests, and otherwise operate by different rules than vaccinated employees. And Dorit Rubinstein Reiss, a professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, who studies vaccines and the law, said that she has seen more lawsuits directed against institutions that gave religious exemptions but denied specific individuals. Its possible employers may be safer by giving no ground at all, she said.

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While some religious liberty advocates claim that the First Amendment protects any government employees making such claims, the current precedent holds that as long as a law is generally applicable and on its face neutral, it doesnt amount to religious discrimination. This is particularly the case when the government has a real and compelling reason, such as public health, to refuse exemptionswhich legal scholars say certainly applies here. I am about as strong a supporter of religious exemptions as you can find in legal academia, said Douglas Laycock, a professor at the University of Virginia Law School, in an email. And I think that under the general law of religious liberty, including the Constitution and state and federal RFRAs, vaccination is an easy case for refusing exemption. Vaccine mandates are new territory, but courts so far seem to agree. Increasingly, people are dropping religious exemptions, said Michael Hayes, a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. So I think thats going to be the trend, except for one judge here or there who might go in favor of religion.

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Universities have so far indicated nervousness about religious claims, even though a judge has ruled that Indiana University, which did offer religious exemptions, could implement neutral COVID restrictions and that its religious exemption was not a constitutional requirement. Its not clear if the current Supreme Court will want to tighten the protections around religious exemptions, though, so some public institutions may offer them to be safe.

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But theres another big legal question surrounding these claims: how to police them. Some courts have indicated that they would be more lenient with sincere religious objections. Others say its wrong for a court to decide what beliefs are sincere. While in some cases its evident when a person is using religion as a cover, other times its impossible to tell. When a Sacramento-area megachurch pastor began offering religious exemptions letters, he insisted they were issued to individuals who have a sincere belief.

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Making it all harder, courts have said a persons religious beliefs dont have to align with the institutions official doctrine. The way the law is makes policing this a nightmare, said Reiss. Youre not there to enforce the rules of the religion. You also cant assess whether their belief makes sense. The question is, are they sincere, not rational. So while the pope has explicitly called on the faithful to be vaccinated as an act of love, and while the Archdioceses of New York, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles and the bishops of San Diego and Lexington, Kentucky, have ordered their priests not to grant religious exemptions (and the Lexington bishop mandated vaccines for all diocese employees), individual Catholics can still very well claim that their objection to the vaccine is rooted in their religious beliefs. The same goes for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which called for all its memberswho resist vaccination at a similar rate to white evangelicalsto be vaccinated. Statements from Franklin Graham and the National Association of Evangelicals are irrelevant to the Christians they lead. All that matters, as far as the law sees it, is an individuals claim to an honest belief.

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But setting these debates aside, there are practical reasons anti-vaxxers might seek out letters from faith leaders. Employers, or even state and municipal laws, may ask for proof of a persons religious belief to support their claim. The Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has formed a committee to review religious exemption requests from its employees, according to the Washington Post. The committee includes medical, legal, labor, and human resources experts, as well as the hospitals lead chaplain, a tenured professor who chairs the universitys department of religion, health and human values. According to the Post, the hospital asks employees to provide letters from a religious institution if that is the source of the complaint; if not, theyll be quizzed on the specifics of their faith and their reasoning for the objection. The military, which like hospitals has extra motivation not to be duped by anti-vaxxers in its midst, will pull together a panel that includes chaplains to examine individual claims. The application process also requires service members to provide documented proof of religious beliefs and face questioning over whether they truly belong to a legitimate religion, why their religion leads to such objections, and whether their opposition to vaccines is a new development.

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There are groups for which such claims arent so immediately suspect. Christian Scientists, for example, arent keen on vaccines. Nor are Dutch Reformed Congregations and a number of faith healing Christian denominations. But those groups have so far been fairly level-headed in their response; while in the last century the Christian Scientists spearheaded campaigns for religious exemptions, they currently counsel their members to respectpublic health authorities and cooperate with measures considered necessary by public health officials. Conservative Catholics may be genuine in their ethical quibbles over the vaccines distant connection to fetal cell lines, but many of their fellow Catholics suspect that the unease that led them there is as much political as it is religious.

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Given the scarcity of evidence for legitimate religious opposition and overwhelming evidence for abuse of the concept, many experts feel that institutions should try not to give too much ground. Even with the tests probing the authenticity of the claims, Reiss said, the system as it exists does little to discourage dishonesty. In an area where we have people gaming and willing to help others game the system, its asking for abuse and privileging the better liars over the less sophisticated liars, she said. You end up with a system where those who know where to look for help or know how to ask for help get religious exemptions.

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Outside of religious institutions, a network has emerged to help those seeking to manipulate the system. Facebook groups and blogs offer advice on how to fake claims. Some more ambitious anti-vaxxers offer workshops. Louisianas attorney general sent his employees an email telling them how to use religious exemptions to get their children out of potential school mask and vaccine mandates. There is anecdotal and survey evidence that most claims to religious motivation for refusing vaccination are false, Laycock said.

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While it seems that disingenuous anti-vaxxers may have the upper hand as things stand, Reiss has another solution: get rid of religious exemptions and offer exemptions instead to anyone who wants one for any reasonbut make them hard to get. Already, the military plans to have active-duty military members take mandatory counseling to learn about the vaccine and discuss ways their assignments and travel may be negatively affected by their refusal. This same philosophy could be applied elsewhere. As an example, she said, employees could be required to take a multi-day online course and quiz dedicated to the vaccine and COVID. Then, she said, youre not forcing people to lie about their religion.
When Charlotte Maxwell-Jones, the American founder and president of Kabul Small Animal Rescue, woke up on Sunday, the Taliban were at the gates of the city, about five miles away from her clinic. She and the staff at her rescue organization, which she describes as the first women-founded clinic of its kind in Afghanistan, were trying to figure out what was going on the same way as everyone else.

Most of the news you get on Twitter, she said when we spoke on Friday. Everyones sitting on their phones, scrolling through, being like, Did Ghani leave? Is theredid somebodywhos in the palace? Oh, the flags down. What country are we in? She and her team were busying themselves going through boxes of groceries, half-crying, half-laughing.

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One of my vets, she said, I dont know what to do, Im crying, and Im laughing, because my teeth are stressed, Maxwell-Jones said. And I was like, actually, I think that makes sense.

Eventually, an announcement was made that women needed to wear appropriate clothing. Maxwell-Jones had been wearing jeans and a t-shirt around for years and had to borrow full-covering clothes; the only headscarf she could find had skulls on it, which she didnt think would go over well. She cant go out alone anymore, only with a male escort, and when we spoke, there were two Taliban guards outside her apartment. (Since she is a single woman living alone, though, these men are not allowed to enter.) She doesnt have a full face-covering, so when shes gone out, Taliban members have asked her to stand behind a wall while addressing them. Some of the Taliban escorts shes had have been cordial. Some have not. But theyre in control of the city, and theres no way around working with them to do what shes trying to do. And what shes trying to do is get her staff, their families, and her rescue animals out of Afghanistan.

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Kabul Small Animal Rescue has roughly 35 staff membersabout a third of whom are women, which Maxwell-Jones notes is quite a high percentage for Afghanistan. Add their families and the sum total Maxwell-Jones is trying to get out of the country is about 125 people, and as many of the 250 animals from her rescue organization and three others that she can take. (Theres nothing selfish or anti-humanitarian about putting a tiny bit of priority on her animals, she told me. I think they bring love and joy and meaning to peoples lives.)

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Originally from Tennessee, Maxwell-Jones first arrived in Afghanistan in 2010 with a French archeological delegation, studying a very large body of pottery for her dissertation. After completing her Ph.D., she left academia and got into development work and consulting. Her day job is as the research director of the Heart of Asia Society, an Afghan think tank. The Kabul Small Animal Rescue, which she founded in 2018 with head veterinarian and vice president Tahera Rezaei, was started as a side project that has grown a little bit oversized.

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And now, the side project is all-consuming. Maxwell-Jones has been working on getting paperwork ready for a month to get everyone a visa that allows evacuees to be accepted by a third country and entered into the U.S. vetting process. Theyve all made it on the list, she said.

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It means that you can get out of Afghanistan, she said. Thats the important thing right now.

She is trying to get landing space permission for charter flights, which shes trying to arrange. But one of the biggest logistical challenges, she said, will simply be getting to the airport. The process for getting out on military flights has created an almost impenetrable path.

The U.S. military is sending these emails to people that are like, you are receiving this email so that you can go to the airport. Go now, take a bag less than five kilos. Prepare to wait for hours to days, she said. Theres nothing with your name on it. We have no idea how were supposed to prove anything. Its a very, very disorganized process. I mean, maybe if you added cyanide and zombies, it could be worse, but frankly, I couldnt design a worse system.

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The first-come, first-serve nature of the alerts has created these mobs, she said. And the mobs are there because people are desperately afraid of the Taliban. Whatever they act like in the street, and however calm they are, and however much the Taliban say that they are very kind, many people are very afraid of them.

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Maxwell-Jones has barely slept. The morning call to prayer is around 4:15 a.m., she said, and I think theyve turned up the volume since the Taliban took over. When we spoke, it was early evening, and she was making another cup of coffee and going through cigarettes.

Its like, this is fucking insane, she said. The whole thing is completely insane. You asked earlier what this feels like? Its a combination of surreal and hyper-real. Absolutely every decision I make all day long matters. Every single decision. And lives are at stake in every one.

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Maxwell-Jones says her mom, in Tennessee, has been saying she should just get out herself. But shes not leaving until everyone else is out.

On the phone, she told me about how proud she is of her vets for the work theyve done over the last three years, and have continued to do since the Taliban arrived. On Friday, some members of her staff went to a Taliban-controlled compound to rescue 46 dogs. Some Taliban members were throwing rocks at the dogs, she said.

Nobody else is going out and trying to find these animals that have been abandoned, or getting peoples pets that are in very insecure areas, or in areas that are completely held by the Taliban, she said. My staff are doing it, and theyre scared, and theyre still doing it.

Even if Maxwell-Jones can get everyone outhuman and notits clear she will still have to mourn for her tiny corner of Kabul.

We created a wonderful animal rescue. We gave great veterinary care. Our staff lovingly cared for all of the animals she said. They educated the public. I think they made it a little better here.

Its a beautiful thing that will be lost.
It was the video seen around the world that in a few seconds captured the sheer chaos and desperation at the airport in Kabul as thousands of people tried to get inside to escape the Taliban. Amid the mass of people, the video showed how a toddler was suddenly lifted up and a Marine grabbed the baby by the arm and passed the child to someone behind him. The video quickly went viral as many interpreted the scene as an example of how families were willing to part with their children to give them hope of a better future. But the military later clarified that the baby had been reunited with their family.

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The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on site and cared for by medical professionals, Maj. James Stenger, a spokesman for the Marines, said. I can confirm the baby was reunited with their father and is safe at the airport. The spokesman didnt expand on how many babies were in a similar position, but he characterized it as a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations. Earlier, a Pentagon spokesman said the Marines were told the baby was sick and were asked to help. It was an act of compassion because there was concern about the baby, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.

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This has broken my heart .., a mum handing her baby to an American soldier today to be evacuated in Kabul .. I know a lot of us find it hard to see whats going on around the world but please pay attention, we can help and use ya voice please https://t.co/Db6Hzn35Un pic.twitter.com/A1Un37jIdf  MAX (@ThisIsMax) August 19, 2021

President Joe Biden on Friday vowed that all Americans and Afghans who helped the war effort will be evacuated from Afghanistan. We have seen gut-wrenching images of panicked people acting out of sheer desperation, Biden said. It is completely understandable. They are frightened. They are sad. I dont think anyone of us can see these pictures and not feel that pain on a human level. Around 6,000 American troops are now helping to restore order at the airport and organize evacuation efforts. Some lawmakers are calling on the White House to authorize an extension of the security perimeter around Kabul airport so more Afghans can get inside.

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For now, the United States is asking Americans and Afghans to avoid traveling to the Kabul airport as chaos around its walls continues to grow. Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so, reads a U.S. Embassy advisory. The chaos in the airport was so dire that Switzerland postponed a planned charter flight. The security situation around Kabul airport has worsened significantly in the last hours. A large number of people in front of the airport and sometimes violent confrontations are hindering access to the airport, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
After dropping the opening frame, the Red Raiders dominated the next three sets to take a 3-1 victory in Saturday afternoon's exhibition match against New Mexico State. Tech picked up the four-set win 21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-14.led the way offensively for the Red Raiders with 11 kills and a couple of blocks. Multiple Red Raiders saw their first action in the red and black includingwho racked up five kills, five digs and one block. Senior setterled the team with 28 assists, nine digs and three blocks.The Red Raiders jumped out on an early 6-0 run to take a four-point lead in the set sparked by three straight blocks from. Jones tallied two solo blocks and combined with Kirby for another to force the Aggies to use a timeout. Following the break, New Mexico State went on a 12-2 run to take the first set 25-21.Tech evened things up in the second frame with a 25-19 set win. Cooper andcombined for nine of Tech's 14 kills in the set while freshmanrecorded three blocks, teaming up with Kirby and Cooper for two late in the set.After the Aggies took the opening point in the third, the Red Raiders did not trail again in the set. A 5-0 run with kills from Cooper andput Tech up by six halfway through the frame. Tech did not let up, taking the set 25-18 to lead two sets to one.The Red Raiders dominated the fourth set from the beginning, jumping out to a 6-1 lead with a couple of kills from. In her first action as a Red Raider and her return to Las Cruces,tallied back-to-back kills to give Tech an eight-point advantage. Sterns tallied four kills and one block in the set to help lead the Red Raiders to a 25-14 set victory and the win.Tech will play its annual Red and Black intra-squad scrimmage on Sunday at 6 p.m. in the United Supermarkets Arena practice gym. The scrimmage is open to the public but capped at the first 150 fans. The scrimmage will serve as the final tune-up before the regular season begins on Aug. 27 at the Tennessee Classic in Knoxville.For the latest information on the Texas Tech volleyball team, visit TexasTech.com or follow @TexasTechVB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Hot and humid. High 91F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low 78F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Rain fell at the highest point on the Greenland ice sheet last week for the first time on record, another worrying sign of warming for the ice sheet already melting at an increasing rate, scientists said on Friday.

"That's not a healthy sign for an ice sheet," said Indrani Das, a glaciologist with Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. "Water on ice is bad.  It makes the ice sheet more prone to surface melt."

Not only is water warmer than the usual snow, it's also darker -- so it absorbs more sunlight rather than reflecting it away.

That meltwater is streaming into the ocean, causing sea levels to rise. Already, melting from Greenland's ice sheet -- the world's second-largest after Antarctica's -- has caused around 25% of global sea level rise seen over the last few decades, scientists estimate. That share is expected to grow, as global temperatures increase.

The rain fell for several hours at the ice sheet's 3,216-metre summit on August 14, where temperatures remained above freezing for around nine hours, scientists at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center said.

Temperatures at the ice cap almost never lift above freezing, but have now done so three times in less than a decade.

In total, 7 billion tonnes of rain fell across Greenland over three days, from August 14 through August 16 -- the largest amount since records began in 1950.

An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq, Greenland, June 18, 2018. Photo: Reuters

The rain and high temperatures triggered extensive melting across the island, which suffered a surface ice mass loss on August 15 that was seven times above the average for mid-August.

The record-breaking rain is the latest in a string of warning signs about how climate change is affecting Greenland's ice sheet.

Greenland experienced a massive melting event in late July, when enough ice melted in a single day to cover the U.S. state of Florida in 2 inches (5cm) of water.

That melting event and last week's rain were both caused by air circulation patterns which meant warm, moist air temporarily covered the island.

"This alarming rain at the summit of Greenland is not an isolated event," said Twila Moon, deputy lead scientist with the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Along with rising floods, fires, and other extremes, it is one of many "alarm bells" signalling the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, she said.

"We really have to stay laser-focused on adapting, as well as reducing the potential for those to become truly devastating."
Police in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands region, on Thursday initiated legal proceedings against 14 people, six of whom had been arrested, over their deforestation.

Functional forces in Lam Ha District, Lam Dong had previously started closely monitoring a primary forest area in Phu Son Commune after discovering wood logs illegally cut down there.

At around 11:30 am on August 10, public security and forest protection officers of Lam Ha spotted five people clearing the road and pulling a winch to the top of a hill in the aforesaid forest area to transport the illegally logged wood.

Those people fled the scene when seeing the functional forces, but the officers managed to catch three of them.

Wood logs are left behind by loggers in a primary forest in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Mai Vinh / Tuoi Tre

At the scene, the functional forces found out more than 37.5 cubic meters of wood of many kinds chopped down.

The forest area in question is located nearly 100 kilometers from the center of Lam Ha District and far from residential areas.

It takes one hour by both specialized vehicles and walking to reach the location.

Evidences show that the forest had been destroyed for a long time, said the officers.

The illegal loggers even sawed small trees to pave the way for their tractors.

A wood log is left behind by loggers in a primary forest in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam. Photo: Mai Vinh / Tuoi Tre

A group of traders in Da Lat may stand behind this deforestation case, hiring people living near the forest to illegally exploit wood, according to the authorities.

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Check out the news you should not miss today:

Politics

-- Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations Pham Hai Anh urged international cooperation and solidarity to seek the most effective response to combat terrorism in the face of a serious threat posed by the so-called Islamic State's activities in recent times, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Society

-- A 17-year-old girl from the northern province of Ha Tinh has come to a local English center to study without realizing she was positive with COVID-19, causing 13 people to be isolated in the centralized quarantine facility.

-- Authorities in Hanoi on Friday have decided to extend the social distancing measures under the municipal People's Committee's directive No.16 until 6:00 am September 6, as the pandemic situation is still very complicated.

-- People in Ho Chi Minh City will be banned from going outside from Monday until further notice as part of the city's restrictions to reduce surging COVID-19 infections, according to deputy head of the city's coronavirus fighting unit Pham Duc Hai.

-- The military will coordinate with local authorities to ensure food supply for Ho Chi Minh City residents for the next two weeks, according to authorities in the municipal at a meeting on pandemic prevention and control on Friday.

-- The Ho Chi Minh City General Confederation of Labor has proposed the municipal People's Committee inject nearly VND2,577 billion (US$113,086) worth of financial aid to support the poor in the southern city.

-- The parcel courier service provider Viettel Post in northern Bac Ninh Province has been temporarily shut down following the detection of ten positive coronavirus cases.

World News

-- Canada would consider taking in additional Afghan refugees on behalf of the United States or other allies if asked to do so, according to Reuters on Friday

-- Chaos around the Kabul airport was so bad this week that the U.S. military was forced to use three helicopters to transport 169 Americans into the complex from a building just 200 meters (656 feet) away, Reuters reported on Friday.

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Police in the north-central province of Ha Tinh on Friday caught a Chinese man hiding in the trunk of a car on the way from the south to north of Vietnam despite travel restrictions.

Functional forces found the 33-year-old Chinese lying inside the trunk of the four-seater car numbered 18A-219.44 after pulling it over in Ky Anh Town, Ha Tinh at around 8:00 pm the same day.

As the Chinese failed to present his personal document at the polices request, the car driver, 27-year-old Nguyen Ba Thuat, hailing from northern Nam Dinh Province, confessed that another person hired him to carry the foreigner from southern Dong Nai Province to northern Bac Ninh Province.

The payment, VND5 million (US$219.5), would only be made once the Chinese man arrives in the destination, Thuat said.

The driver asked the Chinese national to hide in the trunk to avoid inspection at COVID-19 checkpoints on their way.

Another passenger on the car is Dao Van Hieu, 28.

It appeared that the three men successfully dodged several checkpoints all the way from Dong Nai, which is currently under social distancing according to the prime minister's Directive No. 16, with inter-provincial travel restricted, before being stopped by Ha Tinh police.

Functional forces sent all of the three men to a centralized quarantine facility in Ky Anh Town according to regulations.

Thuat is subject to administrative sanctions for failing to comply with infectious disease prevention and control measures at the request of competent agencies.

Recently, Ha Tinh authorities have detected hundreds of cases of illegally transporting people from virus-hit areas by personal vehicles, imposing administrative fines totaling nearly VND500 million ($21,940).

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The operation of app-based delivery service will be halted in Thu Duc City and seven districts in Ho Chi Minh City for 15 days starting Monday, heard a press conference on pandemic prevention and control on Saturday afternoon.

The seven districts include District 8, District 12, Go Vap, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, Binh Chanh, and Hoc Mon.

The suspension will be in place until the end of September 6.

Delivery workers in other districts in the city can remain active, but they will be restricted to one district only.

At the meeting, Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the Ho Chi Minh City steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control, affirmed that the city will not be placed under lockdown in the next two weeks.

City authorities will also not declare a state of emergency, which must be announced by either the National Assembly Standing Committee or the State President, according to the Vietnamese law.

Hai assured that the mobilization of the military into the pandemic prevention and control mission is not new because it has been done before.

The participation of the military does not imply something wrong, the official explained.

The municipal authorities are preparing more medical forces, police, military, civil servants, volunteers, and medical equipment only to beef up pandemic prevention and control measures given a spike in fatalities and infections in the city, according to Hai.

The escalation is needed as city residents have yet to strictly follow the social distancing regulations, he said.

The mobilized personnel will also assist in delivering food to citizens in the next two weeks.

Officials attend a press conference on pandemic prevention and control in Ho Chi Minh City, August 21, 2021. Photo: Thao Le / Tuoi Tre

Regarding food supply, Hai said that in the green and yellow zones, people are allowed to go out for shopping once a week while needy residents will be given food for free.

In the orange and red zones, functional forces will help with food shopping, the payment of which will be made by the residents, whereas poverty-stricken people will receive food aid.

City authorities have categorized areas into red, orange, yellow, and green zones, with the warmer colors representing more serious levels of infections.

The neighborhood leaders will act as a contact point for food demand.

Citizens can also call 1022 and press 2 for food support.

The Fatherland Front and a group of SOS teams will also give out many support packages for local people.

The municipal authorities have asked people to stay where they are starting Monday through September 6, with the motto of each home, company, factory should be an anti-virus fort.

As of Saturday afternoon, Vietnam has documented 323,268 COVID-19 cases, with 132,815 recoveries and 7,540 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has detected 319,209 domestic transmissions in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities in this fourth bout.

Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 167,717 patients and 5,939 fatalities.

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Police in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa on Friday arrested a 58-year-old local man for slashing his wife to her death due to a conflict over house repairs.

The man in question, Le Van Truong, hailing from Dong Son District, is being investigated for murder.

At the police station, Truong confessed that he and his wife, 55-year-old L.T.N., got into a dispute while they were discussing house repairs at around 11:00 pm on August 18.

The man failed to control his anger and used a knife to slash N. several times, causing the woman to die on the spot.

Truong then covered N.s body with a blanket before turning himself in to the police in Dong Son District in the next morning.

Functional forces are further investigating the case.

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The first six among the expected 400 mobile medical stations for coronavirus patients have been put into operation in two districts of Vietnams Ho Chi Minh City.

These facilities, including one in District 3 and five others in District 7, began operating on Friday after the opening ceremonies conducted by the municipal Department of Health.

They aim to give healthcare services to COVID-19 patients at home, thus contributing to easing overload at hospitals and minimizing deaths, the department said.

The department expects to set up about 400 such stations across the city in the near future, each of which will take care of 50 to 100 COVID-19 patients, said Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, deputy director of the health department.

These stations can be set up at gymnasiums, polyclinics, cultural houses, offices of the administration of communes and wards, or other suitable places.

Each mobile health station will have one to two doctors, five to seven medical staff and volunteers, and will be equipped with at least two oxygen tanks, oxygen masks and other first aid tools.

Dr. Le Thi Bao Yen, head of the mobile health station No. 1, located in Ward 11 of District 3, said the unit currently has one doctor and two nurses and is equipped with four oxygen generators, about 10 large and small oxygen tanks and full range of drugs as prescribed for treating COVID-19 patients at home.

The station also has a mobile medicine cabinet for both COVID-19 patients and people suffering common illnesses.

Every mobile medical station has two main functions, including taking care of the health of people in the area, in conjunction with the existing local medical stations, and monitoring the situation of COVID-19 patients under home quarantine, Dr. Thuong said.

Medical workers at these stations will provide health consultations for patients via telephone and visit their homes by motorbikes or taxis, while using the electronic health declaration app for patient management.

When being treated at home, each coronavirus patient will be given a medical bag containing cough medications, fever reducers, over-the-counter vitamins, mouthwash, disinfectant sprayers, facemasks, and a pulse oximeter.

Earlier on Thursday, Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long asked Ho Chi Minh City and other COVID-19-hit localities such as Long An, Dong Nai and Binh Duong Provinces to promptly set up mobile medical stations in order to provide timely care for COVID-19 patients.

As from next Monday, August 23, the citys administration will apply five solutions to better contain the coronavirus spread, in addition to the current social distancing measures under the Prime Ministers Directive 16, said the citys Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control at a press conference on Friday.

Concerned agencies are preparing for the implementation of these measures and all details will be announced to the public before that day, the committee said.

Since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020, the city has documented 167,476 COVID-19 cases, including 6,071 deaths, while the corresponding figures of the country are 323,268 and 7,540, the Ministry of Health reported on Friday evening.

As such, the city has accounted for 51.8 percent and 80.5 percent of the countrys total numbers of infections and fatalities, respectively.

Since late April, when the fourth COVID-19 outbreak erupted in Vietnam, the country has recorded 319,209 domestic infections, or as much as 98.7 percent of the overall figure, with the highly contagious Delta variant dominant in most of the cases.

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The military will deliver food supplies to Ho Chi Minh City residents for the next two weeks, during which local residents are prohibited from leaving homes, heard a municipal meeting on pandemic prevention and control on Friday.

At the online meeting, which was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Ho Chi Minh City leaders set out four major issues, including social distancing, social security, COVID-19 testing, and treatment, which they need to tackle in the next two weeks.

As fatalities and infections continue surging, despite weeks of lockdown measures in the business hub of nine million people, the municipal authorities are asking people to stay where they are starting Monday, with the motto of each home, company, factory should be an anti-virus fort.

Police and military are being mobilized to strengthen control over the social distancing implementation.

City authorities are also estimating the quantity of food according to nutritional value that needs to be delivered to households per day, with lower-level administrations requested to review their locals demand.

Two models of food supply, in which people either pay for food by themselves or get free aid, are being considered.

The military will be responsible for food delivery.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Dam requested the Ministries of Public Security, National Defense, and Health to carefully prepare an optimal action plan to enforce the social distancing drive.

Nguyen Van Nen, secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, emphasized that functional forces continue sampling for COVID-19 testing at areas at a high risk of infections and conducting vaccinations during this period.

All residents, especially needy and disadvantaged people, must be cared for thoroughly, so that no one is left behind.

Nen also assured people that essential supplies would be provided.

Currently, relevant agencies are preparing specific plans and announce them to the people before Monday.

The announcement is expected to give details on strict social distancing regulations, which forces and troops will be deployed, solutions for transportation and supply of food to households, mobile medical stations to provide care and treatment for COVID-19 patients, and COVID-19 testing and vaccinations.

As of Saturday morning, Vietnam has documented 323,268 COVID-19 cases, with 132,815 recoveries and 7,540 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has detected 319,209 domestic transmissions in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities in this fourth bout.

Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 167,717 patients and 5,939 fatalities.

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Authorities in Nha Trang City in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa have allowed residents living in coronavirus-free areas to resume outdoor exercises despite the current extensive social distancing meant to last four more days.

Nguyen Tan Tuan, chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, on Thursday evening issued an order to extend the social distancing drive under the prime ministers Directive No. 16 in Nha Trang City and Van Ninh District from 0:00 am Friday to 0:00 am August 25.

Authorities intend to take advantage of this five-day period to screen for COVID-19 in high-risk areas.

Meanwhile, people in Ninh Hoa Town, Dien Khanh, Cam Lam, and Khanh Vinh Districts, and Cam Ranh City will practice social distancing measures in accordance with the prime ministers less stringent Directive No. 15, whereas residents in Khanh Son District will implement the pandemic prevention and control mission according to the relaxed Directive No. 19.

The administrations in the aforesaid cities, towns and districts shall categorize their areas into red, orange, yellow, and green zones, with the warmer colors representing more serious levels of infections.

Following Tuans order, Nha Trang and Van Ninhs corresponding chairmen Nguyen Sy Khanh and Dam Ngoc Quang announced specific regulations applied for green zones, or infection-free zones.

Accordingly, people are allowed to carry out outdoor exercise activities and purchase food and essential products at mobile points of sale in line with the dates mandated in their shopping tickets.

Currently, 58 percent of areas in Khanh Hoa Province is classified as green zones, which is a positive result in the fight against COVID-19 so far, according to the provincial chairman Tuan.

However, the pandemic situation in Nha Trang City and Van Ninh District remains very complicated, while the remaining localities still have limitations to overcome.

Tuan requested that functional forces keep a close eye on the local infection situations and timely provide food aid for needy people, especially those living in medical isolation areas.

In the previous six days during the former social distancing phase, Nha Trang authorities collected samples for COVID-19 testing from 399,066 people, or nearly 99 percent of its 403,222 population, according to chairman Khanh.

The city also spent VND3.5 billion (US$153,300) supporting 11,771 poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged households, with each household receiving a gift worth VND300,000 ($13).

Functional forces also established volunteering teams to help residents in lockdown areas shop for food.

As of Friday evening, Vietnam had documented 323,268 COVID-19 cases, with 132,815 recoveries and 7,540 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has detected 319,209 domestic transmissions in 62 out of 63 provinces and cities, including 5,031 in Khanh Hoa, in this fourth bout.

Ho Chi Minh City is taking the lead with 167,717 patients.

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A coronavirus antibody treatment, administered via an infusion or injection, has been approved in the UK. (Stock, Getty Images)

An antibody therapy has been approved for the prevention and treatment of severe coronavirus complications in the UK.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)  the government's independent advisory body  has signed off on the drug Ronapreve, developed by the pharmaceutical giants Regeneron and Roche.

Antibodies are infection-fighting proteins that are released by the immune system in response to a virus. Once the infection has passed, low levels of antibodies circulate in the bloodstream, helping to prevent the virus from taking hold again.

Ronapreve, used by President Trump when he caught the coronavirus in 2020, is comprised of manmade antibodies that act like the natural proteins in the body.

Injecting or infusing the antibodies causes them to bind to the coronavirus in the respiratory tract's lining, preventing the pathogen from gaining access to cells in the airways.

Read more: Antiviral drug cuts COVID deaths by a fifth among 'the sickest patients'

Data assessed by MHRA scientists reveal Ronapreve may prevent a coronavirus infection among at-risk individuals, hasten recovery of milder symptoms and reduce the likelihood of a patient being admitted to hospital with COVID-19  the disease caused by the coronavirus.

One expert has hailed the approval "an important step forward", but stresses "many people get better of their own accord", with it being "hard to justify giving what are likely to be limited supplies of a relatively expensive treatment to huge numbers of people".

The antibodies bind to the coronavirus in the respiratory tract's lining, preventing the infection from gaining access to cells in the airways. (Stock, Getty Images)

"We are pleased to announce the approval of another therapeutic treatment that can be used to help save lives and protect against COVID-19," said Dr Samantha Atkinson, from the MHRA.

Critically-ill coronavirus patients are commonly treated with the arthritis drug tocilizumab and the steroid dexamethasone, both of which target the individual's immune response rather than their infection itself.

Story continues

The broad-spectrum anti-viral drug remdesivir is also being widely used, but is not COVID specific.

Read more: Antibiotic resistance fears rise amid pandemic

"Ronapreve is the first of its kind for the treatment of COVID-19 and after a meticulous assessment of the data by our expert scientists and clinicians, we are satisfied this treatment is safe and effective," said Dr Atkinson.

"With no compromises on quality, safety and efficacy, the public can trust the MHRA have conducted a robust and thorough assessment of all the available data."

Since the pandemic emerged, the MHRA has carried out a "rolling review", rapidly assessing promising drugs in the shortest possible time.

Starting in January, 2021, the agency has focused on the available data for Ronapreve. The MHRA has stressed, however, the drug's potential was assessed before widespread vaccination or the emergence of new coronavirus variants.

Interpretation of the trial results is therefore "now more complex". "It would be for the attending healthcare professional to make an informed decision" on whether Ronapreve is suitable for the individual, according to the MHRA.

Read more: Asthma drug recommended on 'case-by-case basis' amid pandemic

"[Ronapreve] combines two antibodies that bind to different places on the coronavirus' spike protein, preventing uptake by cells and accelerating clearance of the virus," said Professor Martin Landray, from the University of Oxford.

"The rationale for combining two different antibodies is if a viral variant prevented one drug from binding to the spike protein, the other would still be effective, a 'belt and braces' approach."

The government and NHS are yet to confirm how Ronapreve will be used among patients. In the meantime, the MHRA is due to receive final study reports from Regeneron-Roche in the coming months.

"This licensing decision is an important step forward," said Professor Landray.

"There have been a number of trials in the out-of-hospital setting, each with positive results  reducing viral clearance and reducing the risk of hospitalisation. There have been no major safety concerns.

"The challenge going forward will be in determining which patients should be prioritised for this treatment.

"COVID is not a rare disease and many people get better of their own accord after a few days of a nasty flu-like illness. It would be hard to justify giving what are likely to be limited supplies of a relatively expensive treatment to huge numbers of people who are likely to get better on their own.

"On the other hand, it may play an important role in patients who are at higher risk of developing severe infection and who are more likely to end up in hospital."

Read more: Crohn's drug blunts immune response against coronavirus

Professor Penny Ward, from King's College London, added: "I think it is most likely to be used to prevent hospitalisation among people becoming sick with COVID who are at higher risk of needing hospital care [or] dying from disease.

"It might also be used to prevent COVID infections in people who are in contact with a confirmed COVID case and who might have reduced response to vaccination, for example people being treated for cancer.

"It can also be used to curtail outbreaks in institutions  care homes, hospitals, prisons, critical workplaces."

Watch: Do coronavirus vaccines affect fertility?

Despite uncertainties around Ronapreve's use, Professor Ward added: "It's a good news day.

"Let now hope we can order and receive the supply we need to be able to use this effectively as we wait for the oral antivirals which are coming along the pike."

In a separate trial, called Recovery, Ronapreve was found to reduce the risk of death and shorten the hospital stay of patients who had not mounted their own immune response against the coronavirus. The MHRA is also due to receive further Recovery results.

Speaking of Ronapreve's approval, health secretary Sajid Javid added: "This is fantastic news from the independent medicines regulator and means the UK has approved its first therapeutic designed specifically for COVID-19.

"This treatment will be a significant addition to our armoury to tackle COVID-19, in addition to our world-renowned vaccination programme and life-saving therapeutics dexamethasone and tocilizumab.

"We are now working at pace with the NHS and expert clinicians to ensure this treatment can be rolled out to NHS patients as soon as possible."
The European Union's natural gas reserves are well under normal levels  and if they don't fill up by October, the bloc could face a price squeeze if there's a repeat of last winter's cold snap, analysts warn, Politico writes.

"Going into the current winter with less in storage, Europe is walking a tightrope  and it wouldn't take a huge gust of wind to knock us off," said Jack Sharples, a research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. "All it would take is for some [liquefied natural gas] projects currently offline to not come back on, or some unplanned maintenance on a pipeline bringing gas into Europe, or just another cold winter."

The EU has the capacity to store over 117 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas, or roughly a fifth of its annual consumption, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe.

Those reserves were full a year ago  which is what allowed the bloc to comfortably weather an unusually long winter that sent global gas prices skyrocketing in January.

Europe "managed to get through last winter relatively unscathed, as we had such high storage stocks at the start," said James Huckstepp, gas analyst at S&P Global Platts.

Currently, EU storage facilities are filled to only 60 percent capacity, or just under 70 bcm of gas. That needs to get up to at least 80 bcm by October 1 to ensure a proper buffer against market fluctuations through winter, Sharples said.

But part of the reason reserves were so full in 2020 was that the pandemic had stalled the economy, creating a massive supply glut had sent prices crashing to as little as $3 gas per million British Thermal Units (mmBTU). In March 2020, Europe was awash in cheap gas and canceling U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers bringing over more than the bloc needed.

Spot prices for gas are currently rising above $15 on the benchmark Dutch TTF hub.

Part of that price climb is due to a tight global market caused by this year's surge in industrial production as well as unexpected factors like natural disasters and outages, said Mike Fulwood, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute.

"In South America, the drought in Brazil has depleted their hydropower so they're importing more LNG, as is Argentina, and European demand looks as though it's going to be higher this year than in 2019, which is unexpected, so we've got a lot of factors increasing demand," Fulwood said.

Thats coincided with supply-side technical issues. Trinidad is down a lot, weve had extended maintenance in Australia, Nigeria is lower, Papua New Guinea, Peru  add them all together and weve probably lost on an annual basis about 20 bcm worth of LNG supply, which is 5 percent or so of the market, Fulwood added.

In Europe, Norway's Troll gas field  Europe's largest  went down for unplanned maintenance on July 27, prompting operator Equinor to fire up production at other sites to try and make up for reduced volumes.

On August 6, Russia's state-owned Gazprom also dramatically reduced shipments through the Yamal pipeline  which runs through Belarus and Poland  citing a fire at a gas processing facility in western Siberia. The company instead began withdrawing its gas reserves located in the EU to fulfill contracted deliveries, further exacerbating the storage issue.

Prices also jumped this week after Gazprom only booked a small fraction of transit capacity offered by Ukraine for September.

Fulwood said Gazprom might be holding off on booking commitments through Ukraine in the hope that German regulators would approve the Nord Stream 2 pipeline later this year.

"There is a bit of a fear premium on prices, everybody's a lot more jumpy, and you're going to see bumps in prices probably outsized in proportion to the events," Sharples said of the Gazprom-induced market surges. "If the winter that had just gone past had been very mild ... people wouldn't be panicking so much."
As the Taliban closed in and the Kabul governments imminent collapse seemed evident, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on 15 August that this was not Saigon. As Anadolu Agency writes, Blinken was referring to the 1975 evacuation of American personnel from Saigon, the then-South Vietnamese capital, as the communist forces took control.

Footage from the Kabul airport following Blinkens statement showed a flood of Afghans running on the tarmac, some trying to board a plane and others clinging to a US military aircraft as it took off. Forty-six years later, the iconic photograph of the American military helicopter about to take off from a rooftop in Saigon in 1975 is now compared to a photograph of an American helicopter flying in Kabul and the horrific scenes at the airport.

Many analysts have pointed to similarities between the American quagmires in South Vietnam and in Afghanistan. Vietnamization and Afghanization policies had failed. The corruption of the Kabul government was only matched by that of Saigon. Now the evacuation of American personnel from Kabul and the uncertain fate of local Afghans who worked for the Western forces indicate that this is not Saigon. In fact, it may be worse. The Kabul moment will become a new metaphor in US foreign policy literature.

What will this Kabul moment mean for US foreign policy?

First, the fiasco in Afghanistan will now rank as the worst failure in US foreign policy since Vietnam. President Joe Bidens decision to end the American military presence in Afghanistan is a fulfillment of his pledge to end the forever war. His decision was in line with opinion polls indicating the American publics support for such a move. However, the implementation of his decision is now roundly criticized as being too hasty and not allowing enough time for the evacuation of thousands of Afghans who worked with Americans, as well as for the Americans themselves. The failure to evacuate Afghan interpreters, consultants, and other local allies from Afghanistan before the Kabul government collapsed will almost certainly be remembered as a major failure that undermines American credibility.

Second, as was the case in the post-Vietnam era, support for US military interventions abroad will significantly decline. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have drained the public support for military interventions in faraway places where American vital interests are not clear. This is a message to small nations and states not to pin their hopes or base their strategies on American interventionism in the near future. After all, the Gulf War of 1991 was the major American military effort that finally put an end to the Vietnam syndrome. In other words, it took the US more than fifteen years to reassert its interventionist streak.

Third, it was twenty years ago, in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, that NATO invoked Article 5, which mandates collective self-defense, for the first time since its founding in 1949. The failure of the mission in Afghanistan inevitably affects NATOs credibility as well. In fact, this is the first defeat suffered by the Alliance since its founding. The defeat came at the hands of a non-state actor. How Afghanistan features in NATOs self-image, in its new strategic concepts, and in rival powers perception of the Alliance has yet to be seen in the years ahead.

Americas forever war in Afghanistan will be studied in the years ahead with Vietnam comparisons almost inevitable. If post-Vietnam America is any guide, a greater focus on domestic issues is to be expected from the US administrations. Military interventions abroad where American vital interests are not at stake are less likely in the immediate future. What needs to be done by the Biden Administration now is to enhance the credibility of NATO so that states from the Baltics to the Balkans can rely on the Alliance to safeguard their security.
An ambulance car burned down as a result of an accident in Petropavlovsk. The details of the incident were announced by the police.

Today, at about 4.30 local time, a driver of the GAZ car, born in 1966 lost control and crashed into a tree.

"According to the medical examination, the driver of the GAZ vehicle was sober. As a result of an accident, a man was injured and hospitalized with injuries of his lower extremities to the regional hospital for medical assistance," Sputnik Kazakhstan quotes law enforcement officers as saying.
On August 20 starting from 18:58 to 23:53 the Armenian armed forces units from the positions in the Yukhari Zaghali, Guney and Yukhari Shorzha settlements of the Basarkechar region in the Yukhari Mehrab settlement of the Berd region using sniper rifles, assault rifles, and machine guns periodically subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army' positions in the direction of the Yellija and Istisu settlements of the Kalbajar region, the Garalar settlement of the Tovuz region, and the Galakend settlement of the Gadabay region, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry.

"Moreover, on August 20 starting from 20:37 to 01:00 on August 21, illegal Armenian armed detachments in the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporally deployed, using assault rifles and machine guns periodically subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army Units positions stationed in the Chaghaduz settlement of the Khojavend settlement and in the vicinity of the city of Shusha.

There are no losses among the military personnel of the Azerbaijan Army.

The Azerbaijan Army Units control the operational situation."
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin website informs.

"The presidents exchanged condolences in connection with the crash in Turkey of the Be-200ES aircraft of the Russian Defense Ministry on August 14, 2021, on board of which there were both Russian and Turkish citizens. Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the significant contribution of Russian pilots to the fight against forest fires in the Republic and expressed his sincere gratitude for the assistance provided, " the message reads.

The heads of state discussed in detail the situation around Afghanistan, drawing attention to the importance of ensuring stability and civil peace, strict observance of order and legality in this country. Putin and Erdogan highlighted the primary nature of the tasks in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. The leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination on Afghan issues.

The presidents also touched upon the issues of trade and economic cooperation, primarily in the field of energy, and agreed on further personal contacts.

According to the message from Erdogan's office, the president said that Turkey can continue to secure the safety of the Kabul airport if there are appropriate conditions, which will help to address issues of concern to all parties, especially the international community and the Afghan people.

The Turkish President specified that the transit of power in Afghanistan should be smooth, and the Taliban (movement banned in Russia) is obliged to prevent the repetition of their past mistakes, respect all ethnic groups in Afghanistan and fulfil their promises. The countrys new government should be inclusive, reflecting the diversity of the people of this country.

The Turkish leader added that instead of introducing strict conditions, Ankara considers it necessary to leave open channels of communication with the Taliban.

The press service of Erdogan indicated that the heads of state agreed to coordinate the establishment of relations with the government to be created in Afghanistan. The Turkish President also expressed hope that the Taliban and representatives of the former authorities are negotiating to ensure peace and security.

In addition, Erdogan said that Moscow and Ankara attach great importance to economic cooperation, specifying that Turkey expects to increase the volume of gas supplies via the Turkish Stream pipeline, which will serve as a manifestation of the development of such cooperation.
The trade turnover between Russia and Iran in the first six months of this year increased by 39.9% compared to the same period last year, the trade mission of the Russian Federation in Iran informs, citing data from the Federal Customs Service.

"Trade turnover increased by 39.9% compared to the same period last year and amounted to 1,662.8 million dollars. Exports increased by 44.4% (1,124.2 million dollars). Imports increased by 31.3% (538.6 million dollars)", TASS quotes the Federal Customs Service.
Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks on establishing a new "inclusive" government in Afghanistan, a senior official said, France 24 reports.

Other senior Taliban leaders seen in the capital in recent days include Khalil Haqqani -- one of America's most wanted terrorists with a $5 million bounty on his head.

Pro-Taliban social media feeds showed Haqqani meeting Gulbuddin Hekmatyar -- a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s, but still influential in Afghan politics.

A senior Taliban official told AFP that Baradar would meet "jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up".

Baradar arrived in Afghanistan last Tuesday from Qatar, choosing to touch down in the country's second-biggest city Kandahar -- the Taliban's spiritual birthplace.

Within hours of his return, the group announced its rule would be "different" this time.

The Taliban have said they want this iteration of their government to be "inclusive", but have given few details of who it would include.
A senior representative of the Taliban (banned in Russia) personally asked Russian diplomats to inform the militia leaders in the Panjshir Gorge that the Taliban is ready for the dialogue, Russian Ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov said on the Soloviev Live YouTube channel.

"Now there is only one region in the country that is not under the control of the Taliban - the Panjshir province, the Panjshir gorge. Today we had a high-ranking representative of the Taliban political office at the embassy, and he asked, knowing that Russia enjoys great authority in Afghanistan from various political forces, to convey a political signal to the Panjshir people," the diplomat said.
The Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V, which will be produced in Uzbekistan, is officially registered in the country. The corresponding decree of the Cabinet of Ministers was signed yesterday by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.

The document is called "On additional measures to ensure the stability of the epidemiological situation in the Republic of Uzbekistan associated with coronavirus infection." The joint venture Jurabek Laboratories has reached an agreement with the Russian company Vaktsina Cheloveka on the production of Sputnik V in Uzbekistan.
The movement of motor transport on the federal highway Novorossiysk - Kerch, previously limited due to flooding caused by rainfalls, was restored, the traffic police department of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Krasnodar Territory informs.

"Today at 18:10, the movement of vehicles in the area of the 65th kilometer of the Novorossiysk-Kerch federal highway was restored, TASS cites the message of the ministry.
The Biden administration on Friday slapped sanctions on a Russian ship and two companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, but opponents of the nearly completed project said the measures would not stop it, Reuters reports.

The sanctions were imposed on ship Ostap Sheremeta, ship owner JSC Nobility and construction company Konstanta, the State Department said in a report to congressional committees. A copy of the report was seen by Reuters.

U.S. President Joe Biden separately issued an executive order allowing for sanctions to be imposed on certain Russian pipelines.

But opponents of the $11 billion project to bring Arctic Russian gas under the Baltic Sea to Germany said the pipeline would likely be completed despite the sanctions.

"These sanctions do nothing to halt Nord Stream 2," said Daniel Vajdich, president of Yorktown Solutions, which advises the Ukrainian energy industry on the matter.
Britain and the United States imposed sanctions on Friday on men they said were Russian intelligence operatives responsible for the poisoning one year ago of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, Reuters reports.

The two countries both targeted seven Russians with sanctions and also issued a joint statement warning Russia over chemical weapons.

Washington separately imposed sanctions on another two men and four Russian institutes it said were involved in chemical weapons research or what it described as an assassination attempt against Navalny.
A campaign deployed within four days helped rescue the vegetable distribution network in HCM City and stop price fluctuations during social distancing.

At 6.30 am on July 13, 2021, Mekong Capital CEO Nguyen Thi Minh Giang received a call from the HCM City Director of Industry and Trade Bui Ta Hoang Vu. They discussed solutions to rescue the market.

The local industry and trade department wanted businesses to join forces to establish distribution channels of vegetables and fruits to consumers and ease congestion at supermarkets, Vu said, adding that the problem needed to be solved within four days.

At 10 am, businesses had an online meeting with the leaders of the citys industry and trade department. The meeting kicked off a campaign to support the distribution of vegetables and fruits which were in oversupply at supermarkets. The selling prices had to be no higher than the prices set by Saigon Co-op, the largest retail chain in the south.

All the CEOs of 18 enterprises showed their support and agreed to join the rescue campaign. The situation was serious at that moment, because the scarcity of food in the market had pushed prices of farm produce up. VietNamNet at the time reported that the prices of vegetables had skyrocketed, while the prices of eggs increased by twofold.

The problem for enterprises at that time was that they were selling vegetables and fruits for the first time, and they had to build their systems from the very beginning, from transporting to storing to bringing products to consumers. The enterprises specializing distributing diapers, dairy products and drugs were the newcomers and amateurs in the vegetable market.

According to Giang, at first, people had to work until 2-3 am, while information was exchanged through Viber chat groups. It usually takes 3-4 weeks to establish a new supply chain, but some enterprises did it within three days.

The local industry and trade department then helped connect enterprises with appropriate agencies for QR Codes and green passage to transport products easily, and exchange information with local authorities to allow shops to distribute vegetables and fruits.

Lets solve problems as we are doing, the director of the industry and trade department told the members who joined the campaign.

Happy households

Pham Thi Thanh, a housewife in Binh Thanh District in HCM City, said she goes to the drugstore near her house to buy vegetables. Thanh said her worry about the food supply was lifted after the industry and trade departments vegetable and fruit distribution campaign kicked off.

Many other Saigonese were surprised that just four days after the first meeting, on July 17, they saw distribution chains, including Nhat Tin Logistics, Guardian, Con Cung, Pharmacy and Vinship, selling vegetables and fruits at their shops throughout the city. Vegetables and fruits later were available on Tiki, Lazada and Shopee  the best known e-commerce marketplaces.

Giang said just one week after the campaign was launched, the prices began falling. As people found there were many distribution channels and the supply was plentiful, she felt more secure. In that month, about 100 tons of vegetables were consumed a day and there were more than 1,000 sales points set up a day on peak days.

On July 20, or after 10 days of congestion, more vegetables and meat were put into circulation, which helped prices drop by 10-30 percent. The empty shelves at supermarkets and the long queues of consumers were no longer seen.

Analysts say the campaign would not have succeeded if the industry and trade department, or enterprises, had acted single handedly. There had to be three parties involved in the rescue campaign  suppliers that provide products; enterprises willing to advance money to buy products and accept to incur losses; and industry and trade department to settles problems of the supply chain.

In fact, each enterprise has specific advantages and has targeted groups of clients. A representative of Tiki said that amid the pandemic, the top priority is providing essential goods in a timely manner. In order to do this, the contribution of many e-commerce sites is needed.

Chris Blank, President and CEO of Pharmacity, a drug supply chain, said the campaign needed the close cooperation of many different companies and agencies, including ones that had never partnered with enterprises before. The impressive feature was the cooperation and contribution that helped to quickly provide essential food to people.

Vu said the biggest success of the campaign was the active and responsible contribution of enterprises in the city. They created a network of distribution, helping to increase the number of sale points, and stabilized the market prices.

This was really an unbelievable campaign. The enterprises did not meet each other face to face, but they only worked online or exchanged information via phones, Giang said. When the city recovers from illness, we will surely meet each other."

Quang Dinh

Food surplus in southern provinces, shortage in HCM City There is a food supply shortage in HCM City, despite the high production capacity in the Mekong Delta.
In 2016, Dr. Nguyen Hong Thao became the first Vietnamese to be appointed as a member of the United Nations International Law Commission, for the term 2017-2021.

Dr. Nguyen Hong Thao, a member of the UN's International Law Commission for the term 2017-2021. Photo baoquocte.vn

The International Law Commission (ILC) focuses on drafting international conventions and studying major issues of international law. It comprises 34 members elected every five years and working independently from the countries that nominate them.

Dr. Thao has had experience in maritime affairs and diplomacy, with ambassador postings in Malaysia (2011-2014) and Kuwait (2014-2017). His main academic specialisations are in public international law, law of the sea, international organisations, international humanitarian and environmental law.

In a recent interview with The gioi & Viet Nam (The World & Vietnam Report), he shared details of his work, and preparation for being re-nominated to the position.

How would you describe your first days at ILC? What is your relationship with other members of the Commission?

It was a bit overwhelming the first time I met experts with great experience in international law. I have learned a lot from their research, books, reports, and international conventions.

On the first day, I was fortunate to sit next to two very famous rapporteurs. One was Professor George Nolte of the Humboldt University of Berlin. He was elected as a member of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year. Many ILC members have been elected to the ICJ, so people often say that the ILC is the cradle for training judges in international law.

The other was Professor Sean Murphy, President of American Society of International Law. He works as a rapporteur on the topic of Crimes Against Humanity.

I have learned a lot and received sincere support from both re-elected and new members.

In an environment where there are many experienced experts like this, we can still attract attention in our own way. If we do a lot of research, we can still find areas to contribute to reports of the rapporteurs and raise practical issues for our own reports.

Is there any conflict of interest among the 34 members?

This is a forum for scientific debate and tense debate is unavoidable, but all of them are based on science and respect.

Many times, we have had heated debate on issues including those related to protection of the atmosphere, and provisional application of international treaties.

Or when we discussed the privileges and immunities of state officials in international law, we were aware that this is a difficult issue because it is both legal and political. Because state officials include senior leaders like the president or prime minister. Article 7 regulates some exceptions to the exercise of immunity in international criminal law. However, international crimes are yet regulated clearly so the ILC has had to discuss and offer proposals, based on countries contexts, about what crimes against humanity, war crimes and corruption crimes are.

I suggested the crime of aggression be incorporated into the concept of international crimes however it was opposed by members from major countries. The objection was based on legal ground because there was no international legal document that specified this issue. However, we can implicitly understand that if we bring that issue up, many armies of countries stationed abroad will be affected.

With difference in opinion, the commission could not approve the Article 7 and for the first time, members had to vote to decide.

Though there is conflict of interest, what we aim towards are decisions based on science and justice.

Could you share your contributions since you took the role?

In the 70th session of the Commission in 2018, I was proud to be elected Second Vice-Chair. This is a recognition and appreciation for both Vietnam and my contributions since I was appointed.

In 2020, I published a report on the sea-level rise issue in relation to international law. In November last year, I spoke at a conference about legal implications of the pandemic co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Chile, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Turkey and Vietnam, and members of the ILC.

Our proposal at the conference is part of the foundation from which our Ministry of Foreign Affairs developed a proposal submitted to the UN General Assembly to mark December 27 as the International Day of Pandemic Preparedness.

ILC members who attended the conference were invited to work with WHO Principal Legal Officer Steven Solomon on July 22 this year on preparing a draft convention on prevention and fighting against pandemics like COVID-19 in the future.

ILC members serve in a personal capacity and do not represent states or governments. What are the advantages and challenges of this?

It is clear that when the members, with deep knowledge of international law, serve in a personal capacity as persons, they speak for the common voice and common desires of mankind. It is an objective voice of person, not a state.

This also creates an environment of academic freedom which enables expression for opposing opinions based on the reality of their country along with their evidence and reasoning. It also helps countries save time in negotiations.

However, it is crucial to resolve issues in a harmonious way to ensure both the interests of countries and the objectivity.

In the report on succession to state responsibility of states for internationally wrongful acts, a Czech rapporteur mentioned Vietnams nationalisation of foreign owned properties in our territory following our reunification.

According to international law, we have to compensate related individuals and entities. Yet the case in Vietnam was unique as Vietnam and the US had signed lump sum agreement before. Initially some agreed and some did not. So I had to work with them to reach a conclusion.

Regarding Khmer Rouge genocide, I also worked with rapporteurs to bring the case to the reports including crimes against humanity, environmental protection in relation to armed conflicts, and succession of states in respect of state responsibility.

It is crucial to bring Vietnamese and regional practices into UN legal documents.

Vietnam's permanent missions to the United Nations (UN) in New York and Geneva have recently sent diplomatic notes to the UN and countries informing the candidacy of you to the ILC for the 2023-2027 tenure. You must have gained considerable experience in preparation for the re-election?

There are a lot of challenges ahead. Country competition to have representatives in international organisations is becoming increasingly fierce.

More and more people with long experience in the UN run for office. Before, members of the commission were mostly people with considerable knowledge and experience in international law. Nowadays, it expands to ministers and legal advisors of countries. They have great experience and a global network of contacts. Moreover, they offer a lot to bargain for.

Vietnam also wants to have its representatives in international organisations itself. We are campaigning to nominate our candidates into the UN Human Rights Council, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf and the World Trade Organisation, and are expanding our resources for campaigning.

On the other hand, the ILC has also always welcomed new things and encouraged more female members.

Vilawan Mangklatanakul, director-general of the Treaties and Legal Affairs Department of Thailand and H. Roque Jr., the presidential spokesperson of Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte are also running for this prestigious position.

COVID-19 has made us change the way we do campaigning and be more flexible. Our International Law Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made leaflets and short videos for Vietnamese representative missions abroad to mobilise support.

Compared to five years ago, we have many challenges and difficulties to overcome.

But as I once said, my formula for success is simple. It includes dreams, creativity, confidence, opportunity and luck.

To reach the desired destination, we must be creative, coordinate well with colleagues and international friends as well as be ready to support everyone, then there will certainly be good things to come at the most unexpected times.

Source: Vietnam News

Vietnamese ambassador runs for re-election to International Law Commission Vietnam's permanent missions to the UN in New York and Geneva have recently sent diplomatic notes to the UN and countries informing the candidacy of Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao to the International Law Commission (ILC)
Teachers say sixth graders this year will be able to access literature works that their parents and grandparents did not have in their textbooks.

A number of new works have been introduced in the literature textbook in the Chan troi sang tao (Creative Horizon) sets of textbooks, including Hoa bim (Bim (Convolvulaceae) Flower) by Nguyen Duc Mau, Lao xao by Duy Khan (excerpt from Tuoi tho im lang (Silent childhood), the work that won the Writers Association prize in 1987, and Giot suong dem (Night dew drop) by writer Tran Duc Tien.

The literature textbook in the Ket Noi Tri Thuc va Cuoc Song (Knowledge and Life) set of textbooks, has completely new texts, such as Con chao mao (red-whiskered) and Bat nat (Bullying) by Nguyen The Hoang Linh.

Especially noteworthy is the work Vua nham mat, vua mo cua so (Opening the window while closing the eyes) by Nguyen Ngoc Thuan, which is present in all three sets of textbooks for sixth graders.

Connection between authors and teachers

This is not the first time writer Tran Duc Tiens works have been included in textbooks. His story "Vuong quoc vang nu cuoi' (The Kingdom without a smile) was introduced in the textbook for fourth graders published by the Education Pushing House.

In addition to Giot suong dem, his story Ca chuon tap bay (Flying fish learns to fly) is published in the Vietnamese language textbook for second graders, from Creative Horizon this year.

Tien said he was satisfied about the way the textbook compilers worked. The compilers kept in contact with him and regularly exchanged views with him if they wanted to make changes or add words to make the work more suitable for a textbook for students.

Giot suong dem in the textbook for sixth graders is almost unchanged compared to the version in the story collection "Xom Bo Giau" published by Kim Dong Publishing House (2018).

However, Tien said he still has not had opportunities to meet teachers to exchange views about the issues of the stories and the things teachers should pay attention to when teaching his works.

Tien said he doesnt write to teach children lessons in a rigid and blatant way. The "lessons", if any, are often hidden behind the details and sentences.

A good work, first of all, makes children enjoy reading. And the 'lessons' will be recognized and absorbed gradually, he said.

When reading Andersens stories, for example, people will better understand their significance depending on their maturity and experience in life.

As for Giot suong dem, he hopes that students will understand that the love for homeland will never fade, but sometimes sleeps in the soul of every person.

Bat nat is a poem that has caught attention from the public. There have been hundreds of comments on social network about the work, and Nguyen The Hoang Linh, the author of the poem, said he spent hundreds of hours analyzing the work and answering the questions.

Linh said that many teachers have good ways of thinking and reasonable teaching methods, which do not put pressure on students.

Nguyen Thuy Mia from Cat Linh Secondary School in Hanoi said that because of the pandemic, training courses for teachers to prepare for the new academic year are being organized online.

Literature teachers attend the courses with the participation of some authors, including Nguyen Thi Nuong, whose works were published in Ket Noi Tri Thuc va Cuoc Song.

In related news, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) just sent a document to provincial authorities, asking to create favorable conditions for the release of textbooks for the new school year 2021-2022.

Phuong Chi

Textbooks proposed to include in groups of essential goods The Ministry of Education and Training proposed localities to create favorable conditions for the transportation and supply of textbooks to schools and students to promptly prepare for the new school year 2021-2022.
HCM City will implement stricter measures in disease prevention and control in order to control the epidemic by September 15.

A road in HCM City during the time of social distancing.

HCM City on August 20 held a press conference to provide information on the prevention and control of the Covid-19 epidemic in the city.

Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the local Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, told the media that the city would strengthen stricter measures to fight Covid-19 pandemic, with the motto: "Each residential group, quarter, ward, commune, town, agency, factory, and enterprise is a fortress for epidemic prevention and control".

At the meeting, the city leaders emphasized 5 solutions:

Firstly, local people will strictly observe regulations on social distancing.

Secondly, the city will focus on caring and treating F0 patients, particularly critically ill people in order to minimize fatalities.

Thirdly, Covid-19 testing will be conducted in the "red zones" (high risk) on the citys Covid-19 map.

Fourthly, the city will promote vaccinations.

Fifthly, the city will ensure the supply of essential goods to the people, take care of and support and promptly assist people in difficult circumstances and disadvantaged people in the city.

Head of the Propaganda Department of the HCM City Party Committee Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue said that with these five solutions, the city requires implementation at the highest level. He emphasized that, according to the Government's resolution, the city must control the epidemic by September 15.

Khue said that the city will strictly implement these solutions from August 23.

The official said it was not technically a lockdown but rather a promotion of more advanced measures in epidemic prevention and control. Residents are not allowed to go out from 6 pm to 6 am.

Ho Van
The police of Da Kao ward, District 1, HCM City have imposed an administrative fine of VND2.2 million ($100) on a Russian citizen for violating the Governments Directive 16, causing public disorder.

A Russian man removed his mask and challenged the police force.

On the evening of August 17, a working group of District 1 patrolled the roads in District 1 to handle violations of Directive 16 of the Government and Directive 12 of Ho Chi Minh City on social distancing.

At around 8 pm, the working group detected a foreigner, who was identified as a Russian citizen named S.A., 25, making noise at the Covid-19 checkpoint near Thi Nghe bridge, Da Kao ward, so the team stopped for intervention.

It was reported that the man had ridden a bicycle on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street towards the center of District 1. At the checkpoint, the man was asked to show his travel documents but the man did not obey. He took off his mask and loudly challenged officers.

The working group asked the man to keep calm, but he did not cooperate and kept challenging officers. In this situation, the man and his bicycle were then brought to the headquarters of Da Kao wards police for handling.

The man admitted that he had lost his temper because of being drunk. Through a quick test, the authorities determined that the man was negative for nCoV.

HCM City is now under strict social distancing measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. All people should stay at home and only go out in emergency cases. People are also banned from going out from 6pm to 6am.

Phuoc An
Here are the things workers should know now about vaccine mandates:

You legally can be required to either get vaccinated or be tested for COVID-19 frequently.

When the vaccines first became available to the public earlier this year, many legal experts said that employers could issue vaccine mandates if they chose to do so, as long as they provided exemptions for workers who either had medical conditions or sincerely held religious beliefs that prevented them from being vaccinated. And both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said that federal laws do not prohibit employers from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. The U.S. Department of Justice also recently stated that employers can require their workers to get vaccinated.

"An employer can require a vaccine for an employee to keep their job because it has been determined as a matter of public policy and law, that COVID-19 is a major public health concern, and the spread of it can be minimized through the use of vaccinations, says Jay Rosenlieb, an employment law attorney at the Klein DeNatale Goldner law group in California.

Perhaps the tipping point for employer vaccine mandates occurred in late July, when President Biden announced that federal employees and contractors would either have to be vaccinated or comply with a rigorous, ongoing process of being tested for COVID-19, wearing a mask and following physical distancing policies. With more than 2 million employees across the nation (28 percent of whom are age 55 and older), the federal government is the country's largest employer. Since the federal government made its decision on how it would handle its workforce, private employers and state government agencies have been quick to follow with their own policies that also require workers to choose either vaccination or regular testing.

It should be pointed out that many state and local governments currently are seeking to enact policies that in various ways could affect what employers in their jurisdiction are permitted to do with vaccine mandates. For example, in May, Montana passed a law that bars employers from issuing vaccine mandates or even asking a worker whether he or she has received the shots. It's unclear whether these new laws would survive court challenges, which so far have upheld vaccine mandates as legal.

You could get fired if you don't comply with the vaccination/testing policy.

The choice of whether to get vaccinated for COVID-19 can be a deeply personal decision, and employers take that into consideration when they set the policy for their workplace. Every organization knows there will be people who don't want to get vaccinated or  even if they agree with vaccination  don't like it being mandated, Warrell says.

Even so, once a company establishes a vaccination policy, workers generally either have to comply or risk losing their jobs, unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption. In one high-profile example, CNN recently fired three unvaccinated employees who allegedly were violating the company's vaccination policy by coming into the office.

You may not qualify for unemployment benefits if you're fired for being unvaccinated.

While the law on vaccinations and unemployment benefits is still taking shape, legal experts say if you lost your job because you were unwilling to comply with your employer's policy, you likely wouldn't be able to collect unemployment benefits.

"That's an open issue, and it's going to be determined on a state-by-state basis, Rosenlieb says. But the general feeling is that if [being unvaccinated] is a matter of personal decision as opposed to an actual medical condition that's preventing you from getting the shots, then you run a very serious risk of being without a job and without unemployment benefits."

Adds Seltzer Torre: The employee, by not being vaccinated, would be violating a company policy, and could absolutely be terminated for that reason and that would be considered the kind of misconduct that would disqualify the person from unemployment benefits."

Kenneth Terrell covers employment, age discrimination, work and jobs, careers, and the federal government for AARP. He previously worked for the Education Writers Association and U.S. News & World Report, where he reported on government and politics, business, education, science and technology, and lifestyle news.
Online eyeglasses retailer Warby Parker is set to open an Albuquerque location in September, according to the company.

The new location is set to open Sept. 18 at 2240 Q NE at the ABQ Uptown mall.

Founded in 2010, Warby Parker initially started as a direct to consumer brand selling eyeglasses at lower prices than many traditional eyeglasses retailers, according to the company.

This will be the first location of Warby Parker in New Mexico.

It will be located between the Apple Store and MAC Cosmetics.

Pilar Martinez covers retail and commercial real estate for the Journal. She can be reached at pmartinez@abqjournal.com.
What is methane?

Methane, or CH4, is an odorless gas and the main ingredient in natural gas.

Where does methane come from?

The gas can be emitted from wetlands and wildfires, landfills, industrial sites like oil and natural gas wells, pipelines and storage tanks, and from livestock and manure.

What are the environmental effects of methane emissions?

Methane is a greenhouse gas, so it traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to warming temperatures. Methane is about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to trapping heat.

How do agencies track methane emissions?

Aerial photos, satellite data and industry self-reporting based on real-time monitoring and estimates of gas that is being flared and vented.

What is flaring?

The combustion of natural gas at an oil and gas production site. Flaring burns off excess gas by igniting it atop a long metal pipe. Flaring helps relieve equipment pressure or burn off excess product.

What is venting?

The release of methane gas into the atmosphere at an industrial site without combustion. Venting releases more methane than flaring.

Why is New Mexico focusing on the oil and gas industrys methane pollution when methane also comes from natural sources and livestock?

Livestock and manure emissions make up about 36% of U.S. methane emissions. Natural gas and petroleum systems come in second at 30%, and landfills contribute 17%. In New Mexico, most methane emissions come from the oil and gas industry, according to the states latest climate change report. The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is working to identify greenhouse gas emissions from land and agriculture.

Who regulates methane emissions?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state environmental agencies make and enforce rules about methane pollution in the oil and gas industry.

Why do different states regulate methane differently?

Some oil-producing states adhere to federal methane regulations. But other states, like New Mexico and Colorado, have created more stringent rules for operations on federal and state lands as part of their climate policies to reduce emissions.

How does methane affect human health?

Methane does not cause direct impacts to human health. But the gas is often emitted alongside pollutants that form ground-level ozone, which creates smog and can aggravate respiratory issues.

New Mexicos methane timeline

Jan. 2019  Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issues executive order on climate change. The order set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45% by 2030, created a state climate change task force and tasked state agencies with reducing methane in the oil and gas industry.

Dec. 2019  NM Methane Advisory Panel releases technical report on oil and gas equipment, potential emissions reduction strategies.

March 2021  NM Oil Conservation Division bans routine flaring and venting, except for emergencies and malfunctions. Preference is given to flaring over venting gas.

Sept. 2021  Environmental Improvement Board hearing on NMED ozone-precursor rules targeting oil industry emissions of volatile organic compounds and nitrous oxides, which are emitted alongside methane.
About 11 times every hour, some 250 times a day, an American citizen dies of a drug overdose. The most frequent culprit is fentanyl. The most popular mode of delivery is fentanyl-laced heroin, fentanyl mixed with cocaine or illegally produced OxyContin pain pills containing fentanyl. And its not just hard-core addicts who are dying.

The Centers for Disease Control reports overdose deaths skyrocketed to a mind-boggling 93,000 last year, a 29% increase over the previous year. The death rate is now so frightening that a bipartisan group, Families Against Fentanyl, asked the president to declare the synthetic opioid an official weapon of mass destruction.

Think about this. Ninety-three thousand Americans dead in one year. Thats more than we lost during the entire Vietnam war. Thats more than the population of Santa Fe; Palo Alto, California; or St. Joseph, Missouri.

So where is all this fentanyl coming from, why does it keep pouring into this country year after year and why has the U.S. government been unable to stop it? The short answer to the first question is China, the same country that unleashed the COVID-19 virus upon the world.

But China is only a cog, albeit the largest one, in a far-flung supply network that seems impossible to disrupt. Laboratories in China produce fentanyl, then ship their man-made poison to the United States via international mail. Our postal system tries to control the flow, but its an impossible task. Also, Chinese drug lords send large amounts of fentanyl to associates in Mexico and, to a lesser degree, Canada. Operatives then move the deadly product across the U.S./Mexico border and, less frequently, across our northern border.

And now, according to a declassified government report, India is getting in on this profitable business. Labs there produce fentanyl and ship it directly to both China and Mexico. Naturally, much of it ends up in U.S. cities and towns because, sadly, thats where the demand is.

Its clear China is the biggest player here. For years, President Xi Jinping has given us lip service on his willingness to shut down his countrys illegal fentanyl factories. In 2017, the U.S. began to indict major Chinese manufacturers, but there is no indication the Chinese government ever arrested any of them.

It is also clear that the unprotected route through Mexico is a major contributor to the fentanyl flood into the U.S. As U.S. Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed dealing with immigrants  more than 212,000 of them in July  drug mules find plenty of opportunity to slip through unpatrolled and unfenced border areas.

Our immigration policy, coupled with the almost unfettered flow of fentanyl, has turned Mexican drug lords into billionaires, if they werent already. Not only do the cartels make boatloads of money selling the opioid on American streets, but also they charge immigrants thousands of dollars in exchange for guaranteed safe passage to the U.S. border. Once here, many immigrants are intimidated into working the drug trade. A recent report from Customs and Border Patrol estimated that the cartels human traffickers made some $411 million just in February. Thats more than $14 million a day.

So, wondering what can be done to stop the ever-increasing overdose death rate caused by fentanyl? The answers seem clear. First, clamp down on China with more trade sanctions. And how about a strict embargo on all mail and packages from China  or Hong Kong  coming into the U.S.? That maneuver would cripple the Chinese economy and surely make President Xi more cooperative in the fentanyl fight.

Next, seal our borders, especially the southern border with Mexico. Finish the damn wall or recruit legions more Border Patrol agents. It is only logical that if drug mules cannot get into the U.S., then neither can their lethal cargo. Something must be done because the status quo is killing our children. It is not acceptable.

This is not about politics or who started or stopped building the border wall. Please, lets get past that paralyzing mindset. This is about losing city-sized populations every single year. Doesnt that warrant an immediate and forceful reaction?

The governments primary role is to protect its citizens. Curbing fentanyl deaths is an obvious tragedy in need of immediate attention.

www.DianeDimond.com; email to Diane@DianeDimond.com.
I recently viewed footage from body cameras worn by Albuquerque police officers in the heated aftermath of what had been a peaceful protest in May 2020.

It was three days after George Floyd had died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, his merciless death captured on cellphone video for all to watch in horror, and then take to the streets to protest police brutality and racial inequality.

About 400 people showed up May 28 at Wyoming and Central NE to march without incident from 6 p.m. to around 10 p.m.

But, later that night, the scene erupted into chaos when about 50 after-hours protesters confronted Albuquerque police who were detaining four teens suspected of firing off shots around the McDonalds at Wyoming and Central.

Riot gear-clad members of the police Emergency Response Team arrived, standing away from the protesters to distract them while the other officers and the teens left. Their lapel camera footage, as well as video livestreamed from protesters cellphones, documented the confrontation.

For nearly 30 minutes, protesters relentlessly shouted rageful, obscenity-laden epithets. A sampling, with requisite f-bleeps:

Youre trying to kill our children! Shut the (bleep) up. You mother(bleepers) are on the wrong side! You going to hurt us with those (bleeping) batons? I cant wait to see you shoot that thing  Ill have your job, boy. (Bleep) the police. (Bleep) the police. (Bleep) the police.

Police were called racists, communists, child-haters, God-haters, Nazis. You get the bleeping idea.

As hate and anger rained down on them, the officers never flinched.

Once the other officers were safely away, the ERT officers left, too, tossing tear gas to deter protesters from chasing them to the buses, a tactic they were criticized for the next day.

Lapel video caught a few seconds on that bus, the officers gasping, catching their breath. I thought I saw stunned looks in their eyes, but maybe that was me.

I wondered what it was like to stand there and repeatedly be berated as scum. Those words werent meant for me, yet they stung.

Over the years, Ive written my share of columns critical of law enforcement  the Mary Han, Kaitlyn Arquette, Mark Saiz, Ashley Browder and Brittany Wayne cases spring to mind. Police misconduct exists, and a badge should not be a shield against prosecution and punishment when necessary.

But, for every dirty cop, Ive encountered dozens of good ones trying to do a good job and go home alive at the end of their shift.

On Thursday, four APD officers almost didnt make it home alive after confronting an armed robbery suspect near the busy Dutch Bros coffee shop. One is still fighting for his life in the hospital as I write this.

It was the fourth time in the past few weeks that law enforcement had been shot at and a frustrated APD Chief Harold Medina tweeted: If these criminals are brazen enough to shoot at our officers, they are a danger to the community.

True enough. But, as bad as crime is in our city and across the country, most of us do not go to work each day thinking it might be their last. Police do.

Thursdays shooting came a day after the 16th commemoration of what many consider Albuquerques worst day, when five people from one end of the city to the other were gunned down by a man struggling with mental illness.

Two of the dead were Albuquerque police officers Mike King and Richard Smith. I covered both funerals, stood along the cortege routes for both, along with other citizens there to pay their respects. They are  just as Officers Mario Verbeck, James Eichel Jr., Harry Gunderson and Sgt. Sean Kenny, the four officers wounded Thursday, now are  reminders that their job is dangerous, increasingly scorned and absolutely necessary.

They are also reminders that, behind the badge and bravado are humans, imperfect as we all are. They are not all racists, not all goons. Such indiscriminate trashing is as wrong as indiscriminately trashing every protester, every minority encountered by an officer as a thug.

In my line of work (I was a cop and courts reporter for years), Ive seen that humanity behind the badge: The detective who investigated the mysterious disappearance of a young man staying at our house, and who repeatedly dropped everything, day or (mostly) night, to investigate a called-in tip.

The off-duty officer who plunged into the rushing waters of the Rio Grande to save the life of a drowning child, only to lose his own.

The detective who worked tirelessly to solve decades-old homicide cases, even when the perpetrator was dead, because that sense of closure mattered to the victims families.

The deputy chief who talked a young girl out of jumping off the Paseo del Norte bridge, his only training on how to deal with people in crisis coming from the advice of a veteran officer: Be a human and try to relate with people you contact.

The sergeant who could not hold back tears when she talked about how the job she loved was getting harder to do because of turmoil within the department and anger from the public.

We have a long way to go to ease that anger and fix that turmoil. But I cant help but think that yelling bleeping epithets at each other isnt helpful.

Instead, let what happened Thursday be a reminder that officers are humans doing a job with bad hours who often deal with bad people in bad situations to enforce laws they didnt write, and getting heat from the public when something bad happens.

An officer shouldnt have to die for us to see the good.

UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column.
Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Two women have filed a lawsuit challenging COVID-19 vaccine requirements in a New Mexico public health order issued this week by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, argues the vaccine mandate for certain workers  including health care employees  and people attending the New Mexico State Fair violates the plaintiffs constitutional rights and seeks to bar state officials from enforcing it.

However, similar lawsuits filed in other states have been largely unsuccessful, including a court challenge filed by more than 100 workers at a Houston hospital against their employer that was rejected by a U.S. District Court judge.

One of the plaintiffs in the New Mexico lawsuit is Talisha Valdez, a Union County resident who is the mother of two children who entered to show their animals at the State Fair next month but could be barred from participating due to a requirement that anyone whos eligible must provide proof of vaccination before entering the fairgrounds.

The other plaintiff is Jennifer Blackford, a Bernalillo County resident who works as a nurse at Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque.

Presbyterian Healthcare Services, which runs the hospital and eight others around the state, announced this week it would require COVID-19 vaccinations for its entire workforce totaling more than 13,000 people  with a first dose required by Aug. 27.

That came a day after acting state Health Secretary David Scrase issued a new public health order that requires vaccination for people working in high-risk settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, hospice facilities and state prisons.

It applies to doctors, nurses, pharmacists and others, but allows for exemptions on medical and religious grounds. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated face the possibility of losing their jobs.

Statewide, more than 75% of New Mexicans age 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and several health care organizations were quick to announce support of the vaccination mandate.

However, some health care workers have criticized it and a group of 150 people protested the mandate in front of the Roundhouse on Friday, according to the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, the Lujan Grisham administrations handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been upheld as legal in the face of numerous court challenges, a fact the Democratic governors spokeswoman Nora Meyers Sackett referenced in a Friday statement.

As you know, we dont comment on pending litigation  but I will note that the states ability to protect the health and safety of the public by implementing public health policies has been upheld again and again in the courts, Sackett said.

Other pandemic-related lawsuits filed against the governor targeted a temporary ban on indoor restaurant dining, the states refusal to greatly reduce prison populations and business losses caused by mandatory closures and capacity restrictions.

The most recent lawsuit was filed by Albuquerque attorney Blair Dunn, who has also been involved in some of the previous pandemic-related litigation.

In the lawsuit, he described Lujan Grisham as a tyrannical governor and said the vaccine mandates represent the most egregious attack on American liberty since the use of internment camps to hold citizens of Japanese ancestry during World War II.

In a Friday interview, Dunn said hes not someone who denies that COVID-19 is a problem but expressed concern about the scope and implications of the public health order.

He also said the vaccine mandates could violate both employees constitutional contract rights and their right to bodily integrity.
NEW DELHI  An Indian official says an air force transport plane has left Kabul for New Delhi carrying 168 people on board.

Arindam Bagchi, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, says the plane took off from Kabul on Sunday morning and the passengers include 107 Indian nationals. He didnt give the nationalities of 61 others evacuated from the Afghan capital.

Meanwhile, another group of 87 Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Saturday in an Indian air force plane are being flown to New Delhi on Sunday, Bagchi said in a tweet. Two Nepalese nationals also were evacuated on that flight.

India began evacuating its nationals last Sunday after the Taliban swept into Kabul.

The Press Trust of India news agency said around 400 Indians were believed to be stranded in Afghanistan. No official figure was available.

___

WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is considering calling on U.S. commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they are evacuated from their country by military aircraft.

The U.S. Transportation Command says in a statement Saturday that the Pentagon has not approved or ordered any activation of commercial airlines as allowed under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, which adds to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense.

However, the Transportation Command said it had issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. The order was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

If called upon under the voluntary program, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginias Dulles International Airport to U.S. military bases.

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MOSCOW  The Russian ambassador in Kabul says the Taliban have asked his embassy to convey their offer of a deal to a remaining pro-government holdout in northern Afghanistan.

Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov said on Saturday that a senior member of the Talibans political leadership has asked Russia to tell fighters in the Panjshir Valley that the Taliban hope to reach a political agreement to settle the situation there.

The diplomat says the Taliban claim they dont want bloodshed in the region.

The Panjshir Valley north of Kabul, a stronghold of the Northern Alliance militias that were allied with the U.S. during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, is the only area that hasnt fallen to the Taliban.

Afghan government figures who have sought refuge there as Kabul and the rest of the country fell to the Taliban include Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who asserted on Twitter that hes now the countrys rightful president, after President Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator during the past years, reaching out to various Afghan factions, including the Taliban.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 In Kabul, a fearful wait for US to deliver on evacuation vow

 Europe fears Afghan refugee crisis after Taliban takeover

 AP PHOTOS: Two decades of war, and daily life in Afghanistan

 Biden vows to evacuate all Americans  and Afghan helpers

 For US military leaders, Afghan news strikes personal chord

 Western groups desperate to save Afghan workers left behind

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  The White House says President Joe Biden has been briefed by members of his national security team on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

Biden and his team met on Saturday in the White House Situation Room to discuss the security situation and counterterrorism operations, including against the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Evacuations and efforts to finalize agreements with third-party countries willing to serve as transit hubs for evacuees were also discussed.

Vice President Kamala Harris joined the meeting by secure video teleconference during her travels to Singapore. They were joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, among others.

The White House said Biden canceled plans to travel Saturday to his Wilmington, Delaware, home.

The IS affiliate  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for several years, carrying out horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.

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MILAN  Italy on Saturday flew 211 Afghans out of Kabul, bringing to some 2,100 the number of Afghan workers at Italian missions and their families who have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Of those, 1,100 have been brought to Italy. Italy launched Operation Aquila Omnia in June, and has deployed 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait, aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Of those who were evacuated earlier, 80, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID-19 quarantine.

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WASHINGTON  Pentagon says that about 3,800 civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan over the past day, amid widespread logistical challenges and backlogs at waystations in the Middle East and Europe.

Security threats slowed the progress of Americans and others through the gates at Kabul airport, as thousands desperately try to get on flights out of the country.

The Pentagon said that six U.S. military C-17 aircraft and 32 charter flights departed Kabul airport over the past 24 hours. The military planes carried just 1,600 of those people.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told Pentagon reporters on Saturday that of the 17,000 people evacuated since Aug. 15, just 2,500 have been Americans. U.S. officials have estimated there are as many as 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, but acknowledge they dont have solid numbers.

The evacuations have been hampered by screening and logistical strains at waystations such as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hit maximum capacity. U.S. officials said they have limited numbers of military and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol screeners at the transit points, and they are struggling to work through glitches in the vetting systems.

Taylor said that the Kabul airport remains open, and that Americans continue to be processed if they get to the gates.

He and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declined to discuss security problems in any detail, but said the threat picture changes by the hour.

We know that were fighting against both time and space, Kirby said. Thats the race were in right now.

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WASHINGTON  A senior U.S. official said Saturday that potential threats by the Islamic State group against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to find new ways for evacuees to reach the Kabul airport.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizen not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative.

Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant, and said there have been no confirmed IS attacks or incidents as yet.

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington;

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BUCHAREST, Romania  A military aircraft carrying 15 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians who were initially evacuated from Kabul to Islamabad landed safely Saturday afternoon at an airbase at Bucharests Otopeni Airport.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft touched down at Base 90 around 1 p.m. The evacuees were greeted by Romanias foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and defense minister Nicolae Ciuca.

I want to emphasize that you, the Romanian citizens, are at the center of our concerns and action, Aurescu said. Even if it were a single Romanian citizen, we would have done the same.

Aurescu called Afghanistan a place of extreme human despair and suffering, and said that authorities will continue to address waves of vulnerable groups, such as Afghan journalists whom we tried to evacuate yesterday.

On Friday, Romania said that the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens it had validated and contacted for evacuation to Romania could reach the Afghan capitals airport.

Romania has conducted three evacuation flights this week from Kabul airport, in total evacuating 23 people, including 16 Romanians. All but one of the evacuees, a U.S. citizen, were citizens of European Union countries. In recent days, another 30 Romanians have been evacuated on aircraft of partner states, officials said.

President Klaus Iohannis in a statement Saturday thanked the authorities involved in the successful coordination of the evacuations, which he said took place in extremely difficult security conditions.

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LONDON  A former Royal Marine turned charity director in Afghanistan has slammed British government claims that the situation in the war-torn country is stabilizing, warning that he and his staff would be risking their lives if they tried to get to the airport in Kabul.

Paul Farthing, better known as Pen, said he has been told by British authorities that he has a seat on a flight back to the U.K., but not for the 25 staff from his animal welfare charity Nowzad and their families.

Farthing told BBC radio that he is disgusted at the situation, and warned that the humanitarian crisis is now getting out of control.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. he said. Youve all seen the scenes  it is not different today to any other time, it is just getting worse.

He said he is past angry and just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

As of Wednesday, Britain had managed to get out over 2,000 Afghans from the country, way more that the 300 or so U.K. nationals. On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport, a lot of them Afghan citizens to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honor.

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MADRID  The president of the European Commission has urged the international community to open arms for Afghan refugees.

Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks on Saturday when she and EU Council President Charles Michel visited a reception center for evacuees established by Spains government near Madrid.

This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance. It is our moral duty, Von der Leyen said. Offering legal and safe routes globally, organized by us, the international community, for those who need protection must be a priority of next weeks G7 meeting on the Afghanistan crisis, she added.

The EUs top officials toured the facility that Spain has set up at the Torrejon military airbase near Madrid along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said it has the capacity to hold 800 people.

Two planes sent by Spains government have already arrived at the air base. A first plane brought back five Spaniards and 48 Afghans who had worked for Spain and their families. A second flight arrived late on Friday night with 110 more Afghans. A third flight with another 110 passengers has left Kabul for Dubai, which Spain is using as a stop-off point before the evacuees are flown on to Madrid.

The air base is also receiving flights from the European Union External Action service with other evacuees from Afghanistan airlifted out of Kabul by other EU countries.

EU officials and those of member states like Spain, however, recognize that the main hurdle to getting people out of Afghanistan is helping them reach and gain access to the airport. Spain says that its flights have had empty seats.

Von der Leyen said EU delegation members are constantly at the airport to try and help. It is very difficult situation, it is changing by the minutes, but there is intense work being done to make the best of a very difficult situation.

The evacuees that reach Spains air base are expected to spend up to three days there before moving to welcome centers in other parts of Spain or continuing their journeys to other European countries.

Sanchez said that the response from other EU members has been positive and that part of those who have arrived have already left for other countries in the bloc.

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ISTANBUL  A Turkish Airlines flight carrying 160 evacuees from Kabul landed in Istanbul Saturday, Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The Turkish citizens and other nationals arrived after first taking a Turkish military flight from Kabul to Pakistani capital Islamabad, the news agency said. There was no further detail on the passengers identities but the report said 14 babies were among the passengers. Non-Turkish citizens are being quarantined in hotels under pandemic regulations.

Earlier, the news agency reported that 204 Turkish citizens had been brought from Kabul to Islamabad on two separate flights on Friday evening. It was unclear whether they had travelled on to Turkey. On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 552 Turkish citizens had been flown out of Afghanistan.

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LONDON  Many people in west London with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan are seeking advice and information from a local organization set up to support Afghan and Central Asian refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, 52, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul, now that the Taliban are back in control of Afghanistan.

She is begging, Hamdam said. She says, Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment. I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999. He said his organization has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls in recent days from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the sudden and chaotic turn of events.

Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations, Nasimi said.

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BERLIN  Two small German military helicopters that were sent to Kabul in a move coordinated with the United States had been assembled and were ready for action on Saturday, German officials said.

The idea is for them to be used in Kabul if individual evacuees need to be picked up by helicopter and brought to the airport. But Germanys top military commander, Gen. Eberhard Zorn, said there is no concrete plan yet for their deployment.

Zorn said the situation remains difficult at the gates of the airport in the Afghan capital. The number of people German planes have taken out has varied.

A German flight arrived in Tashkent on Friday night with 172 evacuees on board, but two subsequent flights  also with an Airbus A400M  carried out only seven and eight people.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany so far has evacuated nearly 2,000 people. The situation is difficult, but with our capabilities and everything that comes up on the ground, we will keep on taking out as many as possible, she said.

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PARIS  Frances says it has evacuated over 570 people, including at least 407 Afghan citizens, from Kabul onboard its military aircraft since Monday.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry added that a fourth evacuation plane landed Friday evening in Paris, carrying 4 French citizens and 99 Afghans, mostly people who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan.

The ministry said that state services and the French embassy, which has been moved to Kabul airport, remain fully mobilized to ensure new flights as soon as possible.

French president Emmanuel Macron promised Monday that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for the country and would also seek to protect journalists, artists, activists and others under threat after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Air Force says the cargo plane packed with Afghan refugees whose photo was widely shared online actually carried even more people than originally thought  823  and marked a new passenger record for the aircraft.

The brief statement by the Air Mobility Command on Friday said the C-17 that departed the capital, Kabul, last Sunday had an initial count of 640 passengers, but that figure inadvertently left out 183 children sitting on peoples laps.

The statement said the correct count of 823 passengers is a record for the C-17. It took off as the Taliban swept into the city, prompting thousands of Afghans and foreigners to rush to the airport seeking flight out  with some reaching the tarmac.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  The Dutch defense ministry says that the first group of Afghans evacuated from Kabul on Dutch military transport planes has arrived at a barracks in the northern Netherlands that has been transformed into a temporary accommodation center.

The ministry said Friday that a group of 28 Afghans has been taken to the center in Zoutcamp, a small village come 180 kilometers (120 miles) north of Amsterdam.

Dutch authorities say they have so far managed five flights out of Kabul with nearly 300 passengers. It is not clear how many of them were Afghans.

The Dutch government is seeking to evacuate Afghan nationals and their families who worked for the countrys military during its deployment and for the embassy as well as staff at aid projects.

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MILAN  Italy says its military has evacuated nearly 1,000 Afghan citizens out of Kabul over the last five days.

The Defense Ministry said that two flights carrying 207 Afghans arrived Saturday in Rome from Kuwait, which Italy is using as a staging ground for the Kabul evacuations.

Italy has deployed more than 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Italy began what it has dubbed Operation Aquila Omnia in June, bringing to safety 1,532 Afghan citizens to date. Eighty, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID quarantine.

In a video distributed by the ministry, an Afghan man who was brought to the base thanked the Italian armed forces, who didnt leave us alone in Afghanistan. With all the difficulty, they brought us away. Speaking with his back to the camera, he said the journey took two days. We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, he said, expressing also hope that one day if Afghanistan becomes safe, we can return to our country.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated 14 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement Friday evening that another Romanian citizen, a United Nations employee, could not reach Kabul airport because of security issues, adding that it will look to partner states to identify possible evacuation options.

Authorities said the evacuees were assisted on arrival by Romanian Embassy staff in Pakistan. It was Romanias third evacuation flight this week using a C-130 Hercules military aircraft.

The ministry also said that it has validated and contacted a number of Afghan citizens who collaborated with its troops during their mission in Afghanistan who have expressed a wish to be evacuated to Romania.

But the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens could reach the airport. In their case, the ministry said. (We) will continue to act to identify evacuation options.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  The island kingdom of Bahrain has said it is allowing flights to make use of Bahrains transit facilities amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early Saturday.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.

The kingdom also said it is hoping that all parties will commit to stabilizing the internal situation and to protecting the lives of civilians and the rule of law.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Senior U.S. military officials say that the processing of passengers inside the Kabul airport has begun, but that there is a considerable backlog of people waiting to fly to Qatar.

Gates to the Hamid Karzai International Airport were closed overnight due to overcrowding in the area, and processing began Saturday morning. It would be roughly 5 to 9 hours before the backlog clears and more people could be allowed in through the gates.

The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss ongoing military operations.

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WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Antony Blinken says 13 countries have thus far agreed to at least temporarily host at-risk Afghans evacuated from Afghanistan. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others, leaving Afghanistan.

Blinken said in a statement that potential Afghan refugees not already cleared for resettlement in the United States will be housed at facilities in Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda.

Transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, he said.

We deeply appreciate the support they have offered, and are proud to partner with them in our shared support of the Afghan people, Blinken said. We are encouraged by other countries that are also considering providing support. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas and to fulfill our commitments to citizens of partner nations and at-risk Afghans.
People evacuated popular beach communities and made last-minute runs on batteries and gasoline as Hurricane Henri churned closer to Long Island and southern New England, while officials pleaded with the millions of people in the storms path to brace themselves for torrential rain and storm surges.

Hurricane Henri was on course to collide Sunday in the late morning or afternoon with a long stretch of coastline, as hurricane warnings extended from near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New Yorks Hamptons, to the summer getaway of Fire Island.

Intense winds and potentially dangerous tidal surges were expected as far east as Cape Cod and as far west as the New Jersey shore, and utilities warned ensuing power outages could last a week or even more. Governors urged people to stay home during the brunt of the storm.

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected, placing eastern Long Island in its bulls-eye rather than New England. That gave people directly in the storms path less time to prepare.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for some residents closest to the water in Madison, Connecticut. First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons wrote in a public notice, that any residents who do not leave the evacuation zone by 9 p.m. tonight are putting their lives at risk and public safety crews will not be able to respond to you once winds exceed 50 mph.

Residents and visitors on Fire Island, a narrow strip of sandy villages barely above sea level off Long Islands southern coast, were urged to evacuate. The last boats out will leave at 10:40 p.m. Saturday; after that, officials said, there may be no way out for people who decide to ride out the storm.

The evacuation threw a wrench into Kristen Paveses planned Fire Island bachelorette party. The group of 10 had intended to celebrate out on Saturday night, but ended up leaving on the ferry just a day after arriving. They had planned to stay until Monday.

Im upset about it, but its the weather. Its nothing I can control, said Pavese, a Long Island resident. Ive been going to Fire Island for a long time, so Im sort of familiar with this happening.

The group made alternate Saturday night plans at a Long Island winery, and Pavese said she was happy to still be with her friends.

Approaching severe weather Saturday night also halted a superstar-laden concert in Manhattans Central Park. The show headlined by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson was meant to celebrate New York Citys recovery from the coronavirus. But officials asked concert-goers to leave the park during Barry Manilows set amid the threat of lightning. Mayor Bill de Blasio ultimately said the event had to be called off and urged attendees to go home.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded with New York residents to make last-minute preparations, warning that heavy rain, winds and storm surges from Henri could be as devastating as Superstorm Sandy in parts of the state. The governor, who will leave office in two days following a sexual harassment scandal, warned that heavy rains were expected to create problems far up into the Hudson River Valley.

We have short notice. Were talking about tomorrow, Cuomo said. So if you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground, it has to be today. Please.

Gov. Ned Lamont warned Connecticut residents they should prepare to shelter in place from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning as the state braces for the first possible direct hit from a hurricane in decades. In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee similarly urged state residents stay at home Sunday and into Monday morning.

We consider this a serious matter, McKee said at a news conference.

Officials said Logan International Airport in Boston was expected to remain open, but that some flights likely would be canceled. And service on some branches of New York Citys commuter rail system will be suspended Sunday. Amtrak service Sunday between New York and Boston was cancelled.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker expressed relief Saturday that the latest models suggest Henri wont make a direct hit on the state.

But Baker and McKee at separate briefings warned that high winds and heavy rains still could lead to widespread and lengthy power outages.

The White House said President Joe Biden discussed preparations with northeastern governors and that New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who succeeds Cuomo on Tuesday, also participated.

Biden later began approving emergency declarations with Rhode Island.

New York hasnt had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished.

With a top wind speed of 75 mph (120 kph) Saturday, Henri sped up to move north at 21 mph (33 kph) as of Saturday night. It was about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southeast of Montauk Point on Long Island.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town was considering issuing a voluntary evacuation advisory for about 6,000 people. He said storm models showed that the storms center would run smack on the town of Southampton. He described a run on supplies like batteries and flashlights as people are starting to wake up.

Regardless of its exact landfall, broad impacts were expected across a large swath of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut, and Albany, New York, and eastward to Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists.

Storm surge between 3 and 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) is possible from Flushing, New York, to Chatham, Massachusetts, and for parts of the North Shore and South Shore of Long Island, the hurricane center said.

Rainfall between 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) is expected Sunday through Monday.

Officials in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York cautioned that people could lose power for days. Authorities advised people to secure their boats, fuel up their vehicles and stock up on canned goods.

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Islands east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding thats likely to turn streets like the mansion-lined Dune Road into lagoons.

We have a lot of wealthy people. Theres no doubt that we do, but everybody pulls together in an emergency, Schneiderman said. So, you know, yeah, there are people hanging out on their yachts at the moment drinking martinis, but theyre also starting to talk about this storm and Im sure theyre going to want to be helpful.

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Hill reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writers Mallika Sen and Larry Neumeister in New York, Mike Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Mark Pratt in Waltham, Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
LONDON  For people with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan, recent days have brought a frantic mix of fear and frustration.

In west London, many relatives are doing what they can: seeking advice and information from the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association. The organization was set up to support refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, a 52-year-old who arrived in the U.K. in 1998 via Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban were in control of the country, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul.

She is begging, Hamdam said. She says, Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment. I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.

Hamdam hasnt seen his sister since 2013 when he returned to Afghanistan for their mothers funeral.

I love her so much and I will do anything to bring her back with her family, the father of four said.

With the U.S. still planning to have all its troops withdrawn from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, theres a mad scramble to get out  and a corresponding sense of dread among Afghan families already abroad. Crowds of people clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children on Saturday were outside the gates of the international airport in Kabul, blocked by coils of razor wire.

The relatives of those who dont make it out on a flight will be hoping that the Taliban prove true to their word and do not target those who assisted Western troops over the past 20 years.

Nilufar Nasrti, 47, is worried about her family because some members worked for the Afghan government. They are afraid to sleep at night, she said.

Dangerous, Nasrti said from London. If the Taliban come into the house, they will kill you.

Like other nations, Britain is trying to evacuate Afghan allies as well as its own citizens from Afghanistan, but with the U.S.-imposed deadline hovering into view, its a race against time. In addition to the 4,000 or so U.K. citizens, there are thought to be around 5,000 Afghan allies, such as translators and drivers, who are earmarked for a seat on a plane.

As of Wednesday, Britain had managed to get out over 2,000 Afghans and 300 or so U.K. citizens. Since then, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the U.K. government has evacuated around 1,000 people a day, a lot of them Afghan citizens to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honor.

The British government has also announced a refugee settlement program that would allow up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans, primarily women and children, to seek sanctuary in the U.K. in the next few years, including 5,000 this year. The total for this year is in addition to the Afghan allies who Britain is trying to evacuate now.

Critics argue the plan is not bold enough and does not come close to matching Britains share of the responsibility for Afghan workers.

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, is one of those who thinks Britain should be more ambitious. He said his group has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the chaotic turn of events.

Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations, Nasimi said.

He knows exactly what they are experiencing since he left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999.

For Qadria Saeedi, a 38-year-old outreach worker who has helped Afghan women settle in the U.K., the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban conjures up particularly awful memories. She remembers the horrors of life under the Talibans first incarnation in the 1990s before she left the country at 19.

Im fully stressed right now, said Saeedi, who is particularly worried about her brother and sister in Afghanistan. Because it is really hard when I remember their faces (of Taliban fighters) and the way they dress up. Its really scary, its horrible.

Saeedi had promised her father that she would go and visit him in Afghanistan this year.

Unfortunately, I dont think I will see him again, she said.

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Follow all AP stories on developments in Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/Afghanistan.
The federal government on Monday declared a water shortage on the Colorado River for the first time, triggering mandatory water consumption cuts for states in the Southwest, as climate change-fueled drought pushes the level in Lake Mead to unprecedented lows.

Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US by volume, has drained at an alarming rate this year. At around 1,067 feet above sea level and 35% full, the Colorado River reservoir is at its lowest since the lake was filled after the Hoover Dam was completed in the 1930s.

Lake Powell, which is also fed by the Colorado River and is the country's second-largest reservoir, recently sank to a record low and is now 32% full.

"It's very significant," Brad Udall, senior water and climate scientist at Colorado State University, told CNN. "It's something that those of us in the climate community have been worried about for over a decade, based on declining flows due to climate change."

With the lake expected to remain at around 1,066 feet of elevation into 2022, according to the US Bureau of Reclamation's latest monthly projections, the agency announced that the Colorado River will go into the first tier of water cuts beginning January 1.

"Given ongoing historic drought and low runoff conditions in the Colorado River Basin, downstream releases from Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam will be reduced in 2022 due to declining reservoir levels," the report said.

Lake Mead provides water to roughly 25 million people in Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico, according to the National Park Service. Under the complex priority system, Arizona and Nevada will be affected by the tier-1 shortage.

Arizona will see an 18% reduction in the state's total Colorado River supply, primarily impacting agriculture. Although Nevada will need to adhere to a 7% reduction in its Colorado River water supply in 2022, the state had already reduced its deliveries and no change is expected due to the shortage, according to John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Additional cuts -- each tier with worsening impact on agriculture and municipal water -- are expected if Lake Mead continues to fall. The second tier of cuts, triggered at 1,050 feet, could come as soon as 2023.

Snaking its way through the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, the Colorado River's volume have been dwindling due to extreme heat and drought.

T.J. Atkin, a cattle rancher in Utah and Arizona, described the toll the drought was taking on his family's business and his animals.

"Everyone else I've talked to says in 85 years, it has not been this bad," Atkin told CNN in June. "We have 85 years' worth of our own drought data that says we've never done this ... not to this extent."

At a news conference announcing the cuts, US officials said climate change is behind the West's water shortage.

A UN report released last week emphasized the role human-caused climate change plays in drought frequency and intensity. Globally, droughts that may have occurred only once every 10 years or so now happen 70% more frequently, according to the report. The link is particularly strong in the Western US, scientists said, which is currently in the grips of a historic, multi-year drought.

More than 95% of the West was in drought as of last week, the largest area in the history of the US Drought Monitor.

"There's no doubt that climate change is real -- we're experiencing it every day in the Colorado River Basin and in other basins in the West," said Tanya Trujillo, assistant secretary for water and science at the US Department of the Interior. "I think the best strategy for planning is to think about a broad range of scenarios and a broad range of potential hydrology, and to work closely with our partners in the basin to try to think through all of those scenarios."

On average, the Colorado River's flow has declined by about 20% over the last century, according to a 2020 study by US Geological Survey scientists. Over half of that decline can be attributed to warming temperatures across the basin, researchers said.

Without any significant reductions to planet-heating emissions, particularly from the burning of fossil fuels, the study found the Colorado River's average discharge could shrink by 31%, compared to the historical average, by the middle of this century -- a theme consistent with the UN climate report.

The significance of the reservoirs' rapid decline cannot be overstated. The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people living across seven US states and Mexico.

Lake Mead and Lake Powell provide a critical supply of drinking water, hydropower and irrigation for many communities across the region including rural farms and tribal nations.

As the climate rapidly changes, Udall said the West should prepare for more shortages.

"Climate change is water change, and many of the worst impacts we're going to see out of climate change are through changes in the water cycle," Udall said. "Not only do we have to plan for these undesirable water outcomes, but we also have to get our act together and reduce greenhouse gases as fast as we can."

The-CNN-Wire

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TEHAMA COUNTY, Calif. - As schools return back to in-person learning, rising COVID-19 cases at one local school are forcing the campus to close down again.

Action News Now visited Gerber Union Elementary to see how they plan to continue the school year.

Since returning back to campus on Aug. 11, the school has had at least 20 positive COVID-19 cases, which include students and staff despite requiring masks.

We had about four to five classes and so we just decided maybe it would be best just to shut down for about 10 days, and revisit it and think about what were doing, School Secretary Judy Grana said.

Now the school is switching to independent study starting Monday, but teachers hope it is only temporary.

Last year, a lot of the year was spent in distance learning, Eighth-grade teacher Cort Mitchell said. I think were just excited that we were here for a few days and were hoping this will be just a short break, and then well be back in person again.

A week ago, students filled the hallways and students could walk into the classroom for in-person learning but now classrooms are empty again.

During the next week, Chromebooks will be provided to students to help with distance learning but teachers like Deanna Davis are already preparing to welcome students back.

Davis said shes not ruling out the possibility of transitioning back into distance learning for a second time.

I think that the biggest concern is just everyone being safe and healthy, and so we can't predict the future, but the reality is that that may happen, and were just doing our best just to make sure our were prepared and so are students, Davis said.

The school plans to have students return back to campus on Aug. 30 and will conduct screening to keep track of new cases.

The school also plans on having students in stable cohorts when they return to minimize the spread of the virus and revamp the seating during breakfast and lunchtime. There will be plenty of hand sanitizer and masks on hand.
PARADISE, Calif. - As water across the state of California is becoming more scarce, people in Paradise are concerned for their community.

"Water is life, water is precious, Paradise resident Amaji Fox said. Without water, there is no life, there is no town."

Fox has been living in Paradise for 40 years.

She was relieved to hear that her town is taking steps to preserve water so that the town can continue to rebuild.

"I appreciate the town of Paradise looking after the people in Paradise because we have gone through a lot, Fox said.

Usually, anyone would be able to come to the Paradise Irrigation District to fill up their jugs and tanks but now, only people living in Paradise will be able to use this water.

"We want to make sure that the water isn't being taken by folks who don't live in Paradise and it is saved for the residents who actually need the water," assistant district manager for PID Mickey Rich said.

Rich said when people come to get water, they will have to register first and show proof that they are Paradise residents.

"Come to the office and then they will talk with customer service to give them their address and their vehicle information and at that time, it gives customer service reps the opportunity to look up their account and see their water situation and see if there is something better we could be doing for them at their property, Rich said.

"It is important that everyone has enough water for cement work or clean up, Fox said.

The PID also saving water by not allowing people to fill up tanks, only five-gallon jugs.

The PID is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. for people to come into the office or to fill up their jugs.
REDDING, Calif. - University Preparatory School canceled school for Friday after receiving information about a possible threat of violence at the school Thursday night, according to the Redding Police Department.

At about 8:18 p.m. on Thursday the Redding Police Department received a report of a social media threat of violence at the University Preparatory School.

Screenshots were provided to officers of the threats that were made on Snapchat but a specific school was not specified, police said..

A potential suspect was provided and was a potential student that attends University Preparatory School.

The school contacted the Redding Police Department around 9:12 p.m. Thursday about the threat when school officials decided to cancel school and notify parents.

Police said they patrolled the school throughout the night and morning.

Police and School Resource Officials interviewed additional witnesses and obtained a search warrant for the Snapchat account.

The suspect is a 12-year-old student at University Preparatory School, police said.

Officers worked with the parent of the student and were able to get a confession about the post.

The 12-year-old did not have any access to weapons and a safety plan was put in place with the parent.

The case will move to the criminal consideration and to University Preparatory School to be handled administratively, police said.
You can love them or you can hate them, whatever be the case theres no way you can ignore your siblings. This Raksha Bandhan, enjoy a selection of movies that celebrate this special bond from fighting with each other to keeping secrets and always having each others backs.

This Raksha Bandhan here is a collection of movies on Netflix, ranging from popular favourites to heartfelt stories, that celebrate siblings. So whether you stay together or apart from your siblings, Netflix and chill is a great idea!

Dil Dhadakne Do

A complete family drama, this all time favourite film touches a chord for its realistic yet sensitive depiction of relationships. Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra shine in their portrayal of siblings who always have each other's backs.

The Sky is Pink

The beautifully knit story is about the struggles of a family where the daughter is affected by a rare condition. The emotional roller coaster also highlights the bond between siblings as it matures over time.

Tribhanga

Its all about championing sisterhood in this heart-warming tale of relationships. The underlying message of women empowerment makes for a refreshing watch.

Dangal

Wrestling occupies centrestage in this movie starring Aamir Khan that is also a poignant portrayal of a fathers journey to transform his daughters into champions in an otherwise male-dominated sport. The bond between the two sisters as they come to terms with their fathers strong will to come into their own makes Dangal a must watch.

Little Women

This coming-of-age story is based on a classic written by Louisa May Alcott. Set during the time of the 19th century Civil War in America, it chronicles the lives of four sisters each determined to live life on her own terms - which is both timeless and timely.

Yes Day

How often have parents said no to their kids? This movie centres around a mom and dad who usually say no and decide to say yes to their kids' wildest requests! Filled with comical mayhem and easy dialogues, this one is a perfect choice if you are looking for something light.
AssureShift, a leading packers and movers directory in India, has become the go-to option for thousands of people who plan to relocate every day across the country. There are two significant groups of people who benefit well from AssureShift; those having specific relocation requirements and the packing and moving experts who offer these relocation services to customers. AssureShift is associated with experienced and trustworthy packing moving firms that provide a wide range of shifting services for home relocation, office relocation, vehicle transport, storage needs, and so on.

Founded in 2016, AssureShift officially launched operations in early 2017 from its headquarter in Bangalore. In just 4 years, they are successfully established in over 25+ major cities and are currently expanding and launching their operations in at least 10 more cities this year. With very minimal advertising, AssureShift credits the growth in their brand popularity to the exceptional word-of-mouth marketing they received from their customers and packers and movers partners alike.

As part of our weekly Talking Insights series, Adgully is in conversation with Debendra Prasad, Co-Founder, and CEO, AssureShift, who is telling us about the journey of AssureShift and exploring how they revamped the concept of Relocation in India.

How did AssureShift manage to shift the entire relocation sector online in an industry that primarily works offline?

In the age of digitalization, when everything from calls to booking a wide variety of services to making payments has shifted online, it was only natural to find a way to ensure our customers could hire relocation services from the comfort of their homes.

By working for the packing moving industry in my initial days, I learned about the problems and opportunities in the sector. One of the peoples biggest concerns was finding reliable relocation companies near their location and offering services within their budget.

However, many people dont know what details to check and how to verify the moving company documents to hire a trustworthy and capable packer and mover. Because of this, they would often hire newly established and amateur movers who don't know how to carry out the required shifting services, or fall into their trap of fraud companies who would often quote extremely cheap charges estimates.

The deeper we delved into the industry's roots, the more we realized how disorganized it was. The lack of a proper authenticator resulted in notable losses to peoples hard-earned money, safety of their belongings, additional stress and trauma, and so on. Additionally, it cost them a lot more time to verify moving companies by themselves, which sometimes resulted in incorrect choices.

Thus, we decided to change that and make sure that stress-free shifting and best moving experience are made available to every person across the country in an extremely easy-to-use platform with a simple process. After much research and many brainstorming sessions, Juby and I decided to create a digital marketing strategy to get in touch with customers before the fraud moving companies do. We planned to set up a private verification firm to verify and authenticate the moving company details before making their profile available to customers.

Tell us about the design, prototype, and launch process of AssureShift. What steps did you take to overcome the challenges you faced?

Our first and foremost important objective was to personally meet well-known packers and movers in various cities across the country and begin the verification process. It was a long and meticulous process and a tough one as we had to spend a long time in each city, which took up most of our time and increased the overall expenses in the initial stage itself.

That was the major challenge we faced before we even built our database of moving companies. So, we had to make the more challenging decision of shifting our complete verification to online methods, which was a considerable risk for us to take at the time. Gradually, we streamlined the entire verification and background checking process so that we need not physically visit the moving company in their respective city unless its vital to confirm their details and get a copy of all their original paperwork provided to us during the online verification.

We do an initial online screening of the moving documents, background checks via telephone & video calls, and thoroughly going through their past reviews & ratings on Google and popular reviews websites. We also cross-check the validity of their business registration on the Indian Govt Portal and authenticate the owner ID details provided to us with the owner details on their business registration documents. Additionally, we ask for proof of office location in the form of rent agreement/ lease contract copies, along with the photos of their office setup.

The Bangalore packers and movers listing, or for any other city like Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, etc., will be confirmed to associate with us only after they successfully fulfil each step of the complete verification process. This process may not have eradicated the fraud moving companies entirely from the market. Still, its an excellent start to making a central portal where only genuine movers are listed and made available to customers.

Our business model is simple but efficient; we have listed a wide range of moving companies for our wide range of customers. People simply need to submit their shifting requirements. According to that, our advanced software will assign a fixed price based on different variables like distance, moving size, and service quality. Three nearby best-match moving companies who can provide the services as requested can purchase the lead on a first-come-first-serve basis; for this, packers movers will have to maintain the required credit amount in their wallet from where the lead charges will be deducted.

Were the operations of AssureShift affected during the pandemic? How did you manage to get back on track?

Yes, in the early days of the pandemic, our business took a major hit and almost came to a standstill for more than 2-3 months. But with fantastic teamwork and dedication, we were able to quickly get back on our feet and even gain speed as soon as the lockdown in 2020 was eased. However, we came across another significant issue when allocating customer requirements to relocation companies as most of the packers movers crew members had migrated to their respective home base because of the lockdown. For example, we received many leads from Delhi city just after the lockdown eased in 2020, but we hardly had any availability of Delhi movers and packers to whom we could assign the corresponding leads and ended up facing a significant loss due to this as well. However, this year, we were much better prepared for every type of situation with proper planning in advance.

Since the launch, what has worked to retain customers and grow the brand name of AssureShift?

Initially, we started getting customers via search engines and social media. Ranking on the top (i.e., in 1st position) of the organic search results page was our primary mode of marketing; along with this, we also promoted our business in the working cities of India via Facebook and LinkedIn. We also ran Google Ads to get the attention of customers and increase our visibility.

For retaining our customer base, we focused on and improved our service quality and customer support to make sure that none of our customers felt helpless in their time of need. To keep our service quality in check, we take regular feedback from our customers; good performers will be awarded high ranks, and poor performers will be penalized for the loss caused to customers. We also made it a point to resolve our customers issues in the quickest and best way possible because customer satisfaction matters 100%. This way, we make sure that neither our current nor potential customers face any problems.

As our name suggests, our main aim has always been to assure the shifting process of our customers; we are committed to providing safe and secure packing and moving experience in economical pricing. And, we work towards building our reputation in the eyes of both our partner moving companies and our customers.
SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP)  A blown tire caused a car to careen over the side of a bridge in suburban Kansas City, killing a passenger and seriously injuring the driver, according to Kansas troopers.

The Kansas State Patrol said the crash happened Thursday afternoon in Shawnee on Interstate 435. A northbound car was on an I-435 bridge when its left rear tire blew, sending the car into the bridge's right guardrail and over the side, investigators said.

The car rolled twice and landed in a creek below, the patrol said, killing a passenger, 43-year-old Gomez Humberto-Perez of Kansas City, Kansas.

The 24-year-old driver from Overland Park was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, officials said.
So much for the U.S.-U.K. alliance.

The commander of the 82nd Airborne, in a story I hope is wrong, has reportedly told this to the Brits, according to the Washington Examiner's Tom Rogan:

I understand that the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division has told the commander of the British special forces at the Kabul airport to cease operations beyond the airport perimeter. Maj. Gen. Christopher Donahue has told his British Army counterpart, a high-ranking field-grade officer of the British army's 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, that British operations were embarrassing the United States military in the absence of similar U.S. military operations. I understand that the British officer firmly rejected the request.

If that story is true, heaven help us.

It's got some amazing temerity, number one, which has got to be going down badly with the Brits. Who the heck micromanages someone else's operations for any reason whatsoever, let alone something as urgent as this? Allies respect one another.

Two: It's perfectly true: The British are making the Americans look bad, not based on the competence or valor of the troops, but because of the leadership at the top. The Biden administration is the one keeping the 82nd Airborne (and Marines), which are perfectly capable, of going out into the city and rescuing Americans. Its priority is avoiding a battle with the Taliban, or a Saigon-style helicopter lift-off. In other words, it's focused on optics, not results.

Three, the British, (and French and German forces) who are going out to hunt for their nations' nationals had never been told about the Biden administration's sudden pullout or the intelligence describing a swift downfall of Kabul in the first place, so they're engaged in triage based on the Biden administration's failure to communicate. The goodwill toward the U.S. in light of this desperate cleanup has got to already be burned.

Four, what the hell are the U.S. forces over there for if it's not to rescue nationals? Is someone unclear on the concept? Why is Donohue telling the Brits to stop instead of getting on the horn with Biden and screaming at the dotard to let the 82nd Airborne do what it does best? The Brits are out there rescuing anyone they can -- nationals, allies, Afghani collaborators, very likely some Americans. The Americans are guarding the perimeter of the airport without going outside, making the airport actually irrelevant to people who need to flee, and U.S. officials are telling stranded Americans, more than 10,000 of them, that they're on their own. In the meantime, the Taliban has set up checkpoints -- and thugs going around with whips -- all around the circumference of the airport, stealing Americans' passports and not letting Americans with documents inside. Airplanes are not filling as a result, and planes that go are either half-empty or filled with unvetted Afghanis instead of Americans.

Getting into the airport looks like this:

Care to get in through that?

Some observers say they suspect a Biden deal cut with the Taliban for U.S. troops to not go out of the airport in exchange for no attacks on the airport as the rescue is underway. AT contributor Denton Scratch, today has some excellent background on how this picture looks, and here's a tweet showing a map of the civilian rescue plan which looks consistent with Scratch's posted civilian evacuation protocol. (Note: Apologies for the tweeter's mind in the gutter.)

Yet there's no way to coordinate this? Have the Brits go get them and have the Americans guard the perimeter? Probably not, given that Joe Biden has not been taking British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's repeated phone calls in recent days. He says he's now taken one, and one can only guess what that was like. The U.K. parliament in a bipartisan vote has condemned Biden for contempt. This is ugly stuff.

There have been reported tensions between the 82nd Airborne and the Brits earlier:

Things are so bad between US and UK forces at Kabul Airport, #Afghanistan, 2 Para have been tasked to observe US forces in case they leave at short notice.



2 Para OC had a screaming match with 82nd Airbourne CO.



Paras VERY unhappy at treatment of Afghans by US forces.  Alex Tiffin (@RespectIsVital) August 18, 2021

Now the Brits are making us look bad? And the French, and the Germans, for simply getting the job done?

It points to some important things:

One, Biden isn't all there. The man who said "American is back" and promised to restore the NATO alliance has pretty well killed it off with this kind of crap. Whoever is ordering him around is focused on news cycles, not getting anything done.

Two, the military leadership needs some hosing out. The general who reportedly made the indecent request to the Brits is one Maj. Gen. Christopher Donohue, who, while not a paper-pusher, is obviously well in with the wokester academic crowd as well as a careerist, based on his official biography. He appears big on fitting in rather than doing what's right.

It's sad stuff. Brits, French, and Germans are undoubtedly making their own plans now and they're going to extend beyond this Biden Afghanistan mess to impact the U.S. in the future. It won't be good for America. When the Brits are choosing morality over American indecent proposals, and it's the French who are making you look cowardly, you know the U.S. is in trouble.

Image: Official portrait, U.S. Army

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The current foreign policy disaster in Afghanistan has been predicted for years. In 2018, this author warned that the release of Taliban commander and mass murderer Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, from a Pakistan prison would strengthen the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

President Barack Obama's regime invigorated these Islamic terrorist groups over several stages, beginning in 2011 and coming to fruition in 2013, when the Taliban opened their political office in Doha, Qatar. The office was opened under the guidance of the Obama and Muslim Brotherhoodbacked regime in Qatar. The Taliban called their new headquarters al-Maktab as-Siasi li-Imarat Afghanistan al-Islamiyya (the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan). That is what the Taliban just renamed Afghanistan.

The Taliban have always been open about their goals and objectives. Under the Obama regime, the representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, brokered opening the Taliban's new office. In 2018, this author blew the whistle on Ambassador Khalilzad's subversive activities on behalf of the Taliban and, more importantly, al-Qaeda.

Currently, the Taliban is officially leading al-Qaeda. In 2015, Ayman al-Zawahiri formally gave bai`a (Islamic allegiance) to Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. After Mansour was killed in 2016 by a U.S. drone strike, Zawahiri swore allegiance to Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada, Afghanistan's current de facto head of state.

On August 16, Akhundzada ordered the release of all al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and other terrorists from Afghan prisons. This action will guarantee that al-Qaeda runs its terrorist playground, which resulted in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. In 2020, this author warned that Afghanistan was headed on a path toward a second 9/11. Recent events further support this prediction.

More disturbingly, the U.S.'s rapid evacuation of Afghanistan armed the Taliban with what the White House unapologetically described as a "fair amount" of American military equipment. Biden's regime admitted that its actions armed the Taliban  the leadership of al-Qaeda. Whether this blunder resulted from a misunderstanding of history and reality or from more nefarious circumstances, arming al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Islamic State is a treasonous act. Congress should conduct hearings and impeach those involved.

The timing also appears nefarious. Last month, in Tunisia, the last haven for the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East crumbled. While the Brotherhood still wields significant power in Qatar, Turkey, Morocco, and Israel, it didn't have the complete freedom it exercised in Tunisia. In Tunisia, the Brotherhood operated its Secret Apparatus  a terrorist entity  with impunity. It is likely that many of the Muslim Brotherhood's terrorists in Tunisia and elsewhere will flee to Afghanistan and re-establish al-Qaeda, as they did before.

The upcoming twenty-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks could not have been commemorated in a worse way. Biden's regime has betrayed thousands of its countrymen who were slain by the same enemies the U.S. government is aiding and abetting today. It is also a significant betrayal of America's Afghan allies, who are currently getting raped, tortured, and murdered by the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

As time passes, American presidents and their nihilistic Deep State bureaucrats have taught us one thing: they will always betray their countrymen, American values, and America's allies. That is the lesson to learn from Afghanistan.

Cynthia Farahat is an author and a fellow at the Middle East Forum.

Image via Pexels.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Four months ago to the day this piece is written, August 20, the print edition of The New York Times carried an editorial essay by rabid radical leftist Paul Krugman, with what is now this unfortunate title: "What's the Secret of Biden's Success?" Essentially, Krugman argued that the Democrats are now better salesman of progressive policies than was the Obama camp. And his column included knee-jerk leftist disdain for Republicans  referring to them as a cult rather than a political party. (That Krugman is your run-of-the-mill leftist liar is evident from his description of the raging rabid radical Democrats as "basically a mildly center-left party.")

It is, however, his description, in the context of high praise, of Biden that should draw our attention. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that the Taliban sat up and took notice: "Biden ... benefits from his non-threatening persona and an opposition that has forgotten how to make persuasive policy arguments." Translation: Biden is a patsy, and his compliant media will make certain that his limp foreign policy withstands effective criticism from the Republicans.

Krugman thus alerted the Taliban that they will face no credible opposition from Washington to their takeover of Afghanistan when the Americans quit Afghanistan in what deserves to be called a U.S. "nakba," to borrow the Palestinian term ("catastrophe") for Israel's victory in 1948. Ironies abound, not least that our NATO allies are said to be shocked that Biden failed to consult with them on the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. Didn't the rabid radical left insist that President Trump was undermining NATO?

One of the anti-Trump lies pressed by the left, in the days of the Russia hoax, was that the Russians were sowing "chaos" in the U.S. as part of their scheme to install Trump in the White House. See, now, how the Biden team, including Trump-loathers defense secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mark Milley, has sown chaos in Afghanistan.

Questions are now being raised: who is in charge of the federal government? It can't be Biden. Early last month, a Yahoo poll reported that most Americans thought Biden officials, not Biden, are in charge of the government. We haven't heard much from Susan Rice lately. Could she be Biden's puppeteer? If so, considering her sorry performance after the Benghazi disaster just before the 2012 presidential election, that would explain the present "nakba" in Afghanistan.

History instructs that Democrats have given us presidents who became enfeebled in office  namely, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was nominated notwithstanding knowledge among party leaders that he was seriously ill. It would certainly be inexcusable if the Twenty-Fifth Amendment came into play to affect Biden's removal from office, for that would be as good an indication as any that he should not have run for president.

What could possibly save the Biden presidency? An address to Congress asking for a declaration of war against the Taliban, with a goal of unconditional surrender and the installation of an American proconsul in Afghanistan, along the lines of Gen. Douglas MacArthur's rule in Japan, for more than five years after V-J Day? Not likely, for that would require Biden to put a halt to the left's demonization of the general these past seven decades. Is there a President Kamala in our near future?

Image: Adam Jones via Flickr (cropped).

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Its finally come to this: according to progressives, Reason is racist

Sanity and logic, too. Restraint, discipline, kindness, empathy, self-control, work ethic? All are naught but hallmarks of WHITE SUPREMACY!! The Ten Commandments? Racist! And banished from the land. The Golden Rule. Racist, patriarchal, and a disgusting vestige of WHITE SUPREMACY!! The ability to add, multiply and subtract? Racist! (Dividing is what leftists do best, so I left that out.) Classical music? Racist! Now youre getting it! In rhythm now, and all together! STEM classes? Racist! The ballet? Racist! Proper English grammar? Racist! Doubly so! Whats proper, after all? Good manners? Racist! The ability to speak well? Racist! Advertising? Racist! Accounting? Racist! NASA? Racist! NASCAR? Racist! Etc., etc., ad nauseum.

Could anything be more racist and patronizing than thinking in this way?

Where is reason? Oh yeah, reason is racist. Welcome to the world of woke.

Secular wokeism is now the most popular religion in America (and much of the West). Ironically, unlike those of most other faiths, its adherents never doubt and never question their faith or its leaders. And the rest of us must not, either, lest they subject us to a hell on Earth. If we are a baker, we must bake cakes for transgender parties and gay weddings or pay the price. As Christians, we must pay for abortion. And, of course, all of us must take the vaccine.

They mock our religious beliefs and refuse to accommodate them, but we are told we must adhere to their most precious tenets. We must swear that a man can be a woman. We must use a transgender persons preferred pronouns. We must not question global warming or climate change, lest we be labeled deniers. We must not be critical of CRT or BLM-- or any of their other B.S.

If we eat a taco or dress in a certain way, we are not showing our appreciation for these things, but are guilty of appropriation. However, the rest of the world can wear Levis jeans, light their homes, fly in airplanes, and spend hours every day on the internet, and somehow it is not an appropriation of American culture. Where is reason? Oops, sorry, my bad.

And so we find ourselves in a world where Rob O'Neill, an American hero, the man who killed Osama Bin Laden, is kicked off of an airplane-- indeed an airline?-- for not wearing a facial mask during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet recent photographs show many hundreds of Afghans bunched together mask-less in a single American cargo plane fleeing Kabul. (Precious few Americans have been rescued in this manner.) Where isnever mind.

Speaking of insanity, while talking on the phone (another American invention) about the disaster in Afghanistan a few nights back, I said to my brother, All these people at the highest levels of our government, in our intelligence agencies, etc., cant possibly have neglected to think, Hey, maybe we should secure the airport in Kabul before we try to evacuate everybody. But if it wasnt an oversight, it was something much worse-- and far more sinister. Unthinkable really.

The chaos and calamity were, in a sense, planned. It is what our elites in the government/military/intelligence complex wanted or at least were quite willing to put up with. It has to be. (Obama fundamentally transformed these institutions, which is why Rush Limbaugh and other intelligent American patriots didnt want him to be successful.)

These elites want America to be taken down a peg or two. They look forward to more global governance. And they are always aroused by the thought of tens -- or hundreds -- of thousands more likely Democratic-Socialist voters refugees coming to America.

Shortly after that conversation with my brother, I saw Tucker Carlson interviewing investigative reporter Lara Logan. She averred that what I had been thinking was indeed correct. Logan, a person much closer to the situation (and possibly the powers that be) than I am, was adamant that our leaders actually desired this apparently disastrous outcome.

There can no longer be any doubt among rational people that our woke elites do not have the interests of average American citizens in mind.

The Twentieth Century has frequently been dubbed Americas Century. The Twenty-First Century, apparently, will be anything but.

America is no longer a serious nation. The Chinese embassy in Afghanistan wasnt threatened by the Taliban, in part because the Taliban knew there would be hell to pay. China will steadfastly defend its interests, and everyone, the Taliban included, knows this. Everyone used to know this about the United States, as well. Now, however, they know just the opposite. Americas leaders are much more determined that men be able to use womens restrooms and locker rooms and that no one misgenders another than they are about the Taliban taking young girls as sex slaves, stoning gays and lesbians, and brutalizing American sympathizers. Oh, and maybe launching terrorist attacks on America.

China gratefully will step into the void.

Our elites are bent on the destruction of their own nation. But do not dare to resist or theyll call you an extremist, a dangerous right-wing, Hate-Monger.

And remember, reason is racist!

Graphic credit: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
An observation frequently attributed to Mark Twain, that "it is easier to fool people than to convince them they've been fooled," is the most accurate explanation I can find of where we are today.

I will add this one caveat: it is easy to fool people only when they willingly choose to be foolable when they allow others to tell them what's true and what's not. Because it's infinitely easier to do that.

It was easier to believe that Trump was uncouth than to take the risk of being kicked out of the Cool Kids' Group, the group that includes Hollywood stars, Jimmy Fallon, Rachel Maddow, and Washington cocktail parties.

It was easier to believe that Russian prostitutes urinated on a bed on Trump's orders than to believe that Hillary Clinton had so little respect for the American citizens in clandestine jobs that she created an email server in her bathroom to get around the rules every other State Department official had to follow, thus exposing and endangering the lives of these officers; hired a company to create the story about the Russian prostitutes to distract the public from her illegal server; was the opposite of a champion of women, evidenced by her vicious attacks on the multiple women who accused her husband of assaulting them; and was unlikable, partly because of a grating speaking voice, but also because she had a history of treating everyone around her with disrespect and disdain, often humiliating subordinates.

It was easier to hate Trump than to believe that what the progressives said they wanted to do to America was actually what they would do to America.

It was easier to believe that Trump-supporters broke into the Capitol and threatened the lives of legislators and Capitol Police than to believe that House speaker Nancy Pelosi reduced the police presence at the Capitol, Capitol Police actually opened the gates and welcomed protesters, and a Capitol policeman shot and killed a protester  who was not armed and was not posing a risk to anyone else  without warning.

It was easier to believe that a man who could not fill a room with supporters before the election could win an election over a man who filled stadiums.

It was easier to laugh at a man with a distinctive hairdo and spray-on tan than to admit that his opponent had ties to the Chinese Communist Party and whose son was an active participant in relationships with China, thus completely and thoroughly compromising the entire Biden family.

Even now, it is easier to believe that the "anti-vaxxers" are all conspiracy theorists/selfish/murderers than to consider 1) that Big Pharma, the CDC, WHO, and Big Media may have colluded to prevent information about safe, inexpensive, and effective treatments for COVID-19 in order to make money and to cover their  what should be criminal  culpability before any long-term side effects start showing up, or 2) that people who have decided to forgo the vax are simply people who do not want to participate in what is arguably a clinical trial.

It's always easier to believe the lies than to search for the truth.

I would like to be the better person and forgive all of those who have come to regret voting for a mirage. But I just can't. The information was out there. The "regretters" just didn't want to take the time to look for it and take the risk of losing their place at the Cool Kids' Table, at being laughed at themselves.

The situation we find ourselves in is what all of these regretters have wrought. Period. Although Boris Ephsteyn on Steve Bannon's War Room expressed the same sentiment on Thursday's War Room and thus beat me to the punch, here is my own similar message to them:

I and all of the other Trump supporters have been ridiculed, maligned, disrespected, physically attacked, stereotyped, and criminally charged for the last five years. In stark contrast to the summer riots last year, we have for the most part endured this with the grace and respect the president himself modeled for us. We protested  sometimes loudly, and sometimes by really angry tweets  but we didn't riot or pillage or vandalize.

We have had to watch the mainstream media scoff at us, the Supreme Court rule we had no "standing," and our heroes toppled  both literally and figuratively.

We have had to watch the only man who had ever stood up to fight for us be impeached twice, while we watched others who committed real crimes get not even a mention.

We have had to watch criminal aliens get priority over us as American citizens and the Chinese Communist Party interests given priority over ours.

We are now having to watch in real-time as Afghan citizens' lives are given priority over the lives of American citizens.

So if you voted for Biden or promoted him; if you hid or dismissed the facts about Hunter and the information on his laptop; if you voted to impeach Trump; if you acted in any way to make our election fraudulent; if you claimed you had no authority to honor states' requests for time to make sure their electors were correct (that's you, Mike Pence); if you sanctimoniously judged Trump-supporters as yokels or laughed along with those who did; if you criticized and voiced shame for being an American  don't waste your time looking to me for absolution. I don't have the time or the energy to be glad or grateful you've joined the fight. I have my hands full just trying to take in all of the destruction you've caused and to figure out how to fight for my own family and all the people who won't be prepared for what is coming.

To be clear, all of you  not just Joe Biden  own this.

Maybe the next time this happens, you will take the time to remember it has happened before. At the time, as I recall, we actually promised "never again."

Remember that? It started in the 1930s when it was just easier to hate the Jews.

I am just praying there will be a next time.

Petra North is the pseudonym for a retired high school teacher. She may be reached at Petra.north@livingingrownupland.com.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

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Wrote Monica Showalter in American Thinker, 19 Aug. '21:

CNN's sudden about-face on Joe Biden's performance in Afghanistan  wasn't half-hearted stuff. The Trump-hating news site ran a devastating analysis pinning the blame for the Afghanistan fiasco squarely on Joe Biden. ... Now it's The Atlantic's turn. ... [T]hey ran three bam, bam, bam commentaries that also pinned the blame for the fiasco squarely where it belonged  not on President Trump, but on wretched Joe Biden.

The piling on was so bad that you almost felt sorry for Gropin' Joe. But then, Friday, the scutter comes out talking tough and sounding as though he won after all  we're monitoring them closely, they know we're watching, we'll hold them accountable, the full might of the United States, on and on like that in stentorian tones  all so disconnected from what actually did happen that it took a few minutes to credit that Joe was actually mouthing such stuff.

That was bad enough, but then the scene shifted to the Pentagon, where mouthpiece John Kirby and 2-star Marine Hank Taylor took turns playing deer-in-the-headlights, running to and from a single, shared podium. Kirby vaguely resembles Howdy Doody, such that you tend to watch his jaw and lose track of what he's saying. Taylor's furrowed unibrow makes him look stern until, without warning, his eyebrows shoot up and reveal a completely different man. That's nothing compared to SecDef Lloyd Austin, who mercifully didn't speak. A 4-star general in another life, this dude comes off like a Waffle House cook filling in while the real guy takes a smoke break.

A few years ago, George Will dropped a new word on us: gravitas. Instantly, it gained traction. Everyone worked it into speeches, essays, talk show appearances, graduation ceremonies, talks with their sons. The absence of that word is notable in Joe Biden and team. All of them lack gravitas, from plebe-looking national security adviser Jake Sullivan and faculty-lounge janitor SecState Antony Blinken to Vice President "Giggles" Harris. They not only look uneasy and lost; they sound like it, too.

No wonder the Taliban don't take America seriously. And they don't even watch cartoons.

Image via Picryl.

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In 2010, Osama bin Laden, despite living in hiding, was still the brains behind al-Qaeda. And while he may have been completely evil (anyone who revels in killing civilians to advance his goals is evil), he was no dummy. He was, instead, an acute observer of Western culture  especially American culture. That's why it shouldn't be surprising that, a year before he was killed, he was writing letters to his followers planning future murder attacks. Nor should it be surprising that he characterized Joe Biden as a moron.

In 2011, despite Biden's protests against doing so, Barack Obama finally ordered a mission to kill Osama bin Laden. Not only did the SEALs carry out that mission, but they also recovered a treasure trove of documents from bin Laden's safe house in Pakistan.

One of those documents, which was made public in 2012 but was forgotten until today, saw bin Laden explaining to a subordinate why, while both Obama and General Petraeus were jihad targets, it would be a mistake to kill Biden. According to bin Laden, Biden was such an idiot that his stepping into Obama's shoes as president would be fully as damaging to America as any terrorist attack:

Giving his reasoning for attacking Obama, he says: 'Obama is the head of infidelity and killing him automatically will make Biden take over the presidency for the remainder of the term, as it is the norm over there. 'Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the US into a crisis.'

Those words appear prophetic in light of Biden's seven months in the White House. During that time, his physical capabilities seem to have diminished before our eyes. He's gone from being vaguely loopy to appearing like a drugged up automaton. As Biden demonstrated during his interview with George Stephanopoulos, he frequently becomes completely incoherent:

STEPHANOPOULOS: I  I think a lot of  a lot of Americans, and a l even a lot of veterans who served in Afghanistan agree with you on the big, strategic picture. They believe we had to get out. But I wonder how you respond to an Army Special Forces officer, Javier McKay (PH). He did seven tours. He was shot twice. He agrees with you. He says, "We have to cut our losses in Afghanistan." But he adds, "I just wish we could've left with honor." BIDEN: Look, that's like askin' my deceased son Beau, who spent six months in Kosovo and a year in Iraq as a Navy captain and then major I mean, as an Army major. And, you know, I'm sure h he had regrets comin' out of Afganista I mean, out of Iraq. He had regrets to what's how how it's going. But the idea what's the alternative? The alternative is why are we staying in Afghanistan? Why are we there? Don't you think that the one you know who's most disappointed in us getting out? Russia and China. They'd love us to continue to have to

It's not just Biden's verbal nonsense, though. Either on his own initiative or acting as a puppet for the unknown persons pulling his strings, Biden managed in seven months to tank the economy, destroy America's energy independence, wipe out our immigration laws, dramatically increase racial tension in the country, put America on a totalitarian track with masks and vaccines, and sign off on dramatically increasing our nation's already overwhelming debt.

The piece de resistance was his handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. First, he managed to do it bass-ackwards, pulling out the military before extracting civilians, allies, and weapons. He also forgot to tell our European allies.

Thus, while leftists insisted that Trump was the outlier whom everyone hated, it was Biden who managed to get himself held in contempt by England's Parliament, a first for an American president. Biden has also been lying steadily to the public, so much so that members of his own administration, anxious to escape his now toxic miasma, are refusing to go along with it.

As I said, bin Laden may have been evil, but he was also smart. He had the measure of Biden and fully understood that a living Biden was much more dangerous to America than a martyr to a jihadist assassination.

Image: Osama bin Laden by Hamid Mir. CC BY-SA 3.0.
The simplest explanation of human action, due to Aristotle and made precise by game theory, is that actions are undertaken in the belief they are likely to accomplish a desired goal. If the belief is false or irrational, that won't happen. Moreover, waiting to cause mischief are the law of unintended consequences and Murphy's Law. War plans are well and good, Eisenhower famously quipped, until the war starts.

With that in mind, a dissenting opinion is in order regarding Monica Showalter's view that "the press has fallen away from Biden's side." My take is that the torrent of justified criticism aimed at the administration in the wake of the Afghanistan debacle does not mean that the MSM are throwing Biden under the bus. What, then, does it mean?

The first point to make, goal-wise, is that MSM criticism does not mean the propaganda arm of the Democrat party is trying to persuade its leader to resign. If he does that, which is highly unlikely  think Jill Biden  Harris becomes president.

What's wrong with that? Well, it's not clear that the powers-that-be who got Biden elected would be happy with President Harris because they don't know what goals her administration would pursue and may not be confident they can shape them. If you think Harris is difficult to work with now, just wait. Besides, Harris will want her own special place in history as the first president who is "a female person of color." Pandora's box emanations are sure to eclipse Obama's and cause even more irreparable harm.

So what goal is the MSM pursuing going after Biden? Two of them, actually. First, create a pressure valve to help the country let off steam. The criticism Showalter enunciated can be found just about everywhere in the media. They're all singing this tune, as if on cue, to get the country screaming and yelling about Afghanistan until we've run out of breath, which will happen in a couple of weeks or so. Second, persuade a deeply distrusting public that the (lying, conniving) MSM now practice journalism instead of propaganda. As the Duke put it in a famous movie, "that'll be the day!"

After the noise dies down, Biden will make a speech praising his national security team for doing the best they can with a flawed plan  Trump's (of course)  so the Afghanistan mess is not their fault; nevertheless, key players have agreed to retire. Defense secretary Lloyd Austin left a profitable career in private industry to head the Pentagon and can return to that; ditto secretary of state Anthony Blinken. Beltway bandits will welcome Joint Chiefs chairman General Mark Milley with open arms and a hefty salary.

Finally, no matter what they say to the contrary, the MSM have not given up on the goal to help Biden fundamentally transform this country by placing globalism above the health and welfare of the American people. These are the goals of the puppet masters who installed Biden in the White House and are telling the MSM what to do as well. The millions of Americans who voted for Trump want to know what GOP seniors such as McConnell and McCarthy plan to do about it. The evidence so far is not encouraging.

Image: Pixabay.

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Most conservative commentators have reacted with glee to a report from Reuters that:

The FBI has found scant evidence that the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.

FBI Destroys Insurrection Narrative, headlined Legal Insurrection. And its hard to avoid a sense of triumph that a ridiculous slur against Trump supporters, a plot worthy of comparison to the Reichstag Fire in its effort to discredit opposition, has been repudiated, albeit anonymously from 4 sources.

But Tucker Carlson, the most important conservative commentator of the moment, takes his reasoning a full step farther. In a segment of the Friday edition of Tucker Carlson Tonight, he asked, Why is the FBI exonerating people?

After reviewing the months of the 180 degrees opposite narrative, put out by the FBI and broadcast by the progressive media, that an organized insurrection took place, he suggests a sinister motive behind the leaked story to Reuters. If there was organization going on, some of it came from the feds.

I note, as has often been the case, the FBI placed informants, or perhaps agents provocateur is the better term, among the demonstrators. In fact, there are upwards of 20 unindicted co-conspirators from the January 6 incident, and a good number of these may have been ringleaders on the FBI payroll, escaping prosecution for acts that were worse than the crimes for which others have been prosecuted.

In my view, dropping the allegations of coordinated activity, aka, insurrection, from the charges would allow these unindicted co-conspirators to avoid being called as witnesses by those who otherwise might have been charged with crimes of conspiracy.

Watch for yourself:

Photo credit: YouTube screengrab

Updated to clarify author's views

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The thousands of American hostages are now fungible, working parts of the politics surrounding the abject, shameful, ignorant, and ill-advised unilateral overnight abrogation of any and all responsibilities to Afghan allies and the unfortunate Americans who are now collateral damage in a war we should never have fought.

We can and should expect the Taliban  atavistic 7th-century throwbacks who look and act like extras in The Man Who Would Be King  to follow form. They will act extemporaneously, shockingly, and with little, if any, concern for the opinion of the outside world.

Conservative media will bludgeon (deservedly so) the woke Progressives in the military and in Washington, D.C. who bear responsibility for this debacle, and those woke Progressives will seek to shift blame; initiate into the daily narrative red herrings; and, most importantly, fetishize the plight of the hostages  not because they care, but because they will, as always, "never let a crisis go to waste."

Refugees by the hundreds of thousands will be installed in a community near you. Biden and a few of his clique will be blamed. (At this point, the Democrats don't care. Biden couldn't get re-elected if he ran unopposed.) They'll be thrown under the bus, and the media will pretend all is once again well in the land of woke.

Thousands will be tortured and killed, no one will resign, the military will continue to be a Petri dish experiment for Marxists, the globalists will shrug this off like water off a duck's back, and Democrats will benefit by way of  this year  millions of refugees and immigrants who all vote for free stuff from you. The next election will be rigged, and you, not the illegal aliens, will have to show your papers to live here. In general, the hatred of "domestic terrorists/Trump voters" will be further codified into law.

Don't think for a second that anything will change. The media, the federal government, academia, Big Tech, Wall Street, and the DNC will determine how this plays out. Not you. Not your vote.

No, this crisis will not go to waste.

Image via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain.

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A man is due to appear in court charged with the murder of his wife.

Mark Barrott, 54, from Leeds, was detained by police in Scotland in the early hours of Thursday.

He will appear at Leeds Magistrates Court on Monday.

Barrott is charged with the murder of Eileen Barrott, 50, who was found dead at the couples home in Naburn Fold, Whinmoor, Leeds, on August 15.

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Following Barrotts arrest, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Vanessa Rolfe said: We would like to thank all the members of the public who contacted us with information, and also our colleagues in Police Scotland for their assistance and support with this investigation.

The force had previously urged Barrott to hand himself in, and issued appeals after he was seen in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. He was traced to an address in Elgin, but had left.

Neighbours of the couple said they had lived in their terraced house for about 20 years and have two grown-up children, a son and a daughter.
The Foreign Secretary is under renewed pressure after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Dominic Raab has faced calls to resign in recent days over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson backed Mr Raab on Friday, but that was before claims surfaced in the Daily Mail suggesting Mr Raab did not pick up the phone to other foreign ministers until Sunday, the day the Afghan capital fell to insurgents, as he was on holiday.

The Times reported that witnesses saw the Cabinet minister swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete.

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

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The Foreign Secretary returned to the UK on Monday to begin dealing with the unfolding debacle in person.

Asked about the latest allegations, the Foreign Office highlighted Mr Raabs statement issued on Friday  comments made before the claims emerged.

Mr Raab earlier this week insisted he had been talking to foreign counterparts while out of the country, as well as taking part in emergency Government Cobra meetings remotely and dealing with his team in London on an hour-by-hour basis.

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Attempts to repatriate British nationals and Afghans who supported UK efforts in the country are continuing against the clock as the situation at Kabul airport appeared to worsen.

The US embassy in Afghanistan is recommending that US citizens avoid travelling to the airfield because of potential security threats outside the gates, with reports of violent scenes and overcrowding at the main entrance and at Taliban checkpoints.

Sky News said they had spoken to British troops at the airport who had served in Afghanistan previously, and who said the queues, crushing and desperation of people to get out of the country were the worst scenes they had witnessed during their service.

Time is running out to repatriate people to the UK ahead of US President Joe Bidens August 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining US troops.

On Friday he did not commit to extending it, in a move that is likely to mean British troops must return home at the same time, as the airport cannot be held without US enforcement.

Reports have suggested the last evacuation flight could be as soon as Tuesday, in order to give British troops enough time to leave safely.

The Prime Minister said 1,000 people had been brought to the UK on both Thursday and Friday, with most of them UK nationals or those who had assisted British efforts in Afghanistan.

Despite claims that the situation in the country is improving, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said he cannot get to Kabul airport without putting his life at risk.

Paul Farthing, known as Pen, has been trying to get all of his 25 staff from animal welfare charity Nowzad, their families and more than 100 dogs and cats out of the country as the Taliban complete their takeover.

As the chaos at Kabul airport shows no sign of letting up, Mr Farthing said he feels completely numb at the incompetence of the Governments efforts so far.

Dominic Dyer, who has been campaigning for Mr Farthing, told the PA news agency, however, that progress had been made in acquiring visas for all 68 people in his entourage, but said the main obstacle is still getting through the airport where thousands of people are scrambling to escape.

UK armed forces are taking part in the evacuation of personnel from Kabul airport (LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/Crown Copyright/PA)

Meanwhile, a head teacher in Nottingham said two of her pupils are expected home from Afghanistan in the next couple of days after a terrifying ordeal.

According to the Nottingham Post, Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle, but became trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma attend, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: They are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.

With difficult scenes still unfolding, a former chairman of Parliaments Intelligence and Security Committee has called for its current membership to investigate whether an intelligence failure led to the chaotic withdrawal of allied forces.

Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative MP and attorney general, told Sky News: I think if they had known this was going to happen, would the US withdrawal have proceeded in the way it did?

It must be an intelligence failure that one should end up with thousands of people crowding into an airport seeking to leave a country when it has been triggered by military decisions by the United States as to how it was going to conduct its withdrawal.
The diplomat leading the UKs rescue mission in Afghanistan has said the Kabul airport evacuation effort is without a doubt his greatest international challenge.

Sir Laurie Bristow, British ambassador to Afghanistan, has won plaudits for staying in the Afghan capital to personally help process visas.

The experienced diplomat has relocated from the embassy in Kabul  which has been emptied following the Taliban takeover  to an emergency handling centre set up at the citys airport to process the applications of those seeking to leave for the UK.

Sir Laurie Bristow, right, remains in Kabul to assist with efforts to repatriate people to the UK (FCO/PA)

Operation Pitting is supported by 1,000 British troops  including Paras from 16 Air Assault Brigade  as well as other Whitehall staff.

The Ministry of Defence said that nearly 4,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan since August 13.

Those repatriated include embassy staff, British nationals, those eligible under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) programme and a small number of nationals from partner nations.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Sir Laurie said: The scale of this effort is enormous and is without a doubt the biggest international challenge I have worked on as a diplomat.

Lives are at stake and I am incredibly proud of the tenacious efforts of my team during these challenging times, with military and civilian staff working together to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the last week.

We will continue to work tirelessly to get British nationals, Afghan staff and others at risk out of the country as quickly as possible as we also support Afghanistans long-term future.

The Prime Minister on Friday paid tribute to Sir Laurie and his team, and also to Home Office, Border Force, Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence officials who have travelled to Afghanistan to aid repatriation efforts.

Mr Johnson said 1,000 people had been repatriated to the UK on both Thursday and Friday.

Sir Laurie Bristow, left, on the ground at Kabul airpot (FCO/PA)

It comes as US President Joe Biden signalled he wanted the evacuations completed by the end of the month as he prepares to withdraw all American troops  a move that would likely force Britain to wrap up its operation at the same time.

Mr Johnson told reporters after an emergency Government meeting that the situation in the central Asian country was slightly better, although the airport scenario has since worsened

Sky News said it had spoken to British troops at the airport who, having served in Afghanistan previously, said the queues, crushing and desperation of people to get out of the country were the worst scenes they had witnessed during their service.

Giving a breakdown of the 3,821 repatriated so far, the MoD said 1,429 individuals and their families have been relocated under the Arap scheme and 1,323 UK nationals and their loved ones have also now been brought to Britain via military and civilian charter flights since the operation commenced.

In addition, a further 1,069 individuals have been relocated from a third country.

Officials said they were continuing to work closely with US military partners to ensure the security and viability of the evacuation mission in Kabul, with suggestions August 31 is the cut-off date for bringing people back.

It also comes amid reports of tension between Washington and London, with claims the UK Government was kept in the dark about the timetable for the US withdrawal of its armed forces.

Further British troops are being held at readiness in the region and the UK to move to Afghanistan at speed if required, the MoD said.
President Biden on Friday sought to defend his administrations halting efforts to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from Afghanistan following the Talibans takeover of Kabul.

His remarks, delivered from the East Room of the White House, came amid blistering criticism from U.S. lawmakers and several world leaders over scenes of chaos that have emerged in and around Kabuls airport in recent days.

Here are five key takeaways from Bidens speech and his answers to questions from reporters.

1. Biden says U.S. has made significant progress in the evacuation effort

The president said the United States has successfully deployed nearly 6,000 troops to Hamid Karzai International Airport in the last week to help manage the evacuations.

Weve made significant progress, he said.

He said 13,000 people, including Americans and Afghans who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas, or SIVs, have been evacuated so far, including 5,700 on Thursday.

American flights out of Kabul resumed Friday after an eight-hour delay that U.S. officials blamed on a backup in processing people once they landed elsewhere, such as Qatar.

2. Biden acknowledges he cant guarantee the final outcome

The president pledged to evacuate any American who wants to come home from Afghanistan, but said he could not guarantee that U.S. efforts would be wholly successful.

This evacuation operation is dangerous. I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or that it will be without risk of loss, he said. But as commander in chief, I can assure you I will mobilize every resource necessary.

Asked whether U.S. forces  which have been limited to fortifying the airfield  would venture out to rescue Americans beyond the airport, Biden said they already had, noting that about 160 Americans were taken over the wall by troops earlier this week.

He added, however, that U.S. officials have had no indication that Americans have been denied access to the airport by the Taliban.

President Biden takes questions from the media about the evacuation of American citizens from Afghanistan on Friday, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken looking on. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

3. Biden says U.S. is now working closely with foreign allies

Biden said that over the last few days he had spoken with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

We all agreed that we should convene, and we will convene the G-7 meeting next week, a group of the worlds leading democracies, so that together we can coordinate our mutual approach, our united approach on Afghanistan and moving forward, he said.

Merkel and Biden spoke Wednesday, two days after the German leader had called the situation in Afghanistan an extremely bitter development. Bitter, dramatic and terrifying. The Telegraph reported that it took Biden 36 hours to return a call from Johnson, who was sharply rebuked by British legislators for the withdrawal this week. Macron was accused of pandering to the far right in his country by saying France should have a plan to anticipate and protect itself from a wave of migrants, but he told Biden on Friday there was a moral responsibility to evacuate Afghan allies.

When Biden was asked about the international response, he said he had seen no question of our credibility from allies around the world.

4. Biden downplays terror threat from Afghanistan, says danger lies elsewhere

The president said that with the diminishment of al-Qaida in the country and the killing of Osama bin Laden, the U.S. has no reason to be in Afghanistan at this point.

Just imagine if bin Laden had decided with al-Qaida to launch an attack from Yemen, Biden said. Would we have ever gone to Afghanistan? Would there ever be any reason we would be in Afghanistan? Controlled by the Taliban? What is the national interest of the United States in that circumstance?

The threat from terrorism has metastasized, he continued. Theres a greater danger from ISIS and al-Qaida and all these affiliates in other countries  by far  than there is in Afghanistan. Were going to retain an over-the-horizon capacity that if they were able to come back  to be able to take them out, surgically. ... So this is where we should be, this is about America leading the world, and all our allies have agreed with that.

When asked why Americans should trust the intelligence that there was no terrorist threat when it had misjudged what would happen with the Afghan army, Biden called the comparison apples and oranges and said the administration would know if terrorists began to accumulate in Afghanistan to plot against the United States.

5. Biden says the U.S. is in constant contact with Taliban

Reiterating what his administration officials have been saying all week, Biden said that U.S. officials have been in frequent contact with Taliban leaders, who have said that no foreigners, including Americans, would be harmed on Afghan soil.

Weve been in constant contact with the Taliban leadership on the ground in Kabul, as well as the Taliban leadership in Doha, he said. And weve been coordinating. He said that is how the United States was able to get all its diplomats out of the U.S. Embassy safely.

But despite the recent coordination, the president has said he doesnt believe the Taliban have changed.

I think theyre going through sort of an existential crisis, he said in an interview with ABCs George Stephanopoulos earlier this week. Do they want to be recognized by the international community as being a legitimate government? Im not sure they do.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is aiming to give full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, the New York Times reported on Friday.

Regulators were aiming to complete the process by Friday, but were still working through "a substantial amount of paperwork and negotiation with the company," the Times said, citing people familiar with the planning who were not authorized to speak publicly about it.

The agency declined to comment.

It had set an unofficial deadline for approval of around Labor Day on Sept. 6, the report said.

The approval could boost the vaccination campaign by convincing more unvaccinated Americans that Pfizer's shot is safe and effective and also make local officials more comfortable in implementing vaccine mandates.

The U.S. military is expected to require that service members get vaccinated soon after Pfizer's shot is authorized and other major U.S. employers could follow suit.

Vaccine hesitancy has been a major hurdle to the White House's goal of getting all eligible Americans vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Only around 60% of adults aged 18 and over have been fully vaccinated even as the new Delta variant of COVID-19 has contributed to a surge in cases.

Full approval of Pfizer's shot would also make it easier for physicians to prescribe a third booster shot to people who could benefit from an additional dose.

The FDA has authorized Pfizer's shot as a booster for people with weakened immune systems, but the White House plans to offer them much more widely in the coming months.

The White House earlier this week said it plans to give out 100 million booster shots, many supplied by Pfizer, to at-risk Americans, including anyone whose initial inoculation is more than 8 months old, starting in September.

Some experts, including at the World Health Organization say there is not yet enough data be certain boosters are needed.

Pfizer's vaccine was authorized for emergency use in December and more than 203 million people in the United States have so far received it. None of the three authorized COVID-19 vaccines have received full FDA approval.

(Reporting by Katanga Johnson, Michael Erman and Manojna Maddipatla; Editing by Arun Koyyur, Daniel Wallis and Chris Reese)
YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Wang Yi congratulated the new Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan on his appointment.

China and Armenia are traditionally friendly partners, Yi said in a telegram. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations active interactions and contacts are maintained in various levels, practical cooperation and partnership are steadily advanced in the international arena and the healthy and firm dynamics of the Chinese-Armenian relations are consistently maintained. Currently the coronavirus pandemic is all over the world. Unity and solidarity is the only right solution in the fight against the coronavirus. Together with you I am ready to strengthen contacts and partnership between our ministries, deepen the multi-sector cooperation for bringing the Chinese-Armenian relations to a new level of development. I wish you robust health and all the best.
Sushmitas first task in her new party is to help the Trinamul Congress expand its footprint beyond West Bengal to this northeastern state

It is no coincidence that the Congress gave charge of Tripura affairs to Ajoy Kumar a day after Sushmita Dev left the party and joined the Trinamool Congress. Both Kumar and Sushmita are known to be close to Tripuras royal scion and former state Congress president Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, who is expected to play kingmaker in the 2023 assembly polls. Sushmitas first task in her new party is to help the Trinamul Congress expand its footprint beyond West Bengal to this northeastern state. The Trinamul is apparently depending on Sushmitas proximity to Mr Debbarma to forge an alliance with his political party  the Tiprasa Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance  which surprised everyone by beating established political rivals in the Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council elections earlier this year. Similarly, the Congress is banking on Ajoy Kumars friendship with Mr Debbarma to persuade him to do business with his old party. However, Sushmita has an edge over Ajoy Kumar. Besides her friendly ties with Mr Debbarma, she can also boast of a connection to the state as her late father, the veteran Congress leader Santosh Mohan Dev, contested and won two Lok Sabha elections from the Tripura West constituency. Sushmita is hoping to exploit her fathers association with the state to help establish the Trinamul Congress in Tripura.

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For the past five years, the World Federation of United Nations Associations, comprising civil society organisations accredited to the international body, hosts regular dialogues with the presidents of the Security Council. While the UN Security Council presidents elaborate on their priorities and programmes, the participating civil society representatives across the globe send in their questions on issues related to the councils work. T.S. Tirumurti, Indias permanent representative to the UN and also currently the president of the UN Security Council, was to participate in one such programme this month. However, the dialogue was called off abruptly. The organisers did not give any specific reason but only said the dialogue was cancelled owing to differing viewpoints on the prospective events modalities. UN circles are abuzz that the event was called off because India wanted to control the narrative and was not happy with the questions sent in by the members which included subjects like the problems facing civil society groups and the detention of human rights activists in India.

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Former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Digvijaya Singh and Kamal Nath were on the best of terms till a year ago. In fact, Mr Singh played a pivotal role in Mr Naths appointment as chief minister when the Congress won a marginal victory in the 2018 Assembly election. From all accounts, the two old friends are no longer on the same page. And the root cause for their differences is putra moh. Both want to further the careers of their respective sons which has led to tensions between them. Naths son Nakul is a Lok Sabha MP from Chhindwara, his fathers old constituency while Singhs son, Jaivardhan Singh, is an MLA and was a minister in the Kamal Naths government. Now that the Congress is occupying the opposition benches, Digvijaya Singh is spending more time in the state helping his son lead the charge against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. Kamal Nath is obviously not happy that Singhs son is emerging as the partys future face in the state while his son is lagging behind.

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The next Tamil Nadu Assembly election may not be round the corner but V.K. Sasikala, close confidante and companion of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, is clearly preparing to return to active politics. She has been busy giving interviews to all local television channels, making sure that she does not fade away and become a distant memory. In her interviews, she is at pains to underline her proximity to Jayalalitha who, she says, consulted her on all matters, including political affairs. Sasikala also maintains that even when she left Jayalalithaas household for a brief period over some differences, they remained in touch with each other. Political observers in Tamil Nadu believe Sasikala could be feeling emboldened following a possible assurance from the BJP that it is no longer opposed to her return to active politics though the party did play a role in keeping her out of the last Assembly election.

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The BJP appears to be particularly unlucky with its chief ministers in Uttarakhand. The hill state has seen a parade of three CMs in the last five months. The whole purpose of this exercise was to secure the BJPs prospects in next years assembly elections. It was for this reason that Pushkar Singh Dhami was sworn in as chief minister in July, replacing Tirath Singh Rawat who, in turn, replaced Trivendra Singh Rawat. But the BJPs calculations may still go awry. Apparently, Mr Dhami has failed to make any impact either with the public or with his party colleagues. Mr Dhamis age (he is 45 years old), thought to be an asset, is proving to be a handicap as no one takes him seriously.
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The Powers Art Center, at 13110 Highway 82, was designed by Japanese architect Hiroshi Nanamori. The entrance boasts a 5,600-square-foot reflection pool, pictured here in a 2018, that is lined with black granite and canopied by concrete frames to frame Mount Sopris.
A previous generation example, from the 2019 model year apparently, it has embraced a lot of aftermarket stuff, starting with those massive wheels, said to be 30 inches in diameter, 8 inches bigger than the stock ones.They have a rather trippy pattern, spinning center caps, and a shiny finish that otherwise complements the chrome trim on the outside, in turn providing contrast to the orange looks.Carrying Virginia license plates that read KNDYLAC, this Cadillac Escalade also rocks a massive sound system that has rendered the trunk useless. We counted no less than eight subwoofers, which, when combined with the multitude of speakers, some of which are likely amplified, turn it into a true party machine.The vehicle was filmed for a few minutes at a car meet, where it briefly turned the parking lot into a concert hall, in the company of other custom rides.Now, while enthusiasts keep tuning the older Escalade, Cadillac has launched a new one . It has been in production at the Arlington factory in Texas since the second quarter of last year, and is built around the GM T1XX platform, shared with the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban, and GMC Yukon.It still sits at the top of the brands high-riding range, and can be ordered in the normal and ESV body styles , with the latter increasing the cargo area from 121 to 142.8 cu-ft (3,426-4,044 liters).Kicking off the lineup is the Luxury trim level, form $76,195, and despite being the entry-level model, it does feature the curved OLED screens, 19-speaker audio, and a generous range of safety gear. Power comes form the 6.2-liter V8, but the 3.0-liter turbodiesel is available.Priced from $83,195, the Premium Luxury is followed by the Sport and Premium Luxury Platinum, from $85,895 and $100,595 respectively. The Sport Platinum is the range-topping model, and has an MSRP identical to the Premium Luxury Platinum.
EV

It is not clear if the Opel Ampera-e is included in the recall, but it should be. As far as we know, the European version of the Boltwas also produced at the GM Orion plant, side by side with its American sibling and with the same battery packs.According to GM, the expansion of the recall will cost $1 billion more. That means the company will spend $1.8 billion fixing all the battery packs that may present the defects. The automaker said they are now 141,685 units in total.That number includes the 68,667 cars from model years 2017 up to 2019 initially recalled, 9,335 2019 Bolt EVs that were not on the first list, and 63,683 2020 up to 2022 Bolt EVs and Bolt EUVs. Among these vehicles, 1,212 2019 Bolt EVs and 9,019 2020 to 2022 Bolt EVs and Bolt EUVs are in Canada.Redoing the calculation we presented with the previous recall, GM will spend around $12,700 on each EV by replacing the defective battery packs. The main difference here is that GM is not taking things lightly with LGES (LG Energy Solution). The automaker clearly said that it is is pursuing commitments from LG for reimbursement of this field action.While some think this will damage GMs reputation in making electric cars, LGES is the company that really has to fix things related to this episode. The Chevrolet Bolt EV is not the first vehicle to present manufacturing issues with batteries supplied by the South Korean company.Hyundai also blamed LGES for the Kona Electric fires due to a folded anode tab from components made in its Nanjing factory in China. GM gets its batteries from LGESs factory in Ochang, South Korea, but the automaker said it discovered manufacturing defects in certain battery cells made elsewhere.A Kona Electric caught fire in Norway, and it was not included in Hyundais recall for it. We asked Hyundai about where it was produced, but the company did not get back to us. It may have been manufactured in Nosovice, Czechia, with LGES batteries made in Poland. Until that blaze, we thought that only the cars with South Korean batteries were subject to fires. LGES is a relevant battery supplier to the automotive industry. Apart from GM and Hyundai , it also supplies its lithium-ion cells to Volkswagen . With so many different manufacturing defects happening in various plants, the South Korean supplier will have to work hard to make up for them.
The machine reached its target, asteroid Bennu in 2018 , and quickly got to work. It was not that quick on ending its work, though, as it took OSIRIS-REx the better part of three years to complete its tasks.Using an instrument called TAGSAM (Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism), the spacecraft was eventually capable of snatching 60 grams of the rocks surface layers. It stored the sample inside its shell, and started a long, 1.4-billion mile (2.25 billion km) journey home that will see it circle the sun twice. The spacecraft and its precious cargo are expected to reach Earth orbit in 2023.But the presence of the OSIRIS-Rex in the vicinity of the Bennu asteroid did more than just give humanity a hope that we might soon bring back a piece of a distant orbiting rock. It also shed some light on what Bennu might do in the not-so-distant future, and the outlook could be scary, at least as seen from some angles.You see, a whole lot of the OSIRIS-Rex data was compiled in a study published earlier this August in the Icarus scientific journal. A study that sought to better understand the trajectory Bennu will take from now and until about the year 2300. And sometime between now and then, theres a chance Bennu will reunite its body with the 60 grams stolen from it, right here on Earth.The data available to scientists before this mission pointed to the asteroid having a cumulative 1-in-2,700 chance of impacting our planet between the years 2175 and 2199. Now, that number has been revised to a 1-in-1,750 average chance of doing the same over the next three centuries.There are several moments between 2100 and 2200 when the asteroid could pose a danger, but scientists calculated the greatest danger for September 24, 2182. On that day, Bennu will have a 1-in-2700 (0.037%) chance of impacting Earth.That's higher than the average, but still scary. Scary not because of the numbers now available (after all, those odds pretty much place us in the clear), but on account of the fact these numbers are likely to change.As per NASAs own admission, an exact trajectory of the asteroid is incredibly hard to determine on account of the many factors at play, including gravity (Earths and the Suns) and the so-called Yarkovsky effect.Our present-day knowledge allows us to understand gravity well enough to make calculations, but because Bennu is a relatively small asteroid (a third of a mile at the equator), it is subject to the said Yarkovsky effect.That effect occurs when sunlight heats one side of the asteroid, which later turns away from the Sun and cools. In doing so, the rock kind of generates its own thrust by re-radiating heat over and over again, altering its orbit in ways that are pretty much impossible to predict.This is why, says NASA, we have limited knowledge of where Bennu will be as it approaches Earth. Several trajectories are being considered, especially the ones that line up with what scientists call gravitational keyholes  places where the gravity of a planet could alter the orbit of an asteroid, possibly bringing it on a collision course.Thats the downside of the thing being so small, but there is also a partial upside: if it does hit us, it probably wont cause mass extinction, although it could cause a lot of problems for a lot of people. According to the measurements made, Bennu would detonate with the power of 1.1 billion tons of TNT, 55,000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped over Hiroshima.Luckily, NASA says we now have a better understanding of the trajectory of the asteroid thanks to OSIRIS-Rex. By the time well know if the asteroid would hit us or not, well also have some type of defense in place  and the road to that starts with Double Asteroid Redirection Test ( DART ) that launches this November.
In other words, Google finally made it possible for third-party app makers to compete against Google Maps on Android Auto, therefore bringing more navigation tools to users out there.In theory, this isnt necessarily good news for Google and Google Maps, but as it turns out, the arrival of more navigation apps on Android Auto hasnt necessarily affected the Google Maps userbase.This means that despite developers investing in their navigation software and bringing it to Android Auto, Google Maps continues to be the preferred app for most people out there. And looking at the bigger picture, its no wonder why.First and foremost, lets admit it. Google Maps feels like home on Android Auto. Its a Google app running on top of another Google app, so in theory, the two should work like a charm.If youve been following the Android Auto news lately, you probably know already Google has a lot to fix to further refine the car experience, but on the other hand, few of the glitches reported by users actually concern Google Maps.This doesnt necessarily mean the navigation app is always running flawlessly on Android Auto, but in 99 percent of the cases, Google Maps is a highly reliable solution that does its job very well.Then, its the update pace that Google has embraced for Google Maps on Android, and therefore on Android Auto as well. The Mountain View-based search giant regularly improves Google Maps , not only with new features but also with further improvements and refinements, and this helps make the experience overall a lot more polished.The July 2021 data pretty much speaks for itself. Google rolled out no less than 14 updates for Google Maps last month (both beta and stable), out of which no less than 8 were part of the stable branch and therefore released to production devices.Furthermore, Google has announced plenty of new features for Google Maps lately, including navigation improvements that allow the app to provide drivers with alternative routes supposed to reduce the carbon footprint of the car.This way, Google Maps is getting ready for the future as well, as it increases its focus on environmentally-friendly capabilities, helping cut the emissions in the easiest possible way.And last but not least, what makes Google Maps such a good choice on Android Auto is how accurate it always is. Google Maps has become a stand-alone platform that includes not only a wide array of features but also an impressive amount of data covering the entire world, all with up-to-date information powered by map editors.This way, Google Maps is theoretically capable of providing users with accurate navigation information, even in those regions where the road network is constantly changing. This is something thats not possible in the case of typical navigation software where a full update is required, so Google Maps takes advantage of the Internet connection to always download the latest map data.And theres more making Google Maps such a great app for Android Auto users, including the features it comes with, the offline maps , the dark mode, and everything else.Overall, despite the arrival of several other navigation apps on Android Auto, Google Maps was, is, and will continue to be the go-to navigation software for most people out there. And if Google keeps working on the app as committed as before, theres a chance this wont change anytime soon.
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Colleges and universities are welcoming students to campus against the backdrop of a nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases largely driven by the Delta variant  posing questions about how best to reopen campuses safely.

Driving the news: Some schools are turning to disciplinary actions  through fees or, in one case, suspending internet access  as a way to promote strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols. Others, however, are giving away prizes in an effort to incentivize students to get vaccinated.

What's happening:

Quinnipiac University will fine students weekly for failing to submit their vaccination status, for a maximum of $2,275 for the semester, per CNN.

will fine students weekly for failing to submit their vaccination status, for a maximum of $2,275 for the semester, per CNN. Additionally, students who do not fulfill the vaccine requirement by Sept. 14 will lose access to Wi-Fi and the Quinnipiac network.

The University of Virginia disenrolled 238 students for failing to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or file an exemption before the school's imposed deadline, according to The Virginian-Pilot. Some of those students may have not been planning to return this fall, school officials noted.

disenrolled 238 students for failing to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or file an exemption before the school's imposed deadline, according to The Virginian-Pilot. Some of those students may have not been planning to return this fall, school officials noted. Ohio State University will require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the fall semester. It has yet to announce what penalties may be incurred for failure to comply with the mandate.

will require all students, faculty and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in the fall semester. It has yet to announce what penalties may be incurred for failure to comply with the mandate. Other schools, including West Virginia Wesleyan College and Birmingham-Southern College, are imposing "Covid fees" to help pay for testing and quarantining accommodations.

Some colleges, however, are taking the opposite approach, offering prizes and raffles  ranging from gift cards to chances to win scholarships or unlimited meal plans  to encourage students to get the vaccine.

Auburn University has an incentive program for fully vaccinated students, which includes raffles for prizes, including upgraded parking passes, unlimited meal plans and $1,000 scholarships.

has an incentive program for fully vaccinated students, which includes raffles for prizes, including upgraded parking passes, unlimited meal plans and $1,000 scholarships. The University of Kansas is offering $40 gift cards to the first 4,000 vaccinated students and holding a raffle, which includes a chance at free in-state tuition for a semester.

is offering $40 gift cards to the first 4,000 vaccinated students and holding a raffle, which includes a chance at free in-state tuition for a semester. West Virginia University also entered fully vaccinated students and employees into a raffle for a chance to win laptops, Chick-fil-A gift certificates or a free zip-lining session, NPR reports.

The big picture: About 700 schools  about a quarter of colleges  have opted for vaccine requirements among students and employees, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Nearly half of all colleges are encouraging students to get vaccinated through outreach to students, campus vaccine clinics and prizes, NPR reports. But at least 12 states have prohibited schools from mandating vaccines, per the Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, some campuses are relying on mask mandates and regular testing, per Inside Higher Ed.

Between the lines: Some schools' coronavirus protocols hinge on financial considerations, the Journal noted.

A report from the University of Texas at Austin modeled different scenarios for the fall semester, finding that without frequent testing or mask-wearing inside, an average of 11,200 students could become infected with COVID-19 in the fall.

Additionally, the difference between a student vaccination rate of 60% and 80% would cost the the University of Texas about $4 million, per the report.

The bottom line: "There are these two different worlds: Theres a world where we do all this mitigation, its successful enough that we could actually safely continue school in person and we dont have to go online," Lauren Meyers, a professor at the University of Texas, told the Journal.

"Or theres the world where we dont do enough to mitigate, or theres not enough vaccination in the community, and were forced to go online, and that incurs additional cost to UT."

Go deeper: America's patchwork back-to-school plan

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include OSU's vaccine mandate announcement.
The Biden administration is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to suspend a lower court's order that would force the administration to reinstate one of President Trump's border policies, which left tens of thousands of migrants to await asylum hearings in Mexico.

Why it matters: Ending the controversial Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) policy was one of President Bidens campaign promises, and he suspended the program on his first day in office. The administration has now brought thousands of impacted migrants into the United States  some of whom waited years in Mexico.

Now, unless the Supreme Court intervenes, federal courts may force the administration to reinstate the policy on Saturday  or at least make a good faith effort.

A federal appeals court refused to grant the administration their request for a delay in reviving the so-called "Remain in Mexico" policy late Thursday evening.

What they're saying: The Texas federal judges ruling from earlier this month requires the government to abruptly reinstate a broad and controversial immigration enforcement program that has been formally suspended for seven months and largely dormant for nearly nine months before that, states the government's Friday evening court filing.

Between the lines: Immigration advocates and Democrats often criticized the MPP program in which migrants were often forced to live in dangerous conditions.
A weather station in Sicily may have set an all-time high temperature record for all of Europe on Wednesday, when the temperature climbed to a scorching 48.8C (119.8F) amid a regional heat wave that has shown few signs of relenting.

The big picture: The intense heat wave continues to roast the Mediterranean and northern Africa. The hot and dry weather has played a large role in creating the conditions conducive for explosive and devastating wildfires in Turkey and Greece.

Details: Numerous monthly and national temperature records have fallen during the heat wave, including in Greece, Turkey and Tunisia, but if verified through an examination of the weather instruments, the Sicily observation would be the most noteworthy. The previous continental heat record was 48C (118.4F), set in Greece in 1977.

For the record to be considered, a committee from the World Meteorological Organization would need to investigate the instrumentation and circumstances of the data, including whether similar temperatures were observed nearby.

Context: As detailed in the IPCC climate report released Monday, human emissions of greenhouse gases are dramatically escalating the risk and severity of extreme heat events across the globe.

This summer has featured unprecedented heat in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S., as well as in Europe. In the U.S. on Wednesday, about 170 million are under heat advisories or excessive heat warnings from the Northwest to East Coast.

The intrigue: There are some questions about the validity of the temperature reading, however. Randy Cerveny, the World Meteorological Organization's rapporteur for weather records, told the Associated Press the reading is suspicious, so were not going to make any immediate determination.

It doesnt sound terribly plausible, Cerveny said. But were not going to dismiss it.

What's next: The hottest temperatures associated with this particular heat dome are expected to shift to Spain and Portugal in coming days, raising wildfire concerns in both nations.
The diplomatic crisis over a Polish law limiting the ability to introduce claims to property confiscated during World War II is a manifestation of the shift in Israeli policy toward Europe under the new government.

Why it matters: The bill will mostly impact Holocaust survivors and their descendants, and it's seen by the Israeli government and the Biden administration as another step by Poland's government to rewrite the country's history around the Holocaust.

The bill was passed and signed into law despite objections from the U.S. and Israel, at which point the Israeli government decided on an unusually strong response.

It recalled the Israeli charge daffaires from Warsaw, announced that the new Israeli ambassador to Poland would not arrive in the country, and recommended that the Polish ambassador to Israel extend his vacation and not return to Tel Aviv. Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called the law "immoral" and "anti-Semitic."

The Polish government responded angrily, announcing that the ambassador would not return to Israel and threatening to prevent Israeli student delegations from visiting Nazi death camps in Poland. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also called Lapid "hysterical."

Flashback: Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had fostered close relations with Poland's nationalist right-wing government.

When a similar controversy emerged in 2018 over a law making it a criminal offense to accuse the Polish people of complicity in the Holocaust, Netanyahu helped facilitate a deal under which the Polish government removed the possibility of jail time while still allowing for fines and lawsuits.

As part of the deal, Israel and Poland released a joint statement adopting the Polish view that Poland cannot be held responsible for Holocaust atrocities. The statement was strongly criticized by the Yad Vashem Holocaust research institute in Israel.

The big picture: Netanyahu cultivated close relations with the Visegrad Group (Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia) because of his close political and ideological alignment with their ruling parties  and as part of his attempts to divide the EU and weaken its criticism of Israeli policies in the West Bank and Gaza.

The latest: Lapid, who wants to realign Israel with the liberal democracies in Western Europe, has pronounced the joint statement from 2018 null and void and said Israel "wont blink in front of the despicable behavior of the anti-democratic government in Poland.
The Taliban are "intensifying the hunt-down" of individuals who worked with the Afghan government and its allied forces, conducting "targeted door-to-door visits" and arresting or threatening family members of "target individuals" unless they surrender, according to a confidential UN document obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The Taliban have promised amnesty to their opponents and sought to cast themselves as more moderate than when they ruled in the 1990s. But reports of door-to-door searches and targeted killings, as well as this week's crackdown on protesters, have renewed fears the group will return to its brutal and repressive rule.

What they're saying: "The Taliban have been conducting advance mapping of individuals prior to the take-over of all major cities," according to the document written by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, a group that provides intelligence assessments to the UN.

"There are priority lists of individuals and unit affiliations to be arrested including intelligence service, SOF [special operations forces] units, police and armed forces," says the document, dated Wednesday.

The document also includes a letter, believed to have been sent by the Taliban to someone in Afghanistan who had worked with the U.S. and U.K., that instructs the recipient to report to the headquarters of the "Military and Intelligence Commission of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan."

"If you do not report to the Commission, your family members will be arrested instead, and you are responsible for this," reads the letter, translated from Pashto by the Norwegian Center for Global Analyses.

The document was first reported by the New York Times.

The big picture: The findings outlined in the UN document come amid several reports of targeted killings by the Taliban.

Militants with the group were "hunting" for a Deutsche Welle journalist and shot dead a member of his family, according to the German broadcaster. Another family member was seriously injured. The journalist now works in Germany.

"The killing of a close relative of one of our editors by the Taliban yesterday is inconceivably tragic, and testifies to the acute danger in which all our employees and their families in Afghanistan find themselves," DW director general Peter Limbourg said Thursday.

"It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organized searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces. We are running out of time!"

Amnesty International said in a report published Thursday that Taliban fighters killed nine ethnic Hazara men after taking control of Afghanistan's Ghazni province last month. Hazaras are Shiite Muslims who were targeted by the Taliban during their previous rule.

Six of the men were shot and three were tortured to death, Amnesty International said.

The Taliban have also violently cracked down on rare protests in several cities, as well as groups of Afghans hoping to get to the airport to flee the country.

The group opened fire on protesters waving the national flag in the eastern city of Asadabad on Thursday, killing several people, according to Reuters.

They violently broke up a protest of about 200 people in Kabul, per the New York Times. The group also declared a curfew in the city of Khost after protests broke out.

Despite assuring the U.S. the new government would allow safe passage of civilians to the airport in Kabul, the Taliban have placed checkpoints outside its perimeter and have been violently pushing back those seeking to flee the country, according to the Wall Street Journal.

U.S. officials said Thursday that 7,000 people have been evacuated since Saturday, and an additional 6,000 people were ready to be flown out of the country.

The Biden administration has faced sharp criticism over its response to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan and its chaotic evacuation effort, including of Afghans who worked with the U.S.

President Biden told ABC News this week that U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan until every American is evacuated, even if that means staying past the White House's Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawal.

Biden is scheduled to speak later on Friday about the evacuation effort.

Go deeper: The defining image of Biden's Afghanistan exit
More than 30 Texas House Democrats on Friday tore into a handful of their fellow Democrats, who returned to the capital this week, and accused Republicans of lying about the number of legislators present to re-establish quorum.

Why it matters: More than 50 House Democrats fled the state in July to prevent the GOP from passing new voting restrictions and urge federal action on voting rights. The 38-day standoff ended on Thursday after a small minority returned to the capital to continue the fight "from the inside."

Those who returned argued that their lobbying efforts with Congress were successful and that they needed to be in Texas to help stem the rise in COVID cases.

What they're saying: "We are disappointed that a few Democrats chose to return to the floor," the 30 Democrats said in a joint statement on Friday. "We feel betrayed and heartbroken, but our resolve is strong and this fight is not over."

"Heroes leading our school districts have defied Greg Abbotts order and set local policy to protect millions of children and their families from COVID, but those brave efforts are now at risk if the Republican legislative majority has its way."

They also challenged the quorum's legitimacy, which they claim will now enable Republicans to "enact virtually all of Abbott's directives."

Several lawmakers who were marked as present were not actually in the state Capitol building on Thursday, though they had been in the chamber earlier this session, the Texas Tribune reports.

"Republicans will lie about the number of legislators present at the Capitol to establish quorum, keep Texans in the dark, and bend the rules to get their way," the Democrats said.

"We are proud to have fought for our constituents, everyday Texans, using every tool at our disposal, and will continue to do so wherever we may be."

What to watch: Republicans will aim to pass their restrictive voting bill before the current special session ends on Sept. 5. Advocates say it will disproportionately impact voters of color.
For many Afghan refugees, the struggles dont end when they reach US soil
In a California town of Afghanistan war veterans, grief and regret over the Taliban takeover
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP)  President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday asked Brazil's Senate to impeach a Supreme Court justice  a largely symbolic move that shows he has little desire to ease tensions with the judiciary.

Joao Marques, Cabinet secretary of the Senates president, Rodrigo Pacheco, confirmed to The Associated Press that he received the president's request to impeach Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Pacheco will now have to decide whether there is justification to open investigations that could lead to impeachment. On Tuesday, Pacheco made comments to reporters widely interpreted as a signal that he does not see such grounds.

Bolsonaro has bristled at the top courts rulings since early in the pandemic when justices ruled mayors and governors -- and not just the president -- have jurisdiction to impose restrictions to slow the viruss spread. Lately, the feud has been coming to a head, with the president targeted by two investigations stemming from his relentless attacks on the integrity of the nations electronic voting system.

For a long time, the justices Alexandre de Moraes and Luis Roberto Barroso have gone beyond constitutional limits with actions, Bolsonaro wrote Aug. 14 on Twitter. He cited Article 52 of Brazil's constitution, which says judges may be tried for crimes and eventually removed from their positions.

The president's 18-page impeachment request ultimately targeted only de Moraes, and not Barroso. It alleges de Moraes' has carried out investigations with partisan and anti-democratic bias while acting as both investigator and judge and has censored freedom of speech.

Never before has the Senate invoked Article 52 against a Supreme Court justice, and signs indicate there isnt a will to do so in this case, said Paulo Calmon, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia.

Still, the request serves to keep Bolsonaro's base mobilized, he said.

This has a symbolic effect for his base, as it shows the president is combative and always ready to react forcefully, Calmon said.

With his approval ratings sliding, Bolsonaro has insisted the country's electronic vote system is prone to fraud -- but without presenting any evidence. That has prompted concern he may be laying the groundwork to dismiss election results. Recent polls have indicated that former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is expected to challenge the incumbent in next years race, would win handily in a runoff.

The electoral court on Aug. 3 announced an investigation of Bolsonaro for his comments about the voting system, and de Moraes included the president in the Supreme Court's investigation into the spread of allegedly fake news.

On Aug. 13, de Moraes also ordered the imprisonment of Roberto Jefferson, a fervent Bolsonaro ally and president of the Brazilian Labor Party, for allegedly making threats to democracy on social media.

If there is no printed vote and no public vote count, there wont be an election next year, Jefferson said in one video, published Aug. 10, echoing prior comments by Bolsonaro. His social media posts often show him brandishing firearms.

In a statement, the party denied any wrongdoing by Jefferson and said his jailing amounted to persecution and censorship.

In Bolsonaro's impeachment request, he likewise denied having committed any crime for which he is being investigated, and said he exercised the fundamental right to freedom of thought.

Lower house lawmakers last week voted down the proposal to adopt printed vote receipts. Some of Bolsonaros allies have implored him to set aside his discontent with the votes result and Jeffersons imprisonment in order to stop antagonizing the top court and get his legislative agenda back on track. Their influence has been limited. ___ Associated Press writer Debora Alvares reported this story in Brasilia and AP writer Silva de Sousa reported from Rio de Janeiro. AP writer David Biller in Rio contributed to this report.
Briana Cormier hugged her son Jake Ross one last time before the second grader hesitantly made his way into Homer Drive Elementary School on Tuesday morning.

It was an unusual first day for the pair. In previous years, they walked into school together, with Cormier by her sons side as he entered the classroom and made a first impression on friends and faculty.

This year, however, parents and students werent allowed that luxury  creating a different feel as a masked Cormier said her goodbyes outside the schools entrance.

Its tripping him up, Cormier said. He wants me to walk him back.

As Beaumont ISD students like Ross scurried into the classroom on Tuesday hoping to start a more normal school year, most were instead met by the same uncertainties that have faced schools since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. By law, schools in Texas are unable to mandate masks or vaccines, leaving families to make personal safety decisions.

While other schools around Southeast Texas already responded to new cases of COVID-19 during their first week back in the classroom, parents of Beaumont ISD students said they worry what might result from the unpredictable school environment.

I dont want them sick and of course I worry that another bad or lackadaisical year could be another educational setback, said Sonya Monibo, who has a sophomore daughter at West Brook.

Related: Virus outbreaks close 4 Texas school districts

In May, an order from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott restricted public schools from requiring masks. The Texas State Teachers Association called the move premature and said most students wont be fully vaccinated until the summer.

Some local districts such as Bridge City, Vidor, Silsbee and Evadale ended mask mandates as early as March, but Abbotts decision forced others like Beaumont ISD and Port Arthur ISD to end theirs, too.

Parents on both sides of the mask debate acknowledged concerns about students potentially spreading the virus.

Im just gonna put it in Gods hands and pray, said Raycela Campbell, who wore a mask as she dropped off her pre-K daughter at Homer Drive Elementary.

Related: Group offers prayers for Beaumont schools

Beaumont ISD was one of the last local school districts to return to the classes. Others around the area, like Vidor ISD, did so last week.

After a year of remote and semi-remote learning, students in Vidor returned to their respective classes Aug. 12. Just days later, the district already sent a letter to certain parents informing them that their children may have come in contact with a teacher who tested positive for COVID-19.

With the Texas Education Agency no longer requiring districts to contract trace, Vidor Superintendent Jay Killgo had a decision to make. Killgo said there was plenty of debate about whether the district should tell students or parents about teachers medical information. But he ultimately decided it was right thing to do.

Killgo said the end of contact tracing requirements has freed up time that previously was used to investigate cases. It also means the district no longer has to make the tough choice of sending people home to quarantine even if they havent tested positive for the virus.

Killgo said its apparent that there are no easy answers or constants. Instead, he said each day presents a new problem or question that has to be answered.

The best I can hope for is that we have gotten over this ingrained philosophy of tightening the belt and going to work, even if you dont feel good, Killgo said. Thats what we have to do, because we are American and Texan  I think people are understanding that doesn't work.

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Back in Beaumont, Monibo said her daughter at West Brook experienced common first-day problems like attendance and organization issues in classes. When it comes to COVID-19 precautions, Monibo simply wants communication from the district.

Her older son attends Kelly Catholic and according to Monibo, the private school has stayed in contact with parents by sending frequent emails to parents with updates on safety regulations.

Even through all the first-day commotion at Beaumont ISD, Homer Drive Elementary Principal Belinda George still was trying to make things as welcoming as possible for incoming students. She arrived at the school around 5:30 a.m. to get things ready both inside and out, decorating the main entry with an Aloha banner surrounded by beach balls and pink flamingo balloons.

You have to bring magic to your school, but sometimes you have to make the magic, George said.

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Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD has a new trustee.

Longtime resident Jeff Hill was appointed to Place 3 of the LC-M Board of Trustees at an August meeting after the resignation of Marlene Courmier in July.

Hill, who works for ExxonMobil as operator in Beaumont, moved to Mauriceville in 1990 and graduated from LC-M High School in 1991. After returning from service in the United States Air Force, Hill attended Lamar University and graduated in 2000 with a bachelor of science in kinesiology.

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I believe we are responsible for providing the best opportunities available for our students to be productive citizens, whether that is pursuing a college degree or going to a trade school, Hill said in a news release. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Hill and his wife, Natalie, who is a lifelong Mauriceville resident, have two children, Chaz and Matalyn, who also attended LC-M. Hill and his wife are owners of Cakes Plus.

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Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School Principal Teresa Shaffer has resigned.

Catholic Diocese of Beaumont Bishop David Toups said her resignation  effective Thursday  was for personal reasons.

Toups sent a letter to the community Thursday afternoon expressing appreciation for Shaffers tenure and invited the community to pray and wish her well in any future endeavors.

I am very grateful to the year that Dr. Shaffer was our principal and I wish her the very best as she moves on, Toups told The Enterprise on Friday. Shaffer could not be reached for comment on Friday.

School officials now plan to start a search for a new principal.

We will begin work on finding a new principal and those plans will be announced as they solidify, Toups said in the letter. Thank you all very much for your continued support of Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School.

Related: Kelly Catholic school selects new principal

It is unclear who currently is leading the campus. However, Diocese Communications Manager Karen Gilman said the superintendent is working closely with the administration.

School is going to go on as needed, Gilman said. There will be no interruption for the students.

Gilman said any timeline for hiring a new principal would depend on various factors such as the number of applications received and interviews.

Shaffer was selected to serve as the high schools principal in March 2020, following the retirement of longtime principal Roger Bemis. The school was closed at the time of the announcement, along with other districts in the region, to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

She carried 20 years of experience in education, which included a previous role at the Hemphill Independent School District in Sabine.

Shaffer, along with all of the students and staff returned to in-person instruction on August 10. The school has some COVID-19 protocols in place as part of a Progressive Return to School Plan for the 2021-2022 school year, which includes mask requirements for unvaccinated staff, no mask requirements for students, and a special section for parents permitted to attend Mass during the school day.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP)  The bridge crews lack of attention to a cargo ships position let it drag anchor and hit another anchored ship and a dock last year, doing millions of dollars in damage, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report.

Monitoring a ship at anchor ... requires a continuous state of vigilance and the use of all available means to determine whether a vessel is dragging or not, said the report released Thursday.

Nobody was injured when the 453-foot-long (138 meter) Nomadic Milde hit the 590-foot (180-meter) bulk carrier Atlantic Venus, forming a T across the longer ship's bow, and then hit the Cornerstone Chemical Co. dock, the board said.

The report said damages were estimated at $16.9 million  $10.9 million to the dock, $5.5 million to $6 million to the Nomadic Milde and more than $410,000 to the Atlantic Venus.

However, Cornerstone's estimate puts dock repairs at $52.3 million, with lost business, prejudgment interest and court costs bringing the total to $66.9 million. Those figures are in a lawsuit against both ships, the towing company that was working to separate the two when the cargo ship hit the dock and a third ship that passed nearby, raising a wake.

Attorneys for both Cornerstone, based in Bridge City, Louisiana, and for owners and managers of the cargo ship, which say its repairs cost $1.5 million and are trying to limit its liability to $6.2 million, declined to comment because litigation is pending.

A bench trial before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon is currently scheduled Sept. 12, 2022.

The Mississippi River was high when the accident occurred about 5 p.m. on May 8, 2020, at the Kenner anchorage near New Orleans, where the Nomadic Milde was just upriver of the other ship.

It had taken on a cargo of lead concentrate and its crew was to finish repairing a cargo hatch the next morning, the NTSB said. The cargo was to be delivered to Port Pirie, Australia, according to court papers filed for owner New Nomadic Short Sea Shipping AS of Bergen, Norway, and operator Intership Navigation Co. Ltd, of Cyprus.

The Nomadic Milde probably first moved while the pilot who had directed the crew to its berth was leaving, and then did so again before the crash, according to NTSB.

Had the pilot noticed the motion, he might have stayed on board, it said.

The report said that apparently neither watch officer checked the cargo ship's position frequently, or by any means other than an electronic monitoring system.

That alarm was set to sound if the Nomadic Milde was more than 590 feet (180 meters) from a center point, even though it had started out about 490 feet (149 meters) from the Atlantic Venus, the report noted.

The anchor watch alarm radius setting of 590 feet was too large to provide for a timely alarm of the ship dragging, it said.

There would have been time to avoid the crashes if the bridge team had noticed other evidence that their ship was drifting, the report said.

The ships radars would have provided information for the crew to determine or crosscheck if the range to a vessel or object had decreased, or if the ship had moved while at anchor, NTSB wrote.

When watches changed just after 4 p.m., the incoming chief officer noticed that the Nomadic Milde was not in the middle of the anchor watch circle but didn't check other information, the report said.

At 4:13 p.m., the officer on watch aboard the Atlantic Venus called, asking the Nomadic Milde's officers to monitor their holding position.

The chief officer did not take any follow-up action to address the concern, only communicating that their engines were ready on short notice, the report said.
NEW DELHI  An Indian official says an air force transport plane has left Kabul for New Delhi carrying 168 people on board.

Arindam Bagchi, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, says the plane took off from Kabul on Sunday morning and the passengers include 107 Indian nationals. He didnt give the nationalities of 61 others evacuated from the Afghan capital.

Meanwhile, another group of 87 Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Saturday in an Indian air force plane are being flown to New Delhi on Sunday, Bagchi said in a tweet. Two Nepalese nationals also were evacuated on that flight.

India began evacuating its nationals last Sunday after the Taliban swept into Kabul.

The Press Trust of India news agency said around 400 Indians were believed to be stranded in Afghanistan. No official figure was available.

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WASHINGTON -- The Biden administration is considering calling on U.S. commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they are evacuated from their country by military aircraft.

The U.S. Transportation Command says in a statement Saturday that the Pentagon has not approved or ordered any activation of commercial airlines as allowed under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, which adds to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense.

However, the Transportation Command said it had issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. The order was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

If called upon under the voluntary program, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginias Dulles International Airport to U.S. military bases.

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MOSCOW  The Russian ambassador in Kabul says the Taliban have asked his embassy to convey their offer of a deal to a remaining pro-government holdout in northern Afghanistan.

Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov said on Saturday that a senior member of the Talibans political leadership has asked Russia to tell fighters in the Panjshir Valley that the Taliban hope to reach a political agreement to settle the situation there.

The diplomat says the Taliban claim they dont want bloodshed in the region.

The Panjshir Valley north of Kabul, a stronghold of the Northern Alliance militias that were allied with the U.S. during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, is the only area that hasnt fallen to the Taliban.

Afghan government figures who have sought refuge there as Kabul and the rest of the country fell to the Taliban include Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who asserted on Twitter that he's now the countrys rightful president, after President Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator during the past years, reaching out to various Afghan factions, including the Taliban.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 In Kabul, a fearful wait for US to deliver on evacuation vow

 Europe fears Afghan refugee crisis after Taliban takeover

 AP PHOTOS: Two decades of war, and daily life in Afghanistan

 Biden vows to evacuate all Americans  and Afghan helpers

 For US military leaders, Afghan news strikes personal chord

 Western groups desperate to save Afghan workers left behind

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  The White House says President Joe Biden has been briefed by members of his national security team on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

Biden and his team met on Saturday in the White House Situation Room to discuss the security situation and counterterrorism operations, including against the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Evacuations and efforts to finalize agreements with third-party countries willing to serve as transit hubs for evacuees were also discussed.

Vice President Kamala Harris joined the meeting by secure video teleconference during her travels to Singapore. They were joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, among others.

The White House said Biden canceled plans to travel Saturday to his Wilmington, Delaware, home.

The IS affiliate  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for several years, carrying out horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.

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MILAN -- Italy on Saturday flew 211 Afghans out of Kabul, bringing to some 2,100 the number of Afghan workers at Italian missions and their families who have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Of those, 1,100 have been brought to Italy. Italy launched Operation Aquila Omnia in June, and has deployed 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait, aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Of those who were evacuated earlier, 80, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID-19 quarantine.

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WASHINGTON  Pentagon says that about 3,800 civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan over the past day, amid widespread logistical challenges and backlogs at waystations in the Middle East and Europe.

Security threats slowed the progress of Americans and others through the gates at Kabul airport, as thousands desperately try to get on flights out of the country.

The Pentagon said that six U.S. military C-17 aircraft and 32 charter flights departed Kabul airport over the past 24 hours. The military planes carried just 1,600 of those people.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told Pentagon reporters on Saturday that of the 17,000 people evacuated since Aug. 15, just 2,500 have been Americans. U.S. officials have estimated there are as many as 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, but acknowledge they dont have solid numbers.

The evacuations have been hampered by screening and logistical strains at waystations such as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hit maximum capacity. U.S. officials said they have limited numbers of military and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol screeners at the transit points, and they are struggling to work through glitches in the vetting systems.

Taylor said that the Kabul airport remains open, and that Americans continue to be processed if they get to the gates.

He and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declined to discuss security problems in any detail, but said the threat picture changes by the hour.

We know that were fighting against both time and space, Kirby said. Thats the race were in right now.

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WASHINGTON  A senior U.S. official said Saturday that potential threats by the Islamic State group against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to find new ways for evacuees to reach the Kabul airport.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizen not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative.

Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant, and said there have been no confirmed IS attacks or incidents as yet.

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington;

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BUCHAREST, Romania  A military aircraft carrying 15 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians who were initially evacuated from Kabul to Islamabad landed safely Saturday afternoon at an airbase at Bucharests Otopeni Airport.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft touched down at Base 90 around 1 p.m. The evacuees were greeted by Romanias foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and defense minister Nicolae Ciuca.

I want to emphasize that you, the Romanian citizens, are at the center of our concerns and action, Aurescu said. Even if it were a single Romanian citizen, we would have done the same.

Aurescu called Afghanistan a place of extreme human despair and suffering, and said that authorities will continue to address waves of vulnerable groups, such as Afghan journalists whom we tried to evacuate yesterday.

On Friday, Romania said that the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens it had validated and contacted for evacuation to Romania could reach the Afghan capitals airport.

Romania has conducted three evacuation flights this week from Kabul airport, in total evacuating 23 people, including 16 Romanians. All but one of the evacuees, a U.S. citizen, were citizens of European Union countries. In recent days, another 30 Romanians have been evacuated on aircraft of partner states, officials said.

President Klaus Iohannis in a statement Saturday thanked the authorities involved in the successful coordination of the evacuations, which he said took place in extremely difficult security conditions.

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LONDON  A former Royal Marine turned charity director in Afghanistan has slammed British government claims that the situation in the war-torn country is stabilizing, warning that he and his staff would be risking their lives if they tried to get to the airport in Kabul.

Paul Farthing, better known as Pen, said he has been told by British authorities that he has a seat on a flight back to the U.K., but not for the 25 staff from his animal welfare charity Nowzad and their families.

Farthing told BBC radio that he is disgusted at the situation, and warned that the humanitarian crisis is now getting out of control.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. he said. Youve all seen the scenes  it is not different today to any other time, it is just getting worse.

He said he is past angry and just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

As of Wednesday, Britain had managed to get out over 2,000 Afghans from the country, way more that the 300 or so U.K. nationals. On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport, a lot of them Afghan citizens to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honor.

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MADRID  The president of the European Commission has urged the international community to open arms for Afghan refugees.

Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks on Saturday when she and EU Council President Charles Michel visited a reception center for evacuees established by Spains government near Madrid.

This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance. It is our moral duty, Von der Leyen said. Offering legal and safe routes globally, organized by us, the international community, for those who need protection must be a priority of next weeks G7 meeting on the Afghanistan crisis, she added.

The EUs top officials toured the facility that Spain has set up at the Torrejon military airbase near Madrid along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said it has the capacity to hold 800 people.

Two planes sent by Spains government have already arrived at the air base. A first plane brought back five Spaniards and 48 Afghans who had worked for Spain and their families. A second flight arrived late on Friday night with 110 more Afghans. A third flight with another 110 passengers has left Kabul for Dubai, which Spain is using as a stop-off point before the evacuees are flown on to Madrid.

The air base is also receiving flights from the European Union External Action service with other evacuees from Afghanistan airlifted out of Kabul by other EU countries.

EU officials and those of member states like Spain, however, recognize that the main hurdle to getting people out of Afghanistan is helping them reach and gain access to the airport. Spain says that its flights have had empty seats.

Von der Leyen said EU delegation members are constantly at the airport to try and help. It is very difficult situation, it is changing by the minutes, but there is intense work being done to make the best of a very difficult situation.

The evacuees that reach Spains air base are expected to spend up to three days there before moving to welcome centers in other parts of Spain or continuing their journeys to other European countries.

Sanchez said that the response from other EU members has been positive and that part of those who have arrived have already left for other countries in the bloc.

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ISTANBUL  A Turkish Airlines flight carrying 160 evacuees from Kabul landed in Istanbul Saturday, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The Turkish citizens and other nationals arrived after first taking a Turkish military flight from Kabul to Pakistani capital Islamabad, the news agency said. There was no further detail on the passengers identities but the report said 14 babies were among the passengers. Non-Turkish citizens are being quarantined in hotels under pandemic regulations.

Earlier, the news agency reported that 204 Turkish citizens had been brought from Kabul to Islamabad on two separate flights on Friday evening. It was unclear whether they had travelled on to Turkey. On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 552 Turkish citizens had been flown out of Afghanistan.

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LONDON  Many people in west London with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan are seeking advice and information from a local organization set up to support Afghan and Central Asian refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, 52, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul, now that the Taliban are back in control of Afghanistan.

She is begging, Hamdam said. She says, Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment. I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999. He said his organization has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls in recent days from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the sudden and chaotic turn of events.

Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations, Nasimi said.

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BERLIN  Two small German military helicopters that were sent to Kabul in a move coordinated with the United States had been assembled and were ready for action on Saturday, German officials said.

The idea is for them to be used in Kabul if individual evacuees need to be picked up by helicopter and brought to the airport. But Germanys top military commander, Gen. Eberhard Zorn, said there is no concrete plan yet for their deployment.

Zorn said the situation remains difficult at the gates of the airport in the Afghan capital. The number of people German planes have taken out has varied.

A German flight arrived in Tashkent on Friday night with 172 evacuees on board, but two subsequent flights  also with an Airbus A400M  carried out only seven and eight people.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany so far has evacuated nearly 2,000 people. The situation is difficult, but with our capabilities and everything that comes up on the ground, we will keep on taking out as many as possible, she said.

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PARIS  Frances says it has evacuated over 570 people, including at least 407 Afghan citizens, from Kabul onboard its military aircraft since Monday.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry added that a fourth evacuation plane landed Friday evening in Paris, carrying 4 French citizens and 99 Afghans, mostly people who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan.

The ministry said that state services and the French embassy, which has been moved to Kabul airport, remain fully mobilized to ensure new flights as soon as possible.

French president Emmanuel Macron promised Monday that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for the country and would also seek to protect journalists, artists, activists and others under threat after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Air Force says the cargo plane packed with Afghan refugees whose photo was widely shared online actually carried even more people than originally thought  823  and marked a new passenger record for the aircraft.

The brief statement by the Air Mobility Command on Friday said the C-17 that departed the capital, Kabul, last Sunday had an initial count of 640 passengers, but that figure inadvertently left out 183 children sitting on peoples laps.

The statement said the correct count of 823 passengers is a record for the C-17. It took off as the Taliban swept into the city, prompting thousands of Afghans and foreigners to rush to the airport seeking flight out  with some reaching the tarmac.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  The Dutch defense ministry says that the first group of Afghans evacuated from Kabul on Dutch military transport planes has arrived at a barracks in the northern Netherlands that has been transformed into a temporary accommodation center.

The ministry said Friday that a group of 28 Afghans has been taken to the center in Zoutcamp, a small village come 180 kilometers (120 miles) north of Amsterdam.

Dutch authorities say they have so far managed five flights out of Kabul with nearly 300 passengers. It is not clear how many of them were Afghans.

The Dutch government is seeking to evacuate Afghan nationals and their families who worked for the countrys military during its deployment and for the embassy as well as staff at aid projects.

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MILAN  Italy says its military has evacuated nearly 1,000 Afghan citizens out of Kabul over the last five days.

The Defense Ministry said that two flights carrying 207 Afghans arrived Saturday in Rome from Kuwait, which Italy is using as a staging ground for the Kabul evacuations.

Italy has deployed more than 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Italy began what it has dubbed Operation Aquila Omnia in June, bringing to safety 1,532 Afghan citizens to date. Eighty, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID quarantine.

In a video distributed by the ministry, an Afghan man who was brought to the base thanked the Italian armed forces, who didnt leave us alone in Afghanistan. With all the difficulty, they brought us away. Speaking with his back to the camera, he said the journey took two days. We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, he said, expressing also hope that one day if Afghanistan becomes safe, we can return to our country.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated 14 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement Friday evening that another Romanian citizen, a United Nations employee, could not reach Kabul airport because of security issues, adding that it will look to partner states to identify possible evacuation options.

Authorities said the evacuees were assisted on arrival by Romanian Embassy staff in Pakistan. It was Romanias third evacuation flight this week using a C-130 Hercules military aircraft.

The ministry also said that it has validated and contacted a number of Afghan citizens who collaborated with its troops during their mission in Afghanistan who have expressed a wish to be evacuated to Romania.

But the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens could reach the airport. In their case, the ministry said. (We) will continue to act to identify evacuation options.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  The island kingdom of Bahrain has said it is allowing flights to make use of Bahrains transit facilities amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early Saturday.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.

The kingdom also said it is hoping that all parties will commit to stabilizing the internal situation and to protecting the lives of civilians and the rule of law.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Senior U.S. military officials say that the processing of passengers inside the Kabul airport has begun, but that there is a considerable backlog of people waiting to fly to Qatar.

Gates to the Hamid Karzai International Airport were closed overnight due to overcrowding in the area, and processing began Saturday morning. It would be roughly 5 to 9 hours before the backlog clears and more people could be allowed in through the gates.

The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss ongoing military operations.

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WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Antony Blinken says 13 countries have thus far agreed to at least temporarily host at-risk Afghans evacuated from Afghanistan. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others, leaving Afghanistan.

Blinken said in a statement that potential Afghan refugees not already cleared for resettlement in the United States will be housed at facilities in Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda.

Transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, he said.

We deeply appreciate the support they have offered, and are proud to partner with them in our shared support of the Afghan people, Blinken said. We are encouraged by other countries that are also considering providing support. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas and to fulfill our commitments to citizens of partner nations and at-risk Afghans.
More than a dozen local aspiring leaders had an opportunity earlier this week that few others their age get  the chance to sit around a table with a currently-serving U.S. Congressman and learn how he got where he is now.

U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, said the lynch pin in his journey has been making himself available to his community.

Sitting at the head of a table filled with 17 members of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerces Young Emerging Leaders group, he recalled a family vacation he was set to go on with his wife, Brenda, and their three children.

The car was packed, and they were ready to go when he got a call from someone wanting him to fix their air conditioning. Though it was inconvenient and his children were disappointed, he answered the call.

I would take every job I could, he said. Daytime, nighttime, Saturday, Sunday, hot, cold, raining, dry  didnt matter. I took everything I could to start this company off and get it going.

Word got around and the business started growing. Weber might have gone on to be a very successful entrepreneur had it not been for the rise of one star Republican on the national stage.

Ronald Reagan got elected in 1980. I used to watch him on the TV, Weber said. I told Brenda after watching him, This guy believes in America. This guy believes in American exceptionalism. This guy believes in freedom, liberty, smaller government, lower taxes and individual responsibility.

All of these were qualities that Weber admired and believed in. He advised Wednesdays group gathered at Lamar State College-Port Arthurs Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center to take responsibility for their actions.

Everybody wants freedom, he said. Im not sure they want the responsibility that comes along with it.

He gave the example of people who want the freedom to get drunk but not the responsibility for their actions afterward  an unwise and unproductive strategy. But Ronald Reagan embodied the opposite philosophy, and it inspired Weber.

I said, You know what? When he runs for reelection, Im going to work for him, Weber told his wife more than 40 years ago.

And thats exactly what he did.

He contacted the Republican Party chairman and expressed his interest.

Soon after, he was knocking on doors and making phone calls on behalf of Reagan and others.

He became a precinct chair, election clerk and election judge. And when someone suggested he run for City Council, he did that, too.

But it wasnt all smooth sailing. On Wednesday, he also recounted a string of political defeats.

He spent $7,500 unsuccessfully running for county commissioner, $5,500 for drainage district commissioner and $70,000 to fill an unexpired term in the state Legislature after its previous occupant died.

Just when he had almost given up, he again received calls to run for the state Legislature. With the Republican Partys backing, he won. Today, hes been in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly a decade.

Thats how I did it. If I can do it, theres nobody here that cant do it. Instead, you have to be crazy enough like I was to decide thats what I want to do. Weber said. Whatever business you might want to get into, theres so much opportunity out there.

He also spoke about the opportunities available specifically in the Golden Triangle  The Neches River waterway and five ports in his district alone, among others.

Yall have unlimited opportunities, Weber said. Believe in yourself. Believe in this land. Believe in freedom, and believe in responsibility.

He pointed outside.

The sky literally is the limit, he said. Youve got this.

rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/ontheREKord
Bennington, VT (05201)

Today

A few showers early becoming a steady rain for the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 53F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavy rainfall possible.
BENNINGTON  A state panel is investigating whether a Bennington County assistant judge is out of line in taking thousands of dollars a year from the county sheriffs department to clean its cruisers at his Northside Drive car wash, internal documents show.

The Judicial Conduct Board has opened an investigation into Assistant Judge James H. Colvin after receiving a complaint alleging conflict of interest in the business deal, according to an April 29 letter obtained by the Banner. The boards letter states that it has appointed an attorney to conduct the investigation, which remains confidential.

Public records show that the Bennington Car Wash, a business registered to Colvin, has been providing paid services to the Bennington County Sheriffs Department for at least a decade. Since 2011, the car wash has received $128,000 from the law enforcement agency. As a county judge, Colvin signs off on how much money the sheriffs department gets from the county each year.

Sheriff Chad Schmidt confirmed his agencys longstanding business arrangement with the car wash, saying he didnt believe it represented a conflict of interest. He said the money that the sheriffs department uses to pay Colvins car wash doesnt come from the county budget that Colvin prepares.

The head of the Judicial Conduct Board, Barbara Blackman, declined to confirm or deny the investigation into Colvin, citing the boards procedures.

Complaints submitted to the oversight body are confidential, unless the nine-member board decides to file a formal complaint against a judge, Blackman said. Once a formal complaint has been made, all legal filings and hearings that follow become public, she said.

Stephen Coteus, a Montpelier attorney identified as the person investigating the Colvin complaint, confirmed that he is serving as special counsel to the Judicial Conduct Board. But he declined to say if he is looking into the complaint against Colvin, referring to the confidentiality of his work.

Colvin declined to comment on the allegation against him, also citing the confidential nature of the case.

COMPLAINT TO THE BOARD

The public ordinarily doesnt learn about the Judicial Conduct Boards investigations until the body publicizes documents on its website. But Corrigan Wright, a concerned citizen and former Bennington resident who filed the complaint against Colvin, decided to talk about it, saying theres a need for community members to immediately know if public officials are being investigated.

I believe in transparency, Wright said. The public must be at the table, or abuse and misconduct will never stop. She also believes the boards investigations should be made public from the time theyre launched and not just after a formal complaint is filed.

In a Nov. 28 written complaint that she furnished the Banner, Wright told the board that Colvin has been engaging in business with the Bennington County Sheriffs Department. She considers this arrangement a conflict of interest with his role as an assistant judge, a job that includes allocating county dollars to the sheriffs department each year.

Colvin has been a Bennington County assistant judge since 2002, when he assumed an elected position with four-year terms.

Besides hearing certain court cases, each Vermont countys two assistant judges approve the countys annual budget. In Bennington County, this encompasses the couple hundred thousand dollars or so a year allocated to the county sheriffs department.

In the last 11 fiscal years, spanning February 2011 to January 2022, the local assistant judges provided the Bennington County Sheriffs Department between $228,000 and $272,000 a year. This represented anywhere from 48 to 53 percent of the countys annual budget.

These budgets were prepared and signed by Colvin and Wes Mook, another county assistant judge who retired in October 2020, leaving Colvin solely to finalize the current budget.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

In support of her complaint, Wright provided the Judicial Conduct Board with several documents, which she shared with the Banner  and which the paper independently verified.

The Bennington County Sheriffs Departments employee handbook encourages deputies to regularly get their cruisers cleaned at the Bennington Car Wash.

The department contracts with Bennington car wash for exterior cleaning of the cruisers, page 11 of the handbook reads. We pay a set fee regardless of how many times a cruiser is washed. Please utilize this service as often as you can. A clean cruiser sets a professional example.

Business registration information on the Vermont Secretary of States website shows that BENNINGTON CAR WASH, located at 124 Northside Drive in Bennington, names James H. Colvin as its registered agent. The car wash was registered in April 2000.

Bennington Car Wash business information The Vermont Secretary of States website shows that BENNINGTON CAR WASH, located on Northside Drive, names James H. Colvin as its registered agent.

Bennington Car Wash comes under the company name COL CO., INC.

In Colvins annual financial disclosure statements for 2019 and 2020, he listed having a business ownership interest in Bennington Express Lube and Car Wash.

He also indicated receiving a compensation of $55,000 each year from Col. Co. Inc. for providing management service. He declared getting paid around $18,000 a year as an assistant judge.

Assistant judges have been required to submit financial disclosure statements to the Judicial Conduct Board starting only in 2019.

SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT VENDOR

A review of Bennington County Sheriffs Department records in the past 10 fiscal years shows Colco listed as a vendor and biller. The documents, which span July 2011 to June 2021, were obtained by the Banner through a public records request.

During this 10-year period, the law enforcement agency paid Colco a sum of $128,000 in checks. The companys annual billing ranged from around $9,300 (fiscal year 2012) to $15,800 (fiscal year 2020).

Bennington County Sheriff's Department billing and payments FY 2020-2021 This document shows the amounts Col. Co. billed the sheriff's department in fiscal year 2020-2021 and the payments made.

When asked about Colvins business dealings with the sheriffs department, Schmidt said he didnt see a conflict of interest in the arrangement.

The car wash payments, he said, dont come from the county budget but from the law enforcement agencys other main source of funding: grants and contracts. This is sheriffs department income from work that includes patrolling towns, providing security to private organizations and escorting vehicles.

Schmidt added that under state law, county dollars that go to sheriffs departments can be allocated only for specific purposes, such as office space, a bookkeeping staff and internet service.

What the county can provide me is very limited in scope, Schmidt said, and none of it includes car washes.

Schmidt said his agencys contract with Bennington Car Wash predates his becoming a sheriffs deputy in 1994, a time when Colvin did not yet own the car wash. Schmidt was appointed sheriff in 2009 to fill a vacancy, and he has been elected to the position since 2010.

He said the terms of the car wash agreement have never changed throughout the decades: the sheriffs department pays for one car wash per cruiser a week, no matter how many times a vehicle gets washed.

The bottom line for choosing Colvins car wash, Schmidt said, is that its providing the best services for the least amount among Benningtons limited choices of car washes.

I dont know where else I could go to achieve that, he said. If I could get comparable service somewhere else less expensive, Id be gone in a heartbeat.

The car washes in the county includes a laser wash on Benningtons North Street, as well as an automatic car wash on Manchesters Main Street and a self-serve on Depot Street.

Schmidt added that the countys annual budget is prepared not just by Colvin but by him and another assistant judge. The budget also is presented to the public for comment before it is finalized, but hardly anyone shows up at those budget meetings, he said.

Though state law prescribes what type of sheriffs department expenses the county can shoulder, assistant judges decide how much to allocate.

There is nothing in state law that tells the judges how to put the budget together.

I believe that fits squarely within the discretion of the assistant judges, said Orange County Assistant Judge Joyce McKeeman, president of the Vermont Association of County Judges.

Its unclear how long Special Counsel Coteus will take to investigate the complaint into Colvin. But once his work is done, his findings will be submitted to the Judicial Conduct Board. The board will decide whether to file a formal complaint that will move the case another step forward.
This February 2003 photo provided by photographer Murat Duzyol shows three women walking behind a man in Erbil, Iraq. A version of this original image was manipulated to digitally add chains on the women's ankles, with a caption erroneously claiming it was made in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021.
Afghan citizens pack inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, as they are transported from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming another photo showed a plane full of Afghan refugees being evacuated from the country this week, with not a single woman or child among them. In fact, that photo, which appeared online as early as 2018, shows Afghan refugees being sent back to their country from Turkey, according to a story at the time from Turkeys state-run news agency, the Anadolu Agency. Photos captured this week show that hundreds of Afghan men, women and children have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover.
Defense attorney Joseph Krowksi Jr. puts his hand on the shoulder of his client Thomas Latanowich as Judge Jeffery Locke finishes reading the charge to the jury before the beginning of jury deliberations in Latanowich's trial, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, in Barnstable, Mass. Latanowich, of Somerville, faces a murder charge in Barnstable Superior Court in the April 2018 shooting death of Yarmouth police Sgt. Sean Gannon.
New Englanders bracing for their first hurricane in 30 years are hauling boats out of the water and taking other precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the Northeast coast
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Natalie Johnsonius Neubert, executive director of the Berkshire Music School, says that like with untold numbers of businesses, the coronavirus pandemic has had its impact. "We're in a year of change, so, the pandemic has allowed us to slow down," she says. "We had most of our lessons and classes online last year. It really gave us a chance to think about what are we doing, what are the programs, and with me being new and having a slightly different view of the organization."
As the start of the school year approaches, Berkshire County school districts have begun to decide what their students, faculty and staff are required to do. Here is what we know from the districts that have decided so far ...
Boston has announced an upcoming mask mandate, which will require face coverings in all indoor places starting Aug. 27. Numerous municipalities across Massachusetts have begun to reinstitute mandates, as the case count continues to climb. Pittsfield and North Adams officials told The Eagle they are recommending but not yet mandating masks.
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.
Nearly a year ago, hundreds of Democrats lodged complaints against state party leaders for their involvement in the 2020 Democratic primary between U.S. Rep. Richard Neal and then-Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse.

After the partys rules committee dismissed those complaints, several Berkshire County Democrats have continued to call for Massachusetts Democratic Party leaders to apologize for actions that a party-ordered investigation found violated one of its bylaws.

The steering committee of the Berkshire Democratic Brigades, the countys official branch of the state party, sent a letter to Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Gus Bickford in May requesting that party leaders send Morse, who lost the primary by a 59-41 percent margin, a formal, written apology. And members of the People for Democratic Party Reform coalition plan to demonstrate during the partys Sept. 25 platform convention and call for Bickfords removal.

'The damage was already done': Some LGBTQ advocates say misconduct claims doomed Morse's bid to upset Neal NORTH ADAMS  Although a group that accused Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse of inappropriate behavior with college students later apologized for their role in aiding "homophobic attacks," for some 

Shortly before the Sept. 1 primary, a group of students with the University of Massachusetts Amherst College Democrats circulated a letter raising concerns about Morse, who previously served as an adjunct instructor at the university. Subsequent reports from The Intercept suggested that political motivations played a role for some students involved and showed that state party members provided advice to the students.

Attorney and former state Sen. Cheryl Jacques concluded in an independent investigation, sent to party members on Nov. 5, that Bickford violated a party bylaw when he provided advice to students on their communications with a political reporter. Party bylaws say that staff members cannot endorse or participate in any contested Democratic Primary campaign.

Jacques found that while the party did not initiate or plant the idea for the college Democrats to send a letter, Bickford admitted that he told students that Politico reporter Alex Thompson was a trusted source and that if you dont go on the record with him, he wont write the story. Those statements, Jacques concludes, show that Bickford was encouraging the students to talk to the reporter on the record and to do so prior to the election.

College Democrats apology The college Democrats apologized to then-candidate Alex Morse, writing that raising anonymous claims of sexually inappropriate behavior played into homophobic stereotypes that have been used to oppress gay men in politics. Morse replied that he regrets having made anyone feel uncomfortable and would become more aware of power dynamics, although he has said elsewhere that he will not apologize for being a young person, for being gay and for being single and having consensual relationships with other adults. An investigation by the university found that Morse did not violate its policies on sexual harassment or consensual relations.

Bickford previously had discouraged Morse from running in an early 2019 meeting and may very well have violated the spirit of a bylaw at that time, Jacques said, but did not violate the bylaw itself because Morse had not yet declared his candidacy.

Regardless of their motives, Democratic Party officials should have pulled back as soon as it became clear that the students were seeking advice about their relationship with a primary candidate in the upcoming election, the Berkshire Democratic Brigades said in the letter sent to party leaders on May 12.

Whether or not they suggested the eventual leak, by continuing these conversations the officials broke an important MDP bylaw that proscribes their interference in a contested primary.

Without a written apology to Morse and a reply to party members who lodged complaints, the letter says, the committee would support the official censure of Bickford, Executive Director Veronica Martinez and Jim Roosevelt, a longtime party member who also serves as its volunteer attorney.

Around 20 of the roughly 40 members of the steering committee were present at a virtual meeting where a majority voted to send the letter, committee members said.

Bickford, who was reelected in November by 63 percent of state party members who voted, has apologized for the pain caused to many members of the LGBTQI+ community but has disputed Jacques finding that his advice violated the bylaw.

I was just stating something that I have been taught and learned from 30 years of being in politics, Bickford wrote to Berkshire Democratic Brigades steering committee members in a May 3 response to the Brigades draft letter. He reiterated that his intention was to provide assistance to the students as best he could.

Attorney Jacques felt as though my answer inserted myself into the primary race by taking sides, however, I know I was not trying to do that and the Rules Committee agreed with me, Bickford wrote.

The partys rules committee considered the complaints in two meetings after Jacques completed her investigation, Allison Mitchell, the partys communications director, told The Eagle.

In consultation with the deputy legal counsel, the Rules Committee found that the complaints did not have merit, or were frivolous as defined in the process outlined in the Charter, Mitchell said in an email.  Frivolous in no way reflects the sentiment in which the complaints were handled.

Sonya Bykofsky, who last September sent the party complaints signed by more than 500 members, said she did not receive a response regarding the outcome of the complaints. Bykofsky, who recently became state director of People for Democratic Party Reform, said the planned demonstration during the September party convention is an action in need of taking at this point because everything weve attempted to this point has been ignored.

It is completely appropriate to ask why a person in a leadership position violated our own bylaws, said Bykofsky, who also chairs the Lenox town Democratic committee and sits on the steering committee of the Berkshire Democratic Brigades. Ignoring your own partys corruption is condoning it, and many of us are not OK with that.

For Democrats in Massachusetts, voting breakdown shows gap among party members In the aftermath of the Massachusetts state Democratic Committees election for its leader, a breakdown of how members voted suggests that ass

Bickford, in his reply to the Brigades, said he has conducted listening sessions and has worked with the partys LGBTQ+ and Affirmative Action Outreach committees, in addition to launching a vigorous Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training series. During Bickfords 2020 reelection campaign, two challengers had said they would do more than Bickford has done to diversify the party.

But, Cheryl Rose of Dalton, another steering committee member, said the issue the Brigades raised was a matter of party rules rather than of prejudice. And the party has not acknowledged that its actions, she said, clearly helped Neal.

Addressing the fallout from the primary, the letter from the Brigades says, is a necessary step for the party to rebuild trust as it pursues its goals, such as unseating Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in 2022.

We need unity, and the party needs the energy and commitment of those who have disengaged as a result of these events, the letter states. To win them back, we need State Party leaders to conduct themselves in a transparent manner, embodying integrity.

Morse said Friday that he has not received an apology from Bickford.
Berkshire Eagle columnist and Williamstown sage Phyllis McGuire died Tuesday, after a short illness.

McGuire wrote for The Eagle for years after moving to Williamstown from the New York City borough of Queens 33 years ago.

That was the longest she lived anywhere in her life, recalled daughter Jen Sciarratta. She was always kind of quiet when she lived in the Bronx, but she really came to life in Williamstown and she absolutely loved writing. She felt like it gave her life purpose.

In a note she wrote to her son and daughter shortly before her passing, McGuire told them that they were her reason for living, Sciarratta added.

Kevin Moran, executive editor of The Eagle, knew McGuire for years, after having met her while working at the North Adams Transcript.

I came to know Phyllis when I was the managing editor of the North Adams Transcript, he said. Phyllis loved her family and dearly missed her late husband, Bill. Of course, her family and her beloved Williamstown served as the basis of so many of her columns.

Her weekly columns in The Eagle were read widely and anticipated by her loyal readers.

A selection of Phyllis McGuire's columns Longtime Eagle columnist Phyllis McGuire died this week at the age of 90. In this collection, The Eagle picks out some of her top columns from

In every column she wrote about her family, we could relate to the joy, the love, the occasional sadnesses that every family endures, and her perspective and her passion for writing always combined to leave the reader emotionally fulfilled, Moran said. Few writers in the Berkshires have as much drive and passion for writing as Phyllis had, and she lived her journalism into her 90th year.

Writing aside, Phyllis was a most caring and attentive friend, and I enjoyed my visits with her and I will miss her phone calls to wish me a happy birthday and a merry Christmas and sometimes just to check in on me and my family.

McGuire was born in 1931, and on her 90th birthday this year, she was the subject of a birthday parade through downtown Williamstown, on Spring Street, which was attended by students, store owners, friends and family. She loved being a Williamstown resident and will be missed as a vibrant member of the community.

Predeceased by her late husband, William McGuire, she was the mother of Christopher J. McGuire, of Massapequa, N.Y., and Sciarratta, of Bayside, N.Y. She was also the grandmother of Alyssa Sciarratta-Cinturati, Nicholas Sciarratta, Jack McGuire and Mary McGuire. She had two great-grandchildren: Angelo and Ariana Cinturati.

McGuire was born Feb. 25, 1931, in the New York City borough of the Bronx, to Agnes Rizzo Daffee and Philip C. Daffee. She attended Walton High School and went on to work for the Continental Can Corp., where she met her future husband. They were married May 25, 1963, at the Church of Our Saviour on Park Avenue in New York City.

In 1988, Phyllis and William retired to the mountains of Williamstown, after they fell in love with the area while taking their son to and from Williams College. A woman of deep faith, she became a devout parishioner at Saints Patrick and Raphael Church.

McGuire became a columnist for several publications and eventually for The Eagle, for which she delighted in writing articles for her column.

A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday at Saints Patrick and Raphael Parish in Williamstown. The Flynn & Dagnoli Funeral Homes, 521 West Main St. in North Adams, are in care of arrangements.

To add to the Book of Memories, please visit flynndagnolifuneralhomes.com.
Its a cliche for a reason: Those who dont know their history are bound to repeat it. There is a corollary to this axiom, however, that often goes unheeded: Those ignorant of history are blind to the ways that the past still shapes our present, regardless of our individual actions and sentiments.

Racism in Williamstown's past resonates, includes cross burnings, KKK campaigns Among other things revealed in a research study about racism in Williamstown was that the White Oaks neighborhood was once the main haven for residents of color, and locals referred to it as N****r Hill until the late 1800s.

Williamstown is currently grappling with those lessons, and like any serious reckoning with history, it is both painful and necessary. A recent study conducted by Williams College environmental studies students sheds light on some uncomfortable truths about the communitys history: White Oaks, a haven for Black residents in the 19th century, was ostracized, demonized and eventually gentrified, pushing generations of residents of color out of their homes. It was a process accelerated by racial terror: Ku Klux Klan campaigns of robed riders riding through town and cross-burnings meant to threaten Black families. The KKK, which also targeted Jews and Catholics in addition to Black people, became embedded in the community, staging local recruitment drives and holding meetings at White Oaks Congregational Church.

Much as many might wish, this is not a historical reality on which Williamstown can simply shut a door. Residents and officials alike have found that out the hard way in the here and now. In the Colonial Village section of town, some homebuyers and sellers have been shocked to find that properties still have covenant restrictions first established in the early 20th century to prevent people of color from owning property or living in the area. The following text is still found on most of the deeds in the subdivision: No persons of any race other than the white race shall use or occupy any buildings or any lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant.

Such racist restrictions were made illegal by a 1947 Supreme Court ruling, but the fact that they are still found on deeds to this day underscores how prejudice of the past can shape a communitys present. The covenants might be unenforceable now, but theyre more than just a grim reminder. They are part and parcel of the widespread discrimination racial and ethnic minorities faced, and their legacy is felt even as their practices have faded. It certainly played a part in the process by which corners of Williamstown became far less diverse than they were in the 19th and early-20th centuries. The Colonial Village is far from the only neighborhood in America where similar housing rules took root, and its undeniable that these and other racist restrictions helped lay the foundations for the racial inequities in housing and wealth our nation is still confronting.

For anyone who doubts the truth of systemic racism, Williamstowns past should be a convincing case stufy. Even if there were no racist people residing in Williamstown, these covenants would still exist and their undeniable impact on the present would still be felt. Bilal Ansari, who works in the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Williams College, told The Eagle how these policies directly affected his family, which traces several generations of ancestry in Williamstown. Mr. Ansaris great-grandfather, a Black veteran of World War II, wanted to move into the former Colonial Village when he returned from the war. The racist covenants on the properties, however, prevented him from doing so.

Knowledge of the past is morally necessary if we are to comprehend where we stand now and how to move into the future while living up to our most cherished values of fairness, equality and decency. Yet there are still some who would prefer to bury these truths instead of reckon with them.

This was apparent when some readers reacted negatively to The Eagles coverage of the Williams College study. Keep it in the past, one commenter wrote after The Eagle posted the story on its Facebook page. Trying to light a fire, are we? another wrote. Keep stirring the pot, yet another added sarcastically.

The racist covenants still on deeds in Colonial Village today are testament to the fact that history does not neatly relegate itself to the past. We should acknowledge that. Racism is not a problem of yesterday; it is a problem of today. The pot has already been stirred  by centuries of racist terror and policy from chattel slavery to lynch mobs to Jim Crow to redlining to disproportionate incarceration. The Civil Rights Act, which sought to outlaw institutional racism in America, is less than 60 years old  younger than many people in this nation. Meanwhile, the Williams College study reports that the most recent cross-burning in Williamstown occurred on the Williams campus  in the 1980s.

Indeed, the pot has not just been stirred but roiled, and even those who did not directly participate in it must have the moral courage to not look away from it. The difficult part for many about grappling with the racist realities of Williamstowns history is that it disrupts pat narratives even across political lines. As Republicans on the national stage rail against critical race theory and unvarnished looks at history in Americas classrooms, many conservatives are hesitant to even acknowledge the existence of systemic racism. Yet for many on the other side of the aisle, Williamstowns case might be equally disconcerting. For some, it might seem antithetical to picture hooded Klan members riding through the streets of 20th-century Williamstown, a well-educated community home to a renowned liberal arts college in the supposedly progressive bastion of Western Massachusetts. It belies the story that many well-meaning liberals likely tell themselves  that structural racism and its residual effects, while bad, fall neatly along geographic, partisan, class and education lines.

As such, there will be some who think that coming to grips with these truths about the history of Williamstown  or any town  is a stain on them personally and a backward step for their community. This could not be further from the truth. Communities have a moral duty to be honest with themselves about their own history and how it impacts them today, which is precisely what many in Williamstown are trying to do. Thats also what were trying to do through our coverage as an institution of community journalism. If we care about the present and the future, so too must we care about the past. Recognizing racism in our past does not make us racists today. Rather, it equips us with awareness of the events and forces of history that have been transmuted, sometimes unknowingly, into structures we interact with now. Just ask the homeowners in Colonial Village who are horrified to find their properties deeds contain vestiges of the vicious legacies of segregation and white supremacy.

It felt like a very ugly testament to discriminatory housing. It perpetuates the harm, so, it was present in our minds, one homeowner told The Eagle. And it has hung over our feelings about the house. It was definitely something we wanted to reckon with.

In the Berkshires, we care deeply about our shared history, and rightly so: It is a rich tapestry full of imperfect people and myriad events marching through us toward the future. Massachusetts was the first state in the union to do away with the institution of chattel slavery because of the courage and grit of Great Barringtons own Elizabeth Freeman. W.E.B. Du Bois, a Berkshire native son, was instrumental in shaping the civil rights movement. And in Williamstown, many prominent figures aided runaway slaves in the 19th century as they escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad. If we are to be proud of these portions of our history, though, we must deal with the truth of our entire history, some of which is painful but all of which must be acknowledged. If not, then we arent proud of our history  we are ignorant of it.

Like it or not, history is not yet done with us. As such, we cannot say that we are done with history. Thats why, perhaps to the chagrin of some, we report the past, and will continue to do so.
WEIPPE - Police are investigating a Friday evening crash on State Highway 11 at milepost 20.8, near Weippe. According to Idaho State Police, 49-year old Larry R. Schwab, of Lewiston, was traveling southbound in a white 2004 Ford Mustang when he went left of center and collided with a northbound red 1996 Ford F150 being driven by 67-year-old David W. Carver, of Pierce.

Schwab was wearing a seatbelt but was pronounced deceased at the scene. Police say Carver was not wearing a seatbelt and was airlifted to Clearwater Valley Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Two passengers from Carver's vehicle were wearing seatbelts and were transported by ground ambulance to Clearwater Valley Hospital with minor injuries. The roadway was completely blocked for approximately 3 hours. The investigation is ongoing.
The two facilities are expected to test approx 60 batches of vaccines per month

The Government of India has identified two autonomous institutes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), viz., National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, for up gradation as Central Drug Laboratories (CDLs). The funding support for the same was provided under the PM-CARES funds.

The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, continues its support to scale up the vaccine development and manufacturing ecosystem. The setting up of facilities for vaccine testing at NCCS, Pune and NIAB, Hyderabad, is a step in this direction.

With support from PM CARES funds, the laboratory of the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), has been upgraded as Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) for the COVID-19 vaccine testing facility at Hyderabad. The facility at NIAB, Hyderabad, has now been notified as Central Drugs Laboratory for testing and lot release of COVID-19 vaccines vide. Gazette notification was issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on August 17, 2021. The facility at NCCS, Pune has already been notified as CDL on 28th June 2021.

The two facilities are expected to test approx. 60 batches of vaccines per month. Considering that the facilities are located in proximity to the vaccine manufacturing hubs of the nation, logistics for vaccine manufacturing and supply are expected to be eased up. The generous support through PM-CARES Funds and the relentless efforts of the two institutes have enabled the rapid up-gradation and setting up of the state-of-the-art, modern GLP Compliant vaccine testing facilities and contribute to the national requirement. This would further strengthen the vaccine supply chain and boost the massive vaccination drive in India.
Inaugurates CSR initiatives of the NTPC Eastern Region

Union Minister for Power, New & Renewable Energy RK Singh during his visit to Nabinagar Power Generating Company Ltd (NPGC) premises, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC recently, dedicated various CSR works carried out by NTPC & NPGC to the tune of Rs 11.32 crores.

Singh inaugurated PHC at Meh  Aurangabad and distributed disability aid items in association with ALIMCO at Barh. He flagged off a dedicated medical van for cancer detection camp to be organised in four districts of Bihar and distribution of aids and appliances to the differently-abled residing in the vicinity of NTPC Barh via online/offline mode in a function.
Part of navigating health care in the province during the pandemic has been for the government to support virtual health care.

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Part of navigating health care in the province during the pandemic has been for the government to support virtual health care.

Physician phone calls, secure emails and texts, Facetime  it all falls under the virtual support Manitobans have been receiving since the pandemic started.

Since March 2020, there have been more than 3.1 million virtual visits with physicians in Manitoba, according to a release from Doctors Manitoba.

The organization represents more than 4,000 physicians and medical learners across the province.

Theyre calling on the province to extend virtual care past the pandemic, based on the success of what is currently in place.

"With more than a year of experience and over three million virtual visits, doctors and patients are finding that phone and video visits can often be a safe and effective option for patient care," said Dr. Kristjan Thompson, the organizations president.

Thompson isnt suggesting virtual care replace actual hands-on medical care, just that it is another "tool in our tool box," he told The Sun in a telephone interview.

In a report released Thursday by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), a study last week from Canada Health Infoway and a Probe Research public survey commissioned by Doctors Manitoba earlier in the year, some of the key findings in the research included about 86 per cent of physicians in Manitoba offered virtual visits during the pandemic (CIHI) while there was strong satisfaction with virtual care, including 90 per cent of Manitobans (Probe) and 79 per cent of Manitoban doctors (Infoway).

However, there was overwhelming support to see virtual care continue as an option after the pandemic, including 99 per cent of Manitoban physicians (Infoway) and 90 per cent of patients. (Probe).

Thompson said the group wants virtual care to extend past the pandemic due to its effectiveness. As well, additional types of visits were approved for virtual care during the pandemic as the second wave approached, following advocacy from Doctors Manitoba.

Virtual care isnt something new in the province, as rural and northern communities have been using the type of service for quite some time, Thompson said. It is one of the largest geographic areas in the country where virtual care is actually facilitated.

Thompson said while the capability for virtual care has always been there, physicians werent always able to bill the provincial government for virtual visits as the billing framework wasnt available on a larger scale.

However, with the pandemic, the need for virtual visits with patients became clear.

Through Doctors Manitoba, physicians were able to bill the provincial government on a scale much larger than had previously been explored.

"For many health concerns, nothing will ever replace an in-person visit with your doctor," Thompson said. "For some issues, virtual care has proven itself to be an appropriate option, improving access, quality and efficiency in medicine."

Thompson is not concerned that virtual care could replace an actual hands-on examination by a physician, saying it took him almost two years to locate a family doctor in the province.

With former health minister Heather Stefanson indicating she was receptive to seeing virtual care continue, Thompson said he is waiting to have that conversation with newly appointed Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon.

A provincial government spokesperson said in an email that Manitoba entered into a bilateral agreement with the federal government, where Manitoba is receiving more than $7 million to expand its virtual health services.

"Our government has also developed an action plan that outlines how it is investing the funding under the bilateral agreement to expand virtual health services for Manitoba residents."

The spokesperson said an action plan will accelerate virtual health-care services and improve access for Manitobans.

"Expanding these services will improve our health-care system and provide care to Manitobans where they need it most. This type of care has been essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to be in our recovery and in future."

 kkielley@brandonsun.com
Manitobas NDP is calling on Education Minister Cliff Cullen to resign after what the party calls a flip-flop on Bill 64.

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Manitobas NDP is calling on Education Minister Cliff Cullen to resign after what the party calls a "flip-flop" on Bill 64.

Cullen stood behind former health minister Heather Stefanson when she announced she would cancel Bill 64 if elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba. Cullen, who also represents part of Brandon in the legislature, clapped when she said she made specific reference to withdrawing Bill 64.

"I can tell you we have heard from Manitobans on one issue more than any other, and that is Bill 64. That is why Im here to announce that if elected leader of our party Bill 64 will be done," Stefanson said Wednesday.

She reiterated the point on Thursday when speaking to Brandon Sun reporter Colin Slark,

"All of my colleagues, they are out listening to their constituents and theyre hearing loud and clear and that was obviously one of the things that we heard with Bill 64. Manitobans dont want to move forward with that bill."

Bill 64 would reshape administration in the provinces education system by eliminating school boards and replacing them with a centralized governance structure. Cullen first announced the bill in his role as education minister in March and supported it.

Now, NDP Leader Wab Kinew says the Spruce Woods MLA should step down from his role in cabinet as he doesnt support the governments agenda.

"Mr. (Brian) Pallister is still the premier.  Until he steps down Bill 64 is this governments agenda," he said. He said its convention for a minister to resign if they dont fully support the governments agenda.

Pallister announced earlier this month in Brandon he would not seek re-election, but did not say when he would step down as premier of Manitoba.

Kinew said he believes members of the PC party are trying to distance themselves from Pallister and Bill 64 as it has become politically convenient. He also disputed Stefansons comments on Thursday, in which she said she would take a more conciliatory approach to lead the party.

"You can try to change the name on the podium sign, but the approach in the premiers office will be the same," he said.

Cullen defended the bill in June, saying a "vocal minority" was spreading misinformation about the legislation.

For his part, Cullen declined to comment on Wednesday, after standing behind Stefanson when she made the announcement.

The Sun reached out to Cullens press secretary, who said in an emailed statement government house leader Kelvin Goertzen would address the legislation before the Legislature resumes sitting.

"Min. Goertzen, in his role of House Leader, will address issues related to the fall session prior to the session commencing in October."

 dmay@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @DrewMay_
Prairie Mountain Health officials revealed on Friday that they have successfully recruited five new foreign-trained doctors to work in the health region.

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Prairie Mountain Health officials revealed on Friday that they have successfully recruited five new foreign-trained doctors to work in the health region.

According to a news release from PMH, these physicians have agreed to work in various small communities throughout Westman for four years.

These incoming doctors are as follows:

 Dr. Saheed Balogun, Killarney Medical Clinic (commenced practice on Aug. 17)

 Dr. Aisha Jan, Killarney Medical Clinic (anticipated start date on Sept. 15)

 Dr. Manal El-Mazahy, Minnedosa Medical Group (anticipated start date in mid-September)

 Dr. Michael Abdalmassih, Swan River Primary Care Centre (anticipated start date in mid-September)

 Dr. Hina Atif, Roblin Medical Centre (anticipated start date in early October)

Fridays news release also explained that all five physicians were recruited through the provinces Medical Licensure Program for International Medical Graduates.

This initiative is designed to help foreign-trained doctors obtain their medical licence, which would then allow them to practise as a primary care (family) physician in Manitoba.

"Over the past year, the region sponsored five physicians to participate in the IMG program," PMH CEO Brian Schoonbaert stated in Fridays release.

"After much consideration, doctors that have now successfully graduated from the program are being strategically placed at various sites within PMH communities (or nearby areas) that require additional sufficient physician resources."

The IMG program is currently supported by the University of Manitoba, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba and Manitoba Health and Seniors Care.

PMH officials are already in the process of recruiting five more foreign-trained doctors through this program, with these physicians having commenced their training this past June.

If they are successful, these IMG recruits should be able to start working within PMH by the fall of 2022.

 The Brandon Sun
Manitoba Infrastructure issued an overland flood warning on Friday afternoon, revealing in a news release that large sections of southern and central Manitoba may get battered with consistent rain until Wednesday.

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A car sprays water from a puddle as it passes through in the 1000 block of Rosser Avenue on a rainy Friday afternoon. Environment Canada issued a rainfall warning for the City of Brandon and other communities in southwestern Manitoba that could last into Saturday morning. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)

Manitoba Infrastructure issued an overland flood warning on Friday afternoon, revealing in a news release that large sections of southern and central Manitoba may get battered with consistent rain until Wednesday.

Provincial officials believe that rivers and creeks in Brandon, Melita, Virden and the Interlake region could be vulnerable to overflow during this time, especially if 100 to 150 millimetres of rain arrives within the next three to five days as expected.

Because of this, Manitoba Infrastructure is advising residents in these areas to pay attention to sudden rising water levels in small creeks and urban drainage ditches.

"Overland flooding typically occurs in low-lying farmland adjacent to rivers and streams," Fridays news release reads. "It can also lead to streets being flooded in urban areas if the local drainage system is not able to handle high-intensity rain events. This can lead to strong currents around street drains."

Manitoba Infrastructure officials also mentioned that some severe thunderstorms may occur during either Saturday or Monday, which could bring on an excess of 100 millimetres of rain in a very short window.

As of Friday afternoon, Environment Canada issued a heavy rainfall warning for much of the Westman area, estimating rainfall amounts of around 50-75 millimetres by Saturday morning.

 The Brandon Sun
OTTAWA - Many Penticton Indian Band community members in British Columbia were used to looking out from their living room windows to see the city spread out across the Okanagan Valley. Now, they just see smoke.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President, Union of the BC Indian Chiefs addresses a news conference in Vancouver, B.C., on January 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

OTTAWA - Many Penticton Indian Band community members in British Columbia were used to looking out from their living room windows to see the city spread out across the Okanagan Valley. Now, they just see smoke.

"This is the smell of negligence on the part of both the federal and provincial governments," said Grand Chief Stewart Phillip of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs.

He said his community and other Indigenous communities in B.C. are now at risk of becoming climate crisis refugees like many other First Nations people who have lost their homes to wildfires in northern Prairie provinces and Ontario over the last two decades.

"We are in that drought situation here in British Columbia as well as Alberta and the Prairies," he said.

"We have lost our crops here, in terms of the cherry harvest, and there are homes burning to the ground that people have invested their life's work in."

Phillip said he believes addressing the climate crisis, ending drinking water advisories, and implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions calls to action as well as the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls' inquirys calls for justice, are the fundamental priorities for Indigenous Peoples during the election campaign.

He said the Liberals enjoyed enormous Indigenous support when they were first elected in 2015 after their leader Justin Trudeau made promises to improve their lives.

"Unfortunately, it was long on sizzle and short on substance," Phillip said.

"He said all the right things and made the appropriate promises. However, the government didn't follow through."

In 2015, Trudeau promised to lift all long-term drinking-water advisories by March 2021. His government acknowledged in December that the deadline would be missed despite the lifting of more than 100 long-term drinking-water advisories in five years.

In March, the Liberal government said it remains committed to ending all the advisories but it won't set a new deadline, as 50 long-term drinking-water advisories in 31 First Nations communities are still in place.

The lack of progress on many of the TRC's calls to action was highlighted in May after the findings of what are believed to be the remains of 215 children at the site of a Kamloops, B.C., residential school.

Since then, several Indigenous communities have announced that hundreds of unmarked graves have been located at the sites of former residential schools.

In June, the Lower Kootenay Band in B.C. said a search using ground-penetrating radar had found what are believed to be human remains at a site close to a former residential school in Cranbrook.

The Cowessess First Nation earlier said that ground-penetrating radar detected 751 unmarked graves at the former Marieval Indian Residential School east of Regina, Sask.

Late last month, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh became the only federal party leader to meet with Indigenous chiefs at the site of the former Kamloops Indian School. He demanded that Trudeau make good on his six-year-old promise to fulfil all 94 calls to action of the TRC.

Singh met with the Cowessess First Nation and visited the grave sites on Friday, where he vowed to locate every child lost to residential schools and to hold those who committed crimes at the institutions accountable. He accused Trudeau of not keeping his promises to Indigenous people.

Trudeau defended his government's record, saying "what took generations, and in some cases, even centuries to break will take more than a few years to fix."

The Conservative, Bloc Quebecois, Green, and some Liberal MPs supported a non-binding NDP motion in Parliament in June calling on the Trudeau government to drop legal actions against two Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders on discrimination against Indigenous children.

The motion also called on the Liberals to accelerate work on the TRC's calls to action issued in 2015, including funding for investigation into the deaths and disappearances of children at residential schools.

Last week, days before the election call, the Liberal government committed $321 million in new funding for programs that address some of the TRC's calls to help Indigenous communities search burial sites at former residential schools and to support survivors.

The new money will fund searches of grave sites, help communities manage the sites, provide mental health, cultural and emotional services and help build a national monument in Ottawa that honours the survivors and all the children who were lost.

Cindy Blackstock, a member of the Gitxsan First Nation in British Columbia and the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, said there shouldn't be a limit to the amount of money given to Indigenous communities to search for burial sites at residential schools.

"They should be willing to pay whatever is necessary because the Canadian state perpetrated this," she said.

Blackstock said Ottawa was "the command and control centre for residential schools" and building one monument is not enough to honour the victims of these institutions.

She said several markers across Ottawa should point out how residential schools and colonial practices have harmed Indigenous Peoples.

"In that way you educate people about how pervasive colonialism and residential schools were."

She said the Liberals have had opportunities and solutions to address the problems facing Indigenous Peoples, especially children, but "their implementation has not been good."

"Governments are used to doing complicated things if they have their political will behind it. Where things stall is when they don't really have the political will," she said.

But David Chartrand of the Metis National Council said Metis communities in Manitoba have seen advancements in child care, home ownership and repairs and economic investments since the Liberals came to power in 2015.

He said he will write letters to federal party leaders to ask about their positions on protecting the identity of the Red River Metis in Western Canada, their land claims, their lack of access to health care and business opportunities and the treaty the Metis are negotiating with Ottawa.

"We'll ask them: 'What's your position on these specific major points?  If you do not answer, we are advising all of our citizens of your answers.'"

"We have got a full scale of strategies right across Manitoba to get our vote out. We have phone-call systems, pickup systems set up. We have buses and vans if necessary. And we are going to haul our people to vote."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2021.



This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
WINNIPEG - The Liberals will add another seven days to paid sick leave benefits for federally regulated workers, leader Justin Trudeau pledged from the campaign trail Friday.

WINNIPEG - The Liberals will add another seven days to paid sick leave benefits for federally regulated workers, leader Justin Trudeau pledged from the campaign trail Friday.

Trudeaus government created three days of paid personal leave in 2018 for workers who had been in their jobs for at least three months, and this promise would extend that to 10 days.

The Liberal leader says no one should choose between staying safe and paying their bills.

"Too many families, uncertain, (were) racked with extremely difficult decisions," he said.

There are no current plans to extend a federal COVID-19 sickness benefit, which offered up to four weeks of support at a maximum of $500 a week, to workers who had to cut their hours by more than half to stay home due to sickness or needing to self-isolate.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Liberal leader Justin Trudeau speaks at the Cavalier Drive FoodFare location in Winnipeg on Friday.

The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit currently expires Oct. 23.

Trudeau made the announcement inside an independent grocery store in Winnipeg Friday, thanking the front-line workers for their dedication and effort in a stressful time. But none of those workers would be eligible for the federal sick days because they only apply to federally regulated industries like banking, airlines, radio and television broadcasting, and Crown corporations including the postal service.

The Liberals said if re-elected they would "immediately" convene the provinces and territories to discuss legislating sick leave across the country, with the federal program as a bar for provinces to try and meet.

"As a government and as this country's largest employer, its up to us to set the example," Trudeau said.

The party says the amendments to the Canada Labour Code for the extra days for federal workers would be made within the first 100 days of a new mandate.

Currently, there is a mishmash of paid and unpaid sick leave provisions across provinces. Quebec requires up to three days of paid sick leave each year, and Prince Edward Island one. Other provinces introduced temporary pandemic sick leave provisions, such as Manitoba, which offered employers some funding to pay workers who needed time off because of COVID-19.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Supporters of Liberal leader Justin Trudeau wait outside of the Cavalier Drive FoodFare location in Winnipeg on August 20, 2021.

Sick leave, or the lack thereof, has been a significant problem for many workers during the pandemic, who couldn't afford to take time off if they were showing symptoms of COVID-19, or even to get tested if they'd had a potential exposure.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said he'd been pushing Trudeau to offer sick leave for 18 months.

"Every day since then, people went to work sick because they didnt have another way to pay their bills," said Singh. "Now, he wants us to believe hell do it after the election. He's saying the right thing now, but he has no intention of doing it.

The Liberals also promised another $100 million to help improve air quality in schools, and $70 million to not-for-profits charities and Indigenous communities to improve ventilation through the Canada Healthy Communities Initiative.

They are also pledging a refundable tax credit for small businesses for 25 per cent of eligible ventilation improvement expenses such as ventilation upgrades.

It would be for up to $10,000 per building, with a maximum of $50,000 per company, available from Sept. 1 to the end of the 2022 tax year.

Supporters look on as Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau holds a campaign event in Calgary, Alberta, on Thursday, Aug 19, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Trudeau wrapped up the first week of his campaign with a stop in Regina, where he delivered his stump speech in the pouring rain on the tarmac at the airport in front of his plane.

Friday was the first day that weather put a significant damper on the need for mostly outdoor events. His speech in Winnipeg was the first of the week held indoors, while it also poured rain in the Manitoba capital.

A Liberal candidate in Calgary was also forced to apologize Friday after tweets from 2020 were uncovered, including one from November 2020 in which she referred to people who wanted to get the COVID-19 vaccine as "guinea pigs."

"I chose to allow the entitled to flock to the vaccine like they demanded to be the guinea pigs, that way, should there be problems, those with brains were left behind," Jessica Dale-Walker wrote, about a month before the first COVID-19 vaccine in Canada was approved.

In a statement issued Friday, Walker apologized and said the tweet was "thoughtless and wrong."

"That's certainly not how I feel today," she said, adding that she was double vaccinated.

"Vaccines are our most effective tool to combat COVID-19, and I encourage everyone to get vaccinated."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2021.
EDMONTON - The federal Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into an MP's trip to Italy in 2017.

A view of Matera, Italy, where a G20 foreign affairs ministers' meeting is taking place Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into a Liberal MP's trip to Italy in 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Antonio Calanni

EDMONTON - The federal Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into an MP's trip to Italy in 2017.

The Tories point to media reports that said longtime Liberal legislator Judy Sgro visited the small city of Matera in 2017 along with other politicians on a paid-for jaunt, but say she did not publicly disclose the excursion.

The Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada, which promotes the culture of that region of southern Italy in Canada, sponsored the trip, according to a Toronto Star report in 2018 that cites an admission by Sgro.

A Toronto Liberal MP since 1999, Sgro later said her time exploring the renowned caves and pasta production plants of Matera came at no expense to Canadian taxpayers, telling CBC News this week that she paid for the visit herself.

Trips sponsored by third parties are allowed under parliamentary conflict-of-interest rules, so long as legislators report the gift to the ethics commissioner.

Alberta Conservative candidate Laila Goodridge wrote to commissioner Mario Dion this week asking for a probe to determine whether Sgro contravened conflict of interest rules for parliamentarians.

"Ms. Sgros public comments and disclosures raise questions as to why she did not publicly disclose sponsored third party travel," Goodridge said.

"It also raises questions as to whether or not Ms. Sgros public statements are accurate and whether or not taxpayer money was used to pay for the trip."

Conservative MP Michael Barrett was more explicit.

"She tried to hide it from voters," he said in a social media post by the party.

Sgro and the Liberals did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Goodridge also faced controversy this week after party members in her riding of Fort McMurray-Cold Lake said they were "appalled" and "blindsided" by her recent appointment as their candidate.

"Our constituents were cheated of their opportunity to democratically select their candidate and were forced by the party on who will represent them," the Conservative riding association said in a statement Friday.

Goodridge stepped down last Sunday as a United Conservative Party legislator representing Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche in the Alberta legislature to run federally after incumbent David Yurdiga announced he wasn't running due to health reasons.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.
A decade ago, I wrote that NATO coalition forces should declare victory in Iraq and Afghanistan and depart forthwith. The situation on the ground didnt matter as it was only going to be a greater quagmire with each passing day. I didnt write this suggesting I could see the future, but because we should learn from the past.

A decade ago, I wrote that NATO coalition forces should declare victory in Iraq and Afghanistan and depart forthwith. The situation on the ground didnt matter as it was only going to be a greater quagmire with each passing day. I didnt write this suggesting I could see the future, but because we should learn from the past.

This past weekend, we witnessed sobering reports of Taliban forces overtaking Afghan cities and villages. U.S. President Joe Biden subsequently sent in American troops to ensure the safe departure of embassy and NGO officials. Then, just as night follows day, we heard the steady drumbeat of pundits and so-called experts who were calling for troops to return to the battlefield.

Folks, Afghanistan is done. Move on. This is not a surprise. In fact, Im surprised that youre surprised.

Eerily reminiscent of the Vietnam War, mission creep and an unwillingness to call an embarrassing end to a tragic episode continued to add to the tragedy. Recall that the invasion of Afghanistan was the result of 9/11 and the U.S. decision to pursue the chief protagonist of that attack, Osama Bin Laden, and the Taliban who protected him.

NATO forces did not originally invade Afghanistan in order to build schools, democratic institutions or to equip and train Afghan forces. This was not nation-building. Keep in mind there are countless failed states that lack appropriate schools, fail to preserve human rights, and suffer from unspeakable poverty. We dont send troops to fight there  this was all about 9/11.

This was a trillion-dollar war and thousands of people were killed.

The grandiosity of the United States in particular, and western nations in general, is that we believe our values should be those of the whole world. This may be a worthy goal  Im not sure  but it isnt going to happen.

Im saddened to read of brave soldiers who blame governments for the injuries incurred while fighting a lost war. These soldiers are instruments of a failed policy, just as the 58,000 American soldiers who died in Vietnam were also casualties of another failed policy.

Let us not forget a young John Kerry (who later served as a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State) who, after returning from the Vietnam War, asked Congress in a famous 1971 testimony: "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

It is incredibly unjust that young men and women carry lifelong injuries resulting from a policy that wasnt thought through. These young people are simply the sharp end of the spear  they are not decision-makers. They never will be. They are pieces we move around a chess board.

To underscore this point, consider Kerrys additional comments from his 1971 testimony: "Because we couldnt lose, and we couldnt retreat. And because it didnt matter how many American bodies were lost to prove that point."

I have toured museums in Vietnam that serve as testimony to decades of war. They are stark reminders of how devastating war is, but more importantly, the often-futile outcomes.

Today, pundits are tut-tutting about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan as it pertains to the Taliban overthrow of the existing American-backed government. They should not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by their emotions. They should ask history for guidance.

The sad reality of the bulk of these foreign misadventures is that they are doomed to fail. Both the French and the Americans were defeated in Vietnam. The French lost in Algeria and Libya, just as the Belgians retreated from Africa. The Russians also lost in Afghanistan, in addition to their largely bulletless withdrawal from Eastern Europe. The British lost everywhere. There are very few "good" wars.

Biden should not be castigated for the outcome of the Afghanistan reversal, but instead congratulated for the courage to make this tough decision. There will be many who blame him for losing this "war," but it was lost before it even began. Wars of occupation are rarely successful, and they most assuredly are not successful when the conquerors commitment is not complete.
On Thursday, Brandon University announced that we would be moving toward becoming a fully vaccinated campus. We will be making this happen as soon as possible. The vaccines are safe and effective, and universal vaccination is the fastest way for us all to get to a post-pandemic world that is back to normal as possible.

On Thursday, Brandon University announced that we would be moving toward becoming a fully vaccinated campus. We will be making this happen as soon as possible. The vaccines are safe and effective, and universal vaccination is the fastest way for us all to get to a post-pandemic world that is back to normal as possible.

We were joined in this decision by other Manitoba post-secondary institutions, presenting a united front across the province in ensuring the safest possible learning environments for all our students.

A vaccine policy is quickly becoming the standard for all Canadian universities, although how each institution approaches this differs from coast to coast. Some, for example, require regular testing as a pre-condition to come onto campus, although those who are fully vaccinated can opt out. Others require vaccination to attend campus, although some can opt out by choosing regular testing instead. The dates that these policies take effect, how strict they are, who precisely they apply to, and other logistical matters, are slightly different from place to place.

We have been working on our decision for a while, and have consulted with our unions and staff associations, with our administration, our students union, and with public health officials. Its clear that the logistical matters, although not overly complex in and of themselves, will require a bit more work.

When we announced on Thursday that we would be pursuing a vaccine policy, we listed some of the unanswered questions:

When is the most appropriate deadline to begin requiring a vaccine?

Can people opt for regular testing if they prefer not to get a vaccine?

How will vaccination and/or test results be provided to the university in a way that best meets individual privacy concerns?

How will the university accommodate those who are unable to get their vaccines yet  for example, international students who arrive after the mandate begins?

Will all areas have the same requirements, or will some high-risk activities have stricter requirements?

What requirements are appropriate for campus visitors, contract workers and similar groups on campus?

We also noted that we didnt expect to have these answers in time to start the fall term, which is now just two weeks away. Fall term will start cautiously, with limited class sizes, a mask mandate, physical distancing and enhanced ventilation, among other tried-and-true COVID-19 protection measures that allowed a safe academic experience last year. As we develop our vaccine policy to add another layer of defence, we also committed to continuing to work with groups on campus to ensure that our answers will be the right ones for BU.

Unsurprisingly, we immediately took criticism after our announcement. Many people believed that we should have followed the lead of institutions that have set specific dates. Others thought our announcement  a plan to develop a plan  was toothless or meaningless. I can assure you that the final policy, which will be developed and in place as soon as possible, will be robust.

Others criticized us from the other side. There is a vocal contingent that either doesnt believe in the vaccines at all, or doesnt believe that they should be required to access ones education, or is wary of sharing private health information of any type.

We expected this criticism, and I hope that our final policy will address as many of these questions as satisfactorily as we can, and as soon as possible.

However, some of the criticism was unexpected. I confess that I wasnt ready for how quickly some people went from criticizing our actions (which is fair) to criticizing our motives. Again, this happened on both sides. Some people accused us of following shadowy orders from above. Others accused us of caring only about money, or of not caring at all.

Of course, neither are true. Throughout the pandemic, I have been thoroughly impressed and deeply touched by the care that is brought to the table by everyone at BU, every day, through every decision. We have consistently striven to balance education, research and support for our community, with the need to safeguard everyones health as much as possible. We have made those decisions  sometimes easy, oftentimes difficult  right here at BU.

As we work toward a post-pandemic future, we know that vaccination is the clearest and fastest path to get there. The vaccines are safe and effective. Everyone should get vaccinated as soon as you are able. Other organizations and businesses should consider implementing vaccine policies for their own employees.

At Brandon University, vaccination for faculty, staff and students will be the expectation moving forward. How we get there, and how we answer the many logistical questions like the ones above, may differ in the details from other places. But those answers are being determined right now, by caring people right here in Brandon, as we build the best solution for BU.
Matt Goerzen: Youre saying that youre not a minister who wants to be in the spotlight, but you are now searching for that spotlight. And Im curious how you will change the way this province is governed.

Matt Goerzen: "Youre saying that youre not a minister who wants to be in the spotlight, but you are now searching for that spotlight. And Im curious how you will change the way this province is governed."

Heather Stefanson: "I dont know that I agree with the premise of your question, that Im searching for a spotlight. Im really not. I think that, you know, Im trying to get out and meet and see as many people as possible. And I just dont think Im searching for that spotlight. I think I take a different approach. I want to hear and listen to Manitobans, take that conciliatory approach. So, yeah, I dont agree with that."

 During a conversation in the Brandon Sun boardroom

on Thursday morning.

Heather Stefanson has been involved in politics  in some form or another  for most of her professional life. She graduated with a bachelors degree in political science in Ontario, and worked as a special assistant to the office of the Canadian Prime Minister during the Brian Mulroney administration.

She moved in 1993 back to Manitoba as an assistant to federal agriculture minister Charlie Mayer shortly before the Progressive Conservative government under then-prime minister Kim Campbell fell to the Liberals after voters decided to turf the federal party they had grown to hate  thanks to Mulroney.

Stefanson was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in a byelection held in 2000, and has been re-elected to her south Winnipeg constituency of Tuxedo under the Progressive Conservative banner in every provincial election since then.

She has held several roles and portfolios under the current Pallister administration, including that of deputy premier, minister of justice and Attorney General, minister of families, and lastly the role of Manitoba health minister, in which she largely stayed out of the spotlight before stepping down from the role this week to run for the party leadership.

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS PC MLA Heather Stefanson speaks at a press conference at South Winnipeg Community Centre in Winnipeg Wednesday, August 18, 2021. Stefanson announced that she will be running to be premier and leader of the Manitoba PC party.

Yet its her role as health minister that has particularly defined her time in government over the last several months  and not because she excelled within it. I well remember when Premier Brian Pallister and Stefanson, who had just been appointed to her new health portfolio in January of this year, came to Brandon for the official announcement of the vaccination supersite at the Keystone Centre.

It was quite clear she was new to the role  and that Mr. Pallister was running the show  as the only question she answered during the entire media scrum was from me, and I asked it of her directly. While her apparent reluctance to put her own stamp on the role would be understandable for a rookie with a difficult portfolio to wield, she was already a long-serving MLA with decades of experience. It felt even then that she was either being overshadowed by her own boss  or that she refused to embrace the job.

The singular press conference she held with Manitobas chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, last May was memorable for all the wrong reasons. She seemed unprepared, evasive and unsure of herself. She could not answer reporter questions without falling back to talking points as a crutch. After more than four months as health minister, she should have had a better handle on the situation, particularly at a time when patient numbers in ICUs were rising.

And since then, aside from a medical operation she had that took her out of the health portfolio for a month, her time as the minister has been nearly spectral. She couldnt even find it within herself to meet with federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu, who spent three days in Winnipeg last month and was looking for a meeting with her.

"Sadly, no, we havent been able to arrange a time that works for Minister Stefanson. Weve given the minister a number of opportunities to meet and certainly are completely open to meeting with her at her convenience," Hajdu told the Winnipeg Free Press in July.

Earlier this week, on the day she announced her candidacy, Stefanson was literally backed up by nearly two-thirds of the PC caucus, who all came out to publicly support her bid. No doubt this was a signal for other potential candidates to make way for a coronation, and prevent them from challenging her campaign. That would be particularly true of the current Minister of Families, Rochelle Squires, an urban MLA who has shown herself to be a capable minister in a hard-to-handle portfolio  and whose name has also been bandied about for the Tory leadership.

I would argue that Stefanson needs to be challenged, and so too this desire for an easy win for the leadership of the party.

While she may do well behind the scenes, we need a premier who takes on difficult challenges and rises to meet them. For there is a lot riding on good leadership  not merely for her partys bid to retain control of the legislature, but rather for the health and welfare of this province. And we have not seen her show those leadership skills publicly in any abundance  not as deputy premier, nor in any role she has taken on. Certainly not as health minister.

She is clearly wanting to make some history here  first woman premier of Manitoba with her portrait hung in the Manitoba legislature. Yet from my vantage point, it appears that she has been trying to steer clear of embracing difficult portfolios that might hurt her chances of achieving that goal. To that end, her public performance has been underwhelming.

And somehow I wonder if the next role she takes will be that formerly played by Kim Campbell: scapegoat.

 Matt Goerzen, editor
It appears Manitoba educators are stepping in where provincial officials fear to tread.

As of Thursday, major post-secondary institutions in both Winnipeg and Brandon had announced COVID-19 immunization mandates for new and returning students this fall  part of a co-ordinated effort to make the public-health measure a requirement on campuses across the province.

As of yesterday, the University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Red River College, Canadian Mennonite University, Assiniboine Community College and the University College of the North announced students and staff must have two doses of vaccine to attend classes.

The outlier, in part, is Brandon University, which announced that it will not require vaccines before the start of the fall term in three weeks.

"But vaccination as soon as possible is strongly encouraged," reads a statement from the university administration. "Through the coming year, the university will move towards being a campus that is as fully vaccinated as possible."

Brandon University officials also noted that previously announced plans for in-person learning will remain the same this fall, in that only classes with 25 people or less will be allowed on campus. All other classes will take place online. In-person classes at BU this fall will also require the use of masks, physical distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols.

At present, it appears BU officials are still trying to answer the question of when in the school year will it be appropriate to begin requiring students to be fully vaccinated. Presumably, that question also includes the qualifier "if."

Assiniboine Community College, by contrast, took a much stronger tone, stating in a press release that requiring individuals to be vaccinated in order to attend classes on campus "could be one added layer of protection to complement other safety measures adopted throughout the pandemic."

A mask mandate will remain in effect through the fall term at ACC as well.

Other institutions of higher learning in other provinces have led the way in terms of mask mandates and vaccine requirements. For both ACC and BU, yesterdays announcements represent an about-face when it comes to vaccine requirements. Just this week, both institutions told the Sun that they would not be implementing any kind of vaccine policy.

We applaud them for their decision to err on the side of caution. With a fourth wave of the coronavirus  led by the Delta variant  spreading through other Canadian provinces, its only a matter of time before Manitoba begins to feel the effects. For these post-secondary institutions, student safety should be the most important factor when deciding upon whether to go beyond the current slate of provincial health restrictions.

According to bioethicist Arthur Schafer, who spoke to the Winnipeg Free Press this week, it was only a matter of time.

"There was a very strong pressure from faculty, from staff, from students and, also, I think the fact that many other leading Canadian universities have already announced that they are requiring mandatory vaccination was bound to establish a trend," said Schafer, founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the U of M.

Beyond public and internal pressure, there were other reasons to suspect the direction of such policy. For any institution that teaches the medical sciences, a failure to act upon the proven personal and social health benefits of vaccinations and the protections provided by the use of masks during a public health emergency like the one we have been going through is akin to denying those sciences. We are glad it has not come to that.

Its also a firm repudiation of the Manitoba governments official position on mask mandates  currently the province does not have such a mandate in place for citizenry, but rather "strongly recommends" mask use.

And while Ontario has announced it will compel staff in universities, schools and personal care homes to get vaccinated, provided Ontarians dont have a medical reason not to, Manitobas ruling Progressive Conservatives have been reluctant to follow suit. This includes former health minister and PC leadership candidate Heather Stefanson, who told media she did not intend to compel MLAs to get vaccinated.

While were on the topic, we also applaud the Brandon School Division for its announcement Wednesday to mandate masks in its schools when and where physical distancing isnt possible. With the Delta variant spreading across the U.S., children are filling hospital intensive care beds instead of classrooms in several states, according to ABC News.

With the possibility of vaccinations being made available to children under 12 still months away at best, we are relieved to see local educators are taking the protection of our youth seriously.

Even if the province doesnt see the need.
Im trying not to sound needlessly pessimistic, but perhaps Naomi Watts should have picked up the phone to her fellow Aussie actor Elizabeth Debicki and offered a little friendly, big-sisterly advice about playing Princess Diana: Dont do it!

Looking the part is one thing. Naomi Watts in her ill-fated film Diana.

As the star of box office bomb Diana, Watts knows only too well about the curse of playing the Princess, a role which has brought plenty of attention (and not much of it good) for a long line of actresses over the years.

Since her death, Diana - or at least her public image - has almost been beatified by the masses. As is often the case with deities, the art of portraying Diana has proven beyond the ability of mere mortals, even of the Hollywood variety.

Every aspect of the Princess life has been documented and scrutinised over and over again. The task of an actor convincing an audience that she is Diana rather than a poor facsimile has become a near impossibility.
The $22 billion solar farm backed by billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest to supply Darwin and Singapore with power is about to get even larger.

David Griffin, chief executive of Sun Cable, said the company will next month reveal a significantly bigger solar farm than the 14-gigawatt solar-powered Australian-ASEAN Power Link presently planned for northern Australia to supply clean energy to the Top End and south-east Asia.

The scale of current solar farms will be dwarfed by Sun Cable with multiple gigawatt-sized projects being considered besides the plan to power Darwin and Singapore.

We have expanded the scale of the project, Mr Griffin told The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. Its a reflection of just better serving those markets.

Sun Cables existing proposal is already ambitious, including supplying Darwin via a 750-kilometre transmission link from the solar farm from 2026.
The cases In reality, nobody can say for sure what the next 90 days will look like because nobody knows what will happen with the case numbers. The lockdown has reduced exponential growth to slow growth, but as yet there is no sign the outbreak has peaked. On average, each person who catches COVID-19 is currently spreading it to 1.3 people, ensuring numbers rise. I dont like making predictions but there is probably a fair chance that this outbreak cannot be controlled, says Billoux. On Thursday, the Herald revealed University of Melbourne mathematical biologist James McCaws modelling showed NSW cases could increase to as many as 2200 a day within a month  although there were other scenarios under which cases fell. Mohinder Kaur gets her vaccination at the Sikh temple, Gurdwara Sahib, in Glenwood. Credit:Janie Barrett

The governments lockdown measures announced on Friday represent a final attempt to turn the trajectory around and leave no stone unturned. Peter Collignon, professor of infectious diseases at the Australian National University, said it was very difficult to predict where this outbreak was going but as the weather warms, cases would likely decline as they did in Victoria last year and after European winters. On top of that we will have much higher vaccination rates, which will slow the spread. As Berejiklian has said, the coming weeks and months will also involve NSW citizens  and other Australians  accepting the permanent presence of COVID-19 in the community (ideally at lower levels than today) and shifting focus from case numbers to vaccinations and hospitalisations. Ben Newell, a professor of cognitive psychology at the University of NSW, says this will probably happen faster than we think because the pandemic has proven people do adjust to new realities quickly. The expectation has been set by the politicians, both federal and state: we can eradicate this, we can get down to zero, we have to be down in that sort of territory before we can reopen, Newell says. Being able to let go of that and reset that reference point is important.

Going for gold Part of the effort to reset that reference point has been Berejiklians move to start the daily media conference with the states excellent vaccination statistics. A record 132,439 jabs went into arms in NSW on Wednesday, 120,581 on Thursday and 127,264 on Friday. If NSW maintains its seven-day average, it will hit 70 per cent double doses by October 25 and 80 per cent by November 11. Of course, the pace could increase or decrease. This outbreak and the regulators subsequent move to encourage under-60s to take AstraZeneca jolted people into getting the jab, but that effect could fade. On the other hand, from August 30 everyone aged 16 to 39 can book a Pfizer vaccine, which should bolster momentum. Data journalist Juliette OBrien believes NSW could hit the targets quicker than expected, and have 80 per cent of adults vaccinated as soon as October 16. First doses have picked up speed and second doses will inevitably follow, she says. NSW is on track to get first doses into 80 per cent of the adult population by September 15. After that, we can turn all our energy toward second doses. The only thing holding us up will be the weeks needed in between for each person.

Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said any freedoms for vaccinated people would be basic and minimal. Credit:James Brickwood On Friday Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant urged people to schedule their second AstraZeneca jab as soon as four weeks after their first. This will increase their protection more quickly and speed up NSWs double dosage pace. Berejiklian emphasised on Saturday that if we work harder and faster we can bring those dates forward. NSW will hit a major vaccine milestone any day now  6 million jabs in arms  and the Premier has promised some relief for vaccinated people at that point. What does that mean? She hasnt said, but her language has been cautious. There might be a thing or two extra you can do that you cant do now, she told Fitzy and Wippa. Chant has also played down expectations, speaking of very basic and minimal changes that might be made for vaccinated people. The escalating case numbers have limited the governments options ahead of this weeks meetings. Whatever adjustments are made, they will likely be geared towards mental health and wellbeing, not economic activity  potentially small outdoor gatherings or revisions to the singles bubble.

There is also a view among some decision-makers that measures should not be limited to the vaccinated, as everyones wellbeing is important at this critical juncture. Kirby Institute infectious diseases physician Greg Dore says more options should be on the table sooner rather than later, such as travel around NSW and family visits for the fully vaccinated. I understand the risk-averseness around at the moment, he says. But when we do get to higher vaccine coverage, and hopefully were trending down in the cases, then I hope we are more relaxed about low-risk scenarios. The plan Some in the government have high hopes for the month of October. The Australian revealed on Friday that senior ministers have drawn up a plan to reopen pubs, restaurants and gyms at the 70 per cent double-dose mark, which could occur that month if we pick up the pace. Thats the plan, an upbeat Police Minister David Elliott confirmed on Sevens Sunrise. As a member for a western Sydney electorate, the best way to motivate my constituents to get the vaccine is to tell them theyll be able to go to the pub soon.

But it is not clear exactly what will happen to restrictions when 70 per cent of us are double jabbed. Berejiklian says the federal road map based on the Doherty Institutes modelling promises greater freedom at 70 per cent, and living freely at 80 per cent. But she has also said that how much we can reopen depends on the case numbers, too. Sydneysiders are now limited to their council area or 5 kilometres from home for exercise and outdoor recreation. Credit:James Alcock Berejiklians semi-regular FM radio interviews are often more insightful than the daily press conferences, where the emphasis tends to drift between vaccination, lockdowns, freedoms and enforcement depending on the day. For example, she was succinct when explaining the states COVID-19- strategy on Nova. Clearly, high rates of vaccination are going to get us out of this, she said. But the challenge is when I give that message, I dont want people to think its OK for case numbers to go as high as they can. Quite the opposite  the lower the case numbers, the more freedom well have more quickly. Berejiklian also made it clear that when restaurants reopen it will be for vaccinated people only, at least in the short term, in line with a passport system agreed by national cabinet on Friday.

Im very confident that at 70 per cent double dose and 80 per cent double dose we can start to do things that all of us enjoy and are looking forward to, but it will require being vaccinated, she told Nova on Thursday. I appreciate some people dont want to do that  thats fine  theyll have the choice to stay home and not to participate in that activity. Its your personal choice. You can choose to get vaccinated and enjoy the things that the rest of us will enjoy, or you can choose not to. NSWs ambitions for later this year are not limited to domestic activity. The federal reopening plan agreed by national cabinet stipulates that when 80 per cent of adults are fully vaccinated, there will be no restrictions on outbound travel for vaccinated Australians, and no cap on returning travellers who are vaccinated  though there will still be proportionate quarantine. Berejiklian has previously hinted  again on FM radio  that NSW citizens may enjoy international travel before people in other states. If we get our vaccination rates up as quickly as we can, well then we can live more freely than the other states. We can look forward to having international travel open, she told Kyle and Jackie O three weeks ago.

Pandemic fatigue Government ministers know they must demonstrate there is a path out of the current malaise; the light at the end of the tunnel of which Berejiklian and Chant have both spoken. Its not just about giving people hope and an incentive to get vaccinated  its also a matter of countering pandemic fatigue and wavering compliance. A range of epidemiologists who are in favour of strict controls have acknowledged harsh rules cant last forever. University of NSW professor Mary-Louise McLaws said Fridays changes were helpful but was worried about loss of co-operation in Sydneys hotspots where people felt singled out. High stringency should always occur first so these can be reduced with good co-operation rather than increasing stringency, as it can be applied too late and patchy, she said. People in western Sydney queue for COVID-19 vaccinations. Credit:Louise Kennerley

And Tony Blakely of the University of Melbourne said there was a trade-off between reducing cases and the hurt the restrictions would cause for people in a long lockdown. Theres only so much that societies can tolerate as far as the GDP impacts, the social impacts, he told the ABCs Afternoon Briefing program last week. There is a political dimension to this, too. Polling published in the Australian Financial Review last week showed a big drop in voters approval of how the federal and NSW governments are handling the pandemic. Loading Resolve Strategics pollster Jim Reed, who conducts regular polling for the Herald and The Age, says fatigue, defeatism and protest will start to creep in the longer the restrictions are in place and the more onerous they become, but most people will still do whats asked of them. People cant control whats happening at the moment  except for getting vaccinated. The national plan of opening up after we reach 70-80 per cent vaccination rates seems to have struck a chord with people, says Reed.
Public school teachers are being surveyed on their vaccination status and intentions, with the NSW government planning to return students to school as quickly and as safely as possible, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says.

She also urged families to get used to the idea of resuming normal activities with COVID-19 circulating in the community, saying the disease will be around for a long time.

It is why I am more focussed on vaccination rates rather than daily case numbers when planning for a return to school, Ms Mitchell said.

The return to school has no room for anti-vax sentiment or vaccine hesitancy, said Education Minister Sarah Mitchell. Credit:Janie Barrett

Vaccinations are not compulsory for teachers and the Education Department cannot compel staff to disclose their vaccination status for privacy and discrimination reasons. However, Ms Mitchell said they would be asked to fill in a survey on their vaccination status and intentions.
It is inevitable COVID-19 cases will cross the Queensland border from NSW, Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young told reporters at Redcliffe on Saturday while announcing no new local cases in Queensland.

Now is the time to get vaccinated; dont wait, Dr Young said.

We are not going to be able to hold back the virus from our borders.

It is going to come across  but, if we are vaccinated we will be fine.
Indigenous footballers get trolled anonymously, even as they encourage fans to take a stance against racist abuse. COVID conspiracists continue to peddle their nonsense, hiding behind fake accounts on social media. Digital fraud, identity theft, cyberbullying, political misinformation, child exploitation, violent porn, misogyny, extremist hate, plots and schemes  all enabled by online anonymity. The self-regulating virtual town square has created a toxic nightmare. Why doesnt anyone stop it?

Just a day after disclosures in The Age and its related TV network revealed that local neo-Nazis are again secretly organising, an engagement party in flagrant breach of COVID rules triggered a tsunami of online anti-Semitic abuse. Violent threats were directed at the young couple, their family and then the entire Jewish community. The cloak of digital anonymity protected most of the trolls, giving them cover for their appalling conduct. Similarly, the small cell of Aussie neo-Nazis revealed by the media seemed undeterred by intense surveillance and anti-terror laws, successfully spreading their ideology under cover of false identities on what they thought were the less policed parts of the internet.

If people had to be themselves online, nearly all of this would just go away. We know the conventions and etiquette needed to co-exist in the real world  why should it be any different on a screen? We must introduce verification of identity for social media accounts, and we must start doing it now.

There are many pressures on our social contract, but online anonymity is the straw that threatens to break the camels back. For years advocates of free speech and supporters of the social media revolution have argued that being able to adopt a digital persona, a fresh online identity, must be preserved in order for people to protect their jobs or their privacy, whilst still contributing sometimes unpopular opinions to public debate.

Carlton star Eddie Betts retired from football this week and continued to receive online abuse on the way out. Credit:Getty Images

In Syria or Hong Kong, protecting the capacity to anonymously criticise the government would make sense. Here, we do not shoot protesters as the PM reminded us. There is terrible damage being done to our civic space from big techs failure to do more than pay lip service to reining in the excesses within its own business model. People abusing each other online may be profitable, but it is creating social chaos. The harm caused massively outweighs any good that comes from it.

The tech giants assure us that trolling and fake news, racist abuse, scams and all the other traps in the online world are the inevitable cost - transactional collateral damage  of the digital transformation. It is not. They also argue they will sort it out without government telling them what to do.
Seven police officers were injured during the protests, including two with suspected broken noses, one with a broken thumb, and others with concussion. Police said they arrested 218 people, and three people were in custody for assaulting officers. They said all those arrested would be fined $5452 for breaching the Chief Health Officers directions - totalling more than $1.18 million in fines. Officers also issued an additional 236 fines. The protests, which have occurred throughout the pandemic, are organised by fringe online groups in encrypted chat groups. Those who attend were a mix of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, as well as families and business owners who are critical of lockdowns that result in income cuts and children being kept away from school.

The majority of protesters were maskless on Saturday.



The crowd played music, chanted free Victoria and sack Dan Andrews. In tense scenes, many protesters screamed you work for us and hurled abuse at police who blocked streets, thwarting the crowd a number of times as it snaked through the Hoddle Grid stopping traffic and public transport. In other instances they called on the police to join them, urging them stand with us, do it for your kids. Similar protests were organised in capital cities around the country on Saturday, including in locked-down Sydney where only about 250 people turned up and 47 were arrested. One Melbourne protester, 30-year-old Chantelle Jurcic, said she joined the march because she had had enough of lockdowns.

Police use capsicum spray on protesters on Saturday. Credit:Justin McManus I started a business in February. I then had to get another job because my business turned to sh-t. Im done with lies, Im done with the manipulation, Im done with the fear-mongering. Despite the large turnout, there were no clear leaders of the rally and protesters argued among themselves about tactics and directions. The Victorian government derided the protests as a slap in the face to everyone working hard to beat coronavirus. They thanked the police officers who put themselves in the line of fire, and wished those whod been injured a good recovery.

Our hardworking police officers have far more important work to be getting on with - its outrageous they had to waste so much time and resources dealing with people who dont think the rules apply to them, a government spokeswoman said. One Victorian emergency physician, Stephen Parnis, said any injured protesters who needed treatment in hospital would be adding to an already strained medical system. Dr Parnis, a former vice president of the AMA, used his Twitter account to remind people that the injuries from the protests would be treated by the same overworked, stressed emergency doctors and nurses who were working through yet another COVID-19 outbreak. Well provide care. We always do, Dr Parnis said.

But Im disgusted with the few who assume well always be able to pick up the pieces, while they do everything in their power to make a bad situation worse. #Covid19Vic Health services are a precious, finite resource. Please protect them. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on Saturday morning that 700 officers had been deployed to the rally. Officers were deployed on foot and horseback, including the riot squad. No one should be protesting at this time. Every protester who we can identify and who we can apprehend will receive a $5500 fine. Its just ridiculous to think that people would be so selfish and come and do this, said Chief Commissioner Patton. It comes about a month after thousands of men, women and even some children flooded the CBD for a three-hour, mask-free rally that ended in six arrests and 74 infringement notices.

Authorities had warned people against joining the protest after Victoria recorded 61 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, when a statewide lockdown and more restrictions, including the closure of childcare centres, were announced. Loading Premier Daniel Andrews also took aim at the protesters on Saturday morning. Protesting doesnt work against this virus. In fact, it will contribute to the spread of this virus, and the more cases we have the longer well be locked down, he said. With Roy Ward
Christian leaders have called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to accept more refugees from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and offer permanent protection to the Afghan asylum seekers already in Australia.

Sydneys Anglican Archbishop Kanishka Raffel said Australia should respond as generously to the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan as it did to the Tiananmen Square massacre and Syrian civil war.

Sydney Anglican Archbishop Kanishka de Silva Raffel. Credit:James Brickwood

Opening up your heart and your home and responding to the transparent needs of people - it is Christian, but it is a feature of human compassion, he said.

We went to Afghanistan to secure the freedom of Afghan people, and now we need to bring as many as we can, as generously as we can, so that they can share our freedom.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reassured NSW the state can reopen based on current vaccination targets regardless of its daily COVID-19 case numbers, despite a pushback from other states about living with the virus.

Federal government sources have also told The Sun-Herald the Doherty Institute has provided the government with further advice  which will be presented to national cabinet this week  that says reopening with hundreds of daily cases at 70 per cent vaccination would not dramatically change its epidemiological modelling.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has backed NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklians plan to open up at 70 per cent vaccination. Credit:James Brickwood

As NSW reported, a record 825 new cases on Saturday and near-record 127,000 vaccinations, Premier Gladys Berejiklian insisted all states will have to live with the virus. She said she had detected a seismic shift among her counterparts in recent days about living with the reality of the Delta strain.

Other premiers immediately rejected that characterisation and insisted the national plan required significant suppression of the virus before reopening.
After the takeover by the Taliban, Zainab Azizi faced a horrific set of choices: try to hide or make a desperate dash to the Kabul airport.

On Friday, the former television journalist and NATO worker did the latter.

Grasping a letter from an Australian Lieutenant Colonel, Azizi and her family made it through Taliban checkpoints, gunfire, large and tumultuous crowds, all the way inside Hamid Karzai International Airport. Here she tried to apply for asylum in Australia.

If my family and I dont get out we will be killed, Azizi told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age in a series of panicked WhatsApp messages.It is the last chance.
Just over a quarter of Australians in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are fully vaccinated  behind the national average  with hundreds of thousands of people yet to have a jab despite being in the federal governments highest priority groups.

The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age can reveal new data, shared at a meeting of disability sector stakeholders last week by NDIS Minister Linda Reynolds, details just how far the rollout to some of Australias most vulnerable people is lagging.

Minister for the NDIS Linda Reynolds and Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

People with disabilities are among the most vulnerable to COVID-19 for a range of reasons, including due to cardiac conditions and immune-suppression.

In the United Kingdom, 30,296 of the 50,888 people  or 60 per cent  who died with COVID-19 between January 2020 and November 2020 had some form of disability, according to the Office of National Statistics.
But the political winds have shifted and this is Morrisons toughest moment. Labors attack - he had two jobs: vaccines and quarantine - is biting. Australias vaccination rates are picking up but still lag because of insufficient Pfizer supply and the changing medical advice on AstraZeneca undermining public confidence in the vaccine. The argument the Prime Minister should be leading rather than delegating to the states on issues such as mandatory jabs is cutting through, too. Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen The governments backbiting, blame-shifting and backgrounding of journalists doesnt help.

To paraphrase Lincoln: the occasion is piled high with difficulty and there is not a sense that the Prime Minister has risen to the occasion. This is borne out in a swathe of recent polling. The most recent Resolve Political Monitor shows a dip in the Coalitions primary vote and hints at a trend. Support for the federal governments handling of COVID-19, published last week in The Australian Financial Reviews JWS Research poll, has fallen off a cliff according to pollster John Scales. The percentage of voters who think the federal governments handling of COVID has been good or very good crashed from 56 per cent in February to 38 per cent in August, and approval of the NSW governments COVID management fell from 65 to 49 per cent - bad, but not as bad as the federal figure. Victoria is at 50 per cent, Western Australia is at 78 per cent - figures that have remained static - while South Australia fell to 62 per cent and Queensland to 47 per cent.

In other words, Canberra is judged to have done the worst job of all. Treasurer Josh Frydenbergs warning Thursday night that the Commonwealth was unwilling to provide financial support to states that lock down once the 70 and 80 per cent Doherty modelling vaccination targets are reached was a timely reminder of the Feds relative financial might. It is a fallacy for any person in Australia to think that we can actually eliminate the virus. We cant. No country has done it, Frydenberg says. Hes right. But how and when Australia lives with the virus poses huge, difficult questions. Would the federal government seriously contemplate withdrawing financial support for Queensland or Western Australia if they locked down - particularly with a federal election (due no later than May 2022) just a few months away - and the government desperate to hold seats?

Remember, too, the Doherty target is 70 per cent of over 16s - about 56 per cent of the whole population. In Victoria there are 56 cases of COVID-19 in children under the age of nine. A three-year-old child in Canberra has the disease. Close to 150 childcare centres across the country have been shut because of the immediate risk to kids. It would be a brave Prime Minister to insist on a significant re-opening of Australias borders when kids remain at risk. Prime Minister Scott Morrison during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Further slippage on the national plan for Australias re-opening appears likely and Morrison knows this.

His increasingly upbeat and optimistic, hot-gospeller preambles at press conferences about how well the vaccine roll out is going - which undoubtedly grate with some - are an attempt to take charge of the narrative. Loading The Prime Minister wants Australians to (eventually) focus on hospitalisations, rather than case numbers, as happens with influenza. But even as vaccination rates slowly ramp up, cases are still rising, deaths are increasing and state borders will remain mostly closed for some time. To beat Labor at ballot box at the next election, Scott Morrison must beat Delta in the towns and suburbs of Australia.
Washington: Kurt Campbell, the White Houses top Asia adviser, declared last month that a historic change in US foreign policy was afoot, one that would shift Americas focus away from the Middle East to Asia, where Chinas growing might has cast shadows over Washingtons allies.

It will be painful, in all likelihood. Well see some real challenges in places like Afghanistan, Campbell told an Asia Society webinar, a blunt assessment of what since has come to pass as the Talibans swift takeover of the country has sparked a humanitarian crisis.

Officials argued that withdrawing from Afghanistan would free up time and attention of senior US political and military leaders, as well as some military assets, to focus on the Indo-Pacific.

But experts and former officials say US President Joe Bidens poorly executed troop withdrawal from Afghanistan appears  in the near term and possibly for much longer  to be undermining the very goal of freeing the United States to concentrate on China, something successive presidents have sought, only to be pulled back to the Middle East.
Organised larger-scale terror strikes have been replaced by more low-tech lone-wolf attacks. The most recent were a suicide bombing of a church in South Sulawesi in March by a newly married young couple with ties to pro-Islamic State cells, and a shooting spree on police headquarters in Jakarta by a 25-year-old woman three days later. The pandemic has been another challenge for those dreaming of a south-east Asian caliphate, but they have found a platform to remain active. Noor Huda Ismail, who attended a notorious boarding school founded by Bashir and now runs deradicalisation programs, has been monitoring the reaction of south-east Asia extremists to the fall of Kabul on social media and private messaging channels. Deradicalisation expert Noor Huda Ismail is watching extremists reactions to the Taliban takeover. Credit:Rodrigo Ordonez He said Islamic State supporters were not celebrating the Talibans triumph, arguing it had succumbed to the international system by holding peace talks with the US this year.

However, the pro-al-Qaeda groups like JI, they are super happy with this, said Noor Huda, who has a PhD from Monash University and is a visiting fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Loading On Facebook postings and WhatsApp, they keep saying its great, this is an inspiration for us. Its not just the jihadists in the region toasting the Taliban. The reformed militants who Noor works with are also delighted, he said, simply because they dont like America running another country. But he says a younger cohort could be drawn into extremism by a technologically savvy Taliban 2.0 which is portraying itself as a more sophisticated outfit than before, right down to fighters wearing trendy sneakers and designer sunglasses.

With the rise of social media, were seeing more and more people joining jihadi groups simply because of social media or WhatsApp groups, Noor Huda said. Loading Imagine youre young, youre searching for a role model, youre part of this cool [organisation] trying to protect the sacred value of Islam or trying to defend the weak. Its a question of narrative, especially if you do not have a memory or experience of that era [when the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001]. Sana Jaffrey, director of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta, believes the Talibans persistence and ultimate resurgence will resonate in south-east Asia but notes that does not mean that it will automatically translate into some sort of action. Two decades after its previous period of Islamist rule, the Talibans success in governing could be a key factor in any lasting influence on the region.

I think if the Taliban set up a functional government, what we [would] have is an Islamic state model that is an alternative to ISIS, which failed [in Iraq and Syria], Jaffrey said. What laws will they promulgate? How do they actually govern? How do they work through these issues about what women can and cannot do? These are the kind of things that will potentially provide a model for the kind of Islamic state that people imagine travelling towards. Loading Indonesia itself, with a Muslim population of 225 million, may also have a role in the Talibans efforts to be recognised as a legitimate government internationally. Jusuf Kalla, who has twice been Indonesias vice-president including during the first term of President Joko Widodo, was an active player in peace negotiations between the Taliban and the US-backed Afghan government in the past year, offering at one stage to host a round of talks in Jakarta. Eager for foreign aid and investment in war-torn Afghanistan, the Taliban has made noises about being more moderate than their previous brutal regime that was a haven for terrorists in the late 1990s and early 2000s and is very interested in getting recognition from Indonesia, says Jaffrey.

The case for mainstream acceptance is made by Nasir Abbas, a former JI member who trained on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan between 1987 and 1993. If the Taliban has changed, why cant we change the way we look at them? he said in a webinar run by Nahdlatul Ulama, the biggest mass Islamic organisation in Indonesia. Saying the Taliban had shown, through the eyes of terrorist groups, that fighting against the government in the name of religion can bear fruit he forecast that threats will occur in Indonesia if people badmouth the Taliban. For instance, if people say the Taliban is brutal, it loves killing people and those who speak describing the Taliban use bad language then anger will grow within [radical groups], he said. A reformed jihadist himself, he hopes that does not happen.
Washington: Five Taliban websites that were key to how the militant group delivered its official messages to those inside and outside Afghanistan have done offline abruptly, a sign that moves to limit the Talibans online reach were gaining traction.

It was not immediately clear who or what took the Taliban sites offline on Saturday AEST, though all five previously had protection from Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based company that helps websites deliver content and defend against cyber attacks. The company did not respond to a request for comment on whether it was still protecting the sites, which had versions in Pashto, Dari, Arabic, Urdu and English. All were offline Friday afternoon.

In front of a Taliban flag, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid speaks at at his first news conference, in Kabul, on Tuesday. The groups websites were offline on Saturday. Credit:AP

SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors online extremism, said numerous WhatsApp groups used by the Taliban also had been shut down by Friday. WhatsApp, an encrypted chat service used widely in much of the world, is owned by Facebook, which has banned official Taliban accounts from its services.

WhatsApp spokeswoman Alison Bonny declined to comment on whether the company had taken new action against the Taliban, but she reiterated previous Facebook company statements on the subject generally: Were obligated to adhere to US sanctions laws. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban. Were seeking more information from relevant US authorities given the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
Beirut: The son of a legendary Afghan warlord, who dreams of peace and of one day becoming a physics teacher, has vowed to lead a bloody war against the Talibans unjust rule.

Ahmad Massoud is holed up in the last Afghan province not controlled by the Taliban, with four helicopters, a few hundred soldiers and a handful of figures from an exiled government on a mission to resist the Islamist group  and perhaps live up to his warrior father, the Lion of Panjshir.

Ahmad Massoud (centre), the son of late Afghan commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, speaks to supporters in May at the naming of an alley along the Champs-Elysees in Paris named after his father. Credit:AP

The British-educated 32-year-old gave his first interview since the Taliban overran Afghanistan, speaking from the Panjshir Valley  a narrow corridor of land 160 kilometres north of Kabul leading into the Hindu Kush mountain range.

We are telling them that as soon as war breaks out in the Panjshir Valley, then there is no going back, he said, adding that he had warned the Taliban of his plan to resist an unjust rule. It is going to be a very bloody and hard war because the people of Panjshir are going to fight to the very last breath.
One of Indias most valuable stocks on the bourses is facing the heat from its own Stock exchange filings show that 27 per cent of institutional rejected the proposal to re-appoint as managing director of Eicher. The company, which manufactures the Enfield brand of motorcycles and is known for its iconic Bullet range of bikes, had hiked Lals compensation to Rs 21.2 crore per annum. Thats a jump of 130 per cent of what the scion of the family that owns Eicher earned in 2016-17. The proposal, now nixed by shareholders, was to increase Lal's compensation to Rs 23.23 crore for the current financial year. Here is a look at what the core of Eichers board looks like.

1) Siddhartha Lal: The man in the eye of the storm, Lal is son of Vikram Lal, the founder of Eicher. Lals salary, at Rs 21.2 crore, is one of the highest among all MDs and CEOs in the automobile industry and just behind Rajiv Bajaj. Both Bajaj and Lal are promoters of their respective Lals compensation is 300 times more than the median remuneration of employees at his company. In 2020-21, his salary rose 10 per cent as compared to the last year. Meanwhile the median remuneration of employees at Eicher rose by one per cent in 2020-21. Lals compensation has three components  Rs 7.38 crore as salary, Rs 6.70 crore as commission and Rs 7.04 crore as perquisites. He was appointed as the MD in June 2015 for a five-year tenure. If he fails to get re-appointed, he will have to serve a three-month notice period or forgo Rs 5.3 crore from his compensation to make an early exit. Lal spends considerable time in the UK where the research and development facilities of Enfield are located.

2) Vinod Dasari: Though he resigned a week before the current fracas at Enfield, Dasari was the highest paid employee at Eicher; earning much more than Lal. In fact Dasaris salary was 400 times the median salary of an average employee. Dasari received Rs 25.37 crore as compensation in his role as whole time director and CEO of Royal Enfield. Unlike Lal, Dasari wasnt entitled to any commission and barely Rs 3 lakh as perquisites. Much of his compensation was credited directly to his bank account as salary. He quit Royal Enfield and Eicher much before his term ended. In 2019, the companys had approved his appointment as whole time director till March 30, 2024. While Lal was given an increment of over 10 per cent in 2020-21, Dasari got a hike of 2 per cent.





Srinivasan Sandilya, Chairman, Eicher Group

: One of the oldest hands at Eicher and one of the few men from Vikram Lal's days still on Eichers board, Sandilya has seen Eichers transition into a name to reckon with today. Formerly with Union Carbide and DCM, Sandilya joined Eicher 46 years ago. Appointed as the group chairman and CEO in 2000, Sandiya retired at Eicher a few years ago but was retained as an independent director in the company. Sandilya got almost Rs 70 lakh as sitting fees and commission from Eicher to attend its various board meetings during the year. He is one of the members of the remuneration committee that fixed Lal's revised enhanced compensation.

Manvi Sinha, Independent director, Eicher Motors

: Another independent director at Eicher, Sinha was a television journalist at NDTV before being chosen to be on the board of Eicher. She was appointed on the board in 2015 for a period of five years. Her stint was extended in 2019. She was hired by Eicher as an independent director when she was a consulting editor for the television division of the Times of India group. Sinha, like Lal, also went to school in Dehradun. While Lal was from Doon school, Sinha was from Welham Girls. Sinha received Rs 5.3 lakh to attend meetings of Eichers board and another Rs 12 lakh as commission for doing the same in 2020-21. Sinhas compensation increased 7 per cent in 2020-21 as compared to last year.

Inder Mohan Singh, Independent director, Eicher Motors

: The legal hawk of Eicher, Singh is another independent director on the board of Eicher. Singh worked at Eicher before joining Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co as a partner. Like Sinha, he is part of Eichers CSR and audit committee. He took home a compensation similar to Sinha for attending board meetings. However his compensation was hiked to twice more than Sinha's in 2020-21. He, Sinha and Sandilya were part of the remuneration committee that decided to hike Lals compensation. According to the companys policy, this committee took the decision after getting inputs from other directors on Lals thought contribution, business insights and applied knowledge.

Vinod Aggarwal, non-executive director, Eicher Motors

: He steers Eichers partnership with Volvo in the commercial vehicle space and serves as a non-independent director on Eichers board. Aggarwal holds 37,000 shares in Eicher, just a fraction of the companys shareholding. However, being a non-independent director, he does not receive either a salary or any commission for attending the boards meetings. Again one of the oldest hands at Eicher, Aggarwal, a graduate from Panjab University, joined Eicher in 1983 in the lower management before rising up the ranks to his present position in Eicher-Volvos joint venture.

The other member of the seven person-strong board is Executive Director B Govindarajan who joined Eicher as a junior manager in 1995.


Telecom operators have got fresh feelers from the government that they must review their low tariffs. But telcos are hesitant to take a unified call on raising tariffs as such measures had failed to work in the past, according to industry sources.

This comes in the backdrop of an industry call urging the regulator Trai to set a floor price for telecom operators. The telecom regulator however is unlikely to set a minimum tariff as it may be considered an anti-competitive move, officials pointed out. An increase in tariff, agreed by the industry earlier, also did not ...
Three (JeM) terrorists, including one who was behind the killing of BJP worker Rakesh Pandita in June, were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's district on Saturday, officials said.

Security forces personnel had launched a cordon and search operation in the upper reaches of the forest area of Nagbaeran Tral in the south Kashmir district following inputs about the presence of ultras there, they said.

The officials said the search operation turned into an encounter when the terrorists fired upon the security personnel, who retaliated.

"In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists affiliated with JeM outfit were killed," they said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said one of the slain ultras has been identified as Wakeel Shah.

"Shah is one of the terrorists included in the recently released list of top 10 terrorists wanted by the police. He was involved in the killing of BJP leader Rakesh Pandita. It is a huge success," the IGP told reporters at a press conference at the Army's Victor Force headquarters at Awantipora.

Police identified the other two militants as Abdul Hamid Chopan and Illyas Najar.

Chopan's son Adil was also a militant and involved in the killing of civilians. He too was killed in an encounter in 2017, they said.

While Najar, a resident of Khellan, was active since June 2019 and involved in several terror crime cases and civilian atrocities, they added.

Kumar said there was no collateral damage in the operation.

"It was a very difficult operation and concluded without any collateral damage. We cordoned off the target area, offered them surrender, but they fired and were killed in retaliation," he said.

The IGP said the terrorists used to exploit the families of the Gujjar community where they were hiding. In a stern message to the ultras, he said there was no hiding place for them.

"I want to tell the terrorists and their families that do not think that you will hide in the mountains after killing civilians and no one will do anything. Our force is professional and we will track you and neutralise you like we have been doing," Kumar said.

GoC, Victor Force, Major Gen Rashim Bali also addressed the media and said the militants were operating in the area for a long time.

"A solid message from us has gone out through this operation that there is no place for them, not even in the forests. We will get information about them and we will neutralise them. We will continue eliminating them by launching suitable operations whenever there is any information," he said.

The GoC said two AK 47 rifles, an SLR, a UBGL and a huge amount of ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.

Police also said an SLR rifle recovered from the encounter site was the one looted from a minority guard at Zainpora in Shopian in December 2018.

Asked if there were any inputs on the presence of more RPGs in the valley after it was recovered from the site of an encounter in Kulgam on August 13 where Pakistani militant Usman was killed, Kumar said the security forces have no information about the presence of such a weapon in the hinterland.

"We have activated our intelligence and will neutralise any such threat if there is. The forces are ready and the counter-insurgency grid has been made stronger, and if there is any such threat we will neutralise that timely," he said.

Replying to another question, Kumar said only one foreign terrorist has been killed so far this year and he had "infiltrated recently".

"The foreign terrorist killed in Bandipora was a recent infiltration, all the others were either six months ago or one-and-a-half years ago," 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.)
India's highest altitude herbal park situated at a height of 11,000 feet was inaugurated on Saturday at Mana village close to the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, officials said.

Mana is the last Indian village in Chamoli bordering China and is adjacent to the famous Himalayan temple of Badrinath.

The research wing of Uttarakhand's forest department has developed the park over three acres of land given by Mana Van panchayat, under the central government's CAMPA, or Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, scheme.

The herbal park has around 40 species found in high altitude alpine areas in the Himalayan region, Chief Conservator of Forest (research) Sanjiv Chaturvedi said.

Many of these species are endangered and threatened as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list as well as the State Biodiversity Board. It includes many important medicinal herbs also, he said.

The park is divided into four sections.

The first section contains species associated with Badrinath (lord Vishnu), which includes Badri Tulsi, Badri Ber, Badri Tree, and sacred tree of Bhojpatra. Badri Tulsi, which is scientifically named as Origanum Vulgare, is found in this area and forms important part of offering to lord Badrinath. Various researches have established its multiple medicinal benefits.

Badri Ber, which is scientifically known as Hippophae Salicifolia, and locally called as Amaesh, is another nutrition-rich fruit and used widely, Chaturvedi said.

The second section is dedicated to Ashtavarga species which is a group of eight herbs found in the Himalayan region namely Riddhi (Habenaria Intermedia), Vriddhi (Habenaria Edgeworthii), Jeevak (Malaxis Acuminata), Rishbhak (Malaxis Muscifera), Kakoli (Fritillaria Roylei), Ksheer Kakoli (Lilium Polyphyllum), Maida (Ploygonatum Cirrhifolium), and Maha Maida (Polygonatum Verticillatum), which are the most important ingredients of Chyawanprash, he said.

Out of these, four herbs belong to the lily family and four belong to the orchid family, he added.

The third section consists of Saussurea species and includes Brahmakamal (Saussurea Obvallata) which also happens to be the state flower of Other Saussurea species at the park are Phemkamal (Saussurea Simpsoniana), Nilkamal (Saussurea Graminifolia) and Koot (Saussurea Costus), the official said.

The fourth section consists of assorted alpine species including Ateesh, Meethavish, Vankakdi, and Choru, all of which are important medicinal herbs and are in great demand, he said.

Besides, trees of Thuner (Taxus Wallichiana), whose bark is used in making cancer drugs, Tansen and Maple trees have also been grown in the park, Chaturvedi 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 Tokyo Paralympic Games organising committee on Saturday confirmed the first two cases of Covid-19 inside the Athletes' Village.

With two days to go for the opening ceremony, the latest figures released by the organising committee reveal a total of 15 new cases in the last 24 hours. No athlete has reported positive so far as the two cases from the Village are among the staff, though a large number of participants have reached Tokyo and some are still in quarantine.Of the 15 cases confirmed on Saturday, five are from among 'Games Related Persons', which includes representatives of the International Paralympic Committee, the International Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committees and international federations.The remaining 10 cases have been reported from among the Paralympic Games contractors and their workers. Those tested positive have been isolated.

Till now, 101 confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in relation to the Paralympic Games since August 12. The Paralympic Games will start on August 24 and will continue till September 5.

The Tokyo 2020 organising committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan have put in place elobrare protocols to test, isolate and trace contact to avoid a Covid-19 outbreak among the 10,000 people expected to reach Tokyo for the Paralympic Games, including 4,400 athletes. To restrict numbers, screening starts at the airport itself.

The Tokyo Olympic Games that ended on August 8 had reported 167 cases in all from more than 63,000 tests conducted since July 1.

Japan has been struggling to secure hospital beds in the wake of a resurgence of infections, with a record 25,876 new cases confirmed across the country on Friday including 5,405 cases in Tokyo.

The country also faces challenges such as taking care of COVID patients recuperating at home and speeding up the vaccination program, according to a report by news agency Kyodo.

This has resulted in Japan's governors urging the central government on Friday to consider imposing a lockdown to better contain a spike in Covid-19 cases. The National Governors' Association has called the current measures "ineffective" in fighting the highly contagious Delta variant rapidly spreading across the country.

-- IANS

bsk/akm

(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.)
While addressing the scientists and engineers of Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) Bengaluru, Vice President, M. said that indigenous products will play a key role in leapfrogging India as an aerospace and defence powerhouse in the coming years on Friday.

M. Naidu emphasized the need to develop cutting-edge technologies indigenously to make India self-reliant in and emerge as an export hub of modern military hardware.

While noting India's capability to manufacture state-of-the-art missiles, satellites and space vehicles, he said, "the paradox remains that we are still among the largest arms importers in the world". He called for changing this situation by quickening the pace of indigenous development of critical technologies.

Drawing attention to multiple security challenges faced by the country due to a highly complex geopolitical environment, the Vice President lauded the security forces for their exemplary courage and professionalism. "It is our duty to ensure that our armed forces are fully equipped to handle any challenge and repel any security threat firmly", he said.

The Vice President said that India wants friendly relations with all its neighbours but some countries are funding and supporting terrorism against India and some harbour expansionist tendencies. "Therefore, security and safety of our borders are very important for the peace and prosperity of the nation", he added. Stressing that India has never been expansionist in its outlook, Naidu said that our approach is of peaceful coexistence and to deter the forces of terror and disruption. "India wants to become strong for the progress and development of its people," he said.

Referring to several policy initiatives by the Government to promote indigenization and self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Naidu underlined the need to involve private partners in defence projects for fruitful results. "We will have to depend on strategic partnerships, technology sharing and teamwork to ensure that we build competitive products which are comparable with the best from across the globe", he said.

He said that measures such as an increase in the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit for the defence sector, the decision to set up two defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and notification of two positive indigenization lists by the Ministry of Defence offer a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry.

Praising the involvement of a large number of Indian companies with the HAL in the recently concluded deal for 83 Tejas fighter jets by the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Vice President said that such projects have the potential to transform the Indian aerospace manufacturing ecosystem into a vibrant Atmanirbhar-self-sustaining one.

Noting that the innovation process in the Aerospace industry involves high levels of risk and costly investments, he opined that this process can be accelerated through active collaboration between the industry and researchers. Emphasizing the need to attract the brightest minds in R & D in the aerospace and defence sectors, Shri Naidu called for creating a synergy between academia and industry for developing an 'Aerospace Hub'. "This would promote innovation and address the issue of skills shortage in this key sector,'' he said.

Earlier in the day, the Vice President visited HAL's LCA Tejas manufacturing facility and expressed his appreciation to scientists and engineers of ADA and HAL for building this state-of-the-art modern fighter aircraft. He expressed confidence that the 4+ generation aircraft would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force.

The Vice President was equally impressed by the HAL's helicopter facility which showcased indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv, Light Combat Helicopter and a Light Utility Helicopter that will replace Cheetah/Chetak helicopters.

The Vice President lauded the stellar contribution of HAL and DRDO laboratories to security and expressed confidence that with designing of more potent aircraft like the LCA Mk2, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), the country would no longer have to be dependent on foreign nations to meet its fighter aircraft needs.

Stating that HAL's growth has been synonymous with the growth of the Aeronautical industry in India, he reiterated that self-reliance in defence and aerospace technology was important to create a 'Samarth Aur Saksham Bharat' (Able and capable India). He said that he felt proud and reassured of the capabilities of Indian researchers after visiting this visit HAL facilities.

Drawing attention to impending 'digitization of manufacturing', he said that it would bring profound changes in the aerospace sector and exhorted HAL to brace up and adapt to Industry 4.0. He also underlined the importance of ensuring customer satisfaction for HAL to emerge as a global player in the aviation space.

Recognizing the need to unleash the power of innovation to find solutions to our various challenges faced by mankind, Shri Naidu stressed that our economic development agenda needs to be socially and economically more inclusive, regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable.

Governor of Karnataka, ThaawarchandGehlot, HAL Chairman, R.Madhavan and senior officials and scientists from HAL and ADA were present on the occasion.

(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 Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said people should not let their guard down as the threat of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic still looms.



Talking to the media after inaugurating a pediatric COVID-19 care centre in suburban Santacruz, he said the pandemic is not over yet, and "people should behave responsibly".



"Don't forget that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased to keep the economic cycle moving. People should not fall prey to any kind of provocation which may endanger their lives and those of others," the chief minister said.



The daily rise in infections and the deaths due to COVID-19 need to be brought down, he said.



Experts had voiced concern that a third wave might affect children the most, therefore his government set up a pediatric COVID-19 task force and also a genome sequencing lab to get proper information about the virus, Thackeray said.

Maharashtra had on Friday reported 4,365 new cases and 105 deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Asserting that the mandatory hallmarking of jewellery in 50 days of its first phase of implementation has been a "grand success", the government on Saturday urged jewellery body GJC to reconsider its decision to go on strike on August 23.

The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) has called a nationwide 'token strike' on August 23, against the government's arbitrary implementation of mandatory hallmarking of jewellery with HUID (hallmark unique identification number).

Mandatory hallmarking has come into force from June 16 in a phased manner. The government has identified 256 districts from 28 states and union territories for phase-1 implementation.

Gold hallmarking, a purity certification of the precious metal, was voluntary in nature prior to June 16.

"I heard that some associations have given a call for strike. Strike for what? ... The government is listening to every issue raised by stakeholders. The idea of strike is uncalled for," the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Director General Pramod Kumar Tiwari said in a virtual press conference.

In a recent meeting held on August 19 with industry stakeholders, Tiwari said many jewellers' associations had opposed the strike and said they support the new HUID system as it has become a brand name for small and medium jewellers in the country.

"If some people (jewellers) have problems, there is no basis for that. Those who are thinking about strike, I want to appeal to them that they will not get a more sensitive and responsive government than the current one," he said.

Tiwari asked the jewellery body GJC to reconsider its decision and take back the call for strike.

"We will regularly have dialogue with you. HUID is in the interest of the country and consumers. This is a big initiative," he said, adding that the government is always ready to address the concerns of jewellers.

(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 Union govt signalled to the telecom operators to review their low tariffs. However, the industry is hesitant to take a unified call on raising tariffs. India's drug controller gave emergency-use authorisation to Zydus Cadila's Covid vaccine which is India's first for children above 12 years. Read more on these and other top headlines for the day. Zydus Cadila's Covid vaccine for children above 12 years gets EUA in India

The worlds first DNA-plasmid vaccine, the three-dose one for Covid-19 developed by Cadila Healthcare (Zydus Cadila), has received emergency-use authorisation from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for use in adolescents 12 years old and above.



This makes indigenously developed ZyCoV-D Indias first Covid-19 vaccine for this age group, and the vaccine has many firsts. It is based on DNA-plasmid technology; then, it can be administered using a needle-free injection system; and finally, it remains stable in room temperatures for three months. Read more

Govt decision on raising tariffs fail to unite telecom companies

Telecom operators have got fresh feelers from the government that they must review their low tariffs. But telcos are hesitant to take a unified call on raising tariffs as such measures had failed to work in the past, according to industry sources.

This comes in the backdrop of an industry call urging the regulator Trai to set a floor price for telecom operators. The telecom regulator however is unlikely to set a minimum tariff as it may be considered an anti-competitive move, officials pointed out. Read more





Focus on its economy may've led US to put India deal on the back burner

India will look at working with the US on market access issues to promote bilateral trade, with the US indicating that it is not looking at new trade agreements. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that addressing market access issues on both sides will be a big opportunity for our export sector.

Government officials said circumstances are now different, with a change in the administration in the US and President Joe Biden taking over in January. Read more

Brokerages bet on digital talent, ramp up hiring amid market surge

Traditional brokerages have ramped up hiring in the past six to eight months - predominantly on the digital, technology (tech), and sales side - in the midst of strong market rebound, retail investor influx, and sharp jump in client acquisitions.

As customers get comfortable with digital engagement and do-it-yourself platforms - with limited or zero human intervention - brokerages are veering towards a more digital-oriented workforce. Read more





Railway round 1 goes off track amid operational hurdles

The first round of bids have been nixed by a mix of operational hurdles, a slump in passenger traffic due to Covid-19, and fear of competing with the Indian itself. To add to these, fixed costs, that would keep building up seem to have blighted the private rail tenders. Read more
India will look at working with the US on market access issues to promote bilateral trade, with the US indicating that it is not looking at new trade agreements.

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that addressing market access issues on both sides will be a big opportunity for our export sector. Government officials said circumstances are now different, with a change in the administration in the US and President Joe Biden taking over in January. The USs priority right now is focusing on economic revival (post Covid) as well as sorting out existing multilateral ...
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Digital Editor
With schools in reopening from August 23, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said the government has taken "extreme care" to ensure classroom learning for students, while protecting them from the COVID pandemic.

"Preparations have been made for reopening schools. Necessary directions have been given to government and private schools regarding how to bring students, taking consent from parents or guardians, seating arrangements, alternate days shift wise classes, sanitisation, among other things," Bommai said.



Speaking to reporters here, he said he will be personally visiting schools in Bengaluru and surrounding areas along with Primary and Secondary Minister B C Nagesh on Monday, when they reopen. "We have taken extreme care to ensure classroom learning for students while protecting them from COVID-19. We are taking necessary steps in this direction," he added.



The government earlier this month had decided to reopen schools for students from class 9 to 12 (II PUC) across the state from August 23 in alternate batches. However, choosing to remain cautious, it subsequently decided not to reopen schools in districts where the COVID-19 positivity rate is over 2 per cent.



The decision on resuming primary schools has been deferred till the last week of August to factor in the possible third wave of COVID and the way the infection is likely to spread. The Chief Minister appealed to parents to get vaccinated, to pay attention to the health of their children and instill confidence in them.



Asked whether children can attend classes without any fear, he said, "Absolutely, our intention behind reopening schools is that children should slowly start coming to schools, for about one-and-half year they have not been to schools, we want them to gradually start attending," he added.

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The ongoing evacuation of US citizens and Afghan nationals who supported Americans over the last 20 years is one of the largest and most difficult airlifts in history, US President said here Friday.

He said the US has already evacuated more than 18,000 people since July and approximately 13,000 since its military airlift began on August 14.

This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history, and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the of America," Biden told reporters at a White House news conference.

He said thousands more have been evacuated on private charter flights facilitated by the US government including American citizens and permanent residents as well as their families.

It also includes Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants and their families, the Afghans who have worked alongside the US, served alongside Americans, "one into combat with us, and provided invaluable assistance to the US such as translators and interpreters", he said.

The United States, he said, has secured the Kabul airport, enabling flights to resume, not just military flights, but civilian charters and from other countries and the NGOs taking out civilians and vulnerable Afghans. "We have almost 6,000 troops on the ground, including the 82nd Airborne, providing runway security, the Army 10th Mountain Division standing guard around the airport, and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit assisting civilian departure," he said.

Biden asserted that the stands by its commitment that it has made to vulnerable Afghans such as women leaders and journalists.

Working in close coordination with the management of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the US has successfully evacuated all 204 of their employees in on US military aircraft earlier this week.

"We've established the flow of flights, and we've increased the number of people we're moving out of the country. We paused flights in Kabul a few hours this morning to make sure we can process the arriving evacuees at the transit points. But our commander in Kabul has already given the order for outbound flights to resume," he said.

Even with the pause, the US moved out 5,700 evacuees Thursday, he said, adding his administration is working to ascertain the exact number of Americans in

A day earlier, among the many Americans evacuated, there were 169 Americans who got over the wall into the airport using military assets, he said.

"We're also facilitating flights for our allies and our partners and working in close operational coordination with NATO on this evacuation. For example, we provided overwatch for the French convoy bringing hundreds of their people from the French Embassy to the airport. These operations are going to continue over the coming days before we complete our drawdown," he said.

"We're going to do everything, everything that we can to provide safe evacuation for our Afghan allies, partners, and Afghans who might be targeted if -- because of their association of the But let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home, he said.

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A Romanian military airplane has evacuated 14 Romanian nationals and four Bulgarians from the Afghan capital of Kabul, the Romanian Foreign Ministry reported.

"This flight succeeded to evacuate the 14 Romanian citizens transferred to the airport in the morning and four Bulgarian citizens," the press release read.

A mobile consular team was also aboard ready to assist anyone in case they needed help.

This was the third flight sent to by the country.

One person, a UN employee, who also wanted to be evacuated from was unable to reach the airport in time due to the security situation. The inter-departmental task force continues to look for ways for their evacuation.

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German Chancellor and Russian President reaffirmed their sharply different views of Russia's treatment of imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, democratic values and other major topics of dispute Friday but vowed to maintain a dialogue.

Merkel travelled to Moscow as she is nearing the end of her almost 16-year-long leadership of Germany. Despite deep disagreements, she has tried throughout her tenure to preserve close contacts with Putin, who has been in power for more than two decades.

Their meeting Friday came on the anniversary of Navalny falling gravely ill on a domestic flight over Siberia from what European officials would later say was poisoning with a Soviet-developed nerve agent. After the opposition leader was stricken, he was flown to Germany for medical treatment at his wife's insistence and spent five months there recuperating.

Navalny, who is Putin's most outspoken critic blamed the Aug. 20, 2020 attack on the Kremlin an accusation that Russian authorities reject. Upon his return to in January, he was immediately arrested and handed a 2-year prison term for violating the terms of a suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction that he dismissed as politically motivated.

Speaking after Friday's talks with Putin, Merkel reiterated a call for Navalny's release, pointing out that the European Court of Human Rights had criticized his 2014 conviction as clearly disproportionate is unacceptable.

Putin rejected the criticism, arguing that Navalny's sentencing wasn't connected to his opposition activities.

He was convicted of a criminal offense, not his political activities, the Russian leader said, customarily avoiding mentioning Navalny by name. No one should use political activities as a cover for conducting business projects in violation of the law.

Putin also rejected the accusations of a crackdown on Navalny's allies in the run-up to Russia's Sept. 19 parliamentary election. As he has before, he attempted to turn the tables on the West by pointing to the prosecution of people who participated in storming the U.S. Capitol in January.

Putin also scathingly criticized the West over Afghanistan, saying that the Taliban's rapid sweep over the country has shown the futility of Western attempts to enforce its own vision of democracy.

It's necessary to stop the irresponsible police of enforcing its own values on others and attempts to build democracy in other countries based on outside models without taking into account historic, ethnic and religious issues and fully ignoring other people's traditions, he said.

Merkel, meanwhile, urged to use its contacts with the Taliban to press for Afghan citizens who helped Germany to be allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Another item on the agenda was the situation in eastern Ukraine, where Germany and France have sought to help broker a peaceful settlement to end the fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists that has killed more than 14,000 people since 2014.

Merkel, who plans to visit Kyiv on Sunday, made clear that she hasn't given up hope of progress in the coming weeks on long-stalled peace efforts in eastern Ukraine.

I will work until my last day in office so that the territorial integrity of Ukraine can be ensured, she said.

Putin pointed at the increasing number of cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine and asked Merkel Britain's police watchdog to reaffirm to Ukrainian authorities during her upcoming trip the importance of honoring their obligations under a 2015 peace deal brokered by Germany and France in Minsk, Belarus.

We have not yet achieved the aims we wanted to achieve in the Minsk agreement, but it is the format for talks that we have,.. and we should deal carefully with this format so long as we don't have anything else, Merkel said.

Every little bit of progress could be important, but the work we have to do is very, very hard, and there have been disappointments of the most varied kind.

The German leader and Putin also discussed the nearly finished Nord Stream 2 pipeline that will carry natural gas from to Germany. The project has angered the United States and some European countries, but the U.S. and Germany announced a deal last month to allow its completion.

Putin, who said that just 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) need to be finished, emphasized that the new pipeline offers a much cheaper and safer transit route for Russian gas supplies to Germany and other EU nations.

Merkel emphasized her desire to see Russia extend its transit contract to pump its gas via Ukraine after the current deal expires in 2024. Putin said Russia stood ready to negotiate an extension of the deal but noted that specific details, such as transit volumes, would depend on market demand for the Russian gas in Europe.

Other topics the two longtime leaders discussed included stabilizing Libya, the situation in Syria, efforts to help revive the Iranian nuclear deal and developments in Belarus, where authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko has relentlessly cracked down on dissent. Three of Belarus' EU neighbors - Lithuania, Poland and Latvia - have accused Belarusian authorities of encouraging a flow of migrants to destabilize the EU.

Merkel, 67, who grew up in communist East Germany and is fluent in Russian, has always stressed that relations with Russia can only improve through dialogue.

Her visit to Moscow could be one of her last trips abroad as chancellor since she is not running in Germany's national election next month. It's not clear when she will step down, because the outgoing government remains in place until a new one is formed.

Putin, 68, speaks fluent German that he polished while serving as an officer in the Soviet KGB secret service in East Germany during the 1980s. He hailed Merkel's role in developing Russian-German ties and said she would be always welcome to visit after she steps down.

Germany is one of our key partners in Europe and the entire world thanks to your efforts over the past 16 years, he said.

Even though we certainly have deep differences today, we speak to each other -- and that should continue to happen, Merkel said during the Kremlin talks.

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on Saturday asked to take effective measures and overhaul the security mechanism to forestall attacks on its nationals working on various projects after a suicide bomber attacked a convoy of Chinese nationals in the restive Balochistan province in the second such attack in over a month.

The Chinese embassy here in a statement strongly condemned Friday's suicide attack on the convoy of Chinese nationals comprising four vehicles in Gwadar, the port city of strategic importance due to the presence of Chinese workers and investment.

In the attack, two children who were playing nearby were killed while one Chinese national was among several who sustained injuries.

The embassy said that it launched the emergency plan immediately, demanding to properly treat the wounded, conduct a thorough investigation on the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators.

At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again, it said.

The embassy further said that recently, the security situation in Pakistan has been severe and there have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in the casualties of several Chinese citizens.

The Chinese embassy in Pakistan asked its citizens in Pakistan to be vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections.

Pakistan in a statement said that the bomber targeted the convoy of Chinese nationals comprising four Chinese vehicles with integral security details of Pakistan Army and police contingent on East Bay Expressway near Fishermen Colony in Gwadar.

A young boy ran out of the colony once the convoy reached there to target Chinese vehicles. Fortunately, soldiers of the Pakistan Army in plain clothes employed as hang around security rushed to intercept the boy; who immediately, exploded himself about 15-20 metres away from the convoy, according to the statement.

Pakistan said cognizant of hostile designs, it already undertook a comprehensive review of security of the Chinese and was committed to ensuring their safe stay in Pakistan in this journey of progress.

We reaffirm our Chinese brothers our wholehearted endeavours to deal with these threats comprehensively, it said.

Earlier, Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said in a statement that he strongly condemn suicide attack on Chinese nationals' vehicle in Gwadar.

He said the police and official of Counter-Terrorism Department arrived on the crime scene and launched investigation.

No one has taken responsibility for the attack but in the past, Baloch nationalists and the Taliban militants often carried out such attacks against the security forces.

Gwadar is the culmination point of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

A large number of Chinese experts and workers are employed in Gwadar and the surrounding areas to complete various projects under the CPEC.

is involved in several projects aimed at development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea which is itself part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure project.

In the last few months there has been an increase in terror attacks targeting Chinese nationals in Balochistan and Karachi who are working on the CPEC projects and for private enterprises.

At least 13 people, including nine Chinese, were killed in a terrorist attack in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last month.

Chinese nationals also came under attack in Karachi last month when they were fired upon by gunmen from a moving vehicle.

For Pakistan, ties with are crucial due to its increasing economic dependence on Beijing.

This year, the two nations are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and more than 100 celebratory events have been planned of which over 60 events have already been held so far.

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External Affairs Minister on Saturday spoke to his German counterpart Heiko Maas on the latest developments in Afghanistan and challenges relating to emergency evacuation from Kabul.

"Appreciate the call from Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas of Germany. Discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan and the policy implications of the changes there," Jaishankar tweeted.

India has been in touch with the US, the UK and a number of other leading powers on the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan after Kabul fell to the Taliban on Sunday evening.

Several countries including India have been facing difficulties in evacuating people from Kabul in view of chaos around the airport in the Afghan capital following the Taliban takeover.

India on Saturday evacuated around 80 Indian nationals from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians from Kabul.

By Tuesday, India had evacuated 200 people, including the Indian envoy and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul, in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF.

The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people, mostly staffers at the Indian embassy, on Monday.

The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians from Kabul on Tuesday.

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The has not recognised the Taliban, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday, nor is it holding political talks with the militants, a week after they seized control of



The completed a lighting takeover of on Sunday, walking into the capital Kabul without firing a shot.



The head of the EU executive spoke after visiting a reception centre in Madrid for Afghan employees of EU institutions evacuated from Kabul.



Von der Leyen said she would propose an increase in the 57 million euros ($67 million) in humanitarian aid which the Commission had allocated this year for



She said EU development aid is tied to respect of human rights, good treatment of minorities and respect for the rights of women and girls.



"We may well hear the Taliban's words but we will measure them above all by their deeds and actions," von der Leyen told a news conference.



She said the Commission was ready to provide funding to EU countries which help resettle refugees, and she planned to raise the resettlement issue at a G7 meeting next week.



After a peak in 2015 when more than one million migrants came to the EU, mostly from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, the EU has cut the number of arrivals thanks to a deal with Turkey which receives EU funds to host asylum seekers in its territory.

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The president of the European Commission has urged the community to open arms for Afghan refugees.

Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks on Saturday when she and EU Council President Charles Michel visited a reception center for evacuees established by Spain's government near Madrid.

This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance. It is our moral duty, Von der Leyen said. Offering legal and safe routes globally, organized by us, the community, for those who need protection must be a priority of next week's G7 meeting on the Afghanistan crisis, she added.

The EU's top officials toured the facility that Spain has set up at the Torrejn military airbase near Madrid along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Snchez, who said it has the capacity to hold 800 people.

Two planes sent by Spain's government have already arrived at the air base. A first plane brought back five Spaniards and 48 Afghans who had worked for Spain and their families.

A second flight arrived late on Friday night with 110 more Afghans. A third flight with another 110 passengers has left Kabul for Dubai, which Spain is using as a stop-off point before the evacuees are flown on to Madrid.

The air base is also receiving flights from the External Action service with other evacuees from Afghanistan airlifted out of Kabul by other EU countries.

EU officials and those of member states like Spain, however, recognize that the main hurdle to getting people out of Afghanistan is helping them reach and gain access to the airport. Spain says that its flights have had empty seats.

Von der Leyen said EU delegation members are constantly at the airport to try and help.

It is very difficult situation, it is changing by the minutes, but there is intense work being done to make the best of a very difficult situation.

The evacuees that reach Spain's air base are expected to spend up to three days there before moving to welcome centers in other parts of Spain or continuing their journeys to other European countries.

Snchez said that the response from other EU members has been positive and that part of those who have arrived have already left for other countries in the bloc.
Tens of thousands of people in waited nervously on Saturday to see whether the United States would deliver on President Joe Biden's new pledge to evacuate all Americans and all Afghans who aided the war effort. Meanwhile, the leader arrived in for talks with the group's leadership on forming a new government.

Time is running out ahead of Biden's Aug 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops, and the president on Friday night did not commit to extending it. He faces growing criticism as videos depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport, and as vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

The Gulf nation of Bahrain on Saturday announced it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation, an option that should ease pressure after the US faced issues Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar rapidly filling up.

The backlog forced flights from the airport to stop for several hours. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, said it would host up to 5,000 Afghans prior to their departure to other countries.

Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, seek evacuation after the Taliban's shockingly swift takeover of in a little over a week's time. The fall of marked the final chapter of America's longest war, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who negotiated the religious movement's 2020 peace deal with the US, is in Kabul for meetings with the group's leadership, a official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. Baradar's presence is significant because he has often held talks with former Afghan leaders like ex-president Hamid Karzai.

Afghan officials familiar with the many talks held in the capital say the Taliban have said they will not make announcements on their government until the Aug. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal passes.

Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, tweeted that he and Karzai met Saturday with Taliban's acting governor for Kabul, who assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of the city.

On Friday, a defence official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary US military deployment that's building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

Officials also confirmed that US military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. No one knows how many US citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and About 300 evacuees arrived Friday night from Qatar at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany, one transit point for people being taken to the US, the American military said.

But the growing question for many other Afghans is, where will they finally call home? Already, European leaders who fear a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis are signaling that fleeing Afghans who didn't help Western forces during the war should stay in neighbouring countries instead. The desperate scenes of people clinging to aircraft taking off from Kabul's airport have only deepened Europe's anxiety.

Remaining in means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government, offer full amnesty to those who worked for the US and the Western-backed government and claim they have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001. They say they'll honor women's rights within the norms of Islamic law, without elaborating.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Taliban's harsh rule in the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.
The strategic partnership between India and the United States is more critical than ever in containing the and preventing terrorism, an influential American lawmaker said Friday.

"The US-India strategic partnership is now even more critical in containing the and preventing terrorism," Indian American Congressman Ro Khanna said in a tweet.

Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives, is Democratic Vice Chair of the Indian American Congressional Caucus in the House.

Khanna said he will be working with the leadership of the India Caucus to strengthen the India-US partnership on national security.

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Swedish giant has announced to spend up to $1 billion between now and April 21, 2026 to repurchase its own shares.

The company would commence a stock repurchase programme beginning in the third quarter of 2021.

"Repurchases of up to 10,000,000 of the Company's ordinary shares have been authorised by the Company's general meeting of shareholders, and the Board of Directors approved such repurchases up to the amount of $1.0 billion. The authorisation to repurchase will expire on April 21, 2026," it said in a statement late on Friday.

The timing and actual number of shares repurchased will depend on a variety of factors, including price, general business and market conditions, and alternative investment opportunities.

"The repurchase programme will be executed consistent with the Company's capital allocation strategy, which will continue to prioritise aggressive investments to grow the business," the company added.

"This announcement demonstrates our confidence in Spotify's business and the growth opportunities we see over the long term," said Paul Vogel, Chief Financial Officer at

"We believe this is an attractive use of capital, and based on the strength of our balance sheet, we continue to see ample opportunity to invest and grow our business."

Several tech like Apple, Alphabet (Google) and Microsoft, have active share repurchase programmes.

In its June quarter, announced that it now has 165 million premium subscribers and 365 million monthly active users.

It's a year-over-year increase of 20 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively, and up from the 158 million subscribers and 356 million MAUs reported in the last quarter.

"Q2 was a strong quarter for Spotify overall, with the majority of our major metrics performing better than expected," Daniel Ek, Spotify CEO and founder, said.

The company, presenting its June quarter earnings, said that it added seven million subscribers in Q2, which drove healthy double digit year-over-year growth across all regions.

Spotify also said that the revenue of 2,331 million euros grew 23 per cent year-over-year in Q2 and was toward the top end of guidance range due to significant advertising strength and subscriber outperformance.

--IANS

na/

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President made up his mind about months really years ago.

For more than a decade, Biden advocated for an end to American involvement in But he did so as something of an outsider, a senator whose ultimate power came in the form of a single vote on Capitol Hill or a vice president who advised another president.

But authority over America's longest war finally fell into Biden's hands this year and he insisted that the US withdraw from Afghanistan, settling on an August 31 deadline. And despite the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, spurring a humanitarian crisis and searing criticism at home and from traditional allies, he was resolute, at times defiant. He took responsibility and in turns leveled blame at his predecessor.

After months of largely focusing on quelling the pandemic and stimulating the economy, the chaos in triggered the first foreign policy crisis of Biden's presidency, temporarily drowning out his other priorities. His response offers a fuller picture of how Biden approaches his job, relying on a political sensibility he built as a veteran of the Senate who has weathered decades of Washington tumult and scandal.

How Biden is handling the weight of his decision to end the war is a product of his 40 years in public life, many of them spent studying the world.

He sold voters on his experience and this is the first time he is offering decisions, not mere opinions in a Senate hearing and he will be judged by the outcome, which is far from clear at this point. Americans are seeing a different side of Biden during this crisis, a sterner, sometimes testy man known much better for his empathy.

In the face of setbacks that would prompt most politicians to step back and offer some level of contrition, Biden has only grown firmer in his position this week.

He has acknowledged that the advanced faster than expected but has said, both privately to aides and in a pair of public addresses to the American people, that the swift collapse of the Afghan government proved correct his longstanding skepticism of the war effort.

If anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending US military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision, he said Monday, as he sought to sidestep blame for the disorderly withdrawal.

Biden's decision laid bare a cold realism in his view of American military power: American forces shouldn't be used to promote the nation's ideals abroad.

Troops, in Biden's estimation, should be focused more narrowly on threats to the homeland, and the nation's diplomatic and economic might are the proper tools to uphold its values overseas.

It's a sentiment the White House believes Americans agree with after nearly two decades of endless conflicts, but one that comes with painful cost for tens of thousands of Afghans who assisted the US occupation or thrived under it.

To advisers, he's reiterated that his opposition to the 2009 surge in Afghanistan ordered by President Barack Obama was one of his proudest moments in government.

That confidence, which even some allies say sometimes borders on obstinance, has been a defining force in Biden's political life and now his presidency. When he believes he is in the right, current and former aides say, there is little talking him out of it.

His commitment to causes has been evident throughout his career, according to his former Senate colleague Trent Lott, underscored even by the length of his speeches.

He was prone to making long speeches on the Senate and I used to joke, We can go get something to eat, this is going to be a while,' but they were good speeches and it's what he believed in, Lott, a Mississippi Republican, said.

That sense of clarity, sometimes bordering on rigidity, helped Biden overcome a childhood stutter and sustained his sagging third presidential campaign through the doldrums of 2019 to an upset nomination a year ago. In the White House, it was his own zeal to reach a bipartisan infrastructure accord that propelled the legislation through the divided Senate earlier this month.

It was on display again Friday as Biden insisted, despite a mounting chorus of condemnation from allies abroad, that the haphazard American withdrawal from Afghanistan was improving the country's stature overseas.

The fact of the matter is I have not seen that, Biden maintained when asked about allies from the United Kingdom to Germany that have publicly questioned America's credibility. Matter of fact, the exact opposite. I've got the exact opposite thing as we're acting with dispatch, we're acting, committing to what we said we would do.

Biden acknowledged for the first time at length the heart-wrenching scenes of confusion as Americans, allies and Afghans struggle to flee the But he was adamant that his decision was the right one, saying he always envisioned some amount of chaos in the pullout.

There's no way in which you'd be able to leave Afghanistan without there being some of what you're seeing now, Biden said.

Despite Biden's confidence, the administration's initial public response was faltering.

The president was at Camp David as part of his summer vacation but scrambled back to the White House on Monday, the day after Kabul fell. In his first public remarks on the situation, he admitted no fault for the chaotic drawdown.

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President on Friday asked Brazil's Senate to impeach a Supreme Court justice a largely symbolic move that shows he has little desire to ease tensions with the judiciary.

Joo Marques, Cabinet secretary of the Senate's president, Rodrigo Pacheco, confirmed to The Associated Press that he received the president's request to impeach Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Pacheco will now have to decide whether there is justification to open investigations that could lead to impeachment. On Tuesday, Pacheco made comments to reporters widely interpreted as a signal that he does not see such grounds.

Bolsonaro has bristled at the top court's rulings since early in the pandemic when justices ruled mayors and governors -- and not just the president -- have jurisdiction to impose restrictions to slow the virus's spread.

Lately, the feud has been coming to a head, with the president targeted by two investigations stemming from his relentless attacks on the integrity of the nation's electronic voting system.

For a long time, the justices Alexandre de Moraes and Lus Roberto Barroso have gone beyond constitutional limits with actions, Bolsonaro wrote Aug. 14 on Twitter. He cited Article 52 of Brazil's constitution, which says judges may be tried for crimes and eventually removed from their positions.

The president's 18-page impeachment request ultimately targeted only de Moraes, and not Barroso. It alleges de Moraes' has carried out investigations with partisan and anti-democratic bias while acting as both investigator and judge and has censored freedom of speech.

Never before has the Senate invoked Article 52 against a Supreme Court justice, and signs indicate there isn't a will to do so in this case, said Paulo Calmon, a political science professor at the University of Brasilia.

Still, the request serves to keep Bolsonaro's base mobilized, he said.

This has a symbolic effect for his base, as it shows the president is combative and always ready to react forcefully, Calmon said.

With his approval ratings sliding, Bolsonaro has insisted the country's electronic vote system is prone to fraud -- but without presenting any evidence. That has prompted concern he may be laying the groundwork to dismiss election results. Recent polls have indicated that former President Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, who is expected to challenge the incumbent in next year's race, would win handily in a runoff.

The electoral court on Aug. 3 announced an investigation of Bolsonaro for his comments about the voting system, and de Moraes included the president in the Supreme Court's investigation into the spread of allegedly fake news.

On Aug. 13, de Moraes also ordered the imprisonment of Roberto Jefferson, a fervent Bolsonaro ally and president of the Brazilian Labor Party, for allegedly making threats to democracy on social media.

If there is no printed vote and no public vote count, there won't be an election next year, Jefferson said in one video, published Aug. 10, echoing prior comments by Bolsonaro. His social media posts often show him brandishing firearms.

In a statement, the party denied any wrongdoing by Jefferson and said his jailing amounted to persecution and censorship.

In Bolsonaro's impeachment request, he likewise denied having committed any crime for which he is being investigated, and said he exercised the fundamental right to freedom of thought.

Lower house lawmakers last week voted down the proposal to adopt printed vote receipts.

Some of Bolsonaro's allies have implored him to set aside his discontent with the vote's result and Jefferson's imprisonment in order to stop antagonizing the top court and get his legislative agenda back on track. Their influence has been limited.

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will send on Saturday 30 tonnes of humanitarian aid to hit by the powerful earthquake, the Spanish Foreign Ministry said.

The humanitarian cargo includes 21 tonnes of medical materials, tarpaulin for shelters, kitchen kits, and water-cleaning material, as well as 10 tonnes of aid sent by several humanitarian organisations, such as the Spanish Red Cross, Action Against Hunger, and Medecins du Monde.

The Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation has also allocated 250,000 euros (over $292,000) in aid for

On August 14, a deadly 7.2 magnitude swept Haiti, with a death toll topping 2,000 people. Over 12,000 people sustained injuries of different degrees of severity, and over 300 people are still not accounted for.

Many countries, including the United States, EU members, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela have already sent humanitarian missions to Haiti, but up to 600,000 Haitians still require emergency assistance, according to the country's authorities.

(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 have released 340 "political prisoners" in Farah province in western Afghanistan, Sputnik reported on Saturday.

Another 40 inmates were released in central Uruzgan province, The Russian News Agency reported citing the Shamshad News broadcaster.

This comes after leader Hibatullah Akhundzada earlier on Thursday ordered the release of political detainees from all Afghan prisons.

The entered earlier on Sunday and took control of the presidential palace after the country's president Ashraf Ghani fled.

is witnessing its worst-ever crisis in decades as the Taliban's control has forced people to flee the nation in afraid of their atrocities. Afghans have flocked to the airport in order to flee the Taliban. Terrorists on the streets of are reportedly preventing people from entering the airport using force. The situation continues to deteriorate at the airport and around its perimeter, which is under Taliban control.

Soon after the terror group claimed control of the Afghan capital, several countries evacuated their diplomatic personnel from the country, and thousands of people flocked to the Kabul airport in a desperate attempt to leave

The world is closely watching the unfolding situation in as the countries have scrambled to evacuate its citizens from Afghanistan in an attempt to secure their people.

(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.)
Taliban's political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Saturday said the insurgent group intends to have economic and trade ties with all countries around the world, including the US.

"The Islamic Emirate of wants diplomatic and trade ties with all countries, particularly with the of America," Baradar said in a tweet.

Baradar denied media reports that the has not intended to have diplomatic and trade ties with Washington, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We never talk about cut of trade ties with any countries. Rumor about this news has been a propaganda. It is not true," he said.

Earlier in the day, unconfirmed reports said Baradar has arrived in Kabul from southern Kandahar to conduct consultation with Afghan leaders about the creation of a new government.

He returned to Kandahar from Doha on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said they intended to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.

--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.)
UK Prime Minister said that his country will work with the "if necessary", as the group has regained control of

"What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary, will go on," Johnson told reporters here on Friday.

He said the situation at the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans gathered in hopes of boarding an evacuation flight, was getting "slightly better" and he saw "stabilisation".

The UK has been able to evacuate about 2,000 people, including British nationals and Afghans who worked with Britain, since Thursday, the Prime Minister said.

Earlier this week, the Home Office introduced a "bespoke" resettlement plan, promising to take in up to 20,000 Afghans "in the long-term", with some 5,000 being in the first year.

The plan was considered far from enough to deal with the Afghan crisis by British lawmakers who met for an emergency Parliament session on Wednesday.

Leaders of the G7 will meet online early next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the former's hasty withdrawal from

On Tuesday, French daily Le Monde said "Europeans were trapped in hasty American withdrawal".

The UK's Secretary of Defence Ben Wallace said last week that the US decision to pull its military forces out of was a "mistake".

--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.)
Capital regulator has kept the proposed Rs 4,500-crore initial share-sale of edible oil major Ltd (AWL) in "abeyance".

However, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) did not clarify further.

The company had filed preliminary papers with on August 3, to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO).

Without disclosing the reason, said "issuance of observations kept in abeyance" with regard to the IPO, according to an update in the SEBI website as on August 13.

In market parlance, observations of Sebi is a kind of go-ahead to float a public issue.

The proposed listing of AWL on the stock exchanges will comprise an IPO in the form of fresh issue of new equity shares by AWL for an amount of up to Rs 4,500 crore (approximately $600 million).

There will not be any secondary offering, Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), the flagship firm of Adani group, had said in a regulatory filing.

The company, which sells cooking oils under the Fortune brand, is a major player in the edible oil industry.

Proceeds from the IPO are proposed to be used by AWL to fund capital expenditure for expansion of existing manufacturing facilities. The funds will also be utilised for developing new manufacturing facilities, repayment/ prepayment of borrowings, to fund strategic acquisitions and investments, and general corporate purposes.

AWL is a 50:50 joint venture company between the Adani group and the Wilmar group.

Currently, six Adani group companies are listed on domestic bourses. Apart from AEL, other listed ones are Adani Transmission, Adani Green Energy, Adani Power, Adani Total Gas, and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As part of its preparations for the 2022 Assembly elections in Goa, Congress leadership will take inputs from the party leaders and cadres to prepare a strategy to take on the BJP, which outwitted the Grand Old Party in forming a government after 2017 polls, a party functionary said on Saturday.

While former Union minister and newly-appointed AICC election observer for Goa P. Chidambaram will be on his first visit to Goa on August 25 and 26, AICC incharge of Goa Dinesh Rao will visit various blocks in the coastal state on August 23 and 24 during which he will meet the party leaders, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee vice president (Organisation) M K Sheikh said.

The next Assembly elections are due in February 2022 in Goa.

During his two-day visit, Chidambaram will meet and discuss a party strategy for the upcoming Goa polls, he said.

Chidambaram will interact with the PCC office-bearers, frontal bodies of Congress, district and block presidents and receive inputs, Sheikh said.

Sheikh said Chidambaram will visit the Congress House in Panaji on August 25 and travel to the South Goa District Office of the party for a meeting on August 26.

Newly-appointed membership facilitator Rajesh Griglani has arrived in Goa to take charge of the digital membership campaign.

In the 2017 Assembly elections in Goa, Congress won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House restricting the BJP to 13. Surprising the Congress, the saffron party allied with regional parties and came to power under the leadership of senior leader Manohar Parrikar.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already thrown its hat in the ring ahead of the polls, with the party's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announcing free power up to 300 units per month if his party is voted to power during his recent visit to Panaji.

(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 needs to step up its outreach in Jammu and Kashmir, reassuring the people that India will continue to be a secular democracy as the Taliban's takeover of is likely to trigger a renewed offensive by Pakistan-based terror groups in the region, former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury said.

Gen Roychowdhury, who commanded the 16 corps in Kashmir at the height of the militancy in the early 1990s, said buoyed by the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan "will make a fresh bid on Kashmir".

He said that India needs to reach out to former Afghan government forces rallying around Ahmad Massoud, son of late legendary anti- commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, in Panjshir Valley, besides the factions within the that are friendlier to India.

"We have to step up our outreach to Kashmiris, we also have to re-assure them that India will continue to be a secular democracy," he told PTI in an interview.

The 1999 hijack of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar by Pakistani terrorists is believed to have been with active cooperation of the earlier regime. India had to exchange top terrorists, including Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar, for the passengers and the crew.

"We need to understand that the (Taliban) victory in is being seen (by terror groups) as a Pakistani victory and India's defeat... We have to organise ourselves for a renewed offensive by elements like the JeM," said Gen Roychowdhury, a veteran of the 1965 and 1971 wars, besides several counter-insurgency operations.

"We have to be prepared for Pakistani intentions (covert operations), supported by radical elements here," he added.

A study by French think-tank Centre d' analyse du terrorisme (Centre for Analysis of Terrorism) published last week warned of the possibility of "more operational coordination between Pakistan-supported groups like the Lashkar e Toiba and JeM, and the Taliban".

India steadfastly refused to do business with the Taliban regime of the 1990s, which it saw as a proxy for Pakistan's military.

India continued to support the remnants of the Afghan government and later the Northern Alliance, aiding them with training and supplies.

Gen Roychowdhury, who at present heads think-tank Research Centre for Eastern and Northeastern Studies, said India's role in should revolve around providing training, relief materials and above all giving refuge to those who seek shelter.

"People of Afghanistan remain our friends and we must be willing to give them refuge," he said.

He also warned that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina are on good terms, opposition forces in Bangladesh, which include "the entire radical set-up", would be re-invigorated by the Taliban take over and they "may not let this chance slip by".

There has been a disquiet in India's security community about the possibility of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh drawing upon released Bangladeshi Taliban fighters, increasing their activities in bordering Indian states.

(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.)
Senior Congress leader on Saturday said those who prize freedom above every other right must welcome the pledge of unity made by 19 political parties and supported by the Samajwadi Party.

Chidambaram's remarks came a day after leaders of 19 announced that they would organise joint protests across the country from September 20 to 30, and urged people to save India for a better tomorrow.

After a virtual meeting of the opposition parties, where they stressed on unitedly moving forward to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the leaders also put out an 11-point charter of demands before the government.

Referring to the development, Chidambaram said those who prize freedom above every other right must welcome the pledge of unity.

"Bhakts and trolls will ridicule the show of unity, but they should remember the famous words of the German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemoller. Cynics will scoff at the effort, but they will realize one day that we are fighting for the liberty of all people, including the cynics," the former Union minister tweeted.

On Friday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi urged the top opposition leaders to rise above political compulsions to take on the in the interest of the nation and start planning "systematically" to realise the "ultimate goal" of winning the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to provide a government that believes in the values of the freedom movement and provisions of the Constitution.

Gandhi gave the clarion call at a virtual meeting of leaders of 19 including NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and four non-Congress chief ministers -- TMC's Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), DMK's M K Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Shiv Sena's Uddhav Thackeray (Maharashtra) and JMM's Hemant Soren (Jharkhand) -- hosted by her.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav wrote a letter to the Congress president, expressing his inability to join the meeting.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief Minister has urged the to win people's trust and also called upon them to stay united and strong.

He made this appeal during a virtual meeting of opposition leaders convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday.

Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said, "During the meeting, Thackeray stressed that the parties must win people's trust."



"As of today, there is no lust for power among the opposition parties, but even when the chair of power is in sight, people should be able to trust the with the belief that they will remain strong and united," Raut quoted Thackeray as saying during the meeting.

The Sena's Rajya Sabha member said that Sonia Gandhi had personally called up the leaders of all parties and requested them to join the meeting.

The meeting was attended by leaders of 19 opposition parties, including NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and four non-Congress chief ministers - TMC's Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), DMK's M K Stalin (Tamil Nadu) and JMM's Hemant Soren (Jharkhand) and

During the meeting, Gandhi urged the leaders to rise above political compulsions to take on the BJP in the interest of the nation and start planning "systematically" to realise the "ultimate goal" of winning the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to provide a government that believes in the values of the freedom movement and provisions of the Constitution.

Raut said that apart from discussion on how to prepare for the next general elections by staying united, several issues like alleged Pegasus snooping, issues concerning farmers, price rise and "attack on democracy" figured at the virtual meeting, he said.

When asked about the developments in Afghanistan, Raut said, India faces the threat of Taliban since it has support of Pakistan and China, which are India's enemies.

"If there are voices of support for Taliban in India, the government should crush them immediately, " 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.)
After the initial public offering (IPO) of LIC, about 60 per cent of the business will be with listed companies, Additional Secretary in the Ministry Amit Agarwal said on Saturday.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had in July given its in-principle approval for the listing of behemoth Life Corporation of India (LIC).

The IPO of the state-owned life insurer is part of the government's efforts to raise Rs 1.75 lakh crore through disinvestment in the current financial year.

Speaking at an event to mark Actuaries Day, Agrawal said amid global challenges, India has continued to develop as an emerging economy with a financial system that has matured, deepened and achieved scale.

The needs of this emerging India are in many ways different, he said, adding the insurance sector, over the two decades since the introduction of competition and regulation, has matured with 69 insurers today as against only eight in 2000.

"A majority of these have crossed their initial breakeven phase. Once the proposed listing of LIC happens, about 60 per cent of the insurance industry business would be with listed entities. The sector as a whole has been growing at a pace significantly higher than that of the overall economy," he said.

Currently, there are four listed life insurers, and two in the non-life segment. State-owned re-insurer General Insurance Corporation of India is also listed on bourses.

Agarwal further said in the development of new solutions needed by this emerging India and its maturing insurance sector, the actuarial profession has a key role to play.

Perceptions of risk have heightened on account of the once-in-a-century pandemic, he pointed out.

"Other global risks are also looming, large climate change concerns and rising incidence of catastrophic events have sharply raised awareness of environmental risks.

"Further, with the increased pace of technological change and innovation, new ways of carrying on businesses and engaging in individual pursuits are constantly emerging," he said.

While no historical data are available in respect of these, he said, the financial risks on account of the same would nevertheless need to be managed.

New forms of cyber risks, as well as new transport solutions such as autonomous vehicles, and space travel are a few examples, he noted.

Therefore, he said, by continuing to expand the application of actuarial methods within traditional areas such as insurance, annuities and benefits, there is a need to engage with emergent risk areas as well.

Fertile ground for cultivating innovative approaches to assess and manage such risks is already available in the form of ever-growing volumes and variety of data, coupled with the enhanced ability to connect secondary and tertiary data points across activities almost on real time basis, he said.

Actuaries can help raise a bountiful crop of new solutions by actively engaging with businesses and technologies to identify new opportunities, and address emerging challenges, the official added.

Even within traditional areas like insurance and pension, actuaries can enrich risk management if based on inclination and aptitude, individual trained actuaries consider joining other departments like finance, marketing and underwriting, 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.)
U.S. President Joe Biden intends to nominate Nicholas Burns, a retired career diplomat and longtime trusted foreign policy hand, to serve as the new U.S. ambassador to China, the White House said in an announcement Friday.

The nomination, which has been expected since earlier this year, awaits confirmation by the U.S. Senate. The role has been vacant since former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad left the post in October.

Burns, 65, is a professor at Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government and served for 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service. He was the undersecretary of state for political affairs between 2005 and 2008, during which he worked with the Chinese government on issues regarding Afghanistan, United Nations Sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific, according to the Friday announcement.

Prior to his role as the third-ranking official at the U.S. State Department, Burns served as State Department spokesman and U.S. envoy to Greece and NATO.

In late July, Chinas new top envoy to Washington Qin Gang arrived in the U.S., replacing Cui Tiankai, the longest serving former Chinese ambassador to the U.S. who left Washington and returned to China in June after eight years in the post. Last week, Qin met with Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, his first official meeting with American officials since his arrival in the country.

At the Aspen Security Forum in October, held during the Trump administration, Burns, who serves as the executive director of the Aspen Strategy Group, and former Chinese ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai both expressed their views on China-U.S. relations during an online conversation.

I think that US-China relations may be at their lowest point, since before President Nixons opening to China in 1971, 1972, Burns said at the time. It seems to me that we're turning away from the cooperation, the large-scale cooperation of the last 40 years, decidedly toward competition, in the military sense, over economic issues, on 5G.

Cui noted that China is not competing for global dominance with the U.S. The real question for America is: Is the United States ready to live with another country with a different history, different culture, different system, but with no intention to compete for global dominance with the United States? Are you ready to live with us in peace? he said.

Under the Biden administration, Burns has also been engaged in lectures and media interviews commenting on U.S. foreign policy.

After Biden gave his first foreign policy speech in early February, Burns said in an interview with CNN that the China-U.S. relationship is the most important and most challenging relationship that the United States has in the world today, because China is a near peer competitor with us.

We are in a very competitive mode, things have changed quite dramatically in the last four or five years  most Democrats and most Republicans agree that we got to compete and we dont want to give up our military primacy in the Indo-Pacific, which we have held since the Second World War, to China, he said.

Contact reporter Cai Xuejiao (xuejiaocai@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

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Photo: Glacier Media

Anti-COVID restriction rallies have cost Vancouver taxpayers more than half a million dollars in policing costs between June 2020 and April this year, police figures show.

Vancouver Police Department (VPD) information said the events have been protests against the lockdown, masks and vaccines.

The figure was one-sixth of the $3 million the VPD expected to spend managing city protests and demonstrations in 2021.

The No New Normal BC Protest events took place several times since the pandemic began and have racked up policing costs of $371,613.

The groups Facebook page said No New Normal is a committed group of British Columbians who are extremely concerned about the negative and long-lasting effects of the government's draconian and highly illegal lockdown being imposed upon the citizens of our province.

The cost of securing the BC Freedom Mega Rally October 17-18 was $89,967, and the March for Freedom Vancouver Art Gallery events from November to April cost $69,389 to secure.

The rally was billed as an event with speakers from across Canada, the U.S. and Britain at the Vancouver Art Gallery to unite, and protest the infringement of human rights and freedoms from tyrannical restrictions and mandates."

Chief Adam Palmer told the Vancouver Police Board June 24 that police spent about $2.5 million in 2020 on deploying officers to protests  a year he described as dramatic in terms of the increase in costs associated to managing what have been largely street-based gatherings.

Palmer said COVID-19-releated protests, including those led by anti-maskers, are also significant. However, he expected those protests to wane once the pandemic subsides and provincial health orders are lifted.

Vancouver police budget statistics supplied to Glacier Media show a steady increase in recent years on money spent to manage protests and demonstrations, with $478,460 in 2018, $1,033,297 in 2019 and $2,835,584 last year.
Re: Charged with arson, released

So another arsonist released with court imposed conditions!



To recap, the first arsonist released Stephen Leader was videotaped appearing to be attempting to start a fire behind residential homes. Arrested and released immediately while RCMP investigated. According to his subsequent arrest it appears it was not because of his previous attempt to set fire as seen on the video but, and I quote, he was arrested and charged with arson in relation to an uninhabited property



Now another suspected arsonist is arrested and released immediately. The Judges apparently do not consider arson worthy of continued incarceration. What will it take to insure mentally ill arsonists are put somewhere where they can receive treatment. Do prisons not have suitable treatment while protecting the population from potentially terrible consequences?



When are we, the majority of normal taxpayers going to demand the end to judicial hug a thug mentality?



Robert Hepting, Kelowna
Justin Trudeau and the Liberals have called a Federal election. They dont seem to care that the North Okanagan Shuswap is choking with smoke from the White Rock Lake wildfire that is burning out of control on our doorstep.

Federal Elections involve candidates from each party venturing out into their communities connecting with voters in hopes of earning the honour of being our voice in Ottawa. Candidates bring together like-minded, passionate volunteers to get their message out and connect with constituents. Volunteers make phone calls to find supporters. They knock on doors to introduce their candidate throughout neighbourhoods. They deliver lawn signs to those who want to publicize support for their preferred candidate. Federal Elections can be a lot of fun for the politically engaged.

But the Trudeau Liberals dont really care if the North Okanagan is on fire. Okanagan residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes as the fire rages closer and closer. Many others are on evacuation alert. They are packing their belongings, deciding what is essential to save and what can be left behind in case the Alert gets upgraded to an Evacuation Order. If evacuated, Okanagan residents dont want to be thinking about where to vote when they are concerned with where to stay.

The Trudeau Liberals dont care about the people of Monte Lake who may have lost the identification needed in order to cast their vote. Friends and neighbours on Westside Rd. have lost homes they worked a lifetime to build. The Trudeau Liberals dont seem to care if you cannot have your say in the voting booth.

My guess is that the Trudeau Liberals are counting on Okanagan residents being so concerned with the raging wildfires that we wont bother to show up at the polls at all. They dont really care that our voice might be silenced. We cannot let that happen.

Completely tone deaf, Trudeaus Liberals are expecting candidates to knock on doors. Okanagan residents are worried that the next knock on the door might be emergency services ordering them to evacuate.

Okanagan constituents dont want an unnecessary election. If Trudeaus Liberals cared about this riding, they wouldnt have called a frivolous election in the middle of a wildfire emergency. We should show up at the polls in record numbers and let our vote be our voice.



Rachel Enns, Vernon
Photo: The Canadian Press NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and his wife Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu place flowers on a grave where 751 bodies were buried on the grounds of the Marieval Indian Residential School on Cowessess First Nation, Sask., Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and his wife Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu said a silent prayer Friday over the site of hundreds of unmarked graves on a grey and rainy day at the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.

The couple, accompanied by Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme, walked along the hundreds of graves, each marked by a small white flag and solar-powered lights.

Sidhu knelt down and laid a bouquet of flowers.

The Cowessess First Nation announced in June a preliminary finding of 751 unmarked graves in a cemetery attached to the former Marieval Indian Residential School site, about 150 kilometres east of Regina.

Singh found it difficult to discuss what it felt like to visit the burial site, as his wife is pregnant with their first child, and teared up before answering.

"So of course it hit differently. It hit differently being a parent for sure," he said, choking back tears.

"I don't want it to be about me. That's the important thing. It's about Indigenous communities and what we've got to do for them. It's about what this means that a country killed its own people."

Singh said the prayer was more of a meditation for those who were buried at Cowessess.

"We were meditating on the fact that we are all one. We are all connected and justice against any one of us is injustice against all of us," he said.

"So seeing this injustice against Indigenous people we should feel it in our hearts as an injustice against all of us."

Singh repeated his calls for a special prosecutor and that all residential school records from institutions such as governments and churches be released.

Many of his pledges on Indigenous issues, such as ensuring access to clean drinking water for everyone, are similar to Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's, but Singh says the difference is he will work on reconciliation as someone who has been treated as lesser because of how he looks.

"I believe in it and I know we can do it. I commit to this with every ounce of strength I have. I will fight for justice for Indigenous people because it is the simple, basic requirement of decency."

Delorme said he doesn't mind the federal leaders coming to see the grave site, pointing out Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole had already been there before the federal election campaign began.

"Many critics out there would say that they're photo ops and that they are here for political gain but to actually walk in our unmarked grave site, to come on to Cowessess  I do strongly believe Justin, Erin and Jagmeet will go back to their respected circles and understand they did learn something."
NOTICE: CDC continues to recommend the use of the newly FDA-approved Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) COVID-19 Vaccine for people 16 years and older, as one of the recommended vaccines to protect against COVID-19. CDC continues to recommend the vaccine under an emergency use authorization (EUA) for adolescents 12 through 15 years old, as well as an additional mRNA dose for moderately to severely immunocompromised people.

HHS announced a plan to begin offering COVID-19 vaccine booster shots this fall. CDCs independent advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, will continue to meet and discuss data on the evolution of the pandemic and the use of COVID-19 vaccines. ACIP will make further recommendations on the use of boosters for the public after a thorough review of the evidence.

When can I get a COVID-19 vaccine booster?

Not immediately. The goal is for people to start receiving a COVID-19 booster shot beginning in the fall, with individuals being eligible starting 8 months after they received their second dose of an mRNA vaccine (either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna). This is subject to authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and recommendation by CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). FDA is conducting an independent evaluation to determine the safety and effectiveness of a booster dose of the mRNA vaccines. ACIP will decide whether to issue a booster dose recommendation based on a thorough review of the evidence.

Who will be the first people to get a booster dose?

If FDA authorizes and ACIP recommends a booster dose, the goal is for the first people eligible for a booster dose to be those who were the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccination (those who are most at risk). This includes healthcare providers, residents of long-term care facilities, and other older adults.

Why is the United States waiting to start offering COVID-19 vaccine boosters?

The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be highly effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. However, COVID-19 constantly evolves. Experts are looking at all available data to understand how well the vaccines are working, including how new variants, like Delta, affect vaccine effectiveness. If FDA authorizes and ACIP recommends it, the goal is for people to start receiving a COVID-19 booster shot this fall.

Can people who received Johnson & Johnsons Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine get a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine?

No, there arent enough data currently to support getting an mRNA vaccine dose (either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) if someone has previously gotten a J&J/Janssen vaccine. People who got the J&J/Janssen vaccine will likely need a booster dose of the J&J/Janssen vaccine, and more data are expected in the coming weeks. With those data in hand, CDC will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J/Janssen booster shots.

Will people who received Johnson & Johnsons Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine need a booster shot?

It is likely that people who received a J&J COVID-19 vaccine will need a booster dose. Because the J&J/Janssen vaccine wasnt given in the United States until 70 days after the first mRNA vaccine doses (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna), the data needed to make this decision arent available yet. These data are expected in the coming weeks. With those data in hand, CDC will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J/Janssen booster shots.

If we need a booster dose, does that mean that the vaccines arent working?

No. COVID-19 vaccines are working very well to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. However, with the Delta variant, public health experts are starting to see reduced protection against mild and moderate disease. For that reason, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for a booster shot so vaccinated people maintain protection over the coming months.

Whats the difference between a booster dose and an additional dose?

Sometimes people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised do not build enough (or any) protection when they first get a vaccination. When this happens, getting another dose of the vaccine can sometimes help them build more protection against the disease. This appears to be the case for some immunocompromised people and COVID-19 vaccines. CDC recommends moderately to severely immunocompromised people consider receiving an additional (third) dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) at least 28 days after the completion of the initial 2-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series.

In contrast, a booster dose refers to another dose of a vaccine that is given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but then that protection decreased over time (this is called waning immunity). HHS has developed a plan to begin offering COVID-19 booster shots to people this fall. Implementation of the plan is subject to FDAs authorization and ACIPs recommendation.
Chino, CA (91710)

Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 83F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 61F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
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The University of Tennessee, Knoxvilles total enrollment is on track to be the largest on record, topping 31,000 students, as new and returning Vols start the 2021 fall semester. A huge factor in that growth comes from a record-breaking undergraduate enrollment of approximately 25,000 students.



The fall semester always brings with it a certain kind of energy, and this year is extra special as our continuing students return to Rocky Top and we welcome the largest new incoming class in the universitys 227-year history, said Chancellor Donde Plowman.



Although enrollment numbers arent final until the 14th day of the fall semester, more than 5,900 new first-year students are joining the Volunteer family, making up the largest first-year cohort on record and marking a 23 percent increase in new first-year enrollment over the past five years.



This is a place students in Tennessee, across the country, and the world want to be, said Chancellor Plowman. At the annual Torch Night ceremony this week, our first-year students took a Volunteer pledge to show the courage to care, to have big ideas, and to lead. From the moment our students step onto campus, they experience rich academic opportunities and learn how to make a positive impact at UT and beyond.



Since 1925, Torch Night has been a right of passage for the incoming class of Volunteers. This year it was held inside Neyland Stadium.



Members of this years first-year class hail from 88 counties in Tennessee and 44 states across the US, a testament to the number of students who want to call Rocky Top their home away from home.



More than 18 percent of first-year students are first-generation college students, reinforcing the universitys commitment to educational access.



Students of color make up more than 19 percent of the first-year class, representing a 30 percent increase among first-year students since 2016.



More than 95 percent of in-state first-year students qualify for the HOPE Scholarship and 90 percent receive some form of scholarship or financial aid, showcasing the universitys investment in its students.



Students in the middle 50 percent of the incoming class have ACT scores ranging from 25 to 31, with an average score of 28 for the new class.



More than 1,450 new transfer students and an expected 6,500 graduate and professional students are enrolling this fall, with increases in both graduate distance learning enrollment and graduate international enrollment.



UT is a supportive environment with endless opportunities for students of all backgrounds to find what they love and create their own paths to acquire the knowledge and skills that employers want, said Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor John Zomchick. Our students work and study with world-class faculty who are committed to their success.



First-year and transfer students will be greeted with six weeks of programming to kick off their Volunteer experience. Big Orange Welcomethe final phase of orientation for incoming studentsbegan August 13 and features hundreds of events for new students to explore all that UT has to offer.



First-year student Kevan Mehta, from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, is excited to take part in campus activities and traditions. His father, uncle, and aunt are all alumni of UT, so coming to Rocky Top was a natural choice for the aspiring engineer. UT fits with where I want to go for my career and will help me step out of my comfort zone. I cant wait to meet my professors and engage with the community, he said. Its great to be a Tennessee Vol.
The Hamilton County Sheriffs Office announces its marked patrol vehicle has been voted this years prestigious Best Looking Cruiser by the citizens of Tennessee.

Each year, as part of the Tennessee Highway Safety Offices Annual Law Enforcement Challenge, law enforcement agencies throughout the state compete for the title of Best Looking Cruiser where members of the public vote for their favorite submission. This years award was announced Friday at the 17th Annual Law Enforcement Challenge event held in Murfreesboro.

We are humbled that the citizens of Tennessee would select our marked unit as this years Best Looking Cruiser for the State of Tennessee," said Chief Deputy Austin Garrett. "This is our newest vehicle design voted on by our personnel and implemented in 2020. To know that our design was voted by citizens across Tennessee as this years winner gives us great honor and pride."

This years HCSO submission was photographed by members of the HCSO Public Relations Division in partnership with the Patrol Division.
he Chattanooga Mocs indoor volleyball team began the 2021 season with an exhibition match vs. the Georgia State Panthers inside Maclellan Gym. Georgia State swept the match, 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-18). The two teams played a total of five complete sets and 13 of 17 players on UTCs roster appeared in the match.



Freshman Chandler Alter finished with a team-high nine kills. She added five digs and an ace. Sophia Bossong dished out a match-high 35 assists and tallied seven kills, five in the first three sets. Kate Neill and Chloe Bryan combined for 15 kills with Bryan totaling eight in the first three sets. Paige Gallentine registered 14 digs as the libero throughout the match.



Junior middle blocker Maia Rackel hit .375 with four kills on eight swings. Defensively at the net, the Mocs had five blocks, led by Bryan with three. UTC totaled five aces by five different players.



The Mocs and the Panthers will meet again on Friday, August 27 to kick off the regular season at the Georgia State Invitational in Atlanta, Ga. First serve is slated for 10 a.m.






A woman at an apartment on Hollyberry Lane told police she has a neighbor below her who is constantly banging on the ceiling at different hours of the day. She said this is an ongoing issue and has a court date coming up and she would like these incidents documented.

* * *

A woman at the Mapco, 7701 Lee Hwy., told police she was in a verbal altercation with her boyfriend. She said that during the argument he walked away with her vehicle keys. She said the reason she called police was to get her keys back. Police located the boyfriend and had him return her keys. Both of them thanked police and left the scene.

* * *

A woman told police she got to Sam's Club, 6101 Lee Hwy., around noon the day before and she left her vehicle parked while she was in the store for 10-15 minutes. She said she then got back in the vehicle and went back home and then discovered some damage on the vehicle that morning around 8:30 a.m. She said the driver's side front bumper had a scratch and the turn signal light was broken out, and it must have happened while the vehicle was parked at Sam's. There is no proof at this time of how the damage was done or if it was intentional or accidental. She said she has not yet gotten an estimate.



* * *

A man told police he left his 2006 BMW parked on the side of the road on E. 48th Street. He said his vehicle was unlocked and someone entered it and stole his wallet and its contents.

* * *

A man on S. Orchard Knob Avenue told police he has had 85 units of lumber stolen, a total value of $5,100. He said he is building a home there and has kept the lumber outside overnight. He said there have been two occasions of theft of his lumber.

* * *

A theft was reported at the Chatt Inn, 2000 E 23rd St. A man told police that he and a woman were evicted from the Chatt Inn. He said he and the woman had nowhere to go, so they temporarily relocated to a unknown address near Rossville Boulevard via the woman's vehicle. Both he and the woman were also asked to leave the unknown address. He said while he was standing in the roadway, the woman left in her vehicle with several of his belongings. He said his sleeping bag, miscellaneous clothing, household cleaning supplies and medication were still inside the woman's vehicle when she left. He said the woman knew the items were still inside her vehicle. The man did not wish to prosecute her for the theft, but only needed a report for his records. Police asked the man to call back at any time.

* * *

An unknown caller reported a man and woman in a silver Tahoe were arguing on N. Marks Avenue. Police made contact with a man who said that his girlfriend got out of his Tahoe and left the area. He said they were in a verbal only disorder and nothing physical took place. Police told him he might want to just make contact with his girlfriend at a later time.

* * *

An employee of the Exxon, 2304 Shallowford Village Dr., told police that a black male took one 32-ounce can of beer and one 20-ounce can of Coke without paying for the items. He said a white female was also with the man. He said at the time of the theft, the woman had appeared to have purposely slipped on the floor, falling down. He said she got up and walked out of the store yelling she was going to sue them. He said she then got into a vehicle with the man and drove off.

* * *

A woman on E. Dallas Road told police that someone got into her vehicle overnight and took her valet key for the vehicle. She said there were no signs of forced entry. She gave police the vehicle information just in case they come back and take the vehicle.

* * *

A woman told police that while she was working an extra job at Walmart, 490 Greenway View Dr., she left her vehicle unlocked in the parking lot. She said she later returned to her vehicle during break and noticed that some of her belongings had been moved. She believes that someone stole two check books belonging to her from Bank of America and TN Valley Federal Credit Union. There were no suspect descriptions. She said the time of incident could be between the hours of 2-4:20 p.m. (when she returned to her vehicle). However, she did leave the scene of the incident to go to the bank to stop all transactions via her credit/debit cards and check books. She then returned to the scene to report the incident. Police will follow up with Loss Prevention staff on any possible leads.

* * *

An employee at Walmart, 2020 Gunbarrel Road, told police that a black female passed all points of sale with $283 worth of unpaid merchandise. He said he stopped her and collected the merchandise, but she ran away from the scene.

* * *

Two people who live on Winter Lane reported a reckless vehicle driving in the area of S. Moss Ave. They said the person was driving at a high rate of speed and, when they threw their hands up at him as he passed by, the driver stopped. They said the driver was a white male wearing blue pants and a black shirt. They said his truck had GA tags on it. An exchange of words happened and they went back home. Police checked the area for the truck and nothing was located.

* * *

A woman on Citico Avenue asked police for help with a disorder prevention. She wanted police present to make sure that her boyfriend did not cause trouble while she gathered her things. Police helped her gather her belongings and she left without incident. The boyfriend was not on scene.

* * *

A woman on Standifer Gap Road told place that a male friend texted her and told her he was going to rob someone for money. She said she felt she was going to be robbed by him. She said she just wanted to make police aware in case he came to her home. She said he has requested she take medication from her place of work so he could sell them.

* * *

A woman on Jordan Drive told police someone stole the catalytic converter off her 2020 Hyundai Sante Fe while parked at her work sometime between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

* * *

An officer conducted a traffic stop on a man for speeding at 4556 Shallowford Road. The man was given a warning, however he requested a report be completed for his job since he was going to be late.

* * *

A man told police an unknown person was seen at a Hamill Road residence, which was supposed to be vacant. Police found a man at the residence who said he just purchased the house and had just arrived from California. Police observed the area as secured and did not see any signs of illegal activity.

* * *

Residents of an apartment on Hixson Pike complained to police that their upstairs neighbors were stomping on the ground, inhibiting their ability to sleep peacefully. Police spoke with a black male in the apartment who said that he had an ongoing issue with noise from his upstairs neighbors. While there, police heard footsteps from upstairs, however they did not hear anything overtly loud or boisterous. Police then spoke with the residents of the apartment above. One of the residents identified himself and said he had just woken up from slumber. He said that he, or any other occupant of the apartment, was not causing excessive noise.
Airman 1st Class Marialuz Deavers, a combat medic with Nashvilles 118th Medical Group, fills a syringe with a dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Cookeville. Deavers has been administering COVID-19 tests and vaccines since March 2020, when Gov. Bill Lee activated the Tennessee National Guard to support the Tennessee Department of Healths response to the COVID-19 pandemic. - photo by Sgt. Finis L. Dailey, III

Sgt. Joseph Brummett, a combat medic with Hendersons Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccination in Jasper on June 15. Brummett has participated in the Tennessee National Guards COVID-19 Task Force since April 2020. - photo by Sgt. Finis L. Dailey, III

Pfc. William Orton, a cavalry scout assigned to Newports O Troop, 4th Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, explains the COVID-19 vaccination process to a resident in Decatur on June 15. Orton has assisted several sites since he joined the COVID-19 Task Force in February. - photo by Sgt. Finis L. Dailey, III

Spc. Anthony Spencer with the Tennessee National Guard prepares a vaccination dose for a patient at the Trousdale County Health Department on June 9 - photo by Lt. Col. Darrin Haas

Since March 2020, the soldiers and airmen of the Tennessee National Guard have been working alongside and supporting the Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and various other state and local agencies to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Thousands of Tennessee Guardsmen have volunteered to help during the pandemic. Over the last 17 months, anywhere from 250-700 Guardsmen have been actively supporting the testing and vaccination efforts across the state.

This has resulted in Tennessee Guardsmen supporting the testing of more than 920,000 Tennesseans and the vaccination of over 1 million.

Currently, there are more than 580 Soldiers and Airmen providing support to 58 counties in Tennessee by helping with testing, vaccinations, and administrative support to health care providers.



Earlier this week the Tennessee National Guard began staffing support to various hospitals at the request of the Tennessee Department of Health. Starting on Aug. 20, the Tennessee National Guard sent 20 Guardsmen to Baptist Hospital in Memphis and two Guardsmen to Lafollette Healthcare in Campbell County to expand our COVID-19 support. The Guardsman are capable of working in many types of hospital units and are able to help with administrative tasks.



The Tennessee National Guard is also providing five support personnel to Nashvilles Mid-Cumberland Regional Hospital Office to assist in the schools call center.



Over the course of the pandemic, Soldiers and Airmen have also established temporary testing sites in focus areas, tested vulnerable populations at long-term care facilities, county and state corrections facilities, public housing, and many other locations across the state. They established Infectious Disease Teams that visit hospitals and alternative care centers to help develop plans and processes that prevent and decrease COVID-19 transmissions within the facilities. Guardsmen have also provided administrative and medical assistance to hospitals, collected and distributed Personal Protective Equipment, and conducted various other task as requested through TEMA.



As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Tennessee National Guard is prepared and ready to support any request for assistance through TEMA.


Janet Kile, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother died peacefully on August 21, 2021 at Life Care Center of Collegedale in Collegedale, TN.

Janet was born in Hartford City, IN on November 29, 1929 to Carl and Clara Piguet. She grew up on a farm and loved the life in the country with her siblings, Rosemarie Gerardot (deceased), Fr. Leo Piguet (deceased), Tom Piguet (deceased), and Helen (Bruce) Sanders. She met the love of her life and married her high school sweetheart, William (Bill) Kile on October 13, 1951. Together they raised their four children in Ft Wayne , IN, Kathy (Rick) Battell, Monica (Hal) Bower, Susan (Dan) Krouse, and John (Shirley) Kile. She was Grandma to 14 grandchildren, great-grandma to 23 great-grandchildren, with three more on the way.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill and grandchildren, Kathryn Clare Battell and Paul Michael Dickerson.

In addition to raising her family and being the matriarch to such a large family, she loved reading any historical books especially on the Civil War. She was a gifted writer, avid music fan and had great appreciation for live musical theater. Janet loved to travel with her husband and taking long walks with him. She loved her dog, Abbey, and all her extended familys dogs.

Janet was truly a gracious and caring woman, loved far and wide. She made friends everywhere she went and truly enjoyed their presence and all the details of their lives.

Janet was a devout Catholic and a former member of St. Gerard Catholic Church in Fort Oglethorpe, GA.

The family would like to thank the staff at Life Care Center of Collegedale and Travis from Hearth Hospice for their compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to American Heart Association and Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga.

A Catholic funeral Mass will be held at a later date due to COVID.

Please visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share words of comfort.

Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
According to Real Time With Bill Maher host Bill Maher, Matt Damon deserves better than his recent public scrutiny. The talk show host and comedian, no stranger to controversy himself, defended Damon during a recent episode, saying that Damon is the most likable guy.

Bill Maher praised Matt Damons impeccable liberal credentials

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Maher made the indignant comments during the New Rules segment on the August 13th episode of Real Time.

Someone has to tell me, why is this guy always in the dog house with the online hall monitors of righteousness? Maher complained. It is a phenomenon that truly fascinates me, that every couple of years, Matt Damon, one of the most likable guys in Hollywood, with impeccable liberal credentials, is again flailing around in cancel culture quicksand.

Maher was referring to Damons candid revelation in U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times on August 1st that he only recently learned not to use the f-slur for homosexual  and his daughter had to teach him.

The public outcry was particularly intense, especially considering that this isnt Damons first run-in with the LGBTQ community. He was previously lambasted for essentially telling The Guardian in 2015 that gay actors are better off remaining in the closet.

None of this derailed Maher, who doubled down on his assertion that Matt Damons likable guy status ought to exempt him from scrutiny.

Maher said the F-slur is not always meant as a slur

Matt Damon at a Stillwater press conference | Kate Green/Getty Images

Maher continued his rant by stating that the term is not always meant as a slur, and pointing out that Damon owned up to his mistake. He then offered up that Damon has a clean water charity.

Its not always meant as a slur but its wrong, yes of course, and Damon owned up, saying that while coming of age in Boston in the 70s and 80s, that word was thrown around without any thought put into it, Maher said. And now, now hes put some thought into it. And hes going to stop using it. One might say he became woke.

Still, to Mahers deep frustration, Damon is always getting pulled over by the woke police for something, hes got a woke rap sheet as long as your arm.

Bill Maher was accused of sexual harassment by Rose McGowan

Its worth noting that Maher himself has had a run-in or two with the woke police, which may (at least partially) explain his empathetic tone. In 2020, the comedian was called out on social media by Rose McGowan after he appeared to defend Joe Biden against a sexual assault allegation by Tara Reade.

@BillMaher Heres a memory Id like to share with you. I bet you dont remember, but I sure do. I was so excited to be on your show & get to flex my mind instead of my face. Heres what happened. All I can say, Bill, you got the face you deserved. pic.twitter.com/RRIorKj258  Rose  McGowan (@rosemcgowan) May 9, 2020

Beyond that, The Wrap outlined no fewer than 20 times the talk show host caused an uproar with his comments. Among them were comparing dogs to mentally disabled children; calling America cowardly after 9/11; re-enacting Al Frankens infamous breast-groping photo; and making racist comments about Maxine Waters hair.

For Matt Damons part, he seems capable of responding to criticism on his own.

I was just trying to say actors are more effective when theyre a mystery, the actor told Ellen DeGeneres after his 2015 gaffe. And somebody picked it up and said I said gay actors should get back in the closet. Which is, like, I mean, its stupid, but it is painful when things get said that you dont believe. You know what I mean? And then it gets represented that thats what you believe. Because in the blogosphere, theres no penalty for just taking the ball and running with it.

RELATED: Matt Damon Only Recently Learned Not To Use the F-Slur for a Homosexual
When in doubt, ask Reddit. Madelyn Cline said thats exactly what she did when preparing for her character, Sarah Cameron, to get shot in Outer Banks Season 2. She had no real experiences in this area to draw from, so she asked the forum website for advice. Heres how Reddit helped Cline get the scenes just right.

[Spoiler alert: The following story contains spoilers for Outer Banks Season 2 Episodes 2 and 3.]

Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron in Outer Banks Season 2 | Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Does Sarah Cameron die in Outer Banks Season 2?

Sarah suffers a serious injury not too far into season 2, courtesy of her brother, Rafe Cameron (Drew Starkey). During her and John B.s (Chase Stokes) attempt to steal the $400 million in gold from Rafe and Ward Camerons (Charles Esten) truck, Rafe accidentally shoots Sarah in the hip. The injury leads John B. to rush his girlfriend to a shady but smart doctor in the Bahamas.

Sarah has already lost a lot of blood by the time she and John B. arrive at Doc Marshs (Marshall Bell) place. The doctor performs surgery on her wound, but she enters cardiac arrest from blood loss after a few hours. Doc Marsh attempts to restart her heart for a few minutes before calling it.

Sarah technically dies; however, a determined John B. continues CPR and brings her back to life. After some more resting time, Sarah and John B. are back at the hunt for gold. The sequence of events might not have been the most realistic, but it provided plenty of emotion and action.

Madelyn Cline says she asked Reddit how it felt to get shot

Cline wanted to get her reaction right when Rafe hit Sarah with a bullet in Outer Banks Season 2. She told Elle that she went to Reddit for advice.

I went to a few Reddit threads and was like, Have you ever been shot? What was it like? Because I had no idea how to answer that question myself, she said. By the way, I love Reddit. Its phenomenal, but I digress.

Some of the answers mentioned feeling hot from the bullet but also feeling cold. Many users said they felt shocked, which Cline noted for filming. As fans might recall, Sarah doesnt seem to fully realize her injury until she and John B. are in the stolen truck, making their escape.

A lot of people said they felt shocked. So thats where we started with it. When Sarah first gets shot, she falls against the truck, and its like this weird shock of, Did he just shoot the gun? Is everybody OK? And then a few minutes later, shes starting to bleed out, Cline added.

Here are Madelyn Clines hopes for Sarah Cameron in Outer Banks Season 3

Netflix has yet to confirm another Outer Banks season, but Cline already has an idea of what shed want to see in Sarahs season 3 story. Put simply, she told Elle that she wants Sarah to be happy.

I want to see her come into her own. For me, for Sarahs arc, that would be the most ideal thing to happen. I want to see her and John B have to kind of hash out what just happened. I want to see her personal relationships with her chosen family develop, she said. Maybe we could get some backstory on her and Kies friendship. Maybe see her try to go to Pogue high school. Maybe see her try to get a job.

After all the intense action of season 2, Cline added that shed want to take time in season 3 to get to know Sarah better.

Outer Banks Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

RELATED: Outer Banks: 3 Major Fan Predictions for Season 3
P-Valley fans are eagerly awaiting the next season. The series premiered on Starz in July 2020 and has received rave reviews for its characters, storytelling, and handling of real-life issues. The show follows the lives of those working at The Pynk, the sole strip club in Chucalissa, Mississippi. Uncle Clifford, Autumn, Mercedes, and Keyshawn all lead different lives but become bonded by their experiences.

The series left off with quite the cliffhanger, making fans anxious to see where the story goes next. Details are limited, but actor Brandee Evans (Mercedes) has at least offered up some information about her characters arc.

Brandee Evans as Mercedes in P-Valley | Starz

What happened to Mercedes in P-Valley Season 1?

In the first season of P-Valley, we watched Mercedes finally get the money needed to open her dance studio, only to have it stolen by her mother, Patrice. Despite the pain and betrayal she felt, Mercedes decided in the end to forgive Patrice. But now her mother, angry over Mercedes initial reaction, doesnt want anything to do with her.

With that, Mercedes went back to work at The Pynk, which Autumn now co-owns. In one of the last scenes, Uncle Clifford told her Montavius has been taken care of, suggesting Mercedes was the one who pulled the trigger. But because the shooting happened offscreen, thats not exactly known.

RELATED: P-Valley Star Brandee Evans Shares Plot Point That Happened To Her in Real Life

Brandee Evans on P-Valley Season 2

In an interview with W Magazine, Evans was asked if she could share any details about the second season of P-Valley. She was careful not to give away too much, but she did say that there are certain emotional moments that would touch the hearts and souls of viewers.

I cant say too, too much, but just know that she is going on an insane journey this season, she said. Whew! Get your mind right for what youre about to see. There will be a lot more vulnerability. [Showrunner] Katori Hall doesnt shy away from difficult situations. Youre going to see a lot more of whats happening outside of the club.

She added, I cant relate to a dancer who does exotic dance in the club, but I can relate to someone whos a preachers child, because I am one too, or someone who wants to be a mother to a childall these things that make us as women and men go, I know how that feels. So theres a lot of that happening, bringing it to the forefront, touching your hearts and souls this season.

Evans also described season 2 to Gold Derby as a rollercoaster, teasing fans would get to see things they wouldnt expect from Mercedes.

In episode three, I read something and just like last season, I was in my living room crying, she explained. I was like, Oh my gosh, Mercedes is going through it, so I think shes going through it even more this season. Katori has put her on some type of journey, chile, so this is going to be very interesting. If Im already feeling this in episodes one, two, three, I can only imagine whats going to happen when we get to 10.

RELATED: P-Valley: 7 Shows to Watch If You Like the Series

When does P-Valley come back on?

The series is now in production, with filming underway in Atlanta. Theres still no set release date for P-Valley Season 2, but Hall has said a 2022 premiere is likely. We cant wait.
Ree Drummonds family loves her hearty, home-cooked meals. They also enjoy eating a meal at The Pioneer Woman Mercantile. Here are some of their favorite meals to order when they visit The Merc.

What is The Pioneer Woman Mercantile?

Ree Drummond | Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine

Drummond and her husband, Ladd, purchased the building that would later become The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in 2012. Today it includes a restaurant, deli, store, and bakery. Opening day came a few years later, on October 31, 2016. On The Pioneer Woman website, Drummond says bringing The Mercantile to its current state was a labor of love, but it was all worth it. It took a lot to get here, but now it brings me so much joy, says Drummond.

The Mercantile is a special place for Drummond and her family. This is where they celebrate Halloween. Drummond says her family has a celebration at The Mercantile during the day and then at night they like to gather and watch a scary movie.

Ree Drummonds kids reveal their favorite Merc meals

During Alex Drummonds Ask Alex video, a fan asked the group what they love to order when they visit The Merc. Stuart answered first, saying he really enjoys the steak. Since it opened, the chicken fried steak is my favorite Merc meal, says Stuart. He also mentioned he likes to buy steak from the supermarket and cook it at home.

Mauricio has a few favorites. His favorite meals to order are Ladds Favorite Chicken Sandwich, the turkey bacon club sandwich, and the parmesan fries. Alex also likes the turkey bacon club sandwich the best. She says she enjoys the thick bread. Paige likes the chicken tenders. Thats so basic, but theyre ranch chicken tenders, so they have seasoning on them, says Paige. Theyre really good. Paige also loves the tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.

What Ree Dummond likes to order from The Mercantile

Last year, Drummond told her fans about a rare breakfast date she had with her husband, Ladd. She then revealed the delicious food she ordered at The Mercantile. Drummond ordered Migas, a meal made with guacamole, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, and potatoes. She completed the dish with a biscuit and jam, which she says was totally unnecessary but delightful. She also admits she took a few bites of Ladds pancake breakfast.

When shes not at The Merc, Drummond prefers to order sushi when she eats out. I love sushi, and I usually order it because its the farthest thing from what I make at home, says Drummond in her book Frontier Follies.

Drummond shared in her book that she usually gets sushi three or four times a year from a restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She says she gets a kick out of eating sushi while on a cattle ranch. For Drummond, eating sushi is her idea of having a good time. She also says sushi makes her feel happy from head to toe.

Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter.
Julia Douglas

32, President, Jet Set World Travel Inc.

Email Julia Douglas, and odds are good for a bounce-back message like this dreamy one in September: "I will be exploring Healdsburg, Napa and Sonoma. . . . Please ask me about the on-goings in wine country when I return!"



With her "Mad Men"-era handle, "Jet Set Julia" is a travel agent to the 1 percent  honeymooners and other affluent clients who pay up to $50,000 per couple per week for bespoke excursions that take up to four months to plan.



Jet Set World Travel's revenue, derived mainly from 10 to 15 percent commissions, is expected to double this year to more than $3 million, Ms. Douglas says. Her four-employee operation in Lincoln Park loft space cultivates repeat customers like StubHub co-founder Colin Evans and Thinkorswim Inc. co-founder Scott Sheridan.



"She knows us now. She understands our needs," says Mr. Sheridan, anticipating a fourth Jet Set creation next summer: a 38-day family trip to Africa for his 50th birthday.



The daughter of a globe-trotting Coca-Cola Co. executive was working as a property broker in London at insurance broker Willis Group Holdings Ltd. and taking weekend European jaunts before moving to Chicago for love. In 2005 she launched Jet Set in her Lincoln Park townhouse.



Peter Bates, a hotel-resort marketing consultant in New York, says Ms. Douglas borrowed the insurance industry's focus on fewer, bigger relationships.



Another secret, says Ms. Douglas, is a passion for travel: 100 days a year; 48 countries to date, with New Zealand, Mongolia and parts of Africa still on her to-do list. To woo sophisticated travelers, she says, "you have to have incredible destination experience."
Peter Illian

39, Vice president of global merchant marketing, Discover Financial Services

Peter Illian has spent most of his career selling the Discover Card, first to consumers and more recently to merchants.



It's with the latter group that Mr. Illian has had the biggest impact, overseeing an effort that solved one of Discover's longtime problems: lack of acceptance at enough merchants. Under Mr. Illian, Discover has vaulted past American Express in terms of acceptance and to within 6 percentage points of ubiquitous Visa. Five years ago, shoppers could flash their Discover Card at just three-quarters of the stores where they could whip out their Visas.



"We've closed the gap in the U.S.," he says. "We're there."



The low-key Iowa native leads a team of more than 70 who focus on signing up new merchants and boosting card usage at stores where volume is light.



Figuring out why some locations underperform involves a bit of sleuthing  a role for which Mr. Illian is well-suited, colleagues contend. His quiet veneer masks a passionate and at times unconventional business strategist, says Sherry Scapperotti, who has worked extensively with Mr. Illian as president of PlusMedia LLC, a direct-response media agency in Danbury, Conn. "I've always wanted to play poker with Pete," she says, "because you never know what he's thinking."



When Mr. Illian took charge of merchant marketing four years ago, Discover was monitoring stores' behavior through mystery shopping. He decided to take a more direct approach, sending his team to call on merchants and talk to them about why their customers were using Discover so rarely.



Mr. Illian's team will visit 500,000 small and midsize merchants this year. At retail outlets where Discover volume had been virtually nil, transaction volume has increased 40 percent after the personal visits, he says.
Deepika Pandey

38, Vice president, online strategy and customer experience, Walgreen Co.

Deepika Pandey joined Walgreen in December 2008 as director of online strategy at the 111-year-old, $70 billion company  a big job in itself.



Just three months later, her role expanded to include totally redesigning Walgreens.com and managing the 150-person customer experience team.



Over the next four years, Ms. Pandey  an alum of McKinsey & Co., the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  moved Walgreen's Web presence from ho-hum to best-in-class.



She launched the company's well-received iPhone, iPad and Android apps, helped boost the number of prescriptions refilled via mobile phones and now leads Walgreen's 200-person (and growing) e-commerce office in downtown Chicago.



It's an effort that's critical to Walgreen as the company tries to move beyond its pharmacy role to become a wider health and wellness resource. As people increasingly go online to schedule flu shots and reorder prescriptions, Walgreen has had to dramatically expand its online presence and create a digital level of efficiency and trust that matches the in-store experience.



"Deepika is one of those rare individuals who is both strongly analytical and exceptionally creative," says Sona Chawla, Walgreen's president of e-commerce. "Through the combination of these skills, she has helped us build world-class digital experiences."



Joining Walgreen just as it embarked on a major digital makeover has meant intense work over the past four years but also immense rewards.



"I've succeeded because I've always been willing to jump in and take on a challenge regardless of whether or not I have prior experience," she says. "It keeps things exciting."
2 Catholic nuns shot, killed in one of the worlds deadliest places

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Gunmen shot and killed two Catholic nuns while they were traveling on a highway in South Sudan, which is one of the worlds deadliest places to be an aid worker.

While five other sisters survived the attack, two men were also killed.

Sisters Mary Daniel Abud and Regina Roba from the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in the Archdiocese of Juba were buried at the St. Theresa Cathedral on Friday, UCA News reported.

Abud, head teacher at the Usratuna school in Juba, and Roba, a tutor and administrator at the Catholic Health Training Institute in South Sudans Wau Diocese, were among seven nuns who were attacked along a highway in South Sudan on Monday as they were returning home to Juba after attending the centenary celebrations at a parish in the eastern Diocese of Torit.

The gunmen, who have not been identified, followed the nuns to the bushes where they hid. They first shot Abud, who was lying down, and then shot Roba in the back as she ran away.

A male driver and another man were also killed. Another man, who was driving a motorcycle taxi, was also killed in an accident as he was fleeing the attack, according to Catholic News Agency.

Pope Francis sent his condolences.

Trusting that their sacrifice will advance the cause of peace, reconciliation and security in the region, His Holiness prays for their eternal rest and the comfort of those who grieve their loss, a telegram, signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said, according to CNA.

A believer in South Sudan was quoted by Mission News Network as saying that Islam was invading South Sudan. Theyre saying South Sudan is a strategic place and that [it] will be the gate to Africa [so that] Islam can go to all of Africa.

Islamic leaders are mobilizing money from different Islamic countries and theyre sending them to South Sudan, the source said.

When South Sudan became a nation 10 years ago, many believers fled persecution in majority-Muslim Sudan to find safety in the South. And until recently, South Sudan had seen improvements in its religious and political atmosphere.

After a visit to that country last February, the then chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Tony Perkins, had expressed optimism.

We are grateful to Prime Minister Hamdok and other members of the countrys bold transitional leadership who met with USCIRF to convey their explicit desire to bring a new era of openness and inclusivity to their country that suffered for 30 years under brutal and autocratic religious repression, he said, according to Crux.

At the same time, we understand that the countrys challenges are deeply-rooted, and we urge the leadership to move quickly to turn that optimism into tangible and meaningful reforms for all people across Sudan, such as acting to formally repeal Article 126 of the 1991 penal code, which outlaws apostasy, he added.

In a recent report, CARE International said that South Sudan, alongside Afghanistan, is one of the deadliest places to be an aid worker.

Ten years on from independence, South Sudan is facing its worst humanitarian crisis ever, Rosalind Crowther, CARE South Sudan Country director, said. At the same time, the safety and security of aid workers has seen a concerning deterioration. There was an alarming increase in aid workers attacked and killed, and aid supplies stolen in 2020, which has continued into 2021. A failure to ensure that humanitarians are protected will lead to unavoidable suspension or disruption of lifesaving operations in critically affected areas.
Pentagon confirms Americans have been beaten by Taliban fighters en route to Kabul airport

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Americans have been beaten by the Taliban while attempting to reach the U.S.-held airport in Kabul, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said during a Defense Department briefing held after U.S. citizens were told Saturday not to travel to the airport due to security threats.

We know of cases, a small number that we know of," Kirby said at the briefing. "We don't have perfect visibility, but we know of a small number of cases where some Americans and certainly, as [Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin] also said in that statement, Afghans  Afghans that we want to evacuate, it wasn't just Americans that he talked about  have been harassed and in some cases beaten. We don't believe it is a very large number. And a matter of fact, the numbers would indicate ... that ... by and large, most Americans who have their credentials with them are being allowed through the Taliban checkpoints and ... into the gate and onto the airfield.

"We are aware of sporadic cases where they aren't being allowed, where there is some harassment going on, and yes, some physical violence has occurred" within the last week.

"What appears to be happening is that not every Taliban fighter either got the word or decided to obey the word [to allow Americans to get to the airport]," he added.

U.S. Army Major General Hank Taylor also provided updated numbers on evacuations, saying that among the 17,000 evacuated this week, 2,500 were Americans.

On Friday, minutes after President Joe Biden said the U.S. wasnt aware Americans were being harassed or assaulted by the Taliban at checkpoints in Afghanistan, the defense secretary and a spokesman for the Department of Defense said U.S. citizens trying to leave that country had been beaten by militants.

The president said the U.S. government "doesn't have the exact number" of Americans who are in Afghanistan or where they're located and is working to "verify" their whereabouts.

During a briefing call with House members Friday, Austin said the reports of Taliban beating Americans on their way to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistans capital city of Kabul was unacceptable, Politico reported, based on several people who participated in the briefing and other top officials.

Were also aware that some people, including Americans, have been harassed and even beaten by the Taliban, Austin was quoted as saying by multiple sources.

This is unacceptable and (we) made it clear to the designated Taliban leader, Austin added.  With the exception of those cases, we continue to see Americans and appropriately credentialed Afghans continue to move through.

During the briefing call, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., called the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan an enormous mistake, Politico reported.

Kirby had also acknowledged the harassment of Americans in Afghanistan on Friday.

Were certainly mindful of these reports and theyre deeply troubling, and we have communicated to the Taliban that thats absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans, Kirby was quoted as saying by The Epoch Times.

Earlier on Friday, Biden said during a press conference, we have no indication that Americans seeking to flee the country have been unable to safely reach the airport in Kabul.

Weve made an agreement with the Taliban, the president continued, answering a question. Theyve allowed them to go through. Its in their interests to let them go through. We know of no circumstance where American citizens are carrying an American passport, are trying to get through to the airport. But we will do whatever needs to be done to see to it that they get to the airport.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul had sent out a security alert published online, noting that the U.S. cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport."

Following the drawing down of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly seized control of much of the country, eventually taking the capital Kabul and forcing the government to flee.

In response to the unexpected speed at which they retook the nation, tens of thousands of Americans, Afghan allies, and others have desperately tried to leave the country.

The Rev. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritans Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, has called for a day of prayer for the people of Afghanistan on Sunday.

There is no hope for these people to get out safely  apart from a miracle from the hand of God  and thats what we need to pray for, Graham said in a statement.

A return to Taliban rule for Afghanistan has led many to express concern over the treatment of women, as well as religious minorities, such as the small Christianity community.

On the website of the missionary group Frontier Alliance International, an anonymous pastor posted a statement saying the Taliban was already cracking down on Christians.

The Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting to pursue and kill. The U.S. Embassy is defunct and there is no longer a safe place for believers to take refuge, said Pastor X.

All borders to neighboring countries are closed and all flights to and from have been halted, with the exception of private planes. People are fleeing into the mountains looking for asylum. They are fully reliant on God, who is the only One who can and will protect them.

Melissa Barnhart contributed to this report
Biden says Taliban not a threat; Americans not blocked from getting to airport, despite reports

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President Joe Biden said the Taliban is not a major threat to the United States and is allowing American citizens to get to the airport unimpeded for evacuations from Afghanistan, despite reports to the contrary.

At a press conference Friday, the president talked about the evacuation of Americans and Afghans amid the quick takeover by the Taliban.

Biden began by touting the significant progress made in getting people evacuated, stating that around 5,700 people, including 169 Americans "who got over the wall using military assets," were flown out of the country on Thursday.

As many as 10,000 to 15,000 Americans have yet to be evacuated from Afghanistan.

The president said the U.S. government "doesn't have the exact number" of Americans who are in Afghanistan or where they're located and is working to "verify" their whereabouts.

On Friday, the Kabul airport was shut down for more than eight hours amid concerns that the U.S. evacuation base in Qatar was quickly becoming overcrowded with Afghan refugees.

Weve secured the airport, enabling flights to resume, said Biden. Now we have almost 6,000 troops on the ground, including the 82nd Airborne, providing runway security.

This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history. And the only country in the world capable of protecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America.

Biden said around 18,000 people had been evacuated from Afghanistan since July and 13,000 since their airlift began on Aug. 14., when the Taliban seized control of key areas in Afghanistan before taking control of Kabul on Sunday.

Biden took five questions from reporters, one of whom asked the president whether he will commit troops to Kabul to rescue Americans who have been unable to get to the airport to leave the country.

He responded by saying, we have no indication that Americans seeking to flee the country have been unable to safely reach the airport in Kabul.

Weve made an agreement with the Taliban, answered the president. Theyve allowed them to go through. Its in their interests to let them go through. We know of no circumstance where American citizens are carrying an American passport, are trying to get through to the airport. But we will do whatever needs to be done to see to it that they get to the airport.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul sent out a security alert published online, noting that the U.S. cannot ensure safe passage to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

In response to a separate question about rescuing Americans stuck behind Taliban checkpoints, Biden said they are considering ways to evacuate those citizens, but added the U.S. wouldn't be expanding the securing perimeter outside the airport.

For his part, Biden said that the U.S. and allies will still stay vigilant regarding Afghanistan, both regarding potential terrorist threats and human rights abuses.

According to Biden, this would include bringing international pressure on the Taliban with respect to the treatment of Afghan people overall, but including Afghan women and girls.

When asked whether the aftermath of the withdrawal had damaged America's reputation, Biden replied: "Ive seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world. In fact, I've seen the exact opposite."

The question came after a former Obama administration official criticized those advising the president, even calling for their firing.

President Biden needs to fire his national security adviser and several other senior leaders who oversaw the botched execution of our withdrawal from Afghanistan, Brett Bruen, who served as the director of global engagement in the Obama White House, wrote in a USA Today op-ed on Monday. He has to restructure how and with whom he is making foreign policy decisions, allowing for more input from career experts.

In an interview with Fox News Thursday, Bruen added: What were seen at the NSC (National Security Council) is a lot of political appointees, but not the folks who have the relevant experience.

After a Cobra emergency committee Friday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the fallout from the U.S. withdrawal has left Afghanistan in a precarious" situation.

So when the U.S. decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have then clearly we are going to have to manage the consequences, Johnson said, according to The Telegraph.

The president was also asked about a leaked classified cable sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken in July signed by 23 U.S. Embassy staffers in Kabul, raising concerns about a collapse of Afghan security forces and a Taliban takeover.

Biden said: "We got all kinds of cables, all kinds of advice. ... I took the consensus opinion ... that, in fact, it would not occur, and if occurred until later in the year."

Following the drawing down of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the Taliban quickly seized control of much of the country, eventually taking the capital Kabul and forcing the government to flee.

In response to the unexpected speed at which they retook the nation, large numbers of Americans, Afghan allies, and others have desperately tried to leave the country.

A return to Taliban rule for Afghanistan has led many to express concern over the treatment of women, as well as religious minorities, such as the small Christianity community.

On the website of the missionary group Frontier Alliance International, an anonymous pastor posted a statement saying the Taliban was already cracking down on Christians.

The Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting to pursue and kill. The U.S. Embassy is defunct and there is no longer a safe place for believers to take refuge, stated the figure, known only as Pastor X.

All borders to neighboring countries are closed and all flights to and from have been halted, with the exception of private planes. People are fleeing into the mountains looking for asylum. They are fully reliant on God, who is the only One who can and will protect them.
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The scenes coming out of Afghanistan are horrific. People are so desperate to flee that they would cling to the exteriors of airplanes as they are taking off, with some tragically falling to their deaths. A young woman in tears dreading the Taliban rule says, No one cares about us. Well die slowly in history.

Being confronted with such tragedies ought to drive us to our knees in prayer. Faced with the worst-case scenario, the people of Afghanistan need a miracle.

Here are several ways we can pray for Afghanistan.

1. Pray that God would protect Afghan Christians and give them wisdom as they decide what to do.

Even more than before, Afghan Christians are about to be under immense pressure. Joshua Youssef, president of Help the Persecuted, outlined three main possible outcomes. First, some Afghan Christians may succumb to the pressure and return to the Muslim background many of them converted from.

Second, Afghan Christians could be forced to pay some sort of penalty. Some people call it a tax, but its really a penalty to remain a Christian, a dhimmi, under Islamic rule, Youssef says. Third, it is possible that Afghan Christians will be hunted down and killed by Taliban fighters. Youssef says, thats the concern that a lot of people have  that there will be violence.

WORLD magazine reporter Mindy Belz stated that she was aware of at least one letter that an Afghan Christian received from the Taliban, stating, We know where you are, and we know what youre doing.

Such a troubling future for Afghan believers is difficult to fathom. Please pray that Christians would be strengthened in their faith to withstand persecution. Pray that God would meet their practical and physical needs. Pray that they would remain hidden from the Taliban.

2. Pray for the safety and preservation of women and girls in Afghanistan.

The Taliban is notorious for its oppression of women and girls. Fortunately, many young women in Afghanistan today grew up without the abuses of Taliban fighters and life under strict Sharia law. Yet, that time has come to an end. The Taliban has returned, and Afghan women and girls are rightfully scared.

It was not all that long ago that Malala Yousafzai, now a famous human rights advocate, survived an assassination attempt at the hands of the Taliban in Pakistan. In 2012, Taliban fighters tried to kill 15-year-old Malala for asserting her right to simply go to school. Malala wrote this week in a New York Times op-ed: Afghan girls and young women are once again where I have been  in despair over the thought that they might never be allowed to see a classroom or hold a book again.

Now, the Taliban is trying to claim that Afghan women will be happy to be living within our framework of Sharia. But years of repression and violence have proven the Taliban to be far from trustworthy. Under the Talibans previous control of Afghanistan, women and girls were prevented from being educated, leaving the house without a male guardian, and working outside the home (with a few exceptions).

Pray that women and girls in Afghanistan would be protected and kept safe. Pray that they would find hope for the future and be allowed opportunities to grow and thrive. Pray that this new regime would be more open than the last time the Taliban was in power.

3. Pray that the Taliban would cease their violence and repression and that evil plans would be thwarted.

Jesus instructed His followers to pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:43). Pray that the Taliban would turn from their evil ways and be restrained from committing acts of terror and instituting an oppressive regime. Pray that God would radically change their hearts the way He changed the heart of the Apostle Paul (Acts 26).

4. Pray that world leaders would have the courage and understanding to aid the victims of this humanitarian crisis and make a positive difference.

The decision to swiftly withdraw troops without a sufficient contingency plan has unleashed an immense humanitarian disaster. American leaders, and those of other Western countries, should be developing solutions to help.

Pray that world leaders can identify practical and meaningful ways to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people. Pray that the United States would find a way to swiftly facilitate visas for those who worked for the American military and may now face repercussions from the Taliban.

Thousands of U.S. citizens remain trapped in Afghanistan without a way to get out. Pray that American leaders would quickly find a solution to allow them to return home safely.

5. Pray for the future of Afghanistan.

As precious persons made in the image of God, the people of Afghanistan deserve so much better than the cultural and political turmoil they are experiencing. Many are already mourning the loss of their dreams.

Pray that the people of Afghanistan would continue to have hope for the future. Pray that a better future would quickly be realized for them. Pray that they would one day have a strong, stable, and free representative government.

Watching events unfold in Afghanistan is deeply saddening. Yet, we are not without hope, and neither are the people of Afghanistan.

Originally published at the Family Research Council.
AFGHANISTAN: A name that will live in infamy

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Note: The Second Part of the Series on How the Christian Should Respond to Americas Identity Crisis: What About Separation of Church and State will appear next Friday.

Literally, where do I begin in seeking to address the unprecedented events of the last fortnight in Afghanistan?

This is a conglomeration of tragedies. It is a scandal, a debacle, a defeat, a humiliation, a massacre, a nightmare, a route, a death knell, and many other sobering nouns can be employed.

The great American bugout from Afghanistan  a betrayal revealing a level of incompetence from our American military, security and political establishment is both breathtaking and incomprehensible. This collection of buffoons and pretenders has just presided over a national humiliation that will reverberate around the globe with truly legally dangerous consequences extending for the entire life span of virtually all currently living Americans.

This fully preventable foreign policy debacle is a humanitarian and security disaster which has generated potentially horrendous conflicts across the globe that will now be very difficult to contain or prevent.

1. Domestic Humanitarian Tragedy. As we have witnessed the ignominious collapse of the 20-year American presence in Afghanistan, our hearts and minds turn inevitably to the loved ones of the 2,448 brave men and women who gave the last full measure of devotion as servicemen and women in Afghanistan.

To all those American families and the loved ones of those wounded and maimed in Afghanistan as well, we all need to say, our hearts go out to you, and we truly appreciate your sacrifice and devotion. You did not sacrifice in vain. Your dedication and bravery helped to defend the homeland and keep us free from attack for 20 years. Your dedication also gave the Afghan people a two-decade experience of freedom (the median age of the Afghan population is 18) they had never previously experienced. You are our defenders and heroes, and I hope and pray that you know you have the gratitude of a grateful nation. Your political and military leaders failed you, our country, and the Afghans. You did not fail!

President Biden and his foreign policy team have given us a new definition and a blood-curdling illustration of dereliction of duty. They are truly the gang that couldnt shoot straight.

2. Afghan Humanitarian Tragedy. We have all seen the heartbreaking scenes flashing across our TVs and popping up on our smartphones. I was personally reduced to tears, as a parent, by two scenes I witnessed in the last two days. The first involved women lifting their babies and young children over the concertina wire-topped fences at the Kabul airport to anyone willing to take their children and deliver them from the Taliban and the hell on earth they would impose upon them.

The second was a picture of a dozen or so first-and-second-grade eager Afghan children arriving for school with their backpacks and western-style clothing, ready and eager to learn. They were told their school was closed and the teachers said goodbye to all the female students because they knew they would never be allowed to come back to the school.

The future these innocent young children face under Taliban rule is a tragedy beyond description.

For those who might take such descriptions as Islamaphobia, let me remind everyone that at least 90% of the victims of Islamist terror to date have been fellow Muslims who refuse to acquiesce to the radical Islamists extreme death cult heresy interpretation of Islam as the one true faith. Wahhabisms claim to be the one true Islamic faith (the Taliban being one infamous expression of it) would be analogous to a radical white militant group financed by an eccentric Texas millionaire claiming to be the only legitimate expression of Christianity and if you disagree with them, they will kill you.

The Taliban are murderous Islamist fanatics who will reimpose their barbarous, medieval religious worldview on 37.4 million Afghans, at least 60% of whom are under 20 years of age.

As the Taliban has assumed control of Afghanistan, the sale of burkas has doubled, lest women be assaulted, beaten or shot for appearing in public without this all-encompassing female garment. Women have had their fingers chopped off for wearing nail polish. Afghans are being forced to turn over their 15-year-old girls for wives for Taliban soldiers. The fate of women and girls in the Talibans Afghanistan will be atrocious and gruesome. Where has the outrage been from the militant feminist groups in the United States? Their silence has been deafening.

The government of the United States of America, the home of the brave and the land of the free, has abandoned all these children, young people, and women to these psychopathic murderers. Remember, Joe Biden, architect of our drawdown in Iraq as Vice President, left Christians and other religious minorities to a gruesome fate after the complete American withdrawal. By the way, that policy is the cause of the rapid rise of ISIS.

For those unhinged and biased commentators like Joy Reid who are attempting to compare the Taliban to pro-life Catholic and Evangelical activists, the answer is No, we dont want to segregate women, and we do not want to control womens bodies. We do want to keep mothers from exterminating the human beings they have conceived when they voluntarily engage in activities which they must know may eventuate in the conception of another human being, their child.

3. Diplomatic and Strategic Debacle. The decision by President Biden to unilaterally withdraw in the manner he authorized has ruined our ongoing relationship with all our allies. The fact that Joe Biden did not inform any of our NATO partners in Afghanistan of our withdrawal is unconscionable (they had 8000 troops still there compared to our 2000.) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to reach President Biden beginning on Monday morning and was not able to connect with him until around 10 p.m. Tuesday night.

The leading candidate to be Germanys next Chancellor declared that this was the greatest debacle since NATOs founding. MPs in the British Parliament asked, How can we ever trust the Americans again? That the British, our strongest ally for the last 100 years, are asking this question illustrates just how much damage the clueless President Biden has caused.

The Germans, the French, the Ukrainians, the Japanese, the Taiwanese, and the Israelis are all asking that same question.

Furthermore, the next time we attempt to convince foreign nationals to support our efforts in their country, why should they do so? Their response will be, No! We remember how you abandoned the Afghans. You are not going to make suckers of us like you did them.

The big winners in this debacle are the Russians, the Chinese, and the Iranians. The Chinese are already telling the Taiwanese, You dont think the Americans are going to keep their commitment to defend you? You might as well surrender. Frankly, if we are able to keep Taiwan and its 24 million people free without an actual war with China, providence will have indeed smiled upon us. If China is allowed to take Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia will abandon their relationships with a fickle Uncle Sam and will cut the best deal they can with China. Americas influence in the Pacific will be cut all the way back to Hawaii.

Biden has guaranteed that the 20th observance of Sept.11 will be a celebratory anniversary for the Taliban and the Islamists around the world, not for the U.S.

Biden, with his catastrophically wrong withdrawal plan, has undone the entire post-World War II treaty arrangements defending freedom around the world.

China and Russia have been saying America is in decline and is no longer a great power, and Mr. Biden has just given them the greatest evidence for that argument that could be imagined.

If Biden wanted to leave Afghanistan, they should have withdrawn the troops last. The idea that our Afghan allies did not know we were leaving Bagram Air Base until they woke up and we were gone is indefensible. We should have taken the civilians out first. Then we should have taken the military equipment out next. If that proved impossible, we should have destroyed it rather than leaving it for the Taliban to capture and turn against us. Then the military personnel should have come out last.

I know this and Ive never had any military training. How come Bidens incompetent boobs didnt know that?

The final straw was the interview President Biden did with George Stephanopoulos where the President acknowledged he could not conceive of an exit from Afghanistan that did not involve chaos and he agreed with Stephanopoulos depiction that the utter chaos was priced into the decision.

In other words, President Biden acknowledges that he knew this was coming and it did not cause him to reconsider his course of action? Incredible!

In the end, why should we be surprised by President Bidens actions? His legendary incompetency in foreign policy was referenced by Robert Gates, President Bushs (2006-2009) and President Obamas (2009-2011) Secretary of Defense. In his memoirs, Gates noted that Joe Biden had been wrong about virtually every important foreign policy decision for the last 50 years. Remember, then Vice President Biden was virtually the only senior administration official to argue against taking out Osama bin Laden!

President Biden was incompetent on foreign policy when he was fully in control of his faculties, which he clearly is not now! This is not ageism. Senator Bernie Sanders, who will be 80 on Sept. 8, is clearly sharp as a tack  wrong on most issues, but clearly cogent. President Biden, who will be 79 on Nov. 20, is clearly in cognitive decline.

In the Stephanopoulos interview, President Biden was asked if his intelligence people told him that this chaos would ensue if we did not leave a token force in place. The President replied, No one told me that, that I can recall. Unless the intelligence community is lying, President Biden was told and just didnt remember. I hate to say this, but we have now descended into 25th Amendment territory (unless the President was lying).

One last word needs to be said. The U.S. State Department sent out an email to the thousands of Americans stranded behind Taliban lines, and the email said was that American citizens should make their own way to Hamid Karzai Airport to be evacuated. Then in all block letters: THE US GOVERNMENT CANNOT ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE TO HAMID KARZAI AIRPORT. Really?

That sentence enrages me as an American, and it should enrage every American. President Biden has failed his oath of office to protect America and protect American citizens.

The late great Charles Krauthammer observed, National decline is a choice. It may be President Bidens choice, but it is not mine. Is it yours?
No time for passivity

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It is 11:45 p.m. Tuesday night as I sit here in front of my computer, having just responded to some emails and after finishing some editorial work on an academic project. But Im a late-night person, and theres still plenty of time to work. So, as I often do, I take a moment to pray, asking the Lord, Is there anything You want me to write? Immediately I hear the words (in my thoughts, not audibly), No time for passivity.

Now, to be perfectly clear, I am not claiming special inspiration for this article. Im simply saying that, as often happens when I pray about what to write, a thought comes strongly to mind.

If you find the theme of this article relevant or helpful, great.

The simple truth is that we are in a war. An ideological war. A spiritual war. A moral and cultural war. A war that, in many ways, is even more real than a physical war.

The soul of our nation is at stake. The future of our children and grandchildren is on the line. The fate of tens of millions of people hangs in the balance. This is certainly no time for passivity!

Instead, it is a time for action, for resolve, for courage, for tenacity, for faith, for determination.

It is time for the weak to become strong and for the strong to become stronger.

It is time for the weary to be renewed and for the warriors to be reinvigorated.

It is time to stop making excuses and to stop feeling sorry for ourselves.

It is a time for encouraging rather than complaining and for strategizing rather than blaming.

Yes, were tired. Yes, things are messed up. Yes, life seems out of control. Yes, the odds against us at times seem overwhelming.

But that is what this world says. That is what our circumstances proclaim. That is the perspective of this earth.

What does Gods Word say? What do His promises proclaim? What is the perspective from Heaven?

Remember that, during times of great crisis when Gods purposes came under great attack, the Bible says this: He who sits in the heavens laughs! He holds His enemies in derision! (Psalm 2).

When Hezekiah and the people of Judah were about to be destroyed by the mighty and brutal Assyrians, the prophet Isaiah sent the king a simple message: The king of Assyria is not fighting against you but against Me! You will shake your head at him and his armies as they flee (Isaiah 37-38).

It is the same with us now. We may feel outnumbered. (For a reality check, just imagine what it feels like to be a Christian in Afghanistan or North Korea, just saying.) We may feel like throwing in the towel (or, at the least, taking a break from the front lines). We may even feel paralyzed by so many battles on so many fronts, starting with the battle for our own lives, for our families and friends, for our churches and cities, for our nation and for the world.

Where do we even start? And what about our own personal failures over the years? What about all the prayers we prayed that were never answered? What about all our shattered expectations? Why get our hopes up again?

But what else can we do? Put another way, how can we not get our hopes up again? How can we not stand and fight for what is right? How can we sit idly by while a generation is destroyed? How can we afford to lose any more ground?

Does not the Spirit of God living inside us call us to action? Does not His Word remind us that if He is for us, no one can be against us? And didnt Jesus assure that He will be with us always, even to the end of the age? And didnt He guarantee us times of tribulation and testing  they are as much a part of this world as sunrise and sunset  but with it all, victory in Him?

This reminds me of the story of John and Betty Stam, graduates of Moody Bible Institute who sailed for China as missionaries during a difficult time for foreign religious workers. (They were married in China, Betty preceding John to the mission field by one year.) They knew the risks involved, as the China Inland Mission was specifically recruiting laborers to work in dangerous, Communist-infested areas.

But both of them had been inspired by a poem written after Southern Presbyterian missionary Jack Vinson was martyred in 1931. Vinson had showed no fear of death to his Chinese captors, telling them, Kill me, if you wish. I will go straight to God.

The calmness he showed inspired his colleague E. H. Hamilton to write this poem.

Afraid? Of What?

To feel the spirits glad release?

To pass from pain to perfect peace

The strife and strain of life to cease?

Afraid  of that?

Afraid? Of What?

Afraid to see the Saviours face,

To hear His welcome, and to trace

The glory gleam from wounds of grace

Afraid  of that?

Afraid? Of What?

A flash, a crash, a pierced heart;

Darkness, light, O Heavens art!

A wound of His a counterpart!

Afraid  of that?

Afraid? Of What?

To do by death what life could not 

Baptize with blood a stony plot,

Till souls shall blossom from the spot?

Afraid  of that?

With courage and faith, John had challenged the graduating class at Moody in 1932: Shall we beat a retreat, and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus; or dare we advance at Gods command in face of the impossible? Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and no hardship or self-denial involved. On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ.

The day of reckoning came for John and Betty Stam in 1934, just one year after their marriage in China. They were captured by Communists (their little baby, Priscilla, was miraculously spared), then painfully bound, stripped down to their underwear and kept under guard for the night. The next morning, they were paraded down the street while being mocked and ridiculed, after which they were beheaded  baptizing with blood a stony plot, till souls have blossomed from that spot. They were not afraid of that!

As word got out about their martyrdom, the impact was dramatic, both in terms of new missionary volunteers, new student prayer meetings and large monetary donations to the work in China. A missionary with the China Inland Mission wrote to Bettys parents: A life which had the longest span of years might not have been able to accomplish one-hundredth of the work for Christ which they have done in a day.

As Jesus taught, Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds (John 12:24). One short act of obedience to death gave many others eternal life, and what Satan meant for evil, God turned for good.

So, say goodbye to passivity and inaction, and quit making excuses. The battle is the Lords (and, once again, I am talking about a spiritual, moral and ideological battle, not a battle fought with guns and bombs). And we belong to Him.

In the words of the Letter to the Hebrews, So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong (Hebrews 12:12-13).

Its time for holy action.

(The paragraphs about John and Betty Stam were adapted from my book Revolution: An Urgent Call for a Holy Uprising.)
'Our secret weapon is prayer': Nonprofit working to bring Afghan Christian family to safety

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As the Taliban continues to gain control of Afghanistan a former Marine, who's now the leader of a nonprofit agency helping victims of trauma, says he's working to bring an Afghan family of eight who converted to Christianity to safety in the U.S.

Victor Marx, who was stationed at Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms in southern California during the 1980s, is the CEO of All Things Possible, a Christian nonprofit organization that works to identify, interrupt & restore those affected by trauma.

Marxs ministry specifically addresses the plights of those affected by [the Islamic State], troubled juvenile offenders, and  military personnel from all branches including the special operations community. Having found All Things Possible after the rise of ISIS in 2014, Marx told CP that he's been to Iraq and Syria more than a dozen times.

With the Taliban on the march in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, many Christians and other religious minorities living in the country find themselves in danger. Marx is working to secure the funds necessary to rescue a Christian family that he says the Taliban is chasing.

While the familys Christianity has made them a target of the Taliban, Marx also attributed the danger they face to the fact that they belong to an ethnic tribe that is loathed by the Taliban.

The father in the family worked with the U.S. government, another factor that contributes to the Talibans desire to kill them, Marx said.

The former Marine predicted that if the Taliban capture the family, theyll kill the wife and children in front of the husband to make him suffer before they kill him.

Marx first became aware of the situation when an Afghan-born woman whose American husband worked with him in the past left him a frantic voicemail that he shared on his Instagram account.

I really need help. I just talked to my sister and her family, they are in danger. They are trying to run out of the city and  they are being chased by the Taliban, she said.

They were screaming, pleading, asking for help, the woman added. She was saying please have mercy on us, please send help. She pleaded with Marx to help her family and from there, the evangelist announced on his Instagram page that the rescue of a family in Afghanistan has begun.

Marx first informed his followers on social media Tuesday about his intention to rescue the family, explaining that we have close ties because of their relative who has worked with us.

They are definitely persecuted," he stressed. "They are being hunted by the Taliban.

He gave a status update about his efforts to rescue the family earlier this week. In an Instagram post, he said he'd been up most [of] the night texting and communicating with this family.

Noting that theyve been trying to get out [for] months through proper channels with the embassy, Marx said his organization is their only hope to get out before they are found and murdered.

Our secret weapon is prayer. We have thousands of people praying," Marx told The Christian Post. "And of course, people supporting the funding aspect of it.

Marx said he's also informed the U.S. State Department as well as Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., who represents Colorado Springs, where All Things Possible is based.

He told CP that his church, Calvary Worship Center, has also been supportive of his efforts.

They believe that faith without works is dead, so they are absolutely supportive of what were doing and they have been for years," he said.

Marx emphasized that the ultimate goal of his rescue operation is to bring the family to the U.S.

All Things Possible is prepared to sponsor them to the U.S. and help them transition with actually a family member in the U.S.," he said.

The chaos that has ensued following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan has made Marxs effort to bring the family to safety more difficult.

We have people on the ground giving us real-time intelligence, he said. Describing the situation in Afghanistan as absolutely horrific, he lamented that there are American citizens that are in Kabul that are stuck. Although he is dedicating particular attention to rescuing the family of eight, Marx has also received calls for help from American families stranded in the war-torn country.

Were getting many messages from Americans that are stuck saying, can somebody rescue us, he said.

Marx slammed what he described as the poor leadership of the Biden administration: Its an absolute travesty largely created, honestly not by the Taliban [but] by the U.S. government, by the Biden administration.

Although the Biden administration has faced heat for its handling of Afghanistan pullout, the Trump administration first made plans to leave Afghanistan and faced pressure for its delay in resolving Special Immigrant Visa applications for thousands of Afghans and Iraqis who aided Americans.

Marx contended that the U.S. military should have worked to systematically, safely [and] methodically evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghans that worked with the U.S. government. He shared his belief that there are tons of American citizens waiting to evacuate Afghanistan who've become dehydrated and sick.

Marx also issued a plea to the American people.

Americans, regardless of what political affiliation, religious or not, need to demand [that] the administration provide real humanitarian relief and bring every American home and those [Afghans] that worked with us to protect us.

In a short video, Marx detailed how his own conversion experience motivated him to help others seek redemption. Marx, who served in the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986, suffered from abuse as a young child, including electrocution and molestation. As he got older, Marx began to drink and use drugs because he was hurting a lot.

I thank God that He kept me alive, to be able to not only tell my story in a way thats redemptive but give other people hope, including children both here in the U.S. and around the world, he proclaimed.

Although Marx always believed in God, he recalled that he initially viewed Him as a very distant task-master.
Teachers ask court to halt Va. school district policy forcing them to use trans pronouns

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A pair of teachers are seeking to take a Virginia school district to court over a newly passed policy requiring, among other things, that staff uses the preferred names and pronouns of trans-identified students.

Loudoun County High School history teacher Monica Gill and Smarts Mill Middle School English teacher Kim Wright filed an amended complaint to block the new policy passed last week by the Loudoun County School Board.

By a vote of 7-2, the board passed Policy 8040: Rights of Transgender and Gender-Expansive Students last week despite considerable opposition to the proposal from some teachers and parents.

Gill and Wright propose to be added to a pre-existing legal challenge over the school district's treatment of Leesburg Elementary School teacher Bryon Tanner Cross, who was placed on leave after voicing his displeasure with the policy proposal during a school board meeting.

Filed Monday, the amended complaint argues that Cross, Gill and Wright oppose the new policy because they believe it communicates that gender identity, rather than biological reality, fundamentally shapes and defines who we truly are as humans, that our sex can change, and that a woman who identifies as a man really is a man.

The complaint further alleges that if the teachers were to comply with the policy, "they would be forced to communicate a message they believe is false."

"[I]f they refer to students based on their biological sex, they communicate the views they actually believe  that our sex shapes who we are as humans, that this sex is fixed in each person, and that it cannot be changed, regardless of our feelings or desires," the amended complaint states.

The legal filing adds that the school district has "refused to find middle ground" and "made this case about far more than titles or pronouns."

"[T]hey have taken a side in a national debate over competing views of human nature and compelled conformity to, and support for, only one view," the complaint charges. "Under the timeless free speech principles enshrined in the Virginia Constitution and laws, Defendants cannot compel one side to voice the others beliefs."

Tyson Langhofer of the Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal nonprofit representing the teachers, said in a statement on Tuesday that he believes the teachers shouldnt be forced to promote ideologies that are harmful to their students and that they believe are false.

Loudoun County Public Schools is now requiring all teachers and students to deny truths about what it means to be male and female and is compelling them to call students by their chosen pronouns or face punishment, stated Langhofer.

Public employees cannot be forced to contradict their core beliefs just to keep a job. Freedom  of speech and religious exercise  includes the freedom not to speak messages against our core beliefs.

Policy 8040 requires that school faculty and staff use the chosen name and pronouns of a student who identifies as gender-expansive or transgender.

School staff shall, at the request of a student or parent/legal guardian, when using a name or pronoun to address the student, use the name and pronoun that correspond to their consistently asserted gender identity, the policy reads.

The use of gender-neutral pronouns is appropriate. Inadvertent slips in the use of names or pronouns may occur; however, staff or students who intentionally and persistently refuse to respect a students gender identity by using the wrong name and gender pronoun are in violation of this policy.

The policy allows students to use the restroom or locker room that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity, advising school administrators to consider adding gender-inclusive or single-user restrooms for more privacy.

According to a frequently-asked-questions document, LCPS recommended that schools make efforts to eliminate gender-based practices to the extent possible, claiming that these practices can have the effect of marginalizing, stigmatizing, and excluding students, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression.

Examples of practices that may be based on gender, and which should be eliminated, include grouping students for class activities, gender-based homecoming or prom courts, limitations on who can attend as couples at school dances, and gender-based events such as father-daughter dances, reads the FAQ document.

The policy garnered national headlines when LCPS suspended Cross after he spoke out in his personal capacity against the policy at a school board meeting in May.

My name is Tanner Cross, and I am speaking out of love for those who suffer with gender dysphoria, stated Cross at the time. I love all of my students, but I will never lie to them regardless of the consequences.

Cross sued the school district in response to the suspension, with a judge granting the Christian teacher a temporary injunction for his reinstatement in June while the lawsuit proceeds. LCPS is appealing the judge's decision.

LCPS respectfully disagrees with the Circuit Courts decision to issue the injunction, and it is appealing this ruling to the Supreme Court of Virginia, stated LCPS back in June.

Many students and parents at Leesburg Elementary have expressed fear, hurt and disappointment about coming to school. Addressing those concerns is paramount to the school divisions goal to provide a safe, welcoming and affirming learning environment for all students."
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Philip Yancey authored an award-winning book in 1995 with the intriguing title, The Jesus I Never Knew. It became widely known "for its personal approach to the figure of Jesus." Yancey said, "No one who meets Jesus ever stays the same."

Sadly, multitudes of people go through life missing out on the Christianity they never knew. It is impossible to fully comprehend such an enormous loss, especially when compared to the deep peace and joy of knowing Christ as your Savior.

After all, believers freely receive the forgiveness of sins, and the assurance of everlasting life in Heaven (1 John 5:13). Christianity fills your heart, soul and mind with God's love through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

Jesus described the breathtaking scene of His return to the Earth one day. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left" (Matthew 25:31-33).

No pronouncement could be more horrifying than what Jesus will say to those on His left:

"Depart from me. I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23).

The Christianity you never knew will be interwoven with the Jesus who never knew you. Why didn't He know you, and why didn't you know Him? Because you rejected His grace and forgiveness, and you declined His kind invitation to come to Him for an abundant life (John 10:10).

If you persist in your unbelief, my friend, you are at risk of losing everything. No relationship with Christ. No forgiveness of sins. No experience of God's amazing grace. No friendship with the King of kings, who would have gladly been the best friend you could have ever known. No love of God being poured into your heart. No fellowship with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). No "eternal pleasures" in Heaven (Psalm 16:11), but only unrelenting "torment" and "agony" in Hell (Luke 16:19-31).

When Christ returns, unbelievers will no longer be distracted by the shortcomings of others. Instead, they will become instantly aware of their own sin, guilt and shame, and why their looming punishment is completely deserved. They will be overwhelmed by hopelessness, and this despair will never end. Perhaps worst of all, they will realize that it didn't have to turn out this way for them.

God threw them a lifeline by sending His only Son to die on the cross for sinners, but they refused to grab ahold and be forgiven. It will be too late to take the hand of the Savior, who would have rescued them from eternal darkness (Matthew 8:12), eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46), and unending suffering (Mark 9:48-49).

I wrote an op-ed for CP in 2014 that I hope you will take time to read. It's titled, "Would You Forsake Unbelief to Avoid Hell?" And another piece from 2013 could also help facilitate your spiritual breakthrough: "Rejecting Jesus for All the Wrong Reasons."

If you are oblivious to the Christianity you have never known, here is something I hope you will be willing to sincerely say to your Creator:

"God, if you are real, I would like to know it. Please reveal yourself to me. Give me a sign that you are there. I have been wrong about plenty of things in the past, but I definitely don't want to be wrong about you, or about Heaven and Hell. Please show me if you are real, and if Christ died for my sins on the cross, and rose from the grave on the third day. I want to know the truth. And if you Jesus are indeed the way, the truth, and the life, as you claim to be, then I am humbly asking your Holy Spirit to convict me of my sin, and grant me faith in Jesus."

Those words, when spoken from your heart, can be a big step toward you coming to faith in Christ. I wrote another piece for CP along this same line 10 years ago: "Five Prayers Open-Minded Skeptics Can Pray."

What will be written in the remaining chapters of your life story? Will you be the sole author of a story that has a terrible ending? You can still be the co-author with God of your personal story. Do you want to experience a joy-filled future in a place of eternal perfection? (1 Cor. 2:10). There are only two destinations in eternity, and both of them are extreme. Which road are you on today? (Matthew 7:13,14).

God wants you to be saved, redeemed, justified, born again and forgiven (1 John 2;2; 2 Peter 3:9). God wants you to spend eternity in Heaven (1 Timothy 2:4). Are you willing to take God's hand that is being extended to you at this very moment? Will you say, "Yes Jesus. I need you. Forgive my sins, and save my soul" (John 3:16). If you will accept Christ as your Savior, a whole new world will instantly open up to you.

And be sure to check out my recent piece in CP, "How to Know Christianity is True." That is, if you are serious about wanting to know the truth.

On Judgment Day, will you be among the sheep or among the goats? Will you be on Christ's right or on His left? Will the King welcome you into Heaven or tell you to depart from Him? It is not too late for you to be rescued from eternal suffering and delivered into God's loving arms of "grace, mercy and peace" (2 John 1:3).

You have a small window in time to trust Jesus and receive Him as your Savior (John 1:12). You could begin your journey with Christ right now, but your window of opportunity is getting a little smaller every day. No such windows exist for the lost souls in Hell (2 Thess. 1:9), including those unbelievers who died in the last few minutes while you were reading this article. Some of them laughed off the notion of Heaven and Hell when they were still here on Earth. There is no laughter, however, in Hell, and the eternal doom of those who reside there is dreadful.

You don't have to go that route. You can still avoid the prison where the lost souls of the departed exist today. Jesus took the punishment you and I deserve when He died for our sins on the cross (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). Satan blinds minds to the Gospel (2 Cor. 4:4), but the Lord opens blind eyes! (Acts 26:18). I addressed this issue last year in the piece, "7 Symptoms When Satan Blinds Your Mind."

Now is the time, my friend, to be set free in your heart and in your mind. Freedom in Christ today delivers from bondage in Hell forever. Do you want to be free today, tomorrow and forever? Will you join the long list of those who have become followers of Christ?

The thief on the cross said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:42,43).

You can say the same thing to Jesus right now. Will you humble yourself before God and call on the name of the Lord? "Everyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame" (Romans 10:11).

The moment you enter God's family through faith in Jesus, the Christianity you never knew will become the most precious thing you have ever known. You have God's Word on it!
FRANKFORT, Ky.  The Kentucky governors efforts to combat COVID-19 have suffered a landmark legal defeat.

The states high court on Saturday cleared the way for laws reining in his emergency powers to take effect. The state Supreme Court ordered a lower court to dissolve an injunction blocking the new Republican-backed laws limiting Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears emergency powers.

The ruling revolves around a dispute between Beshear and the GOP-led legislature over the scope of the governors executive authority in times of emergencies. It comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging in Kentucky.

The governor lifted most of his pandemic restrictions in June. But with COVID-19 cases spiking due to the delta variant, he signed a recent executive order imposing an indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools, child care and pre-kindergarten programs across Kentucky.

One of the contested laws limits the governors executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 AP-NORC poll: Biden sees dip in support amid new COVID-19 cases

 French virus health pass in full use but protests keep going on Saturdays

 Though young and healthy, more unvaccinated in U.S. die of COVID-19

 Central Park concert in NYC expected to draw thousands despite virus

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

LA CROSSE, Wis.  A high-ranking Roman Catholic cardinal is off a ventilator and moving out of intensive care, according to officials at a Wisconsin shrine founded.

Cardinal Raymond Burke was to return to a regular hospital room Saturday at an undisclosed location, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse said in a statement.

Burke, 73, one of the Catholic Churchs most outspoken conservatives and a vaccine skeptic, had been sedated and on a ventilator following his tweet Aug. 10 that he had contracted the coronavirus.

He spoke out against mandatory vaccinations in May 2020, and said some in society want to implant microchips in people.

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PARIS  Thousands of protesters are marching again in cities and towns across France against a COVID-19 health pass required to enter restaurants and cafes, cultural and sports venues.

For a sixth straight Saturday, opponents denounced what they see as a restriction of their freedom. Many have criticized the measure, claiming the French government was implicitly making vaccines obligatory.

In Paris, four demonstrations were organized by different groups. Elsewhere in the country, over 200 protests were taking place.

Despite the protests, polls have shown the majority of French people support the health pass. More than 40.5 million people in France, or 60%, are fully vaccinated.

Since last month, France is registering a high number of infections -- about 22,000 each day.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  U.S. Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama says he and his wife have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. The congressman disclosed the diagnosis in a post on social media. He says hell continue to work virtually as much as he can while recovering in quarantine.

The Republican congressman encouraged people to discuss vaccines and treatments with their medical providers. Alabama is seeing a surge in virus cases and hospitalizations that medical officials say is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant and low vaccination rates in the state.

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BERLIN  Austrias government says it may limit access to nightclubs to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 if infections rise in the fall.

Like many other European countries, Austria is seeing coronavirus infections increase as the delta variant takes hold, particularly among younger people who havent been fully vaccinated.

Currently, people need to have been vaccinated or have a recent negative PCR test to enter nightclubs.

A joint statement Saturday from the chancellery and the health ministry says a vaccinated-only approach may be necessary in the fall if infection rates continue to rise and the number of vaccinated young people remains relatively low. It pointed to a particular risk of so-called superspreader events as social life moves indoors after the summer.

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WASHINGTON -- President Joe Bidens job approval rating has ticked down and Americans are taking a less positive view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thats according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The survey shows Bidens overall job approval rating dipping from 59% last month to 54%. The publics assessment of his handling of the pandemic has fallen even further, down from 66% support in July to 54%.

That coincides with increased COVID-19 cases in the United States and stalled vaccination rates. Jeanette Ellis-Carter, 69, wants to see Biden push for more vaccine mandates across the nation. Despite being fully vaccinated, the Cincinnati resident recently contracted COVID-19 and worries that without vaccine requirements, more Americans will be at risk of getting sick.

When I was a child in school, we were mandated to get the polio shot, measles. Whats any different about this? she said.

Republican officials have led the opposition to the vaccine and mask measures the Biden administration has put in place this summer. Some Republican governors are opposing masks in schools.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  Health officials in Alabama say they are seeing a spike in cases among young adults and children as the highly contagious delta variant sweeps through unvaccinated populations.

Christina Tidmore urged people to get vaccinated after losing her husband to COVID-19. Her 36-year-old spouse was young and healthy but succumbed to the disease within three weeks. The couple didnt get vaccinated after hearing conflicting messages.

In the past month, people between ages 25 to 49 made up 14% of all COVID deaths in the state. Some 29% of deaths are ages 50 to 64.

There is no question that the average age of people who are being hospitalized is going down, State Health Officer Scott Harris said. The Alabama Hospital Association said this week 85% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

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EUGENE, Ore.  Oregon and Oregon State became the first Power Five schools to announce they will require proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test for people over age 12 to attend football games.

Oregon says the decision was made with public health authorities and peer institutions in the state. The mandate goes into effect Monday and comes at the end of a week when state officials warned of rapidly filling hospitals as daily reported cases reached record numbers.

The Oregon football team opens its season at 54,000-seat Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Sept. 4 against Fresno State. Oregon State begins its home schedule at Reser Stadium on Sept. 11 against Hawaii.

___

NEW YORK  The sounds of song will be ringing out from Central Park, with thousands expected for a superstar-laden concert meant to celebrate New York Citys recovery from the coronavirus.

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson, Carlos Santana, LL Cool J and Andrea Bocelli are among the performers at what is being billed as the Homecoming Concert.

Despite the joyful intention, the concert is taking place when there are worries over the contagious delta variant of COVID-19. According to state statistics, New York City has averaged just under 2,000 new cases of coronavirus a day over the past week. Those who attend the concert must show proof of vaccination.

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ORLANDO, Fla.  The mayor of Orlando is asking residents to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars for at least a week.

Mayor Buddy Dyer says water usage needed to be cut back because of the recent surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Orlando Utility Commission treats the citys water with liquid oxygen and supplies that ordinarily go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus.

The city-owned utility typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week, but its supplier recently says that could be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals.

Officials at one of the Orlando areas largest health care systems said this week they had 1,620 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, twice what it was during last winters peak high for AdventHealth.

___

SYDNEY  Authorities in Australia say more than 250 people have been arrested while protesting coronavirus lockdowns in the country. Many faced fines for defying health orders.

The protests took place Saturday in several cities nationwide, with the largest and most violent protest in Melbourne. At least seven police officers were treated for injuries after skirmishes broke out at some of the protests.

Sydney has been in lockdown for two months, while Melbourne and Australias capital, Canberra, went into lockdown earlier this month. Under the rules of the lockdown, people are mostly confined to their homes and have limits placed on their social interactions.

Protestors say the lockdowns should end, but authorities say they are necessary to suppress the spread of the virus and save lives.

Despite the restrictions, Sydneys New South Wales state reported a record 825 new daily community infections on Saturday. Several cities are battling outbreaks of the highly contagious delta variant.

___

BERLIN  New coronavirus infections in Germany have reached their highest level in nearly three months amid a steady rise powered by the delta variant.

The national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, says Saturday that 51.6 new cases per 100,000 residents were reported over the last seven days. Its the first time since May 25 that the infection rate has been above 50, but it has been increasing since hitting a low of 4.9 in early July.

The disease control center says 8,092 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours -- up from 5,644 a week earlier. More cases are getting detected as summer vacations end and children return to schools in some parts of Germany.

German authorities have been trying to reinvigorate the countrys vaccination drive, which has slowed considerably. Official figures showed that 63% of Germanys population had received at least one vaccine dose as of Thursday and 58% was fully vaccinated.

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HANOI, Vietnam  Vietnams government says it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

The move comes as Vietnam, which weathered much the pandemic with very few cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 3,500 of those infections.

Ho Chi Minh City has had strict coronavirus measures in place since June, including banning gatherings of more than two people in public and only allowing people to leave home for essential matters like buying food or going to work in certain permitted businesses. Under the new measures, people in high risk areas cannot leave home at all.

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HONOLULU  A hospital serving a Honolulu suburb has filled up as the community faces a surge of COVID-19 cases.

All 104 beds at The Queens Medical Center-West Oahu are full, said Jason Chang, the CEO of The Queens Health Systems.

The Ewa Beach hospital has sent some patients to its sibling facility in downtown Honolulu. Its also asked staff from other parts of the Queens system to come help.

The city has set up a triage tent outside the hospital that has 25 cots. The hospital may add beds in hallways and other makeshift areas but not all patients will get rooms.

Chang says the hospital had 63 patients in its emergency room at one time, which is a crisis given the hospital only has 24 ER beds. Twenty-six of those in the ER were there with possible COVID-19 infections.

___
The nation's roiling tensions over vaccination against covid-19 have spilled into an unexpected arena: lifesaving blood transfusions.

With nearly 60% of the eligible U.S. population fully vaccinated, most of the nation's blood supply is now coming from donors who have been inoculated, experts said. That has led some patients who are skeptical of the shots to demand transfusions from only the unvaccinated, an option blood centers insist is neither medically sound nor operationally feasible.

"We are definitely aware of patients who have refused blood products from vaccinated donors," said Julie Katz Karp, who directs the blood bank and transfusion medicine program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia.

Emily Osment, an American Red Cross spokesperson, said her organization has fielded questions from clients worried that vaccinated blood would be "tainted," capable of transmitting components from the coronavirus vaccines. Red Cross officials said they have had to reassure clients that a coronavirus vaccine, which is injected into muscle or the layer of skin below, doesn't circulate in the blood.

"While the antibodies that are produced by the stimulated immune system in response to vaccination are found throughout the bloodstream, the actual vaccine components are not," Jessa Merrill, the Red Cross director of biomedical communications, said in an email.

So far, such demands have been rare, industry officials said. Louis Katz, chief medical officer for ImpactLife, an Iowa-based blood center, said he has heard from "a small handful" of patients asking for blood from unvaccinated donors. And the resounding answer from centers and hospitals, he said, has been "no."

"I know of no one who has acceded to such a request, which would be an operational can of worms for a medically unjustifiable request," Katz wrote in an email.

In practical terms, blood centers have only limited access to donated blood that has not in some way been affected by covid-19. Based on samples, Katz estimated that as much as 60% to 70% of the blood being donated is coming from vaccinated donors. Overall, more than 90% of current donors have either been infected with covid or vaccinated against it, said Michael Busch, director of the Vitalant Research Institute, who is monitoring antibody levels in samples from the U.S. blood supply.

"Less than 10% of the blood we collect does not have antibodies," Busch noted.

In addition, outside of research studies, blood centers in the United States don't retain data noting whether donors have been infected with or vaccinated against covid-19, and there's no federal requirement that collected blood products be identified in that manner.

"The Food and Drug Administration has determined there's no safety risk, so there's no reason to label the units," said Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for AABB, a nonprofit group focused on transfusion medicine and cellular therapies.

Indeed, the FDA does not recommend routine screening of blood donors for covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Respiratory viruses, in general, aren't known to spread by blood transfusion and, worldwide, there have been no reported cases of the coronavirus being transmitted via blood. One study identified the risk as "negligible."

All donors are supposed to be healthy when they give blood and answer basic questions about potential risks. Collected units of blood are tested for transmissible infectious diseases before they are distributed to hospitals.

But that hasn't quelled concerns for some people skeptical of the vaccines.

In Bedford, Texas, the father of a boy scheduled for surgery recently asked that his son get blood exclusively from unvaccinated donors, said Geeta Paranjape, medical director at Carter BloodCare. Separately, a young mother fretted about transfusions from vaccinated donors to her newborn.

Many patients expressing concerns have been influenced by rampant misinformation about vaccines and the blood supply, Paranjape said. "A lot of people think there's some kind of microchip or they're going to be cloned," she said.

Other patients have balked at getting blood from people previously infected with covid-19, even though federal guidance greenlights donations two weeks after a positive test or the last symptom fades.

Some industry experts were hesitant to discuss the vaccine-free blood requests, for fear it would fuel more such demands. But Cohn and others said correcting widely spread misinformation outweighed the risk.

Patients are free to refuse transfusions for any reason, industry officials said. But in dire situations - such as trauma and emergency surgery - saving lives often requires using the available blood. For patients with chronic conditions requiring transfusion, alternative treatments such as medication or certain equipment may not be as efficient or effective.

People who require transfusions also may donate their own blood in advance or request donations from designated friends and family members. But there's no evidence that the blood is safer when patients select donors than that provided by the volunteer blood system, according to the Red Cross.

Earlier in the pandemic, many blood donations were tested to see whether they contained antibodies to covid-19. The hope was that blood from previously infected people who had recovered could be used to treat those who were very sick with the disease. Tens of thousands of patients were treated with convalescent plasma under a Mayo Clinic-led program and through authorization from the FDA.

But the use of convalescent plasma largely fell flat after studies showed no clear-cut benefits for the broad swath of coronavirus patients. (Research continues into the potential benefits of treating narrowly targeted patient groups with high-potency plasma.) Most hospitals stopped testing blood and labeling units with high levels of antibodies this spring, Busch said. "It's really no longer a germane issue because we're not testing anymore," he said. "There's no way we can inform recipients."

Busch stressed that the studies also have shown no harm associated with infusing antibody-containing blood plasma into coronavirus patients.

Past health crises have raised similar concerns about sources of donor blood. In the mid-1980s, recipients scared by the AIDS epidemic didn't want blood donated from cities such as San Francisco with large gay populations, Busch recalled. Even now, some recipients demand not to receive blood from people of certain races or ethnicities.

Such requests, like those for vaccine-free blood, have no medical or scientific basis and are soundly refused, blood center officials said.

The most pressing issue for blood centers remains the ongoing shortage of willing donors. As of the second week of August, the national blood supply was down to two days' worth or less at a third of sites affiliated with America's Blood Centers. That can limit the blood available for trauma victims, surgery patients and others who rely on transfusions to survive.

"If for some reason we didn't want vaccinated people to donate blood, we'd be in a real problem, wouldn't we?" Karp said. "Please believe us when we tell you it's fine."

- - -

This report is a product of Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  A blast of festive trumpet flourishes and guitarron bass breaks the solemn hush of Mass on a torrid August desert morning. Decked out in gold-embroidered suits, nine musicians pick, strum and trumpet the entrance hymn under tall stained-glass windows.

After more than a year of silence due to the pandemic, mariachis are back playing Sunday services at Tucsons St. Augustine Cathedral, where the colorful and sonorous tradition dates back a half-century and fuses Roman Catholicism with Mexican American pride.

For the hundreds of worshippers gathered in this Spanish colonial church, and other congregations across the Southwest, the unique sound of mariachi liturgy is more than just another version of choir. It evokes a borderlands identity where spirituality and folk music have blended for centuries.

Syncretism is the reality of this land, the ambos reality, said the Rev. Alan Valencia, the cathedrals rector, who grew up attending mariachi Mass in ambos Nogales, or both Nogales, as locals refer to the two cities of the same name straddling the U.S.-Mexican border about 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the south.

And thats what we see in these mariachi Masses, he added. Faith and culture come together and grow.

Mariachi forms the soundtrack to daily life here in the borderlands, accompanying everything from backyard barbecues and quinceanera coming-of-age parties to weddings and funerals.

Yet while mariachi is a popular genre at its core, musicians and parishioners alike say its emotional interplay between trumpet, violin, guitar, vihuela and guitarron is a natural complement to the holy rites of Mass.

The Mass itself is a reminder that you dont just have mariachis you tip at tableside in a cantina, said Alberto Ranjel, who has been playing at the cathedral since he was 9 and now leads the ensemble his father founded, Mariachi Tapatio. It is a representation of my culture.

Worshipper Leilani Gomez echoed that sentiment, saying, They bring to Mass culture and art, together with the presence of God. They make you feel the presence of God.

The first canon of mariachi Mass was composed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, after the Vatican encouraged the incorporation of regional musical traditions into services in the 1960s. Called the Misa Panamericana, or Pan-American Mass, it features a specific order of instrumental arrangements, sung prayers and hymns, according to Dan Sheehy, director and curator of the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

At that time in the United States, the Chicano civil rights movement was blossoming, and mariachi musicians morphed from folksy troubadours to cultural heroes, symbols of Mexican identity heightened here because of multiculturalism, Sheehy added.

Hundreds of mariachi school programs followed in the 1970s, when the music began to be written down instead of taught by lyrical training, said George Bejarano, who in 1973 started playing with the youth group Los Changuitos Feos, or the ugly little monkeys, and whose family has been in the borderlands since before there were borders. Also, female musicians began joining the traditionally male ensembles.

Mainstays of mariachi Mass include the joyful Pescador de Hombres, or fisher of men  the Spanish-speaking faithfuls equivalent to Amazing Grace for its popularity and ubiquity  and a thrilling rendition of Franz Schuberts 19th-century classic, Ave Maria.

During performances of the latter at the cathedral, Ranjel turns to face a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico and the Americas, and intones the Latin version of the lyrics.

The prayer aspect of it is what Im respecting by singing it in Latin, he said.

Four ensembles take turns performing the 8 a.m. Spanish-language Mass at the cathedral in central Tucson, one Sunday apiece per month. All volunteers, they typically spend at least two hours a week in rehearsal and on Mass day rise before dawn to prepare their trajes de charro, elaborately festooned suits that originated in Mexico and are commonly worn by mariachi groups.

For musicians like Daniel Rodriguez, the leader of Mariachi Herencia de Cuco Del Cid, a 20-year fixture at the cathedral and also Most Holy Trinity Church in the citys northwest, performing is a way to give back to the community.

When you sing or theres music offered up to God, its like praying but its more powerful, Rodriguez said. For us to be a driving force through our music, to inspire people to come back and stay at Mass, thats really powerful.

On Sept. 18 Los Changuitos will feature at a special Mass honoring victims of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 2,500 people in Tucsons Pima County and silenced the mariachi services from spring 2020 until they resumed late last month.

On a recent Sunday, the show kept going even after Mass was over, with musicians serenading worshippers on the palm-lined patio outside the cathedral. Wearing face masks against the resurgent virus, people held up smartphones to record the sights and sounds of a shared heritage they had sorely missed.

They bring unity to the church. Its more spiritual, said Diana Pacheco, who has attended mariachi Mass since childhood. Without them, it was very empty-feeling for us here.

Victor Soltero, who has been worshipping at the cathedral for some 50 years, also rejoiced at their return.

It makes you happy," Soltero said, "and what better way to come over and honor the good Lord than having some beautiful music that picks you up.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
When H. Scott Apley died at 45 of covid-19, he became a face of vaccine refusal by the political right. A GoFundMe drive for his wife and baby son drew scorn as the city councilman's social media posts circulated.

"I wish I lived in the area!" the Houston-area member of the Texas Republican Party's governing board wrote this spring about a "mask burning" party in Cincinnati. "You are an absolute enemy of a free people," he once replied on Twitter to a doctor's post celebrating the effectiveness of Pfizer's shots against the coronavirus.

In the GOP circles where Apley was well known, however, there was little mention of covid-19 or how to prevent it. Two days after mourning their former vice chairman in a Facebook post that did not say what put him on a ventilator, the Galveston County Republican Party shared a far-right website's medical-evidence-free claim that immunization against the coronavirus had killed a young conservative activist. "Another tragedy - From the Vaccine!!!!!" they warned.

Apley's hospitalization and death showcased the bitterness of the country's divide over coronavirus vaccination, and over how to bridge it, as the pandemic makes personal tragedy inseparable from politics. The Dickinson, Texas, councilman's community offers a stark counterpoint amid a slew of stories about people who urge others to get vaccinated after losing a skeptical loved one to covid-19.

In national news coverage and the online firestorm that followed, Apley was a lightning rod for the country's frustration as it struggles to bring the virus under control. To many, his fatal illness was a consequence of sometimes skeptical and even hostile GOP statements on immunization, as more than 100 million eligible Americans - disproportionately Republican - have yet to get their first shots.

"Republican leaders are to blame for Apley's death," said one Houston man's letter to the editor in the Galveston County Daily News, as the highly transmissible delta variant fueled a new surge of coronavirus cases straining hospitals.

But for others who knew Apley, only one story mattered: His family was suffering, and now, with cruel comments and laughing emoji, strangers from out-of-state were piling on. In Apley's political sphere, some said the tragedy was only entrenching people's divisions over the vaccines and a resurging virus - much less sending people soul-searching about their beliefs or their party's messaging.

"Everyone already has an opinion, and it didn't change because of Scott," said Marco Roberts, the Houston-based chairman of the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas. In a Facebook post, he criticized those "seeking to make political points of [Apley's] death - as if his unique and anecdotal tragedy had anything to do with public policy that affects millions."

Karen Stoehr, Apley's sibling by adoption, also hated the use of Apley's death to make a public health point, even as she believes so strongly in the coronavirus vaccines that she won't let people see her 88-year-old dad without them. A full-time caretaker for her ailing father in small-town Kansas, Stoehr said she did not read all the news about her brother, stays away from politics and generally has "other things going on in my life."

She said she also does not know if Apley's death has swayed their sister, a teacher who she said has previously declined to get vaccinated and who did not return a call from The Post.

"They've been praying for a baby," Stoehr said of her brother and his wife, her voice starting to quiver. "They just got one. And then he's gone!"

Apley's wife, Melissa, declined to be interviewed or discuss her husband's decision-making but did not dispute people's belief that he was unvaccinated. She told The Post in text messages that her husband was only "against the government forcing people to get vaccinated."

She said he supported her choice to get the shot before he fell sick, something Apley's friends remembered her telling them and sharing on social media.

Melissa Apley said she also got the virus, as Americans learn to expect some level of "breakthrough" infections. But she recovered. She said she has reunited with her months-old son, who tested negative and does not show symptoms.

She said she forgives those who celebrated her husband's death.

"CONGRATULATIONS," read one shiny card sent to the city of Dickinson after Apley's death that echoed the worst of the online comments. "Guess the grim reaper got the last laugh," the card went on inside, adding a smiley face and welcoming "one more dead Republican."

Dickinson Mayor Sean Skipworth said the vitriol was "morally wrong" and probably not productive.

"'Hey, idiots, go get vaccinated,'" he said, as some use the phrase "compassion fatigue" to talk about people who refuse the vaccines. "I mean, I don't know what that is meant to accomplish." Many in Apley's party, under fire for their approach to covid-19, felt similarly.

"No one likes to be shouted into a different opinion," echoed Roberts of the Log Cabin Republicans. "And so when people start being shouted at and being accused and charged and, you know, besieged, the natural inclination is to . . . circle the wagons."

Months of data show that those who get immunized are significantly less likely to get sick, and even less likely to go to the hospital or die from covid-19.

But Roberts focused on uncertainty.

"The truth is, we don't know that had Scott made different choices the outcome would have been any different for him," he told the Log Cabin Republicans of Texas' followers on social media, pointing later to breakthrough infections and underlying factors like Apley's weight.

Apley's friend Hank Dugie said he believes the most effective messaging on vaccines is "positive, upbeat, motivational" - encouraging but not judgemental. "We don't press people on getting vaccinated," said Dugie, who serves as mayor pro tem for League City, Texas, right next to Apley's town.

The coronavirus situation in Texas has only escalated since Apley's death. Doctors are pleading for help as the number of hospitalized covid-19 patients statewide approaches levels not seen since the winter. Dugie is chair of his county's covid-19 business task force and knows that the vast majority of people who fall seriously ill are unvaccinated.

Yet with Apley, he said, he feels no responsibility to "talk about how he died or why he died." He said he believes in sharing statistics, not emotional stories. "If anything," Dugie said, in the wake of Apley's death, "people have retreated into their own confirmation biases."

Dugie and others in Apley's political circles also rejected the idea that Republican leaders are to blame.

"It's not words that are killing people," said Dan Davis, a city councilman in Manvel, Texas.

"Both parties have had very unfortunate messaging at times," said Jared Robinson, a Republican state district court judge.

Asked about the Galveston County GOP's Facebook post claiming the vaccine killed someone, Dugie noted the group's chairman is a doctor and said, "I don't think it represents the party at all."

The county GOP chairman, Patrick McGinnis, said in an email that Republican leaders are anti-mandate, not anti-vaccine or anti-public health. He pointed to a Kaiser Family Foundation polling that shows vaccination rates varying by age, race and education, not just party. Among more than a dozen demographic groups broken out, however, Republicans had the lowest levels of immunization.

McGinnis said that he is vaccinated and encourages others to get their shots whenever they ask. He also said the Facebook post about the alleged vaccine death does not represent the party's "official position" and agreed there was no clear evidence for it.

But the physician said he does not want to intervene in his group's postings.

"Better to let people share their opinions and post articles, rather than try to be the Facebook policeman," he said.

Jeff Larson, an official with the Harris County Republican Party, said he believes that some leaders of local GOP groups are reflecting their base's views on vaccines or "don't want to tackle the issue directly for fear - for fear of alienating a large segment of the party."

"Certainly if you are a person in the United States today and you want to believe a conspiracy theory about vaccines . . . you'll probably land in our party," he said.

The last time Larson saw Apley alive, he said, was at the funeral of Jeff LeBlanc, another man active in Texas Republican politics who died of covid-19. Before that, the coronavirus took Texan and Republican Liberty Caucus leader Dave Nalle.

Just a few days after Apley's death, 61-year-old Larson got his first shot - the timing was a coincidence, Larson said, it just took him awhile to make it in.

Vaccination rates in the United States have ticked up in recent weeks, public health officials say, as fears spike with the delta variant. Galveston County is no exception, according to the local health district. State data has it lagging a few percentage points behind the nation as a whole, with full vaccination for about 57 percent of the population 12 and over.

Officials urged holdouts to reconsider at last week's Dickinson City Council meeting, where the masked-up mayor read Apley's name at roll call and then waited six long seconds before moving on.

"He did his homework, he never came to a council meeting where he wasn't prepared," a fellow Councilman remembered at the meeting.

"It could have been prevented," another said. They knew Apley not as a thrower of online insults but as a nice guy immersed in local problems - on his city councilman Facebook page, he posted about a job fair, a driver's license renewal deadline and the safest way to thaw frozen pipes.

Skipworth, who said he grew up not knowing his birth father and felt for Apley's child, said the rhetoric around Apley's death scared him. "It's frightening for how we talk to each other in this country," he said.

"I'm vaccinated, my wife's vaccinated, my kid will get vaccinated when they approve it," Skipworth said, as children younger than 12 remain ineligible. "I think that's the way to prevent this and to get back to more of what we know normal life was. So please, please, do that."

"I'm not making a political statement," he continued. "It's not a mandate. It's not anything. It's not shaming. But please, please, do that."

Just to the west, Davis - the Manvel councilman - was maybe shifting, but not yet sold.

A father of two young children, Davis said that Apley's death was a reminder to be "responsible, so that I can be here for them." For 28-year-old Davis, however, responsibility means getting a coronavirus test if you feel sick, or isolating, or telling your close contacts about an infection. He said he worries about the long-term consequences of the vaccine even as he believes they have done "a tremendous amount of good."

Apley's death "challenged" his thinking, said Davis, a conservative who met Apley through the local political scene.

He talked with his wife afterward, and they wondered, "What do we do?" They are praying at the end of every day, he said, waiting to get the vaccine until they have some answer from God.
ALBANY  Many New Yorkers with ties across the Canadian border expressed increasing frustration after Homeland Security officials announced Friday that both northern and southern borders will maintain current restrictions for non-citizens, keeping most foreign nationals from entering the U.S. by land until at least Sept. 21.

For months, key U.S. lawmakers called on the Canadian government to change its border policies, which had previously blocked most American travelers from entering Canada by land or by air. But when Canada decided that vaccinated, COVID-tested American travelers could begin to visit starting Aug. 9, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. was following separate health guidance and had no reciprocal intention.

Devon Weber, a New York native living in Canada, has pushed for the U.S. to open its border with Canada  or at least to create an exception for family members  for almost a year. She moved to Montreal with her then-five-month-old baby and Canadian husband in February 2020 and founded the Let Us Reunite campaign that October, channeling her background in legislative advocacy and politics.

Weber said that until Canada changed its policy this summer, the prevailing narrative had been that the border was closed due to the Canadian government.

Obviously, now that we see that Canada is welcoming vaccinated Americans into their country with open arms, that doesn't seem to be the case, she said.

As news of the Canadian governments decision spread, so did misinformation on who could cross in the other direction.

Two of my very best friends contacted me when they saw the news about the border opening on Aug. 9 and said Congratulations, you won your campaign, not realizing that this wasnt a reciprocal opening, Weber said.

On Twitter, where the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the new extension by U.S. authorities Friday morning, some responses reflected this confusion. Others echoed Webers frustration, with many tweets calling the move ridiculous and stupid, or citing Canadas higher vaccination and lower transmission rates than its southern neighbor.

Some New York lawmakers have continued to make public statements urging officials to reopen the northern border, but DHS has not said when the government plans to stop renewing the temporary border closure by the 21st of each month  a pattern the agency has followed for nearly a year and a half.

Democratic Congressman Brian Higgins of Western New York, co-chair of the Northern Border Caucus and the Canada-U.S. Interparliamentary Group, has been vocal on the issue.

The failure to make opening the border the priority that it should be is a huge mistake, Higgins said in a statement responding to the latest announcement. He called the move beyond disappointing."

DHS said its decision to extend restrictions at land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico that prevent any non-essential travel by foreign citizens aims to minimize the spread of COVID-19, including the Delta variant. The announcement comes at a moment when cases have been rising again in the Capital Region and across the country in spite of the mitigating effects of vaccines.

A tweet from Sydney Manton pushed back at the health-based logic.

You can't cite Delta as a reason, then allow anyone from Canada to fly in but not drive, Manton tweeted. She then referred to a study of COVID positivity rates conducted by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Researchers found that in early 2021, air travelers had a positivity rate of 1.5 percent when tested upon arrival in Canada, while land travelers had a lower positivity rate, of only 0.3 percent.

Natalie Ward, another New Yorker married to a Canadian man, lives in Ottawa. Their home is only an hour by car from her family in Ogdensburg. But despite the short distance, it has proven too hard for her brother  who lives with both schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis  and her elderly parents to cross into Canada. Meanwhile, her husband cant travel with her to visit his American in-laws.

The flying thing might work for some people, but ... a lot of those border communities, they're pretty rural, Ward said.

In order for her husband to visit the family, she said, it would take him a full day of air transit and about $800 Canadian for a one-way trip, not to mention any costs for COVID-19 testing.

He would have to fly from Ottawa to Toronto, and then Toronto to Washington. And then he'd have a long layover, and then Washington to Ogdensburg, Ward said. And then even the time in the airport, that's unnecessary exposure to the virus.

Another vocal advocate for a change in policy, North Country Chamber of Commerce president Garry Douglas, said people in border communities used to cross frequently to see their friends or buy from their favorite stores.

Douglas told the Times Union he has noticed some people are working around the current restrictions and finding ways to get from Canada to border communities in the U.S., even with fewer travel options. He has noticed a couple of charter flights a day landing at the Plattsburgh International Airport from a non-commercial air base outside of Montreal. Sometimes, commercial drivers are paid by passengers to haul their cars across.

They may be spending a couple thousand dollars to get to the U.S. so they can get to their boat, or their summer home, Douglas said. We're happy that at least some people are able to get here. But what (the policy is) really saying is, 'OK  if youre wealthy you can come.'

In response to Friday's news, Douglas said in a statement that the long-term damage to the most special and integrated economic and social relationship on earth is growing week by week.

Ward, the Ogdensburg native, said that the monthly announcements about the border closure keep getting more distressing.

Last Christmas was really hard, Ward said. I hate the thought of holidays coming and having to choose again  you know, spend it with my family or with my husband.
BEIJING (AP)  China will now allow couples to legally have a third child as it seeks to hold off a demographic crisis that could threaten its hopes of increased prosperity and global influence.

The ceremonial legislature on Friday amended the Population and Family Planning Law as part of a decades-long effort by the ruling Communist Party to dictate the size of families in keeping with political directives. It comes just six years after the last change.

From the 1980s, China strictly limited most couples to one child, a policy enforced with threats of fines or loss of jobs, leading to abuses including forced abortions. A preference for sons led parents to kill baby girls, leading to a massive imbalance in the sex ratio.

The rules were eased for the first time in 2015 to allow two children as officials acknowledged the looming consequences of the plummeting birthrate. The overwhelming fear is that China will grow old before it becomes wealthy.

China long touted its one-child policy as a success in preventing 400 million additional births in the worlds most populous country, thus saving resources and helping drive economic growth.

However, Chinas birth rate, paralleling trends in South Korea, Thailand and other Asian economies, already was falling before the one-child rule. The average number of children per mother tumbled from above six in the 1960s to below three by 1980, according to the World Bank.

Meanwhile, the number of working-age people in China has fallen over the past decade and the population has barely grown, adding to strains in an aging society. A once-a-decade government census found the population rose to 1.411 billion people last year, up 72 million from 2010.

Statistics show 12 million babies were born last year, which would be down 18% from 2019s 14.6 million.

Chinese over 60, who number 264 million, accounted for 18.7% of the countrys total population in 2020, 5.44 percentage points higher than in 2010. At the same time, the working-age population fell to 63.3% of the total from 70.1% a decade ago.

The shift to the two-child rule led to a temporary bump in the numbers of births but its effects soon wore off and total births continued to fall because many women continued to decide against starting families.

Japan, Germany and some other wealthy countries face the same challenge of having fewer workers to support aging populations. However, they can draw on investments in factories, technology and foreign assets, while China is a middle-income country with labor-intensive farming and manufacturing.

At its session Friday, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress canceled the leveling of fines for breaking the earlier restrictions and called for additional parental leave and childcare resources. New measures in finance, taxation, schooling, housing and employment should be introduced to to ease the burden on families," the amendment said.

It also seeks to address longstanding discrimination against pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace that is considered one of the chief disincentives to having additional children, along with high costs and cramped housing.

While female representation in the labor force is high, women, especially those with children, are severely underrepresented at the higher levels, holding just 8.4% of leadership positions at the central and provincial levels. Among the young party leaders who will take the reins in the coming decades, only 11% are women
EDWARDSVILLE  Elected officials and appointed members of city boards and commissions are a step away from reimbursable expenses for training, meals and travel.

The ordinance sailed through first reading with little discussion. Aldermen William Krause and Chris Farrar were absent.

This process first surfaced at the finance committee meeting Aug. 12, when an ordinance was proposed. While city employees have had to obey long-established policies for training, meals and travel, elected and appointed members had to pay their own ways.

We kind of realized that the city personnel code provides expense reimbursements for employees on travel, training, meals, etc., said City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler at finance. Elected officials arent subject to the personnel code because theyre not employees. Elected officials also have legitimate business expenses related to doing the business of the city, and its not fair for them to be on their own dime.

He said this ordinance provides parameters and guidelines for acceptable reimbursable expenses while conducting city business and what expenses are allowable. All requests are reviewable by the city administrator, Kevin Head, and finance director, Jeanne Wojcieszak.

It hasnt been an issue in the past because elected officials rarely submitted requests for reimbursement, Berkbigler said. If the mayor went to St. Louis for a regional business meeting, he would [pay for] it on his own but if you do that enough times, it adds up.

He added that with passage of this ordinance, the council sets the rules, not city staff. He also said it brings Edwardsville in line with neighboring communities.

Non-home rule communities are required to have this policy or ordinance on their books but since were home rule, were not required to.

Berkbigler cited an example where the mayor entertains business developers and wants to pick up the tab because he called and arranged that meeting, a per diem wouldnt necessarily work.

At the Aug. 12 administrative and community service (ACS) meeting, it passed 2-0 without discussion. William Krause was absent from the ACS meeting that day. The ordinance will go before the full city council for second reading and action at the next city council meeting.

In other action, the council unanimously approved the following items Tuesday:

 A tourism fund request from the Edwardsville Public Library for the Edwardsville Book Festival, not to exceed $1,750. Forty-five authors are expected this year, versus 25 two years ago

 A tourism fund request from Route 66 Kicks, Inc., not to exceed $4,000 for the Kicks on 66 Cruise Event on Sept. 11. This is the remainder of the what the group sought from the city earlier this year, making the total tourism fund request $8,000

 A commercial building facade application for Julian and Gori Holdings at 101 W. Schwarz St., not to exceed $15,000

 A resolution authorizing the citys parks department to apply for a shuttered venue operations grant of about $599,000 for the Wildey Theatre

 A fee waiver for Whitleys Wishes Tournament on Oct. 1-3

 A fee waiver for the Leclaire Parkfest on Aug. 29

 An intergovernmental agreement with Glen Carbon Fire Protection District for automatic mutual aid

 Applying for an OSLAD Grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

 An amended professional services agreement with Chiodini Architects for $42,000

The next city council meeting is Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in city hall, 118 Hillsboro Ave.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-659-5735
MADRID (AP)  The European Unions top officials warned the Taliban on Saturday that the current conversations being held to secure the exit of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the bloc is prepared to recognize the new regime.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, along with EU Council President Charles Michel, to a reception center for evacuees established by Spain near Madrid.

We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport, the EU leader said. But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.

She also said the continuance of European humanitarian aid to Afghanistan will hinge on the Taliban respecting human rights, especially for women and girls.

We hear the Taliban statement that stresses that women will have their right place in society and have the right to study and work, within the framework of Islam, whatever that means. But we also hear more and more reports of people being hunted down for their past work or opinions, and we hear of women being turned away when they show up at their usual workplace, she said. The 1 billion euros set aside by the European Union for the next seven years for development aid is tied to strict conditions: respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities, and respect for the rights of women and girls.

The EUs top officials toured the facility at the Torrejon military airbase along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said it can hold 800 people.

Two planes sent by Spain to Kabul have already arrived at the air base. One brought back five Spaniards and 48 Afghans who had worked for Spain and their families. A second arrived late Friday with 110 more Afghans. A third flight with another 110 passengers has left Kabul for Dubai, which Spain is using as a stop-off point before the evacuees are flown to Madrid.

The air base is also receiving flights from the European Union with other Afghan evacuees. All are expected to spend up to three days there before moving to welcome centers elsewhere in Spain or going to other European countries.

Sanchez said the response from other EU members has been positive and that some Afghan evacuees have already left for other EU countries.

But the United States and NATO allies are struggling to help Afghans who worked for their forces and now fear reprisals from the Taliban to even reach and enter the Kabul airport. Von der Leyen said EU staff is talking with American and NATO officials on the problem but also working on the ground in Kabul.

It is a very difficult situation, it is changing by the minute, but there is intense work being done to make the best of a very difficult situation, she said.

Von der Leyen, however, also urged international community to help those Afghans who will remain. She said the collapse of the NATO-backed democracy and the return of the Taliban to power has provoked the displacement of almost 3.7 million people. Many European nations also fear another wave of migration similar to the one in 2015 provoked by Syrian's civil war.

We must help ensure that displaced Afghans can return to their homes or at least have a prospect, whether they are currently in Afghanistan or in neighboring countries, she said.

Von der Leyen said the Afghan migration issue must be a central concern of next weeks G-7 meeting to help create legal and safe routes globally, organized by us, the international community, for those who need protection.

This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance, she said. It is our moral duty.

___

Joseph Wilson wrote from Barcelona.

___

Follow all AP stories on Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
PARIS (AP)  Thousands marched Saturday in cities across France to protest the COVID-19 health pass that is now required to access restaurants and cafes, cultural venues, sports arenas and long-distance travel.

For a sixth straight Saturday, opponents denounced what they see as a restriction of their freedom. Many criticized the measure, claiming the French government was implicitly making vaccines obligatory.
Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday said hes requesting a state of emergency to be declared as Tropical Storm Henri intensified and the National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for parts of Connecticut.

Tropical Storm Henri is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall in southern New England by late Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The latest forecast calls for the storm to shift farther west with the potential to impact most of southern Connecticut.

In requesting a state of emergency for federal assistance to help with storm damage, Lamont also called for 200 members of the National Guard to be prepared to conduct search-and-rescue missions, as well as clear routes, help with power and distribute goods if needed.

Right now, its a good idea for everyone to be prepared and expect to shelter in place by Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning, said Lamont, who canceled his weekend trip to Maine to return to Connecticut.

The National Weather Service sent out phone alerts throughout the state late Friday afternoon, warning residents of the storms potential impact.

The weather service issued storm surge warnings and hurricane warnings for southern Middlesex, southern New Haven and southern New London counties. Hurricane watches are in effect for northern Middlesex, northern New Haven and northern New London counties.

A storm surge warning and tropical storm warning are in effect for southern Fairfield County.

All of Connecticuts shoreline is under a storm surge watch, meaning there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline over the next 48 hours, the weather service said.

Eversource, the states largest energy provider, has elevated its projection for the storm to a level 3, meaning up to 49 percent of customers could be without power for up to 10 days, President and CEO Joe Nolan said.

This will be a very significant storm, Nolan said during a news conference in Hartford Friday afternoon. He said the path of the storm is expected to stretch nearly 170 miles from New Haven to Cape Cod.

Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University, compared the storm to Hurricane Irene in 2011.

Everybody should be taking some precaution, Lessor said, adding residents should have groceries for up to five days.

The National Weather Service forecasts Henri to become a hurricane by Saturday. The storm will be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in Long Island or southern New England on Sunday morning, the weather service said.

As the storm lifts northward between Bridgeport and New Haven Sunday morning, Henri is expected to bring heavy rain that could lead to flooding throughout southern New England. Ocean swells from the storm are expected to last through the weekend and may bring potentially life-threatening surf and rip currents, the weather service said.

Central Connecticut could see 3 to 7 inches of rainfall Sunday, Lessor said. The strong winds could cause potential roof damage, as well as snap or uproot large trees, according to the National Weather Service.

Lessor said precipitation from the storm will affect the coastal areas by 4 a.m. Sunday and will move out of the area by 4 p.m. Sunday or as late as 8 p.m. in the Danbury area.

The worst of the storm will occur midday Sunday, Lessor said.

We have everybody  all hands on deck, Eversources president and CEO said. I have canceled all vacations so everybody is here working, and we will work until the last customer is back on.

The utility company plans to bring in around 4,000 additional crews along with trailers and what Nolan described as military-style barracks to house the workers, along with thousands of hotel rooms. The utility plans to use the Crystal Mall in Waterford as a staging ground.

The utility CEO said he was concerned about the possibility of tree damage from the storm, and have crews out right now taking down problem trees. He also raised concern about the possibility of flooding disrupting the utility companys gas service.

I want to assure everyone here in Connecticut that we will do everything we can to restore their power as quickly as possible, but I do need to ask for patience, Nolan said. We really are facing a storm that I cant recall ... some of the patterns that Im seeing right now, I have not really seen for several decades.

United Illuminating, serving parts of Fairfield and lower New Haven counties, said in a statement it has doubled the size of its field crews ahead of the storm.

Customers are urged to begin preparing for the storm now as forecasters predict Henri to cycle between tropical storm and hurricane strength before entering the area early Sunday morning just east of United Illuminatings service area, the statement said. Winds will increase throughout Sunday and steady rain through Monday. This combination can cause tree branches, debris, and unsecured items to damage electrical poles, power lines and cause outages.

A Verizon spokesperson said in a statement the telecommunications company remains vigilant and prepared to keep customers connected, during the storm. The company recommended people charge their phones and devices ahead of the storm and keep battery backups in case of power outages.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the storm will potentially impact Metro-Norths New Haven Line.

MTA is advising people to avoid unnecessary travel. MTA is also taking all necessary precautions to protect its transportation network and deliver safe service, the authority said Friday afternoon.
HONOLULU (AP)  A hospital serving a Honolulu suburb on Friday has filled up as the community faces a surge of COVID-19 cases.

All 104 beds at The Queen's Medical Center - West Oahu are full, said Jason Chang, the CEO of The Queens Health Systems.

The Ewa Beach hospital has sent some patients to its sibling facility in downtown Honolulu. It's also asked staff from other parts of the Queen's system to come help.

The city has set up a triage tent outside the hospital that has 25 cots. The hospital may also add beds in hallways and other makeshift areas but not all patients will get rooms.

Chang said the hospital had 63 patients in its emergency room at one time, which is a crisis given the hospital only has 24 ER beds. Twenty-six of those in the ER were there with possible COVID-19 infections.

Between all the normal emergencies and the COVID cases, its overwhelming our system, Chang said at a news conference. And so please, get vaccinated. Thats the first thing were asking everyone to do. And the second thing is, please dont socialize.

Chang said the ER will still treat those complaining of chest pains or other serious conditions but he said people with problems like a sprained ankle would be given low priority and would have to wait. He urged those with mild illnesses to visit an urgent care center.

Staff members are working extra shifts and are tired and stressed. He said the Queen's system expected to get 74 nurses from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday.

But thats still not until Monday. We still have to get through the weekend, he said.

On Friday, Hawaii reported a seven-day average of 661 new daily cases statewide. Thats down from a peak of 717 earlier in the week but sharply higher than 128 one month ago.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysia's new Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was sworn in Saturday, bringing back the rule of the country's longest-governing political party, but he faces a tall task in uniting a polarized society and reviving a slumping economy amid a worsening pandemic.

Ismail was the deputy prime minister under the government of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned Monday after less than 18 months in office as infighting in his coalition cost him majority support.

Ismail obtained the backing of 114 lawmakers for a slender majority that brought Muhyiddin's alliance back to power. It also returned the premiership to Ismail's United Malays National Organization, which had led Malaysia since independence from Britain in 1957 but was ousted in 2018 elections amid a multibillion-dollar financial scandal.

Malaysia has a new PM, with essentially the old politics and players. It's back to the past: UMNO is now in PM seat, returning to power to though elite bargains despite being booted out for corruption in 2018," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asian expert with Malaysia's Nottingham University.

Ismail took the oath of office before King Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah during a brief ceremony at the national palace witnessed by leaders in the prime minister's alliance, including Muhyiddin.

Ismail, 61, faces a distrustful public, amid popular anger over the previous government's inconsistent policies and perceived failure in tackling the pandemic. Malaysia has one of the worlds highest infection rates and deaths per capita, despite a seven-month state of emergency and a lockdown since June.

Daily new infections have more than doubled since June to hit a record 23,564 on Friday, bringing the countrys total to over 1.5 million cases. Deaths have surged to above 13,000. The central bank has cut its estimated growth forecast this year to between 3% and 4% due to the lockdown.

He is the lucky PM at an unlucky time without strong legitimacy and standing domestically and internationally. He comes in as the least popular PM at the worst time in history for Malaysia," Welsh said.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has urged supporters to accept the outcome after losing out to Ismail. He said his three-party alliance, which ousted UMNO in 2018 polls, will work harder to win back the people's mandate in the next general election.

Anwar was due to succeed then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad before their reformist alliance collapsed in February 2020, sparked by the withdrawal of Muhyiddins party. Muhyiddin then formed a new government with UMNO and several other parties.

Ismail was named defense minister when Muhyiddin took power in March 2020, and became the governments public face through daily briefings on security issues related to the pandemic.

He was promoted to deputy prime minister in July as Muhyiddin sought to appease UMNO, which was unhappy at playing second fiddle to Muhyiddins smaller party. In the end, 15 UMNO lawmakers pulled support for Muhyiddin, causing his government to collapse.

Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Malaysias University of Science, said Ismail's key challenge is to bring about national unity in a highly polarized society.

You can imagine the feelings of close to half of Malaysias population who voted against UMNO in the 2018 elections, only to see an UMNO PM returning to helm the country just three years later," he said. Ismail has to be more conciliatory by bringing some opposition members into substantive policy-making roles, he said.

All eyes will be on Ismail as he assembles his Cabinet. Previously Muhyiddin's Cabinet had been slammed as bloated as he sought to reward allies with government posts.

Welsh said the test would be whether Ismail can step away from mistakes made by Muhyiddin's government and address serious governance issues.

The economy is in bad shape, weakened by the former government's mismanagement. He will have to put in a competent team and move beyond narrow racialized paradigms he has been known for," Welsh added.

Ismail is currently one of three vice presidents in UMNO, where several of its leaders are facing criminal charges.

A law graduate, Ismail held several ministerial posts in UMNO governments. In 2015 as trade minister, Ismail courted controversy when he urged Malay consumers to boycott profiteering Chinese businesses. He was also slammed for supporting the vaping industry, which is dominated by Malays, despite health warnings from the Health Ministry.

In 2018 polls, Ismail waved the racial card, warning that every vote for the opposition was akin to eliminating special privileges given to Malays under a decades-old affirmative action program.
MAUMELLE, Ark. (AP)  A man has died and a suspect is in custody following a shooting Saturday on Interstate 40 in central Arkansas, according to Arkansas State Police.

Kindylen Roberts, 21, of Marion died at a Little Rock hospital after being shot while riding in a vehicle on I-40 near Maumelle on the outskirts of Little Rock, according to a statement from state police.
NEW YORK (AP)  A man who fell about five stories while attending a Dead & Company concert at Citi Field has died, police say.

The man apparently fell Friday night from one of the elevated sections of the park and was taken in critical condition to New York Presbyterian Hospital in Queens, where he died, police said in a release.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  The Tucson Police Department is investigating a gunfight between a plainclothes officer and a man that occurred on Friday.

The officer was not injured, police spokesman Frank Magos said. The man who allegedly shot at him is in the hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening.
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP)  Its the time of year when summer nears its end and school bells ring again.

Stuhr Museum recently celebrated the yearly back to school ritual in 1891 style at the little one-room school at the museums Railroad Town.

Overseeing the students, with her teaching assistants, was Miss Nancy Buettner.

The idea behind the Back to School at Stuhrs Railroad Town, Buettner told the Grand Island Independent, was to give the guests an overview and appreciation of what educating children on the prairie was like in 1891.

Going to school has definitely changed over the years, Buettner said.

That was evident in the daily schedule written on the schoolrooms chalkboard.

Starting the school day in 1891 was arithmetic, followed by spelling and diction, history, penmanship and geography before it was time for lunch and recess.

After lunch, afternoon class study started with physiology, followed by civil government and German. The school day closed with a little music.

Buettner said the subject matter taught in the 1891 classroom is different than what a public school curriculum is like today.

It is not always the same as what we teach today, Buettner said. For instance, here in Hall County, one of the subjects listed on the blackboard was German, which likely is not taught in any of our grade schools today.

Back in the 1890s, Hall County was home to many immigrants as it is today. Many were from Germany. Many communities had newspapers written in German as the new settlers transitioned into their new American home.

In the 1830s, Horace Mann, a Massachusetts legislator and secretary of that states board of education, began to advocate for the creation of public schools that would be universally available to all children, free of charge, and funded by the state.

Massachusetts passed the first compulsory school laws in 1852. New York followed the next year, and by 1918, all American children were required to attend at least elementary school.

Buettner said the students ranged from the first grade to the eighth grade, which was the grade they graduated from school. While the school in Stuhrs Railroad Town is small and holds about dozen students, country schools varied in size depending on the population density.

She said a bigger school would have another teacher or two to aid in the childrens education.

After graduation, many of the young boys would return to work on the family farm or hire on somewhere else to make their way in the world. Buettner said some of the girls who graduated would return to teach.

She said Stuhrs Back to School event is a way people and children can look back and appreciate the roots this community evolved from, especially in the effort to prepare children for the future well-being of society.

I really feel that learning about history helps us understand where we are today, Buettner said. Seeing how students learned back then is still relevant to us today as it gives us an appreciation of what people did before us. Sometimes it may even help us solve problems we are encountering today.

One of Buettners young helpers in the classroom was Natalie Abood.

Natlie is home-schooled with her brother and sisters. She said helping out with the Back to School event gives her a little taste of what it was like to be a student in the 1890s.

She said attending country school would be different in a lot of ways, especially the way students dressed in the 1890s and the entire schoolroom environment with all the grade levels in one room. But in many ways, she said it is similar to today as students still concentrate on the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic.

It teaches us how they did it then, Natalie said.
Abdul Ghani Baradar, considered the Taliban's top political leader, arrived in Kabul on Saturday as the Islamist group eyes the formation of a new government.

Baradar, who served as a negotiator for peace talks in Doha, Qatar, and is the likely next leader of Afghanistan, is in the capital to consult with "his friends" about "what type of government will be in Kabul," Taliban official Zabiullah Mujahid told The Washington Post, adding that no decision has yet been made about what form it will take.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued a security warning Saturday, urging Americans "to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative," and the Pentagon hinted at the possibility of expanded evacuation operations beyond the airport perimeter.

Officials fear the threat of an Islamic State attack targeting evacuation efforts, the Associated Press reported.

In a news briefing Saturday, Pentagon officials said the Kabul airport "remains secure" but that the situation outside the perimeter of the airport "changes almost by the hour." They also stressed that U.S. military commanders were continuing to process credentialed Americans attempting to leave the country, despite an alert the U.S. Embassy in Kabul issued Saturday that advised citizens to avoid traveling to the airport.

The embassy's alert warned U.S. citizens "to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so." The guidance was issued in response to "potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport" and came as Taliban leaders gathered in Kabul to discuss forming a new government.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters Saturday that he was not "directly" familiar with the embassy's alert.

"We are continuing to process people throughout the last 24 hours," Taylor said. "The commanders are metering how many people come in and out of the gate.  There has been no reported change to the current enemy situation in and around the airport at this time."

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby declined to discuss any specific threats that might be targeting the Kabul airport or U.S. citizens attempting to leave Afghanistan. Kirby instead stressed repeatedly that the U.S. military's mission was the "noncombatant evacuation" of as many people out of Afghanistan as safely as quickly as possible.

"I think we've been very honest about the fact that we know we're aware that we're fighting against both time and space," Kirby said. "That's the race that we're in right now. And we're trying to do this as quickly and as safely as possible. I'm not going to speculate about whether windows are closing or opening. We're focused on accomplishing this mission as fast as we can."

Kirby said the Pentagon was "aware of sporadic cases" where people were not being allowed past Taliban checkpoints - and "where there is some harassment going on and, yes, some physical violence has occurred." He said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has made it clear in his talks with Taliban commanders that such violence is "unacceptable."

"We've certainly made our concerns known," Kirby said. "And I think equally frustrating is the fact that  not every Taliban fighter either got the word or decided to obey the word. And I can't speak to Taliban command and control. But by and large, and for the most part, Americans with their credentials are being given the passage they need through the checkpoints and are getting onto the field again, security conditions permitting."

Hundreds of Afghan refugees and special-immigrant visa recipients arrived overnight at Northern Virginia Community College after a harrowing journey evacuating Afghanistan.

And by Saturday morning, a swarm of volunteers had arrived at the Annandale campus to help. They brought clothes and toiletries, toys and diapers. By noon, the piles of donations had grown so high that volunteers had to turn some away.

Many of the volunteers were Afghan Americans in Virginia - many worried about their own family members still stranded in Kabul.

"We just want to share their pain," said one volunteer named Nasrul, who gave only his first name because his siblings' lives are still in danger in Afghanistan. "We are not in Afghanistan, but we are in sorrow."

Maybe, he said, they could help the new arrivals relax. "At least these lives are safe now."

One was a 32-year-old father who had recently arrived with his 18-month-old son.

He had worked with a Pakistani cargo company working with the U.S. military, and he got a special-immigrant visa.

He waited two days outside the gate to get into the Kabul airport - but despite his pleas, he could not take his wife and daughter because they did not have the proper documents, said the man, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was still worried about their safety.

"It is difficult to be with a baby and be his mother and his father," he said. "No one can feel my sensation. I repeatedly, repeatedly cried - this is his time to be with his mother."

But he knew his baby could not remain in Afghanistan, so he knew he had to go.

"He still asks me for his mom," the father said, standing outside an entrance to the community college to get some air.

- - -

The Washington Post's Amy B Wang and Meagan Flynn contributed to this report.
It's been a while since we made a visit to the circus, so let's talk about Dan Patrick, who got himself into a bit of a mess Thursday night. It's a mess he's spent the better part of Friday trying to clean up, but instead is just making worse.

It began, as messes do, with an appearance on Fox News.

The radio host turned lieutenant governor was on Laura Ingraham's show on August 19 when he was asked a question about Texas' increased COVID-19 numbers. If you're just joining us, things in the Lone Star State are pretty grim. Hospitalizations are surging and the state continues to hit terrible milestone after terrible milestone. Meanwhile, the Texas Trio  Patrick; his boss, Gov. Greg Abbott; and Attorney General Ken "Wasn't Me" Paxton  refuse to do anything to help mitigate the crisis, even as Abbott himself remains quarantined in the Governor's Mansion fighting his own COVID-19 battle.

Surprising absolutely no one, Patrick took his moment on Fox News not to reflect, but to make false claims based on a racist theory.

"The biggest group in most states are African Americans who have not been vaccinated and last time I checked, over 90 percent of them vote for Democrats in their major cities and counties," Patrick chirped on the broadcast. "So it's up to the Democrats to get, just as it's up to Republicans, to try to get ... people vaccinated."

Ingraham then cut him off by mumbling nonsensically about TikTok videos. (Oh, how I wish this was a joke, but alas it is not.)

Patrick's statement is untrue. Outlets like the Houston Chronicle and the Washington Post have already fact-checked it and determined it false. Even the Fort Worth Telegram editorial board went so far as to issue a thoughtful op-ed, which outlined the facts and deemed his wildly inaccurate claims "racist."

At best, this is Patrick's poor attempt to play politics amid what is (hopefully) the deadliest crisis of his career. At worst, it's a dangerous rant that shifts attention away from the governor's refusal to allow mask mandates and Paxton's lawsuits by baiting the entire news cycle into a round of race wars. The most likely case? It's something in the middle.

When this story was pitched to me this morning, I passed on it, having learned that a clown of Patrick's proportion should never be taken seriously. But then the lieutenant governor issued a statement Friday afternoon, effectively doubling-down on his rant last night:

"Democrats continue to play politics with peoples' lives, pandering to rather than servicing certain constituencies."

As my grandfather, a lifelong Republican, would say: What a load of horsesh*t.

My colleagues and I are now on month 17 of covering the COVID-19 crisis in Texas. You, dear reader, are now on month 17 of living through this crisis. Sure, we got that week-long reprieve in February, but that was because most of us didn't have power. Parents spent the past two weeks agonizing over whether to send their kids to school. And imagine the absolute horror of working in hospitals? The mind reels.

But yet so many of our elected leaders  on both sides of the aisle  are acting like this is politics as usual. They know the midterms are right around the corner, so they play on. Democrats take off their masks long enough to issue surly sound bites while the GOP thinks it's perfectly acceptable to send unvaccinated children to school without face coverings because it might play well in a handful of Republican districts.

But playing politics with peoples' lives? There was only one party in power when 55,000 Texans died. And it wasn't the Democrats.
WASHINGTON - The era of perpetual presidential impeachment is probably upon us.

Six months after the conclusion of the last impeachment, Republicans have begun calling for President Joe Biden to be removed from office over his handling of the evacuation of Americans and allies from Kabul.

"If we leave one American behind, if we don't get all those Afghans who stepped up to the plate to help us out, then Joe Biden, in my view, has committed a high crime and misdemeanor under the Constitution and should be impeached," Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Friday on Fox News.

On Monday, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, the No. 3 Republican in House leadership, called for Biden's ousting amid the evacuation chaos at Kabul's airport. "Joe Biden is unfit to serve as President of the United States of America," Stefanik wrote on Twitter, a phrase she has reiterated several times since.

Add those comments to the sentiment from GOP provocateurs who draw outsize attention on conservative news, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who announced Thursday night that she would introduce articles of impeachment related to Afghanistan.

It's now increasingly clear: If Republicans win the House majority, Biden is very likely to be impeached.

He would be the third of the last five presidents to be impeached, after just one of the first 41 commanders in chief, Andrew Johnson, faced an impeachment trial in the Senate in 1868.

Mature analysts in both parties will call that outlandish to predict at this point, barely seven months into a presidency that, as of a few weeks ago, remained fairly popular.

As chaotic as things seem in Afghanistan, the U.S. coalition there has not lost an ambassador, as happened in Libya during a 2012 siege that also cost three other American lives. Nor has there been a months-long hostage siege at the U.S. Embassy, as occurred in Tehran in 1979.

Neither of those crises prompted the impeachment of Barack Obama or Jimmy Carter, respectively. And even if they face a drubbing during the 2022 midterm elections, Democrats will maintain a healthy enough minority to easily to assure Biden's acquittal in the Senate, making a House-led impeachment mostly symbolic.

But today's Congress operates on warp speed compared with even a decade ago, with congressional leaders often unable to resist demands from their ideological bases.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., spent the first eight months of 2019 defiantly opposed to impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, lecturing fellow Democrats that they needed strong public support that could compel the Senate to convict before she would support the move.

Pelosi feared that a partisan impeachment with a partisan acquittal in the Senate would weaken the constitutional check against a president to something resembling a censure resolution.

"People think all you do: Vote to impeach, bye-bye, birdie. It isn't that - it's an indictment. So you need the best possible indictment," she told reporters in June 2019.

When she first became speaker, in 2007, she resisted calls to impeach President George W. Bush when liberals wanted to hold him accountable for taking the nation into the Iraq War under the false pretense that the Hussein regime had weapons of mass destruction.

"I didn't believe in it then, I don't believe in it now. It divides the country, unless there's some conclusive evidence that takes us to that place," Pelosi told reporters in March 2019.

Less than two years later, Pelosi had presided over two impeachments of Trump, the first for his pressure campaign against Ukraine officials to investigate Biden's family and the second focused on whether the president incited the rioters that stormed the Capitol Jan. 6 trying to block certification of Biden's victory.

Both Senate trials ended with an acquittal, although seven Senate Republicans joined 50 Democrats in the Feb. 13 vote for the most bipartisan vote ever against a president, falling 10 votes shy of the two-thirds majority required to win a conviction.

Most Senate Republicans said they opposed the second Trump impeachment because he had already left office. And they also warned that, once back in power, they would return the favor.

"If it is a good idea to impeach and try former Presidents, what about former Democratic Presidents when Republicans get the majority in 2022? Think about it," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in late January.

But some Republicans have already begun to call for the impeachment of Biden.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, reminded an interviewer Thursday that he has already called for the impeachment of Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for the surge of undocumented immigrants across the southern border.

"I've already said that they should be impeached for their lack of ability to secure the border, and now, because of their complete incompetence, their willful disregard for enforcing what we should be doing in Afghanistan," Roy said on Newsmax.

Taylor Greene and Roy are both allies of Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who stands to become House Judiciary Committee chairman if Republicans win the majority.

Jordan has been careful not to call for impeachment, but he has blasted the president repeatedly on Afghanistan and his handling of the border.

A former political adviser to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case that Trump's first impeachment provides grounds for Republicans to move against Biden.

"The trouble with Dems lowering the bar when impeaching Trump over Ukraine is that Biden has certainly now tripped over it himself. Same elements at play," Scott Jennings wrote Thursday in a long Twitter thread. Jennings served in George W. Bush's White House, and is now a commentator on CNN.

With that rationale, the question might be when, not if, Jordan launches impeachment proceedings if Republicans take over in January 2023.

That would be the third impeachment proceeding in less than four years - matching the total number of impeachments in the previous 243.

Those first two had consequence: Johnson survived the Senate trial but was politically weakened and lost his party's nomination a few months later, and Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, before the full House voted on three articles of impeachment against him.

But Bill Clinton fought his impeachment to a 50-50 draw in the Senate and left office in January 2001 one of the most popular presidents of modern times.

By the time the Senate acquitted him in February 2020, Trump saw his highest approval ratings of his one term, only to lose support for his handling of the pandemic crisis.

While his presidency ended at his lowest popularity levels following the insurrection, Trump's hold on Republican voters remains strong. He is the clear favorite to win the 2024 nomination should he run again, despite being doubly impeached.

Based on that recent evidence, it seems clear that, as a congressional tool, impeachment grows less powerful the more often it's deployed against a president.

Yet some Republicans are ready to jump go straight down that path.

"Joe needs to go if he does this," Graham said Friday.
Bill Maher took to the stage for a mid-August Real Time episode to wild applause. Thats been a feature of many an episode this year, and the reaction has wound up getting a mixed reaction from Maher himself more often than not. Youre very happy, for people who lost a war, he said  and so the evenings monologue began. Maher also noted that the score was currently Graveyard of Empires 3, Empires 0, which segued into a larger discussion on American foreign policy.

The collapse of the government in Afghanistan gave Maher space to address a few of his preferred themes  the cost of the war, the surrealism that Biden is being blamed for a decision that had largely been a bipartisan consensus and a reminder of Donald Trumps time in office. (This included Trump looking into the prospect of meeting with the Taliban.) From there, Maher pivoted to riffs on the pandemic, booster shots and OnlyFans recent move to remove explicit content. It was a relatively concise monologue, which suggested Maher was leaving plenty of room for his guests  which seemed appropriate, as all of them are figures with plenty to say.

Up first? Political writer and blogger Andrew Sullivan, whose Out on a Limb: Selected Writing, 1989-2021 was published earlier this month. The two hugged, sat and proceeded to converse  and while both men are prone to fulminations over cancel culture, the subject that began their conversation was a far less contentious one: weed. They chatted briefly about a joint theyd shared at some previous gathering. (We love our weed, Sullivan said.) And from there, the two spoke about the practice of keeping a notebook for ideas one has while high. (Maher admitted that one of his was, Open a ketchup restaurant.) And Maher hailed Sullivan for holding the record for Real Time appearances  this was his 27th overall.

Sullivan talked about his departure from New York, which he described as a firing. I was given four days notice, he recalled. I was nominated for a Pulitzer one year, and the next year, fired. He spoke about being less frustrated with angry people on social media than he was with those in positions of power who heeded those voices. Sullivan also mentioned that one of his reasons for putting Out on a Limb together was to make a case for his own ideological position. Youre making me out to be some crazy-ass right-winger, he said. Look at my work! Its much more complicated than that.

Later in the conversation, Maher shifted subjects to the pandemic. And given that Sullivan has lived with HIV for 28 years, his thoughts on disease as a constant in life made for an interesting shift in tone. Sullivan prefaced his remarks by stressing the importance of being vaccinated. Im triple-vaccinated, he explained. From there, he made the case for thinking of COVID-19 as endemic  and, to that end, he also argued that the vaccinated shouldnt have mask or distancing mandates.

The panel brought together a pair of speakers with plenty of expertise in their chosen fields. Max Rose is the former Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Defense for COVID-19; Jackie Calmes is the author of Dissent: The Radicalization of the Republican Party and Its Capture of the Court. Rose is also a veteran who fought in Afghanistan; that Maher brought up the current situation there first was no surprise.

Maher raised many of the same concerns he did last episode, when it came to the money spent by the Pentagon over the last 20 years and the corruption it led to. Rose pointed out that many of the most hawkish voices who support spending massive amounts of money to transform Afghanistan wouldnt support similar money being spent on improving conditions in the United States  and that led to a broader conversation about political hypocrisy, as Maher read statements by Trump-supporting politicians exorciating Biden for carrying out the American withdrawal from Afghanistan Trump had set in motion.

Discussion moved from there to the Supreme Court, with Calmes discussing Associate Justice Stephen Breyers decision not to retire  which, she said, has angered a number of Democratic politicians. Rose, who previously served in the House, made an emphatic case for the importance of term limits on the Supreme Court. Rose also noted that he could see Maher nominated for the Supreme Court. Oh, youre adorable, Maher replied.

The California recall election sparked a sense of frustration and even outright despair from the panel, with Maher citing it as evidence of a growing refusal to accept the results of elections. He went on to note that a win for Larry Elder could have massive national ramifications should Elder have to appoint a replacement for one of the states two Senators. Its an insane system, said Rose. Im proud that Im a New Yorker.

For Rose, this also spoke to a sense of a lack of trust in government  something also embodied by the partisan divide over COVID-19 vaccinations. Calmes raised the question of whether this was even possible, with very partisan media ecosystems in place. And things took a turn  first with a discussion of the way hospitals are run, and then with Maher returning to his frustration with obesity and his hope that government might do more to combat it, from public health initiatives to not subsidizing sugar manufacturers.

When the subject of booster shots came up, Maher expressed his skepticism. Every eight months, youre going to put this shi*t in me? he asked. Maybe I dont need one

Yeah, I lost you, man, Rose said. Thats crazy. And, following some crosstalk, Rose kept pushing. Im rolling the dice. I know Im in your house, and I dont want to step over the line here. But, genuinely, peoples lives are on the line. And just as significantly, our way of life is on the line here.

I do think that its very dangerous to enter into a conversation here about personal responsibility, when the truth of the matter is, this is a matter of collective responsibility, he continued.

New Rules found Maher revisiting some familiar targets  TikTok influencers, the Taliban and Rudy Giuliani among them. The bulk of the segment, however, found him criticizing Apples decision to scan through photos stored on phones for evidence of child abuse. This, Maher argued, is unconstitutional and leaves the door open for abuses of power. Its also, as he described it, a sign that smartphones have too much power over their users  alternately, in his words, that todays phones make people assholes, full stop.



Maher went on to cite phones effect on their users mental health and demeanor  to say nothing of the similarities to addiction that some have experienced when it comes to their phones. The phones made us passive-aggressive to our friends and hyper-aggressive to total strangers, he said. And while he closed the segment on a self-deprecating note, this critique hit home in a way that few of Mahers closing segments have recently.

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Now, obviously this article will be a challenge for us. Were used to writing about humorous topics, but theres nothing funny about Punch Dickins, the man who toured the world showing off his versatile Beaver. Were talking about a guy who once broke his mighty Fokker slamming into the Great Bear. What jokes could we possibly make? We just think that Punch Dickins was an interesting guy and its a shame that his name now sounds like hes the only X-Man with a worse power than Dazzler.

But were not here to talk about such storied figures. They all have museums and folk songs and public intoxication laws named after them. Instead, wed like to talk about a man who is increasingly forgotten. A man who has been featured on Canadian stamps, yet is tragically unknown outside his native land. A man who undoubtedly changed the world, although perhaps not entirely for the better. Were talking, of course, about Punch Dickins .

Canada is a land of heroes. Who could forget John A. MacDonald, who became Canadas first prime minister despite regularly getting so zonked on discount moonshine that he blacked out in Parliament , and even slept through an entire invasion of Canada. Then there was Alexander Keith, who made a beer so delicious that nobody even minded when his nephew killed 80 people . And the whole nation regularly cheers that legendary duo of Isaac Brock and Tecumseh, who conquered Detroit , then gave it right back to America again after realizing it was Detroit.

5 Punch Dickins Vs The Flying Circus

Clennell Punch Dickins was born in late 19th-century Manitoba, a fascinating time and place that has luckily been perfectly preserved in the form of modern Manitoba. Little is known about his early life, but it was the 1890s, so he probably grew up eating a cereal called Asbest-Os and learned to read from a pamphlet called Masturbation: Lucifers Greatest Triumph. His rise to fame started during the pessimistically named First World War, when he joined the Royal Flying Corps. The Wright Brothers first flight had been less than 12 years before the war broke out and the average plane was still a spindly nightmare made from plywood and fabric, and held together entirely with terror sweat. They were about as aerodynamic as a startled woodchuck, and roughly twice as combat effective.

via Wiki Commons To steer you need to land and manually drag the plane around. Its top speed is gravity and the main safety feature is your skull. Ok, have a great war everyone!

The earliest warplanes didnt even have guns, forcing pilots to hurl bricks at the enemy as they flew past, like aerial Patches OHoulihans. After a little research, engineers figured out how to install machine guns, then after a lot more research managed to get them timed so that loose bullets didnt bounce off the propeller and headshot the pilot. New pilots were referred to as the 20 Minutes Club, because their average life expectancy in combat was estimated to be around 20 minutes (and about 18 of those were spent plummeting). Prototype parachutes did exist, but the military brass declined to research further, fearing that they would encourage cowardice amongst the men. There hasnt been a more callous approach to soldiers lives since General Click-Clack of the Ant-People looked at the invading Magnifying Glass Man and said, Dont worry boys, I think you can take him!

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Such dangers would daunt even the bravest men (we had to put on special daunt-proof underwear just to write about them), but Dickins punched his way into the RFC at the age of 17 and quickly became a famous ace, shooting down seven enemy aircraft. If that doesnt sound like a lot, please understand that he was a bomber pilot and the total number of aircraft he was sent to shoot down was zero. Seriously, the guy was trying to haul 500 pounds of unstable explosives in a freaking plywood biplane and he was still regularly outflying the entire Luftwaffe. Also, we should emphasize that he was still a teenager for the entire war. Can you imagine getting shot down by a plane with a learners sticker on the back?

Kogo/Wiki Commons You just know this thing had the right blinker on the whole time.

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But when the war ended, Punch suddenly found himself out of work. There was only one choice. Dickins would have to plow straight into the bush in search of some hot fur. By which we obviously mean that he became a professional bush pilot, flying his Fokker biplane through the Canadian Arctic, originally in search of new fur trading routes. Again, there are no jokes in this article. We cant be clear enough about that.
The fall of Afghanistan has captured the worlds attention as Taliban forces regain complete control of the country. The Taliban have been waiting in the shadows for the last 20 years and in what seems like less than a few weeks, they have complete control. Even with the U.S. military forces restraining the chaos, we know full well Christians and non-Christians alike in the country are facing dire and deadly consequences. As we have witnessed through the media, everyone is trying to flee the country.

Refugees and foreigners lives are being threatened. Women have been forced to leave their jobs because under the Taliban, they are not allowed to work, get an education, or leave their homes without a male relative. Christian pastors and churches are being persecuted. Many have been sent deadly messages to cease and flee because the Taliban know who they are and have threatened, they are coming for them.

With all the chaos happening in the country, Christians around the world are at a loss as to how we can help Christians who are facing persecution in Afghanistan. While the situation in the country continues to deteriorate, God is still God, and He is on the throne. Jeremiah 32:27 reminds us, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?

Indeed, nothing is too hard for God, but He is not asking that we stand idly by and wring our hands. God calls us to be warriors for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can close the gap because our hope is not in politics but in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all. Here are seven ways we can help Christians in Afghanistan.

1. Pray for Physical Protection and Provision

Because the country is 99 percent Muslim and being controlled by extreme terrorists of Islam, we need to go before the mighty throne of God and pray on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We can pray for God to provide financially because they no longer have access to money. They simply cannot go to the bank and the ATMs are empty.

- Pray specifically our brothers and sisters in Christ would be granted visas to get out of the country.

- Pray specifically for safe travel. All neighborhoods and streets are now patrolled and controlled by the Taliban.

- Pray God would provide food, shelter, and a way to communicate for help.

Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause, (Psalm 109:1-2).

2. Pray for the Women

Women are being stripped of their rights. They have been forced to leave their jobs and the classroom. They are forced to wear the Hijab and they no longer have access to education, basic medical care, or the freedom to go to the grocery store. Pray for protection as the Taliban re-impose Sharia law where women can be stoned, put to death, or have limbs amputated for any reason.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns, (Psalm 46:5)

3. Pray for Spiritual Provision

Pray the Holy Spirit would roll over the land like the wind to infuse and strengthen every believer. Ask God to increase the faith of His children and give them the spiritual endurance needed. Pray that God will supply every need of theirs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philemon 4:19).

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go, (Joshua 1:9).

4. Pray for the Conversion of The Taliban

Pray for the Gospel to advance even in the midst of these dark days. Ask God to bring a revival in the middle of Afghanistan. Pray for Gods light to be seen among our brothers and sisters in Christ and that this light would also be poured out on the Taliban. Pray they may repent and come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Pray the country would not be a haven for extremists, terrorists, and those who do not know the Lord.

Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name, (Malachi 3:16).

5. Understand the History of Afghanistan

Understanding the history of Afghanistan gives us better insight into how we can come to their aid. Heres a brief synopsis of the last 42 years. The war in Afghanistan didnt begin in 2001 as some would assume. The 42-year war dates back to the Soviet Union. Here are some key events and dates of the last for decades.

1979  The Soviet military invaded Afghanistan to bolster a pro-Soviet government.

1980sGroups of guerrilla fighters and holy warriors went to war against Soviet forces leaving about one million Afghans dead. The U.S. begins to aid the mujaheddin via Pakistan. In 1983 President Reagan welcomes Afghan fighters into the White House. Later the CIA supplies missiles to the mujahideen to help fight the Soviets. In 1987, the Geneva peace accords are signed by Afghanistan, the Soviet Union, the U.S., and Pakistan, and the Soviet Union is forced to withdraw from the country.

1990sFollowing the withdraw of Soviet forces, the Mujahideen leaders take over the capital but also turn on each other. Refugees continue to flee to other countries including Pakistan and Iran. Later in 1994, the Taliban emerge from extremist groups to take over the city of Kandahar with promises to restore order, peace, and security to Afghans. Then, they impose their ultra-harsh interpretation of Islam as they gain control. In 1996 al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden arrives in Afghanistan after being barred from Sudan. Through his leadership, the Taliban take over Kabul after killing the former president.

Through their terroristic leadership, they force women back into their homes, banning education for girls, and carry out punishments which include public executions, beatings, and even amputations for going against Islam. As the country falls deeper into the Talibans hands, the U.N. Security Council recognizes and imposes terrorist sanctions on al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

2001Al-Qaida attacks the United States and the United States goes to war against the terrorists. For the last 20 years, the United States not only sought out and killed Osama bin Laden, the U.S. moves from combat activity to aiding the country in re-establishing a government, to helping the country begin to stabilize. However, in 2006 the Taliban re-emerge, while the country receives help from NATO to take over security operations. Later, ISIS emerges as both ISIS and the Taliban continue with violence in the country. For a more complete history of the country, visit here and here.

6. Support Refugees

Support and pray for refugees that are fleeing the country. Pray they find shelter and a haven wherever they go, and that the Gospel is not only shared with them but that the Gospel is an example to these refugees as the way, the truth, and the life. Countries like the U.S. and Canada have launched programs to aid refugees. We can find ways to physically, spiritually, and financially support these programs.

For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me, (Matthew 25:35-36).

7. Donate to Relief Funds and Agencies

If you have the financial means, seek out ministry-supported organizations your local church supports. This will help support Christians while giving you the confidence to know where, what, and how your donations are being utilized.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life, (1 Timothy 6:16-19).

No matter which way you choose to support Christians in Afghanistan, may we all remember we were once enemies of Christ. May we be thankful for the grace of God as we storm the gates of heaven for the Christians facing persecution and asking Gods provision not only for them but for His lost children as well. We, as a body of Christ, can rise up and stand in the gap for Christians in Afghanistan.

Photo Credit: GettyImages/Constantinis

Heather Riggleman is an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor for Crosswalk. She calls Nebraska home with her three kids and a husband of 22 years. She believes Jazzercise, Jesus, and tacos can fix anything and not necessarily in that order! She is author of I Call Him By Name Bible Study, the Bold Truths Prayer Journal, Mama Needs a Time Out, and a contributor to several books. You can find her at www.heatherriggleman.com or on Facebook.
FINLAND, Minn. (AP)  The U.S. Forest Service on Saturday closed the popular Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota as the largest active wildfire in the state threatens the 1-million-acre property.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness stopped issuing entry permits Saturday, closing all land, water, trails, portages, campsites, canoe routes and wilderness entry points until Aug. 27.

The Boundary Waters in the Superior National Forest is one of the most visited federally designated wilderness areas.

The Greenwood fire in the forest remained uncontrolled Saturday and had spread to about 14 square miles (36 square kilometers). About 250 firefighters were battling the blaze.

Efforts are now underway to reach paddlers and hikers across the vast wilderness, said Superior National Forest spokesperson Joanna Gilkeson.

Currently we have wilderness rangers paddling in the Boundary Waters to sweep people from the areas, and were trying to do a systematic sweep," Gilkeson told Minnesota Public Radio.

Rangers are beginning on the east side of the BWCA and moving to western areas where a large closure order has been in place for more than a month due to concerns about wildfires just across the border in Ontarios Quetico Provincial Park. That means there are fewer visitors in the western reaches of the wilderness.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office had ordered residents of about 245 homes and cabins to evacuate in areas around McDougal Lake, Sand Lake, the Highway 2 corridor, and north of Highway 1 in the vicinity of East and West Chub Lakes, Jackpot Lake and Slate Lake.

No structures have been damaged and no injuries have been reported, officials said.

Temperatures were lower Saturday, humidity was higher and skies were cloudy  all factors that can help moderate fire behavior by blocking the sun from the forest floor, aid Clark McCreedy, a spokesperson for the multiagency team fighting the blaze.

Nonetheless, its already dry because we didnt get enough precipitation out of that weather last night, he told the Star Tribune.

Sprinkles of precipitation Friday and Saturday did little to help firefighting efforts.

Enough to settle the dust, little more than that, McCreedy said. With fire, were always at the mercy of the weather.

Drought conditions in western states, which extend as far east as Minnesota, are fueling around 100 wildfires. California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. In northeastern Minnesota, heat, low humidity and a tinder-dry forest have fueled the Greenwood Lake fire, one of several burning inside and outside the Boundary Waters.
Tropical Storm Henri reached the region on Sunday, sparing most of the western part of the state after tracking slightly further east than originally expected.

Stay in the loop with storm-related updates below as clean-up efforts and power restoration continues Monday.

Monday, 5 p.m.

Officials at the National Weather Services Boston-Norton office have confirmed three tornadoes touched down on Monday in the wake of Tropical Storm Henri.

All three tornadoes were rated as EF-0, meaning wind gusts reached between 65 and 85 mph. All three traveled less than a mile, and none of the tornadoes resulted in injuries.

The first tornado touched down around 11:40 a.m. in Marlborough, west of I-495, near a water treatment facility, the weather service said. Witnesses described branches being lofted into the air. The tornado took down a tree that fell on two cars, damaging one.

The second tornado touched down around 12:30 p.m. on Main Street in Bolton, knocking down a tree into wires and ripping a large branch off another tree.

The third tornado touched down around 1:10 p.m. in Stow near the town police department. The tornado knocked down a large tree and dropped a large branch across the road, according to the weather service.

Monday, 4:30 p.m.

The remnants of Henri are still passing over the region, bringing rain and thunderstorms.

Monday, 4 p.m.

With crews coming in from outside of the state to help with recovery efforts, Eversource set up a vaccine and testing clinic.

Monday, 3:30 p.m.

Monday, 2:26 p.m.

New Haven officials announced Lighthouse Point Beach will remain closed on Monday due to elevated levels of bacteria, following similar closures on Saturday and Sunday. City officials test the water at the beach for contaminants three times per week. The city closed the beach earlier in the summer following flooding from Tropical Storm Elsa.

The closure does not affect Lighthouse Point Park or the splash pad.

Monday, 2 p.m.

During a press event in New London, Gov. Ned Lamont said a risk of flash-flooding remains because heavy rains from the storm have "saturated" the ground with water. He said workers from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection are out inspecting dams to ensure they can hold up as waters rise.

DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes, who was also at the event, said it is difficult to predict where flooding can occur and urged residents to follow local news and first responders for updates.

Monday, 12 p.m.

A flash flood warning has been issued for Hartford County until 3 p.m. Monday.

Monday, 10:30 a.m.

As of 10:30 a.m., 7,783 Eversource customers still remain without power. The utility company said it expects to have power restored for the vast majority of customers by 11:59 p.m. Monday. A few remaining outages in need of extensive repairs might take longer to get power back, Eversource said.

As of 8 a.m. Monday, the utilty company said it restored power to nearly 60,000 customers since the storm hit.

Eversource said in total there were 44 broken poles, 246 trees that needed to be removed, 21 damaged transformers, 913 downed spans of wire and 88 blocked roads.

Monday, 9:15 a.m.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commission Michelle Seagull released a joint statement Monday morning, warning residents to be aware of possible relief and clean-up scams related to the storm.

Homes and personal property in some areas saw damage during the tropical storm on Sunday, making residents and business owners in those areas susceptible to scam artists as they work to make quick repairs.

In previous cases, officials said, residents have reported individuals going door-to-door, claiming to be from utility companies offering to reconnect power, repair roofs, remove trees or do other work in exchange for cash. Utility companies and authorized contractors will always have identified and will never ask for payment.

To report a scam or instance of possible fraud, call 860-808-5318 or file a complaint online at https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/complaint/

Monday, 9 a.m.

More than 12,100 customers from both Eversource and United Illuminating are without power, an almost 4,000 increase from just after 7 a.m. on Monday.

Windsor has the most outages with 2,116 customers out, according to Eversource.

In Fairfield, 947 United Illuminating customers are without power.

Monday, 8:07 a.m.

Gov. Ned Lamont is scheduled to visit Canterbury later this morning and view storm damage. Currently, the town has 532 Eversource customers without power and the outage is still being evaluated.

Monday, 7:55 a.m.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the city was very fortunate to be spared from the worst effects of the storm. He praised city workers and residents who took the storm seriously and prepared.

Monday, 6 a.m.

The entire state is under a flood watch until 2 a.m. Tuesday, with numerous rain showers and thunderstorms expected to develop across the area through the evening, the National Weather Service said.

Rain showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue Monday morning into the late afternoon. There is also a risk of strong thunderstorms and flash flooding. The weather service said the areas at greatest risk for flash flooding are those that saw heavy rain already from the tropical storm.

One to three additional inches of rain are possible Monday, with localized amounts of over four inches possible. Some areas could see rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

Sunday, 8:30 p.m.

In a tweet, the National Weather Service said the remnants of Tropical Storm Henri will move back across southern New England Monday, possibly resulting in renewed flooding from scattered showers and storms that will be accompanied by torrential downpours. Also, it said, an isolated, brief tornado can't be ruled out Monday.

Sunday, 7:00 p.m.

In a tweet, Norfolk Public Information Officer Jon Barbagallo said the area was still seeing steady rain as of 6:30 p.m.

No power issues that we are aware of and emergency services have been quiet, he said.

Sunday, 6:36 p.m.

In a press conference, Eversource President and CEO Joe Nolan said officials were forecasting a historic storm with significant damage on Saturday, but Henri shifting east reduced its impact. He said 9,300 Eversource employees came to the region to aid in recovery, adding some of them from places as far as Mississippi and Ohio.

President of Regional Electric Operations Craig Hallstrom said there were approximately 27,000 customer outages as of 6:30 p.m.

Right now, we have restored about 31,000, he said. We have approximately 1,700 crews working across 24 hours to get those last remaining customers picked up.

Hallstrom said the damage does not look severe, noting a dozen poles, 140 sections of wire and a couple dozen transformers were down.

Given what we thought was going to happen yesterday, today is a pretty good day, he said.

While original estimates said the recovery could take up to 21 days, Hallstrom said the vast majority of customers would have there power restored by Monday night. He said the latest customers should see their power restored is Wednesday afternoon.

Sunday, 6:10 p.m.

In a press conference Sunday evening, Gov. Ned Lamont said most of the wind is dissipating, but the rain is continuing, adding there is still a real risk of flash flooding.

The ground is so saturated that it could flood with just another inch of rain, Lamont said.

The good news, Lamont said, is that Eversource President and CEO Joe Nolan has assured officials that the overwhelming majority, 90 plus percent of the approximately 28,000 households in Connecticut still without power would have it restored by Monday night.

Lamont said 6,500 utility workers from all over the region were in the state as of last night, noting it was better to be over-prepared. He said more than 20,000 people had already had there power restored.

That said, we have the end of the storm surge warning, he said. Thats good news. We have virtually all of our roads open. But the flooding is a risk.

Sunday, 5:25 p.m.

Late Sunday afternoon, MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA Metro-North Railroad announced in a release that it anticipated restoring full regular weekday service on Monday morning across all parts of the railroads.

We took careful precautions over the weekend to ensure that our system was as protected from the storm as it could be, including moving trains out of low-lying yards that could have seen flooding, said Catherine Rinaldi, President of Metro-North Railroad. Id like to thank our workforce for coming out in full force to prepare our system for the storm, combat the elements throughout the weekend, and restoring full service as early as possible.

Sunday, 5:00 p.m.

As on 5 p.m. Sunday, the Connecticut Department of Transportation reported 15 road closures as a result of downed trees, power lines and utility poles. It also reported both the Rocky Hill and Chester-Hadlyme ferries were closed until further notice due to the weather.

Sunday, 4:25 p.m.

In a release, Gov. Ned Lamont announced the travel ban on all empty tractor trailers, tandem tractor trailers, and motorcycles on Interstate 95 that went into effect this morning because of the storm would be lifted at 5 p.m. Sunday.

For everyones safety, the governor continues to urge everyone to stay off the roads to the greatest extent possible until the storm has completely passed, the release said.

Sunday, 4:20 p.m.

In a tweet, Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said initial damage assessments by public works crews were complete, adding it appears the worst of Henri is over with limited impact on the city.

A handful of outages (< 25 households) and roads are clear. Please continue reporting outages & keep eye out for trees down, he said.

Sunday, 2:30 p.m.

The worst of Tropical Storm Henri is mostly done for southern Connecticut counties, according to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University.

The storm is slated to move west through Connecticut, but the wind speeds are dropping. The storms winds are at most 50 mph now, Lessor said. But some counties, such as New Haven, are seeing 20 mph winds.

Its losing its punch, Lessor said.

Some parts of New London county have seen 3.7 inches of rain. Groton has seen almost 2.8 inches of rain, Lessor said.

Meanwhile, New Haven, Bridgeport and Danbury have each seen less than an inch of rain.

Over the next few hours, Hartford and Litchfield counties will see about 1-3 inches of rainfall. Western Connecticut will still see heavy rainfall, or about 1-3 inches, for the next 24 hours.

As the storm stalls in the Connecticut-New York border this evening, it will bring heavy rain.

Lessor said new power outages will stop popping up around late this afternoon and into the evening.

Sunday, 2 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for southern Fairfield, southern New Haven, southern Middlesex and Southern New London counties. The flood watch is in effect through Monday evening.

Storm surge and tropical storm warnings are also in effect for these areas.

Sunday, 1:30 p.m.

As of 1:06 p.m., Eversource reported 25,494 power outages throughout Connecticut. Most of the outages were in southeast Connecticut, with Canterbury being the most effected with 2,176 outages.

That number is concerning, Lamont said in a press conference at 1 p.m. Sunday.

United Illuminating reported 25 outages as of 1:07 p.m.

Lamont also reported 7,000 outages in Massachusetts and 2,600 outages in New York.

For the next 12 hours, the storm is expected to tear through northeast to northwest Connecticut, Lamont said.

Lamont said the storms landfall location played an important role in the states anticipated storm surge. Since the storm landed near Westerly, R.I., there will be less storm surge inside Long Island Sound and along Connecticuts coast.

It makes an enormous difference, Lamont noted, along with the storms downgrade from hurricane to tropical storm.

Dont get complacent, he warned, and reminded constituents that Superstorm Sandy and Tropical Storm Isaias werent hurricanes when they hit Connecticut either.

Lamont said the state has been working closely with FEMA. The state also moved residents from certain nursing homes to alternative sites.

As 90 degree temperatures are expected next week, Lamont said if worse comes to worse, residents can dial 211 to find cooling centers, as well as locations to charge their phones or take a shower.

Sunday, 12:40 p.m.

Tropical Storm Henri made landfall along the coast of Rhode Island near Westerly, which is along the Connecticut border, around 12:15 p.m., the National Weather Service said.

At the time of landfall, the storms winds were at about 60 mph, the weather service said.

Sunday, 12:20 p.m.

The strongest wind gusts have been seen in Groton at 53 mph. The New Haven area has experienced 32 mph winds and Bridgeport has had 28 mph winds, according to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University.

Groton has also experienced the most rain so far at 2.59 inches, Lessor said. New Haven has had the lightest rainfall at 0.42 inches, Lessor said.

The north central and eastern areas of the state are expected to get the most rain at up to 4 inches. Some areas might get under an inch, according to Lessor.

The storm will make landfall before 2 p.m. between Stonington and Westerly, Rhode Island.

Connecticut will experience wind gusts and rain showers through the afternoon and evening. There will still be some rain coming down Monday of up to an inch most likely in the western and central parts of the state, Lessor said.

Sunday, 11:45 a.m.

Tropical Storm Henri is moving toward the north and northwest and is expected to lose speed in the next few hours, the National Weather Service said.

The storm is forecast to turn toward the northwest Sunday afternoon, the weather service added.

Henris center was passing near Block Island, Rhode Island around 11 a.m. The storm is expected to make landfall in Rhode Island by early afternoon.

Meteorologists with the weather service predict the storm will slow down and possibly stall near the Connecticut and New York border tonight. On Monday, the storm will move northeast across northern Connecticut and southern Massachusetts.

The storms winds have decreased to 60 mph. The weather service forecasts the storm wont change strength until it hits landfall, in which it will then rapidly weaken.

A storm surge warning and tropical storm warning were issued for southern Fairfield, southern Middlesex, southern New Haven and southern New London counties.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for northern Middlesex, northern New Haven, northern New London and northern Fairfield counties.

Henri still poses possible life-threatening storm surge, heavy rain that could produce flash flooding and tropical storm force winds.

The weather service forecasts widespread rainfall of 3-6 inches in Henris path.

Sunday, 11 a.m.

As of 11:06 a.m., Eversource reported 8,178 outages. The most outages were reported in Stamford at 1,160. Some 753 outages were reported in Danbury, 744 in Waterford, 714 in Stonington, 486 in Groton, 377 in Salem and more in other areas.

As of 10:58 a.m., United Illuminating reported 52 outages  19 in Stratford, 15 in North Branford, 11 in Fairfield and seven in Trumbull.

UI customers can report outages by calling 800-722-5584 or by going to UINet.com.

Eversource customers can report outages by calling 800-286-2000 or visiting Outage.Eversource.com.

Sunday, 9:20 a.m.

President Joe Biden approved the Connecticut emergency declaration, the White House said in a statement Sunday.

The declaration orders federal assistance to help the state, tribal and local response efforts.

The declaration allows both the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance.

FEMA officials are already at the Connecticut State Emergency Operations Center, according to Gov. Ned Lamonts office.

This storm is going to have a major impact on Connecticut, Lamont said in a statement Sunday. I appreciate President Biden and FEMA for the measures they are taking to support our state in advance of the storm making landfall.

Sunday, 9:10 a.m.

Bradley International Airport is still open, but about half of todays arriving and departing flights are canceled, according to Connecticut Airport Authority spokesperson Alisa Sisic.

Airlines at the airport are proactively adjusting their flight schedules. Passengers scheduled to travel are advised to contact their airline to confirm the latest flight information before arriving at the airport, Sisic said.

Sunday, 7:30 a.m.

With the storms shift east overnight, Henri is expected to make landfall over Rhode Island around 2 p.m., according to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University.

Were certainly looking at a much weaker storm than forecast, Lessor said. Thats why the storm got shifted further east, it wasnt quite as strong as it was expected to be so it wasnt able to fight the surrounding environment as much.

The shift cut down peak winds across western and Central Connecticut to about 50 mph, which isnt nearly as bad as it looked yesterday, Lessor said. The strongest winds should come around 2 p.m.

Sunday, 7:00 a.m.

Henri was downgraded to a tropical storm, but the threat of powerful winds and heavy rain continue throughout the day.

Sunday, 6: 00 a.m.

Rain has started in southeastern Connecticut and weather radar shows it is expected to quickly move northwest through the morning.

Sunday, 5:00 a.m.

Hurricane Henri nears the shoreline. Forecasters expect rain to start within the hour for many people and for conditions to quickly deteriorate through the morning. According to the National Hurricane Center, the core of the storm was still about 90 miles from shoreline, moving north at about 18 miles per hour. A decrease in forward speed and a turn toward the north-northwest is expected this morning, the center said.

Saturday, 11:55 p.m.

Gov. Ned Lamont has banned empty tractor-trail trucks, tandem tractor-trailer trucks and motorcycles from traveling along I-95 through the duration of the storm.

Saturday, 11:00 p.m.

The National Hurricane Center has updated its latest projections for Hurricane Henri, showing the powerful storm will track east, with the center of the storm passing through Rhode Island. It still is expected to hit the coast as a Category 1 hurricane before losing strength and passing through much of the region as a tropical storm.

Saturday, 10:50 p.m.

Members of the Connecticut Congressional Delegation said they sent a letter to President Joe Biden in support of Gov. Ned Lamonts request for an emergency declaration under Section 501 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in advance of Storm Henri making landfall in Connecticut.

Henri is likely to be the first hurricane to directly hit the northeast since Hurricane Bob in 1991, and even if it hits the state as a tropical storm, is expected to bring significant damage, wrote the members of Congress.

Saturday, 8:05 p.m.

Attorney General William Tong issued a warning to Connecticut consumers to be vigilant of price gouging and price hikes as they load up on emergency supplies ahead of hurricane Henri.

Price gougers take advantage of our fear. Were all worried about losing power for days on end, damage to our property and the health and safety of our loved ones, Tong said. Dont let these predatory bad actors profit off your panic.

Saturday, 7:35 p.m.

The following towns now have evacuation orders or recommendations: Bridgeport, East Haven, East Lyme, Fairfield, Groton, Guilford, Madison, New Haven, Old Saybrook, and Westport.

The states Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security provides resources for residents that find themselves in an evacuation zone on their website.

Saturday, 6:50 p.m.

Eversource President and CEO Joe Nolan held a press conference where he gave a rundown of preperations being made and recommend residents prepare seven days of provisions in case of a lengthy outage.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that preparations have been made to assist the northeastern states currently in Hurricane Henris path. Resources and supplies that FEMA is pre-positioning in the region include over 700 response personnel, meals, tarps, and generators.

Saturday, 6:00 p.m.

State Rep. Sean Scanlon announced mandatory evacuation orders for Guilford and Branford.

If you live in a coastal, low-lying or area prone to historic flooding due in Guilford, evacuate now, Scanlon said in a tweet. He followed that up with PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY.

Saturday, 5:45 p.m.

The state suspended bus service for Sunday, including:

 All CTtransit services which operate in Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, Wallingford, and surrounding communities

 All CTfastrak services which provide direct service to and from Waterbury, Cheshire, Southington, Bristol, Plainville, New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, Hartford, and Manchester

 All CTtransit express services statewide

 Local transit district and paratransit services may also be affected. Customers should check the web site of their service provider for up-to-date information.

Saturday, 5:35 p.m.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim declared an emergency for the city as of 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Saturday, 5:00 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service station in Boston, Henri has sped up just a bit, meaning the storm will track more East compared to estimates from this morning.

The hurricane is expected to make landfall around Montauk, NY. The highest winds will be to the east of the storm center, while the heaviest rains will be to the west.

Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

American Electric Power Company in Ohio tweeted that 300 Ohio lineworkers, forestry and contract crew members will arrive in Berlin tomorrow to assist with storm recovery.

Weve got an army of crews to help us with the damage Henri leaves behind, Eversource tweeted in response.

Saturday, 4:05 p.m.

Gov. Ned Lamont, at press conference, says Henri will hit Connecticut directly.

He, noting concerns over the strength of the hurricane, reminds people that notorious Superstorm Sandy wasnt even a Category 1 hurricane, like Henri. Lamont says hes worried especially because the ground is saturated and there is a full moon and highest tides the state can have.

Combined with 70-80 mph winds, trees will fall, he said. Lamont says utility companies have assured the state they have twice as many workers on ground as last year, when companies were criticized after tropical storm Isaias.

Lamonts comments came minutes after Eversource said it estimated up to 69 percent of its customers may be out of power for up to 21 days.

United Illuminating says it is preparing for a Level 3 storm, which can result in a loss of power for 30-50% of its 340,000 customers.

Lamont said the state is monitoring nursing homes, especially given the state will see temperatures in the 90s next week.

He advises that residents stay home. He pledges the state is prepared and that the state will hold utilities accountable.

Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz says utilities seem to be better prepared.

Saturday, 4 p.m.

Shoreline East railroad suspended Sunday service.

Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

Gov. Ned Lamont tweeted that he had a very productive call with President Joe Biden and area governors.

We're all connected to ensure we quickly respond to #HurricaneHenri and have supports in place, Lamont tweeted.

Saturday, 3 p.m.

Eversource raised its projections of outages to 50-69 percent of customers for up to 21 days.

The Department of Transportation announced that the Chester-Hadlyme ferry is closed until further notice due to the storm. This is the second ferry closure after it was announced just before 10 a.m. that the Rocky Hill ferry would be closed until further notice.

Saturday, 2:45 p.m.

Connecticut residents can expect rain and wind starting between 6 and 8 a.m. Sunday, according to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University.

There will be wind gusts of more than 40 mph through the afternoon into the evening. The strongest winds, possibly up to 70 mph, will most likely occur by 2 p.m., Lessor said.

Thats around the time Hurricane Henri will make landfall in central and coastal Connecticut, probably somewhere between New Haven and Madison, Lessor said.

The hurricane will bring minor to moderate coastal flooding during noontime high tide. Tides will be 2 to 2.5 feet taller than normal,, according to Lessor.

Residents can also expect 2.5 to 6.5 inches of rainfall. More rainfall will be seen in the central and west central regions, the meteorologist said.

Residents can stop worrying about increasing power outages by 12 a.m. Monday, Lessor said, as most of the damage will have already been done.

Though thats well after the worst of the wind at 2 p.m., Lessor says that the wind, combined with the rain, will loosen the soil, knocking down more trees throughout the day and causing more power outages.

Lessor advises residents to not travel outside of their homes after 10 a.m. Sunday.

Rain will continue to fall through Sunday night and possibly Monday, according to Lessor. Monday can also still be breezy with 30 to 35 mph winds.

Saturday, 2:10 p.m.

Metro-North has suspended service on the New Haven line for Sunday. That includes the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches. Service will operate every two hours on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, and there will be no buses on the Waterbury branch.

The last two New Haven line trains to depart Grand Central Terminal will be the 1:47 a.m. express train to New Haven, which is scheduled to arrive at 4:09 a.m. on Sunday, and the 1:53 a.m. local train to Stamford, which is scheduled to arrive at 3:14 a.m, the railroad announced.

The last train to depart New Haven will be 11:35 p.m., which arrives at Grand Central at 1:46 a.m. The last train to depart Stamford with be the 12:58 a.m. local train providing connections from the New Haven train, and will arrive at Grand Central at 2:13 a.m. on Sunday.

Saturday, 2 p.m.

All hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System, including Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Yale New Haven and other hospitals, are implementing their comprehensive preparedness plans, according to Dana Marnane, the director of public relations for Yale New Haven Health System.

That includes preparing the buildings and grounds for high winds and heavy rainfall. The hospital generators have been tested, and fuel was delivered to keep them running throughout the storm, Marnane said.

Additionally, medical supplies and food scheduled for Monday were delivered Saturday in anticipation of the storm.

Saturday, 1:10 p.m.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker Saturday advised some residents to evacuate low-lying areas of the city Saturday afternoon, as Hurricane Henri headed straight towards us.

Elicker said the city was now expecting three for five feet of storm surge and four to six inches of rain, an increase from what was predicted yesterday afternoon.

Saturday 12:30 p.m.

About 400,000 to 800,000 Eversource customers could be affected by Hurricane Henri Sunday, or 30 to 60 percent of the utilitys customer base, according to recent predictions by University of Connecticut and Eversource Energy Centers Outage Prediction Modeling group.

The group is predicting a high impact in each town, according to Diego Cerrai, the team leader for the Outage Prediction Model group and an assistant professor of the University of Connecticuts Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Cerrai compared the storms impact to Hurricane Isaias, which put 500,000 Eversource customers without power last year.

The storm is expected to hit Connecticut between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Cerrai said.

Saturday, 12 p.m.

The town of Madison issues mandatory evacuation for all residents south of the Boston Post Road in Madison. Those residents must evacuate by 9 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday, 11:50 a.m.

Henris winds exceed 74 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane.

Saturday, 10:40 a.m.

Dan Warzoha, the emergency management director for Greenwich, said This could be the biggest storm event that weve seen since Superstorm Sandy, and possibly Hurricane Bob in 1991.

However, at this point, Warzoha doesnt anticipate the town asking residents to evacuate.

The town is prepared to open two shelters if it needs to, but Gov. Ned Lamont has requested residents to shelter in place if possible.

Warzoha is warning Connecticut residents to prepare their homes with nonperishable food and keep watch of burning candles. Food in the fridge will be good for 24 hours after the power goes out, he said.

The storm brings a lot of potential tree, wire and pole damage.

People need to be safe and stay away from that stuff, he said.

Saturday, 10:30 a.m.

The Westport Weston Family YMCA is closing its Mahackeno Outdoor Center at 1 p.m. Saturday to prepare for Tropical Storm Henri.

The outdoor center will also be closed all day Sunday.

Saturday, 10 a.m.

Field crews from the U.S. Geological Survey are installing up to 62 storm tide sensors to track Hurricane Henris effects on the Atlantic coast.

The sensors are being installed from Long Island, New York to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. More than 20 scientists will install between 35 and 50 storm tide sensors along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts into Massachusetts.

These sensors will provide water level and wave data that local, state and federal officials can use for decisions impacting lives and property in New England. Scientists can also use this information to fine-tune future storm surge and coastal change forecasts, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Information from the sensors can also be used to guide recovery efforts, plan evacuation routes, identify areas most affected by the storm and flooding, inform building code decisions and improve structure designs to promote public safety, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Saturday, 9:15 a.m.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has brought provisions to Westover Air Reserve Base to serve all of New England during Tropical Storm Henri.

FEMA has brought approximately 63 trucks loaded with bottled water, tarps, food and other emergency supplies. The trucks arrived in Westover Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Saturday, 8 a.m.

Tropical Storm Henri is expected to hit Long Island as a Category 1 hurricane Sunday morning. The storm will then move through southern New England and upstate New York later Sunday into Monday.

The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for Northern Middlesex, Northern New Haven and Northern New London counties

A storm surge and tropical storm warning was issued for southern Fairfield county. The weather service issued just a tropical storm warning for the northern part of Fairfield county.

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a civil prepareness emergency and is requested President Joe Biden declare a state of emergency. Some 200 members of the National Guard are preparing to help the state with search-and-rescue missions and other necessities.

Eversource estimated about half of its customers could be without power for up to 10 days.

Read the full story here.
Henri strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane Saturday and continued to take aim at Connecticut, staying on course for an expected direct hit on Sunday morning.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for parts of Connecticut with storm surge along the coast expected to reach up to 3-5 feet.

Gov. Ned Lamont urged Connecticut residents to stay inside and to prepare for widespread flooding and power outages across the state due to the incoming hurricane combined with other recent weather conditions.

He said that due to an increase in rain in recent weeks, the ground is much more likely to flood.

Its like a sponge, Lamont said.

He added that the timing of a full moon this weekend will cause astronomical tides that will add to the flooding risk.

Lamont said hes been assured by utility companies that they are prepared to deal with outages, even as Eversource estimated that 50-69 percent of its customers could lose power for 8-21 days and United Illuminating projected up to 50 percent of its customers could lose power for an undisclosed amount of time.

The power companies faced significant criticism for their responses to last years Tropical Storm Isaias, when about 750,000 customers lost power for as long as a week.

Lamont said that despite the severe risk of flooding and power outages, the state is well-prepared for the incoming storm.

I dont think Connecticut has ever been as well prepared for a storm, Lamont said.

He said emergency personnel are ready to evacuate at-risk residents if needed, including those in nursing homes. A number of coastal communities had already started evacuating residents Saturday.

While Sunday morning should see some rain and wind, the worst is expected to reach Connecticut by the afternoon. Forecasters said the storm will move slowly once it reaches land.

No area of the state is expected to escape impact. Initial projections were that Henri would affect New Haven and east the most, but the storm's western shift puts residents in and around Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Danbury in its path.

The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for Northern Middlesex, Northern New Haven and Northern New London counties. A storm surge and hurricane warning are in effect for southern Middlesex, southern New Haven and southern New London counties.

A storm surge and tropical storm warning was issued for southern Fairfield County. The weather service issued just a tropical storm warning for the northern part of Fairfield County.

Eversources estimates are from the University of Connecticut and Eversource Energy Centers Outage Prediction Modeling group.

The group is predicting a high impact in each town, according to Diego Cerrai, the team leader for the Outage Prediction Model group and an assistant professor of the University of Connecticuts Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Cerrai compared the storms impact to Hurricane Isaias, which put 500,000 Eversource customers without power last year.

All of Connecticuts shoreline is under a storm surge watch, meaning there is a possibility of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline," the National Weather Service said.

Dan Warzoha, the emergency management director for Greenwich, said This could be the biggest storm event that weve seen since Superstorm Sandy, and possibly Hurricane Bob in 1991.

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a civil preparedness emergency and requested President Biden declare a state of emergency for federal assistance to help with storm damage. Lamont also called for 200 members of the National Guard to be prepared to conduct search-and-rescue missions, as well as clear routes, help with power and distribute goods if needed. Lamont met by phone with Biden and area governors on Saturday.

Lamont said he was cutting short his Maine vacation to return to the state.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker Saturday advised some residents to evacuate low-lying areas of the city Saturday afternoon, as Hurricane Henri headed straight towards us.

Elicker said the city was now expecting three for five feet of storm surge and four to six inches of rain, an increase from what was predicted yesterday afternoon.

The town of Madison issued a mandatory evacuation for all residents south of the Boston Post Road. Those residents must evacuate by 9 p.m. Saturday.

Groton, a city along the shoreline, recommended a voluntary evacuation starting at 10 p.m. Saturday for some of its residents.

The city, in partnership with the Red Cross, will be opening a shelter at Fitch High School, 101 Groton Long Point Rd., starting Saturday at 6 p.m. People wishing to stay in the shelter should bring pillows, blankets, clothing, medicine and special food if needed. Masks are required and people will be screened before entering.

Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University, compared the storm to Hurricane Irene in 2011.

Everybody should be taking some precaution, Lessor said, adding residents should have groceries for up to five days.

The storm will be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in Long Island or southern New England on Sunday morning, the weather service said.

Connecticut can expect rain and wind starting between 6 and 8 a.m. Sunday, Lessor said. Around 2 p.m., the storm will make landfall in central and coastal Connecticut, probably somewhere between New Haven and Madison, he said.

There will be wind gusts of more than 40 mph through the afternoon into the evening. The strongest winds  possibly up to 70 mph  will most likely occur by 2 p.m., the meteorologist added.

The strong winds could cause potential roof damage, as well as snap or uproot large trees, according to the National Weather Service.

The hurricane will bring minor to moderate coastal flooding during noontime high tide. Tides will be 2 to 2.5 feet taller than normal, according to Lessor.

Ocean swells from the storm are expected to last through the weekend and may bring potentially life-threatening surf and rip currents, the weather service said.

There will be about 2.5 to 6.5 inches of rainfall throughout the state. More rainfall will be seen in the central and west central regions, the meteorologist said.

Residents can stop worrying about increasing power outages by 12 a.m. Monday, Lessor said, as most of the damage will have already been done.

Though thats well after the worst of the wind at 2 p.m., Lessor says that the wind, combined with the rain, will loosen the soil, knocking down more trees throughout the day and causing more power outages. Rain will continue to fall through Sunday night and possibly Monday.

Lessor advised residents to not travel outside of their homes after 10 a.m. Sunday.

On Monday, there will still be the possibility of rain and a breeze of about 30 to 35 mph, Lessor said.

Metro-North on Saturday suspended service on the New Haven line for Sunday. That includes the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches. Service will operate every two hours on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, and there will be no buses on the Waterbury branch.

The state also suspended bus services for Sunday, including:

 All CTtransit services which operate in Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, Wallingford, and surrounding communities

 All CTfastrak services which provide direct service to and from Waterbury, Cheshire, Southington, Bristol, Plainville, New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, Hartford, and Manchester

 All CTtransit express services statewide

 Local transit district and paratransit services may also be affected. Customers should check the web site of their service provider for up-to-date information.

Approximately 63 trucks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, arrived in Westover Air Reserve Base Friday evening and Saturday morning. The trucks brought provisions, such as bottled water, tarps, food and other emergency supplies, to serve all of New England during the storm.

Field crews from the U.S. Geological Survey are installing up to 62 storm tide sensors Saturday to track Hurricane Henris effects on the Atlantic coast.

The sensors are being installed from Long Island, New York to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. More than 20 scientists will install between 35 and 50 storm tide sensors along the Connecticut and Rhode Island coasts into Massachusetts.

These sensors will provide water level and wave data that local, state and federal officials can use for decisions impacting lives and property in New England. Scientists can also use this information to fine-tune future storm surge and coastal change forecasts, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Information from the sensors can also be used to guide recovery efforts, plan evacuation routes, identify areas most affected by the storm and flooding, inform building code decisions and improve structure designs to promote public safety, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Henri downgraded to a tropical storm

This satellite image of the U.S. Atlantic coast shows Henri nearing Long Island and Connecticut on Aug. 22, 2021.

Henri has been downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, but forecasters still warn of significant rains and powerful wind.

Previously a Category 1 hurricane, Henri was reclassified as a tropical storm at about 7 a.m. Sunday. After shifting east overnight, the latest forecast shows Henri made landfall along the coast of Rhode Island near Westerly, which is along the Connecticut border, around 12:15 p.m., the National Weather Service said. At the time of landfall, the storms winds were at about 60 mph, the weather service said.

By Sunday afternoon, the worst of Tropical Storm Henri was considered mostly done for southern Connecticut counties, according to Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist for Western Connecticut State University. With Henri losing strength, the National Weather Service dropped the hurricane warnings in New London, Middlesex and New Haven counties.

The storm is slated to move west through Connecticut, but the wind speeds are dropping. The storms winds were at most 50 mph by mid-afternoon, but some counties, such as New Haven, were seeing 20 mph winds.

Some parts of New London county have seen 3.7 inches of rain. Groton has seen almost 2.8 inches of rain, Lessor said. Meanwhile, New Haven, Bridgeport and Danbury have each seen less than an inch of rain.

Over the next few hours, Hartford and Litchfield counties will see about 1-3 inches of rainfall. Western Connecticut will still see heavy rainfall, or about 1-3 inches, for the next 24 hours.

Warnings are still place throughout Connecticut. Forecasters are predicting hurricane conditions for the shoreline and tropical storm conditions throughout the rest of the state. Gov. Ned Lamont urged residents to stay safe, stay home, with concerns that torrential rains and forceful winds could make travel particularly dangerous.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  U.S. President Joe Bidens special envoy for North Korea arrived in South Korea on Saturday for discussions over stalled nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang.

Sung Kims visit comes amid fresh tensions over ongoing U.S.-South Korean military exercises, which the North has described as an invasion rehearsal and led to it threatening unspecified countermeasures that would leave the allies facing a security crisis.

Kim will meet his South Korean counterpart Noh Kyu-duk on Monday and also plans to hold separate talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, who also arrived in Seoul on Saturday. South Koreas Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department didnt immediately mention any plan for three-way talks with the Russians.

The State Department said Kims meetings with Noh and South Korean officials are aimed at discussing the situation on the Korean Peninsula and continue close coordination on the way forward.

Im looking forward to very close consultations with our Korean government colleagues, Kim told reporters at the Incheon international airport.

The Untied States and South Korea began a nine-day joint military exercise on Monday, which Seouls Defense Ministry said is mostly computer-simulated and wont involve live field training. There have been no known missile tests by North Korea since the start of the drills, although South Korean military officials have said the North is currently staging its own summertime exercises.

North Korea has long bristled at the U.S.-South Korea military drills, which the allies say are routine and defensive in nature, and often responds to them with its own weapons demonstrations. The allies in the past few years have canceled or downsized some of their joint training to provide space for diplomacy or because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, released a statement saying that the joint drills were the most vivid expression of the U.S. hostile policy toward North Korea and said the North will work faster to strengthen its preemptive strike capabilities.

Some analysts say the Norths threat may signal a resumption of its weapons testing activities. North Korea ended a yearlong pause in ballistic tests in March by firing two short-range missiles into the sea, continuing a tradition of testing new U.S. administrations with weapons demonstrations aimed at measuring Washingtons response and wresting concessions.

But there havent been any known test launches since then as Kim focused national efforts on fending off the coronavirus and salvaging a broken economy damaged further by pandemic border closures.

Talks between the United States and North Korea have stalled since the collapse of a summit between former President Donald Trump and Kim in 2019, when the Americans rejected the Norths demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities.

Kim has since pledged to bolster his countrys nuclear deterrent while urging his people to stay resilient in a struggle for economic self-dependence in the face of U.S. pressure. His government has so far rejected the Biden administrations overtures for talks, demanding that Washington abandon its hostile policies first.

The Norths state media said Saturday that Kim inspected a construction site for new riverside apartments in Pyongyang and described the project as crucial in making the capital more modern and civilized. The report didnt mention any comments toward the United States or South Korea.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the U.S.-South Korea military drills started Monday.
MADISON  Amy Cornell is a scientist, teacher, coach and now a Connecticut Technology Council Women of Innovation finalist.

Cornell, who teaches at The Country School in Madison, where her children attend, took a sabbatical last year during the height of the pandemic to help develop Detect, an accurate, accessible, at-home test for COVID-19 and other illnesses.

She was nominated for the award in the Secondary Academic Innovation and Leadership division by a colleague at the school.

Cornell did not even know she was up for the honor until she learned she was a finalist. I didnt realize that was happening. It was flattering that they would even spend all that time to nominate me.

Her work in the field

Cornell has been studying molecular biology long before her work on Detect. She received her PhD from Cambridge University in England about 20 years ago, and then worked for NASAs Ames Research Center in California for two years.

While at NASA, Cornell and her team studied archaea, a type of bacteria among the earliest forms of life on Earth.

The team would go to Yellowstone National Park and take samples of the bacteria living in the geysers. The hot springs are very acidic, very hot, you know  boiling temperatures  but they love it, Cornell said. Thats kind of what early life was like here on Earth.

Cornell and her team would study how life can function in extreme environments, such as hot springs, and how that could be applied to space.

Theres currently a huge market for life-sustaining equipment, especially with entrepreneurs such as Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos traveling to space. Studying the bacteria helped Cornell and her team realize how humans can withstand certain elements, she said.

Just understanding how our terrestrial biology can withstand radiation is the biggest problem when we travel like that, but just understanding the biology of how organisms have succeeded in doing this, and how can we sort of use that to understand and build technologies to protect ourselves from this environment, Cornell said about space travel.

While she conducted research at Stanford University, she did similar work, but was more focused on building microfluidic devices and partnering with the engineering department. That was where she built devices for astronauts, and commercially for other companies.

Her work with microfluids helped lead to her work on the Detect test, which uses lateral flow to test for COVID. Lateral flow technology is akin to the the paper strip technology fundamental to products such as pregnancy tests.

A collaboration begins

Cornell became involved with the project after fellow Country School parent and scientist Jonathan Rothberg tweeted, asking if anyone knew about lateral flow technology.

Not everybody works on it anymore, because everybodys always asked to do the cool thing, the new thing, Cornell said. Not too many people know how to, what machines you need, all the equipment and how to do it.

Cornell volunteered to help Rothberg and set up the lab in Guilford when Detect was just starting out. Then she worked on developing the strip and pushing it off to a manufacturer. Cornell is hopeful that the test will receive FDA approval this fall.

Back to school

Cornell is returning to teach one class, seventh-grade biology, this fall at The Country School. She will teach in the mornings and then return to Detect to continue other projects she cannot yet divulge in the afternoons.

Cornell really enjoys working with children, even though she has also taught at the college level. After having kids of her own, she was inspired to transition from teaching at places such as Stanford and community colleges to instructing younger children.

She began teaching preschool and worked her way up to fifth-graders.

The thing that I like about kids is that, when you get to the college level, theyve already kind of decided what they wanted, Cornell said. I feel like with kids, theres the idea that everythings new for the first time.

She said that college students are more stuck in their ways, and, if they think theyre bad at science, they may make certain educational decisions because they view themselves as bad at science.

Children can support and inspire them to teach in different ways to prevent feeling that way, Cornell said.

I think anybody can do anything, she said. Its just sort of feeling like you can, or having that confidence.
Helen Neafsey / Helen Neafsey

GROTON  As Tropical Storm Henri approaches New England, the city of Groton is recommending a voluntary evacuation for some of its residents.

The city is recommending residents on Shore Avenue, Beach Pond Road, Pine Island Road and Jupiter Point Road evacuate starting 10 p.m. Saturday.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Potential Islamic State threats against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to develop new ways to get evacuees to the airport in Kabul, a senior U.S. official said Saturday, adding a new complication to the already chaotic efforts to get people out of the country after its swift fall to the Taliban.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative. Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant. They said there have beenno confirmed attacks as yet.

Time is running out ahead of President Joe Bidens Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops. In his remarks on the situation Friday, he did not commit to extending it, though he did issue a new pledge to evacuate not only all Americans in Afghanistan, but also the tens of thousands of Afghans who have aided the war effort since Sept. 11, 2001. That promise would dramatically expand the number of people the U.S. evacuates.

Biden faces growing criticism as videos depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport, and as vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

The Islamic State group  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years, carrying out waves of horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.

Despite the U.S. Embassy warning, crowds remain outside the Kabul airport's concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Meanwhile, the Taliban's top political leader arrived in Kabul for talks on forming a new government. The presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who returned to Kandahar earlier this week from Qatar, was confirmed by a Taliban official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media. Baradar negotiated the religious movements 2020 peace deal with the U.S., and he is now expected to play a key role in negotiations between the Taliban and officials from the Afghan government that the militant group deposed.

Afghan officials familiar with talks held in the capital say the Taliban have said they will not make announcements on their government until the Aug. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal passes.

Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, tweeted that he and ex-President Hamid Karzai met Saturday with Talibans acting governor for Kabul, who assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of the city.

Evacuations continued, though some outgoing flights were far from full because of the airport chaos. The German military said in a tweet that one plane left Kabul on Saturday with 205 evacuees, while a second aircraft carried only 20. The Italian Defense Ministry announced the evacuation Saturday of 211 Afghans, which it said brought to 2,100 the number of Afghan workers at Italian missions and their families who have been safely evacuated.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport. But on Saturday, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said the situation was getting worse, not better.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk, Paul Farthing told BBC radio.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told Pentagon reporters Saturday that the U.S. has evacuated 17,000 people through the Kabul airport since Aug. 15. About 2,500 have been Americans, he said. U.S. officials have estimated there are as many as 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, but acknowledge they dont have solid numbers. In the past day, about 3,800 civilians were evacuated from Afghanistan through a combination of U.S. military and charter flights, Taylor said. Three flights of Afghan evacuees have arrived at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

The evacuations have been hampered by screening and logistical strains at way stations such as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. U.S. officials said they have limited numbers of screeners, and they are struggling to work through glitches in the vetting systems.

Taylor said that the Kabul airport remains open, and that Americans continue to be processed if they get to the gates, but he and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the threat picture changes by the hour.

We know that were fighting against both time and space, Kirby said. Thats the race were in right now.

The Biden administration was considering calling on U.S. commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they were evacuated from their country by military aircraft. Under the voluntary Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, civilian airlines add to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense.

The U.S. Transportation Command said Saturday it had issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. If called upon, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginias Dulles International Airport to U.S. military bases.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, one Afghan man said upon arrival in Italy with 79 fellow citizens, speaking in a video distributed by that country's defense ministry.

But the growing question for many other Afghans is, where will they finally call home? Already, European leaders who fear a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis are signaling that fleeing Afghans who didnt help Western forces during the war should stay in neighboring countries instead.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government, will offer full amnesty to those who worked for the U.S. and the Western-backed government and have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001. They also have said  without elaborating  that they will honor womens rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Talibans harsh rule in the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Today, some of my friends went to work at the court and the Taliban didn't let them into their offices. They showed their guns and said, Youre not eligible to work in this government if you worked in the past one,' one women's activist in Kabul told The Associated Press on Saturday. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

With a Turkish visa but no way to safely reach the airport, the activist described the gap between the Taliban's words and actions very alarming.

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Faiez reported from Istanbul, Gannon from Islamabad, and Baldor from Washington. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy; Matt Lee in Washington; and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

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Afghanistan coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  Around 150 people protested in front of the New Mexico state Capitol Friday, demanding an end to vaccine mandates for health care workers.

Many protesters identified themselves as hospital workers  nurses, nursing assistants and clerical workers. Other attendees included correctional officers, retirees and children of health care workers.

A state mandate requires nurses and other workers in high-risk environments to get vaccinated, and some hospitals have their own mandates.

I believe the vaccine is harmful, said practical nurse Katrina Philpot, who was picketing along the road outside the Capitol complex with a sign that read Healthcare workers deserve rights."

Philpot said the hospital she works at in Rio Rancho is requiring her to be vaccinated by Aug. 27 or be fired. She fears she won't qualify for medical or religious exemptions to the mandate.

State employees, including prison guards, are required to get vaccines or submit to weekly testing. At least one prison guard has sued the state over the mandate.

Supportive drivers honked as they passed, while those who disapproved yelled at the group.

Under the public health order rolled out earlier this week, all workers in New Mexico hospitals and congregate care facilities are required to be fully vaccinated, with only limited exceptions. California and Washington have issued similar mandates.

Those workers who are granted exemptions still will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test every week.

New Mexico has outpaced neighboring states when it comes to getting people vaccinated. About two-thirds of residents 18 and older have been fully vaccinated, but state health officials have warned that evidence shows inoculated people can still become infected and spread the virus.

The latest data provided by the state shows there were at least 2,866 breakthrough cases as of Aug. 9.

In all, more than 223,000 infections have been reported since the pandemic began.

Federal officials also are calling on people to get booster shots eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, saying signs point to the effectiveness of the vaccines waning over time.

Republican state lawmakers and others in New Mexico have raised concerns about the governor's mandates, including one that requires attendees of the upcoming New Mexico State Fair to show proof of vaccination. Agriculture groups say the short notice may result in some teenagers not being able to participate in the annual junior livestock exhibition.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, New Mexico's sole Republican delegate, and other top GOP officials sent a letter to the governor asking that individuals be allowed to attend the fair if they test negative for COVID-19. They noted that many people, especially children from rural areas, will likely be unable to receive their second dose in time.

It is unreasonable and harsh to ask families to choose between unwanted medical decisions and their childs hard work, said state Sen. Gregory Baca of Belen. Our rural families who work all year to show at the state fair deserved to be included in this decision."

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Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque.

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Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter.
The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people is tragic, dangerous, unnecessary, not in their interests and not in ours.

In the aftermath of the decision to return the country to the same group from which the carnage of 9/11 arose, and in a manner that seems almost designed to parade our humiliation, the question that allies and enemies alike pose is  has the West lost its strategic will?

By that I mean, is it able to learn from experience, think strategically, define our interests strategically and on that basis commit strategically? Is 'long term' a concept we are still capable of grasping? Is the nature of our politics now inconsistent with asserting our traditional global leadership role? And do we care?

As leader of our country when we decided to join America in removing the Taliban from power in 2001, and who saw the high hopes we had of what we could achieve for the people and the world subside under the weight of bitter reality, I know better than most how difficult are the decisions of leadership and how easy it is to be critical and how hard to be constructive.

Tony Blair pictured addressing British troops in Basra, southern Iraq, in May 2003. The abandonment of Afghanistan and its people is tragic, dangerous, unnecessary, not in their interests and not in ours, the former prime minister writes

Twenty years ago, following the slaughter of 3,000 people on US soil on September 11, 2001, the world was in turmoil. The attacks were organised out of Afghanistan by Al Qaeda, an Islamist terrorist group given protection and assistance by the Taliban.

We forget this now, but the world was spinning on its axis. We feared further attacks, possibly worse. The Taliban were given an ultimatum: yield up the Al Qaeda leadership or be removed from power.

They refused. We felt there was no safer alternative for our security than keeping our word. We held out the prospect, backed by substantial commitment, of turning Afghanistan from a failed terror state into a functioning democracy on the mend. It may have been a misplaced ambition, but it was not an ignoble one.

There is no doubt that in the years that followed we made mistakes, some serious. But the reaction to our mistakes has been, unfortunately, further mistakes.

Today we are in a mood that seems to regard the bringing of democracy as a utopian delusion and intervention virtually of any sort as a fool's errand. The world is now uncertain of where the West stands because it is so obvious that the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was driven not by grand strategy but by politics.

We didn't need to do it. We chose to do it. We did it in obedience to an imbecilic political slogan about ending 'the forever wars', as if our engagement in 2021 was remotely comparable to our commitment 20 or even ten years ago, in circumstances in which troop numbers had declined to a minimum and no allied soldier had lost their life in combat for 18 months.

We did it in the knowledge that though worse than imperfect, and though immensely fragile, there were real gains over the past 20 years. And for anyone who disputes that, read the heartbreaking laments from every section of Afghan society as to what they fear will now be lost. Gains in living standards, education, particularly of girls, gains in freedom. Not nearly what we hoped or wanted. But not nothing. Something worth defending. Worth protecting.

We withdrew because our politics seemed to demand it. And that's the worry of our allies  and the source of rejoicing in those who wish us ill. They think Western politics is broken. Unsurprisingly, therefore, friends and foes ask: is this a moment when the West is in epoch-changing retreat?

Royal Marines of 40 Commando, Bravo Company, arrive at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan - part of the lead element of an International Peace Keeping Force - in December 2001

British citizens and dual nationals residing in Afghanistan board a military plane for evacuation from Kabul airport on August 16

I can't believe we are in such retreat, but we are going to have to give tangible demonstration that we are not. This demands an immediate response in respect of Afghanistan. And then measured and clear articulation of where we stand for the future. We need to work out a means of dealing with the Taliban and exerting maximum pressure on them.

This is not as empty as it seems. We have given up much of our leverage, but we retain some. The UK as the current G7 chair should convene a Contact Group of the G7 and other key nations and commit to coordinating help to the Afghan people and holding the new regime to account. Nato  which has had 8,000 troops still in Afghanistan alongside the US  and Europe should be brought fully into co-operation under this grouping.

We need to draw up a list of incentives, sanctions and actions we can take, including to protect the civilian population so the Taliban understand their actions will have consequences.

But then we must answer that overarching question. What are our strategic interests and are we prepared any longer to commit to upholding them? Afghanistan was hard to govern all through the 20 years of our time there. And of course there were mistakes and miscalculations. But we shouldn't dupe ourselves into thinking it was ever going to be anything other than tough when there was an internal insurgency combining with external support  in this case Pakistan  to destabilise the country and thwart its progress.

Wing Commander Matt Radnall carries a carefully folded Union Flag under his arm and back home to the UK as he leaves the Helmand Province of Afghanistan in 2014

Blair pictured with ex-Afghan President Hamid Karzai at 10 Downing Street in January 2006

We have not had another attack on the scale of 9/11, though no one knows whether that is because of what we did post 9/11 or despite it.

The World Trade Center attack exploded into our consciousness because of its severity and horror. But the motivation for such an atrocity arose from an ideology many years in development.

For want of a better term, I will call it Radical Islam  an ideology in different forms and with varying degrees of extremism that has been almost 100 years in gestation.

Its essence is the belief that Muslim people are disrespected and disadvantaged because they are oppressed by outside powers and their own corrupt leadership, and that the answer lies in Islam returning to its roots, creating a State based not on nations but on religion, with society and politics governed by a strict and fundamentalist view of Islam.

In the West, we have sections of our own Muslim communities radicalised. Islamism is a long-term structural challenge because it is an ideology utterly inconsistent with modern societies based on tolerance and secular government. Yet Western policymakers prefer to identify Radical Islam as a set of disconnected challenges each to be dealt with separately.

We are in the wrong rhythm of thinking in relation to Radical Islam. With Revolutionary Communism, we recognised it as a threat of a strategic nature that required us to confront it both ideologically and with security measures. It lasted more than 70 years. Throughout that time we would never have dreamt of saying, 'Well, we have been at this for a long time, we should just give up.'

Ex-Prime Minister Blair meets British troops at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, during a surprise visit in November 2006

We knew we had to have the will, the capacity and the staying power to see it through. This is what we need to decide now with Radical Islam. Is it a strategic threat? If so, how do those opposed to it, including within Islam, combine to defeat it?

We have learnt the perils of intervention in the way we intervened in Afghanistan, Iraq and indeed Libya. But non-intervention is also a policy with consequence.

What is absurd is to believe the choice is between what we did in the first decade after 9/11 and the retreat we are witnessing now; to treat the full-scale 2001 military intervention as of the same nature as the secure-and-support mission in Afghanistan of recent times.

Intervention can take many forms. We need to do it learning the proper lessons of the past 20 years, according not to our short-term politics but to our long-term strategic interests.

But intervention requires commitment. And not time-limited by political timetables but by obedience to goals. For Britain and the US, these questions are acute. The absence of consensus and collaboration, and the deep politicisation of foreign policy and security issues, is visibly atrophying American power.

And for Britain, out of the EU and suffering the end of the Afghanistan mission by our greatest ally with little or no consultation, we have serious reflection to do. We don't see it yet. But we are at risk of relegation to the second division of global powers. Maybe we don't mind. But we should at least take the decision deliberatively.

There are, of course, many other important issues in geo-politics: Covid 19, Climate, the rise of China, poverty, disease and development. But sometimes an issue comes to mean something not only in its own right but as a metaphor, as a clue to the state of things and the state of peoples. If the West wants to shape the 21st Century, it will take commitment. Through thick and thin.

It will require parts of the Right in politics to understand that isolation in an interconnected world is self-defeating; and parts of the Left to accept that intervention can sometimes be necessary to uphold our values.

It requires us to learn lessons from those 20 years from 9/11, in a spirit of humility, and the respectful exchange of different points of view. It also requires a sense of rediscovery that we in the West represent values and interests worth being proud of and defending. And that commitment to those values and interests needs to define our politics  and not our politics define our commitment.

This is the large strategic question posed by these last days of chaos in Afghanistan. And on the answer will depend the world's view of us and our view of ourselves.

This is an edited version of an article originally published on the Tony Blair Institute website.
When Joe Kwon was sentenced to nine years behind bars at the age of 21 for dealing huge quantities of MDMA he was resigned to becoming a career criminal.

But a chance encounter in the jail yard with a white-collar criminal who was rumoured to be a billionaire accountant changed the Sydney man's life.

Joe, who now runs ConFit - a successful personal training business that employs former inmates, dropped out of school in Year 10 to become a full-time drug dealer.

He said he didn't know any life other than crime.

'I was motivated by money because I grew up with a single mum who was either working or studying and that gave me a lot of time to hang out with people who were part of the gang scene,' the 33-year-old said.

'I saw my first murder when I was in Year 6, so I guess for me coming from the environment I grew up in to crime was a natural progression.'

Joe Kwon, pictured during his time in jail. Joe said he was sure he was destined to become a drug lord and was keen to learn from hardened criminals when he was sent to jail

But halfway through his sentence he met a once-in-a-lifetime mentor and is now running ConFit - a successful personal training business that employs former inmates

Joe now visits both youth and adult correctional facilities to help teach inmates how to get ahead on the outside through his program called ConFit Pathways

Joe was half-way through his sentence when the 'billionaire accountant' became his cellmate and started teaching him about the importance of education, self-belief, and accounting - the language of business.

'All of a sudden I had this positive role model - the first I had had in my life, and he was helping me just because he wanted me to succeed,' Joe said.

He found he had a new purpose. He started believing that he could actually build a life outside of jail which focused on social equality and driving positive change.

'We only shared a cell for six months but it was intense. He made me read books and then quizzed me on them for hours each night,' Joe said.

'He would say "don't tell me what the book, tell me what it was about" - he pushed me into critical thinking.'

Six months after the chance meeting, Joe was moved to another prison but kept up his studies and received his higher school certificate.

He was in Wellington Jail near Dubbo in central NSW having 'the worst time of his life' when he got a letter accepting him to study at the University of New South Wales.

'I just broke down in tears, no-one there understood what I had been through to get to that moment,' he said.

'A month after I got out of jail I was at university, taking a lecture on social change.'

Joe was just 21 when he was jailed for nine years. He dropped out of school when he was in Year 10 after deciding selling drugs was too lucrative to turn down

'When I hit rock bottom or when I was on top of the world mum was always there words cant express how great a mothers love is,' Joe said. His mum was a single parent who worked and studied fulltime when he was young

Joe, who hires and teaches former inmates (except child abusers or sex offenders) to be fitness trainers, understands the challenges of being in lockdown more than most, and has shared a prison-style workout that anyone can do while stuck at home.

'In jail exercise is the only escape,' he said.

'It's an environment where you are herded around like animals, treated like animals and where so many people just become the environment.

'My first day in jail I saw inmates crowded in the corner, shooting up. It was crazy but after a while you are desensitised and it feels normal.

'Then you just wake up every day with a hollow, stuffy feeling of worthlessness. It is hard to bear.'

This is why exercise is such a welcome release for many inmates.

They put together routines to help them break up the monotony of the days, weeks and years of their sentences.

What's Joe Kwon's go-to prison yard inspired workout for lockdown? Circuit workout First round do all exercises x15 reps with no rest in between. Rest 1min Second round do all exercises x12reps Rest 1min Third round do all exercises x10 reps Rest 1min Fifth round do all exercises x8 reps 1. squats 2. push ups 3. crunches 4. leg raises 5. burpees 'Training can bring freedom to people in lockdown,' Joe said. 'I trained in jail as it was a way for me to escape the realities of a negative environment. That's why our slogan is 'train to be free'. 'There's a huge connection between your body and your mind and one can affect the other, and now more than ever we need to train not just the physical but the mental. 'I was in nine years of lockdown and was able to keep positive. Being free is a state of mind no matter where you are or in any environment.' SOURCE: JOE KWON ConFit Advertisement

Joe was still set on becoming a career criminal when this photo was taken. He had no work experience or education and didn't think people would give him a chance - until he met a 'billionaire accountant' doing time in jail

Joe, who also helps young offenders through his program ConFit Pathways, explained how jail is known as 'the university of crime'.

He said many expect to learn from hardened criminals so they can minimise their chances of being caught and maximise their success when they resume offending once they're set free.

'When people come out of jail they reoffend because they need money and too often that is the only way they know how to make it,' he said.

'But I am showing them they can have opportunities on the outside and showing people that former inmates can make valuable employees.'

Joe said his hard work studying on the inside has paid off and he is now running a business and giving back to the community

He has worked on a nine-week program for juvenile offenders, to help them understand there is more to life on the outside than a return to crime.

He visits youth centres and is proud to have the opportunity to work with them, despite still being on parole for his own offences.

'For them to let someone on parole through the doors is huge,' he said.

'But these kids really value it because we are people who have been where they are. We know the life they are living because we lived it.'

Joe gives work opportunities to people who have been in jail but want to lead crime-free lives. He doesn't hire ex-inmates who are convicted sex offenders or child abusers

ConFit Pathways: Working with young people in juvenile centres ConFit Pathways delivers programs in juvenile detention centres to address attitudes and mindsets of incarcerated young people around the value of education and employment. All the mentors are former inmates who are now doing positive things in the community. We use fitness to engage with young people but our objective is to motivate their mindsets to go down a path of employment and education once they are released, and provide a continuing support network once they are out in the community. Advertisement

Joe said the teenagers usually rank programs based on how much free food is on offer.

'We don't put on barbecues or anything with our program but the kids keep coming and say it's the best program,' he said.

Joe is now exploring a partnership with UNSW for his programs which will resume when lockdown ends.

In the meantime, he is still teaching fitness classes online and keeping in contact with the teens in his program to let them know they have his support.
Alton Towers crash survivor Leah Washington has shared a series of sensational photos as she's been named the new face of lingerie brand Pour Moi.

Leah, 24, said she 'loved' the black bra and knicker set she posed in before slipping into a similar white matching pair, as she shared snaps from the shoot in London.

Joined by a group of gorgeous models, Leah later changed into a pyjama set before showing off her sartorial prowess in an army-green fitted body suit and black leather skirt.

Alton Towers crash survivor Leah Washington has shared a series of sensational photos as she's been named the new face of lingerie brand Pour Moi

Leah, 24, said she 'loved' the black bra and knicker set she posed in before slipping into a similar white matching pair, as she shared snaps from the shoot in London

The social media influencer, from South Yorkshire, went to Alton Towers on her first date with current boyfriend Joe Pugh in June 2015. Her life changed forever when their carriage on the Smiler rollercoaster smashed into a stationary train.

Leah was one of two young passengers who lost a leg while Joe suffered devastating injuries including two shattered kneecaps.

Taking to Instagram yesterday, Leah shared photographs behind the scenes of the glamorous shoot in London.

Leah has more than 24,000 followers on Instagram and regularly shares update of her life with Joe and her recovery progress.

The social media influencer, from South Yorkshire, went to Alton Towers on her first date with current boyfriend Joe Pugh in June 2015. Her life changed forever when their carriage on the Smiler rollercoaster smashed into a stationary train. She is pictured posing with other models

Joined by a group of gorgeous models, Leah later changed into a pyjama set before showing off her sartorial prowess in an army-green fitted body suit and black leather skirt.

Posting earlier this year, she revealed she was back on her 'blade' prosthetic after six months off due to ongoing hip pain.

In March, Leah shared a photo of the day she was fitted with her first prosthetic after having it amputated almost six years ago.

In the images, Leah is still wearing thick bandages around her legs and torso and her limbs are bruised.

Taking to Instagram yesterday, Leah shared photographs behind the scenes of the glamorous shoot in London

Santa baby! Leah also modelled a set of pyjamas with Father Christmas hats for the lingerie brand Pour Moi

Alton Towers crash survivor Leah Washington has shared a photo of the day she was fitted with her first prosthetic after having her leg amputated almost six years ago (above)

She wrote: 'Throughout my time as a amputee Ive been cast numerous time due to shrinkage, weight loss or gain and revision surgery.

'They basically take a cast of your stump (little leg as I like to call it) and create a socket from that cast, the socket is how they connect your stump to the prosthetic leg.

'They make a clear "check" socket so they can see how your stump is sitting in the socket. This way they can make adjustments by melting and reshaping the socket before creating the finished product.

'This is done as and when required and usually takes around 20 minutes to do. So yeah just a little insight I thought Id share on the process of sockets & prosthetics as its not a one size fits all kinda thing.'

Here comes the girls! The group of models wore coordinating underwear as she posed for Pour Moi
Sales of barely-there pin-tops that have become a popular way for A-listers to flash some some flesh have surged in the last two weeks as the thread-bare look is set to become one of the biggest trends for the final weeks of summer.

Also known as a 'curtain reveal top', the pin top looks like a small cropped cardigan with a string tie or safety pin keeping it together.

Worn over the shoulders, and with nothing underneath, the celeb-approved look barely covers the wearer's modesty.

Sales of barely-there pin-tops that have become a popular way for A-listers to flash some some flesh have surged in the last two weeks as the thread-bare look is set to become one of the biggest trends for the final weeks of summer. Megan Fox is pictured in LA in a pintop

Described as being 'being universally adopted by the It-girls' by Vogue, the pin top been spotted on supermodels including Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Kaia Gerber, and Hailey Bieber.

This week, actor Megan Fox was pictured in a Jacquemus cherry-red pin top, prompting searches for the item to skyrocket by 52 per cent in the 48 hours.

This week, fashion data website Lyst reported searches for 'front tie top', 'lace up top' and 'pin top' has searched 78 per cent in the last fortnight.

It follows the 'midriff-flossing' trend which became popular last summer and saw models pose with a crisscross tie detailing their torso and waistline.

Sales of barely-there pin-tops that have become a popular way for A-listers to flash some some flesh have surged in the last two weeks as the thread-bare look is set to become one of the biggest trends for the final weeks of summer. Pictured: Emily Ratajkowski in the look in New York in June

Bella Hadid wears a black ribbed opened cardigan - or 'pin top' as she attends Paris Fashion Week

Described as being 'being universally adopted by the It-girls' by Vogue, the pin top been spotted on supermodels including Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski, Kaia Gerber, and Hailey Bieber (pictured)

It's also part of a wider trend of highlighting breasts in a new ways - a step away from classic pushed up 'Wonderbra cleavage'.

Just one quick scroll through social media confirms that skimpy wrap tops which reveal your midriff and underboob by tying fabric around your neck in a halter style have become this season's must-have look.

Celebrities and influencers alike have been sporting the daring style all over Instagram and Twitter, with fashion brand PrettyLittleThing reporting an 841 per cent increase in searches since the trend began.

Bella Hadid sported the pin top look during London Fashion week in January -opting to make it denim

Stepping out: Kendall Jenner took to Instagram to showcase her ultra sultry resort wear

With the look dominating online, it is quickly becoming the must-have top for fashionistas, with the likes of Maya Jama, Molly-Mae Hague and Kylie Jenner embracing the trend.

This year's crop of Love Island contestants are jumping on the trend too, with Faye, Millie Court and Rachel Finni all donning bikini versions of the trend in the villa.

But according to celebrity stylist Rochelle White, the trend isn't here to stay.

Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, she said: 'I have been noticing this trend a lot of celebrities and reality TV stars.

'I think this is a trend and a moment that will pass and might not be one to stay.

'The style of this usually is a scarf wrapped around the top half of the body to create the look, but with some tops this is the actual style.

'I think this look is all about adding the extra lift to support and gives a dramatic look to any outfit or swimwear.'
Almost a year after The Mail on Sunday first warned that thousands of Britons had died of Covid they had caught in hospital, top scientists confirmed our story last week.

A study, published in world-renowned medical journal The Lancet, found that one in ten Covid patients picked up the virus while on a ward after being admitted for some other reason.

Our intention was never to blame. But our hope is that all hospitals will bring in better infection control measures to keep patients safe  just like they did for the MRSA superbug.

And if official Government statistics are to be believed, the tide is turning. Hospital- acquired Covid accounts for between two and five per cent of cases.

But there is still no clear way to check individual health trusts and see how well they are doing in terms of tackling the problem.

We were only able to obtain figures by making a request to each and every trust using the Freedom of Information Act. This data should be easy to access, and simple to interpret  just like other Covid figures are.

A study, published in world-renowned medical journal The Lancet, found that one in ten Covid patients picked up the virus while on a ward after being admitted for some other reason

In a bid to find out whether the dangers of hospital-acquired Covid are really in the past, we asked readers to write in and tell us their stories.

We received a flood of emails and letters, many of them heartbreaking. And a lot were cases from this year.

Here, we print just a few. In each case, we know the names of the hospitals. But they have been withheld for the time being for legal reasons.

Please do keep writing to us, and we will continue to investigate.

My husband, Douglas, went into hospital after a fall in January. After 11 days, he tested positive for Covid.

He died on February 2. I am absolutely devastated. He didn't deserve to die the way he did  he'd been so responsible, keeping himself safe from the virus for the past year.

I was told by the trust there would be an inquiry into his and other hospital-acquired Covid deaths but have heard nothing since.

I feel my husband's death shouldn't have happened, and I miss him every day.

Joanna Duhig

On September 17, 2020, my husband and I celebrated our silver wedding on a holiday in North Wales. It was a great relief, after shielding throughout the summer.

Ten days later, I developed a severe back pain and was taken into hospital  an MRI scan showed I had deterioration of my spine.

On October 14, still in hospital, I was diagnosed with Covid, as were the other three patients in my bay. We were told there were many more on the ward.

A few days after that, I was discharged home.

My husband developed symptoms and was diagnosed after I went home  fortunately he was not seriously affected.

After six days at home, my legs gave way and I fell to the floor twice. I was taken back into hospital, this time to be treated for Covid.

I came back home on November 21, and we're paying for a carer to help from our small savings as I have such limited mobility.

I'm now confined to bed or a wheelchair.

In our case, nobody died, and we are grateful for that. But our later years  our lives  have been shattered by what appears to be a failure in infection control.

Dorothy and Malcolm Middleton

An elderly female patient in intensive care with COVID-19 on a hospital ward

A dear friend of mine was on a four-patient ward, with Perspex screens dividing the beds.

The staff were changing gloves and aprons after tending to each patient.

She was in hospital due to breast cancer, but after a week was diagnosed with Covid.

A week later she died. She was only 55. The most upsetting part was that she had spent ten months being ultra-careful. She knew chemo had left her immune system weaker.

So to contract this disease while in a healthcare setting seemed to me like an awfully cruel joke.

Name withheld

In February, my dad, who's 88, was admitted to hospital. He suffered from heart and kidney failure, and was having problems with swollen legs, but we had kept him safe at home all through the pandemic.

Unfortunately, he'd not been vaccinated. He was on antibiotics, and his GP refused to give him the jab until he had been off the tablets for two weeks, which didn't happen. We'd pleaded and pleaded, and even went to the Care Quality Commission, but they said it was up to the individual doctor to decide.

Dad spent approximately ten days in hospital, was transferred to a care home for a week, and then was taken back to hospital.

He had been there almost another week  we weren't allowed to visit  when a nurse dropped the bombshell: 'You know your dad's tested positive for Covid don't you?' Obviously we were horrified. Over the next few days they kept telling us he was doing well.

We tried to speak to him on his mobile but he was very confused, which was not at all like him  he was as sharp as a tack normally.

Then we got a call from a doctor on the ward saying Dad had Covid delirium, and that basically we could go say our goodbyes.

The shock was unbelievable  we just couldn't understand how he could have gone downhill so fast.

We know he wasn't a well man, but we feel we would have had a while longer to enjoy his company. I don't think any of us will ever forgive the hospital for not protecting him from Covid while he was in their care.

His death certificate states hospital-acquired Covid as the primary cause of death.

He was so loved and respected by so many.

The Hulme family

My son needed treatment for a minor bowel blockage and was kept in hospital on a ward where some of the patients had Covid. After two weeks, he caught it.

Eight weeks later he was discharged to a nursing home as he was 'terminal'.

Unfortunately, he passed away a few days later in the nursing home  the death certificate says Covid-19.

We hadn't been allowed to visit him prior to saying our goodbyes. Naturally we are still grieving.

Valerie and Timothy Lee

My husband, aged 60, was in hospital in March following a heart attack.

He tested positive for Covid while in isolation, waiting for a heart bypass.

The nurse who gave him the bad news was wearing his mask under his nose.

My husband recovered, but is now suffering from lung fibrosis due to long Covid  which is not ideal following a triple heart bypass.

The Covid diagnosis also delayed my husband's op by a further five weeks, and neither I nor any other member of the family were allowed to see him.

My daughter, who is a nurse, complained to the hospital  mainly about the fact the nurse was wearing a mask incorrectly  but there was no real response.

It is clear that some hospitals have not taken the Covid precautions seriously.

Vivien Jagger

I went into hospital in March for a routine procedure, but something went wrong and I was admitted. Seven days later, having been moved between wards once and tested for Covid a number of times  each time negative  I was told I was Covid positive.

The very next day I was discharged home, into the care of my 90-year-old wife. The ambulance crew who took me home didn't know I had Covid, and weren't best pleased when I gave them the news. Luckily, my wife did not catch it from me. Test and trace called every day to make sure we were both isolating.

You could say I'm not too happy with our caring NHS.

Michael Marketis

In May, my husband was admitted to hospital with a urine infection and a bad cough  he suffers from asbestos-related lung problems, which he got through his service in the Royal Navy.

He was put on a respiratory ward with Covid patients before being moved to a renal unit where he remained. He was due to be discharged two weeks later when his temperature spiked.

He developed pneumonia, and we were told he'd caught Covid  I only found out because I called the hospital, they didn't contact me to tell me.

He spent two months in there, during which time I could not visit, and I could not speak to him by phone as he is deaf. Since being discharged, he has deteriorated. Earlier this month, we were told he hasn't got long left.

My husband walked into hospital and came out a complete invalid, unable to do anything for himself. I am now his sole carer.

Mrs C Moss
NETFLIX, DISNEY+, SKY & ACORN TV

Clickbait

Filmed in Australia but set in the US, this eight-part thriller stars Adrian Grenier, but if youre expecting something similar to his star-making role in the sitcom Entourage, think again.

This time he plays Nick, a loving father, husband and brother who suddenly vanishes. Later, a video featuring a badly beaten Nick appears on the internet; hes holding a card that states: I abuse women. At five million views, I die.

Filmed in Australia but set in the US, this eight-part thriller stars Adrian Grenier (above), but if youre expecting something similar to his star-making role in the sitcom Entourage, think again

His wife and sister face a race against time to find him, but their search makes them realise theres a side to Nick that they didnt know Netflix, from Wednesday

Ladies Of Letters

In roles originally taken by Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge, Maureen Lipman and Anne Reid (above) play Irene and Vera

After a long and hugely popular run on Radio 4, a TV version of this sitcom was shown in 2009, and was followed a year later by the second and last series. In roles originally taken by Prunella Scales and Patricia Routledge, Maureen Lipman and Anne Reid play Irene and Vera, ageing women who conduct their often frosty friendship via the Royal Mail. Acorn TV, from Monday

Cruella

I, Tonyas Craig Gillespie directs this stylish, fun crime caper. Its the origin story of Cruella de Vil, the villain of Dodie Smiths novel The Hundred And One Dalmatians, which has inspired several films.

Emma Stone (above) plays Cruella, Emma Thompson is the Baroness, and both are on top form. The costumes and the soundtrack are fabulous

In this one, little Estella, the only child of a single mother, is clever and has an eye for fashion, but she can also be cruel. When she falls in with the wrong crowd in 1970s London, she uses her alter ego Cruella to pursue a feud with a haute-couture designer, the Baroness. Emma Stone plays Cruella, Emma Thompson is the Baroness, and both are on top form.

The costumes and the soundtrack are fabulous. Disney+, from Friday

Post Mortem: No One Dies In Skarnes

It takes some guts to launch a vampire comedy after What We Do In The Shadows, but this Norwegian offering looks promising. A woman wakes up after her apparent death with a hunger for blood.

Her brother is struggling to keep the family funeral business alive because of the towns low death rate. Two birds? Netflix, from Wednesday

See

In the distant future, after a virus has wiped out most of humanity, the descendants of the survivors are blind. People live in primitive, violent, tribal societies. When twins are born with rudimentary sight, some in this dystopian world regard it as witchcraft and want the children dead.

Now, at the start of the second series, more sighted children are being born and war looms. Peaky Blinders Steven Knight created this epic dystopian fantasy and each episode reportedly costs $15 million to make.

It certainly looks expensive. Starring Jason Momoa, with Dave Bautista and Alfre Woodard. Apple TV+, s2 from Friday

McCartney 3, 2, 1

The Beatles are the most listened to, written about and analysed pop band ever. Can there really be anything left to say about them? Yes, as it turns out. Paul McCartney discussing his career with celebrated producer Rick Rubin (noted for his work with Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys) is entertaining, informative and touching.

Paul McCartney (above) discussing his career with celebrated producer Rick Rubin (noted for his work with Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys) is entertaining, informative and touching

Over six half-hour episodes they listen to original tapes of the bands recordings and McCartney talks about them. He may be a god-level songwriter but hes also a pretty great raconteur, and even old familiar stories sound so much better coming from him. Not just for Fab Four geeks. Disney+/Star, from Wednesday

The Father

Many expected Chadwick Boseman to receive a posthumous Best Actor Oscar this year, so were surprised when Anthony Hopkins won it for his performance in debut director Florian Zellers moving drama.

Many expected Chadwick Boseman to receive a posthumous Best Actor Oscar this year, so were surprised when Anthony Hopkins (above) won it for his performance

Hopkins plays an ageing man with dementia. Zeller  whose screenplay based on his play, written with Christopher Hampton, also won an Oscar  shoots in a way so that we understand the central characters confusion.

Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell and Mark Gatiss also star. Sky Store/Rakuten, from Monday

Kevin Can F*** Himself

Promising black comedy starring Schitts Creeks Annie Murphy  clearly she enjoys appearing in shows with risque titles. She plays Allison, who is desperate to escape from her life with her boorish man-child husband Kevin (Eric Petersen).

Scenes are shot from two perspectives  one of a typical sitcom, while the other focuses on Allisons true, and often dark, feelings. Amazon Prime, from Friday

TEN CLASSIC MOVIES TO REVIST NOW ON AMAZON PRIME 1. Amelie Charming French romcom about a shy, lonely, daydreaming young waitress who sets out secretly to try to bring joy into peoples lives. Audrey Tautou is excellent as the eponymous heroine. 2. Sicario Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro in a tense action thriller in which an FBI agent signs up to a dodgy government unit whose objective is, apparently, to take down a Mexican drug cartel. 3. The Breakfast Club John Hughess classic 1985 coming- of-age comedy. When kept in detention, five teenagers from different backgrounds discover they have more in common than they suspected. 4. The Great Gatsby Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jay Gatsby, the mysterious businessman who throws lavish parties in the hope of winning back his lost love Daisy (Carey Mulligan). 5. Half Of A Yellow Sun Thandiwe Newton and Anika Noni Rose are sisters whose lives take very different courses during the Biafran War in post-colonial Nigeria. Adrien Brody (above) won an Oscar for his performance as a Polish pianist 6. Last Action Hero A clever parody of action films. Eleven-year-old film fan Danny is magically pitched into the movie world, where he teams up with his favourite character, Jack Slater (Arnold Schwarzenegger). 7. The Pianist Adrien Brody won an Oscar for his performance as a Polish pianist trying to survive in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. 8. Strictly Ballroom A dancer upsets the establishment when he creates his own steps and is forced to partner with a dance beginner. Campy, colourful romcom. 9. Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade Third in the series is undoubtedly the best, with Harrison Ford joined by Sean Connery in a tale about the Holy Grail. 10. Pans Labyrinth A dark fairy tale revolving around a young girls encounters with magical creatures in the period following the Spanish Civil War. Advertisement

ALL4 & BBC iPLAYER

Locked Up: El Oasis

All good things must come to an end, so its with a heavy heart that were about to say goodbye to ex-cons Zulema and Macarena (played by Maggie Civantos), the central characters in this hit Spanish thriller.

When we first met them, they were behind bars; now theyre free but are as likely to kill each other as live happily ever after. As a result, they have decided to go their separate ways  but not until theyve carried out one last heist.

All good things must come to an end, so its with a heavy heart that were about to say goodbye to ex-cons Zulema and Macarena (played by Maggie Civantos, above), the central characters

It involves stealing a diamond tiara from a desert hotel, and theyve persuaded some old friends to lend them a hand. Unfortunately, it seems that someone is trying their best to scupper the pairs plan from within All4/Walter Presents, from Friday

McMafia

James Norton plays Alex Godman, the British-raised son of a one-time Russian mafia boss. Godman, an investment banker, has always tried not to get involved in the family business, but when his uncle is murdered in a gangland hit, he is pulled into that world.

James Norton (above, with Yuval Scharf) plays Alex Godman, the British-raised son of a one-time Russian mafia boss

This is a slick, classy crime drama directed by James Watkins, whose reboot of The Ipcress File is eagerly awaited. BBC iPlayer, from Thursday

World War Speed: The Drug That Won WWII

Setting aside established knowledge about German soldiers using a methamphetamine called Pervitin, historian James Holland embarks on a quest to find out if war really did unleash the worlds first pharmacological arms race.

Setting aside established knowledge about German soldiers using a methamphetamine called Pervitin, historian James Holland (above, centre) embarks on a quest

He looks at the evidence to discover if tales of Nazis on speed obscure the massive use of stimulants by Allied troops. BBC iPlayer, until Wednesday

Reading And Leeds Festival 2021

August bank holidays just wouldnt be the same without the Reading and Leeds Festival and, thankfully, its back after having to cancel last year due to the pandemic.

It will start with a bang as Liam Gallagher performs alongside headline sets from Stormzy, Post Malone and Biffy Clyro, plus Sigrid, Mabel and Wolf Alice.

It will start with a bang as Liam Gallagher performs alongside headline sets from Stormzy, Post Malone and Biffy Clyro, plus Sigrid (pictured above), Mabel and Wolf Alice

On top of that, comedians Katherine Ryan, Joel Dommett and Simon Amstell will headline the alternative stage. BBC iPlayer, from Friday
The Daughters Of Kobani

Gayle Tzemach Lemmon Swift Press 16.99

Rating:

The sudden emergence of the extremist Islamist group Isis in 2014 sent shockwaves through the Middle East. Determined to establish a caliphate governed by strict Sharia law, they expanded with astonishing speed from their base in northern Iraq to seize control of vast swathes of territory, killing all who opposed them.

Particularly horrific was the fate of the minority Yazidis, an ancient sect that Isis regarded as devil-worshippers. Men who refused to renounce their faith were executed, while their women were raped and sold into slavery.

What could women do to protect themselves? Well, they could fight back, and that is exactly what happened in the Syrian city of Kobani, where another minority, the Kurds, were caught in the crossfire between Isis and the brutal regime of Syrias Bashar al-Assad.

What could women do to protect themselves? Well, they could fight back, and that is exactly what happened in the Syrian city of Kobani

Kurdish women formed an armed militia, the YPJ, and fought alongside their male counterparts.

Make no mistake, they were no token presence. One seasoned American Special Forces soldier described the YPJ as real warriors, and the stories related by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon show how vital these women were to defeating Isis.

Women like Azeema, a crack shot who began her military career as a sniper and ended up as a combat leader, insisted on leading from the front even after taking a bullet to the chest and having her legs smashed up by a roadside mine.

Or her commander Nowruz, whose tactical skills and leadership led to her being put in charge of the toughest military operations, including a daring night-time assault across the Euphrates river.

This is a story of astonishing courage and fortitude, but it comes with a sting in the tail. The Kurds have been the fall guys of the Middle East for the past century, and despite having freed themselves from Isis, they remain pawns in a cynical game of regional and global geopolitics.

All of them, especially the women who refused to play the allotted role of helpless victim, deserve much better.
Paypal will no longer charge customers late fees when they miss payments on buy now pay later purchases.

The move will affect customers in the UK, US and France amid booming market competition, as the company looks to retain and attract new customers to its services.

The changes will take affect in October with shoppers currently charged a 6 fee for late payments with Paypal's Pay In 3 product.

The announcement could be perceived as a tactic to attract more online shoppers to its service over competitors such as Klarna and Clearpay.

Paypal won't charge customers late fees when they miss buy now pay later payments

BNPL services allow consumers to split payments for purchases into installments and have grown globally during the pandemic as many people have turned to shopping online.

There are now several firms offering this service.

If customers miss a repayment, buy now, pay later providers typically charge a late fee if there aren't enough funds.

These late fees can mount up and in some cases can even end up surpassing the cost of the product or service you originally needed the money for.

Greg Lisiewski, vice president of Global Pay Later Products at PayPal, said in an interview: 'We felt late fees were hindering the customer experience.

'Given the massive rise and acceleration through the pandemic of this space, regulators across all geographies are taking notice.

'We think that is appropriate, and we do think late fees will be, and have been, part of that discussion, and we think being as customer friendly as possible puts you in a better place with regulators.'

This is Money has laid out the late fees other Buy Now, Pay Later providers charge.

If customers miss a repayment, buy now, pay later providers typically charge a late fee

Clearpay = 6

 For orders under 24, this can only be charged once

 For orders over 24 you can be charged this late fee continually, with a cap at 25 per cent of the orders cost, or 36, whichever figure is lower.

Laybuy = 6

 This fee can be charged twice for each individual missed installment.

For example, if you were late paying three installments consecutively, you could be charged 36, no matter what the original amount borrowed was.

PayPal's 'Pay in 3' = 6 (until 1 October 2021)

 If you are late with a payment then you'll be charged 6, which can be charged twice on each individual transaction. You wouldn't be charged interest on these fees.

 However, on October 1, purchases from customers in the US, UK and France will no longer be subject to late fees, while the company's BNPL services in Germany and Australia are already void of late fees.

Klarna = 0

 For its 0 per cent interest products, there are no late fees. So even if you were continually late paying, you wouldn't incur any late fees.

 However, if you consistently miss payments, Klarna passes your debt on to a collection agency and will charge you to do this.

It has not stated what the fee will be for this, but customers have said they have been charged 12 when this happens.

How to deal with BNPL Debt

This is Money, with the help of Money.co.uk, has compiled some tips on how to deal with Buy Now, Pay Later debt.

1. Make a budget: If you have different types of debt, the first thing you should do is make a budget and use the information within the budget to work out what your priority bills are first.

2. Decide which of your bills to pay first: With so many bills being paid out each month, it can be tricky to know which ones to pay first, even once you have completed your budget.

It's important to know the difference between a priority bill and a non-priority debt.

An example of a priority debt would be your rent or your mortgage, as the consequences of not paying that could mean you lose your home - this type of bill must be paid before any other debts.

3. Dealing with BNPL debts: If you are struggling to make repayments then there are a few ways you can get debt help for buy now, pay later payments.

Some brands offer payment holidays and revised payment schedules to help users pay back what they owe.

There are many places that you can seek help and advice with any financial problems including StepChange Debt Charity, Citizens Advice and National Debtline.
The value of precious stones is soaring to record highs, which means now more than ever it is essential to get your jewellery valued and properly insured.

The Mail on Sunday takes a gemstone masterclass  and discovers many of us ought to take immediate action to avoid the risk of losing a lot of money.

The sparkling stone feels like a cold pebble as it is placed delicately into my palm with a pair of long tweezers. Gem expert Tobias Kormind then hands me a 'loupe'  a magnifying eye piece  to study it close up. In this plush Mayfair showroom in Central London, I hold my breath  it feels like no time to sneeze.

A girl's best friend: Our lack of knowledge means those with a jewellery box at home filled with trinkets and family heirlooms may have no real idea of their monetary value

'What do you think it is worth?' asks Kormind. I answer that this is clearly a trick question as the stone is too large to be a real diamond  just a brash bit of costume jewellery worth a few quid.

'Wrong,' says Kormind. 'It is worth half a million pounds.' I quickly and carefully hand it back.

Kormind, who is co-founder of online jewellery trader 77 Diamonds, is not surprised that I have failed the test so dismally. He explains that few of us have any idea of the true value of gems. He believes a lack of transparency in the gem industry doesn't help, but is sometimes intentional  our ignorance offers up opportunities to traders to overcharge buyers and underpay sellers.

But our lack of knowledge means those with a jewellery box at home filled with trinkets and family heirlooms may have no real idea of their monetary value.

As prices have risen in recent years, even those who have had valuations in the past may not know the current value of their gems.

Heather Callaway is a fellow of the Institute of Registered Valuers and vice-chair of the National Association of Jewellers. She warns: 'There is a huge risk that your jewellery is undervalued  particularly with the soaring price of some pieces in recent times caused by a drop in supply with gem mines closing during lockdown and a rising demand among middle class Asians after precious stones. A valuation at least every five years is important.'

If your jewellery is lost or stolen and is not properly valued, it may void your policy and some insurers might refuse to pay out on a claim altogether.

Know their worth

Gem valuations are based on 'four Cs', says Kormind. These stand for carat, colour, cut and clarity.

Carat is the measurement of weight for gemstones  one carat is 200 milligrams. The diamond in my sweaty palm is 10 carat  so it weighs two grams.

Colour also affects price. Sparkling white diamonds tend to have the highest price tags  the more yellow-tinged, the cheaper they tend to be.

However, those with a slight blue or pink hue have risen in value by up to 200 per cent and 400 per cent respectively over the past ten years.

Although diamonds are the most valuable, precious stones, such as emeralds, rubies and sapphires have seen price hikes of up to 2,000 per cent in the past decade (see right).

The cut  how a craftsman has chipped away at the stone to make it sparkle  is also vital.

So is clarity  which looks out for imperfections. Kormind says: 'You might find a one carat diamond is worth anything from 1,000 to 20,000 depending on the colour, cut and clarity.'

Insuring your gems

Keep a record of all of your jewellery so you have proof of what you own to show your insurer should you need it.

Take photographs and keep receipts if you have them. Make sure you keep this documentation somewhere safe, but separate from the jewellery itself.

Many insurers ask you to itemise all jewellery worth more than 1,000. Fail to do so, and they may not pay out. Some insurers require professional valuations, others are happy with rough estimates.

Malcolm Tarling, a spokesman for the Association of British Insurers, says: 'First, you should speak to your home and contents insurance provider to see what they actually want  as there may be no need to spend money on a professional valuation if not required.

'But you should certainly get an idea of what heirlooms are worth.'

Tarling adds: 'You may have pieces that have been passed down the family which are of huge sentimental value, but worthless  or they turn out to be priceless treasures.

'You must get them valued so they are insured for their true worth.'

Also, revisit your records every few years as values change.

Callaway adds: 'It can be heartbreaking when the first time someone comes to us is when it is too late  and valuables have already been lost or stolen.

'The onus is on the owner to prove value so it is vital to have an up-to-date detailed inventory as insurers are not duty bound to accept old or poorly described valuations.'

The 150-strong Institute of Registered Valuers offers professional guidance and quotes that should be accepted by insurers.

The institute is linked to the National Association of Jewellers, with 2,200 members who can also offer valuations.

They provide fully detailed accounts of pieces and can charge 50 per item. Some jewellers and auction houses, such as Bonhams, offer free valuations and estimates.

If you have particularly expensive jewellery, you may struggle to get cover in a standard home and contents insurance policy. In such cases, consider taking out a separate policy.

Cover for valuables worth 10,000 or more and can cost around 100 a year. Jewellery insurance typically costs one to two per cent of the value of the treasures being insured.

Better safe than sorry

A security safe is not only a practical precaution, it may also be required by your insurer.

Consult a professional locksmith who is a member of the trade body Master Locksmiths Association for guidance.

The security of a safe can be measured using strict manufacturing standards that are given a stamp of approval by the Association of Insurance Surveyors.

A basic 'S1' rated safe covers theft of up to 2,000 in cash and 20,000 in valuables.

Some safe manufacturers follow the European safe standard EN1143, which has its own grading system. A '0' rated safe is acceptable for up to 6,000 of cash and 60,000 worth of valuables.

A quality safe can be bought from 400, but budget at least a further 150 to have it professionally fitted and bolted to solid walls.

And if you're buying...

Valuing items with an untrained eye is hard. That is why Kormind advises buyers to ask for proof of its quality.

'Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous dealers  so you can be ripped off unless you know what you are doing. Never buy stones without a certification of quality.

'The one we recommend is the GIA  the Gemological Institute of America. If a dealer can't provide this, ask yourself why.'

Diamonds bought in Britain are subject to 20 per cent VAT. If you make money on the investment when you sell it  and stones are worth more than 6,000  there is a minimum 10 per cent capital gains tax on profits above a 12,300 annual exemption.
What a week. It started with takeover bids for two of the UK's top defence businesses, Ultra Electronics and Meggitt  valuing them at nearly 10billion  and ended late on Thursday evening with a cracking 7billion offer for Morrisons.

With Morrisons' shares above the higher offer from the US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice  where ex-Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy is leading the charge  investors are hoping for an all-out bidding war.

They are betting that Softbank-backed Fortress is going to return to the table with a higher price to clinch the deal and get the backing of the board.

The week began with bids for two of the UK's top defence businesses - Ultra Electronics and Meggitt - and ended late on Thursday evening with a cracking 7bn offer for Morrisons

So far, Fortress has urged shareholders to hold fire on accepting the offer. That puts even more pressure on the usually-gruff Leahy as he goes about his charm offensive to win shareholders to his side.

At Meggitt, investors are also praying for more juice. They are betting on a rival offer for the company, which this week agreed a 800p a share offer from US defence giant Parker Hannifin, valuing the group, which makes parts for fighter jets, at 6.3billion.

Meggitt's shares are now 839p, indicating that investors expect the US private equity boys at Transdigm to come up with a higher offer by the September 14 deadline.

If Transdigm comes forward  there have been mutterings of 900p a share  Meggitt's board will face the tough choice of backing a higher price from a firm with the reputation for being an asset-stripper, rather than a lower one from Parker. Not an easy one.

What everyone wants to know now is  who is next on the takeaway menu?

Britain's bidding frenzy shows no sign of abating: analysts at Quest, part of Canaccord Genuity, have picked out more than 200 UK companies vulnerable to takeover.

More specifically, they have targeted 177 stocks with a market capitalisation below 1.5billion, which have a free cash yield above 10 per cent  equivalent to nearly a quarter of the UK market.

This is unprecedented and shows the true extent of the undervaluation of 'UK plc' relative to global peers.

The FTSE All Share Index has recovered much of its downturn since Brexit but prices are still around 15 per cent lower compared to their US and European counterparts.

Which is why foreigners will continue hoovering up British assets. At the latest tally, the value of takeovers  both public and private  for British companies so far this year is around 150billion.

Three-quarters of these bids were from foreign companies with nearly half of them US and private equity firms with a fistful of cheap dollars.

With any luck this spending spree will be a wake-up call for UK  and foreign  asset managers and investors to smell the roses, and the true value of corporate UK.

(On this front, check out the latest share price of Babcock, another key defence contractor, and Sainsbury's. They have been shooting up all month).

There are two lessons to draw from these sell-offs. Britain's bosses need to be more ambitious about their prospects, to spell out their message more strongly to investors and to believe more in their own value.

Investors need to grow some spine and take a longer-term view of risk: they could even make more money by hanging on.

Staying independent is an option.

Celebrations

This is not just an upgrade, it's a Marks and Spencer upgrade.

Apologies for the quip but the news that M&S has raised its profit guidance after a bounce in food and clothing sales calls for special measures.

All credit to Archie Norman and Steve Rowe, who have played the long-game, persuading customers and investors alike to hang on and trust them.

They deserve to crack open the bubbly after reporting sales higher than before the pandemic in food and clothing, where doing less is turning out to be more.

The shares celebrated too, with a 14.1 per cent jump to 162.8p, still down on pre-Covid levels but a start on the way back to recovery.

Hopefully, a rapid one too: M&S is one of those picked out by Quest as a bid target.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

Confused: NatWest said it had created a joint account, but it had not

Mrs R.L. writes: In March, my husband was given three months to live, and we asked NatWest to help so that his business account would not be interrupted when he passed away.

NatWest provided forms, which we signed, assigning the account to me.

My husband died on May 26 and the bank told me everything was in order, but when I provided his death certificate NatWest denied all knowledge of transferring the account to me.

Tony Hetherington replies: This is a horror story, and NatWest has held up its hands and admitted right away that it got things badly wrong.

You have told me how the bank said it was wrong in the first place to say that you could simply take over the business account, and how NatWest then closed it. This meant that when customers sent payments to the account, their money was returned to them. And this in turn meant that your husband's one employee could not be paid.

All of this goes against what you had been told earlier.

On April 7, NatWest confirmed that your husband had asked for your name to be added to the account. On April 27, you both signed a form provided by the bank, which appeared to transfer the account to your name. However, on the day your husband died, the bank emailed him to say it needed more details before the transfer could proceed.

Oddly, the email subject line showed the name of a different business, which was unknown to you. Perhaps it was never meant for you, because a day later a NatWest staff member texted you saying: 'I can confirm you are showing on the accounts and company mandate.'

So where does this leave you? If your name is on the account, why does NatWest now say you cannot use it? The bank has told me it has definitely closed the account, after realising your husband was a sole trader, so in effect, the business died with him. A spokesman told me: 'We deeply apologise for the handling of Mrs L's complaint, and for the misinformation she was given.'

Staff involved are being retrained and NatWest originally offered you 350 compensation for poor service. I can say that it has now doubled this to 700.

However, you had asked for 3,500, which you felt was warranted, not because of financial losses but to compensate for distress and for what you believe is damage to your reputation. You have rejected the 700, and told me that you plan to complain to the Financial Conduct Authority and the Ombudsman. In fact, the FCA will not investigate individual complaints, though of course the Financial Ombudsman Service will.

I think your fundamental problem will be that while your husband was certainly the bank's customer, you were not, and NatWest's serious error lay in wrongly telling you that the account was yours.

I suspect the bank will argue it owes less responsibility to you because of this, so I look forward to the Ombudsman's decision.

Car crash claim is still not paid years later

J.F. writes: I was the innocent party in a motor accident three years ago, and the other driver's insurers admitted liability.

My car was written off and the claim for this was met with no problem. I also suffered injury and the loss of personal belongings, and this claim was being handled by solicitors Slater & Gordon.

But they stopped processing the claim and I cannot get replies to phone calls or emails.

Write off: Solicitors Slater & Gordon stopped processing J.F.'s claim

Tony Hetherington replies: You have told me your claim became complicated because you were studying for a doctorate at university and had to miss a year's study. It was at this point, you say, the solicitors stopped pressing your claim. You have since completed your doctorate in business, so hoped to concentrate on bringing the claim to a successful end.

Your last contact with the solicitors in Liverpool was in early March, by email, and an automatic reply said the firm would 'be in touch as soon as possible', after which you heard nothing.

I invited Slater & Gordon to comment, and less than 24 hours later the firm called you and spoke to you. However, the firm's left hand doesn't seem to know what the right hand is doing.

Two weeks after it resumed contact with you, it told me it had made repeated attempts to contact you, with no success.

I asked Slater & Gordon specifically whether it was correct that neither the case handler nor the firm's complaints department had replied to your emails.

I asked whether it was correct that your last email in March had not been answered despite the auto-reply. The firm has answered neither, telling me vaguely that 'Our files do not show repeated emails and calls that have gone unanswered'.

The firm does accept 'lines of communication have not reached the client's expectations'. Solicitors have now resumed work on your claim and instructed a barrister to take it to court.

Refund due as travel firm went bust

A.G. writes: I booked a holiday with Shearings and paid a deposit of 135 by debit card.

After lockdown began last year, this holiday was cancelled but I was able to use the deposit as credit for future bookings, so I made two new reservations involving a further 90 payment.

However, Shearings then went into administration so I asked my bank, Lloyds, to refund my money, but staff say they cannot assist.

Tony Hetherington replies: I asked officials at the head office of Lloyds to take a look at your claim, as cardholders are able to claim their money back if a merchant ceases trading, as long as their claim is lodged within 120 days of the date the service should have been provided.

Your claim was made within the time limit, but because staff were handling a huge volume of claims it was not reviewed until after the 120 days had expired.

In a simple case of human error, a member of staff turned your claim down.

Lloyds Bank told me: 'We are extremely sorry to Mr G for not getting this right first time.'

Your full 225 has now been refunded by the bank, and it has been supplemented with a further 75 by way of apologising for the inconvenience.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
With thousands of funds on offer across a huge variety of sectors and regions, it is difficult for the average investor to stay one step ahead and work out the best place to put their money.

But twice a year investment platform Bestinvest names and shames underperforming investment funds. The Spot the Dog report gives investors the chance to see which funds belong in the doghouse and which deserve to be at Crufts.

The latest findings shows 77 funds performed dismally, although this is down sharply from the 150 funds identified in Bestinvests last report. This is partly because a surge in previously out-of-favour and economically sensitive sectors has helped former offenders escape the controversial list.

Bestinvest's Spot the Dog report names and shames consistently underperforming funds

Which big name funds are in the dog house?

Some 77 investment funds, collectively representing 29.5billion of long-term savings, have underperformed the sectors they invest in.

Lloyds Banking Group-owned HBOS has climbed the ranks to knock Invesco from the top spot. Five HBOS vehicles feature in the doghouse listings, with a total value of 6.85billion.

FUND GROUPS IN THE DOG HOUSE Group Number of dogs Value of dogs (m) Previous Spot the Dog ranking HBOS 5 6,854.15 15 Invesco 3 5,090.15 1 St James's Place 4 3,926.00 2 Scottish Widows 4 2,734.25 27 abrdn 7 1,576.55 9 Fidelity 2 1,177.82 17 Oldfield Partners 1 958.43 N/A M&G 2 842.17 6 Janus Henderson 2 795.05 14 Jupiter 3 607.71 12 Source: Bestinvest/Morningstar

The investment giant with most vehicles in the list is abrdn with seven funds.

Invesco has 5billion in three dog funds - US Equity, UK Equity High Income and Income funds - but there has been some improvement following a shake-up at the group. Just six months ago it had 11 funds worth 9.2billion in the kennel.

Other notable fund groups include St Jamess Place, with 3.92billion across four funds and Scottish Widows, with 2.73billion across four funds.

SJPs 2.89billion Global Equity Fund trailed its benchmark by 15.42 per cent over three years. However it represents a better performance for the firm, with the number of dog funds falling from 8 to 4 to 3 over the past three reports.

How does a fund get labelled a dog?

The Bestinvest report analyses UK funds investing in equities with a minimum track record of at least three years. It only looks at funds that have share classes open to retail investors, taking out those only accessible to institutional investors.

To qualify as a dog, a fund must have delivered a worse return than the market it invests in for each of the last three years. This rules out those that have just had a bad year - but some investors prefer to judge funds on their five or even ten-year performance.

Secondly, a fund must also have underperformed the returns delivered by the market by more than 5 per cent over the three-year period under review.

The report is not a sell list and it is based on an analysis of past performance which is not necessarily a guide to how the fund will perform in the future. It is worth remembering that a fund's investing style or remit might have been out of favour in recent years but swiftly return in the coming years.

Which funds have done particularly badly?

Several North American equity are in the kennel of shame. It has the highest proportion of dog funds (22 per cent) followed by Global Equity Income (13 per cent) and Europe ex UK (14 per cent).

The overall performance of US equities has been so strong over the last three years, with index funds performing incredibly well, that it's been 'easy' for an active fund to underperform its benchmark.

The number of UK dog funds inched higher, up from 14 to 17 across the UK All Companies and UK Equity Income sectors.

THE BIGGEST BEAST IN SPOT THE DOG BY FUND SIZE Fund Size ( billions) IA Sector Value of 100 after 3 years 3-year under performance (%) Halifax UK Growth 3.88 UK All Companies 96 -7 Invesco UK Equity High Income (UK) 3.28 UK All Companies 79 -25 St James's Pl Global Equity 2.89 Global 128 -15 Scottish Widows UK Growth 2.23 UK All Companies 97 -6 Halifax UK Equity Income 1.91 UK Equity Income 95 -9 Invesco UK Equity Income (UK) 1.45 UK All Companies 82 -21 Fidelity American 1.00 North America 148 -12 St Jamess Place Greater European Progressive 0.77 Europe Excluding UK 116 -15 Janus Henderson Global Equity Income 0.74 Global Equity Income 118 -27 M&G North American Dividend 0.70 North America 149 -11 ASI (Standard Life) UK Equity General Trust 0.62 UK All Companies 98 -5 Jupiter UK Growth 0.50 UK All Companies 76 -28 Halifax North American 0.50 North America 145 -15 LF Morant Wright Japan 0.41 Japan 98 -20 Scottish Widows UK Equity Income 0.38 UK Equity Income 96 -7 Halifax European 0.37 Europe Excluding UK 125 -6 Invesco US Equity (UK) 0.36 North America 131 -29 L&G MSCI World Socially Responsible Invmt (SRI) Index 0.31 Global 113 -33 HSBC UK Growth & Income Fund 0.30 UK All Companies 96 -8 Premier Miton Monthly Income 0.29 UK Equity Income 92 -12 Source: Bestinvest/Morningstar

The Invesco UK Equity High Income fund has underperformed the market it invests in to the tune of 25 per cent, while St James Place Global Equity is lagging by 15 per cent over the three-year period.

Halifax has also fared poorly in the latest rankings, with Halifax UK Growth underperforming by 7 per cent and its UK Equity Income fund 9 per cent.

Kennox Strategic Value and GAM North American Growth led the top dogs, lagging by a hefty 49 per cent over three years.

THE BIGGEST UNDERPERFORMERS Fund Size ( billions) IA Sector Value of 100 after 3 years 3-year under performance (%) Kennox Strategic Value 0.08 Global 96 -49 GAM North American Growth 0.07 North America 112 -49 Schroder European Alpha Income 0.08 Europe Excluding UK 92 -38 Aviva Investors US Equity Income II 0.19 North America 126 -35 St James's Place Japan Unit Trust 0.15 Japan 84 -34 L&G MSCI World Socially Responsible Invmt (SRI) Index 0.31 Global 113 -33 NFU Mutual Global Growth 0.04 Global 114 -32 Allianz European Equity Income 0.02 Europe Excluding UK 101 -30 MI Thornbridge Global Opportunities 0.04 Global 116 -29 Invesco US Equity (UK) 0.36 North America 131 -29 Jupiter UK Growth 0.50 UK All Companies 76 -28 GAM Global Diversified 0.09 Global 118 -27 Janus Henderson Global Equity Income 0.74 Global Equity Income 118 -27 Liontrust US Income 0.03 North America 133 -27 Vanguard Global Equity Income 0.07 Global Equity Income 119 -26 Invesco UK Equity High Income (UK) 3.28 UK All Companies 79 -25 VT Argonaut European Alpha 0.04 Europe Excluding UK 107 -23 MGTS AFH DA European Equity 0.20 Europe Excluding UK 107 -23 FP SCDavies Global Equity 0.01 Global 124 -22 Jupiter European Income 0.05 Europe Excluding UK 109 -22 Source: Bestinvest/Morningstar

A better breed?

In better news, dog funds that invest specifically in smaller companies are a rare breed. There were no UK, North America, European or Japanese smaller companies funds qualifying as dog funds.

'We have noted once again the continuing scarcity of funds that focus on smaller companies meeting our criteria, despite using us smaller companies indices in our search for them,' Hollands says.

'This does seem to suggest that fund managers have a better success rate when investing in less researched parts of the market, which are also off the radar of passive funds.'

In the dog house: HBOS topped the list of dog funds this year

What if my savings are in a dog fund?

While the report highlights some of the worst performing funds, it is not a list of funds that should be sold automatically because past performance is not necessarily a guide to how well the fund will perform in the future.

However, funds that appear in it do require further investigation. Unless there are good reasons to believe performance will turn around based on an assessment of its prospects, it may make sense to switch to a pedigree picks fund, Hollands says.

Among such pedigree picks, according to Bestinvest, are Royal London and Blackrock.

The Royal London Sustainable Leaders Trust has been a strong performer, providing a three-year return of 33 per cent. Blackrock European Dynamic and Morgan Stanley US Advantage were also good performers, with three-year returns of 34 and 43 per cent respectively.

Hollands says: 'The key message of this edition of Spot the Dog is not to take it for granted that your investments are doing OK, just because they may have risen in value over the last year.

'It is really important to periodically spend a little time reviewing your investments and to check how they are doing against the overall market environment, as well as consider whether the mix of investments is right.

While sometimes it might pay to be patient with a poor performer  for example, because a new team have been put in place to turn it round - in other cases the right course of action could be to switch to an alternative fund run by a manager with a more convincing track record.
Almost one in ten actively-managed funds is failing investors by consistently underperforming, a damning new report claims.

As many as 77 investment funds  holding around 30billion of our cash  are producing poorer returns than the stock market indices that their marketing literature claims they will beat, the research from wealth manager Bestinvest found.

Investors pay a premium to have their money actively managed by so-called experts. But in some cases, they would have been better off putting their faith in a low-cost fund run by a robot that mechanically tracks the performance of an index such as the FTSE 100 (which is comprised of the 100 biggest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange) or the wider FTSE All-Share Index.

A gamble: Investors pay a premium to have their money actively managed by so-called experts

Bestinvest analysed 910 funds available to ordinary investors. It excluded investment trusts. Those that consistently underperformed it calls 'dog funds'.

To qualify for the dubious honour a fund cannot simply be going through a bad patch. It must have consistently underperformed the index it is measured against for three consecutive years and have achieved a worse return than its benchmark by at least five per cent over the entire period.

Jason Hollands, managing director at Bestinvest, says: 'While occasionally it can pay to be patient with a poor performer, if a fund is consistently beaten by the market average, it indicates it may be time to switch. '

Do not take it for granted your investments are doing OK.' He adds that just because a fund is not losing money, doesn't mean it is well managed. That is because most financial markets are buoyant at the moment so it is not particularly difficult to produce a positive return.

'Most markets have done really well in recent months as we have started to come out of lockdown,' Hollands explains. 'Chances are that even a bad fund has made money  but that is no excuse for it not doing a lot better.'

The report is valuable reading for anyone with a portfolio built around funds, maybe held within a tax-friendly Individual Savings Account or a self-invested personal pension.

It may prompt investors to check that their portfolio remains fit for purpose. Top of the most significant underperformers identified by Bestinvest is global fund Kennox Strategic Value, which has turned 100 into 96 in the three years to the end of June. If investors had simply plotted the global index they would be sitting on 145.

Just behind is GAM North American Growth, which has turned 100 into 112. Tracking the North American index, the same sum would be worth 160. As many as 22 per cent of North American funds were identified as dog funds  the highest of any sector.

Among UK funds, Jupiter UK Growth tops the table of worst performers. It has managed to turn 100 into 76 in three years. The same sum invested in an index of UK companies would now be worth 104. By comparison, Royal London Sustainable Leaders Trust, which is a successful actively-managed UK fund, has easily beaten the benchmark, turning the same money into 137.

The biggest fund in the dog list is the 3.5billion Halifax UK Growth. All this financial clout failed to add muscle to performance as after three years 100 has become 95.

The worst-performing UK Equity Income fund identified is Premier Miton Monthly Income, which has managed to lose 8 over three years for those starting with a 100 investment. The index gained 4 over this period.

Bestinvest also named fund groups it considers to be in the doghouse. Top among them is abrdn (formerly Standard Life Aberdeen), with seven dog funds.

It is followed by Lloyds Banking Group-owned HBOS (Halifax Bank of Scotland) with five, and St James's Place and Scottish Widows, both struggling on four.

The full report can be downloaded at www.bestinvest.co.uk/ spot-the-dog.
For decades, Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by the 'Sage of Omaha', Warren Buffett, has been the benchmark for successful investing. Buffett, the world's seventh richest person, is courted by politicians, economists and, most of all, investors of all levels for his pearls of (often witty) wisdom.

But what's this? It seems that the Sage may not be the undisputed investment king that many of us had believed. In fact, wealth manager AJ Bell has found 186 investment funds and stock market-listed investment trusts of various types and sizes that have returned more than Buffett's investment business Berkshire Hathaway since 2001.

Five fund managers (including one investing duo) who have been at the helm of their respective funds over this entire period have performed better than Buffett.

Toppled: Funds and trusts in the table below have all outperformed Buffett's business Berkshire Hathaway

What is Warren Buffett's secret?

Since 1964, when Buffett became a majority owner, Berkshire Hathaway has delivered an extraordinary return of 2,810,526 per cent to investors.

That means 100 invested at the time would now be worth 5,724,854 (taking into account the fall in the value of the pound). By comparison, 100 invested in an index of the 500 biggest US companies would now be worth 47,976.

Buffett's strategy has been remarkably simple. He buys good companies at a fair price and holds on to them over the long term.

Rob Morgan, analyst at investment platform Charles Stanley, says: 'Hold great companies forever' is the overarching philosophy. That tends to stand investors in very good stead.'

Economic historian John Butler adds that Buffett's investment style is 'very unsexy', but is the only one that has proven to work through multiple economic cycles.

'Famously, Buffett has always sought relatively safe industries with steady revenues that generally have high dividend yields that occupy leading positions in what are generally mature and established industries,' says Butler.

Although consistent, Buffett hasn't been scared to adapt his investing style over the years when necessary.

When he started out, he invested in companies that were on the rocks and sold up when their share prices improved. However, he now also invests in companies that may not look cheap, but could still have a long way to run.

Laith Khalaf, analyst at AJ Bell, says: 'He now combines growth and value in his approach, which he sees as two sides of the same coin. For example, recently he's taken a big position in Apple which is hardly a value stock.'

Investment styles that beat Buffett

Most of the 186 funds and trusts that have outstripped Buffett over 20 years invest in small companies, emerging markets or specialist themes. You would expect these to produce high returns because they are risky investments and investors need to be compensated for taking a chance. By comparison, Buffett's genius is the way he has produced consistently high returns while investing in solid companies that are unlikely to be very volatile. No investment is ever risk-free, but the types of blue-chip firms Buffett invests in are likely to perform in all kinds of environments.

The comparison with funds and investment trusts is not perfect as Berkshire Hathaway doesn't quite fit into either category.

Jason Hollands, a director of wealth manager Tilney Smith & Williamson, explains: 'While Warren Buffett is revered as the world's most famous investor, Berkshire Hathaway is a multinational conglomerate with an extensive range of subsidiaries across a variety of industries.

'These range from battery firm Duracell to restaurant group International Dairy Queen and American freight railroad BNSF. It also owns a number of insurance businesses and has significant minority stakes in a portfolio of companies, such as Bank of America, American Express and Coca-Cola.'

Managers who have eclipsed Buffett

Of the funds and trusts that have outperformed Buffett, four have managers who have been at the helm throughout the entire 20-year period, and can therefore be said to have gone head-to-head with Buffett and come out on top.

The most successful is Scottish Mortgage Trust, which James Anderson has run since 2000 and has built a reputation for picking out the most promising growth companies.

Tech stocks such as Tesla, Amazon and Alibaba have been particularly rewarding investments. Anderson will be leaving Scottish Mortgage next year, but his fellow managers, Tom Slater and Lawrence Burns, will continue with the same investment philosophy. An investment of 1,000 in 2001 would now be worth 24,688.

Next up are investment trusts Lindsell Train Investment Trust and Finsbury Growth & Income trust, which are run by Nick Train and Michael Lindsell.

The duo's success is down to investing in durable, cash generative businesses. 'Their philosophy is much closer to Buffett's,' says Morgan.

'It's about holding great companies forever. They have a lot of consumer staples that are huge companies, such as Kraft Foods, Heineken and Mondelez. The idea with stalwarts like these is that nobody stops buying beer and sweets in a recession.'

A 1,000 investment in Lindsell Train Investment Trust and Finsbury Growth & Income in 2001 would now be worth 18,131 and 8,519 respectively.

Alexander Darwall has run Devon Equity Management European Opportunities since 2000 and has turned 1,000 into 10,693 over the past 20 years. He invests in companies across the UK and Europe with strong balance sheets and low levels of debt, and which have the resilience to prosper no matter what economic conditions prevail.

Max Ward has been running Independent Investment Trust since 2000 and invests where he sees opportunities in any sector or country. He ran Scottish Mortgage investment trust from 1989 to 2000, before James Anderson took over. Ward has been a long-term backer of UK housebuilding stocks, but has also embraced technology. A 1,000 investment in 2001 would now be worth 8,286.

Khalaf adds that just because these fund managers have performed well over a long period doesn't mean they are guaranteed to continue doing so. However, he believes they have to be credited with having excellent skills.

'You have some managers here who have been performing very well for 20 years,' he says. 'Inevitably they will have some luck, but you have to be a very fanatical disciple of passive investing to suggest that having outperformed for two decades, they haven't exercised remarkable skill.'
European shares are considered undervalued by many investment experts. But it hasn't prevented some Europe-focused fund managers from generating strong returns through astute stock picking.

Two stock market-listed European investment trusts stand apart from their rivals. Baillie Gifford European Growth has achieved returns of 150 per cent over the past five years from a concentrated portfolio of companies that the Edinburgh-based managers have identified as well-run growth businesses.

But the pick of the bunch is BlackRock Greater Europe, a 633million trust that has delivered a five-year return of 162 per cent.

The trust has a number of twists that make it different. Foremost is the ability to hunt down companies in emerging European countries such as Greece, Israel, Poland and Russia, which represent value for money (in share price terms) and are fast growing.

But its overarching modus operandi is identifying companies that are run by top-grade management teams and have the ability to generate high returns  and then holding them long term.

Stefan Gries, portfolio manager, says: 'We like to find exceptional companies early in their journey  businesses infused with the right management culture. Then, as holders of these businesses' shares, we want to behave as owners, not traders, and make long-term returns.'

The result is a portfolio comprised of just 39 holdings  businesses that are not dependent upon the health of the European economy, but have a specialism that gives them pricing power in the markets they operate in, leading to healthy profits and strong share price performance.

A classic example is Switzerland-listed Lonza, a pharmaceuticals and biotechnology company with production facilities across Europe, North America and South East Asia. 'We invested in the company in 2015 and it's now our third-largest holding,' says Gries.

'Quite early on in the pandemic, it signed a deal with US biotech company Moderna to manufacture its coronavirus vaccine. Given its strong market position, it was also able to secure funding from its clients for more production capacity.' Over the past year, Lonza's share price has risen by 36 per cent.

The trust's biggest sector position is in technology stocks (26 per cent). Gries says this reflects the 'digitalisation' of economies worldwide, a trend given an impetus by the pandemic and enforced lockdowns.

One of the fund's top 10 holdings is Danish firm Netcompany. 'The business only listed on the stock market in 2019,' says Gries, 'but it is still run by Andre Rogaczewski, who founded the firm 21 years ago.'

He adds: 'Netcompany has been successful in helping numerous Danish organisations, both public and private, to embrace digitalisation.

Its clients have included the Danish government and Copenhagen airport. Despite the pandemic, its revenues grew by nearly 16 per cent in 2020.'

Gries believes Netcompany is a creator of value and views it as a long-term holding. He also likes that it is a company that most other European fund managers have overlooked.

Although BlackRock Greater Europe pays a dividend half yearly, Gries says it is incidental. 'It's a bonus for shareholders, but not our main focus, which is to deliver long-term growth in shareholders' capital.'

In the last financial year, the dividend was 6.15p a share, a five per cent rise on the year before. The interim dividend for the current financial year was 1.75p a share  the same as for the previous year.

The stock market identification code is B01RDH7 and ticker code is BRGE. The annual management charges total 1 per cent.
Between 2010 and 2020, drug companies across the world spent more than 1.2trillion trying to find new ways to cure diseases.

Much of that money was devoted to seeking treatments for cancer, diabetes, heart problems and other increasingly widespread conditions of the modern age.

Now, however, attention is turning to another area, infectious diseases. Many of these have been out of fashion in the research and development world, but the Covid19 pandemic has highlighted the devastation they can cause.

Poolbeg's new drug could be used to treat flu  and possibly Covid too

The coronavirus is just one of many infectious diseases that cause inflammation, long-term side effects and, at their worst, death.

Flu, for example, affects one in eight people globally each year. Ten million of them are hospitalised and there are up to 500,000 deaths annually. Vaccines do their bit, but they are not foolproof, with efficacy as low as 10 per cent in some cases.

As for treatment, Tamiflu is the best-known drug on the market today. With sales topping 700million annually, Tamiflu can work wonders if taken early. But the pills become less effective within a couple of days, which is when severe symptoms tend to develop and people are taken to hospital.

Poolbeg Pharma is hoping to address this issue, with a product aimed specifically at severe cases of flu and similar infectious diseases, potentially even Covid-19.

The firm was listed on the London Stock Exchange's junior AIM market at 10p a share last month. The stock has since fallen to 9p, but should increase materially as the business makes progress on the flu front and expands into other areas.

Poolbeg is chaired by Cathal Friel, the Irish entrepreneur, who co-founded Amryt Pharma in 2015 and set up Open Orphan two years later. Amryt (recommended by Midas at the equivalent of 1.06 a share in 2017) is now valued at more than 550million or 1.74 a share. Open Orphan is worth 140million with significant growth potential.

Poolbeg's chief executive is Jeremy Skillington, a biochemist by training who moved into the world of commerce almost two decades ago. In 2016, he joined Inflazome, a biotech business founded that same year and sold to drugs giant Roche for at least $450million (330million) just 11 months ago.

Friel and Skillington are hoping to bring their money-making expertise to Poolbeg, while also finding cures for some of the world's most pernicious diseases.

Poolbeg was spun out of Open Orphan and, in the process, gained access to vast amounts of data that shows how flu and other infectious diseases develop.

Accumulated over more than a decade, the data is based on studies with volunteers across the world.

These provide a rich seam of information that can be dissected using artificial intelligence to find common patterns and anomalies.

At the same time, computer power is used to seek out products that have been trialled for other illnesses and found wanting, but which could deliver results if used in a different way or for different diseases.

This type of analysis has already unearthed an 'inhibitor', known as POLB 001, that has genuine potential as a treatment for flu.

The product has been shown to be safe for human use, and early-stage trials around its effect on flu have proved encouraging.

Now Skillington, armed with funding from the recent flotation, intends to develop POLB 001 until it is ready for wider and more costly trials, at which point he intends to license it to a large pharmaceutical firm.

The process is expected to cost between 2million and 3million and the intention is to seal a deal within 18 months. Indications are promising and there are even hopes that POLB 001 could be adapted to treat certain coronavirus cases.

Poolbeg has a pipeline of other products, all of which it hopes to develop and monetise quickly and cheaply. The group is also using its data bank to work on vaccine development and on identifying markers that show whether someone is likely to be severely affected by an infectious disease or not.

Midas verdict: Young biotech firms are not for the cautious but Poolbeg, at 9p, could prove an exciting investment for the adventurous investor. Cathal Friel has had notable success in the drugs field, Skillington is highly experienced too, and the group's decision to focus on infectious diseases is timely. Buy.

Traded on: AIM Ticker: POLB Contact: poolbegpharma.com or 020 7183 1499
Sir Terry Leahy has insisted the private equity giant he works for is the right owner for Morrisons after striking a 7billion takeover deal.

As concerns mounted over the swoop on Britains fourth-largest supermarket chain, the former Tesco boss launched a charm offensive to win over critics of the 285p a share buyout by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).

The 65-year-old, an adviser to US-based CD&R, harked back to his friendship with Sir Ken Morrison, the son of the companys founder who ran the group for 50 years.

Retail knights: Sir Ken Morrison (left) with former Tesco chief exec Sir Terry Leahy who now advises Morrisons' private equity buyer

In a video statement, Leahy said: I knew Ken Morrison well and I understand the vision and values he built his business upon, values now championed by David Potts and the wider team.

And thats why were so excited to work with that team, not only to preserve those traditional strengths of Morrisons but to build on them with innovation, capital and new technologies.

CD&R announced it had agreed the 7billion bid with the Morrisons board late on Thursday, gazumping a 6.7billion deal agreed with rival private equity group Fortress, owned by Japans Softbank.

The pair have been competing for the grocer since June. Fortress could make a higher offer and is weighing up its options.

Shares in Morrisons rose 4.2 per cent, or 11.8p, to 291p  indicating the market thinks the bidding war has been reignited. Nicholas Hyett, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: This might not be the end of the story.

Bosses at Morrisons stand to net a 40million windfall if the CD&R deal goes ahead and long-term bonuses are honoured.

Chief executive David Potts is in line for 22million. But there are fears Morrisons could be broken up, losing a culture that makes it unique among UK supermarket chains.

Asda was sold to private equity in a 6.8billion deal with the Issa brothers, backed by TDR Capital. Private equity firms have swooped on British companies since the Covid crisis began, with the AA, Ultra Electronics and Aggreko among those targeted.

Critics have warned Morrisons 8billion property portfolio could be sold, it could be loaded with debt and its model of buying animals and whole crops directly from British farmers dashed.

Lord Vinson, an adviser to the Institute for Prosperity, said: Its a shame. Morrisons is liked by suppliers, they play it straight and the company is fair. They can do it because they dont pay huge rents and own their properties.

CD&R said it considers that this strong heritage is core to Morrisons and its approach.

Leahy added: We know customers love Morrisons and that the management and staff try to provide a better customer service every day and contribute to the local communities. We at CD&R are determined to help do that.
BHP has sacked almost 50 mine workers for sexual harassment in just two years as it fights to stamp out predatory behaviour endured by women at its remote camps.

It and Rio Tinto are among a string of miners under the spotlight of a parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia following allegations of rape and harassment.

In the last two years, BHP said it found six cases of rape or sexual assault. Another allegation of rape and four of non-consensual touching are being probed.

BHP and Rio Tinto are among a string of miners under the spotlight of a parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia following allegations of rape and harassment

In the two years to June 30, BHP received 73 reports of other types of harassment such as sexual comments, or unwanted advances.

BHP said 48 resulted in 'termination' or 'permanent removal' of the culprit. The firm said: 'We are deeply sorry and apologise unreservedly. We are determined to continue to address this.'

Rio Tinto reported one case of sexual assault since January 1, 2020 had been substantiated, and 29 cases of harassment.

A further allegation of sexual assault and 14 of harassment are being probed.

BHP and Rio Tinto have imposed strict curbs on alcohol at sites, to make them safer for women.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union said male-dominated workforces, isolation, and availability of alcohol combine to make harassment more likely.
British food and drink firms are today calling on Ministers to launch urgent talks with European Union officials after an investigation by The Mail on Sunday found that UK exports are routinely being blocked due to 'an avalanche of red tape'.

When Britain left the EU in January there were reports of delays in getting perishable goods into mainland Europe.

But now the MoS can reveal the EU border crisis is more severe  and is costing the UK economy vast amounts of lost business.

Red tape: The EU border crisis is more severe  and is costing the UK economy vast amounts of lost business

An alarming one in five small exporters have stopped selling into the EU because of the extra red tape and costs involved, according to the Federation of Small Businesses. A further one in five are thinking about ending sales to the EU, the trade body said.

Writing in the MoS today, Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, warns of a 'gathering storm in our export sector that threatens to derail the recovery and our long-term ambitions for a truly global Britain'.

She says exporters are being 'consumed in an avalanche of red tape and blockaded by disruption' and warns they face 'problems which they simply cannot solve'.

A record 28 per cent of UK exporters reported falling sales between April and June in the most recent British Chambers of Commerce survey.

Our investigation into the food and drinks export crisis also revealed:

The cost of shipping a pallet of cheese to the EU has more than tripled from 75 to 240 due to extra red tape for exporters and price hikes by couriers;

Sample 'taster' boxes of alcohol for potential European customers are being returned by couriers with no explanation;

Entire pallets of perishable food are going off on trucks turned away at the French border;

Chocolate containing tiny amounts of whisky is being rejected by EU border staff, who classify it as 'alcohol' and ask for different paperwork;

European buyers are turning to French whisky suppliers due to the extra costs and delays in receiving goods from the UK;

EU border forces are rejecting pallets if just a single digit is wrong on the packaging code.

The warnings come after the MoS revealed last month that draconian border controls were making it 'almost impossible' for Marks & Spencer to get sandwiches to its stores in Paris. Before Brexit, firms could export goods freely into the bloc. But they now face a string of new hurdles including extra customs paperwork and VAT charges.

Mike Cherry, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'We urgently need to see policymakers on both sides of the Channel assessing ways to ease the admin burden for small exporters, which are often among our most innovative and profitable firms.'

Haviland added: 'We are calling on senior Ministers as well as EU officials to step in and urgently examine the issues plaguing small and medium-sized exporters.'

Welsh whisky exporter Penderyn Distillery's chief executive, Stephen Davies, said he had lost out on 'tens of thousands of pounds' of potential business as sample boxes of his drinks had been repeatedly returned from Spain, Germany and Ireland.

He added: 'The packages are either coming straight back and the courier shrugs their shoulders, or the customer has to fill out an enormous amount of paperwork to receive really small quantities of alcohol with no commercial value. It's embarrassing, it makes us look like we're very inefficient.'

He said shipping costs to Europe had risen from 500 to 1,500 for each delivery.

Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson, director of the East London Brewing Company, said her firm is also unable to win new business after a string of failed deliveries. Repeated attempts to send beer to Spain, Italy and Sweden has seen packages returned, meaning wholesale buyers were unable to try the drinks before deciding whether to import in bulk.

Bad smell: Jason Hinds, sales director of Neal's Yard Dairy, said pallets of its artisan cheeses had gone off after lorries were rejected at the French border and sent back to Britain

'One box was sent back four times with no explanation,' she said. 'We're talking about a 12 box of beer on which I spent 1,000 trying to send unsuccessfully.

'Short of my inside leg measurement, I could not have given them more details the last time we sent a delivery to Spain  and it still came back.'

Jason Hinds, sales director of Neal's Yard Dairy, said pallets of its artisan cheeses had gone off after lorries were rejected at the French border and sent back to Britain due to admin issues with other exports being carried on the same truck.

He said: 'These are products with a shelf life. It used to take around a week to get the cheese from order to arrival, now the paperwork is causing delays and, in the worst cases, whole lorries to be turned back. It's all very frustrating.' The firm is considering leasing its own vehicle to move goods to France to counter the problem.

Hinds said the average cost of shipping a pallet before Brexit was 75 and has now risen to 240.

Scottish luxury chocolate maker Chocolate Tree  which exports to Germany, France, Holland and Belgium  said one shipment was rejected because the code number was missing two zeros at the end.

A delivery of whisky-nibbed chocolate was held up because it was treated as an alcoholic product even though it has less than 1 per cent whisky.

Founder Alastair Gower said: 'The French are very proud of their food heritage and we had to work really hard to find a distributor. We did and it has been a success and we've built up our business over there, but now it feels like the rug is being pulled from underneath us.'

Antony McCallum's Scottish whisky brand House of McCallum exports across Europe. He said the system of exporting is now very slow and warehouse providers in the Netherlands are 'profiteering' from UK businesses taking warehouse space to counter the effects of the border problems. He said that extra costs for his customers to import his alcohol were endangering his long-term prospects. 'The price differentiator is now so great that my customers are saying they're buying more French whisky. It won't hit the big guys like Johnnie Walker and Diageo, but small producers like mine are suffering,' said McCallum from Paris, where he has set up a new business entity.

Spirits: Antony McCallum said increased red tape is hitting his whisky firm

He is also scouting for a warehouse in France to smooth deliveries within Europe.

Paul Rostand, of Dorset-based Great British Biscotti Company, said: 'The French and German politicians were so vindictive that it has had a huge impact on business. Our orders there have just dried up. I'm going to leave it six months before I try to export there again  to allow the politicians time to wake up and act practically, like adults. That said, the Department for International Trade has been phenomenal in winning us new business in the Middle East and Far East.'

International trade secretary Liz Truss last week named 54 export champions to help UK firms drum up trade around the world.

However, Rod McKenzie, at The Road Haulage Association, said: 'It's fine to have ambitions to trade around the world with non-EU countries. But we have to accept our geography and that for certain businesses  particularly perishable food  it's not practical to focus on markets halfway across the world rather than Europe. We can't just ignore our biggest market.'

Businesses have warned that problems could escalate when reciprocal measures to add extra checks on European imports into the UK are introduced in October. A shortage of lorry drivers to transport goods is causing supply headaches around the UK and Europe.

The problems are unlikely to have hit large exporters that had existing significant European operations and resources to plan extensively for Brexit.

Brewer Ashbridge-Thomlinson said: 'Ministers need to step in. The Government is holding so many seminars trying to help people export to Europe after Brexit, but they need to send people down from their embassies in Europe and find out what is actually the problem. At the moment, it's just Kafkaesque.'

Has your business been hit by border problems? Email: alex.lawson@ mailonsunday.co.uk
Nightclubs veteran Peter Marks has spent his career out on the town  but even he has been surprised by the party mood sweeping Britain since clubs reopened last month.

'It has gone ballistic,' says 60-yearold Marks. 'I have been in the business 40 years this December and I have never seen a change as big as this. This is like suddenly  bang  a rocket's taken off because of all the pent-up demand for socialising. The response has been unbelievable.'

Marks, the chief executive of nightclubs group Rekom UK, runs 'the biggest clubs in town', specialising in 2,000-plus capacity venues catering for 18- to 30-year-olds in student towns from Portsmouth to Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

Wary: Peter Marks believes vaccine passports could trigger staff disputes

On 'Freedom Day' on July 19, he went to Rekom's Atik club in Oxford, where 200 young people queued down the street. Marks says they were so excited to be on a 'proper night out' for the first time in 16 months they rushed through the doors as soon as the club opened. 'We had people literally running in, screaming with excitement,' he says.

Marks spent last weekend in Manchester city centre, where he estimates 20,000 people were out enjoying bars, pubs and restaurants. 'I walked around Manchester for seven hours, calling in at a number of places and everywhere was packed. In no premises did I see anybody check in through Test and Trace, no one was wearing a mask, and there was no trouble  the atmosphere was marvellous.'

He adds: 'That heartens me, wearing my investor and management hat. I can't see how the authorities can unravel this. This genie is out of the bottle.'

The summer's post-lockdown hedonism has increased revenues at Rekom's 46 UK clubs by up to 100 per cent at some venues compared with pre-Covid takings. Sales for the four weeks since reopening are 8.5million, up from around 5.6million per month in usual trading, and the average spend has risen from 15 to 20 per head.

Marks says late-night venues, licensed until 3am or 4am, currently have the edge over pubs. His customers are now arriving earlier in the evening, with many bypassing pubs and arriving by taxi straight from house parties.

'In quite a few of our towns, pubs haven't had the boom that we have had  they said Freedom Day had been a bit of a damp squib. But as soon as we could open our nightclubs, all of a sudden there was relief. This is what we are seeing and hearing from people: this is what they want, this is what they have been missing.'

Covid safety measures in place at his clubs now that social distancing has been scrapped include regular deep cleaning of the venues, hand sanitisation and air changes five times per minute, through fresh air ducts installed when smoking was still allowed. His 2,500 staff take regular Covid tests and self-isolate if they feel ill or are 'pinged'.

But Marks strongly opposes Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plans to make vaccine passports mandatory for entry to nightclubs from the end of September, when all over-18s will have been offered both jabs. He warns the 'ruinous' move would dent revenues and trigger a wave of employment disputes, making it hard to find staff. Marks says the backlash would be strongest among his ethnic minority employees, who make up a large proportion of his clubs' security teams. 'They are much more mistrustful of the Government and science and don't want to be vaccinated,' he says. 'If I have to turn round and talk to staff who have not had double vaccines through choice, what do I do, ask them to leave? They'll sue me for unfair dismissal or discrimination.'

He points to this month's Office for National Statistics data showing that almost 80 per cent of 16- to 24- year-olds already have Covid antibodies. Rekom research also suggests that under-24s who have not yet been vaccinated plan to have the jab when they are eligible.

Marks says: 'This should be science  we are hoping that increased vaccination of young people will be enough for the Government to say, 'we're Conservatives, we don't interfere in business'.' He adds: 'They are slamming the door in the face of the people who have had the most to put up with. Young people have had their social lives destroyed, they have mental health issues, their education's knackered and they can't get jobs, so their finances are ruined.

'People are not going to allow themselves to be locked down again, they won't have the Government impose a testing regime to go to a pub, bar or restaurant, and they are not going to play ball with vaccine passports. They have had enough. And they are going out.'

Marks is still smarting from the lack of specific Government support for nightclubs during the pandemic, which he calls a 'truly horrible' time. 'There have been times I felt I had the highest hurdle to jump of anybody I knew  because I was in nightclubs, which were closed the longest, and I had the largest company.'

His business  formerly called Deltic Group  ran out of cash last December after burning through 1.8million in rent and fixed costs each month during lockdown. Rekom, a Scandinavian group backed by Danish private equity firm CataCap, bought it out of administration, saving 1,300 jobs. Only eight venues closed for good.

But the deal wiped out Marks's eight per cent holding in Deltic and the investment by the four partners who had helped him build up it from the ashes of Luminar Group over the past decade.

'To close a business for 16 months without supporting it is robbery,' he says. Now restrictions have been lifted, Rekom UK will swing back into profit this month and it hopes to expand eventually by rolling out popular Nordic brands such as Heidi's Bier Bar across the UK. Marks is already 'site searching and intelligence gathering' in major regional cities. Depending on investor confidence, he could also buy individual clubs and party bars.

Until it becomes clear whether Covid restrictions will return in the autumn, however, Marks is holding on to every penny. 'Nobody knows how long the boom in socialising will continue for,' he says. 'We certainly don't want to count our chickens.'
Accusation: G.Network's Sasho Veselinski

The boss of a fibre broadband firm has accused industry giants including BT, Sky and Vodafone of misleading millions of businesses about their internet speeds.

G.Network said big broadband suppliers advertise 'fibre' connections which involve both fibre and copper wiring that has been in the ground for up to a century.

In a research paper called 'Fibre lies', G.Network claims that up to 2.5 million firms could mistakenly believe they have full-fibre connections. It found that 59 per cent of business leaders said they had full-fibre connections, despite just 16 per cent of commercial premises having access to it.

G.Network said the potential cost to productivity due to poor internet connections could be as high as 12.9 billion, with the average employee losing 100 minutes a week to slow broadband.

Chief executive Sasho Veselinski said: 'We want clarity in how providers are able to market their connections. People are working from home and relying on stable internet connections. Copper connections are not reliable so customers deserve to know what they are being sold.'

G.Network is one of a string of 'alternative networks' laying fibre cables and has focused its efforts on London. Last year, it raised 1 billion for expansion and hopes to reach 1.4 million premises in the next four years.

The firm is attempting to rival BT's Openreach telecoms infrastructure arm, which is the industry's largest player, and Virgin Media O2. It has a presence in nine London boroughs and hopes to pass nearly 400,000 homes by the end of next March. The firm installs fibre street-by-street in the capital and then hooks up customers when they buy a package.

It hopes to act both as a retailer  servicing customers directly  and a wholesaler, with large telecoms firms as its clients.

Veselinski added: 'We know that consumers and businesses do not know the difference between full fibre and part-copper, part-fibre connections.

'They think they are buying fibre - marketers use words like ultrafast and superfast fibre  but customers are not told that it isn't full fibre. There is a need to educate businesses on what full fibre is.'

Veselinski said the UK should implement a similar system to Italy, where adverts for full-fibre connections carry a green label, with part and zero fibre connections given an amber or red rating. 'In food you have to put all the ingredients on the packaging, why not with this?' said Veselinski.

The Macedonian serial telecoms entrepreneur founded G.Network in 2016 and it already offers services in a string of London boroughs including Islington, Lambeth and Kensington & Chelsea.

Asked whether he would consider expanding beyond London, Veselinski said: 'We are not ruling out that. We are very ambitious. At the moment we're focused on London and are pleased with how work is progressing.'

A BT spokesman said: 'Our business customers look for download and upload speeds that meet their specific needs. We clearly state the speeds customers can expect in all of our advertising. We also have a speed guarantee which means if a customer's broadband drops below the minimum download speed and BT can't fix it, the customer can simply walk away.'
Post Office customers will be able to use an app to prove their identity to collect parcels and letters from tomorrow, rather than showing a passport or driving licence.

The Post Office EasyID app can also be used to verify age when buying restricted products such as medicines or lottery tickets, or when shopping online.

Post Office chief Nick Read told The Mail on Sunday: 'Customers can now collect items using something they likely have with them anyway: their phone. We also hope this will make things quicker for postmasters.'

Sign of the times: The Post Office EasyID app can also be used to verify age when buying restricted products such as medicines or lottery tickets, or when shopping online

The free app has been created by digital identity specialist Yoti, which already provides digital IDs for staff at clients including the NHS and Virgin Atlantic.

Read added: 'This is about giving people an extra choice  and that's an important point to make, because the Post Office's customers include people who won't want to use an app, including some who are vulnerable. We are very mindful of that, and all the usual ID verification methods remain very much available.'

Read is attempting to modernise the 360year-old organisation through the introduction of new technology for customers and operations to improve efficiency. From this week the Post Office will allow DPD customers to pick up packages from its branches, the first time it has worked with an external courier, loosening its ties with former sister company Royal Mail.

Consultancy McKinsey has estimated the UK could unlock economic value equivalent to 3 per cent of GDP in 2030 through the widespread introduction of digital IDs to speed up purchases and smooth legal processes.
Quitting the nine-to-five and becoming your own boss is a dream for many  and in recent years more workers than ever have been taking the leap.

There are more than four million self-employed workers in the UK, while the number of small businesses rose by 8 per cent in the second quarter of this year, compared with the same period in 2020. However, when you shift to self-employment, you lose the financial safety net that an employer provides if you fall ill and cannot work.

That doesn't mean your financial wellbeing is in jeopardy  you just have to protect yourself.

Planning ahead: Katie Beardsworth has taking out an income protection policy high on her to-do list

I LEARNED THE TRUE VALUE OF GETTING COVER Katie Beardsworth, 35, has taking out an income protection policy high on her to-do list. She experienced the value of such cover when she was growing up and her mother became ill with Meniere's disease, then breast cancer, and was unable to work. Katie is the self-employed founder of two music companies, Polyphony Arts and Mixtape Music Makers CIC, and lives with her husband and four-year-old son in North Tyneside. She plans to take out a policy to help maintain her household income were she ever unable to work. Katie's mother, Anne, claimed a monthly income for 15 years on her income protection policy with Canada Life, after she had to stop working as a self-employed barrister. 'Mum took out the policy because she was the main wage earner and my dad was 19 years older than her, and already semiretired,' says Katie. 'She wanted to be sure we could keep paying our bills if she became ill. 'She had expected to be caring for my dad in his later years, but in the end it worked out the other way around.'

Save for a nest-egg

Self-employed incomes tend to fluctuate, in contrast to the regular monthly pay cheques that employees receive.

To help you smooth over the peaks and troughs in your earnings, try to build up a nest egg.

Put the money in an interest-earning savings account that is easily accessible.

Take out cover

If you are unable to work for more than a few months, savings are unlikely to be sufficient to live on. After all, statutory sick pay is not available to self-employed workers  only to those with an employer.

You will need to find an alternative way of covering your mortgage or rent and other essential costs. This is where insurance can prove invaluable.

Critical illness cover pays a lump sum if you are diagnosed with certain serious illnesses.

It's also worth noting that some employers pay a lump sum to beneficiaries if you die while working there. An alternative for the self-employed is taking out life insurance.

Income protection pays out a proportion of your income if you cannot work due to poor health or an injury. Most policies cover coronavirus and the effects of long Covid.

Maintain income

Income protection tends to pay out between 50 and 70 per cent of your regular income if you cannot work, either for a set period or until you reach retirement age.

When you're self-employed, proving an accurate assessment of your income to an insurer can be tricky. However, a rising number of policies are designed specifically with fluctuating incomes in mind.

The insurer LV= launched a mortgage and rent cover policy last month for self-employed and flexible workers providing up to 2,000 a month for a maximum of two years. You don't have to work a certain number of hours or show proof of income to be eligible, but the benefit must be no higher than your housing costs.

Breathing Space from British Friendly works in a similar way and pays up to 250 a week. It doesn't have a minimum working hours requirement, but policyholders need to prove their income. Other policies require people to work a minimum of 16 hours a week, but are designed for those without a regular income.

Short-term policies include Nationwide's Illness and Injury Insurance, Aviva's Living Costs Protection, and Mortgage Safe from MetLife.

What it costs

The price of income protection is based on factors including your age, profession, lifestyle and health.

For example, a 32-year-old could pay between 14 and 35 a month for 1,000 a month of cover until they retire, while a 45-year-old could pay between 20 and 70 a month for 1,500 a month of cover, according to insurance broker LifeSearch.

You can often lower monthly premiums by delaying when the policy starts to pay out. This may be a good option if you know you could cover your expenses out of your savings for a few weeks or months.
No arrests have been made so far concerning the attack on the 64-year-old man

This is the shocking moment an Orthodox Jewish man is punched in the face by a passer-by in a 'racist attack' that left him unconscious - just hours after a child was attacked nearby.

Footage shows the 64-year-old victim being knocked to the floor while walking in broad daylight down a street in Stamford Hill, London, at 8.30pm on Wednesday.

A separate video taken on the same evening is alleged to show a Jewish child being 'viciously punched' in the face less than an hour and a half beforehand.

The unidentified attacker appears to be dressed in white, wearing a headdress and a greenish brown coat in both clips, which are being investigated by police.

Neighbourhood watch group Shomrim claimed detectives are linking a 'series of horrific unprovoked attacks' in the area on Wednesday evening.

No arrests have been made so far concerning the attack on the 64-year-old man.

Neighbourhood watch group Shomrim said the 64-year-old man was left unconscious following the attack in Stamford Hill, London, and taken to hospital with head injuries

Footage shows the 64-year-old victim being knocked to the floor (left and right) while walking in broad daylight down a street at 8.30pm on Wednesday

In the video taken at 8.30pm, the man's head is seen being slammed into a nearby wall due to the force of the punch.

Shomrim said the man was left unconscious following the attack and taken to hospital with head injuries.

The group tweeted on Friday: 'Shocking footage of a vicious racist attack.

'The unconscious victim was rushed to hospital with a broken foot/ankle & nasty head injuries.

'@MPSHackney specialist hate crime officers are keen to speak to this male.'

Meanwhile, dashcam footage taken at 7.10pm appears to show a similar-looking attacker hitting a boy on a bicycle.

As the car pulls into a side street, he is seen at a closer angle and seems to be holding a bottle in his right hand.

Shomrim posted on its verified Stamford Hill account: 'Racist attacker strikes again! Jewish child viciously punched in the face 18 Aug 7.10pm.

As the car pulls into a street, the attacker (left) is seen at a closer angle. The unidentified man appears to be dressed in white, wearing headdress and a greenish brown coat in both clips

Shomrim posted on its verified Stamford Hill account: 'Racist attacker strikes again! Jewish child viciously punched in the face 18 Aug 7.10pm'

'Detectives are linking a series of horrific unprovoked attacks this Wednesday evening.'

A spokesman for the force told MailOnline: 'On Friday, 20 August, police received a third party report of an assault that occurred on Stamford Hill at approximately 20:30hrs on Wednesday, 18 August.

'Officers have spoken with the 64-year-old victim and enquiries remain ongoing.

'There have been no arrests.'

Referring to the earlier incident, the spokesman added: 'We have just received this report so we are attempting to make contact with the victim.'

Anyone with information regarding the attack on the 64-year-old man is urged to call police via 101 quoting reference Cad 4492/20Aug.
The author of a smash-hit history book which aimed to debunk the truth about the history of the United States has died of bladder cancer aged 79.

James W Loewen succumbed to the disease at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, on Friday, his publisher New Press announced Friday.

A spokesman for the author, who was also a professor emeritus at the University of Vermont, said: 'Telling the truth about the past helps cause justice in. the present. Achieving justice in the present helps us tell the truth about the past.'

Loewen, who lived in Washington DC, was diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer in 2019, and began compiling his own obituary to try and ensure his life was accurately reflected after his death.

A note on Loewen's website says: 'Having received a diagnosis in 2019 of muscle-invasive metastatic bladder cancer, Stage IV, with a prognosis of just below 1% survival after three years, he started putting his affairs in order. One part was writing 'Notes Toward an Obituary,' which he thought he would share with his hometown newspaper, the Washington Post

Author James W Loewen, who shot to fame with Lies My Teacher Told Me - a tome which sought to debunk history told in popular US text books - has died of cancer aged 79

'After all, he had written for them, and one of his articles had wound up the most viewed article for the year. Right after he finished, an obituary writer for the New York Times called, apparently having heard of his prognosis, and was pleased to get the notes. But the WaPo obituary writer had no use for them. 'They have a much larger staff than we do,' she said. Sigh. So I decided to share directly with you.'

The nine page document ultimately compiled by Loewen documents his life and professional achievements.

Loewen's 'Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong' was published in 1995 and became a favorite of students and former students as it challenged what Loewen considered a white, Eurocentric view of the past and the stale prose and bland presentations of classroom books.

He based his findings on his research while on fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution, where he spent two years looking through textbooks.

He gave his chapters such headlines as 'The Truth About the First Thanksgiving,' 'Gone With the Wind: The Invisibility of American Racism in American Textbooks' and 'See No Evil: Choosing Not to Look at the War in Vietnam.'

Loewen prided himself on pointing out the socialist beliefs of Helen Keller or the diversity of American Indian culture. He chastised textbook authors for ignoring the history of labor unions and leaving students with the impression that the mistreatment of workers was something 'that happened long ago, like slavery, and that, like slavery, was corrected long ago.'

Lies My Teacher Told Me was first published in 1995, and quickly proved a smash hit among progressives keen to hear an alternative side

In a 2018 interview with NPR, he said that inspiration for 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' came while he was teaching at the historically black Tougaloo College in Mississippi, and asked his students for their thoughts on Reconstruction.

'And what happened to me was an 'A-ha' experience, although you might better consider it an 'Oh-no' experience: 16 out of my 17 students said, 'Well, Reconstruction was the period right after the Civil War when Blacks took over the government of the Southern states. But they were too soon out of slavery and so they screwed up and white folks had to take control again.'

'My little heart sank.'

Loewen's book won the American Book Award and was sometimes likened to Howard Zinn's 'A People's History' as an alternate text for progressives. A Publishers Weekly review called 'Lies My Teacher Told Me' a 'politically correct critique of 12 American history textbooks' that was 'sure to please liberals and infuriate conservatives.'

He continued the series with 'Lies My Teacher Told Me About Christopher Columbus,' 'Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong' and 'Lies My Teacher Told Me: Young Readers Edition' and revised the original work in 2018, during the Donald Trump administration.

His other books included 'Teaching What Really Happened,' 'The Mississippi Chinese: Between Black and White' and the memoir 'Up a Creek, With a Paddle.' The New Press will publish a graphic edition in 2023 of 'Lies My Teacher Told Me,' which Loewen had been working on with artist Nate Powell, who had collaborated with Rep. John Lewis on his acclaimed 'March' graphic trilogy.

In 2018 Loewen published the acclaimed Sundown Towns, which told the story of US locales where black residents had been ordered to leave by sunset by racist neighbors

Loewen is survived by his second wife, Susan Robertson Loewen; children Nick Loewen and Lucy Loewen McMurrer; four grandchildren and his sister, Mary Cavalier.

'Fathering was his happiest role,' Loewen wrote in his prepared obituary.

He was born in Decatur, Illinois, his father a doctor and his mother a teacher and librarian. While studying sociology at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, during the height of the civil rights movement, he spent the early part of 1963 auditing courses at Mississippi State University, while also visiting Tougaloo College and the Tuskegee Institute.

'He enjoyed all three Southern colleges but felt a particular kinship with Tougaloo, where students actually bought and read books not assigned them in courses, a rarity at MSU,' Loewen wrote on his website.

Before establishing himself as an author, Loewen co-wrote a textbook which helped lead to a legal battle that anticipated current debates over how race should be taught.

In 1974, he and Dr. Charles Sallis published 'Mississippi: Conflict and Change,' an intended corrective to what they saw as the racially biased information that his Tougaloo students had been assigned for a required 9th grade course on the state's history.

The book won the Lillian Smith Award for nonfiction, presented by the Southern Regional Council, but officials in Mississippi voted to reject it for classroom use, alleging that 'Mississippi: Conflict and Change' devoted too much time to black history.

Loewen and others sued. In 1980, U.S. District Court Judge Orma Smith ruled in the plaintiffs' favor and ordered the book placed on the 'approved list.'
Joe Biden is planning on increasing taxes levied on small businesses - despite explicitly promising on the campaign trail not to do so.

The White House proposal - backed by the president himself - will begin winding its way through Congress next week.

Last week the Senate passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution that would pave the way for legislation based on Biden's plans, and the Democrat-majority House is expected to vote on the budget resolution next week, meaning it will almost certainly pass.

The scheme will see the top marginal tax rate rise from 37 per cent to 39.6 per cent. A marginal tax rate is the additional amount of tax paid on every dollar of income above a previous tax bracket.

Joe Biden, seen on Friday, promised on the campaign trail not to raise taxes on small businesses - yet his new plan will see a rise for 1.9 million

The think tank Americans For Tax Reform calculated that 1.9 million small businesses will be affected.

Most are small business owners who run their enterprises as C-corporations. They are entities which sit separately from their owners finances, and shield their owners from any personal liability should their businesses fail.

Biden wants C-corps to be hit by a seven per cent federal tax jump, from the current rate of 21 per cent to 28 per cent.

Biden was directly asked on the campaign trail, in his February 20, 2020, debate with Donald Trump, whether taxes would rise on small businesses.

MSNBC's Hallie Jackson said: 'I want to ask you about Latinos owning one out of every four new small businesses in the United States. Many of them have benefited from President Trump's tax cuts, and they may be hesitant about new taxes or regulations. Will taxes on their small businesses go up under your administration?'

Biden replied: 'No. Taxes on small businesses won't go up.'

Small businesses, pictured in San Francisco in April, have suffered immensely during the pandemic. Now many of them are facing an increase in their tax burden

On Thursday the administration defended the u-turn, insisting the tax hike was necessary.

'President Biden's small-business agenda is about more than just helping businesses make it to the other side of this crisis,' said Wally Adeyemo, deputy Treasury Secretary.

'It is about building back better and creating a fair economy for all Americans.'

The administration also said that 3.9 million small-business owners would receive tax cuts under Bidens proposals to extend the expansions of the child tax credit and Affordable Care Act subsidies that were included in the president's coronavirus relief law.

Biden is pictured with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on June 30. Pelosi next week will begin shepherding the budget reconciliation plan through the House, which will pave the way for the tax hikes

Americans for Tax Reform also pointed out that small business owners would be hit by a plan to eliminate so-called 'step-up in basis' rule for inheritance tax.

Under the current arrangement, people who inherit from their relatives can sell the asset without paying capital gains tax.

Biden plans to get rid of the deal.

Robert W. Wood, a tax lawyer, wrote in Forbes: 'Under current tax law, assets that pass directly to your heirs get a step-up in basis for income tax purposes.

'It doesnt matter if you pay estate tax when you die or not.

'For generations, assets held at death get a stepped-up basis - to market value - when you die.

'Small businesses count on this.'
That number was up 2,112 from the total of 47,172 last week

The number of COVID hospitalizations among children has soared by up to 14-fold in some hospitals, with the US now recording 280 cases a day among young people..

Dr Nick Hysmith from Le Bonheur Hospital in Memphis, Tennesee, says he was treating just two or three children with COVID each day a fortnight ago, but that number has now soared to as many as 28 under 18s a day.

Dr Hysmith spoke as an Alabama doctor has revealed that most of his child patients are old enough to have received a vaccine that could have prevented serious illness.

Dr. Scott James, who treats patients at the Children's of Alabama hospital, told NBC News that 'it's been a pretty busy week' as the state has an average of 43 children a day in the hospital with the coronavirus.

'We began seeing increased hospitalizations in children towards the end of July. And we've now surpassed our previous peak from last January,' James said.

The news came after doctors last week branded the situation the 'pandemic of the young' while noting an increase in hospitalizations among people in their 30s.

The number of new hospitalizations for COVID-19 among children have rocketed to 280 a day

A chart shows the number of new coronavirus hospital admissions nationwide for children 17 and under per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic

A chart shows the number of new coronavirus hospital admissions in the northeast for children 17 and under per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic

A chart shows the number of new coronavirus hospital admissions in southern states bordering and including Texas for children 17 and under per 100,000 people since the start of the pandemic

James told NBC News that most of the older kids hospitalized are older teens eligible for vaccination but have not yet received the jab.

COVID vaccines are available to everyone aged 12 and up in the United States, with the CDC recommending that anyone who is old enough to have the jab gets one.

The doctor told NBC News that medical professionals have found it emotionally difficult to help families with children receiving ICU-level care.

'In our profession, we're called to be near suffering. So we're right where we want to be. We're here on the front lines serving in this pandemic,' James said.

'But I do have to say it does wear on us knowing that so much of this suffering was preventable.'

New COVID-19 hospital admissions for patients 17 years old and under reached an average of 280 per day for the week that ended Wednesday - a new peak for children in the pandemic, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

That number was up from an average of 260 per day for the previous week, and around 201 per day the week prior.

There have been 49,284 hospitalizations of minor children from COVID-19 since last August as of Wednesday. That number was up 2,112 from the total of 47,172 last week.

Children under age 12 remain ineligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, while vaccination rates for young adults under 40 continue to lag.

Just 32.6% of children ages 12-15 are considered fully vaccinated, while 45.4% have received at least one jab, according to data from the CDC published on Thursday.

CDC data shows that 43% of teens aged 16-17 are considered fully vaccinated, while 54.7% have received at least one dose.

There has been a total of 169,998,983 fully vaccinated, or about 51% of the total population but about 60% of the population over 12 years old eligible for the vaccine.

Dr. Marcos Mestre, the chief medical officer at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, said it has had 86 child patients in August

Dr. Nick Hysmith - who works at Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee - told NBC News that as many as 28 children under 18 have been hospitalized per day, some in ICUs.

Hysmith told the outlet that, until two weeks ago, only two to three children would be hospitalized per day with COVID-19 - usually after they were admitted for other reasons like broken bones.

'We went from single digits with not really sick kids to 28 kids in a matter of a few weeks, and some of them are quite sick,' he said.

Hysmith said the hospital is sitting at 95-97% capacity, which is more typical for the winter months.

'That's concerning, because we don't know what's going to happen in the next couple of weeks,' he said.

Texas leads the country for the number of children a day in the hospital for COVID-19, according to NBC News.

CDC data shows that there have been 6,239 children hospitalized in Texas since the start of the pandemic, with an average of 42 new hospitalizations per day this week.

Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, has taken measures to prevent local school districts from enforcing mask mandates which help prevent against the spread of COVID-19.

A map shows the total number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the United States

A map shows the percentage of each state that has been vaccinated so far

A graph shows the total number of coronavirus deaths in the United States since the start of the pandemic

A graph shows the number of coronavirus deaths in the United States in July and August

A graph shows the total number of coronavirus infections in the United States since the start of the pandemic

A graph shows the number of coronavirus infections in the United States in July and August

Abbott has since tested positive for COVID-19 himself - and several school districts have defied his executive order by enforcing mask mandates.

Florida has the second-highest number of hospitalizations among children, according to NBC News.

Dr. Marcos Mestre, the chief medical officer at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami, told NBC News that it has had 86 child patients in August - up from 16 in June.

'If we continue at this pace, we'll be at our highest number of patients in a month,' he said. He echoed comments from James, noting that nearly all of the older children hospitalized were unvaccinated.

Of Florida's teenagers eligible for the vaccine, 44% have been vaccinated, according to the Florida Health Department.
A group of students from Florida claimed to feel 'oppressed' living in the United States before a reporter reminded them of the conditions endured by women in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

The simple comparison was made by Ophelie Jacobson, a reporter with Campus Reform, a conservative news website earlier this week.

Jacobson walked around the campus at the University of Central Florida in Orlando to gauge what was on the minds of female students.

American women on a college campus in Florida were questioned about the rights of women in the United States, with all of them feeling 'oppressed' living in the U.S., at first

All of the students that Jacobson spoke with said they believed women in the U.S. were oppressed and were treated unfairly

The interviews were conducted on the campus at the University of Central Florida in Orlando

All of the students that Jacobson spoke with said they believed women in the U.S. were oppressed and were treated unfairly.

'There's definitely some unfair treatment in some aspects,' one student said.

'We already have a lower pay range even if we are overqualified for the position,' another student added.

'I've quit so many jobs because of the way I was treated at work,' explained one student.

'There's a lot of traditional perspectives on what a woman should do and what a woman shouldn't do,' explained another student.

All of those interviewed agreed that it was 'hard' to be a woman in the US.

'We already have a lower pay range even if we are overqualified for the position,' one student said

All of those interviewed agreed that it was 'hard' to be a woman in the US

All the women changed their mind when compared to the conditions endured by women living under the Taliban

Turning her attention to Afghanistan, Jacobson explained how during Taliban rule, girls were not allowed to go to school, women were not allowed to have a job nor hold a position in government and were regularly beaten and killed.

She explained how over the past 20 years, 'the lives of Afghan women had been improved greatly because of the American presence.'

The reactions of those Jacobson spoke with could not have been more stark as all made a sharp u-turn in their viewpoints as the conditions once endured by women living under the Taliban regime was explained.

A Taliban fighter keeps Afghans from crossing and explains the process of a checkpoint passage before the road that leads to the military entrance of the airport, in Kabul, on Thursday

Evacuees board an aircraft as the U.S. Department of Defense has said it is committed to supporting the U.S. State Department in the departure of U.S. and allied civilian personnel from Afghanistan, and to evacuate Afghan allies safely

'It makes me very nervous for the young girls growing up who might not be able to get an education,' one concerned woman said.

'It's terrible. I don't know what more to say,' lamented one young lady.

'It's kind of an extreme version of sexism and misogyny,' agreed another.

'It's awful - I think the U.S. should take in as many Afghan refugees as we can'

The students who spoke with Jacobson said that learning how Afghani women could be treated by the Taliban had changed their perspectives compared to what they had to endure living in America.

'It could be worse here, but it is definitely easier to be a woman here,' said one woman, changing her mind.

'Obviously in other areas it's a lot worse. With that situation, now that I know, obviously there's not as much to complain about here than over there,' another student agreed.

'We still got it a lot better than many other women in other countries around the world,' another added.
Ian Cameron, 56, had been arrested in March with over 30K of illegal alcohol

An ex-British soldier turned illegal alcohol salesman has revealed how he broke out of a jail in Kabul in his flip flops before dashing through blood-soaked streets to catch a plane back to Britain.

Ian Cameron, 56, who had been arrested in March with over 30,000 worth of illegal alcohol, recalled phoning his wife Sally to say his final goodbyes as the Taliban seized the Presidential Palace in Afghanistan's capital city on Sunday.

The father-of-one said bullets were hitting the walls with shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' heard while the Islamist terror group engaged in a gun fight outside his jail cell at the Counter Narcotics Detention Centre in Qasaba, near Kabul.

But after hiding inside for one hour, he escaped alongside nearly 1,000 other prisoners in his plastic flip flops after a guard unlocked the door.

His revelations come as the UK is in a race against time to help British nationals and supportive Afghans leave the country, while the US President suggests rescue missions must be completed within 10 days.

Ex-British soldier Ian Cameron, 56, has revealed how he broke out of a jail in Kabul in his flip flops before dashing through blood-soaked streets to catch a plane back to Britain

The father-of-one, above, said bullets were hitting the walls with shouts of 'Allahu Akbar' heard while the Islamist terror group engaged in a gun fight outside his jail cell at the Counter Narcotics Detention Centre in Qasaba, near Kabul

Mr Cameron, who performed duties in the Royal Military Police for 24 years, told The Sun: 'I've been in a few tight spots but I can honestly say, with my hand on my heart, this was the first time I thought, "I might be a goner".

Referring to his wife, he continued: 'I told her I loved her. I said I thought this might be it and, yeah, you know, we said our goodbyes.'

While making a run for it, other inmates provided him with a Covid face mask and a cotton scarf to make him appear less noticeable.

Recalling seeing blood everywhere, he said: 'I could tell that people had died, but the bodies were already gone. I don't know what had happened.'

Mr Cameron, who had been dubbed 'The Milkman' for his alcohol-selling profession, was then surrounded by the other prisoners as they tried to hide him.

But after running and dodging through traffic for two hours to reach the airport's North Gate, he was refused entry by Afghan guards due to not having any ID.

Mr Cameron, who had been dubbed 'The Milkman' for his alcohol-selling profession, was surrounded by the other prisoners as they tried to hide him

The UK is in a race against time to help British nationals and supportive Afghans leave the country, while the US President suggests rescue missions must be completed within 10 days

Briton 'traumatised' awaiting news of mother knocked unconscious fleeing Kabul Fereba Hafizi with her mother Layloma A British citizen has said she is 'traumatised' awaiting news of her medically vulnerable mother, who was knocked unconscious while trying to flee Afghanistan. Fereba Hafizi, a fashion photographer from Coventry, said her 79-year-old mother was left unconscious after being pushed over in a melee of people on her way to catch a flight with UK authorities on Wednesday morning. According to her daughter, Layloma Hafizi, a dual British and Afghan citizen with a number of health conditions, had to be carried on her nephew's back and dropped off at a pickup point at a Kabul hotel. She was escorted inside on a wheelchair, but her daughter has heard nothing about her whereabouts since. '[My cousin] was assisting my mother... without his support and pushing people aside from her path it would not have been possible for her to even make it to the gate of the hotel,' Ms Hafizi, 29, told the PA news agency. 'He put her on his back and dragged himself through the last line of crowds. 'The consulate staff and the guards assisted them inside, but they immediately discharged my cousin as he did not have a foreign passport. 'I have lost all contact with her and I have absolutely no idea if she has recovered, or if the aircraft has departed or not.' Layloma had travelled to Afghanistan a month ago to attend a funeral, which was for the father of the nephew who carried her, but then had difficulty booking a flight home due to Afghanistan being on England's red list as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Advertisement

From there, he managed to jump in a taxi which took him to a security blockade in the south-eastern part of the airport, where British soldiers were carrying out evacuations.

He was handed a change of clothes by three of his former military colleagues, with one major saying they had been expecting him and even asking for a selfie together.

Mr Cameron then departed on a RAF C-17 flight to Dubai where, still wearing his flip flops, he boarded a Titan Airways charter plane to Birmingham.

He must now quarantine at a hotel in the city for 10 days and is awaiting a much-anticipated reunion with his wife.

The ex-troop was originally sentenced to 18 years in prison, but this was slashed to five following an appeal.

It follows Boris Johnson, speaking after chairing an emergency Government meeting about the situation, telling broadcasters in Downing Street: 'We went in to support and help protect the United States.

'So when the United States decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have, clearly, we're going to have to manage the consequences.'

He said 1,000 people had been repatriated to the UK on both Thursday and Friday, with most of them UK nationals or those who had assisted British efforts in Afghanistan.

According to The Times, Mr Johnson feels 'let down' by Mr Biden over the way the US has handled the withdrawal.

It has been suggested the President told G7 leaders at their meeting in Cornwall in June that he would keep 'critical US enablers' in Kabul following the US exit from Afghanistan to ensure a Western presence could continue in the capital, according to a British diplomatic memo seen by Bloomberg.

British officials read the memo, issued before the Taliban's lightning offensive across the country, as meaning enough security personnel would stay to ensure that the UK embassy in Kabul could continue operating, according to the news service.

Instead, the British embassy has been evacuated, Downing Street confirmed this week.

Mr Biden defended the US withdrawal, saying he had 'seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world' after speaking with Nato partners.

But Nato members had a message for Washington following a virtual meeting of foreign ministers on Friday, with the 30-nation group calling on the US to secure Kabul airport for as long as it takes, even if that stretches beyond the evacuation of all American nationals.

The Prime Minister used conversations with allies on Friday to pursue his own diplomatic push for international partners to take a united front in dealing with the Taliban.

He and Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte agreed any recognition of a new Afghan government should not happen on a unilateral basis, according to a Downing Street readout of their phone call.

Joe Biden defended the US withdrawal, saying he had 'seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world' after speaking with Nato partners

Mr Johnson hinted that the UK could be willing to work with the Taliban 'if necessary' to 'find a solution' after 20 years of military engagement.

Under the Taliban's previous rule in Afghanistan, women were largely confined to their homes, television and music were banned, and public executions were held regularly.

The leaders of the movement have pledged more moderation this time, although reports of targeted killings in areas overrun by the Taliban have fuelled fears they will return Afghanistan to repressive rule.

Asked whether the militants were a regime he could potentially work with, Mr Johnson said: 'I think it's very important that we take people at face value. We hope that they mean what they say.'
Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley has denied grooming young fans with mental health issues - but says she's sorry for befriending the women then ghosting them.

Four women have accused Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley of 'manipulating' them and running a cult-like base of young fans. The women also made accusations of unsolicited advances.

Ripley vehemently denies 'vile' accusations of grooming, saying the term has made her feel like a sex attacker, and that she inflicted no such abuse on her fans.

Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Alice Ripley has apologized to her young fans for 'misinterpretations' of the interactions they had with her. Ripley, whose performance in the Broadway play Next to Normal earned her a Tony Award, is accused of developing odd relationships with fans as young as 12

'It is a misinterpretation of my actions to say I manipulated anyone, and more shockingly, that there was abuse,' she said in a statement to Page Six.

'Yet here we are on this slippery slope, because terms like 'grooming' are being thrown around  To be accused of this most vile thing, of which I am innocent, is crushing,'

Ripley earned a Tony Award for her betrayal of bipolar character Diana Goodman in Next to Normal in 2009.

She explains how that the performances 'were truly safe spaces for people who had been touched by mental illness.'

Teen girls would flock to the show time and again many of whom 'imprinted their own mothers onto my character, [or] saw themselves in the daughter.'

Twitter users @ashtraysandart (left) and Brie Lynn (right) are among the young women who say Ripley behaved inappropriately, and amassed a group of cult-like groupies

Ripley said that her interactions with fans would consist of 'a quick hello at the stage door' or '[seeing] people in my dressing room for a couple minutes before or after the show.'

She said that 'on rare occasions' she would 'have a quick meal' with one.

'It's now clear that a few of these fans had their feelings badly hurt because they received attention and then they felt 'ghosted,' by her lack of regard for them subsequently, she added, 'and I truly apologize for that.'

The four Ripley's accusers claim she took advantage of them with some of girls saying they had looked towards her as a mother figure. Others claim they fell in love with the actress.

'Inevitably, they had their own fan dramas and jealousies, and I stayed out of that as much as I could,' Ripley writes.

'I never meant to give anything but positive reinforcement, and I'm sorry anyone felt slighted.' Ripley's statement.

She says that the the term 'grooming', which 'refers to sexual abuse of a minor, which is the most despicable act imaginable. It implies that I wanted something or asked for something, and that is not true.'

One New York City actress, who was only identified by the name Liz, told the Daily Beast said 'I felt like I was in a cult, the cult of Alice Ripley. She finds people who are desperate for love, and she figures out how to fill that hole and then manipulates them with it.'

'What Alice does, whether she is consciously doing it or subconsciously doing it, is she knows how to sense where you are vulnerable and where you are desperate for love and attention, and she just goes for it,' Liz said.

'For me, I was very much looking for an older sister, even like a mother-type figure. So that's kind of what she was for me.'

Another alleged victim, Meredith, told the outlet: 'I've spent the last 10 years thinking I'm the only one who's been in therapy because of Alice Ripley. Then in the last 48 hours, I realize there are also other individuals who are my demographic who have also felt literally traumatized by this relationship.'

Brie Lynn spoke out about her relationship with Ripley on Tik Tok, but since expanded the ther conversation to platforms such as Twitter

Brie Lynn says families need to have more meaningful discussions about inappropriate behavior from women

Brie Lynn, now 25, accused Ripley of carrying on sexual conversations with her as a minor, while another accuser called Leo, who was 16 at the time, said their relationship was 'intimate.'

Lynn was first to speak out publicly against Ripley on TikTok before three others added their own stories claiming they were manipulated as teenage girls with Ripley's fan base primarily made up from queer girls.

Accusers began leveling claims against the stage star earlier this week, when TikTok user @lovelyobrie claimed she was groomed by the actress as a child.

Lynn posted a series of videos describing how she 'idolized' the 57-year-old Broadway thespian and friended her on Facebook but didn't meet her until she turned 13.

'Our first conversation was about a photo of you in lingerie,' Brie Lynn, a self-described lesbian, said on the social media platform. Between 2009-2011, Alice was starring as Diana in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Next To Normal, which also toured the country.

The actress has denied initial claims posted on Tik Tok, as more accusers come forward with their own tales

Brie claimed that Ripley 'always requested that I come backstage by myself' and 'on the occasions that my mother was with me' the acting instructor would act 'incredibly stand-offish.'

The teen flew to cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and New York City to meet with the thespian, often accompanied by a traveling 'adult fan' trusted by her family.

When the adult fan turned violent against then 14-year-old Brie, she locked herself in a bathroom and her parents flew to Chicago to fetch her.

'I reached out to Alice who was very nonchalant about the situation and just didn't want to communicate with me at all,' Brie recalled.

'Alice was absolutely no help to me at all despite her knowing me the best and being the only person in the state that knew me very very well. And she just didn't care...She even gaslit me and shamed me for getting into fan drama.'

Brie Lynn, now 25, says her first correspondence with Ripley was when she was just 12, although she didn't meet the star she 'idolized' until the following year

Brie Lynn shared numerous photos of the two together in a now viral Tik Tok video

Her Instagram account has since gone private as social media users launch attacks against the star.

'I looked up to her,' said Twitter user @kkeups. 'I'm disgusted. This BROKE MY HEART for her victim, and even more when I found out there were more. This needs to be talked about.'

'How is @RIPLEYTHEBAND not canceled yet???' pondered Twitter user @Jss9018gish. 'Is it because shes a woman so she gets away with grooming kids?'

Brie Lynn said she met Ripley in October 2009, after attending a Next to Normal show in New York city, and handing her a bouquet of flowers at current call. She began attending additional shows and would occasionally join the actress for group lunches with fellow fans.

She validated those claims with pictures of the two smiling together in a variety of backdrops. The two would often exchange messages on social media, she said, where they engaged in conversations now deemed by Brie Lynn as inappropriate.

'There were instances where I would bring up a sexual situation that might have involved a specific sexual act, and she was not shutting down those conversations, she was participating in them,' Brie Lynn said. 'She was responding to this back and forth. I'm 25, I can't imagine getting a message like that from a kid and doing anything other than immediately leaving the conversation.'

Other alleged victims came forward after Brie Lynn shared her claims on Tik Tok.

Leo told The Daily Beast that she connected with Ripley on social media in late 2017, when they began exchanging 'very intimate' correspondence.

Ripley became a confidante for Leo, who viewed the actress as a motherly figure. But their relationship soured when Leo became involved in a romantic relationship with another person.

Ripley has gone private with her Instagram account since the allegations began surfacing

'It definitely has messed with me,' Leo told The Daily Beast. 'I used to cry about how she quit talking to me and how I thought I was special to her. I have BPD [borderline personality disorder] so I get attached to people really easily and become dependent on them for happiness. When that happened, it was devastating. I just felt awful about it.'

Brie Lynn's now-viral social media video hit fellow accuser Liz like a brick, The Daily Beast reported.

'I was in shock,' she told the outlet. 'My body knew. As soon as I watched the video my body knew. I started sweating, my heart started racing. I was having a trauma response.'

Liz said she met Ripley during springtime 2009; she was an 18-year-old aspiring actress at the time, and already a fan of the Broadway star. As months passed, Liz said she became infatuated with Ripley, and soon realized she wasn't the only starstruck fan.

Other young fans were also eager to watch her performances, and would hurry to buy cheap tickets for her shows, Liz told the Daily Beast.

'On the outside, we looked kind of like glorified groupies,' she said, adding that she recalled Brie Lynn being part of the crowd. 'But it was teenage girls, and then a few older adults.'

Another accuser, Meredith, said she too met Ripley after attending a Next to Normal performance on Broadway in 2009. She was 16 at the time. Captivated by the thespian's charms, and spending time with Ripley and other fans, Meredith told The Daily Beast.

When Meredith moved to New York City at age 17 to attend university, she said she reconnected with Ripley, who said began feeling like a mother figure.

Around Thanksgiving in 2010, while Meredith was back at her Los Angeles hometown, she met up with Ripley who was in the area touring with Next to Normal. They shared a meal, and scheduled backstage visits.

The following February, Meredith accepted an invitation to meet up with Meredith in San Francisco, where the play was then stationed.

At one point, Meredith told The Daily Beast, she and Ripley were along in her dressing room, where the young fan was sitting on the floor reading a fan letter addressed to Ripley. Ripley was sitting at her vanity, and when Meredith finished reading the letter, she said the actress 'spun around in her chair and she bent down on the floor and kissed me on my mouth without any announcement that that was going to happen.

'It wasn't like she started making out with me, but it was enough for me to go, this person who I'd really interpreted in a familial context might not be that person.'

Brie Lynn says the first conversation she had with Ripley involved the older woman wearing lingerie

Others say Ripley's magnetic presence caused fans to fight for her attention

Yet another young woman took to Twitter to document her alleged experiences with Ripley. She said she met the actress during a time when she was recently diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. To top it off, she said she was grieving the loss of two loved ones, and coming to terms with her sexuality.

'I didn't know any better at the time, but the way Alice made me feel special and important, she was making SO MANY others feel the same way and, in turn, this started a lot of drama and competition between fans,' @ashtraysandart said in a letter she posted to Twitter. 'We all vied for her attention. We ate up every bit of it That being said, she definitely did not discourage us turning on each other and continuing to adore her.'

Alice is next set to star as Christian widow Trisha Lee - whose 14-year-old daughter announces she is 'genderqueer' - in Amy E. Jones' feature directorial debut The Pink Unicorn.

Ripley's other Broadway credits include Side Show, Sunset Boulevard, Les Miserables, The Rocky Horror Show, and The Who's Tommy.

She has also acted in episodes of Netflix's Girlboss, CBS' Blue Bloods, USA Network's Royal Pains, and NBC's 30 Rock.
Australia has a staggering six million unwanted AstraZeneca vaccines stockpiled after the prime minister announced over 16s will be eligible for Pfizer at the end of the month.

Scott Morrison addressed the nation on Thursday stating that anyone over the age of 16 would be eligible for the preferred American-produced jab from August 30.

That announcement has unwittingly resulted in thousands of residents cancelling their AstraZeneca appointments despite national rates topping just 28 per cent.

Doctors are concerned the vaccines could go to waste after the national recommendation prematurely designated under-60s to seek the Pfizer jab, leading to the country languishing behind the rest of the world in jab rates.

'It is still going to be some time before people will be able to get their Pfizer and we've got an active Delta [outbreak] in the community, which is a dangerous and life-threatening disease,' president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Karen Price told SMH.

Australia has a staggering six million unwanted AstraZeneca vaccines stockpiled after the prime minister announced over 16s will be eligible for Pfizer

Scott Morrison announced Thursday anyone over the age of 16 would be eligible for the American-produced jab from the end of the month

Australia began producing AstraZeneca vaccines after designating the Oxford University development as the nation's best chance to fight Covid going forward.

Cases of rare blood clotting saw the federal and some state governments backflip, recommending only people over 60 seek the jab - leaving Australia exposed to the virus as the rest of the world opened up.

Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said cancelling appointments over the PM's announcement was misguided, saying he was yet to be informed as to when the Pfizer vaccines will be available.

'Please don't cancel a booking, please don't be a no-show,' he said in the state's daily coronavirus press conference on Friday.

'If you've got a vaccination appointment, please turn up and get it. I wouldn't be banking on anything being here in two weeks.

'I haven't seen that [Pfizer] stock. Is it even here? I hope that by the end of the month, 16-to-39-year-old's can get Pfizer - I don't know whether they will be able to.

'The best vaccine is the vaccine you can get today.'

Cases of blood clotting then saw the federal and some state governments backflip, recommending only people over 60 seek the jab while everyone else get Pfizer

Australia have sent 1.6million AstraZeneca vaccines to neighbouring and at-risk countries including Fiji, Papua New Guinea and East Timor as they battle their own Covid crises.

Experts are urging Aussies to consider the AstraZeneca jab and speak to healthcare professionals for their own specific advice if they have any concerns.

Many vaccines are available in clinics and pharmacies around the country and are taking walk-ins.

The vaccine has a 92 per cent effectiveness against recipients being hospitalised, experiencing severe symptoms and death.

AstraZeneca changed its name in Australia to Vaxzevria on Thursday, the same name it is referred to in Europe.
Police have descended on Sydney's CBD on Saturday morning to prevent rally

120,000 vaccines were handed out on Friday alone as state moves towards 6m

Three deaths were confirmed - two men in 80s and 90s and woman in her 80s

Record number comes with at least 58 people infectious in the community

Figure is the worst day of cases Australia has seen during the pandemic

NSW has registered its worst day of Covid cases Australia has seen during the global pandemic with a staggering 825 new infections on Saturday.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed the record high numbers in her daily Covid press conference as Sydney enters its ninth week of lockdown, lamenting the 'catastrophic consequences' of the minority doing the wrong thing in the community.

'This is nothing Australia has seen before. Even in very strict and harsh lockdowns, the virus is spreading,' she said.

'That is a fact. What we need to do is protect ourselves and loved ones by staying at home and getting vaccinated.'

There were at least 58 residents who were infectious in the community with three deaths recorded overnight - a man in his 80s, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 80s.

There were 120,000 vaccines given on Friday alone, as the state moving towards six million jabs.

Victoria had Australia's previous daily record of 725 cases which was recorded during the state's mammoth 112-day lockdown last year.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said people breaking the laws and attending illegal parties are playing roulette with the state's future.

'There are those amongst us who don't seem to give a damn. They are out attending parties, they are out doing what they have been told not to do, facilitating the spread of the virus,' he said.

'I would just say to them, you are ransoming our future, you are making sure that none of us can get back to a normal life.'

He said the infamous Maroubra rave, which has seen 16 infections so far, had at least 60 people in attendance, while a funeral in western NSW saw as many as 350 attend.

Meanwhile police officers have flooded the Sydney's CBD amid fears another anti-lockdown protest will break out like the one that embarrassed the city in July.

Police have descended on Sydney's CBD to nullify any threat of another shameful anti-lockdown protest as New South Wales recorded 825 new coronavirus cases on Saturday

'This is nothing Australia has seen before. Even in very strict and harsh lockdowns, the virus is spreading,' Premier Berejiklian said

Premier Berejiklian announced stay-at-home orders will apply in Sydney until at least September 30 while a dozen hotspot local government areas will face harsher rules

More than 1,500 officers have been stationed at various points around the city including train stations and major roads to ensure there isn't a repeat of the July 24 'freedom' rally

Police have set checkpoints up at major entry points into the CBD to stop people entering to protest the lockdown on Saturday morning

Police investigate a truck embloazoned with Australian flags in Lilyfield as they set up checkpoints set up throughout the city on Saturday morning

New South Wales registered the worst day of cases Australia has seen during the pandemic with 825 new coronavirus cases on Saturday

More than 1,500 officers have been stationed at various points around the city including train stations and major roads to ensure there isn't a repeat of the July 24 'freedom' rally.

Authorities have suspended all trains running into the city in an attempt to quash people entering the CBD, particularly from Sydney's west and south-west.

'Until 2pm today, trains will not stop at Redfern, Town Hall, Martin Place, Wynyard, Circular Quay, St James and Museum due to a police operation,' NSW Police said.

Taxi and rideshare services will again be shut out of the city between 9am and 3pm, with companies facing fines of up to half a million dollars if they take passengers to the CBD and surrounds.

Premier Berejiklian pleaded for residents of NSW to follow orders and stay at home as the state reels from its worst day.

'I extend my deepest appreciation for the vast majority of people doing the right thing, the vast majority get its important to stay at home... I receive messages every day from people who express their personal circumstances about how difficult it is,' she said on Saturday morning.

'It really breaks my heart... but the bottom line is they know they are doing it for the greater good.

'I appeal to everybody, please consider the greater good. Only a handful of people are doing the wrong thing but it is having catastrophic consequences.'

Police have made several arrests at Victoria Park outside Sydney University as a small number of protesters attempted to congregate.

Several unmasked men and women attended the area, with police attempting to divert people and being forced into arresting several members.

Officers were seen putting people in headlocks and tackling others to ground as scenes turned violent.

Other demonstrators were pictured being searched as NSW Police attempt to clamp down on Covidiots continuing to break rules.

Police have made several arrests at Victoria Park outside Sydney University as a small number of protesters attempted to congregate

Several unmasked men and women attended the area, with police attempting to divert people and being forced into arresting several members

Officers were seen putting people in headlocks and tackling others to ground as scenes turned violent

NSW Police carry out arrests on people in attendance at anti-lockdown rallies in Sydney

Other demonstrators were pictured being searched as NSW Police attempt to clamp down on Covidiots continuing to break rules

Premier Berejiklian said the majority of the people in attendance at the illegal party in Maroubra came from the 12 LGAs of concern, who moved out of their 5km radius to attend the rave.

'People left those local government areas of concern and attended the gatherings in other areas illegally and unfortunately 80 per cent of cases are coming from the same part of Greater Sydney,' she said.

NSW is readying for a raft of new Covid-19 rules to become mandatory on Monday as the premier pleads with Sydney residents to 'bunker down' for at least another six weeks.

Stay-at-home orders will apply in Sydney until at least September 30 while a dozen hotspot local government areas will face harsher rules, including a curfew from 9pm to 5am.

The funeral Mr Hazzard referred to has a rural town in north-west NSW is on edge after two Covid-19 positive mourners attended the service for a 26-year-old man.

Taxi and rideshare services will again be shut out of the city between 9am and 3pm, with companies facing fines of up to half a million dollars if they take passengers to the CBD

Police have suspended all trains running into the city in an attempt to quash people entering the CBD, particularly from Sydney's west and south-west

From Monday, mask-wearing will be mandatory for all people in NSW when outdoors, except when exercising

People who enter LGAs of concern without a reasonable excuse will face fines of $1000 and an order to isolate at home for two weeks

Police checkpoints are set up coming from Sydney's west in preparation for anti-lockdown protests in the CBD on Saturday

There are fears the funeral, held in Wilcannia on Friday August 13, could become a superspreader event with the Heath Minister saying there was as many as 350 people in attendance.

Health officials are scrambling to identify and test everyone who was at the service.

The two people, a couple from Dubbo who travelled to Wilcannia for the funeral, returned positive tests earlier this week, sparking panic in the town where they had been while infectious.

Residents have been urged to get tested and stay inside until August 27, but local woman Deirdre Sammon didn't told Daily Mail Australia there would likely be 'heap more cases' in the tight-knit community within the coming days.

'Houses are over-crowded, and people don't live in nuclear families - it's more like a big community, and everyone's always going in and out of each other's houses,' Ms Sammon said.

A funeral was held in Wilcannia on Friday, August 13. Someone infected with Covid attended and spread the virus. Pictured: The grave after the service

Deirdre Sammon (pictured left with her family) is terrified Covid-19 will spread to her family

People must prove their address and carry identity to show police they are complying

Checkpoints are set up around the city to prevent traffic coming into Sydney's CBD

'I think that's slowed down now and people are taking it more seriously and getting tested, but there's one shop and one post office and people are always going in and out.'

The 49-year-old was supposed to go the funeral but didn't make it on the day, and explained she's extremely worried about her family because she has an elderly father and a 10-month-old grandchild.

Rosi Bates said the everyone in the town is in a state of worry and panic.

'It's effecting us physically, emotionally and mentally,' she said.

'Plus, with all of this going on we have a lot of loses in the community which has a bigger impact on us with grief and sadness and depression is going to rise higher than normal with the isolation and lockdown.'

Police survey cars entering the CBD from Sydney's inner west on Saturday morning

A truck driver shows his exemption as he drives through Sydney on Saturday morning

Thankfully masks aren't mandatory for this one

From Monday mask-wearing will be mandatory for all people in NSW when outdoors, except when exercising.

Construction sites will also face a compliance blitz as SafeWork NSW officers hunt for rule-breakers this weekend.

Three Sydney building sites saw fines of thousands of dollars each in the last week for not ensuring their workers were vaccinated.

One site in Liverpool has to cough up $20,000 after inspectors found its workers were not wearing masks or scanning QR codes, and their boss hadn't ensured they were vaccinated or tested.

Residents in those council areas in the city's west and southwest are from Monday limited to one hour of outdoor exercise per day.

Committee for Sydney CEO Gabriel Metcalf said the committee had 'grave concerns' that people in public spaces outdoors were being over-policed.

'To date, we are not aware of any evidence of significant transmission of Covid in outdoor spaces,' Mr Metcalf said.

NSW police have been given greater powers to enforce compliance including the ability to lock down apartment blocks while NSW Health assesses Covid-19 risk - before anyone even tests positive.

People who enter LGAs of concern without a reasonable excuse will face fines of $1000 and an order to isolate at home for two weeks.

Hardware stores like Bunnings, office supply stores and other retail premises must close in those 12 areas except for click-and-collect, and all exams and education activities must move online, except the HSC.

More than 1,500 officers have been stationed at various points around the city including train stations and major roads to ensure there isn't a repeat of the July 24 'freedom' rally

Taxi and rideshare services will again be shut out of the city between 9am and 3pm, with companies facing fines of up to half a million dollars if they take passengers to the CBD

Police prepare to use drones to monitor activity throughout Sydney's CBD on Saturday

Police will station more than 1500 officers around the CBD on Saturday to ensure another protest doesn't occur

Mounted police are patrolling the city in anticipation of anti-lockdown protests

A permit system will from Saturday also come into force for people travelling between Greater Sydney and regional NSW, which is in lockdown until at least August 28.

NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said Covid-19 does not 'respect lines on a map' and people were doing their best to comply with an ever expanding and confusing set of health orders.

'Since this lockdown started up until now, there have been 39 sets of changes to health orders and there are currently 39 pages of public health orders,' he said.

'Let's get a clear and simple message from the NSW government and that should include what is the objective of the three month lockdown if, as the premier insists Covid zero is now no longer possible.'

Covid-19 vaccinations for all NSW healthcare workers will be mandated by the end of next month, and for childcare workers and disability support workers in the council areas of concern by August 30.

Young men determined to continue gathering after dark during Sydney's hard lockdown have found themselves facing large fines and arrest warrants, including a 27-year-old who tested positive to Covid and allegedly refused to isolate.

Police and health authorities are dealing with multiple lockdown breaches involving young men out late, including 27-year-old Anthony Karam (pictured) who is wanted after testing positive to Covid, allegedly refusing to isolate

Eight teenage boys triggered a major NSW Police operation on Friday night near Bondi Beach. One of the teens is pictured

The missing man police are searching for who is suspected to be Covid positive is Anthony Karam, 27, who NSW police allege 'failed to isolate as directed by the Public Health Order'.

Police say they have tried to find Mr Karam, who is from Bankstown, multiple times since his positive Covid test to no avail and are now seeking help from the wider community.

A warrant has been issued for Mr Karam's arrest. He was last seen at an address at Wentworth Point wearing a black tracksuit and maroon dressing gown.

Brad Hazzard referenced him in Saturday morning's Covid press conference, calling him 'the worst of the worst'.

'This 27-year-old chap who apparently has expressed the view that he doesn't care less whether he spread the virus is one example of the worst of the worst,' he said defiantly.

Five were arrested after trying to flee the scene. Two were chased on foot and three were caught after trying to flee up the cliff at North Bondi. One of the teens is pictured

Police issued all eight teenage boys, aged between 15 and 19 apprehended at North Bondi on Friday night with infringement notices and one was found to be allegedly in possession of ketamine and cannabis. One of the boys is pictured

NSW Police's Rescue and Bomb Disposal squad (pictured) and the Pol-Air police helicopter were used to apprehend eight teenage boys who breached public health orders on Friday night

Mr Karam is known to frequent the Greenacre, Wentworth Point and Parramatta regions and is 170cm tall with a thin build.

The public are urged to contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 if they see Mr Karam and warned not approach him.

On Friday night NSW police helicopters and the bomb disposal unit were alerted about a gathering of eight teen boys on the rocks below Ben Buckler Point at North Bondi.

Five were arrested after trying to flee the scene.

Two were chased down on foot and three were caught after trying to escape up the cliff face.

Police issued all eight men, aged between 15 and 19, with infringement notices and one was found to allegedly be in possession of ketamine and cannabis.


The grim trade of puppy smuggling faces a clampdown under government plans for tougher laws to protect dogs.

The proposals include raising the minimum age at which puppies can be imported from 15 weeks to six months.

The rules would also ban the importation of dogs with cropped ears or docked tails.

The practice was banned in the UK in 2006, but dogs with cropped ears are frequently seen on social media, often on the accounts of celebrities and influencers.

A ban on importing heavily pregnant dogs would be introduced under the new laws, which aim to safeguard the welfare of thousands of dogs and puppies brought to the UK each year.

More than 66,000 dogs were commercially imported last year, but evidence shows a recent rise in animals imported in low-welfare conditions and in smuggling, said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The number of young puppies intercepted for not meeting the UK's pet import rules jumped by 160 per cent from 324 in 2019 to 843 last year.

More than 66,000 dogs were commercially imported last year, but evidence shows a recent rise in animals imported in low-welfare conditions and in smuggling, said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Raising the minimum age for importing puppies aims to ensure they are not separated from their mothers too early, which can increase their risk of becoming ill or dying

Incidents of cruel treatment include six under-age puppies seized at the port of Dover after being found covered in sticky oil and suffering from diarrhoea.

They had been imported illegally from Romania, travelling in the back of a van for more than 24 hours.

Raising the minimum age for importing puppies aims to ensure they are not separated from their mothers too early, which can increase their risk of becoming ill or dying.

The RSPCA has reported a 620 per cent rise in reports of dogs found to have their ears cropped in the past five years, a painful process that involves surgically altering or removing a dog's outer ears to make them look more aggressive.

Announcing a consultation on the proposals, animal welfare minister Lord Goldsmith, said: 'Puppy smuggling is a grim trade, and we are determined to clamp down on it.

'Raising the minimum import age for puppies will help protect thousands of animals and stop criminals profiting from the rise in demand for pets.'
More than 200 high street bank branches across the country are the last in town, figures reveal.

Following an alarming rate of branch closures  and with 100 more due before next year  MPs wrote to the major banks to find out how many they have left.

The high street giants were also asked to reveal how many of these branches are the last remaining bank in town amid concerns that vulnerable customers and small businesses face being left without access to cash.

Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax, has the largest number of branches at 1,567

NatWest said 60 per cent of its retail customers now exclusively use digital channels

The six largest banks and the countrys biggest building society Nationwide have 5,069 branches left between them, of which 213 are the last in town.

Lloyds Banking Group, which includes Halifax, has the largest number of branches at 1,567 and more than half of the total number of last-in-town banks at 118.

NatWest has 833 branches, of which 46 are in communities where the nearest alternative is a mile and a half or more away.

Barclays did not reveal how many of its 738 branches are the last in town, while HSBC, Santander and TSB have 19 between them. Nationwide has 643 branches and 30 are the last in town.

All the banks blamed branch closures on the rise of online banking. They said this had led to a drop in footfall and they needed to prioritise investment in digital services. In his response, HSBC boss Ian Stuart said the number of customers using its branches had fallen by almost 40 per cent in the past five years.

He added nine in ten interactions with customers take place via telephone, internet or smartphone, while 99 per cent of cash withdrawals are at an ATM.

Matt Hammerstein, chief executive of Barclays UK, said fewer than 10 per cent of all transactions take place inside a branch, while NatWest said 60 per cent of its retail customers now exclusively use digital channels.

Lloyds said the pandemic had accelerated the trend towards online banking. But experts warn millions who do not use the internet are at risk of being left behind.

Natalie Ceeney, of the Access to Cash Review, said: There are lots of people who no longer use cash or visit bank branches but there are more than five million people that rely on cash and where bank branches are vital.

Barclays did not reveal how many of its 738 branches are the last in town, while HSBC, Santander and TSB have 19 between them

Mel Stride MP, chairman of the Treasury committee, said: For many  particularly small businesses, the elderly and vulnerable  access to a bank branch is vital to accessing cash.

While it is encouraging the high street banks have engaged so positively with the committee, we note there are over 200 last in town bank branches across the country.

We are concerned that should these close, vital access to cash and banking services will be out of reach for many communities.

The City watchdog the Financial Conduct Authority is reportedly considering new rules to prevent banks from closing branches to protect access to cash. Banks could be fined or blocked from shutting their doors.
Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says 'there will be cases' of Covid-19 after the state hits 80 per cent vaccination and reopens to Australia.

Queensland is likely to reopen to the rest of Australia and stop trying to eradicate Covid-19 when its vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

The state recorded two new overseas-acquired cases in hotel quarantine after 11,162 tests in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Saturday.

Apart from a new non-infectious historic case on Friday, Queensland has recorded one new active local case in the last eight days.

Queensland has enacted tough border restrictions with New South Wales after again recording zero new local Covid infections. Police are shown at the state's borders

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says while the virus is under control within her state, with 1275 people in home quarantine, she's still concerned about spread from NSW

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says while the virus is under control within her state, with 1275 people in home quarantine, she's still concerned about spread from NSW.

'So excellent news for Queensland no locally acquired cases, and I know everyone wants to keep it like that,' she told reporters on Saturday.

'So we need to be really careful as we go forward for the next week as we tighten up our border with NSW, where unfortunately we are seeing more and more cases every single day, and we are seeing those cases moving closer and closer to Queensland.'

Queensland recorded no new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Saturday but two new cases are in hotel quarantine

Health minister Yvette D'Ath emphasised vaccination, mask wearing and social distancing were critical in combatting the spread of the outbreak

Queensland delivered 19,273 vaccine doses with 45.24 per cent of the eligible population now having had their first dose and 26.8 per cent fully vaccinated.

Dr Young said her state is likely to reopen to the rest of Australia when 80 per cent vaccination is reached, even if outbreaks are raging in other states.

'At that 80 per cent point, we probably will, but we just have to see what happens and see what the outcomes are at that point in time,' she said.

Queensland's chief health minister Dr Jeanette Young said the state would likely abandon a 'zero-Covid' strategy once 80 per cent of Queenslanders were fully vaccinated

Business owners in Queensland are concerned about the impacts of border closures. Pictured is Maddie Pierce from Flying Elephant cafe in Coolangatta on Friday

She said the Doherty Institute's modelling shows 80 per cent is the target needed to protect Queensland's health care system from being overwhelmed.

Dr Young also indicated she would no longer try to eradicate Covid-19 in Queensland after the vaccination target is hit.

'Once we open up we won't have zero cases, of course we won't, we'll have a disease that we can manage,' she said.

'The problem is, while we've got such low vaccination rates and they're getting better and better, but they're still low, we can't afford to open up because we know as other countries have seen that we would rapidly get overrun with cases that we wouldn't be able to treat.'

Dr Young urged people to go and get the jab to help slow any potential outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

'So if you're 16 years of age or older, it is absolutely critical that you get vaccinated,' she said.

'We will not be able to hold back, community spread of Covid in our state, if we aren't vaccinated.'

Chief health officer Jeanette Young expressed concern too any over-60s were unvaccinated as she again urged Queenslanders to continue getting vaccinated

Annastacia Palaszczuk has repeatedly expressed fears about the rising number of cases in NSW and how that could spill over to Queensland

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said police had reported smooth traffic at NSW border checkpoints with only certain vaccinated essential workers exempt to cross from Saturday.

She said any exempt workers complaining about needing to get vaccinated need to make their own call on whether or not they want to cross.

'You have to decide: is my job essential enough to go get a vaccine? And if it is, go get one, immediately, and then you will be able to cross,' Ms D'Ath said.

She also took a swipe at anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown protesters set to demonstrate in Brisbane later on Saturday.

The health minister said they should be either staying at home, or getting vaccinated if they want to go back to enjoying normal things in life like hugging family or going to the footy.

'That's your choice, but it's not a smart choice not to get vaccinated,' Ms D'Ath said.
The housing crisis should be tackled by encouraging Britons to build their own homes, according to a report commissioned by the Prime Minister.

It warns that the country risks becoming 'two nations'  with the young unable to get on the housing ladder while those in mid-life 'add to their buy-to-let portfolio'.

The report's author, Tory MP Richard Bacon, says the answer is to build as many as 40,000 'self-commissioned homes' a year.

This would reduce the housing shortage, while the improvement in design standards would make it less likely locals would object to new homes nearby.

Mr Bacon said: 'We need to build more and better new homes. Custom and self-build can help achieve this, by putting customers and their choices back at the heart of the process.

The report's author, Tory MP Richard Bacon (pictured), says the answer is to build as many as 40,000 'self-commissioned homes' a year

The Government wants to make home building a mainstream, realistic and affordable option for people across the country (file photo)

'When customers come first, we will see more homes built that are better designed, better built, greener, which cost less to run  and are warmly welcomed by their communities.

'This review sets out a route map for how we can achieve this much-needed change.'

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick welcomed the report.

'As we build back better we want to help more people build their own home, making it an option for thousands who have not considered it or ruled it out before,' he said.

'This will help get more people on to the housing ladder, ensure homes suit people's needs while providing an important boost to small builders and businesses.'

Mr Bacon's review said what is known as the Custom and Self-Build sector could deliver between 30,000 and 40,000 more homes every year.

Many of these can be built in weeks and are better designed, built to the highest environmental standards and can lead to cheaper household bills.

The Government wants to make home building a mainstream, realistic and affordable option for people across the country.

Ministers have already committed 150million for the Help to Build scheme which will allow home builders to borrow money with lower deposits.

Mr Bacon said England was 'in danger of becoming two nations  one in which a whole generation struggles to find somewhere to live at all, while the other adds to its buy-to-let portfolio'.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick (pictured) welcomed the report

He called for 'muscular state action' by establishing a Custom and Self-Build Delivery Unit within the Government's Homes England body to make plots of land with planning permission available everywhere.

There is a 'missing market' in the UK compared with other developed economies in which self-commissioned housing is more common, often accounting for a third of total supply.

In Germany 55 per cent of new houses are self-commissioned.

Mr Bacon said: 'There is of course a proper concern that we should protect our beautiful countryside  but opposition to new housing is chiefly ... against the second-rate, the environmentally damaging and the bland.

'There is a solution. It involves creating the conditions in which customers are treated as if they matter the most, rather than  for the most part  scarcely mattering at all. And this is what happens when people themselves commission the houses they would like to see.'
Joe Biden said 'We got all kinds of cables' after being grilled over why he'd ignored a classified memo warning Afghanistan would quickly fall to the Taliban.

The warning, sent via a diplomatic memo, was flagged to the president during a rare press conference Friday. It warned Biden that predictions the Afghan capital of Kabul would hold off the Taliban until the end of the year were far too optimistic, with the city ultimately falling to the extremist group in just five days.

'We've learned over the past 24 hours that there was a dissent cable from the State Department saying that the Taliban would come faster through Afghanistan,' Justin Sink, a correspondent for Bloomberg said at a White House press conference.

'Can you say why after that cable was issued the U.S. didn't do more to get Americans out?'

President Joe Biden was asked why Americans weren't evacuated more quickly in light of a warning from U.S. diplomats in Kabul

'We've learned over the past 24 hours that there was a dissent cable from the State Department saying that the Taliban would come faster through Afghanistan,' Justin Sink, pictured, a correspondent for Bloomberg said at a White House press conference. 'Can you say why after that cable was issued the U.S. didn't do more to get Americans out?'

'We got all kinds of cables,' Biden said in response.

'All kinds of advice. If you notice, they range from this group saying  they didn't say it would fall when it did fall, but saying that it would fall, to others saying it wouldn't happen for a long time and they'd be able to sustain themselves through the end of the year.

'I made the decision. The buck stops with me. I took the consensus opinion. The consensus opinion was that in fact it would not occur, if it occurred, until later in the year. It was my decision.'

The Biden administration has come in for criticism having been caught unready over the speed of the Taliban takeover following the departure of U.S. troops.

There are said to be thousands of Americans and tens of thousands of Afghan allies granted US visas still stranded in the country.

'I got all kinds of cables, all kinds of advice, if you noticed,' Biden said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken listens at right

The Wall Street Journal first reported two dozen officials at the U.S. embassy in Kabul sent a memo alerting Secretary of State Antony Blinken together with an official in the State Department that the Taliban were well-positioned to take over once US troops had departed

The Wall Street Journal first reported two dozen officials at the U.S. embassy in Kabul sent a memo alerting Secretary of State Antony Blinken together with an official in the State Department that the Taliban were well-positioned to take over the country once the U.S. withdrew its forces by the end of August.

It has also been suggested the President told G7 leaders at their meeting in Cornwall in June that he would keep 'critical US enablers' in Kabul following the US exit from Afghanistan to ensure a Western presence could continue in the capital, according to the diplomatic memo seen by Bloomberg.

British officials read the memo, issued before the Taliban's lightning offensive across the country, as meaning enough security personnel would stay to ensure that the UK embassy in Kabul could continue operating, according to the news service.

Instead, the British embassy has also been evacuated alongside its American counterpart.

Taliban fighters stand guard along a roadside near the Zanbaq Square in Kabul after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war

Biden defended the US withdrawal, saying he had 'seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world' after speaking with Nato partners.

But Nato members had a message for Washington following a virtual meeting of foreign ministers on Friday, with the 30-nation group calling on the US to secure Kabul airport for as long as it takes, even if that stretches beyond the evacuation of all American nationals.

Although the president has stated firmly he stands believes his decision to withdraw troops was the right one, he admitted the speed at which the Taliban took over had caught the entire administration off-guard.

As well a seizing power, the Islamist extremist group now also has billions of dollars worth of U.S. military equipment and weapons within reach.

During Friday's press conference, Biden signaled US efforts to rescue American citizens could wrap up at the end of the month.

Asked whether the US could get all Americans out of Afghanistan by August 31, President Biden told reporters: 'I think we can get it done by then, but we're going to make that judgment as we go.'

A Taliban fighter holds rocket propelled grenade launcher as he stands guard with others at an entrance gate outside the Interior Ministry in Kabul
All state schools and colleges in England will receive portable carbon dioxide monitors from next month to help tackle the spread of coronavirus.

The 25 million government scheme will allow staff to quickly identify where classroom ventilation needs to be improved.

The majority of the 300,000 portable monitors  which measure airflow  will become available over the autumn term in a bid to avoid disruption to lessons when pupils return after the summer break.

The 25 million government scheme will allow staff to quickly identify where classroom ventilation needs to be improved. Pupils are pictured at a Northampton primary school last September

They will be provided to all state-funded education settings, including nursery schools, but special schools and alternative provision will be prioritised due to high numbers of vulnerable pupils.

Ministers have already launched a trial of air purifiers in schools in Bradford, which is designed to assess whether they can reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said yesterday: By keeping up simple measures such as ventilation and testing, young people can now enjoy more freedom at school and college.
The Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has raised the global threat of terror to its highest point since 9/11 - and an Al Qaeda atrocity could hit US shores soon.

Tom Copeland, director of research at the conservative think tank Centennial Institute, told Fox News that the withdrawal of U.S. troops could lead to another attack on American soil.

'Having an entire country as a safe haven, will give [Al Qaeda] more physical space and more breathing space to reconstitute and go back to planning major events, so I think the U.S. withdrawal itself is a large part of that threat,' Copeland said.

Copeland claimed that an attack could come 'within the next four to five years' after Al Qaeda, the militant terrorist group founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988, takes a couple of years to reconstitute itself.

Tom Copeland, director of research at the conservative think tank Centennial Institute, said the withdrawal of U.S. troops could even lead to another attack on American soil

A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty salon with images of women defaced using spray paint in Shar-e-Naw in Kabul on Wednesday

'But it sounds like from what I've read, they're thinking they could do it in six months,' he told Fox News.

'Now, that doesn't mean we'll have an attack in six months, it does take time to plan these spectacular events.'

He added: 'I don't think it'll happen then, but I think in the next four or five years we should anticipate at least efforts by Al Qaeda and ISIS and other groups that may form in the aftermath here.'

The concerns come as the United States is set to complete its full withdrawal of troops by the end of the month.

It was set in motion by former President Donald Trump, who signed a peace agreement with the Taliban last year promising that U.S. soldiers would leave by May.

President Joe Biden has pressed that the United States will continue withdrawing troops, after going ahead with Trump's initial drawdown, despite the escalating situation facing Afghanistan.

Thousands of Americans are feared to remain trapped there, along with tens of thousands of Afghans granted visas for helping US troops stationed in the country.

Al Qaeda is expected to fully resume its operations in Afghanistan now that the Taliban has taken control of the country, Copeland told Fox News.

George W Bush first ordered troops to topple the Taliban after bin Laden used the country to plot the 9/11 terror attacks, whose 20th anniversary is now just three weeks away.

In comments to NPR, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the group would 'of course' work to eradicate terror groups such as al Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

'Of course, when we say that we do not allow anyone to use the soil of Afghanistan, that means we will not allow them, that if they are intending to use this soil for their activities outside the country, so that we will not allow them to, we will not tolerate that,' Shaheen said.

Donald Trump signed a peace agreement with the Taliban last year promising that U.S. soldiers would leave by May. President Joe Biden has pressed that the United States will continue withdrawing troops despite the escalating situation facing Afghanistan

Copeland fears that without a U.S. Embassy or military bases on the ground in Afghanistan, the United States will leave 'a much more limited window into what the terrorists are doing inside Afghanistan.'

John Kirby, the Press Secretary for the Defense Department, was asked by Fox News to provide an estimate on how many members of al Qaeda are currently in Afghanistan.

'I haven't seen an estimate on that. OK, I don't know if we have an exact estimate,' Kirby said.

He added: 'We know that Al Qaeda is a presence as well as ISIS in Afghanistan.'

'And we've talked about that for quite some time. We do not believe it is exorbitantly high, but we don't have an exact figure for you, as I think you might understand.'

Paul D. Miller, a former CIA operative, said he is 'confident' that 'the U.S. is at higher risk of international terrorism

Victor Davis Hanson, a Fox News contributor, told the outlet that the next three and a half years 'will be our most dangerous since the 1950s of the Cold War.'

'Jihadists now have a centrally located haven that has a proven record of successfully launching anti-Western terrorist operations,' Hanson said.

'The Taliban are far more jubilant now than in the past, given the climatic defeat of the entire NATO coalition, and, finally, they feel there no longer exists U.S. deterrence.'

Hanson added that Iran, China and Russia will become 'far more adventurous' in the net year 'on the expectation that the Biden administration, the woke Pentagon, and the politicized intelligence agencies either cannot or will not deter them.'

'That encourages the Taliban who feel that the U.S. will be pressed simultaneously by several enemies and won't dare confront them,' Hanson said.

Paul D. Miller, a former CIA operative who served as director of the Afghanistan desk for the National Security Council, told Fox News that he is 'confident' that 'the U.S. is at higher risk of international terrorism today than at any point in the last 20 years.'

Miller called the situation in Afghanistan an 'avoidable catastrophe.'

'It was a manmade disaster, it was policy engineered chaos,' Miller said.

'The president continues to insist that this was unavoidable. It was inevitable. The war had already been lost. There was no other way out, could not have been would have the chaos. All of this is false.'

Miller claimed that Al Qaeda was 'on the run' until the withdrawal of American troops and were 'spending their energy and their time running and hiding' from U.S. airstrikes and Special Forces.

'They didn't have time to plan their attacks. They now have breathing room to reconstitute themselves and focus on creating, recruiting, fundraising and planning. They couldn't do that for 20 years. Now they can,' Miller said.

'That means we are all at heightened risk of a terrorist attack  not just United States, but this could very well be our European partners as well.'
Kamala Harris on Friday night flew to Singapore to begin an Asia trip that will see her away from Washington DC for a week, in the midst of the biggest crisis to hit the Biden presidency so far.

As she left the city for her second international trip as vice president, Harris, 56, insisted that the administration remained focused on Afghanistan, despite criticism over her absence from public view all week.

'We couldn't have a higher priority right now,' she said.

'And a particular high priority is making sure that we safely evacuate American citizens, Afghans who worked for them, Afghans at risk - including women and children.

'And that is one of our highest, if not the highest, priority right now.

'And it's a big area of focus for me in the past days and weeks, and will continue to be.'

Kamala Harris spoke to reporters on Friday night as she prepared to board her plane and depart Washington DC for Singapore. She insisted that the Biden administration had 'no higher priority' than the evacuations from Afghanistan and her office said she will continue to work on the issue from Asia - but her trip will fuel criticism of her as being ineffective as vice president

The vice president waves as she prepares to board her plane for the flight to Singapore

Officials said she will continue to work on Afghanistan while in Asia.

Yet her visit comes at an intensely difficult time for the Biden administration, amid widespread condemnation of their handling of the fall of Kabul.

She is not even returning directly to Washington DC: on Friday, she will detour en route home to California, to campaign on behalf of Governor Gavin Newsom, who is facing a recall election on

Harris herself has also been criticized for failing to address the issue, while other senior figures like the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, National Security Adviser and Biden himself have been forced to defend their actions in repeated interviews and remarks.

'On our way to Southeast Asia to visit Singapore and Vietnam,' she tweeted on Friday night.

Her departure at a time of crisis will fuel criticism of her as an ineffective and inconsequential vice president.

Last week, when likely voters were asked in a Rasmussen Reports poll released Thursday if Harris is ready to be U.S. president, 47 per cent said she is 'not at all qualified' while 8 per cent said she's 'not qualified.'

A new poll shows 55 per cent of likely voters believe Vice President Kamala Harris is 'not qualified' or 'not at all qualified' to run the nation. There was a 6 per cent drop in those who feel she is qualified from April to August

Only 14 per cent of the 1,000 polled between August 12-15 said she is 'qualified' and another 29 per cent said she is 'very qualified' to run the nation.

The latest is down from her April standing, when 49 per cent of respondents said the vice president was qualified to become president.

Officials said that Harris's long-planned trip to Singapore and Vietnam will show that the United States is in the region 'to stay,' as Washington seeks to bolster international support to counter China's growing global influence.

Harris will be the most senior U.S. official to visit the region since President Joe Biden took office in January promising to shore up alliances, which the United States considers key to checking Chinese expansion.

Harris's Asia trip is the second foreign visit of her vice presidency. In June she visited Guatemala and Mexico

A senior White House official told Reuters earlier this month that the vice president's focus would be on defending international rules in the South China Sea, strengthening U.S. regional leadership and expanding security cooperation in the region.

Harris to campaign for Governor Gavin Newsom Kamala Harris will stop off in California on Friday, on her way back from Vietnam, to campaign for Governor Gavin Newsom. Harris was attorney general of California from 2011-17, and was district attorney for San Francisco from 2004-11 - while Newsom was mayor. Newsom is facing a recall election on September 14, amid a surprisingly strong Republican challenge from talk radio host Larry Elder, in a strongly Democrat state. Senior Democrats have expressed alarm at 'Trump Republicans' making strides in the state. Nathan Click, who served as a communications director for both Harris and now Newsom, told voters in a tweet: 'Voting NO is the only way ensure we don't have a Trump Republican as Governor in one month's time.' Advertisement

'The administration is making clear that we have an enduring commitment to this region, that we're part of the Indo-Pacific and in the region to stay,' the official said.

'It's been an overwhelming focus and priority of the whole team including the vice president ... at the same time, it is also true that Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific are really important. And that's why she's going,' the official added.

Harris is due in Singapore on Sunday.

She will be the first U.S. vice president to visit Vietnam, and arrives in the country on Tuesday and departs on Thursday.

During her trip, Harris will meet Singapore's President Halimah Yacob, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and deliver remarks on a U.S. combat ship visiting Singapore.

As per tradition, she will have an orchid named in her honor, to be unveiled in a ceremony at the presidential palace, the Istana.

Biden had an orchid named after him during his 2013 visit.

Harris will also hold a meeting to discuss supply chain issues with representatives from the private sector and government.

In Hanoi, Vietnam, Harris will meet with leaders including President Ngyuen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Ming Chinh and lead the U.S. delegation in launching a regional office for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The visit to Southeast Asia will be Harris' second foreign trip as vice president.

In June, she went to Guatemala and Mexico for meetings on the 'root causes' of the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border - a trip which was overshadowed by repeated questions as to why she was yet to visit the border herself.

Under pressure, she did several weeks later.
A New York City escort who was found dead in a barrel left two crack pipes, a nearly empty bottle of booze and marijuana in a hotel room she stayed in before she died.

Nicole Flanagan's body was discovered last Friday when residents of Ridgefield Park in New Jersey reported a revolting smell coming from the large plastic container at the corner of Hobart Street and Teaneck Road, police said.

The New York Post reported that prior to her death Flanagan checked into the Hampton Inn on Pearl Street, Lower Manhattan, on August 4 for a planned one-night stay in Room 804.

Prior to her death Nicole Flanagan (pictured) checked into the Hampton Inn on Pearl Street on August 4 for a planned one-night stay in Room 804

Flanagan's body was found in a 55-gallon barrel in a New Jersey last week after being carted out of 95 Wall Street in the barrel on Thursday

A hotel worker told the Post that they found a nearly empty bottle of booze, crack pipes and a joint in her hotel room.

The booze and drugs were found in a luxury room in the hotel that that usually goes for $300 a night but Flanagan, a frequent guest, used her 'silver member' points to cut the cost in half, the hotel worker said.

'It's the best room  with a balcony, the city view and everything,' the worker said.

Flanagan either left the room late August 4 or very early on the morning of August 5 but never returned to check out, so the hotel extended her stay and charged her an an extra $100, the worker said.

Police in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, on Friday were called to reports of a strange barrel left in the street (pictured)

Officers are seen inspecting the green barrel Flanagan's body was found in in footage obtained by CBS News

But when employees realized she was not returning they entered the room and found crack pipes, an almost empty bottle of Hennessy cognac and weed laying around, the worker told the Post.

Also found in the room were a pair of pink panties, a pair of black 'booty shorts,' cosmetic bags and a single, slingback stiletto heel shoe, the worker said.

Days after her apparent wild hotel stay the mother-of-three's body was found in a barrel.

Her body did not show any signs of injuries, and police are currently awaiting the results of a toxicology report.

The 42-year-old was last seen on surveillance footage on August 6 entering a swanky building at 95 Wall Street in downtown Manhattan, sources said.

Surveillance footage from the building showed a plastic barrel being carted from 95 Wall Street and loaded into a U-Haul van around 10.45pm on August 12, according to police sources.

Earlier in the evening, she was accompanied by the man the NYPD identified, a 25-year-old who has since been said to be a member of the notorious SNOW Gang, according to the New York Post.

The gang member is considered a person of interest in Flanagans death and is being sought by the NYPD for questioning, the Post reported.

Police in bulletproof vests on Thursday raided the apartment on the 22nd floor, which Flanagan listed as a residence.

But neighbors said they missed the 'two guys' that live there by a few hours.

'They were OK guys. They would stop and talk. They were loud and would play hip-hop music but they seemed harmless,' one neighbor told the Daily News. 'You never know. One day they seem harmless, but one day you're in a barrel in New Jersey.'

Another resident said he had been on a Zoom call when he heard 'a big noise' at around 11.15am.

'I heard, "Get down! Get down! Get down!" he said. 'Not being afraid I just opened my door to see what was happening and there were eight policemen with guns drawn and they had pried the door.'

One neighbor living next to the men on the 22nd floor said the cops had 'missed these guys by a few hours.'

'I thought they were dealing drugs, but they were always riding skateboards. I just thought they were on the delivery end. Their apartment smelled like marijuana and bad air freshener. They always had some strange incense going,' he added.


Here are the seven contentious moments from the president's news conference:

Biden proclaims al-Qaeda is 'gone' in Afghanistan, in direct contradiction with the Pentagon's assessment

'What interest do we have in Afghanistan with al-Qaeda gone?' Biden rhetorically asked the White House press corps.

That assertion stands in direct contradiction to a report from the Defense Department Inspector general on Operation Freedom's Sentinel, covering April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021.

'The Taliban continued to maintain its relationship with al-Qaeda, providing safe haven for the terrorist group in Afghanistan,' the report read.

A key provision of the US withdrawal under the Taliban peace deal was that the Taliban would not harbor terrorists, thus the report signals the US upheld its end of the deal even though the Taliban did not.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby, shortly after the president's news conference, disputed his claim al-Qaeda had no presence in Afghanistan, but said: 'there isn't a presence significant enough to merit a threat to our homeland.'

'We know that Al-Qaeda is a presence...in Afghanistan,' Kirby said. 'We don't have an exact figure [of how many members].

On Monday, the day after the fall of Kabul, pro-al Qaeda social media accounts circulated an unsigned statement congratulating their Taliban 'brothers' on their stunning victory.

'Afghanistan is Conquered and Islam has Won,' read the message, translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.

Biden himself said in an ABC interview released Thursday that al-Qaeda could resurge in Afghanistan even sooner than original intelligence predictions of 18-24 months.

'Could [al-Qaeda resurgence] be sooner?' ABC News host George Stephanopoulos asked Biden. 'It could be. But George, look, here's the deal. Al Qaeda, ISIS, they metastasize,' the president said, adding that al-Qaeda was a bigger threat in Syria and East Africa.

Biden says he has seen 'no indication' Americans have had a tough time getting to the airport, but American journalists on the ground say otherwise

'We have no indication that [Americans] have not been able to get, in Kabul, through the airport. We have made an agreement with the Taliban. Thus far, they have allowed them to go through,' Biden told reporters.

'To the best of our knowledge, the Taliban checkpoints, they are letting through people showing American passports,' Biden said.

Days ago the US State Department told Americans to get to the Kabul airport on their own to be evacuated. 'THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT CANNOT ENSURE SAFE PASSAGE TO THE HAMID KARZAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,' they wrote in a memo.

State Department spokesman Ned Price in a subsequent news conference conceded that Americans were having a difficult time getting to the airport.

'It remains to be the case that many Afghans and many American citizens have not been able to get through,' a reporter noted. 'I don't think anyone is denying the reports,' Price said.

'We had difficulty getting into the airport. Working out how to get to the airport is like a Rubik's cube,' CNN's Clarissa Ward, reporting from Kabul, said. 'I can't get into the details of how we did get in but it's very difficult ... and it's dangerous.'

'The president said he has no intelligence that the Americans have not been able to get [to the Kabul airport]. The question, obviouslydoes that square with reporting on ground?' ABC's David Muir asked foreign correspondent Ian Pannell.

'I mean - totally not,' Pannell responded. 'It just seems the reality and the rhetoric are miles apart. I'm not quite sure what advice the president is receiving but the truth on the ground is these people in fear of their lives can't get through.'

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a briefing call with House lawmakers that Americans had been beaten by Taliban, which he called 'unacceptable.'

Following Biden's speech, Fox News national security reporter Jennifer Griffin blasted Biden for living in an 'alternate reality.'

'I'm having a hard time digesting what we heard because I couldn't fact-check it fast enough in real-time because there were so many misrepresentations of what is happening on the ground,' she said, adding that it was 'an alternate reality presented by the White House.'

'The first part of your question was  I can't remember now.'

'This is about America leading the world, and all our allies have agreed to that. And by the way, before I made this decision, I was at the G7, as well as met with our NATO partners, and I told them all, every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made, to jointly end our involvement in Afghanistan. The first part of your question was  I can't remember now,' the president told a reporter.

'Would you make the same commitment to bring out afghans who assisted in the war effort?'

'Yes, yes, we're making the same commitment,' the president said, adding that evacuating special immigrant visa recipients was 'equally important, almost,' as evacuating American citizens.

'I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world,' Biden said, but British MPs tore into the president's Afghanistan pullout on Wednesday

Tom Tugendhat, veteran and Tory chairman of the foreign affairs committee, called Biden's criticisms of Afghan soldiers 'shameful.'

'To see their commander in chief call into question the courage of men I fought with, to claim that they ran, is shameful,' he said this week.

Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said, according to The Telegraph: 'The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.'

Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: 'The American decision to withdraw was not just a mistake  it was an avoidable mistake, from President Trump's flawed to President Biden's decision to proceed, and to proceed in such a disastrous way.'

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson blamed the US and said that Biden's decision had forced his hand to end British involvement in Afghanistan.

'The West could not continue this US-led mission  a mission conceived and executed in support and defense of America  without American logistics, without US air power and without American might,' he said.

Biden flubs Doha, Qatar, calling it 'Daho'

Asked about assurances of security for people making to the airport, Biden responded: 'We've been in constant contact with the Taliban leadership on the ground in Kabul, as well as the Taliban leadership in Daho'  accidentally transposing the letters in the capital of Qatar.

'And we've been coordinating what we're doing,' he added.

He did not immediately correct himself, but he later referred to the location correctly when defending the way the evacuation was handled. 'The point was that although we were in contact with the Taliban and Doha for this whole period of time,' there wasn't expected to be a 'total demise' of the Afghan military, Biden said.

Biden, asked why his administration ignored a cable warning of the swift fall of Kabul, responds: 'We got all kinds of cables'

'We learned over the last 24 hours that there was a dissent cable from the State Department saying that the Taliban would come faster... Can you say why after that cable was issued, the U.S. didn't do more?' a reporter asked the president.

'We got all kinds of cables, we got all kinds of advice,' Biden said.

'I took the consensus opinion the consensus was in fact it would not occur if it occurred until later in the year.'

On Friday the Wall Street Journal reported that State Department officials in Kabul had warned the Biden administration that the Afghan capital would fall.

A dozen diplomats sent a confidential memo in a dissent channel to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on July 13 that the Taliban was rapidly gaining ground and the city was vulnerable to collapse.

On July 8, President Biden said it was 'highly unlikely' the Taliban would take control of Afghanistan and denied there would be chaos in Kabul.

But then on Wednesday this week, Biden said there was 'no way' to leave Afghanistan without chaos ensuing.

Afghan security forces were collapsing, the diplomats said in the memo, and offered ways to mitigate the advancing insurgents.

But it may have been too late to stop them.

The State Department memo, according to the report, also called for the government to use tougher language on the violence in the past from the Taliban and urged them to start collecting information for Afghan allies who qualified for Special Immigrant Visas after working with US forces.

The Journal reported that 23 Embassy staffers signed the cable and rushed to deliver it considering the deteriorating situation in Kabul.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reviewed the cable, a personal familiar with it told the paper.

Biden signals he'll work with the Taliban after his administration said they would pressure the international community not to recognize a Taliban government

'There's going to be harsh, strong conditions we're going to apply, and it will depend on whether they get help based on whether or not how and well they treat women and girls and how they treat their citizens,' Biden said.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US' chief negotiator with the Taliban, traveled to Doha less than two weeks ago to inform the Taliban the US and its allies would not recognize its government if it came to power through force.

A Taliban spokesman said this week: 'We are guaranteeing all their rights within the limits of Islam.'

Another Taliban spokesman vouched that women would be happy, if they followed Sharia law: 'If they continue to live according to Sharia, we will be happy, they will be happy.'

Biden admits his administration still doesn't know how many Americans are in Afghanistan

The government is working 'to verify the number of Americans still in country as we work on this,' the president said.

'We moved out 5,700 evacuees yesterday, and we're working on a variety -- to verify that number of the Americans that are still in the country as we work on this because we're not -- don't have the exact number of people who are -- Americans who are there,' Biden said. 'And those who may have come home to the United States, we're not -- we want to get a strong number as to exactly how many people are there, how many American citizens, and where they are.

In his Wednesday interview with ABC News, Biden said there were between 10,000 and 15,000 Americans still in Afghanistan.

An administration official said Thursday that 13,000 people had been evacuated on US military aircraft since August 14.
An actress has filed a lawsuit against the showrunner of the popular soap opera The Young and the Restless, claiming he sexually harassed her by playing with the strings of her bikini on set and offering her 'private acting lessons.'

Briana Thomas, who played a barista in the show's fictional Crimson Lights Coffeehouse, filed the lawsuit on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Anthony Morina, CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television.

Thomas alleged that she was sexually harassed from 2018 until February 22, 2019 when she claims she was 'illegally terminated' because she refused Morina's advances.

The actress claimed in the lawsuit that she was harassed from the moment she met Morina - who she said put his hands on her shoulders and stared at her breasts.

'You've got a great look. You could really be something here,' Morina allegedly told Thomas.

Briana Thomas, right. filed the lawsuit on Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Anthony Morina, left, claiming he sexually harassed her by playing with the strings of her bikini on set and offering her 'private acting lessons'

Thomas alleged that she was sexually harassed from 2018 until February 22, 2019 when she claims she was 'illegally terminated' because she refused Morina's advances

He then allegedly leaned into her, putting his hands on her lower back while whispering that he could give her 'a private acting lesson sometime.'

Thomas was required to wear a bikini during one scene set at a poolside bar, but was allowed to wear a mesh sarong over it at all times, the lawsuit reads.

Morina allegedly saw her walking to set with a rope over the swimsuit and pulled the robe open. While 'leering' at her body, he said: 'So, you're in a bikini today. Nice.'

He then allegedly tried to get a stage manager to get her to remove the sarong, but the stage manager allegedly told Morina that he wouldn't make her do that.

Morina approached Thomas after the shoot and told her she 'would've looked a hell of a lot better' without the sarong before telling her she needed to 'loosen up' if she wanted a bigger part on the show.

'It's a tough industry to break into, unless you know someone who can help you,' he allegedly told Thomas while playing with the string on her bikini bottoms.

'Let's start with a private session and see if we can get you a little more comfortable.'

Roughly a week later, Morina allegedly asked Thomas if she was flexible and if she could put her legs behind her head because he said he would want to see that some time, according to the lawsuit.

Thomas claimed that other women were also subject to inappropriate comments from Morina.

Morina allegedly said one black actress with short hair had 'a hot body' but that it was 'too bad her head looked like a chia pet.'

Some women were allegedly subjected to comments that they needed breast implants - though Morina said Thomas didn't need them because her breasts 'looked pretty good.'

Thomas claims in the lawsuit that she rebuffed Morina numerous times but that he started to 'retaliate' when she started to take a firmer stance.

'I'm the reason why you have a job. I am doing you a favor. I like you. Do you understand what I am saying?' Morina allegedly yelled at Thomas in front of other staff and coworkers.

He and the producers of The Young and the Restless have yet to comment on the claims made in Morina's suit.
The White House confirmed that the U.S military used three military helicopters to rescue 169 Americans outside Kabul Airport who were trapped at a nearby hotel.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby confirmed that on Thursday three U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopters were dispatched to rescue Americans at the nearby Baron Hotel, near Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The group of Americans were initially going to walk through the gate of the hotel but a large crowd gathered in front of the hotel and it wasn't deemed safe, defenseone.com reported.

Further details on the nature of the crowd - and whether it was comprised of Taliban fighters - have not been shared.

Americans were rescued from the Baron Hotel, pictured, which sits close to Kabul's airport

Three double-rotored Chinook helicopters were used in the rescue mission. A US Army Chinook is pictured in the skies over Kabul on August 15

Kabul airport has been the scene of chaos as Westerners and visa holders desperately try to get to their flights

Westerners face a race against time to get out of Kabul, with control of the airport resting on the up to 60,000 troops

It was then that a local U.S. commander 'made the call on the spot' to send the helicopters, which then airlifted the Americans into the airport.

'There was an established landing zone there at the hotel premises,' Kikrby said. 'They flew in, picked up the 169 Americans and flew right back to HKIA.'

The Americans were dropped off at the airport for processing, but Kirby said he could not confirm whether they had since been flown out of Afghanistan.

Their extraction was the first time U.S. officials have confirmed that troops have been operating outside the walls of the airport, militarytimes.com reported.

Kirby said these were the 169 Americans rescued that President Joe Biden mentioned in his speech earlier on Friday when he said he is 'considering every opportunity and every means by which we can get folks to the airport.'

'Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden said. 'I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or that it will be without risk of loss. But as commander in chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary.'

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby (pictured) confirmed that on Thursday three U.S. CH-47 Chinook helicopters were dispatched to rescue Americans at the nearby Baron Hotel

President Joe Biden said he is 'considering every opportunity and every means by which we can get folks to the airport' on Friday

Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff for regional operations said that the U.S. had not yet begun negotiating with the Taliban on conducting operations outside the airport because they have not received any orders to do so, DefenseOne.com reported.

When asked why the U.S has not extended their perimeter beyond Kabul airport Biden said it was to avoid the risk of having U.S. forces and civilians of being attacked by terrorist groups, including ISIS.

'The reason why we have not gone outit's likely to draw a lot of unintended consequences,' he said Friday.

British and French allies have gone beyond the boundaries of Kabul airport and sent troops into the city to help recover their citizens.

Kabul airport has been the scene of chaos as Westerners and visa holders desperately trying to get to their flights say they are unable to check in because of the crowd of up to 50,000 desperate locals who are gathering at the gates.

At the main entrance, Taliban fighters periodically fire into the air to clear the crowd in an attempt to disperse the crowd - but video of the fighters unleashing a volley of automatic fire shows the terrifying gauntlet evacuees have to negotiate.

Taliban fighters were seen shooting over the heads of crowds, striking people with rifles, while those on the ground reported beatings and whippings being dished out seemingly at random.

Crowds have also gathered at the entrance to the military wing of the airport, which is guarded by US and British troops who have been firing into the air to disperse the crowds.

Westerners face a race against time to get out of Kabul, with control of the airport resting on the up to 60,000 troops.

Joe Biden has said they will stay until all US citizens are evacuated, but there are suspicions among British troops that they could leave abruptly - leaving the 600 British unable to keep operating to evacuate UK nationals and interpreters.

UK troops have said that firing warning shots is a last resort, the Taliban are causing pandemonium and were filmed today shooting from the hip just yards away from women and children, and whacking people with the butts of their rifles.

Such is the desperation among crowds at the airport that women have resorted to passing babies over barbed wire to soldiers in a vain attempt to get them out of the country.
Tropical Storm Henri could bring 'dangerous storm surges' and hurricane-strength winds of up to 75mph to the New York City area nine years after the Big Apple was battered by Hurricane Sandy.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for New York City effective until further notice. The agency has predicted 2 to 4 inches of rain and up to 40mph winds with gusts as high as 50mph in the city.

'Dangerous' surge flooding is expected late Saturday or Sunday in parts of Long Island, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Saturday morning.

Hurricane conditions are expected to begin late Saturday night or Sunday in portions of Long Island and Connecticut, where a Hurricane Warning has been issued.

NOAA said Saturday that Henri swells will continue on theEast Coast thought the weekend. City beaches in New York, among others have closed through Monday.

Meanwhile, meteorologists with Accuweather said that Henri is expected to hit the Hamptons on eastern Long Island with winds up to 75 mph - which would be enough to classify the storm as a Category 1 hurricane.

Models from the Czech meteorological company VentuSky show Henri developing into a hurricane before it passes over western Long Island before hitting Manhattan and continuing into upstate New York.

Models from the Czech meteorological company VentuSky show Henri developing into a hurricane before it passes over western Long Island before hitting Manhattan

'Heavy rainfall may lead to considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding along with the potential for widespread minor and isolated moderate river flooding over portions of Long Island and New England Sunday into Monday,' the advisory reads.

The National Weather Service in New York updated storm surge watches and warnings for the local region around 1am on Saturday showing storm surge warnings for parts of the Bronx and Queens boroughs of New York City and other areas.

They did not say how big those surges could be, but earlier warnings for New England warned Cape Cod to brace for between three and five feet of water.

A map from the National Weather Service shows tht the storm is expected to hit Long Island as a Hurricane

A map shows the storm force and wind speeds as Henri progresses into a possible hurricane

Tropical Storm Henri is pictured in satellite footage as it moves toward the northwest US Coast, located about 400 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina

According to the National Ocean Service, a storm surge is the abnormal rise in seawater level caused by a storm's winds pushing water onshore - and is measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide.

All New York City beaches will be closed on Sunday and Monday, officials said. However, officials told the New York Post that a 'homecoming' concert at Central Park was still scheduled for Saturday as of late Friday evening.

A total of 60,000 people will cram into Central Park to watch acts including Jennifer Hudson, Barry Manilow and Bruce Springsteen.

Henri's track has been imprecise, leading New Englanders to brace for their first possible hurricane in 30 years earlier on Friday.

Residents in New England were seen hauling boats out of the water and taking other precautions earlier on Friday as Tropical Storm Henri barreled toward them before appearing to change course.

Huge clouds are seen over Manhattan on Friday as the Tropical Storm Henri expected to arrive in New York City

New York hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane season storm since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012

All New York City beaches will be closed on Sunday and Monday

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday urged people vacationing on the Cape to leave well before Henri hits, and those who planned to start vacations there to delay their plans.

'We don't want people to be stuck in traffic on the Cape Cod bridges when the storm is in full force on Sunday,' he said.

Baker said up to 1,000 National Guard troops were on standby to help with evacuations if needed.

'This storm is extremely worrisome,' said Michael Finkelstein, police chief and emergency management director in East Lyme, Connecticut.

'We haven't been down this road in quite a while and there's no doubt that we and the rest of New England would have some real difficulties with a direct hit from a hurricane.'

Emergency personnel rescue residents from flood waters brought on by Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, New Jersey in 2012

Homes in Fenwick Island, Delaware are surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy

Dozens of destroyed homes and vehicles after a fire caused by Hurricane Sandy in New York City in 2012

Finkelstein said he's most concerned about low-lying areas of town that could become impossible to access because of flooding and a storm surge.

Thursday marked exactly 30 years since Hurricane Bob came ashore in Rhode Island as a Category 2 storm, killing at least 17 people and leaving behind more than $1.5 billion worth of damage.

Bob, which left streets in coastal towns littered with boats blown free of their moorings, knocked out power and water to hundreds of thousands for days.

New York hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane season storm since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012.

Henri's track has been imprecise, leading New Englanders to brace for their first possible hurricane in 30 years earlier on Friday

Ace hardware owner Kevin Simoneau shows photos of damage caused by Hurricane Bob over 30 years ago to customer Cheryl Fisher as she shops in preparation for Henri

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Islands east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding thats likely to turn streets, like mansion-lined Dune Road on the Atlantic coast, into lagoons.

Ryan Murphy, the emergency management administrator for the Town of Southampton, said that while the storm's track continues to evolve, 'we have to plan as if it's going to be like a Category 1 hurricane that would be hitting us.'

The Coast Guard has urged boaters along the East Coast to stay off the water, saying in a statement: 'The Coast Guard's search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen. This means help could be delayed.'

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the storm's track.
Jacinda Ardern warned Kiwis that New Zealand's Indian delta outbreak of Covid-19 is about to surge after a jump in cases and that extreme restrictions including splitting the country in two would be considered.

New Zealand recorded 21 new community cases on Saturday - its highest number for a single day since April last year - as the entire country remains in a lockdown announced earlier this week.

The outbreak remains centred on Auckland where there are 45 active cases and 18 on Saturday but has spread south to the capital Wellington with six active cases and three on Saturday.

NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured on Saturday) said her government was considering tightening restrictions on the North Island were there has been the majority of cases

On the fourth day of a nationwide lockdown (pictured), New Zealand has recorded another 21 Covid cases

The national lockdown will probably need to be extended beyond the originally announced week as potential exposure sites have grown to more than 200.

The number of close contacts in isolation exceeds 5000 with the Director General of Public Health Caroline McElnay saying this would double before Sunday.

The whole country is currently locked down in alert level 4 until at least Tuesday.

Ms Ardern said all options were being considered in regards to lockdowns after then including splitting the country in two and keeping a harsh lockdown for the North Island and easing restrictions for the South Island.

If this were to happen travel between the two islands would also be banned - with an Air New Zealand flight between Auckland and Wellington already flagged as an exposure site.

Ms Ardern urged Kiwis to remain calm as numbers continue to spike.

'The number of cases has grown again but given the large number of locations of interest and what we know about Delta, this isn't surprising,' she said.

The delta outbreak spread from Auckland on the North Island to Wellington on the South Island via a plane flight (pictured: a Wellington testing clinic)

'We've always said cases would rise before they fall. We do expect cases to continue to rise through to next week before they start falling away.'

Ms Ardern said she was hesitant to share 'variable' modelling data which might predict the peak of the outbreak.

All the known cases have either been linked to the same source, or appear to be based on initial assessments.

Officials believe that source is a border failure: a leak of the virus from a man from Sydney during his stay in a quarantine hotel facility earlier this month.

A large proportion of those infected are young people under 30.

NZ, lauded internationally for its successful COVID-19 elimination strategy, had enjoyed 170 days without community transmission until Tuesday.

New Zealanders look set to be in for an extended lockdown as case numbers rose again on Saturday (pictured: a runner in Wellington)

However, until this week, it had not encountered Delta - the same variant which has pushed cases in Sydney to breaking point.

A travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand was paused for eight weeks in July.

Despite the rampaging outbreak, NZ is rising to meet the challenge.

On Friday, the country beat its record for most vaccinations administered: 56,843, or more than one per cent of the population in a single day.

But the country's overall vaccination rate remains low, slipping behind even Australia's stuttering rollout.

Just a third of Kiwis have had at least one jab and less than a fifth are fully vaccinated.

NZ is relying upon Pfizer for its initial rollout, which it hopes to complete this year.

The other promising sign Ms Ardern said was a record for the most Covid tests processed in a single day - 41,464.

'This is exactly what we need to do get on top of this outbreak, but also to prepare us for the future,' Ms Ardern said.

Ms Ardern's government will meet on Monday to decide its lockdown settings beyond Tuesday.
A elderly man has died after a suspended driver allegedly ploughed into a crowded CBD outdoor seating area.

Police allege a 60-year-old man was driving a Land Rover down Pier Street in Perth's CBD about 6.30pm on Friday night when he swerved off the road and hit a parked Toyota Corolla - pushing it into the path of diners outside the My Place Bar and Restaurant.

The Land Rover then flipped over and landed on its roof.

A 71-year-old man at the scene and five other men were injured.

A 41-year-old man is in a serious condition at Fiona Stanley Hospital and the other injured men, believed to be a group in their 20s, were taken to hospital.

Two of those injured in the crash have since been discharged.

A man from Wabeling north of Perth has been charged with having no authority to drive and dangerous driving causing death in circumstances of aggravation.

Footage at the scene showed chaotic scenes after the crash - with seats scattered across the road and emergency crews rushing to help those injured by the white Toyota.

A 60-year-old man driving a black Land Rover on Pier Street crashed into a Toyota corolla, pushing the vehicle into the path of people eating outside My Place Bar and Restaurant, police allege

The man who filmed the video said the crash missing him by inches.

'Me and my two friends quickly sprinted over to the black four-wheel drive to help the driver straight away. We sat with him and tried to get a response while my other friend was talking to the emergency staff on the phone,' witness Priyesh Adatia told Daily Mail Australia.

'I checked for a pulse before that and checked his breathing and it was all normal thank god.

'I've taken some leave from work as I'm still traumatised'.

A 71-year-old man was killed at the scene of the crash, and a 41-year-old man is in a serious condition at Fiona Stanley Hospital

The owner of a nearby cafe said she heard a huge bang before people at the scene started yelling 'call an ambulance'.

'I walked out and there was a person getting CPR on the floor, with 3-4 other people on the floor as well. They were all diners at the bar,' the owner of the Ikhwan cafe told Perth Now.

'The car was flying, all my customers said he was going so fast and then rolled several times.'
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Invented in the 1960s, it was a device which became an aspirational product for the British middle classes.

The Corby electric trouser press - still a common feature of hotel bedrooms up and down the country - banished 'baggy knees' and gave its users a sense of crisp satisfaction.

The press's inventor, Peter Corby, who has died aged 97, was inspired to develop his product's electrical heating pad after a chance meeting with a Concorde aeronautical engineer.

His device, which is still made in Britain, has become a target for satirists.

In the 2009 MP's expenses scandal, it emerged that senior Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne had claimed 119 in expenses for one of the devices.

Huhne went to pay the money back and admitted the claim was 'a bit Alan Partridge'.

It was likely a reference to an episode of the British comedy classic, when Steve Coogan's bored character pulls apart his trouser press in his hotel room.

Today, Twitter users paid tribute to Mr Corby's product after news of his death emerged. One said: 'His trouser presses were like an old friend'.

Invented in the 1960s, it was a device which became an aspirational product for the British middle classes. The Corby electric trouser press - still a common feature of hotel bedrooms up and down the country - banished 'baggy knees' and gave its users a sense of warm satisfaction

The press's inventor, Peter Corby, who has died aged 97, was inspired to develop his product's electrical heating pad after a chance meeting with a Concorde aeronautical engineer

Mr Corby's father John began making and selling what were then described as valet stands in 1930.

Then, in the early 1960s, Mr Corby patented a design which included an electrical heating pad.

The stated aim was to create a product which would 'produce a better appearance of the trousers than known presses'.

The presses were also usefully equipped with a jacket hanger and a tray for small change.

Today, Twitter users paid tribute to Mr Corby's product after news of his death emerged. One said: 'His trouser presses were like an old friend'

In 1977, after selling millions of presses, Mr Corby sold his business to what is now Jourdan plc. It is now owned by Huddersfield firm Fired Up Corporation.

Born in Leamington Spa in July 1924, Mr Corby joined the Royal Air Froce's Volunteer Reserve in September 1943 and was mobilised in February 1944, according to the Telegraph.

After training as a flight engineer, he flew in the Halifax bomber as part of 78 Squadron in the final weeks of the war in Europe.

After the war, Mr Corby returned to the skies in 1948, flying in a Lincoln bomber.

Born in Leamington Spa in July 1924, Mr Corby joined the Royal Air Froce's Volunteer Reserve in September 1943 and was mobilised in February 1944

He then joined his father in the family business, before the older man's death in 1955.

Then, the inventor met a Concorde engineer who had discovered a way of preventing the famous supersonic airliner's nose from freezing.

Mr Corby was inspired by the innovation to develop the heating element of the trouser press, transforming their effectiveness.

The businessman then began a leasing arrangement with hotels in the early 1970s before selling his firm.

Mr Corby went on to hold positions at a number of other firms but then lost much of his fortune in the financial crisis of the early 1990s.

Adverts for the trouser press were often humorous and referenced gender stereotypes. Above: A 2002 advert for the device

This advert in the Daily Mail invited would-be buyers to 'return handsome dividends'. It added: 'Today's man looks 100 per cent. Never crumpled. He owns a Corby trouser press'

This festive advert for the Corby trouser press referenced The Twelve Days of Christmas song

In 1980, the businessman retired to the Isle of Wight. His home was full of his experimental gadgets, including various tie press machines.

He is survived by his second wife Ines Corby and their son, as well as two children from his first marriage.

Paying tribute on Twitter, others said Mr Corby was a 'remarkable businessman' who 'managed to keep selling a product (mainly to hotels) despite the fact that most guests never used it'.

Another noted his passing by jokingly referencing the scene in Alan Partridge, saying 'just don't get bored and take one to bits'.
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Afghans who worked for the British Embassy in Kabul will be rescued after a government U-turn, the armed forces minister has confirmed.

James Heappey said the security guards were at the stricken airport in the capital and were being prepared for evacuation yesterday.

It comes after reports earlier this week suggested the UK were set to leave the 125 personnel - who guarded government workers during their time there - to a grim fate with the Taliban.

The Afghans were reportedly told they could not be flown out of the fallen city because they were hired by a contractor.

They were working for GardaWorld and some had been there for a decade before allegedly being told they were no longer needed.

It comes as British Paratroopers desperately tried to hold the line at Kabul airport amid fears the rescue mission could collapse in days, leaving thousands behind.

As dramatic pictures showed the airport being surrounded by scenes of anarchy and anguish, the Paras mounted a frantic last stand to prevent the operation descending into chaos.

Women and children were crushed in a stampede as huge crowds tried to escape the Afghan capital and reach the sanctuary of an evacuation flight.

On another extraordinary day of chaos:

Mr Biden issued another extraordinary defence of his handling of the crisis, claiming every Nato member, including Britain, agreed with his decision to pull troops out;

There were claims of Western evacuation flights leaving Kabul half empty, but British officials said they had airlifted 1,000 people out in 24 hours;

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while on holiday to seek urgent help for Afghan translators;

Mr Johnson insisted he 'absolutely' had full confidence in Mr Raab as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position;

The Taliban's early rule in Afghanistan was turning increasingly bloody as it machine-gunned a police chief, sliced off villagers' muscles and shot dead a journalist's family;

It was also reported that women had been set on fire by Taliban fighters for 'bad cooking';

Yama, a former frontline interpreter for UK forces, was in tears when he spoke to the Mail from a secret location in Kabul as he told of his anger at being denied sanctuary in Britain.

James Heappey said yesterday the security guards were at the stricken airport in the capital and were being prepared for evacuation. Pictured: The British embassy in Kabul

Chaotic scenes are seen in Kabul as people try to reach the airport via the entrance controlled by British and American soldiers. Women and children were crushed in a stampede as huge crowds tried to escape the Afghan capital and reach the sanctuary of an evacuation flight

Flashpoint: A pistol is raised as British forces contain the crowds outside Kabul Airport on Friday. Some of the Afghans in the crowd can also be seen holding up British passports

Mr Heappey yesterday morning suggested the government was backing down under pressure over the fate of the embassy security guards.

The defence minister told Sky News: 'If you're referring to the GardaWorld staff who protect the embassy, I can tell you they have arrived at the airport this morning and we'll be moving them out later today.'

But the former British Army officer, who served in Afghanistan, refused to be drawn on why their evacuation was ever in doubt.

An FCDO spokesman added: 'We are clear there is absolutely no legitimate basis to prevent civilians from travelling to safety.

'We are monitoring the situation with GardaWorld closely and remain in contact with them to provide any required assistance.'

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds blasted the reports, said ministers should be 'ashamed' of the claims and called on the government to change tact.

He said: 'To leave over a hundred guards at the British embassy in Kabul without protection is a shameful betrayal of brave Afghans who have risked their lives serving alongside our representatives in Afghanistan.

'Ministers should be ashamed. They are not living up to our obligations as a country and are trashing Britain's reputation around the world.

'Their gross negligence is putting lives at grave risk. They must U-turn on this - urgently. Yet again the foreign secretary has made a dangerous blunder.

'He should have resigned today and if he is - dishonourably - refusing to go, the prime minister should sack him immediately.'

Members of the UK Armed Forces take part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport. Boris Johnson said Britain was having to 'manage the consequences' of the 'emphatic' decision by the US to withdraw its troops from the country

A baby is handed over to the American army over the perimeter wall of the airport to be evacuated in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Thursday in an image taken from a video obtained from social media

Members of the UK Armed Forces continue to take part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport. Yesterday, Nato begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

West's empty promises: How many people have we actually evacuated? America The promise: At least 22,000 evacuees including US citizens and those holding visas Aid groups said 80,000 visas may need to be issued to keep Biden's pledge to help all those who aided US forces, but that promise has almost certainly been broken The reality: Just 7,000 people have been airlifted out of Kabul in the last five days, the Pentagon said Thursday, despite there being capacity for up to 9,000 per day Since the end of July, some 12,000 people have been airlifted out, including Embassy staff, citizens of NATO countries, at-risk Afghan nationals as well as Afghans with special visas Who's left? That means to keep even its most-modest promises, the US has at least 10,000 more people to evacuate before the air bridge closes Britain The promise: The UK said it wants to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country Prime Minister Boris Johnson then promised to take another 5,000 refugees this year as part of a scheme that will allow 20,000 to settle over five years The reality: Britain evacuated 2,163 people from Kabul between Sunday night and Friday morning, and is aiming to take out another 1,000 per day as long as flights can keep operating In total, the UK has now taken some 3,800 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks, including more than 600 UK citizens and thousands of Afghans covered by the resettlement scheme Who's left? To keep its most-modest promises, the UK must evacuate some 3,200 people - but up to 8,200 if the prime minister's pledge to take refugees is to be met Advertisement

Nearly all GardaWorld employees working on the British Embassy contract applied for help from the Ministry of Defence-run Afghan relocations and assistance policy, designed to assist people working for UK organisations, and all except 21 translators were rejected last month.

According to the Guardian, they received letters explaining they were not eligible because they 'were not directly employed by Her Majesty's Government'.

The letters added: 'We realise this will be disappointing news'.

Most of the guards are male, but about 10 are women, responsible for frisking female visitors to the diplomatic compound among other things.

One GardaWorld HR manager claimed he was asked to prepare termination letters for many of the British Embassy guards last week, and that the process had been disrupted by the Taliban takeover of the country.

Oliver Westmacott, the president of GardaWorld's Middle East operations, denied that formal termination letters had been sent out. Asked if the guards were still GardaWorld employees, he said: 'Technically they are because we haven't communicated with them formally to the contrary.

'I fully appreciate the predicament that all these poor people of ours are in, in desperate situations trying to sort their lives out and get to safety. So, it is a nightmare. We fully recognise that.'

The Ministry of Defence said the guards were welcome to reapply for the relocation scheme.

Meanwhile British Paratroopers desperately tried to hold the line at Kabul airport amid fears the rescue mission could collapse in days, leaving thousands behind.

As dramatic pictures showed the airport being surrounded by scenes of anarchy and anguish, the Paras mounted a frantic last stand to prevent the operation descending into chaos.

Women and children were crushed in a stampede as huge crowds tried to escape the Afghan capital and reach the sanctuary of an evacuation flight.

US President Joe Biden said it was one of the 'most difficult' airlifts in history and admitted he could not guarantee what the 'final outcome' would be.

He said he wanted all Americans out of Afghanistan by August 31  a move that appears to set a deadline for the evacuation of all Westerners and their allies.

Boris Johnson said Britain was having to 'manage the consequences' of the 'emphatic' decision by the US to withdraw its troops from the country.

He admitted the rescue effort faced 'formidable' challenges and the situation in Afghanistan was 'precarious'.

Armed Forces minister Mr Heappey conceded the UK would not be able to rescue everyone who has been promised sanctuary here and the operation at Kabul airport may remain open for only two more days.

Britain has promised to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country, but Mr Heappey said the 'sad truth' was that 'we don't have it in our gift to stay there until absolutely everyone is out'.

Mr Heappey's admission and the astonishing scenes in Kabul raised fears last night that many Afghan translators and their families could get left behind. The Taliban have already started going door to door in the country, hunting down those who worked for the West.

Yesterday, Nato begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised ... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.'

It is thought that British and European Special Forces troops are trying to mount rescue missions in Kabul city to retrieve the vulnerable, but that US troops have been ordered to remain at the airfield.

At one point yesterday, a crowd of desperate Afghans surged forwards in an attempt to access the airport, forcing the Paras to link arms and push them back. In the frightening melee, a British soldier had his helmet ripped off and appeared in danger of being crushed by the angry crowd.

Afghans gather on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on Friday. It is thought that British and European Special Forces troops are trying to mount rescue missions in the city to retrieve the vulnerable, but that US troops have been ordered to remain at the airfield

UK coalition forces, Turkish coalition forces, and US Marines assist a child during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Friday

Bin Laden wanted 'incompetent' Joe kept alive Osama Bin Laden once told his fighters not to bother targeting Joe Biden because he would be an incompetent president and 'lead the US into crisis'. According to diary entries found after the Al Qaeda leader, right, was killed by a US strike force in Pakistan in 2011, he had been plotting attacks on then-US president Barack Obama and General David Petraeus, US commander in Afghanistan at the time. But Bin Laden told his followers to ignore then Vice President Biden, left. The Washington Post reported that Bin Laden wrote: 'Obama is the head of infidelity, and killing him automatically will make Biden take over the presidency. Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the US into a crisis.' Advertisement

Behind the Paras, an unidentified man who was part of their security team, raised a Special Forces-issue Glock handgun above his head and motioned as if to open fire.

Troops from the Parachute Regiment's Second Battalion (2 Para) then screamed 'Get back, get back!' at Afghans attempting to reach the airfield through a gate which had been opened so a security vehicle could drive out.

Last night, the Prime Minister claimed the situation at the airport was getting 'slightly better'.

He added: 'Yesterday we were able to get out about a thousand people, today another thousand people, and a lot of those are obviously UK-eligible persons coming back to this country. So a lot of them are coming back under the Afghanistan resettlement and assistance programme.'

Mr Johnson said he would work with the Taliban to 'find a solution', adding: 'It is worth repeating that at the end of a 20-year cycle of engagement there is a huge record to be proud of in Afghanistan.

'It bears repeating that the UK Armed Forces, UK diplomats, aid workers, did help to change the lives of literally millions of people in Afghanistan, to help educate millions of women and young girls who would otherwise not have been educated and to stop terrorism from coming to this country.

'And what I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan  working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary  will go on.

'Our commitment to Afghanistan is lasting.'

But his words contrasted with dramatic images of the thousands massing around Kabul airport in a bid to board one of the mercy flights, the last route out of Afghanistan.

Some were UK nationals who had to resort to frantically waving their passports to attract the attention of British soldiers.

Panic set in amid the scene of towering concrete blast walls and fencing topped with razor wire, and desperate parents held terrified crying babies aloft for Coalition troops above them to pluck them to safety.

Time appears to be running out for many of the interpreters who had been promised a new life in Britain after they stood shoulder to shoulder with troops in Helmand province in the fighting there which cost 457 British lives.

Mr Heappey's warning yesterday raised further alarm over how many of these Afghans, who likely face death sentences under Taliban rule, will be left behind. The minister said: 'The air bridge has two more days, five more days, ten days.

'It keeps absolutely everyone here at the Ministry of Defence awake at night  that reality that we won't get absolutely everyone out.

'At the moment the large majority are getting to us. Now of course, some will not be able to get to us.

'There are people who are in deep fear and quite rightly feel that they can't risk it. There are others who are much further afield in Afghanistan and will have a real challenge to get [to the airport].'

m.nicol@dailymail.co.uk

Biden: Nato agreed with US withdrawal

By Mail Foreign Service for the Daily Mail

Joe Biden issued another extraordinary defence of his handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, claiming every Nato member, including Britain, agreed with his decision to pull troops out.

The US President said he spoke to world leaders at the G7 summit in Cornwall in June telling them of his plans and was given full backing.

Ignoring a cascade of criticism that has come America's way this week as the Taliban took over the capital Kabul, Mr Biden said: 'I've seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world. In fact I've seen the exact opposite.'

'Our Nato allies are standing strongly with us,' he added.

His claim came just hours after Boris Johnson appeared to issue a coded criticism of the President, saying allies would have to 'manage the consequences' of the US decision to withdraw and two days after a Commons debate poured scorn on the President. Mr Johnson said: 'We went in to Afghanistan to support and help protect the United States. So when the United States decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have, clearly, we're going to have to manage the consequences.'

The US leader said he had spoken to Mr Johnson this week, along with German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron and said they would speak again at a special G7 meeting next week. As scenes on the ground continued to descend into mayhem, Mr Biden said: 'I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, that it will be without risk of loss.

Joe Biden (pictured on Friday) issued another extraordinary defence of his handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, claiming every Nato member, including Britain, agreed with his decision to pull troops out

'There will be time to criticise and second guess when this is over, for now, I'm focused on getting the job done.'

His comments at a White House news conference came as the US government struggled to ramp up a massive airlift clearing Americans, other foreigners and vulnerable Afghans out of Kabul airport.

Mr Biden is facing criticism for chaotic and often violent scenes outside the airport with crowds struggling to reach safety inside.

In his third attempt in five days to show he has command of the situation, following a previous speech and a TV interview, Mr Biden promised he would get every American home. But the President warned: 'This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history. Make no mistake  this evacuation mission is dangerous.'

Addressing harrowing footage from Kabul airport, he said: 'I don't think of any us can see these pictures and not feel pain at a human level.'

US flights out of the airport were paused for more than eight hours yesterday because the American air base in Qatar where evacuees were being taken was full, leaving many crushed outside the airport.

'We paused flights out of Kabul this morning to make sure we could progress evacuees at their transit points,' Mr Biden said, adding that flights had resumed last night.

It emerged yesterday that around two dozen US diplomats in Afghanistan sent an internal cable last month warning secretary of state Antony Blinken of the potential fall of Kabul to the Taliban as US troops withdrew.

The Wall Street Journal said the confidential cable sent through a so-called 'dissent channel' was signed on July 13 and offered recommendations on ways to mitigate the crisis and accelerate an evacuation.
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A super-spreader party in Sydney's east could send the city's beachside suburbs into the same hardcore lockdown as the west and south-west with 16 of the revellers at the illegal gathering testing positive to Covid-19 - with many spending a week in the community.





Health officials have warned there were as many as 60 revellers at a party in Maroubra, with some of the partygoers then quickly spreading the virus onto their close contacts.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard hit out at the party's 'selfish' attendees after the 16 infections were revealed among a pandemic-record 825 cases found state-wide on Saturday.

NSW on Saturday registered its worst day of Covid cases Australia has seen during the global pandemic with a staggering 825 new infections, including 16 from an illegal party in Maroubra which has acted a super-spreader event. Pictured are beachgoers in Bondi on Saturday

Premier Gladys Berejiklian lamented the 'catastrophic consequences' of the minority doing the wrong thing in the community, and NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said people breaking the laws and attending illegal parties are playing roulette with the state's future

'Each of these people who are going to these functions must understand that they run the risk of either having the virus and transmitting it or getting the virus and taking it home to their families and their communities,' Mr Hazzard said.

'There is no time now to be selfish  it's time to think of the broader community and your families. If you are actually spreading the virus, you could be responsible for peoples' deaths.'

Sydney's latest outbreak of the Delta strain of Covid-19 began in the city's eastern suburbs when a limousine driver tested positive to the virus.

But the cluster of cases has since spread to the west and south-western suburbs, with Sydney's east exempt from 9pm to 5am curfews now being enforced in 12 local government areas of concern.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has so far refused to implement the same level of restrictions in areas of the city with lower transmission of the virus.

Nineteen Labor councillors from nine of the LGAs under a curfew order - Liverpool, Fairfield, Cumberland, Canterbury-Bankstown, Blacktown, Parramatta, Campbelltown, Georges River - on Saturday wrote an open letter to the state leader calling on her to apply the same rules across Greater Sydney.

The letter said doing so would 'reunite the city' and make it easier for those living in linguistically diverse communities to understand the rules.

'It has fermented a dangerous undercurrent of resentment in our community, creating a deep divide between the "LGAs of concern" and the rest of Sydney,' the open letter reads.

NSW's 825 cases on Saturday is the worst daily rise in new Covid-19 cases in Australia during the entire pandemic.

Ms Berejiklian confirmed the record high numbers in her daily Covid press conference as Sydney enters its ninth week of lockdown, lamenting the 'catastrophic consequences' of the minority doing the wrong thing in the community.

Sydney's latest outbreak of the Delta strain of Covid-19 began in the city's eastern suburbs when a limousine driver tested positive to the virus

Beachgoers soak up the sun at Bondi Beach on Saturday as Sydney enters its ninth week of stay-at-home orders

NSW's 825 cases on Saturday is the worst daily rise in new Covid-19 cases in Australia during the entire pandemic

Sydney's latest outbreak of the Delta strain has since spread to the city's west and south-western suburbs. Pictured are two people exercising in the city's western suburbs

Sydney's western suburbs have seen the harshest restrictions including the local government areas of Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta Strathfield or some suburbs of Penrith

'This is nothing Australia has seen before. Even in very strict and harsh lockdowns, the virus is spreading,' Ms Berejiklian said.

'That is a fact. What we need to do is protect ourselves and loved ones by staying at home and getting vaccinated.'

Mr Hazzard said those breaking the laws and attending illegal parties are playing roulette with the state's future.

'There are those amongst us who don't seem to give a damn. They are out attending parties, they are out doing what they have been told not to do, facilitating the spread of the virus,' he said.

'I would just say to them, you are ransoming our future, you are making sure that none of us can get back to a normal life.'

In Sydney 1,500 officers were deployed on Saturday to stop a growing threat posed by protesters who wanted to march on the city's worst day of the Covid pandemic - with 825 cases recorded.

Police officers have flooded Sydney's CBD amid fears of another anti-lockdown protest, with public transport and ride-share services all banned from entering the CBD to stop people gathering

The huge coordinated police presence and operation appeared to overwhelm protest efforts. Taxi and rideshare services were shut out of the city between 9am and 3pm, with companies facing fines of up to half a million dollars if they take passengers to the CBD and surrounds.

Police also encircled the city with a giant exclusion zone featuring checkpoints and road blocks and also prevented trains from stopping in the CBD.

A NSW Police spokeswoman said just before 1pm 'there have been arrests in and around the city'.

Scuffles broke out around Victoria Park, where one protest was due to begin, at the western edge of the CBD.

More than 1,500 officers were stationed at various points around the city including train stations and major roads to ensure groups of protesters were unable to gather

Premier Berejiklian pleaded for residents of NSW to follow orders and stay at home as the state reels from its worst day, pictured is a police roadblock set up to stop protestors entering the CBD

'I extend my deepest appreciation for the vast majority of people doing the right thing, the vast majority get its important to stay at home... I receive messages every day from people who express their personal circumstances about how difficult it is,' Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Saturday morning

Premier Berejiklian pleaded for residents of NSW to follow orders and stay at home as the state reels from its worst day.

'I extend my deepest appreciation for the vast majority of people doing the right thing, the vast majority get its important to stay at home... I receive messages every day from people who express their personal circumstances about how difficult it is,' she said on Saturday morning.

'It really breaks my heart... but the bottom line is they know they are doing it for the greater good.

'I appeal to everybody, please consider the greater good. Only a handful of people are doing the wrong thing but it is having catastrophic consequences.'
A 'dangerous' paedophile carried on offending by downloading thousands of images of child abuse while attending taxpayer-funded rehab after he was spared jail.

Matthew Prescott, 27, from St Helens, Merseyside, avoided jail in 2016 after being caught with more than 4,000 sickening images and was instead told to attend specialist rehabilitation courses.

But while taking part in the programme to stop his sick fantasies, he 'duped' the authorities by continuing to download illicit images of child abuse.

The paedophile has been branded as 'dangerous' by a judge after his sick fantasies were exposed by two further police investigations, after he was initially spared jail for his initial crimes.

On Friday, Prescott was jailed for more than two years after Liverpool Crown Court heard he not only downloaded almost 2,000 further videos and pictures, but also shared some of them.

But Prescott claimed the images of children being raped had been collected by one of his twisted alter-egos.

Matthew Prescott (pictured), 27, from St Helens, avoided jail in 2016 after being caught with more than 4,000 sickening images and was instead told to attend rehabilitation courses

He told a psychiatrist his latest stash of sickening pictures and video was not his responsibility, but that of 'Alex'.

Alex is one of five personalities the 27-year-old said took over him, claiming: 'Alex was just there for himself. I've tried to get rid of him so many times.'

At a previous court hearing, forensic psychiatrist Dr Lucy Bacon said she had diagnosed Prescott with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD).

Michael Hagerty, defending, accepted this was not a defence to the charges he had admitted.

He said of his client: 'There were significant problems he had as a child, particularly with his father, though that relationship is now good, and there were confusing issues with regard to his relationship with his mother.'

Mr Hagerty said Prescott set out claims about having 'multiple personalities', but Dr Bacon said this 'disassociation' was a common symptom of EUPD.

He said: 'Mr Prescott does not look for sympathy in relation to his actions but now he has a diagnosis, rather hopes he will be able to obtain help for his condition, either in a custodial setting, or once he's released.'

Back in May 2016, Prescott was convicted of three counts of downloading and one count of possessing indecent images of children.

He walked free from Liverpool Crown Court after he was handed a three-year community order and told to comply with a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

But last summer, police intelligence led to a raid home, and officers discovered almost 2,000 more pictures and videos in his possession.

The haul included 240 files classed as Category A - the most severe category showing child rape - and which included an image of a newborn baby.

There were 259 Category B images, of boys as young as five to seven, and 1,330 Category C files, of boys as young as three to five.

But he 'duped' authorities as he downloaded thousands of illicit images while at rehab and was jailed for more than two years at Liverpool Crown Court (pictured) on Friday

On a Samsung mobile phone, police discovered the social media app Whisper, which Prescott had used to share around two dozen Category C images.

Data showed Prescott was accessing illicit images as early as September 2016 - despite being under the restrictions of the community and sexual harm prevention orders.

While under investigation for those offences, officers raided his Cotham Street home again on April 15.

Chris Taylor, prosecuting, said the National Crime Agency had linked a Category A image of a child uploaded on the messaging platform Kik to Prescott and tipped off Merseyside Police.

Officers seized a laptop that had almost two dozen Category C images on it and found that Prescott had also been interacting with other paedophiles online.

A pre-sentence report suggested Prescott had 'duped' those monitoring his progression and after he was arrested in June 2020, had kept engaging with images of child abuse.

Referring to the timing of Prescott's offending the judge, Recorder Ian Unsworth, QC, said: 'You are a prolific paedophile and, not withstanding the previous orders, you continued unabated in your deepest and darkest fantasies.'

After two no comment interviews, he later admitted four counts of downloading, two counts of possessing and one count of distributing indecent images of children.

The distribution charge related to around two dozen Category C images.

Prescott, who appeared in court on Friday via a video link from HMP Altcourse, was sentenced him to 30 months behind bars and given a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Sentencing Prescott on Friday, Mr Unsworth said: 'Describing categories in the way that the court is required to do simply cannot ever do justice to the true horror of the images that you have been viewing unabated for years.'

He added: 'Each and every one of the hundreds if not thousands of children that you have looked at over the years is a victim.

'Each and every one of them is being exploited by other paedophiles, by those who are carrying out their vile abuse upon them, those who are filming them and those who are, like you, viewing them.'
Wearing a blue sweater, Boris Johnson's toddler son Wilfred was today pictured on his father's shoulders.

The Prime Minister was seen getting out of his car in Downing Street with his young son after returning from a run this morning.

Standing beneath his son's inherited shock of blond hair, Mr Johnson, 57, was wearing a black t-shirt, floral shorts and what appeared to be smart suit shoes.

Mr Johnson was seen before thousands of protesters today rallied outside Downing Street to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis.

Marchers also took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park to criticise the Government's handling of the Taliban's takeover of the Middle East nation.

The protests come as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is put under renewed pressure to resign after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Mr Raab has faced calls to resign in recent days over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis.

Mr Johnson backed Mr Raab on Friday, but that was before claims surfaced in the Daily Mail suggesting Mr Raab did not pick up the phone to other foreign ministers until Sunday, the day the Afghan capital fell to insurgents, as he was on holiday.

Wearing a blue sweater, Boris Johnson's toddler son Wilfred was today pictured on his father's shoulders. The Prime Minister was seen getting out of his car in Downing Street with his young son after returning from a run this morning

Wilfred was born on April 29th 2020 at the height of the first Covid crisis in the UK.

Mr Jonson's wife Carrie Johnson, 33, announced at the end of July that she is expecting a second child with her husband.

Announcing the news on Instagram, Mrs Johnson revealed she had previously suffered a miscarriage by saying she was hoping for a 'rainbow baby' this Christmas.

Mr Johnson has been seen with his son on multiple occasions since his birth, which came just days after he was admitted to intensive care with coronavirus.

The new baby announcement came just two days after Mr and Mrs Johnson tied the knot in a Catholic ceremony at Westminster Cathedral.

The December arrival will mean the Prime Minister has at least seven children, though he has not officially confirmed the exact number after leading a tangled love life that has seen him married twice.

At today's protests, men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest.

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars.

Wilfred was born on April 29th 2020 at the height of the first Covid crisis in the UK. Mr Jonson's wife Carrie Johnson, 33, announced at the end of July that she is expecting a second child with her husband

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists.

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued.

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned.

Mr Raab came under further pressure as The Times reported that witnesses saw the Cabinet minister swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete.

Wilfred was born on April 29th 2020 at the height of the first Covid crisis in the UK

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

The Foreign Secretary returned to the UK on Monday to begin dealing with the unfolding debacle in person.

Asked about the latest allegations, the Foreign Office highlighted Mr Raab's statement issued on Friday - comments made before the claims emerged.

Mr Raab earlier this week insisted he had been 'talking to foreign counterparts' while out of the country, as well as taking part in emergency Government Cobra meetings remotely and dealing with his team in London on an 'hour-by-hour basis'.

Attempts to repatriate British nationals and Afghans who supported UK efforts in the country are continuing against the clock as the situation at Kabul airport appeared to worsen.

Mr Johnson has been seen with his son on multiple occasions since his birth, which came just days after he was admitted to intensive care with coronavirus. Above: Mr Johnson with Wilfred in January this year

Like father like son: Wilfred's blond locks blow in the wind as Boris runs behind pet dog Dilyn in a field near Chequers in July

The US embassy in Afghanistan is recommending that US citizens avoid travelling to the airfield 'because of potential security threats outside the gates', with reports of violent scenes and overcrowding at the main entrance and at Taliban checkpoints.

Sky News said they had spoken to British troops at the airport who had served in Afghanistan previously, and who said the queues, crushing and desperation of people to get out of the country were the worst scenes they had witnessed during their service.

Time is running out to repatriate people to the UK ahead of US President Joe Biden's August 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining US troops.

On Friday he did not commit to extending it, in a move that is likely to mean British troops must return home at the same time, as the airport cannot be held without US enforcement.

Mr Johnson was seen before thousands of protesters today rallied outside Downing Street to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis

Reports have suggested the last evacuation flight could be as soon as Tuesday, in order to give British troops enough time to leave safely.

The Prime Minister said 1,000 people had been brought to the UK on both Thursday and Friday, with most of them UK nationals or those who had assisted British efforts in Afghanistan.

Despite claims that the situation in the country is improving, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said he cannot get to Kabul airport without putting his life at risk.

The protests come as Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is put under renewed pressure to resign after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul

Paul Farthing, known as 'Pen', has been trying to get all of his 25 staff from animal welfare charity Nowzad, their families and more than 100 dogs and cats out of the country as the Taliban complete their takeover.

As the chaos at Kabul airport shows no sign of letting up, Mr Farthing said he feels 'completely numb at the incompetence' of the Government's efforts so far.

Dominic Dyer, who has been campaigning for Mr Farthing, said that progress had been made in acquiring visas for all 68 people in his entourage.

But he added that the 'main obstacle' is still 'getting through the airport' where thousands of people are scrambling to escape.

Thousands of protesters take over Downing Street, Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they demonstrate the UK government's handling of Afghanistan crisis

By James Gant for MailOnline

Thousands of protestors have today descended on central London to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis.

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation.

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest.

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars.

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists.

Scroll down for video.

Thousands of protestors have today descended on central London to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group.

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares.

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued.

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned.

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned

Protesters are seen marching through London today amid the evacuation crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover

Several protesters wore bandanas on their heads which were in the colours of the Afghan flag. Behind, a bus is seen amid the throng of people

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators.

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position.

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban's seizure of Kabul.

The Foreign Office had insisted he did not speak to the Afghan foreign minister last Friday  despite advice from senior officials  because he was 'engaged on a range of other calls'.

But it is understood he just spoke to British officials and fellow ministers in the week before the Taliban took Kabul.

Mr Raab, who was staying at a luxury beach resort in Crete, only started making calls to his foreign counterparts on the Sunday afternoon once the insurgents had entered the Afghan capital. The Foreign Office last night declined to comment.

This woman was seen wiping away tears in London today as she joined those who were protesting at the Government's response to the crisis in Afghanistan

One man was seen being carried on another's shoulders as he carried the Afghan flag in Central London this afternoon

The men and women wound their way down Oxford Street and also carried out a rally outside the gates of Downing Street

One banner being held aloft by the protesters warned that the situation in Afghanistan could lead to 'world wars'

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country.

But he failed to do this and the call was delegated to the on-duty minister Lord Goldsmith. The Daily Mail then revealed yesterday that the call in fact never actually took place.

Mr Raab said yesterday that ministers had been 'working tirelessly' over the past week to evacuate British nationals and Afghans.

In his first full statement on the affair, he confirmed he had been advised to contact Mr Atmar last Friday but said the 'call was delegated to a minister of state because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport'.

'In any event, the Afghan foreign minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation,' he added.

But last night the Foreign Secretary faced fresh criticism for failing to apologise or include any hint of contrition in his statement.

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban 's seizure of Kabul

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'There is no defence for Dominic Raab's shameful negligence and his failure to act may have cost lives. It is unbelievable that even now the Foreign Secretary is wasting time making excuses when a catastrophe is still unfolding in front of our eyes.'

Earlier, Lord Robertson, who was Nato secretary general on 9/11, accused Mr Raab of 'a dereliction of duty of major consequence'. Asked if the Foreign Secretary's statement had satisfactorily answered questions about his actions, the former defence secretary replied: 'No, it doesn't at all.'

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'Foreign ministers only talk to foreign ministers  they don't talk to junior ministers.

'So he should have been talking to the foreign minister of Afghanistan much earlier than last Friday anyway.

'Common sense would have suggested that the Foreign Secretary should have been trying to sort out the exit of our vulnerable people before that.'

The former Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw said he would never delegate a call with his Afghan counterpart to another minister and he was 'surprised' that Mr Raab did so.

But the Prime Minister last night dismissed calls to sack his Foreign Secretary. Asked if he had full confidence in Mr Raab, Mr Johnson said: 'Absolutely.'

Asked if people had been left in Afghanistan as a result of Mr Raab not making the phone call, he said: 'No, I don't think that's the case.'
The owner of doomed alpaca Geronimo has been hand-feeding her beloved animal his favourite foods in his final moments as she waits for his imminent execution.

Helen Macdonald, 50, has been cherishing her final moments with Geronimo and trying to make them 'special' as she waits for a Defra death squad at her farm in Wickwar, south Gloucestershire.

The High Court this week rejected Miss Macdonald's request for a review into the kill order - which mandated that Geronimo must be put down within 30 days of August 5 after he twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB).

Geronimo was granted a 24-hour reprieve on Thursday, which ended at 5pm on Friday, leaving the veterinary nurse in the dark about when the death squad will turn up at her door.

The heartbroken owner said Geronimo has started to 'sense' her anxiety and said she 'hates' the uncertainty around the timings Defra have given her, The Sun reported.

Helen Macdonald, 50, has been hand-feeding her doomed alpaca Geronimo (pictured) his favourite snacks as she waits for a Defra death squad to turn up at her farm in Wickwar

As the deadline passed, she told the publication: 'Every moment I get with him is special as it could be the last. I've been hand-feeding him as it's a bit more personal.'

Geronimo has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and his owner believes the tests are returning false positives, but has been refused permission to have him tested a third time.

Miss Macdonald also said she remains on 'high alert' as officials from Defra are yet to visit her farm in south Gloucestershire to enforce the destruction order.

She explained: 'We will remain on high alert until Secretary of State George Eustice MP gives us permission to test Geronimo with an appropriate test for camelids four years after the misused tests.

'If the result is positive, I will accept it.

'Or keep Geronimo in 'isolation for research purposes', which is what we have been doing for four years.

Geronimo (pictured) was granted a 24-hour reprieve on Thursday, which ended at 5pm on Friday, leaving Miss Macdonald in the dark about when the death squad will turn up

The heartbroken owner said Geronimo (both pictured) has started to 'sense' her anxiety and said she 'hates' the uncertainty around the timings Defra have given her

'We must be able to learn and this is being denied to us. Everyone knows that what is happening to us is unreasonable and cruel.'

Ms Macdonald, who imported the alpaca from New Zealand, has received an outpouring of support from the public, with more than 130,000 people signing a petition calling on Boris Johnson to halt the killing.

On Wednesday, a High Court judge refused her lawyer's application for a temporary injunction to stop the destruction order and reopen the case.

'ALPACA ANGELS' PLAN TO CONFUSE EXECUTIONERS WITH DECOY ALPACAS Supporters of Geronimo are planning to thwart his executioners by using decoy alpacas. The 'Alpaca Angels'  who have kept a constant watch over the doomed stud since the High Court ruled that he be put down  pledged last night to unleash the disruptive tactics. Geronimo is in isolation, but four similar-looking alpacas are in an adjacent field  with an open gate in between. Supporters say the Defra officials will need to look hard to find the right alpaca. They also hinted the animals could take inspiration from the movie, Spartacus, with all five pretending to be Geronimo. Advertisement

Ms Macdonald said that when Defra officials arrive at her farm to euthanise Geronimo, she will not break the law.

At the farm, friends, family and supporters have joined her to protest against Geronimo's impending fate.

Miss Macdonald insisted that she refuses to do the Government's 'dirty work' by putting down her own animal.

She continued: 'We got a letter yesterday from the government legal department. I genuinely think they don't know what to do, they don't want to kill him.

'And they expect me to put down my own animal. I'm supposed to arrange his euthanasia and then say that the body will be available from 'X' time so they can come and collect it.

'Well I'm just not going to do that.

'They want me to kill him. The want to say that I consented, and they don't want his blood on their hands.

'They're trying to break me down. All of these extensions and faffing around is to wear down my mental state.

'They've done it before, I got bullied and threatened and all sorts in 2017. In a two-month period he survived seven attempts to come and kill him.'

Asked if officials could break in to carry out the slaughter, Miss Macdonald added: 'The police will let them in, they have a warrant on access.

'If I kill him, I'll need to agree to kill him with my vet.

'But my vet won't come as he's worried about his own safety. How is it possible to kill a healthy animal in this environment?'

Geronimo's four-year fight for clemency came after he twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in 2017.

The High Court decision this week means Defra will not be compelled to investigate whether it holds data that suggests bTB tests can be unreliable in alpacas.

Miss Macdonald said: 'This a needless slaughter and the whole planet knows it.'

Geronimo has twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis and his owner believes the tests are returning false positives, but has been refused permission to have him tested a third time

High Court rejected Miss Macdonald's request for a review into the kill order - which said that Geronimo (pictured) must be put down after he twice tested positive for bovine tuberculosis

As well as alpacas, badgers have been a victim of the fight against bovine TB, with mass culling employed to stop the spread since 2013, sparking a huge public backlash.

Last week, the Government insisted all the evidence on Geronimo's condition had been 'looked at very carefully'.

A Defra spokesman said: 'We are sympathetic to Ms Macdonald's situation - just as we are with everyone with animals affected by this terrible disease.

'It is for this reason that the testing results and options for Geronimo have been very carefully considered by Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency and its veterinary experts, as well as passing several stages of thorough legal scrutiny.

'Bovine tuberculosis is one of the greatest animal health threats we face today and causes devastation and distress for farming families and rural communities across the country while costing the taxpayer around 100 million every year.

'Therefore, while nobody wants to cull animals, we need to do everything we can tackle this disease to stop it spreading and to protect the livelihoods of those affected.'
Her family were 'taken by surprise' by Taliban's quick surge through the country

A head teacher in Nottingham said two of her school children are expected home from Afghanistan in the 'next couple of days' after successfully making it to Kabul airport.

According to the Nottingham Post, Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle but became trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance through the country.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma usually attend, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We're absolutely frantic about their situation.

'They are still at the airport waiting for their repatriation flights, firstly to Dubai - I think there is a military flight to Dubai and then a connecting commercial flight back to the UK.

'But they are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.'

Ms Dawson said the videos and voice messages sent to her of the children by their older sister during their time stuck in Afghanistan were 'absolutely heart breaking', adding: 'They were terrified: watching shooting, watching people being assaulted and just the chaos outside that airport compound was really traumatising for anybody but particularly for young children.'

Ms Ziahe and her siblings are in a camp without beds or proper sanitation, unable to get past Taliban blockades that are limiting people from reaching flights.

'It is so scary,' said Ms Ziahe. 'There was so much shooting which was scaring my five-year-old brother. They are just shooting in the air.'

Nargas Ziahe, an admin worker from Nottingham, and her young siblings Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, are trapped in Afghanistan after they were 'taken by surprise' by the speed of the country's fall to the Taliban after they headed there six weeks ago for a funeral

'It is so scary,' said Ms Ziahe. 'There was so much shooting which was scaring my five-year-old brother. They are just shooting in the air'

'We have spoken to the Foreign Office and our names are registered there. But there are no troops. I just want to be taken somewhere safe.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma usually attend, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We're absolutely frantic about their situation'

'No one can do anything because all the shops are closed, it was just a big surprise for everyone.

'I am near the airport. We are sleeping on the floor. There is nowhere to wash, just little shops to get some water.'

Taliban fighters have been seen shooting over the heads of crowds, and reports of women by whipped at random.

Such is the desperation among those trying to flee that women have resorted to passing babies over barbed wire to soldiers and pleaded to fly them to safety.

Ms Ziahe also sent voice messages from nine-year-old Asma who said she is so scared of the gunfire that it has left her in tears and she 'doesn't know what to do'.

Ms Ziahe had been in the town of Charikar, Parwan province, to the north of Kabul visiting relatives with her brother Omar, five, and her sister Asma who is just nine years old.

Thousands of British citizens have fled the country, most on military flights out of Hamid Karzai International Airport which currently remains out of Taliban hands. Pictured: Afghan people gather along a road outside an airport

Satellite images have revealed the extent of the crisis at Kabul airport, with cars crammed up against the southern civilian entrance and northern military entrance that can be seen from satellites

A number of other family members are with her, including some of her uncles, who Ms Ziahe must travel with due to the Taliban's restrictions which prohibit women going outside alone. She said all woman have been made to cover themselves.

Concern was raised back in Nottingham at Mellers Primary School in Radford which Ms Ziahe's younger siblings usually attend.

Having heard they had planned to travel to Afghanistan, headteacher Amanda Dawson to contact the family to make sure they were safe, but she ended up contacting the Foreign Office after learning of the situation.

'We realised yesterday that one of our school community families had been intending to travel to Afghanistan over the summer, so I contacted Mr Ziahe [Ms Ziahe's father] to check that everyone was safely home,' she said.

'Unfortunately, Mr Ziahe told me that his wife, eldest daughter, younger son and daughter were all stuck in Kabul and didn't know how to get home.

A baby is handed over to the American army over the perimeter wall of the airport for it to be evacuated, in Kabul

'I reassured Mr Ziahe that I would help, and trawled the internet to find out who I needed to contact to alert the foreign office to the family's plight.

'I managed to find the right contact at the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, and was able to get the family, who are all British nationals, registered for repatriation flights.'

Ms Ziahe was instructed to visit the Baron Hotel in Kabul as all embassies had been evacuated. At the hotel, which is located next to the Hamid Karzai International Airport, her paperwork would be processed for repatriation.

Upon arrival, however, they met a Taliban blockade which would not let them pass.

They have now been in a camp just outside the airport which they say has no beds and no washing facilities.

'It would be really nice if there were British or American troops here to get in touch with, because there are so many people. I am not saying they should come and fight, but we need soldiers to be here so we can see them and speak to them.'

Lilian Greenwood, the MP for Nottingham South, confirmed she had been in 'constant' contact with the Government over Ms Ziahe's situation.

'We have been liaising closely with Amanda at the school, they have shared video footage of the Taliban blocking their route to the hotel,' she said.

'I will do everything I possibly can to get them home. I cannot even imagine the terror for the family but also the anxiety and stress.'

The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.

The UK evacuated 963 people on flights from Kabul, the country's only working airport, yesterday and is planning for 1,000 more to leave the country today.

Britain has promised to evacuate some 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country, in addition to 5,000 refugees, but a foreign minister admitted they would not be able to evacuate everyone from Afghanistan.

Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey said today that 'that sad truth is, we don't have it in our gift to stay there until absolutely everyone is out'.

'The air bridge (from Kabul) could last two more days, five more days, ten more days,' he added, insisting that the armed forces are 'working hard to maximise capacity' on every flight.

However, one image laid bare the extent of the empty promises - showing what is thought to be a Norwegian mercy flight taking off from Kabul carrying the wife of a British ex-Marine who is still stranded in Afghanistan, but almost nobody else.

Posting the image on Twitter last night, Paul 'Pen' Farthing wrote: 'Kaisa is on her way home! BUT this aircraft is empty scandalous as thousands wait outside Kabul airport being crushed as they cannot get in. Sadly people will be left behind when this mission is over as we CANNOT get it right.'

The UK government is thought to be drawing up contingency plans for a hasty 24-hour exit from the country, a medium-term withdrawal over a period of several days, and a more-orderly withdrawal over a longer period.

Whitehall sources told The Times that the longer-term option is preferred as being safer for British troops, but were forced to admit 'we are in the American's hands' - with little indication coming from Washington as to how long they are willing to hold out.

British special forces are now being sent outside the walls of the airport compound in order to find passport and visa holders and get them past Taliban checkpoints so they can be put on planes home.

It is hoped that their searches outside of the airport's walls could lead to the rescue of Ms Ziahe and her family members.
A manhunt has been launched for a Covid-infected Sydneysider who allegedly ignored health orders and failed to self-isolate after testing positive to the virus.

Police allege Anthony Karam, 27, 'failed to isolate as directed by a public health order' and have issued a warrant for his arrest after attempts to track him down failed.

He is known to spend time in Greenacre, Wentworth Point and Parramatta in the city's west and south-west.

Anthony Karam (pictured), 27, has 'failed to isolate as directed by public health order' and an arrest warrant has been issued to find the man known to frequent Greenacre, Wentworth Point and Parramatta

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged the public not to go near the man as he is infectious.

'The community is warned to avoid contact with Mr Karam and not approach him.'

Mr Karam is described as being of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance, about 170cm tall with an olive complexion and a thin build.

He has brown eyes, dark hair with a beard and a moustache, and police are urging anyone with information about the mans whereabouts to contact 000 immediately.

Meanwhile, a party in Sydney's east has become a super-spreader event, with 16 positive cases being recorded on Saturday originating form the gathering.

NSW Police said on Friday night they were yet to located the man, and NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant warned Sydneysiders to avoid Mr Karam as he 'has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and is infectious'

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard hit out at the party's 'selfish' attendees after the 16 infections were revealed among a pandemic-record 825 cases found state-wide on Saturday.

'Each of these people who are going to these functions must understand that they run the risk of either having the virus and transmitting it or getting the virus and taking it home to their families and their communities,' Mr Hazzard said.

'There is no time now to be selfish  it's time to think of the broader community and your families. If you are actually spreading the virus, you could be responsible for peoples' deaths.'
Detectives investigating the deaths are 'urgently' seeking the whereabouts of 49-year-old Lee Peacock, although they urge the public not to approach him

Police today released a video appeal for a 49-year-old man as they stepped up their hunt for a killer after two bodies were found within hours of each other at separate addresses in central London.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement last night that they were appealing for information about the whereabouts of Lee Peacock.

Then this morning, the force posted a video of Detective Superintendent Luke Marks on its Twitter feed in a further bid for help in tracking him down.

The Detective said: 'I'm appealing today for information in regards to the whereabouts of 49-year-old Lee Peacock.

'We need to speak to Lee urgently in regards to two murders that occurred in Westminster on Thursday and Friday.

'I would ask that anybody who sees Lee calls 999 immediately.'

Emergency services were called to Ashbridge Street, Westminster, just after 9.30pm on Thursday, after concerns were raised for the wellbeing of people inside the property, the Metropolitan Police said.

Officers found a 45-year-old woman who had suffered a knife injury. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

At 2.15am on Friday, police were alerted by the London Ambulance Service to reports of a man with a knife injury at a property in Jerome Crescent, around half a mile away.

Paramedics confirmed the 59-year-old man had died.

Inquiries are under way to trace the woman's next of kin, while the man's have been notified and are being supported by specialist officers.

No arrests have been made.

Lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said last night: 'At this early stage we are retaining an open mind concerning motive, but at this stage we are treating these crimes as linked.

'We are very keen to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious around Ashbridge Street or Jerome Crescent overnight. No matter how small or insignificant you think your information might be, please do get in touch.'

Crime scenes are in place in Ashbridge Street and Jerome Crescent and additional police resources and patrols have been deployed throughout the area to provide local reassurance, police said.

'Anyone who has concerns is encouraged to approach patrol officers. To pass on information please call 101,' said DCI Owain Richards, police commander for Westminster.

People witnessing anything suspicious are asked to call 101, quoting reference 7227/19AUG.

Emergency services were called to Ashbridge Street, Westminster, just after 9.30pm on Thursday, after concerns were raised for the wellbeing of people inside the property, the Metropolitan Police said

Paramedics confirmed the 59-year-old man had died.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, the lead investigator said: 'I would urge anybody that knows the whereabouts of Lee Peacock to contact police immediately by calling 999.

'If seen, we would urge the public not to approach him, but contact police as soon as possible.'

Inquiries are under way to trace the woman's next of kin, while the man's have been notified and are being supported by specialist officers.

No arrests have been made.

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley said: 'At this early stage we are retaining an open mind concerning motive, but at this stage we are treating these crimes as linked.

'We are very keen to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious around Ashbridge Street or Jerome Crescent overnight. No matter how small or insignificant you think your information might be, please do get in touch.'

At 2.15am on Friday, police were alerted by the London Ambulance Service to reports of a man with a knife injury at a property in Jerome Crescent, just under half a mile away

Detective Chief Superintendent Owain Richards, police commander for Westminster, said: 'Crime scenes are in place in Ashbridge Street and Jerome Crescent and additional police resources and patrols have been deployed throughout the area to provide local reassurance.

'Anyone who has concerns is encouraged to approach patrol officers. To pass on information please call 101.'

Anyone who saw anything suspicious should call 101, giving the reference 7227/19AUG.
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The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport because of 'security threats' outside its gates - reportedly coming from ISIS - a day after President Joe Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home.

U.S. officials said the most serious threat to the airport is Afghanistans branch of the Islamic State, which would hurt Americans in the country and challenge the Taliban's control, The New York Times and Associated Press reported.

'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says.

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby sidestepped multiple questions about potential ISIS attacks or its involvement multiple times during Saturday afternoon's press briefing.

Both Kirby and Major Gen. William 'Hank' Taylor seemed genuinely baffled and unaware of the Embassy's warning during Saturday's press briefing.

As the U.S. and other world powers continue to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the Kabul airport, the situation has turned deadly.

Since Sunday, at least 12 people have been killed in and around the single runway airfield - which is the only way out of the country - NATO and Taliban officials told Reuters.

Desperation mixed with 90-degree heat, dust, dehydration and starvation over the last week have made the scene at the gates as perilous a situation for families and children, who are crammed shoulder to shoulder and pressed against concrete blast walls as they plead for their families to be allowed to leave.

The Taliban have urged those without travel documents to go home.

The US Embassy's warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan.

'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home

Over the past week, the U.S. evacuated 17,000 people - including 2,500 Americans - from Kabul, Major Gen. Taylor said during Saturday afternoon's press conference.

About 3,800 people were evacuated on Friday after six U.S. Air Force transport planes with about 1,600 people were able to leave Kabul on Friday plus about 32 charter planes, Taylor said during Saturday's briefing.

On Friday, The president made a promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'.

That number still eludes officials Saturday afternoon. Kirby said they don't have a 'perfect figure' of how many US citizens are still in the Afghanistan.

A State Department spokesperson said there are about 5,000 to 10,000 US citizens still in the country.

When asked if the window to evacuate is closing, Kirby said, 'We know we're fighting against time and space. That's the race we're in.'

'Things are changing almost by the hour. It's a very fluid and dynamic situation,' he said.

Scroll down for video.

Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan are waiting to see if Biden will deliver on his promise with the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline fast approaching

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, provide assistance during an evacuation of Kabul airport

During the president's Friday speech, he said allies around the world have not questioned US credibility over the chaotic Kabul evacuation, insisted Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan and claimed there has been 'no indication' the Taliban has blocked Americans from reaching the airport.

Minutes after, Biden said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport.

He was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon shortly after the speech.

Yes, Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, Kirby said during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction raises further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport.

Kabul airport is the only way out of the country after the Taliban started seizing the country's major cities.

Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Talibans top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday, marking another milestone in the Taliban's assertation over the country.

The world's eyes are on him as he leads discussions with other Taliban leaders who will construct the framework for how they govern the country over the next week few weeks.

It's a stark difference to the shadowy presence they maintained for years pre-9/11 when they ruled by harsh, draconian Sunni law.

A Taliban official told Reuters that the framework 'will protect everyone's rights' but would not be a democracy by Western standards.

Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Talibans top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday, marking another milestone in the Taliban's assertation over the country

Biden continues to receive criticism at home and abroad about the pandemonium in Kabul and the botched military draw down.

The August 31 troop withdrawal deadline is fast approaching, and the president hasn't committed to extending the deadline despite the UK urging Biden to delay the withdrawal to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals.

NATO has begged the Biden administration to keep a troop presence on the ground for as long as possible, the Pentagon said just minutes later that Al Qaeda is present in parts of Afghanistan and there are multiple reports insurgents are using checkpoints to block safe passage to the airport.

Meanwhile, evacuation efforts can be described - at best - as chaotic. Some outgoing flights were far from full because of Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges.

Then a backlog at the transit facility in Qatar, which is one of the main countries welcoming refugees, stalled flights for hours on Friday.

Major Gen. Taylor said on Saturday the last people airlifted out of the country was the 169 people taken by helicopter from a hotel just outside the Kabul airport.

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden said on Friday.

During Friday's speech, Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home

David Marshall Fox, an American who moved to Afghanistan in 2013, has been trying to get out of Afghanistan with his three-year-old son.

In an interview with ABC News, he said the U.S. Marines sent warning shots in the air and threw flashbang grenades to get the crowd to back up.

'I was yelling, "Americans. Americans here,"' Fox said while gesturing with his arm that he was pointing at himself and his son. 'I made eye contact with (a Marine), and he just says, "Get back. Get back now." And the Marines are firing warning shots in the air and throwing flashbangs.

'And every time the Marines fired a volley of warning shots, the whole crowd would just surge back, and I was holding this little boy and trying to keep my balance.

'After about 30 minutes of this, we realized we couldn't stay there any longer. If we stayed, we realized there was a chance that we would pass out from exhaustion,' Fox said.

During the interview with ABC News, he said the airport is 'very dangerous' and the Marines 'do not have control of it.'

During Biden's Friday address, he was asked if he was also committed to get out the Afghans who supported the U.S. war effort, with thousands still stranded on the ground because of the drawn out visa process and the delay in getting them evacuated.

'Yes, we're making the same commitment. There's no one more important than bringing American citizens out, I acknowledge that, but they're equally important almost is all those [special immigrant visas], as we call them, who in fact helped us - they're translators, they went into battle for us, they were part of the operation,' Biden answered.

He also said the U.S. was trying to get out Afghans working at non-governmental organizations, women's organizations, and others.

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden acknowledged.

He insisted that the chaotic takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, leading to disarray at Kabul's airport as westerners and Afghans flee, did not taint the U.S.'s global reputation.

'I have seen no question of our credibility of our allies from around the world,' he said.

'There will be plenty of time to criticize and second guess when this operation is over, but now, now I'm focused on getting this job done,' Biden added.

The president talked about conversations he had with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron.

'We all agreed that will convene the G7 meeting next week. A group of the world's leading democracies. So that together we can coordinate our mutual approach, our united approach, moving forward,' Biden said.

While dismissing a question about Afghans falling from aircraft posed Wednesday by ABC News' George Stephanopoulos - the one sit-down he did with press all week - on Friday Biden finally addressed the visuals.

'The past week has been heartbreaking. We've seen gut-wrenching images of panicked people acting out of shear desperation,' he said. 'It's completely understandable, they're frightened, they're sad.'

'I don't think anyone, anyone of us can see these pictures and not see that pain on a human level,' he added.

Biden gave a status report on the evacuation, explaining why reporters on the ground saw no flights leave Kabul for a number of hours.

'We paused flights in Kabul a few hours this morning to make sure we could process the arriving evacuees at the transit points,' Biden said. 'But our commander in Kabul has already given the order for outbound flights to resume. Even with the pause, we moved out 5,700 evacuees yesterday.'
In an effort to mitigate COVID-19 risk on campus, the University of Virginia (UVA) has disenrolled 238 students who did not comply with the school's coronavirus vaccination requirement.

Only 49 of the 238 students who were disenrolled from the upcoming fall semester on Friday were actually registered for courses.

UVA spokesperson Brian Coy told CNN that the other 189 students 'may not have been planning to return to the university this fall at all.'

University policy requires that all students living, learning or working on the UVA campus must be fully vaccinated against the virus to participate in the 2021-2022 academic year. The university does offer medical and religious exemptions, however those must be approved prior to on-campus arrival.

All UVA faculty, staff, and health team members are also expected to be vaccinated.

The University of Virginia disenrolled 238 students on Friday for not complying with the school's coronavirus vaccination requirement. Only 49 of the 238 students who have been disenrolled were actually registered for classes

Students were informed of UVA's vaccine requirement earlier this year and reminded throughout the summer that they needed to get the COVID shot to avoid disenrollment.

"Students out of compliance received multiple emails, calls, text messages and -- in some cases -- calls to their parents. Our numbers show that our students responded to this. This means we can have the kind of in-person semester where people can engage in normal ways," Coy explained.

He notes that 96.6 percent of the UVA student body has been vaccinated and 1.3 percent were able to claim religious or medical exemptions.

Those with exemptions have been asked to take additional COVID-19 precautions including mask wearing and mandatory testing.

"If you're unvaccinated, we ask that you wear a mask at all times -- indoors or outdoors -- whenever you're around people. Anyone unvaccinated and has an exemption will have to test once a week, we're starting once a week: That might go up," said Coy.

UVA officials confirmed that 96.6 percent of the student body has been vaccinated and 1.3 percent were able to claim religious or medical exemptions

University policy requires that all students living, learning or working on the UVA campus must be fully vaccinated against COVID. The school has taken several precautions in an effort to mitigate spread (pictured: family wearing masks during student move-in last week)

Students were informed of UVA's vaccine requirement earlier this year and reminded throughout the summer that they needed to get the COVID shot to avoid disenrollment (pictured: UVA student move-in last week)

The university is giving students who were enrolled at the university on Wednesday a week to update their vaccination status, at which point they can re-enroll for fall classes.

Two-thirds of UVA students are from Virginia, a state that has seen a rise in COVID cases over the past few weeks.

As of Friday, the Virginia Department of Health had reported 734,079 total cases of COVID-19 in the state with a seven-day positivity rate of 9.7 percent.

The state also reported 48 additional deaths on Friday, rising the overall death toll to 11,647.

Like many other states nationwide, Virginia is seeing a rise in cases driven by the Delta variant.

As of Friday, the Virginia Department of Health had reported 734,079 total cases of COVID-19 in the state with a seven-day positivity rate of 9.7 percent

Like many other states nationwide, Virginia is seeing a rise in cases driven by the Delta variant

As of Friday, 4,741,951 Virginians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, accounting for 55.6 percent of the population. 5,358,421 people, or 62.8 percent of citizens, have received at least one dose of the vaccine

Officials with the state's major hospital networks also attribute the case increases to low vaccination rates, Virginia Mercury reported.

State data revealed that, as of Friday, 4,741,951 Virginians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, accounting for 55.6 percent of the population.

5,358,421 people, or 62.8 percent of citizens, have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

UVA is just one of more than 680 public and private colleges across the U.S. requiring students to get the coronavirus vaccine, according to U.S. News and World Report.

Many schools made the decision to mandate vaccines after schools closed in spring 2020 and shifted to remote instruction.

Officials said online learning yielded mixed results and that campuses are really pushing to 'get back to normal operations as quickly as possible'.

UVA is just one of more than 680 public and private colleges across the U.S. requiring students to get the coronavirus vaccine. Collegiate officials nationwide have said that campuses are really pushing to 'get back to normal operations as quickly as possible'
A landmark study on how to curb cheating has been retracted after nearly a decade and the prominent professor whose team produced the paper is himself accused of cheating and relying on faked data.

Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economist at Duke University, rose to prominence with his 2012 study that found people would be less likely to cheat and lie if they signed an honesty declaration at the top of a form before answering questions.

The study was used as a springboard by government agencies around the world, including the IRS, who chose to include an honesty declaration at the top of their forms and credited the method with helping to collect an additional $1.6 million from government vendors in the summer of 2015.

Governments in Canada and other nations also spent thousands of dollars working with researchers to change their own tax forms to fit the model, but to no avail, Scientific American reported.

The 2012 study was eventually retracted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences after academics on the Data Colada research blog tried recreating the experiments in the study, only to find that there was no reduction in cheating and lying and that the main experiment was faked 'beyond any shadow of a doubt.'

Duke University professor Dan Ariely became the face of honesty and morality in the world of academics after publishing a 2012 study on how to curb cheating and lying. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has since redacted the study

Pictured, Dan Ariely's best selling book about honesty and truth

Dan Ariely, left, allegedly reassured his leading co-author, Max Bazerman, that all the data in their honesty study was correct despite Bazerman spotting inconsistencies. Bazerman, a professor at Harvard University, regretted not double-checking the data

The study's co-author, Max Bazerman, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, said he had raised concerns about inconsistent data during the original study, but Ariely allegedly assured him and everyone else working on the study that the odd findings were correct, The Duke Chronicle reported.

'I wish I had worked harder to identify the data were fraudulent, to ensure rigorous research in a collaborative context, and to promptly retract the 2012 paper,' Bazerman wrote in a statement.

The three other authors who worked on the study expressed similar concerns and said they played no part in collecting the data, which all went through Ariely.

Ariely confirmed that he alone was in touch with the insurance company that ran the test with its customers and alleged that the unnamed insurance company was responsible for the fake data, BuzzFeed News reports.

'I can see why it is tempting to think that I had something to do with creating the data in a fraudulent way,' he said claiming his innocence. 'I can see why it would be tempting to jump to that conclusion, but I didn't.'

He added, 'If I knew that the data was fraudulent, I would have never posted it.'

Dan Ariely has given multiple talks and presentations on honesty and cheating since he and his team fist published their findings in 2012

Aaron Charlton, a marketing professor at Illinois State University who went over the study, claimed Ariely's statement that the insurance company was at fault did not make any sense.

'Why on earth would an insurance company fabricate data in such a way as to support Dan Ariely's hypothesis,' Charlton wrote on his website.

This is not the first time Ariely has come under scrutiny over his research.

In a famous 2008 study, he claimed that asking people to recall the Ten Commandments before a test cuts down on cheating, but another team failed to replicate the same effect.

In 2010, Ariely was caught lying to NPR, telling the radio network that Delta Dental insurance data shows dentists often disagree on whether X-rays actually show a cavity despite the company never collecting such information.

And in July 2021, A 2004 study of his on effort received 'expression of concerns' when researchers found statistical discrepancies that Ariely could not answer for.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has been slammed as racist after he blamed the recent Covid surge in his state on unvaccinated black people.

The Republican governor made the claim on Fox News on Thursday, saying: 'The Covid is spreading... and the Democrats like to blame Republicans on that.

'Well, the biggest group in most states are African Americans who have not been vaccinated.

'The last time I checked over 90 per cent of them vote for Democrats in their major cities and major counties.'

His comments sparked instant backlash with Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, who is black, slamming them as 'offensive' and said they 'should not be ignored'.

There are an estimated 5.6million white people in Texas who are eligible yet unvaccinated. The same figure among black people - who make up a far smaller part of the overall population - is 1.9million.

New Covid-19 cases over a seven-day average in Texas surged by 13,457 and at least 100 deaths have been reported over a seven-day average, according to the state health departments.

Hospitals in the state are also buckling under the strain of patients, with 12,402 Texans currently hospitalized.

'The Delta variant has Texas in one of its worst fights all pandemic,' the health department warned in a tweet.

On a Fox News segment Thursday night Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick blamed the recent Covid surge on unvaccinated Black people

Texas's Department of Health showed that there are an estimated 5.6million white people who are eligible yet unvaccinated. The same figure among black people - who make up a far smaller part of the overall population - is 1.9million

Patrick added fuel to the fire on Friday afternoon when he issued a statement responding to the uproar. Users on Twitter were outraged and denounced him as racist

His comments sparked instant backlash with Houston mayor Sylvester Turner, who is black, slamming them as 'offensive' and said they 'should not be ignored'

The mayor later posted a video in response to the Fox segment calling Patrick's comments 'ridiculous' because they 'make no sense' and were 'contrary to the facts'.

'People across the board - even Republicans - should reject that statement,' he said.

'If you're an elected official - I don't care what party you may be affiliated - we have a responsibility to represent every single person. Whether people voted for me or not, as the Mayor of Houston, I represent every single one of them,' Turner added.

One user tweeted to Patrick: 'You owe African Americans of our Great State of Texas an apology.'

Other responses weren't so classy and called the disgraced governor 'a racist a**hole' and 'a crook' while more said he needed to go find a new job.

The health department warned that new Covid-19 cases over a seven-day average in Texas surged by 13,457 and at least 100 deaths have been reported over a seven-day average

The Texas Department of Health also tweeted a graphic of cases, deaths and hospitalizations as of August 18

People flooded Twitter with graphs and data on Texas's demographics and Covid rate showing African Americans only make up 12 per cent of the state's population.

Doctors chimed in to prove Patrick's statements were false. They posted charts from the US Census Bureau showing there are three unvaccinated white Texans for every one vaccinated black Texan, saying 'disinformation is deadly'.

His comments on Fox came as Texas sees its highest hospitalization rates since January as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads.

Patrick went on: 'So it's up to the Democrats - just as it's up to Republicans - to try to get as many people vaccinated.

'But we respect the fact that if people don't want the vaccination, we're not going to force it on them. That's their individual right.'

Patrick added fuel to the fire on Friday afternoon when he issued a statement responding to the uproar.

'Not surprisingly Democrat social media trolls were up late misstating the facts and fanning the flames of their lies,' the statement read.

In his response Patrick failed to address the false claim that African Americans make up the 'biggest group' of unvaccinated people but instead said: '(The data) clearly indicates that black vaccination rates are significantly lower than white or Hispanic rates.'

Meanwhile, there are an estimated 5.6million white people who are eligible yet unvaccinated as reported by the Texas Tribune. The same figure among black people - who make up a far smaller part of the overall population - is 1.9million.

And 4.9million Hispanic people in Texas - whose population is now nearly as large as the white population in the state - are unvaccinated.

The disgraced governor's remarks came as Texas sees its highest hospitalization rates since January as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads

In Houston hospitals have been forced to treat patients in the hallways and corridors as emergency rooms have become overwhelmed by the spike in Covid patients

Also despite Patrick's claims, the June poll from The Texas Tribune and the University of Texas at Austin reported vaccine hesitancy is higher among Republicans than it is among Black Texans.

A reported 38 per cent of Republicans said they wouldn't get a vaccine as soon as it is available to them while 18 per cent of Black people agreed.

Efforts to stop the surge in cases and hospitalizations are few and far between.

In July Texas Governor Greg Abbott even released an executive order banning any government agency - including school districts - from requiring masks to enter public buildings.

Abbott has since tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this week despite being fully vaccinated and many school districts are defying the executive order as the Delta variant surges.

Just over half the US population was fully vaccinated as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Since July 1 cases in the United States have grown by 600 per cent to now over 140,000 per day - with the Delta variant accounting for around 99 percent of case

To date 627,843 people have died due to Covid-19

However on the East Coast, black New Yorkers have the lowest vaccination rates and health advocates are having trouble persuading the group to get vaccinated.

Citywide just 28 per cent of black New Yorkers between the ages of 18 and 44 are fully vaccinated, according to NYC Health.

The data also showed that the Hispanic community is the second-least fully vaccinated population in that age group, with 49 per cent per cent being fully vaccinated.

The CEO of the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center in New York City told CNN: 'It's extremely challenging fighting the misinformation we're fighting. You know, Facebook, we're fighting Twitter. But we're also fighting people's misperceptions and distrust of the system as a whole.'

Far Rockaway, Queens, was the New York borough hit hardest by the pandemic, CNN reported. One out of every seven people have been diagnosed with the virus and just 35 per cent of people there are fully vaccinated - the lowest in the city.

Nearly half the population in Far Rockaway is Black and about a quarter is Hispanic.

Covid cases all over the United States have rapidly grown throughout the summer with the emergence of the Delta variant.

Since July 1, cases in the US have spiked by 600 per cent to now over 140,000 per day - with the Delta variant accounting for around 99 per cent of cases.

Nearly 200 million people - just over 60 per cent of the US population - had received at least one vaccine dose as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Just over half of the population was fully vaccinated.
In a shocking moment caught on video, a car went airborne, hitting another vehicle before flying into a nearby Wendy's and narrowly missing a family sitting at outside tables.

The crash, which occurred in South Brunswick, New Jersey, was during the lunchtime rush at 1 pm August 16, when the fast-food joint was packed with customers inside and outside.

The Toyota Corolla was southbound on Route 130 near Melrich Road, when it hit a berm in front of a Wendy's.

Surveillance video captured the Corolla rocketing over the parking lot before striking a 2017 Audi waiting in the drive-thru lane.

The footage then cuts to a different angle above the restaurant's outdoor dining area, where a family was nearly struck while eating.

Both vehicles ultimately hit the building by the outside dining area.

Surveillance video from the Wendy's in South Brunswick, New Jersey, shows as cars wait in the restaurant's drive-thru lane

In the back upper-right hand corner, the Corolla can be seen barreling through the air and over the Wendy's parking lot

A child who was a passenger in the Audi complained of pain and was taken to a nearby hospital. The Monmouth Junction Fire Department was forced to extricate the driver of the Corolla who was transported in stable condition, according to authorities.

ABC 6 reported that an investigation into the crash is ongoing, however police believe the driver of the Corolla likely had a medical episode.

Police said it was a relief no one was seriously hurt, especially considering the lunchtime crowd.

'This is nothing short of a miracle that no one was seriously injured or killed in this crash,' South Brunswick Chief Raymond Hayducka told ABC 6.

'To think it was the middle of the day, people were eating both inside and outside and none of them were injured. The building was damaged to the point it can't be used but everyone eating was able to walk away.'

A different angle of the Wendy's surveillance video footage shows as the Corolla continues along in its wild crash

A family who had been eating in the restaurant's outdoor dining area can be seen narrowly avoiding the Corolla as it rocketed into the storefront

Amazingly, no one was seriously injured or killed, local police said. A child who was a passenger in the Audi did complain of pains and was transported to a nearby hospital

The impact of the wild car crash was so powerful that the restaurant's windows shattered, leaving the inside littered with broken glass.

Meanwhile, authorities were forced to close the fast food joint as the South Brunswick Building Department examined the structure.
Experts have attributed the increased cases and hospitalizations in hotspot communities to the Delta variant and low vaccination rates

Experts have attributed the increased cases and hospitalizations in hotspot communities to the Delta variant and low vaccination rates

In states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, health leaders are reporting crises in hospitals, noting they do not have enough beds to treat patients

In states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, health leaders are reporting crises in hospitals, noting they do not have enough beds to treat patients

In states such as Mississippi and Louisiana, health leaders are reporting crises in hospitals, noting they do not have enough beds to treat patients

The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday; Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths

The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday; Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths

The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday; Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths

The country reported 319,456 new COVID cases, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million

The country reported 319,456 new COVID cases, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million

The country reported 319,456 new COVID cases, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million

The United States reported a record-high number of COVID-19 cases on Friday, nearly half of which were in Florida

The United States reported a record-high number of COVID-19 cases on Friday, nearly half of which were in Florida

The United States reported a record-high number of COVID-19 cases on Friday, nearly half of which were in Florida

The United States reported a record-high number of coronavirus cases on Friday as Florida recorded more than 150,000 cases in this week's data dump and the number of deaths surged 300 percent in a single day.

According to figures compiled by the widely-respected Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. reported 319,456 new COVID cases, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million.

The U.S. has reported a total of 37,613,490 COVID-19 cases and 627,843 deaths since the pandemic outbroke last spring

Nearly half of those cases were reported in Florida, which is seeing a 19.8 percent positivity rate among tested individuals. The state, which only releases COVID data once a week, reported 150,118 cases.

The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday. Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths.

The U.S. reported 319,456 new COVID cases on Friday, raising the overall count of nationwide cases to more than 37.7 million

The U.S. reported 2,677 new deaths on Friday, after reporting only 908 deaths on Thursday. Florida accounted for 346 of those deaths

Florida, which is widely considered the current pandemic epicenter, is seeing a larger portion of COVID deaths in its younger population. According to the SunSentinel, 36 percent of the state's deaths occurred in the under-65 population.

Officials say some of the deceased were as young as 20 and had no underlying conditions.

The middle-aged population, people ages 50 to 74, also makes up a large share of Florida's COVID-19 deaths.

'When the pandemic started, we had an indication of who was coming in  people larger in size, or with diabetes, or older than a certain age. We knew when they came in they might end up in ICU,' Jennifer Pacheco, assistant vice president of critical care at Boca Rotan Regional Hospital, told the newspaper.

Florida reported 150,118 new COVID cases on Friday, a positivity rate of 19.8 percent. The state only releases COVID data once a week

Florida also reported 346 deaths on Friday. 99 percent of the state's deaths are among unvaccinated individuals

'This time, we're not seeing that. We are seeing younger people, and we cannot predict who will come into the ICU and end up on ventilators. It's very concerning.'

However, the common theme amongst victims, is lack of vaccination. 99 percent of Florida's deaths are among unvaccinated individuals.

Only 47 percent of Floridians are fully vaccinated against COVID and about 57 percent of the state's eligible population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Children are now making up a larger portion of Florida's coronavirus cases but, as of August 12, the state has only reported 10 COVID deaths among people under age 16.

Louisiana and Mississippi, which are currently coronavirus hotspots, saw case increases on Friday of 5,922 and 5,048 respectively. Both states also reported rising deaths tolls, citing 67 and 54 COVID fatalities.

Louisiana and Mississippi, which are currently coronavirus hotspots, saw case increases on Friday of 5,922 and 5,048 respectively. Both states also reported rising deaths tolls, citing 67 and 54 COVID fatalities (Pictured: COVID testing in Mississippi on April 29, 2021)

Mississippi health leader Dr. Thomas Dobbs (pictured during a news briefing on Aug. 13, 2021) said the pandemic is the worst it has ever been in the state

Earlier this week Mississippi's top doctor said the pandemic is the worst it has ever been in the state.

'We're seeing higher and higher numbers of not just cases but hospitalizations, people in intensive care units, life support. And sadly, as we've seen, additional deaths are going to follow. Without a doubt we have surpassed our previous peaks by a substantial margin, and we expect to see that continue,' Dr. Thomas Dobbs said Wednesday, according to Yahoo News.

'We are clearly at the worst part of the pandemic that we've seen throughout, and it's continued to worsen.'

Mississippi's hospitals have run out of beds and the state has reported that thousands of children have tested positive for COVID after returning to the classroom.

The state has also ranked second nationwide for both the most cases and the most deaths per 100,000 people in the last seven days. Mississippi has also ranked third in hospitalizations.

Mississippi reported 5,048 new COVID cases on Friday, raising the state's total to more than 406,000 cases

Mississippi also reported 54 new fatalities on Friday, raising the overall death toll to 7,991

Dr. Paul Byers, the state epidemiologist, announced Tuesday that 20,000 students -- approximately 4.5 percent of the public school population -- had been placed in quarantine after more than 4,500 youths and nearly 1,000 educators had tested positive for the virus.

Byers also argued that 'rapid increase' in cases is 'putting a lot of the pressure' on the state's hospital networks. Earlier this week there were only six ICU beds available in the entire state and over 200 patients in emergency rooms waiting for beds.

The epidemiologist believes that hospitalizations and fatalities are going to continue to rise statewide.

'We're having so many cases that are occurring so quickly, and when you have a lot of cases, that's going to translate into a lot of hospitalizations and, unfortunately, a lot of deaths,' he said.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (pictured at the University of Louisiana Campus vaccination site on Aug. 19, 2021) said COVID cases are continuing to surge in schools, noting that 2,444 students tested positive for COVID between August 9 through 15

Similarly, in Louisiana, COVID cases are continuing to surge in schools, 4WWL reported.

While Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday that the state's COVID numbers 'decreased very slightly' in the last three days, hospitalizations and cases in educational settings remain high.

'We cannot keep our schools open or our kids safe without masks,' Edwards said during a Friday news briefing. 'There is a very significant burden in this population. Transmission is very high.'

He noted that 2,444 students tested positive for COVID between August 9 through 15, which is higher than any week in the first two months of the 20-21 school year or the 19-20 academic year.

Louisiana reported 5,922 new COVID cases on Friday, raising the state's total to 649,915. The state also reported 67 deaths and 2,999 hospitalizations

23,000 'close contacts' have missed school due to coronavirus exposure.

Additionally, about 1,668 or 28 percent of Louisiana's newly reported cases on Friday were children.

Louisiana has seen a decreases in COVID hospitalizations, dropping from the state's 3,022 hospitalization peak to a total of 2,999 reported Friday.

However, officials say this number is still too high.

'We still have far too many people in the hospital in Louisiana, but this is a tiny piece of hopeful news,' the governor's office said. This is the first time in five days the state's hospitalizations were below 3,000.

91 percent of Louisiana's hospitalized patients have not been vaccinated.

Dr. Anthony Fauci and the White House have acknowledged the nation's rising case count, attributing it the Delta variant

Dr. Anthony Fauci and the White House have acknowledged the nation's rising case count, attributing it the Delta variant.

'The threat of COVID-19 and its variants, including the highly transmissible Delta variant, remains real,' Fauci said Friday.

'But we are prepared and have the tools needed to keep our communities safe. This is no time to let our guard down. Together, with science and facts, we can do this.'

Officials continue to encourage Americans to get the coronavirus vaccine and take precautions, such as mask wearing and social distancing, in an effort to prevent further spread.

1.024 million Americans were vaccinated against COVID-19 on Friday, with Georgia reporting the highest vaccination numbers at 120,750,000 people.

169.6 million people or 52 percent of the U.S. population are fully vaccinated against the virus.

The ten states with the lowest vaccination rates are Alabama, Mississippi, Wyoming, Idaho, Louisiana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and North Dakota.

1.024 million Americans were vaccinated against COVID-19 on Friday, with Georgia reporting the highest vaccination numbers at 120,750,000 people. 169.6 million people or 52 percent of the U.S. population are fully vaccinated against the virus
Australian state and territory leaders are racing to hit Covid-19 inoculation targets as federal Labor calls for an eventual 'reasonable debate' on vaccine passes.

National cabinet has agreed to set second dose thresholds of 70 and 80 per cent to significantly reduce the prospect of lockdowns.

More than 1.7 million doses were administered in the past week with a record 310,524 jabs delivered nationwide on Friday.

Australia has fully vaccinated 29.6 per cent of people over 16, while 51.8 per cent have received a first dose.

NSW meanwhile recorded 825 locally-acquired cases on Saturday, the highest ever daily increase of any state during the pandemic, along with three deaths.

When asked how anyone living under lockdown could have any hope, seeing those figures, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said people should focus on vaccination numbers.

NSW has now administered a first dose to 57.56 per cent of eligible people and a second dose to 30.81 per cent.

'While case numbers are going up, the more important figure going up is the vaccination rate,' the premier told reporters.

'The vaccination rate is where we can look forward to living life freely.'

The outbreak in Victoria is also spiralling with 61 new cases recorded on Saturday and the state's regional areas joining Greater Melbourne in lockdown from 1pm.

Almost 50.43 per cent of eligible Victorians have now had one dose and 29.37 per cent have had two doses of vaccine.

'Our long-term strategy to be open, to be growing, to be employing, to be in a very different world, is for 80 per cent of people to be through that vaccination program,' Premier Daniel Andrews said.

High vaccination numbers across Australia are key to lockdowns ending across the nation (pictured, a woman getting a Pfizer jab in Sydney)

'You can act on that right now, right now.'

The ACT recorded eight new locally-acquired cases on Saturday with the outbreak in the territory hitting 102 cases.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said with vaccination clinics booked out until October, a new mass vaccination hub will open at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Queensland recorded no new locally-acquired virus cases but the government remains restless over the NSW outbreak. Only exempt essential workers who've had at least one dose of a vaccine are allowed to cross the border.

As it stands, Australia has fully vaccinated 29.6 per cent of people over 16, while 51.8 per cent have received a first dose (pictured, a woman getting her jab in a drive through centre in Melbourne)

Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young urged people to get the jab with 45.88 per cent of eligible people having had one dose and 27.4 per cent having two.

She said once the 80 per cent target is hit, her state would 'probably' reopen to NSW and the rest of Australia regardless of any outbreaks.

She said at that point the state will no longer pursue COVID-19 eradication either.

'Once we open up we won't have zero cases, of course we won't, we'll have a disease that we can manage,' Dr Young said.

In encouraging news, more than 1.7 million doses were administered in the past week with a record 310,524 jabs delivered nationwide on Friday (pictured, a man getting vaccinated in Sydney's west)

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian addresses reporters during a press conference in Sydney on Saturday

Federal Employment Minister Stuart Robert praised the pace of the vaccine rollout.

'In the last three days over 900,000 vaccinations have occurred ... 900,000,' he told reporters.

'It is equivalent to 215 per minute, It is an extraordinary rate of achievement being built.'

Mr Robert said the Commonwealth was sharing individual's vaccination data with states and territories but he didn't indicate there was any federal plan for a vaccine pass system.

'Whether that vaccination certification data is used will depend of course on state and territory public health orders and that's a matter for those states and territories,' he added.

Labor's health spokesman Mark Butler said when the 70 per cent target is hit there should be a 'reasonable debate' about vaccine passes.

He said Qantas and some arts festivals have already flagged that proof of vaccination will be required for staff and patrons, respectively.

'So there does need to be that debate in Australia as there has been in countries overseas,' he said.

'But we still only have about 20 per cent of the Australian population fully vaccinated.'
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Thousands of protestors have descended on central London today to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis.

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation.

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest.

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars.

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists.

Scroll down for video.

Thousands of protestors have today descended on central London to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group.

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares.

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued.

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned.

Protesters wielded numerous banners, one of which read 'We Want Peace'. Another said: 'Stop killing Afghans'

Members of the public gather in Parliament Square in show of solidarity with Afghanistan

Pictured near Downing Street, the protesters called for an end to the bloodshed in Afghanistan as evacuations continued from Kabul airport

A woman waves an Afghan flag from a car window as protestors march in solidarity with the people of Afganistan

As they marched through Central London, another protesters held a poster which simply read: 'Afghanistan is bleeding'

Some of those who gathered also wielded coloured smoke grenades which let off plumes of red and green into the air

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned

Protesters are seen marching through London today amid the evacuation crisis in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover

Several protesters wore bandanas on their heads which were in the colours of the Afghan flag. Behind, a bus is seen amid the throng of people

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators.

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position.

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban's seizure of Kabul.

The Foreign Office had insisted he did not speak to the Afghan foreign minister last Friday  despite advice from senior officials  because he was 'engaged on a range of other calls'.

But it is understood he just spoke to British officials and fellow ministers in the week before the Taliban took Kabul.

Mr Raab, who was staying at a luxury beach resort in Crete, only started making calls to his foreign counterparts on the Sunday afternoon once the insurgents had entered the Afghan capital. The Foreign Office last night declined to comment.

This woman was seen wiping away tears in London today as she joined those who were protesting at the Government's response to the crisis in Afghanistan

Afghanistan protest march passes down Whitehall asking for an end to the 'proxy war', support for women who are stuck there and against the rule by the Taliban

One man was seen being carried on another's shoulders as he carried the Afghan flag in Central London this afternoon

The men and women wound their way down Oxford Street and also carried out a rally outside the gates of Downing Street

One banner being held aloft by the protesters warned that the situation in Afghanistan could lead to 'world wars'

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country.

But he failed to do this and the call was delegated to the on-duty minister Lord Goldsmith. The Daily Mail then revealed yesterday that the call in fact never actually took place.

Mr Raab said yesterday that ministers had been 'working tirelessly' over the past week to evacuate British nationals and Afghans.

In his first full statement on the affair, he confirmed he had been advised to contact Mr Atmar last Friday but said the 'call was delegated to a minister of state because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport'.

'In any event, the Afghan foreign minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation,' he added.

But last night the Foreign Secretary faced fresh criticism for failing to apologise or include any hint of contrition in his statement.

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban 's seizure of Kabul

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country

A protestor has her face painted in show of solidarity with Afghanistan

Protesters display a giant Afghan flag as they demonstrate in solidarity with the people of Afganistan in Parliament Square

Protest march for Afghanistan in London, 'Stop Killing Afghans'

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'There is no defence for Dominic Raab's shameful negligence and his failure to act may have cost lives. It is unbelievable that even now the Foreign Secretary is wasting time making excuses when a catastrophe is still unfolding in front of our eyes.'

Earlier, Lord Robertson, who was Nato secretary general on 9/11, accused Mr Raab of 'a dereliction of duty of major consequence'. Asked if the Foreign Secretary's statement had satisfactorily answered questions about his actions, the former defence secretary replied: 'No, it doesn't at all.'

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'Foreign ministers only talk to foreign ministers  they don't talk to junior ministers.

'So he should have been talking to the foreign minister of Afghanistan much earlier than last Friday anyway.

'Common sense would have suggested that the Foreign Secretary should have been trying to sort out the exit of our vulnerable people before that.'

The former Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw said he would never delegate a call with his Afghan counterpart to another minister and he was 'surprised' that Mr Raab did so.

But the Prime Minister last night dismissed calls to sack his Foreign Secretary. Asked if he had full confidence in Mr Raab, Mr Johnson said: 'Absolutely.'

Asked if people had been left in Afghanistan as a result of Mr Raab not making the phone call, he said: 'No, I don't think that's the case.'


The minister for Afghanistan Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon was on a staycation when Kabul fell, reports say.

The Tory life peer was reportedly away from his desk when the Taliban marched into the capital and seized power on Sunday.

Lord Ahmad, whose full title is Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth, was believed to have been on leave until that day.

It comes as Dominic Raab is under renewed pressure after new claims accused him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation.

The Foreign Secretary has faced calls to resign over his handling of the Afghanistan crisis due to him remaining on a luxury holiday in Crete until early Monday morning.

The Tory life peer was reportedly away from his desk when the Taliban marched into the capital and seized power on Sunday

It comes as Dominic Raab (pictured yesterday) is under renewed pressure after new claims accused him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation

Sky News reported the latest upset in the Conservative Party, with Lord Ahmad yet to comment on the claims.

He is said to have been on staycation in Britain until Monday but remained in contact with his staff and worked on cases people stuck in the Middle East nation.

A FCDO spokesman said: 'Lord Ahmad has been working closely with the foreign secretary and the FCDO team throughout the response to events in Afghanistan, including engaging with international partners.'

The politician and former businessman has been speaking frequently with Afghan foreign minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar in the last year.

He has also engaged in peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government in Doha, Qatar.

Lord Ahmad is said to have been on staycation in Britain until Monday but remained in contact with his staff and worked on cases people stuck in the Middle East nation

Despite this he was not believed to have been asked to make the call to Mr Atmar last Friday - during Mr Raab's absence - with it being delegated to Lord Goldsmith.

But it later emerged the Minister for Pacific and the Environment did not make the call either - with it never taking place.

After returning from his trip, Lord Ahmad made an impassioned speech in the House of Lords on the Afghanistan question.

Concluding a debate on Thursday, he said: 'I speak as a Muslim, we've had debates and discussions on Islam and its role, and I say to the Taliban quite directly from the outset - the chapters of the holy Quran, with the exception of one, start with the words 'In the name of God, the most merciful, the most beneficent'.

'Are you going to be merciful and beneficent towards your citizens? That's how we should hold the Taliban to account.

'I assure you, my Lords, in all my engagements and discussions that we will have with international partners that will be at the heart and soul of the engagement that we need to have with this organisation that seeks to represent a faith I follow, but its interpretation is so far from the nobility of any faith or any sense of humanity that we should be unified in our response to this particular group.'

Lord Ahmad also confirmed work had been ongoing during the debate to assist the Chevening scholars in Afghanistan.

He said: 'I am delighted to confirm our ambassador is in touch directly with the scholars and we are in the process of arranging the travel of those particular scholars to the United Kingdom.'

Meanwhile Boris Johnson backed Mr Raab on Friday, but that was before the Daily Mail found Mr Raab did not pick up the phone to other foreign ministers until Sunday, the day the Afghan capital fell to insurgents, as he was on holiday.

Dominic Raab's job was hanging by a thread as it emerged the crucial phone call that was delegated to a junior minister never took place. Pictured left, a photo of Mr Raab at his desk on Thursday night and right in Whitehall yesterday

Witnesses saw the Cabinet minister swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on Crete.

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister.

The decision resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

The Foreign Secretary returned to the UK on Monday to begin dealing with the unfolding debacle in person.

Asked about the latest allegations, the Foreign Office highlighted Mr Raab's statement issued on Friday - comments made before the claims emerged.

Mr Raab earlier this week insisted he had been 'talking to foreign counterparts' while out of the country, as well as taking part in emergency Government Cobra meetings remotely and dealing with his team in London on an 'hour-by-hour basis'.

Attempts to repatriate UK nationals and Afghans who supported efforts in the country are continuing as the situation at Kabul airport appeared to worsen.

The US embassy in Afghanistan is recommending US citizens avoid travelling to the airfield 'because of potential security threats outside the gates'.

There are reports of violent scenes and overcrowding at the main entrance and at Taliban checkpoints.

Sky News said it had spoken to British troops at the airport who had served in Afghanistan previously, and who said the queues, crushing and desperation of people to get out of the country were the worst scenes they had witnessed during their service.

Time is running out to repatriate people to the UK ahead of US President Joe Biden's August 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining US troops.

On Friday he did not commit to extending it, in a move that is likely to mean British troops must return home at the same time, as the airport cannot be held without US enforcement.

Reports have suggested the last evacuation flight could be as soon as Tuesday, in order to give British troops enough time to leave safely.

The Prime Minister said 1,000 people had been brought to the UK on both Thursday and Friday, with most of them UK nationals or those who had assisted British efforts in Afghanistan.

Despite claims the situation in the country is improving, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said he cannot get to Kabul airport without putting his life at risk.

Paul Farthing, known as 'Pen', has been trying to get all of his 25 staff from animal welfare charity Nowzad, their families and more than 100 dogs and cats out of the country as the Taliban complete their takeover.

As the chaos at Kabul airport shows no sign of letting up, Mr Farthing said he feels 'completely numb at the incompetence' of the Government's efforts so far.

Dominic Dyer, who has been campaigning for Mr Farthing, told the PA news agency, however, that progress had been made in acquiring visas for all 68 people in his entourage, but said the 'main obstacle' is still 'getting through the airport' where thousands of people are scrambling to escape.

Meanwhile, a head teacher in Nottingham said two of her pupils are expected home from Afghanistan in the 'next couple of days' after a terrifying ordeal.

According to the Nottingham Post, Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle, but became trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma attend, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'They are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.'

With difficult scenes still unfolding, a former chairman of Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee has called for its current membership to investigate whether an 'intelligence failure' led to the chaotic withdrawal of allied forces.

Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative MP and attorney general, told Sky News: 'I think if they had known this was going to happen, would the US withdrawal have proceeded in the way it did?

'It must be an intelligence failure that one should end up with thousands of people crowding into an airport seeking to leave a country when it has been triggered by military decisions by the United States as to how it was going to conduct its withdrawal.'

Thousands of protesters take over Downing Street, Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they demonstrate the UK government's handling of Afghanistan crisis

Protesters were outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Street and Hyde Park and hit out at government

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners

The Taliban launched the final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled

Thousands of protestors have today descended on central London to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis.

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation.

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest.

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars.

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists.

Thousands of protestors have today descended on central London to demonstrate against Britain's response to the Afghanistan crisis

Marchers rallied outside Downing Street and took over Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as they criticised the government's handling of the Taliban seizing the Middle East nation

Men and women let off green and red flares in the street, waved the country's flag and held up huge banners during the protest

The Taliban launched their final assault on Kabul on Sunday and seized power after President Ashraf Ghani fled to Dubai, reportedly with a wad of cash and luxury cars

The West's immediate response has been widely criticised as it evacuates citizens but largely leaves Afghans in the hands of the brutal Islamists

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group.

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares.

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued.

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned.

Protesters today braved the rain as they took to central London to call for Britain to do more to help stranded civilians and stand up to the terror group

They walked down the road in a blur of red and green - two of the colours in the Afghanistan flag - after setting off flares

One banner said: 'Stop oppression of Afghan women.' Another read: 'Talib has not changed.' While one more added: 'We want peace.' The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment

Nato countries have been flying their citizens out of Afghanistan this week and it is believed 12,000 have so far been rescued

But there have been raised eyebrows about the approach to Afghan civilians, with the criteria to get on an evacuation plane being widely questioned

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators.

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position.

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban's seizure of Kabul.

The Foreign Office had insisted he did not speak to the Afghan foreign minister last Friday  despite advice from senior officials  because he was 'engaged on a range of other calls'.

But it is understood he just spoke to British officials and fellow ministers in the week before the Taliban took Kabul.

Mr Raab, who was staying at a luxury beach resort in Crete, only started making calls to his foreign counterparts on the Sunday afternoon once the insurgents had entered the Afghan capital. The Foreign Office last night declined to comment.

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country.

But he failed to do this and the call was delegated to the on-duty minister Lord Goldsmith. The Daily Mail then revealed yesterday that the call in fact never actually took place.

Mr Raab said yesterday that ministers had been 'working tirelessly' over the past week to evacuate British nationals and Afghans.

In his first full statement on the affair, he confirmed he had been advised to contact Mr Atmar last Friday but said the 'call was delegated to a minister of state because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport'.

'In any event, the Afghan foreign minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation,' he added.

But last night the Foreign Secretary faced fresh criticism for failing to apologise or include any hint of contrition in his statement.

Dominic Raab last night refused to apologise for failing to make a crucial phone call while he was on holiday to seek help for Afghan translators

Boris Johnson insisted yesterday he 'absolutely' had full confidence in the Foreign Secretary as the Government mounted a frantic operation to shore up his precarious position

But in an another damaging development last night, it emerged that Mr Raab did not call any of his foreign counterparts in the days leading up to the Taliban 's seizure of Kabul

The Mail revealed on Thursday that Mr Raab had been advised by senior officials to call Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar to help get Afghan translators out of the country

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'There is no defence for Dominic Raab's shameful negligence and his failure to act may have cost lives. It is unbelievable that even now the Foreign Secretary is wasting time making excuses when a catastrophe is still unfolding in front of our eyes.'

Earlier, Lord Robertson, who was Nato secretary general on 9/11, accused Mr Raab of 'a dereliction of duty of major consequence'. Asked if the Foreign Secretary's statement had satisfactorily answered questions about his actions, the former defence secretary replied: 'No, it doesn't at all.'

He told BBC Radio 4's World At One: 'Foreign ministers only talk to foreign ministers  they don't talk to junior ministers.

'So he should have been talking to the foreign minister of Afghanistan much earlier than last Friday anyway.

'Common sense would have suggested that the Foreign Secretary should have been trying to sort out the exit of our vulnerable people before that.'

The former Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw said he would never delegate a call with his Afghan counterpart to another minister and he was 'surprised' that Mr Raab did so.

But the Prime Minister last night dismissed calls to sack his Foreign Secretary. Asked if he had full confidence in Mr Raab, Mr Johnson said: 'Absolutely.'

Asked if people had been left in Afghanistan as a result of Mr Raab not making the phone call, he said: 'No, I don't think that's the case.'
Asylum seekers were previously removed from the hotel where a five-year-old Afghan refugee fell to his death from a window because it was unfit for refugees to stay in, it has been claimed.

Mohammed Munib Majeedi fell from the window of the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel in Blonk Street at around 2.30pm on Wednesday.

The youngster, who is understood to have arrived in the UK with his family this summer, fell on to a car park behind the hotel.

Labour MPs in the city demanded a 'full, urgent, independent inquiry' after asylum seekers were previously moved out of the accommodation.

Asylum seekers were previously removed from the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel (pictured) where a five-year-old Afghan refugee fell to his death from a window because it was unfit for refugees to stay in, it has been claimed

Labour shadow frontbencher Louise Haigh, who is also MP for Sheffield Heeley, said: 'The Home Office has a duty of care when placing asylum seekers of any description, but especially under their resettlement scheme, here in the UK, and clearly that duty of care has been at the very least undermined, if not breached.'

Ms Haigh and fellow Sheffield MPs Clive Betts (Sheffield South East), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central), and Gill Furniss (Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel. They are calling for a 'full, urgent, independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to Mohammed's death, but also into the placement of vulnerable refugees in this accommodation'.

She told the PA news agency: 'We know that the Home Office placed some refugees there last August, in 2020, and then moved them following concerns about the suitability of that accommodation.

'So why vulnerable families from Afghanistan, involving children, were placed in this accommodation again this year is a very serious question that they have to urgently answer.'

Mohammed Munib Majeedi (pictured) fell from the window of the Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel in Blonk Street at around 2.30pm on Wednesday

It is understood previous concerns had been surrounding fire safety.

Sheffield City Council confirmed that the Home Office had ceased use of the hotel in November.

The Home Office did not deny the claims when approached for comment but said: 'We are extremely saddened by the tragic death of a child at a hotel in Sheffield. The police are providing support to the family while the investigation continues and we are providing accommodation and support.

'We are absolutely committed to ensuring that Afghan refugees are appropriately accommodated and supported and we are working hard with local authorities to deliver this.'

Ms Haigh said the fact that all remaining families had been removed from the hotel 'demonstrates that they know that is unsafe and unsuitable'.

Labour shadow frontbencher Louise Haigh (pictured), who is also MP for Sheffield Heeley, said: 'The Home Office has a duty of care when placing asylum seekers of any description, but especially under their resettlement scheme, here in the UK, and clearly that duty of care has been at the very least undermined, if not breached'

And she added: 'It's just absolutely appalling that the family had fled unimaginable horror in Afghanistan, to come to this country seeking safe haven, find themselves placed in unsuitable accommodation, and now have to face this tragedy of equally unimaginable proportions.'

The Refugee Council has also called for a review of the accommodation offered to those fleeing the Taliban following the tragedy.

A spokesman for the Afghan Community Association in Sheffield said: 'Whether it was a mistake or something, I don't know, but what happened is not acceptable at all.'

Liberal Democrat peer and former leader of Sheffield City Council, Lord Scriven, said officials needed to 'take a long look at themselves' over what had gone wrong.

He told PA: 'These refugees are fleeing from some of the most horrendous and traumatic experiences one could ever begin to imagine. So why on earth the Home Office thinks it is acceptable to put them into a hotel that they've already withdrawn previous vulnerable people from, is jaw-dropping.

Ms Haigh and fellow Sheffield MPs Clive Betts (Sheffield South East), Olivia Blake (Sheffield Hallam), Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central), and Gill Furniss (Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured)

'The council should not have stayed quiet about this, but should have made it very clear on our soil, in Sheffield, as the first city of sanctuary, this wasn't good enough.

'Senior officials and the Home Secretary need to take a long look at themselves in the mirror tonight and question their conscience as to why they feel it was acceptable.'

Witnesses said the boy's father had worked in the British Embassy in Kabul.

He said the family came to the UK three or four weeks ago, landing at Birmingham Airport, then staying in Manchester during quarantine for Covid.

The family, including the parents and three boys and two girls, then moved to the hotel in Sheffield in the last week.

South Yorkshire Police arrested a 42-year-old woman in Sheffield on Friday on suspicion of malicious communications and racially aggravated public order offences.

Emergency services were called to the OYO Sheffield Metropolitan Hotel on Blonk Street in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, at around 2.30pm Wednesday (scene pictured above)

The force said the arrest relates to comments made online following the death of a five-year-old boy in the city.

It said the woman remains in police custody while enquiries continue.

Acting Detective Inspector Lee Corker said: 'I would like to remind people that comments made online can have serious consequences.

'Hate speech or hate crimes will not be tolerated in person or online, and will be dealt with robustly by officers.

'Our social media channels are monitored, and whilst we encourage discussion, offensive comments may be investigated. Please consider the impact your words may have before you post.'
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Tropical Storm Henri is set to hit New York state as a Category 1 hurricane sustained wind speeds of up to 80pmh and gusts of up to 100mph as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declares a State of Emergency.

In a briefing on Saturday afternoon, Cuomo warned that Hurricane Henri is 'as serious as a heart attack' and New York residents in parts of Long Island, particularly Fire Island, need to prepare to evacuate to higher ground as soon as possible.

'We have short notice. We're talking about tomorrow. If you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground it has to be today,' Cuomo said.

He added that the storm is predicted to be as dangerous as Superstorm Sandy in 2012, 'so, this is as serious as a heart attack'.

The State of Emergency is in place for Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region.

Cuomo said Henri is forecasted to make landfall 7am on Sunday with the eye of the storm passing over Long Island by 11am. The storm is expected to batter the state for 26 hours before it subsides around 2pm on Monday.

He added that there will be delays or cancellations to flights, and that passengers should check with their airlines to see if their travel plans were still on track. In Long Island, most train services will be suspended from midnight and the MTA is considering shutting down the Harlem line.

At least 500 National Guard troops will be deployed today, and the State Police will have 1,000 staff on duty.

In a briefing on Saturday afternoon, Ny Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned that Hurricane Henri is 'as serious as a heart attack' and declared a State of Emergency for Long Island, New York City, Westchester County, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region

A satellite image taken Saturday at 8am shows Hurricane Henri barreling towards New England where it is expected to make landfall on Sunday

Models from the Czech meteorological company VentuSky show Henri developing into a hurricane before it passes over western Long Island before hitting Manhattan

Forecasters predict the dangerous storm surge between three and six-feet could occur as early as late Saturday in portions of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, putting more than 40 million people under a weather warning.

The storm surge and tide could cause high water in coastal New England as Henri moves inland, while heavy rain and wind may also produce flooding.

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected and if it stays on this track, it will have eastern Long Island in its bullseye rather than New England, which hasn't taken a direct hit from a hurricane in 30 years.

In 1991 Hurricane Bob in 1991 - a Category 2 storm - killed at least 17 people.

Flooding is expected to begin in New York City late Saturday or early Sunday nine years after the Big Apple was battered by Hurricane Sandy.

Cuomo said Sandy was also a Category 1 hurricane when it hit the state in 2012 and 'this is projected to be that level of storm',

'We saw creeks turn into raging rivers,' the governor added.

Cuomo said in the briefing: 'Yes, New York tough. We'll stay in place. We'll beat the storm. New York tough also means New York smart. New York smart today means get out of harm's way.'

'I feel confident in saying to New Yorkers that they could not be in better hands in terms of an experienced team,' the governor said.

He added: 'Now, that doesn't mean that Mother Nature doesn't win. She wins. She won at Superstorm Sandy. She wins every time.'

Cuomo reminded New Yorkers that Superstorm Sandy was also a Category 1 hurricane when it struck the state in 2012. 'If you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground it has to be today,' Cuomo said in the briefing

Cuomo said in the briefing: 'Yes, New York tough. We'll stay in place. We'll beat the storm. New York tough also means New York smart. New York smart today means get out of harm's way'

Public transportation will be experiencing delays and cancellations throughout the weekend. Cuomo advised travelers to contact carriers and airlines in advance directly for current information

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted 'heavy rainfall may lead to considerable flash, urban and small stream flooding' as well as 'moderate river flooding' in parts of Long Island, New England, southeast New York and northern New Jersey.

'Swells from Henri will continue to affect much of the east coast of the US during the next day or two. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and tip currents,' the NOAA warned in an advisory they issued Saturday morning.

Henri is currently located 345miles south-southeast of North Carolina, and is expected to turn northwest late Friday, followed by an acceleration toward the north and north-northeast over the weekend.

Rainfall between three and six inches is expected Sunday through Monday and the hurricane's center storm surge could reach up to five feet from Flushing, New York, to Chatham, Massachusetts; and for parts of the North Shore and South Shore of Long Island.

A beach house on East Matunuck beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, has been boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Henri, which is expected to hit on Sunday

New Englanders are bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years

A long line formed at Fort Adams boat ramp in Newport, Rhode Island, as people rushed to get their boats out of the water

Regardless of its exact landfall the hurricane is expected impact large swaths of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut; Albany, New York; and eastward to Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists.

City beaches in New York, among others, have closed through Monday.

New York state park officials were building a wall of sand along the boardwalk at Jones Beach to protect it against surging tides, said George Gorman, the regional director for state parks on Long Island.

The wall was being built with equipment obtained in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which caused substantial damage to beaches that took months to reopen, he said.

Massachusetts Gov Charlie Baker urged people vacationing on the Cape to leave well before Henri hits. He told those who planned to start vacations there to delay their plans.

'We don't want people to be stuck in traffic on the Cape Cod bridges when the storm is in full force on Sunday,' he added.

Baker said up to 1,000 National Guard troops were on standby in Massachusetts to help with evacuations if needed.

More than 40million people are under hurricane threat

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that swells from the hurricane can cause 'life-threatening surf and rip currents'

Connecticut Gov Ned Lamont warned residents they should prepare to 'shelter in place' from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning as the state braces for the first possible direct hit from a hurricane in decades.

Models from the Czech meteorological company VentuSky show Henri developing into a Category 1 hurricane before it passes over western Long Island before hitting Manhattan and continuing into upstate New York.

The National Weather Service in New York updated storm surge watches and warnings for the local region at 11am on Saturday showing storm surge warnings for parts of the Bronx and Queens boroughs of New York City and other areas.

They did not say how big those surges could be, but earlier warnings for New England warned Cape Cod to brace for between three and five feet of water.

Winds have sped up to 75mph as Henri moved up the northeast at 14mph.

Regardless of its exact landfall the hurricane is expected impact large swaths of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut; Albany, New York; and eastward to Cape Cod

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected and if it stays on this track, it would have eastern Long Island in its bullseye rather than New England

According to the National Ocean Service, a storm surge is the abnormal rise in seawater level caused by a storm's winds pushing water onshore - and is measured as the height of the water above the normal predicted astronomical tide.

While all New York City beaches will be closed on Sunday and Monday, officials told the New York Post that a 'homecoming' concert at Central Park was still scheduled for Saturday as of late Friday evening.

A total of 60,000 people will cram into Central Park to watch acts including Jennifer Hudson, Barry Manilow and Bruce Springsteen.

Henri's track has been imprecise, leading New Englanders to brace for their first possible hurricane in 30 years earlier on Friday.

Weather agencies took to Twitter to warn people of flooding and extended power outages

Flooding is expected to begin in New York City late Saturday or early Sunday nine years after the Big Apple was battered by Hurricane Sandy

Huge clouds were seen over Manhattan on Friday as the Tropical Storm Henri expected to arrive in New York City

Residents in New England were seen hauling boats out of the water and taking other precautions earlier on Friday as Tropical Storm Henri barreled toward them before appearing to change course.

'This storm is extremely worrisome,' said Michael Finkelstein, police chief and emergency management director in East Lyme, Connecticut.

'We haven't been down this road in quite a while and there's no doubt that we and the rest of New England would have some real difficulties with a direct hit from a hurricane.'

Finkelstein said he's most concerned about low-lying areas of town that could become impossible to access because of flooding and a storm surge.

Emergency personnel rescue residents from flood waters brought on by Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, New Jersey in 2012

Homes in Fenwick Island, Delaware are surrounded by floodwaters from Hurricane Sandy

Dozens of destroyed homes and vehicles after a fire caused by Hurricane Sandy in New York City in 2012

Thursday marked exactly 30 years since Hurricane Bob came ashore in Rhode Island as a Category 2 storm, killing at least 17 people and leaving behind more than $1.5 billion worth of damage.

Bob, which left streets in coastal towns littered with boats blown free of their moorings, knocked out power and water to hundreds of thousands for days.

New York hasn't had a direct hit from a major hurricane season storm since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012.

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Island's east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding thats likely to turn streets, like mansion-lined Dune Road on the Atlantic coast, into lagoons.

Ryan Murphy, the emergency management administrator for the Town of Southampton, said that while the storm's track continues to evolve, 'we have to plan as if it's going to be like a Category 1 hurricane that would be hitting us.'

The Coast Guard has urged boaters along the East Coast to stay off the water, saying in a statement: 'The Coast Guard's search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen. This means help could be delayed.'

The White House said President Joe Biden was briefed on the storm's track.

Henri's track has been imprecise, leading New Englanders to brace for their first possible hurricane in 30 years earlier on Friday

Ace hardware owner Kevin Simoneau shows photos of damage caused by Hurricane Bob over 30 years ago to customer Cheryl Fisher as she shops in preparation for Henri
The police and FBI have lifted their search on Floyd Ray Roseberry's (pictured) house and property

Cops and the FBI finished searching the home of the Trump-supporting accused Capitol bomber Floyd Ray Roseberry late Friday night  and Saturday morning a woman resembling his wife was in the yard clearing up.

Police and federal investigators brought in a bomb disposal truck and spent two days at the isolated house and six acres of land surrounding it.

Saturday morning, a woman closely resembling Roseberrys wife or partner, Janay Yarbrough, was outside as Dailymail.com arrived.

Standing beside a boat and with a large dog barking furiously in a cage, she claimed she was just a friend helping out the family. However, when asked if she was OK, she grew tearful.

Roseberry, 49, appeared before a federal magistrate judge in Washington on Friday, and was charged with threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to use an explosive device.

Roseberry drove his black pick-up onto a sidewalk outside the Library of Congress Thursday, claimed it contained a bomb made with Tannerite and demanded to speak to President Joe Biden.

The FBI spent two days searching Roseberry's property and brought in a bomb disposal truck

A woman resembling his wife or partner Janay Yarbrough was seen standing near this boat Saturday as she cleaned up the yard

Roseberry, 49, livestreamed himself during a rant directed at the president on Facebook, in footage now taken down from the site. He surrendered after a five-hour stand-off that paralyzed the area.

The withdrawal of investigators from his property in rural Grover, North Carolina, comes after Dailymail.com exclusively revealed the accuseds feud with locals, who have complained about him setting off explosives.

Landowner Wayne Davis, whose spread borders Roseberrys much smaller acreage, said he was terrified for his safety after falling out with him. He claimed Roseberry would set off up to 400 rounds of ammunition when he was around to intimidate him.

The police also searched the six acres attached to the house, where landowner and neighbor Wayne Davis said Roseberry would shoot off up to 400 rounds of Tannerite or dynamite whenever Davis was nearby

Davis, 66, said, 'I would be hunting deer with friends on my land and suddenly he would be on his, next to us, and he would shoot three of four hundred rounds of ammo.

'Then he started shooting off either Tannerite or dynamite. It would just make your hair fly back when it went off.

'I was afraid of him. Because when we were hunting, he was just shooting like crazy on his land. You didn't know where the bullets would be going. You just didn't know.

'I would make sure I had a lot of cover between me and where he was shooting from.

'He's been doing all that shooting and blowing up stuff for like two years. Officers have talked to him in the past about it. But he told them he was trying to scare the coyotes so they wouldn't kill his goats.'

Roseberry drove his pickup truck onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress on Thursday. He went on Facebook live and demanded to speak to President Joe Biden and claimed he had a Tannerite bomb

Tannerite is a bomb material, which Roseberry claimed he had in his truck. Washington cops said they did not find a bomb following the five-hour standoff  but did find possible bomb-making materials.

Davis added: 'I told the police he was supposed to be getting the Tannerite explosive from some guy that worked at Reliance Electric, a plant near here. They just shut.'

The landowner said their feud began several years ago. 'I tried to be friends with him, but he's hard to be friends with.'

Roseberry eventually gave in after a five-hour standoff with police on Thursday

'I have 82 acres and I leased him some land. He said he wanted it for deer hunting, but then said he was starting a deer preserve, where nobody could shoot deer. And that didn't suit me, so I quit renting it to him. And that's when he got real hateful to me.

'He expressed his dislike of me taking the land away from him. He didn't like me after that, at all.

'I was afraid of that guy. I thought he would physically harm me. And I knew he was nuts. I could tell he wasn't right.'

Davis said his mother had owned Roseberry's house and he sold it to the accused 'bomber' nine years ago after she died. He said Roseberry bought it with Janay, his wife according to some reports.

'He and Janay supposedly got married at some point, but I don't know if they did or not,' said Davis.

'When the police piled around his house after he posted that video from Washington, I thought, man he must have robbed them banks in Gastonia. When I found out later what really was going on, I was stunned, despite what had already happened between us.'

The landowner refused to have his photo taken because of the feud.

The owner of a diner where Roseberry used to have breakfast most days said she was shocked when she realized one of her customers created terror in the nation's capital.

Tiffany Waldron, 44, who runs the Carolina Crossing Restaurant in Grover, said: 'The guy was usually so quiet. He'd just come in on his own for his usual cooked breakfast, ham, eggs, that kind of thing.

'I really cannot believe it. I would never have suspected there was something going on with him. No clue at all.'

Roseberry told a federal judge Friday he has not taken his 'mind medication' and was ordered to undergo a mental competency hearing.

If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison.

A law enforcement official in North Carolina recognized Roseberry and contacted the FBI to tell agents that a family member reported the accused recently 'expressed anti-government views and an intent to travel to Virginia or Washington, D.C., to conduct acts of violence,' according to court papers.

The official said Roseberry also told family he ordered a trench coat 'to protect him from Taser and pepper ball guns and he would just tip his cowboy hat at the police.

During the standoff, Roseberry communicated with police using a small dry-erase board that he held against the drivers side window of the truck. 'Please dont shoot the windows the vibe will explode the bomb,' one read, according to court papers.

In Fridays hearing, he told the judge he couldn't fully understand what was happening because he had been denied medication while he was in custody. Roseberry told the judge he had gone to school until the eighth grade and then later earned a GED.

He said he had not received medication for his blood pressure and his 'mind medicine.' Roseberry said he had 'been denied it for the last week Ive been here,' but later said it had been two days.

He was in police custody for about 24 hours before he appeared in court.

Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui ordered a competency hearing and Roseberry detained without bond. He is due back in court Wednesday.

During his rant Thursday, Roseberry said: Its time to take a stand. Im an American patriot. Im here to take a stand.

We got a few options here, Joe. You shoot me, this two and a half blocks is going with it. Youre talking about a revolution? The revolution is on. Its here. Its today.

So if you blow my truck up, man, its on you, Joe. Im ready to die for the cause.
President Joe Biden has met with his national security team to discuss the chaotic situation in Afghanistan after cancelling his weekend trip home to Delaware.

Biden spoke with his team at the White House Situation Room about the ongoing evacuation efforts, counterterrorism operations, and intensive diplomatic efforts to finalize agreements with a third-party country transit hub to help American, who were warned on Saturday not to travel to Kabul airport.

Biden discussed the matters with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines.

Vice President Kamala Harris joined the meeting by video teleconference during her trip to Singapore.

The president met with his team Saturday morning to discuss the situation in Afghanistan

The White House did not indicate whether the president planned to travel on Sunday. The trip would have been his 19th to his home state since taking office.

The Taliban takeover of Afghans last Sunday has consumed his administration, which was caught off-guard by the development and is scrambling to evacuate thousands of Americans, Afghans who assisted the U.S. during the war, and others.

'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden had pledged.

On Saturday, The U.S. Embassy issued a warning to all American in Afghanistan not to go to Kabul airport - the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home.

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home

Afghans continued to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport on Saturday despite no signs that international flights will take off outside of Kabul

The trip planned for Saturday would have been Biden's 19th trip to Delaware since taking office. Biden, pictured above on Friday, addressed the situation in Afghanistan on TV

'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says.

The warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

Biden said he planned to 'mobilize every force necessary' to get Americans and their allies outside of Afghanistan despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'.

It is estimated that as many as 15,000 U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan.

David Marshall Fox, an American who moved to Afghanistan in 2013, has been trying to get out of Afghanistan with his three-year-old son.

In an interview with ABC News, he said the U.S. Marines sent warning shots in the air and threw flashbang grenades to get the crowd to back up.

'I was yelling, "Americans. Americans here,"' Fox said while gesturing with his arm that he was pointing at himself and his son. 'I made eye contact with (a Marine), and he just says, "Get back. Get back now." And the Marines are firing warning shots in the air and throwing flashbangs.

'And every time the Marines fired a volley of warning shots, the whole crowd would just surge back, and I was holding this little boy and trying to keep my balance.

During Friday's speech, Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home

Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan are waiting to see if Biden will deliver on his promise with the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline fast approaching

US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20

But the August 31 troop withdrawal deadline is fast approaching, and the president hasn't committed to extending the deadline, despite the UK urging Biden to delay the withdrawal to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals.

NATO has begged the Biden administration to keep a troop presence on the ground for as long as possible, the Pentagon said just minutes later that Al Qaeda is present in parts of Afghanistan and there are multiple reports insurgents are using checkpoints to block safe passage to the airport.

Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport.

Meanwhile, evacuation efforts can be described - at best - as chaotic. Some outgoing flights were far from full because of Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges.

Then a backlog at the transit facility in Qatar, which is one of the main countries welcoming refugees, stalled flights for hours on Friday.

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, provide assistance during an evacuation of Kabul airport

U.S. and Afghan citizens alike continue to travel to the airport in hopes of being evacuated

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden said on Friday.

During the Friday address, he was asked if he was also committed to get out the Afghans who supported the U.S. war effort, with thousands still stranded on the ground because of the drawn out visa process and the delay in getting them evacuated.

'Yes, we're making the same commitment. There's no one more important than bringing American citizens out, I acknowledge that, but they're equally important almost is all those [special immigrant visas], as we call them, who in fact helped us - they're translators, they went into battle for us, they were part of the operation,' Biden answered.

He also said the U.S. was trying to get out Afghans working at non-governmental organizations, women's organizations, and others.

While dismissing a question about Afghans falling from aircraft posed Wednesday by ABC News' George Stephanopoulos - the one sit-down he did with press all week - on Friday Biden finally addressed the visuals.

'The past week has been heartbreaking. We've seen gut-wrenching images of panicked people acting out of shear desperation,' he said. 'It's completely understandable, they're frightened, they're sad.'

'I don't think anyone, anyone of us can see these pictures and not see that pain on a human level,' he added.
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A group of Taliban fighters released a collection of propaganda footage, including a photo where they mocked the famed World War II picture of soldiers raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

In the original 1945 photograph, a group of six Marines are depicted hosting the flag on Mount Suribachi.

The Taliban's Badri 313 Battalion recreated the image this week.

In their version, a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag in a similar fashion while sporting U.S. weapons and gear that was likely stolen from allied militaries during patrols of Kabul.

A group of Taliban fighters recreated a fame U.S. WWII photo in a collection of propaganda footage they released this week. In their recreation (above), a group of soldiers is seen hoisting the Taliban flag while sporting U.S. weapons and gear

In the original 1945 photograph (above), a group of six Marines are depicted hosting the American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima

The Badri 313 is a special unit of Taliban fighters that dress like U.S. soldiers by wearing camouflage, combat boots and body armor. The soldiers drive armored Humvees and carries M4 carbines.

The Badri 313 was reportedly named after the Battle of Badr that is written about in the Qur'an, in which the Prophet Mohammed successfully defeated an enemy force with just 313 men - some 1,400 years ago.

The unit, previously unveiled by the Taliban in promotional material, are reportedly highly trained and equipped with state-of-the-art military equipment.

Where the unit acquired the equipment is unknown, but it appears to be a combination of U.S. military hardware and that use by Afghan forces, likely seized as Western and allied forces withdrew from the country.

In videos released by the group, the Badri 313 soldiers are seen with military helmets and sunglasses instead of the usual tuban, bullet proof vests over camouflage jackets and trousers instead of the typical robes, and armed with tactical rifles.

In addition, the unit appears to be armed with modern sidearms, wearing modern combat boots, and even have night vision goggles - making them difficult to distinguish from any other country's special combat units.

U.S. officials say the militant group has seized what remains of the approximately $28billion in weaponry that America gave the Afghan forces between 2002 and 2017.

'Everything that hasn't been destroyed is the Taliban's now,' one official told Reuters on the basis of anonymity.

Meet the new Taliban teams, American car, American weapons, American costume. pic.twitter.com/34rpGbMuQo  Asaad Hanna (@AsaadHannaa) August 21, 2021

Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Center for International Policy's Security Assistance Monitor, argues that the seizure of American weaponry is a propaganda move, noting that the group took advanced aircraft they are unable to operate due to lack of training.

'When an armed group gets their hands on American-made weaponry, it's sort of a status symbol. It's a psychological win,' Yousif told The Hill.

'Clearly, this is an indictment of the U.S. security cooperation enterprise broadly. It really should raise a lot of concerns about what is the wider enterprise that is going on every single day, whether that's in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia.'

When asked about the seizure on Tuesday, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said: 'We don't have a complete picture, obviously, of where every article of defense materials has gone, but certainly a fair amount of it has fallen into the hands of the Taliban.'

'And obviously, we don't have a sense that they are going to readily hand it over to us at the airport,' he added.

The Badri 313 (pictured above) is a special unit of Taliban fighters that dress like U.S. soldiers by wearing camouflage, combat boots and body armor

U.S. officials say the Badri have seized what remains of the approximately $28billion in weaponry that America gave the Afghan forces between 2002 and 2017

Analysts expect the Badri 313 to continue to grow in the next few months.

'This has only been recently revealed, is a militia, a special operations unit of the Taliban that is being deployed not just in Kabul but elsewhere as well that has provided a completely different picture. No more just the sons of farmers and shepherds, a ragtag bunch of religious terrorists, but a special operations group comparable, perhaps, with the best in the world,' said Shiv Aroor, senior editor and television anchor at India Today.

'With the Taliban now in power, there is every reason to believe the militia could grow in strength. Expect to see much more of the Badri 313 in the weeks and months ahead.'

According to a report from India Today, the Badri 313 prepares like any other special forces commando unit, employing tactical and attack training in undisclosed locations run by the Taliban.

When the Taliban first released images of the Badri 313, experts believed that they were sending a signal that the group now had modern military capabilities.

A member of the Pakistan Defence website told the news outlet that it showed the Taliban were no longer a bunch of farmers, but a professional paramilitary force, with one experts suggesting they were even better equipped that Pakistan's army.

Speaking to India Today, Indian Maj Gen GG Dwivedi said the 'Taliban are highly ideological outfit and they draw their motivation from religious fervour' adding that it is 'Not a surprise to see them equipped. This is a danger to the entire region.'

In videos and images released by the group, the Badri 313 soldiers are seen with military helmets and sunglasses instead of the usual tuban, bullet proof vests over camouflage jackets and trousers instead of the typical robes, and armed with tactical rifles

Pictured: Badri 313 soldiers undergo a training exercise in promotional images

Meanwhile, U.S. national security officials are working to account for the nearly two decades worth of weaponry provided to the Afghan military.

The Taliban has captured stockpiles of weaponry and vehicles that were previously controlled by Afghan forces.

Preliminary estimates suggest that, in addition to the Humvees, the Taliban posses mine-resistant vehicles, several Black Hawk helicopters and other US-funded military aircraft, a congressional source confirmed to CNN.

In addition to the M4 carbines and M16 rifles pictured in the propaganda footage, sources believe the Taliban may also have acquired twenty A-29 Tucano attack planes.

Pentagon officials have expressed concern about the seizure, but also say it is too soon to know what specific weapons and vehicles are now controlled by Taliban forces.

'When it comes to U.S.-provided equipment that is still in Afghanistan and may not be in the hands of ANSF [Afghan National Security Force], there are several options that we have at our disposal to try to deal with that problem set,' said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

'We don't, obviously, want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interest or the interest of the Afghan people, and increase violence and insecurity inside Afghanistan.'

The U.S. government says that, at this time, there is no plan to take any action to destroy the weapons being used by the Taliban. This will not likely change 'unless something poses a direct threat to American troops at the airport'.

Pictured: Badri fighters donning night vision goggles, suggesting the Taliban would now be better equipped to combat night raids, or even carry out their own

Pictured: Badri 313 soldiers with US-backed weaponry

The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home.

'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says.

  

             pic.twitter.com/dSSgnuAUbM  Qari Saeed Khosty (@SaeedKhosty) August 17, 2021

During a Saturday afternoon press conference, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby declined multiple times to discuss if the 'security threats' were from outside forces - such as Taliban attacks - or dangerous, chaotic conditions just outside the gates.

At least 12 people have been killed in and around the single runway airfield since Sunday, NATO and Taliban officials told Reuters, and crowds have grown at the airport gates.

U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, provide assistance during an evacuation of Kabul airport

US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul on August 20

The Taliban have urged those without travel documents to go home.

The Embassy's warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

The U.S. evacuated 17,000 people, including 2,500 Americans, from Kabul over the past week.

About 3,800 people were evacuated on Friday after six U.S. Air Force transport planes with about 1,600 people were able to leave Kabul on Friday plus about 32 charter planes.

A State Department spokesperson said Saturday afternoon there are about 5,000 to 10,000 US citizens still in the country.
Traffickers are taking in as much as 700,000 per Channel crossing, it has been revealed, after up to 800 migrants landed in Kent in a 'record' day for crossings.

People smugglers are reportedly filling boats with 30 to 40 people, sometimes more, and charging near to 20,000 per head.

The journeys produce a great deal of profit with a payout of only 2,000 needed for a boat, and are 'worth more than drug smuggling', said a French police boss.

The comments follow eyewitness reports suggesting that the total number of people to have made the treacherous trip on Saturday is almost certainly over 600 - and could be as high as 800.

That would exceed the current daily record of 592 arrivals set on August 12.

The Home Office said small boat incidents were still being dealt with as late as 8.30pm, and would not confirm exact figures until the 'situation has been resolved'.

In addition to groups of migrants being brought into Dover Marina, many boats are believed to have landed along the South East coastline.

There have been two reported landings in Folkestone, one in Broadstairs, another in Dungeness - all in Kent - and two more in Rye and Hastings, both in East Sussex.

More than 20 people jumped off a grey RHIB and ran along the sand at Stone Bay in Broadstairs while around 50 were seen sitting on the shingle at Dungeness Lifeboat Station after being brought to shore by an RNLI lifeboat.

What was an extremely busy day for UK search and rescue authorities continued into the early evening with Border Force cutter Vigilant continuing to disembark migrants at Dover Marina past 5pm.

It comes after 285 people crossed one of the busiest shipping routes in the world on nine boats last Sunday.

So far in August, a confirmed 2,184 migrants have arrived in 70 boats. A record-breaking 11,599 made the journey so far this year compared to 2020's total of 8,410.

A group of up to 20 migrants including two children are pictured after landing their dinghy on a beach near Folkestone, Kent, on Saturday. Eyewitness reports suggest the total number of people to make the treacherous trip is almost certainly over 600 - and could be as high as 800

A dinghy spotted out at sea off Sandgate, Kent. There has been two boat landings on the beach in Folkestone. So far in August, a confirmed 2,184 migrants have arrived in 70 boats

A group is pictured waiting at a bus stop after at least 150 migrants crossed the Channel for the first time in almost a week on Saturday morning

A man is seen picking berries after boat landings at Folkestone. A record-breaking 11,599 made the treacherous trip so far this year compared to 2020's total of 8,410

French police commissioner Laurent Hurst told The Sun: 'For the traffickers this business is worth more than drug smuggling  you have a very small outlay for a decent-sized boat and that is it.

'You then fill it with as many as 30 or 40 people, sometimes more, and charge them 20,000 euros each. Thats almost one million euros and if you feel generous you may give them a life jacket to keep them alive.'

An Iraqi family also told the newspaper that they had paid 20,000 - almost 20,000 - each for their journey.

Meanwhile on Saturday, Border Force brought the first group of migrants into Dover Marina, Kent, at around 8am on board cutter Speedwell.

Immigration Enforcement officers were seen walking 11 young men, some draped in light blue blankets for warmth and others carrying their possessions in bags.

Border Force catamaran Hurricane then docked around an hour later with 45 people on board.

By 1pm, at least 150 people were thought to have been brought into the docks, reported onlookers monitoring activity in the Channel off the Kent coast.

There has also been two boat landings on the beach in Folkestone, Kent, but it is not yet known how many people were on board.

A man wearing a red jacket and a woman wearing a white woolly hat handed their baby boy to officers as they disembarked.

Another woman also got off the boat before 41 young men left the moored search and rescue vessel.

Dan OMahoney, Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, said: 'People should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not risk their lives making these dangerous journeys.

'We are working across government, with French and international partners. We have doubled the number of police officers on French beaches, prevented more than 10,000 attempts, and made almost 300 arrests.

One man is seen waving towards the camera in Folkestone, Kent. It follows 285 people crossing one of the busiest shipping routes in the world on nine boats last Sunday

A group of seven migrants, including one child being carried on a person's back, are seen on a beach at Folkestone in Kent, following two boat landings

A second group of up to 30 migrants, including women and children, were pictured after landing their dinghy near some rocks at Folkstone, Kent

'However the Governments Nationality and Borders Bill is the only long term solution to break the business model of the people smugglers exploiting people into making these unnecessary journeys.'

One male appeared to be very elderly and had long grey hair sweeping over his face.

Two large black rigid inflatable boats with outboard engines - one severely deflated after making the journey - were towed into harbour shortly afterwards.

The next group of migrants were brought in on Speedwell around half an hour later with 35 people on board.

A family consisting of a father, a mother carrying one tiny tot and three girls - the youngest holding the hand of an Immigration Enforcement officer - walked up the gangway.

Another mother gave a thumbs up as she disembarked with her three young girls and a little boy who were also waving. They were followed by 24 young men.

A large rigid hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) was towed into harbour by a Border Force officer on a jet ski followed by another red inflatable and a black vessel.

As Speedwell disembarked around a dozen more migrants - including one woman - the RNLI Dover Lifeboat moored next to it to disembark another group of migrants.

A group of up to 20 migrants including two children were pictured after landing their dinghy on a beach in Folkestone, Kent

A man is seen picking berries after a second group of up to 30 migrants were seen after landing their dinghy near rocks in Folkestone, Kent

A police officer is seen next to a group of up to 30 migrants including women and children in Folkestone, Kent, on Saturday morning

Around 50 people were on board. One man held the hands of his two sons as they walked up the gangway followed by two women, one holding the hand of a little girl wearing a pink jacket, and a man carrying a young infant.

Another young boy aged around eight disembarked with his mother.

A mother and father held the hands of their two young daughters followed by another two couples carrying four children.

Their red RHIB filled with fuel cannisters, shoes, oars and foot pumps was towed into harbour.

The landings follow a Conservative MP criticising the Home Office's plan to spend 2million on a permanent migrant reception centre in Dover, saying they should instead focus on 'closing the small boats route'.

The centre is being developed at the Dover docks to process the record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel, and will allow Border Force officials to test, check, interview and feed migrants on-site.

The 2million Intake Unit, which will be converted from a disused welding site, will be ready next May, according to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

But some MPs slammed the plans and said it sends the wrong signal by suggesting that illegal cross-Channel migration cannot be prevented, The Telegraph reported.

Tory MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke, 50, instead argued that the Home Office should spend the money on trying to stop arrivals from crossing the Channel.

A man is seen picking berries while carrying a child on his back in Folkestone. The Home Office has not yet revealed how many migrants made the treacherous Channel crossings

Four people, including a child, are seen sitting on a nearby wall in Folkestone. By 1pm, at least 150 people were thought to have also been brought into Dover Marina

She told the publication: 'I would rather we focused our efforts on closing the small boats route than investing more and more millions of pounds in permanent structures.'

When the multi-million pound facility was announced earlier this month, the politician said it was time to bring an end to 'illegal and dangerous journeys' across the Channel.

A Home Office spokesperson said earlier this week: 'The number of crossings is unacceptable  that's why we're taking action on all fronts.

'Law enforcement agencies are dismantling the people smuggling gangs, joint work with the French has seen a doubling of police officers on French beaches, and we're reforming the pull factors here at home.

'Our strengthened agreement with the French will build on existing cooperation and further increase police patrols on beaches, improve surveillance technology and enhance intelligence sharing.

'Our New Plan for Immigration will also reform the system to make people think again before attempting to enter this country illegally and break the business model of people smugglers.'
A 22-year-old man was stabbed to death this morning in London and two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Police were called at 3.45am on Saturday to reports of a disturbance in Clarence Street, Kingston.

The victim was rushed to hospital by the London Ambulance Service but was sadly pronounced dead.

Police were called at 3.45am on Saturday to reports of a disturbance in Clarence Street, Kingston

Local resident Tyler told the Surrey Comet : 'I was shocked at the amount of crime scenes that were in Kingston town centre'

The victim was rushed to hospital by the London Ambulance Service but was sadly pronounced dead

Two men aged 18 and 19 have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

They both remain in custody at a south London police station.

The 19-year-old has also been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

Local resident Tyler told the Surrey Comet: 'I was shocked at the amount of crime scenes that were in Kingston town centre.

'Kingston just doesn't feel like the safe place that it used to be anymore.'

The victim's next of kin has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to take place.

Superintendent Richard Smith, part of the local policing team in Kingston, said: 'I am truly saddened by the events overnight and wish to send my condolences to the victim's family as they come to terms with their loss.

'A dedicated team of detectives is working on the investigation. It is right that we do not speculate and give them the time and space they need to complete their enquiries.

'I understand the concern this will cause within the community, although I would like to stress that we do not believe there to be any risk to the wider public.

The victim's next of kin has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to take place

The 19-year-old has also been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon

'The Met is committed to tackling violence across London, but we cannot do it alone. I would ask anybody who has concerns or information about criminal activity in their neighbourhood to report it to police or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.'

London Ambulance Service told the Surrey Comet: 'We were called at 3:52am this morning to Wheatfield Way, Kingston Upon Thames, to reports of a stabbing.

'We sent an incident response officer, a medic in a response car and an ambulance crew to the scene. We also dispatched an advanced trauma team by car from London's Air Ambulance.

'We treated a man at the scene and took him to a major trauma centre.'

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC quoting CAD 1211/21AUG.
Patagonia will no longer sell its products at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort after one of the hotel's owners co-hosted a fundraiser for the House Freedom Fund featuring Mark Meadows, Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Trump-supporting Republicans.

Corley Kenna, Patagonia's head of policy and communications, confirmed to DailyMail.com that the company officially cut ties with the ski resort Tuesday. It is still sorting existing inventory, but has canceled upcoming orders to the three stores in the resort.

The company's move came a week and a half after Jay Kemmerer, a co-owner of the resort, co-hosted a fundraiser for the House Freedom Caucus, a bloc of conservative Congress members allied closely with former President Trump.

The August 5 fundraiser was held at Spring Creek Ranch Resort to benefit the House Freedom Fund, the fundraising branch of the caucus. The MAGA event had a minimum admission of $2,000 a couple, and included Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rep. Jim Jordan and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Patagonia will no longer sell its products at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort after one of its owners hosted a benefit for the House Freedom Fund on August 5

The company officially ended its partnership with the three stores in the resort on August 17

The event was held to benefit the House Freedom Fund, the fundraising branch of the caucus

Kemmerer and his wife, Karen, have a history of supporting Republicans, according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide. In 2019, the Kemmerers attended a fundraiser that collected $1 million for the Trump Victory Fund. In the two years before the successful fundraiser, the Kemmerers donated $200,000 to the Trump reelection campaign.

This year alone they donated over $100,000 to conservative candidates and political action committees.

Patagonia will reconsider its partnership with the popular ski resort when it sees 'a demonstrated commitment to a healthy planet and healthy communities from the owners of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort,' Kenna confirmed.

She explained, 'Those that know us in Jackson Hole are aware that we make business decisions and build relationships in alignment with our values and advocacy efforts.'

The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is the company's largest retailer in the popular ski town.

Mary Kate Buckley, president of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, told WyoFile, which first reported the story, that the resort would 'continue to offer world-class brands across our retail locations with the aim to provide the best service and product assortment for our guests.'

'We have been a leader in the ski industry in adopting initiatives to reduce our energy consumption, recycle the consumables used by our employees and guests, and treat the spectacular natural habitat which surrounds us with vision and care,' Buckley said.

She made no comment on the GOP event or Kemmerer's contributions to Republican candidates.

Former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has continued to work towards Trump's reelection and perpetuated false narratives that Trump would be reinstated

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was suspended from Twitter for spreading false information claiming that the Food and Drug Administration 'should not approve the covid vaccines'

Rep. Jim Jordan has continuously spread false claims that the 2020 presidential election was rigged

The outdoor gear and clothing company said it is boycotting the resort to 'join with the local community using its voice in protest' as it continues 'to use our business to advocate for policies to protect our planet, support thriving communities and a strong democracy.'

The House Freedom Caucus, is considered to be the most conservative and furthest-right bloc within the House Republican Conference. Some Jackson Hole residents protested the event and called for a boycott of the resort, which is among the most popular spots in one of the most Republican states, according to the Jackson Hole News & Guide.

Protesters targeted Greene's spewing of dangerous conspiracy theories including QAnon and COVID misinformation, the politicians' stances on climate change, and the role protesters saw Greene and Jordan take in perpetuating the false narrative that Trump won the 2020 election.

Some, like Marisa Sullivan, 35, made decisions to protest the resort over the Kemmerers' politics for years. Sullivan told the Jackson Hole News & Guide that she previously stopped buying passes to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 'because of the things that they support.'

'If you're going to give people that kind of money, I don't want it to be going to things like this,' she said. 'This is ridiculous to me.'

Jay Kemmerer, a co-owner of the resort, co-hosted the fundraiser. He and wife Karen have donated over $100,000 to conservative candidates and PACs this year alone

Jackson Hole residents protested the event and called for a boycott of the resort, which is among the most popular spots in one of the most Republican states

But other protesters were not as decisive. 'It makes me not want to buy a pass,' said Natalie McBranch, 26. 'But I don't know. They make so much money. Is me not buying a pass really going to change anything?'

Patagonia is known for being a politically conscious company. Last year the clothing company joined a long list of companies who stopped advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Patagonia boycotted the social media companies 'as part of our commitment to stop the spread of hate speech and misinformation on climate.'

Several US firms joined the call from activists to halt ad spending on Facebook over concerns the leading social network has fallen short in efforts to crack down on hate speech and incitements to violence.

Patagonia said on Twitter it was joining the Stop the Hate for Profit initiative unveiled by civil rights activists last week. It urged brands to boycott the social media giant claiming it 'promotes hate, bigotry, racism, antisemitism and violence'.

Patagonia will reconsider its partnership when they see 'a demonstrated commitment to a healthy planet and healthy communities' from the resort

'For too long, Facebook has failed to take sufficient steps to stop the spread of hateful lies and dangerous propaganda on its platform,' a statement from the company reads in part.

'From secure elections to a global pandemic to racial justice, the stakes are too high to sit back and let the company continue to be complicit in spreading disinformation and fomenting fear and hatred.'

In 2017 the company sued then-President Trump after he rolled back protections on national monuments.
A rare bottle of whisky salvaged by The Mail on Sunday from a shipwreck that inspired the film Whisky Galore! has fetched a record 12,925.

The sum is thought to be the highest ever paid at auction for a single bottle of Scotch from the wreck of the SS Politician, which ran aground in 1941 near the island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides.

The blended whisky was recovered during a dive sponsored by the MoS in 1987, and offered as the first prize in a poem competition won by Donald McLaren of Dundee, who passed away aged 78 in 2016.

Mr McLarens daughter, Nicola Hastie, offered the bottle in The Grand Whisky Auctions online sale, where it attracted global interest, and a bidding war saw the price soar to double its 5,000-6,000 estimate.

The ship SS Politician was loaded with whiskey. The sinking of the ship inspired Whisky Galore!

Mrs Hastie, 57, who will share the proceeds with brother Andrew, said: It was amazing. Dad was an avid reader of The Mail on Sunday and read it from cover to cover every week.

He was delighted to win such an historic bottle thanks to his poem, but he would be very happy with this outcome. It feels like Dads still looking after us.

I dont know who bought the whisky, but I would love to think that it might go on display for people to enjoy.

Of her plans for her share of the proceeds, she added: Im going to visit Rothesay, where my dad grew up, for the first time, to see where he lived and went to school.

Dad and I enjoyed art so Ill look for a painting of Rothesay to hang next to his framed poem as a reminder of him. Also, Ive never seen Whisky Galore! so Ill buy it on DVD.

The 8,000-ton SS Politician was bound for Kingston in Jamaica and New Orleans when it ran aground.

The original Whisky Galore! was filmed in 1949 by Ealing Studios

The original Whisky Galore! was filmed in 1949 by Ealing Studios

While the crew were rescued unharmed, much of the whisky on board was removed by islanders from under the noses of the authorities. The story of the ship and the islanders who couldnt believe their luck was told by Compton MacKenzie in his 1947 novel Whisky Galore.

The book inspired the 1949 Ealing comedy starring Gordon Jackson, Joan Greenwood and Basil Radford, which was remade in 2016 with a cast including Gregor Fisher, Eddie Izzard and James Cosmo.

Diver Mike Armitage recovered the bottle from the wreck during a Mail on Sunday-sponsored dive. It was found less than 30ft below the surface in the remains of the No 5 hold, which was blown up by Customs in 1942 in a bid to prevent looting.

The poetry competition invited readers to offer their thoughts on the ships fate in 300 words or fewer. Mr McLarens poem, Polly, beat hundreds of entries from across the UK.
Alta Fixsler is living on borrowed time  and this week its set to run out in a heartbreaking case that sees her parents pitted against her doctors in a fight over the sanctity of life.

The two-year-old was born severely brain-damaged and has never spent a night out of hospital.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has won the right to withdraw life-sustaining treatment and may turn off her ventilator as early as tomorrow.

This is against the wishes of her parents, devout Hasidic Jews, who do not believe their daughter should be allowed to die.

Speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, Mr Fixsler said: There is no reason to kill Alta, she does not need to die because she is not like me and not like you, she should be allowed to live her life like any other child.

We know she is different but we love her no less than we love our son, who is a happy, healthy little boy.

'They are both our children, gifts from God, and equal in our eyes. No hospital and no doctor should be able to take the decision of what is in the best interests of a child. This is something for the father and the mother to judge, yet this is being denied to us.

The tragic case goes to the heart of the moral, spiritual and legal debate in Britain about ethics of life and death.

Alta Fixsler (pictured), aged two, was born severely brain-damaged and has never spent a night out of hospital

It is further complicated by the fact the couple and their daughter are Israeli citizens and have a private air ambulance waiting to fly Alta to Jerusalem where she has been promised ongoing life support.

The Israeli government has made a formal request for her to be allowed to go, and the countrys Chief Rabbi and its Attorney General have declared the ending of Altas life illegal under Jewish law.

Reuven Rivlin, President of Israel until last month, has personally appealed to Prince Charles to intervene.

A similar offer of care has been made by a hospital in the US  Mr Fixsler grew up in New York, and has joint Israeli-US citizenship.

In the US he has the support of political heavyweights including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Ted Cruz.

We feel as if the National Health Service is holding our daughter hostage, said Mr Fixsler. It seems to us the NHS wants to kill her.

I think people in the UK need to know more about this issue, that loving parents dont have rights over their own child.

'I will not agree to anything to help the NHS make Altas life shorter. We asked God for a healthy baby, Alta is who He chose to give us. We will never desert her.

The family is realistic about Altas condition  they are not hoping for a miracle recovery or placing their faith in an outlandish treatment.

They know their daughter will never gain minimal consciousness and cannot move, see, swallow or hear.

They also accept her life expectancy is possibly as little as six months. But it was against their wishes that, last December, the trust applied to the High Court for the right to withdraw life support.

The Trust says the little girl is capable of feeling consistent pain and allowing her to die is in her best interests.

It sought external expert opinion from paediatricians at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Sheffield Teaching Hospital, both of whom supported Altas doctors.

The court hearing took place in May this year and the withdrawal was authorised on May 28. Mr and Mrs Fixsler were refused permission to Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights supported the original ruling.

Mr Justice MacDonald, who heard the case, concluded: We have no means of knowing the exact nature of her experience of pain given the catastrophic nature of her brain damage.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (pictured) has won the right to withdraw life-sustaining treatment and may turn off her ventilator as early as tomorrow

'There is no reason to consider that such pain would be experienced by Alta in any way other than as a negative experience. Indeed, the experience of pain without the ability to understand it, is arguably an even worse predicament than pain accompanied by understanding.

In considering her familys faith, the judge pointed out that Altas case was governed by secular law.

The presumption in favour of taking all steps to preserve life, whilst strong, is also rebuttable, he wrote.

That this is so, recognises that life cannot be, and should not be, preserved at all costs.

The Trust argued that granting permission for Alta to fly to Israel or America would cause her greater pain than her current care, something with which her parents vehemently disagree.

Altas mother and father have been together since 2010 when Mr Fixler was 19 and Mrs Fixsler, a teacher, was 22. After marrying in Jerusalem, they moved to Manchester with their son, now eight.

The couple tried for a second child in the UK but after a complicated pregnancy, Mrs Fixsler went into premature labour at 34 weeks.

Alta was deprived of oxygen during birth and only just survived with massive loss of brain structure and a damaged brain stem.

Her parents both visit her in hospital regularly. From the outset, they have wanted to bring their daughter home, and have opened their apartment in Salford for inspection by social services and the trust.

They were prepared to buy their own ventilator in the hope they could offer their daughter a better quality of life.

Now that modest dream seems more distant than ever. When ventilation is withdrawn, their daughter will die although it could take hours, days or weeks.

Despite knowing their daughters condition, when she was born they picked the name Alta, which means old in Yiddish, hoping that she would live a longer life than doctors predicted. She is a challenge, says Mr Fixsler.

But we have always believed as her parents we can rise to it.

A spokesman for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust has said: We recognise that this is an incredibly difficult and distressing time for Altas family, and we will continue to support them.

Due to patient confidentiality, it would be inappropriate to comment further.
The shipping container that blocked the Suez Canal earlier this year and stopped 42billion of world trade has sailed back through without any issues.

Ever Given got lodged in the Egyptian canal on March 23 and caused a six-day rescue operation that ended in one person's death, a sunk rescue boat and 48 ships having to find alternative routes.

Hundreds of ships were delayed as they waited for the canal to be unblocked and some vessels were forced to take the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

The Suez Canal Authority has announced that the ship has now successfully made its passage back through among other vessels coming from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.

Ever Given (pictured yesterday) got lodged in the Egyptian canal on March 23 and caused a six-day rescue operation that ended in one person's death, a sunk rescue boat and 48 ships having to find alternative routes

Ever Given, one of the world's largest container ships, is seen after sailing through Suez Canal in Ismailia

The Ever Given blocked the major shipping lane in Egypt for nearly a week earlier this year. Under original plans the 400m-long ship was due to arrive at the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk in early April. Pictured: The Ever Given when it was stuck in the Suez Canal on March 28, 2021

It had been offloading its 18,300 cargo containers to Rotterdam, Felixstowe and Hamburg and is now on its way to China after being impounded for three months while its owners organised a compensation deal with Egypt.

The 1,312-foot ship, which carries cargo between Asia and Europe, was held in Ismalia for more than three months amid a financial dispute over compensation.

After an agreement was met between the ship's Japanese owner, Shoei Kisen Kaisha Ltd, and canal authorities it was freed to continue its voyage in July.

While the terms of the agreement weren't released, Egypt settled on a 397million demand.

The Suez Canal Authority has announced that the ship has now successfully made its passage back through among other vessels coming from the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea

The 1,312-foot Ever Given was one of 26 ships that travelled through the canal yesterday and was escorted down the 120-mile route by two tugboats

Ever Given was one of 26 ships that travelled through the canal yesterday and was escorted down the 120-mile route by two tugboats.

The Panama-flagged vessel was heading for Rotterdam when it ploughed into the sandy bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal about 3.7 miles north of the southern entrance, near the city of Suez on March 23.

A massive salvage effort freed the skyscraper-sized vessel six days later, allowing a traffic jam of hundreds of waiting ships to pass through the canal.

'It was a great relief to see her and a special moment,' said Hans Nagtegaal, the Rotterdam port's director of containers, of Ever Given's arrival.

'Finally we can get the job done offloading and hopefully get her back to a normal sailing routine,' he said.
Most blue surgical face masks used by many during the pandemic are not enough to avoid people from being infected with COVID-19, an alarming new study has found.

The study from the University of Waterloo in Canada showed N95 or KN95 masks did the best job in containing aerosol droplets from the wearer's mouth.

The blue, cloth surgical masks that have become popular during the pandemic were found be only 10 percent effective as it doe not cover the face properly.

'There is no question it is beneficial to wear any face covering, both for protection in close proximity and at a distance in a room,' study leader Serhiy Yarusevych, a professor of mechanical and mechatronics engineering, said in a statement.

'However, there is a very serious difference in the effectiveness of different masks when it comes to controlling aerosols.'

The study from the University of Waterloo revealed that N95 masks did the best job in containing aerosol droplets, making them the go-to mask for indoor events

The guidelines revolving around mask have continuously changed over the past year and a half as federal and local governments struggle to set mandates

Yarusevych and team said that many people wear masks that don't fit their faces properly, unlike the N95, which straps itself tightly around the wearer.

This causes aerosol droplets to escape through multiple openings between a person's face and the cloth mask, which could spread COVID-19 in populous areas.

The N95 was conversely able to filter over 50% of aerosol droplets while the other half is dispersed above the wearer's head.

'A lot of this may seem like common sense,' Yarusevych comments. 'There is a reason, for instance, that medical practitioners wear N95 masks  they work much better. The novelty here is that we have provided solid numbers and rigorous analysis to support that assumption.'

Yarusevych team added that ventilation tests revealed even modest ventilation rates provide about the same level of protection as the highest quality masks.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden's former COVID-19 advisor and top epidemiologist warned Americans 'that many of the face cloth coverings that people wear are not very effective'.

Michael Osterholm spoke with CNN saying that people need to start wearing N95 respirators which are more effective against COVID-19.

Michael Osterholm explained that he dislikes the term masking as it suggest that any face covering will protect from the spread of Covid-19 which is not accurate

Media regular Dr. Osterholm (@mtosterholm): "We need to talk about better masking. We need to talk about N-95 respirators, which would do a lot for both people who are not yet vaccinated or not previously infected pic.twitter.com/xqgArTOGrt  Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) August 2, 2021

'We're in a very unfortunate situation, we've really brought this country to a point of confusion which really misses the main point that we should be focusing on vaccine, vaccine, vaccine,' said Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

He explained his contention with the term 'masking' saying, 'You know I wish we could get rid of the term masking because in fact it implies that anything you put in front of your face works and if I could just add an nuance to that which hopefully doesn't add more confusion is we know today that many of the face cloth coverings that people wear are not very effective in reducing any of the virus movement in or out.'

The CDC has been criticized for its confusing stance on masks after it reversed its mask guidelines. But cities and states say they need to see the evidence before revising their own policies.

Federal officials say unpublished data showed vaccinated people infected with COVID-19 may be able to transmit the virus, leading them to recommend that everyone should wear a mask indoors in areas of high transmission.

Texas and Florida have championed mandates banning mask requirements in the classroom, but on Friday, the Supreme Court of Texas rejected Governor Greg Abbott's latest bid to scrap mask mandates.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been leading the anti-mask charge alongside his Republican colleague Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

Kids going into class with masks on for their first day back at school in Richardson, Texas, Tuesday

Abbott, who tested positive for the virus on Tuesday, is leading the anti-mask charge along with his Republican colleague, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

School boards and local officials are wary of rapidly increasing COVID infections in Texas as the delta variant plagues the nations, arguing that masks are needed for children too young to take the vaccine.

It comes despite the virus posing almost zero risk to kids, as well as evidence which shows that masks inhibit learning in children and cause psychological harms.

Texas has confirmed nearly 19,000 new cases as of Saturday with 190 new deaths, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Florida reported more than 150,000 new cases for the week and nearly 1,500 new deaths.

But the local officials are emboldened in their stance by President Joe Biden who has warned he's 'very concerned' about states like Texas defying masks and pledging to provide financial assistance to school districts in Florida that enforce mask in defiance of DeSantis.

Meanwhile leaders in Democrat-led states and cities have moved swiftly to impose COVID-19 mask and vaccine requirements in the face of the Delta variant, including California, Illinois, Kentucky and New Jersey.

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee has mandated vaccines for all school workers, including bus drivers and janitors.

U.S. health officials Wednesday announced plans to dispense booster shots to all Americans to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and signs that the vaccines effectiveness is slipping.

Biden has recently put various public employees under vaccine mandates, including federal workers, military members and nurses.

The president has also praised businesses who mandate vaccines for their own workers and encouraged others to follow, as well as highlighting local vaccine mandates as a condition for daily activities, like indoor dining.
RAF chiefs are rejecting fewer applicants than five years ago, leading to fears the Air Force might be lowering its standards to keep recruitment numbers up.

The RAF has long been famous for having the strictest recruitment policy in the British military, rejecting more applicants than the Army and the Navy.

In the past, even having a visible tattoo was a bar to joining the Air Force.

But latest Ministry of Defence figures show that over the past five years, its rejection rate has fallen by 20 percentage points.

Critics say this has coincided with all three forces facing a crisis over recruitment, and claim standards have been lowered to get less-able applicants through the vetting process.

Ministry of Defence figures show that over the past five years, its rejection rate has fallen by 20 percentage points.

The data, lodged in the House of Commons library, shows that in 2015/16, there were 22,107 applications at the RAF, with 13,830 being rejected  a rejection rate of 62.6 per cent.

But in 2019/20, there were 32,634 applications, of which 13,387 were turned away  a rejection rate of 41 per cent.

The RAF is facing a personnel shortage, according to MoD figures released earlier this year. They showed that there should be 31,869 airmen and women, but there are only 29,853.

Former Tory MP and ex-Army colonel Patrick Mercer said: The RAF, like the Army and Navy, have faced a recruitment crisis, and a drop in numbers, so they have reduced their rejection rates. Also, in some cases, they have massaged their figures to allow women into the RAF, who may not be as fit as men.

Former Tory MP and ex-Army colonel Patrick Mercer

And what you have to appreciate is that at the RAF, there are very few people flying planes now, so they dont have to make it so rigorous if you are going to be flying drones from a room.

However, RAF sources said recruits were being given better advice at the time they apply, so they targeted positions suited to their skills and qualifications.

An RAF spokesman said: There has been no reduction to entry standards.

Rejection rates at the Royal Navy over the past five years have fallen from 42.6 per cent to 29.4 per cent, and at the Army from 32.3 to 28.2 per cent.
By Rebecca Hardy for the Daily Mail

Of all the haunting images to have emerged from Kabul this week  stampedes of Afghans desperately trying to flee the fallen city, even passing babies over barbed wire in the hope the soldiers on the other side will give their children a better life  the sight of a near empty aeroplane leaving the Taliban stronghold was enough to break your heart.

Kaisa Farthing, wife of British former Royal Marine Pen Farthing who runs the animal rescue charity Nowzad in the Afghan capital, was on that plane and knows only too well the agony of leaving so many behind.

When she finally embraced her mother at Oslo airport yesterday, her head was 'spinning' and she 'couldn't think straight' as she tried to reconcile the fact she was safe whilst so many of those she loves remain in peril.

Former Royal Marine commando Paul 'Pen' Farthing, who runs an animal sanctuary in Kabul, with his wife Kaisa Helene

Mr Farthing, a British expat who lives in Kabul, got separated from his wife during the Taliban takeover. He shared the image on Twitter last night, writing: 'Kaisa is on her way home! BUT this aircraft is empty'

Talking to me from Oslo yesterday, Kaisa said: 'The Norwegian military got all the Norwegians available and they got us on the flight. There were less than 50 of us. They said, 'We're trying to reach out to the other governments and ask them if they have anyone who is ready. We're trying to fill the plane up.'

'We sat there for about two hours but they couldn't find anyone who had been processed. It's because of the crowds. People can't get in. You are pushed, squeezed. My heart was racing. I cried.

'We left behind some really young kids who had been separated from their parents in the chaos outside. What can you do? You can't ask a one-year-old, 'Who's your mum?'. We were leaving those behind on a virtually empty plane. I cried for those little babies.'

The second time she cried was when she landed in Norway. 'My heart and my mind were still in Kabul. I did not want to leave. My work is there. My life is there. I left behind every single item of clothes I have. I left behind my wedding photo of Pen and me. All I have is deodorant and a toothbrush.'

This was Kaisa's second attempt to leave Kabul. On Tuesday, she found herself caught up in similarly chaotic scenes at the airport  scenes during which, she revealed to me as I talked to her and Pen on Zoom the next day, she was subjected to a sexual assault.

'The second we [she and a 34-week pregnant worker from the charity] were in the crowd we were pushed, squeezed and trapped,' she told me. 'People were pushing, pushing. There was a lady in front of me who was crying, 'My baby, my baby is not breathing.' I looked at the baby who was crying and said, 'It's you who needs to breathe because I think you're panicking right now.'

'I remember the face of the friend [the pregnant worker] I was with. I knew her pregnant belly was that big.' She shows me with her hand, 'but her face was that close'. Now she holds her hand against her cheek. 'I thought, 'That's dangerous.' But we were being pushed squeezed  really, really squeezed.'

As Kaisa spoke to me on Zoom, she looked towards her husband, a red flush staining her neck.

'I was sexually assaulted... It started when someone  an older guy  grabbed my a***,' she states before giving more detail. Then she adds: 'I wanted to turn round and punch him in the face and my hand was on the way up, but then I realised, 'I'm in a crowd. I cannot defend myself because the second I do that we will all be in danger.' So I just had this anger inside me.'

Pen listened to his 30-year-old wife. He said nothing, but his body was taut with fury.

In the long hours before Kaisa extricated herself from that seething mob, Pen was beside himself. So much so he tweeted he would hold Prime Minister Boris Johnson 'personally responsible' if any harm should come to her.

When she finally made it back to Nowzad's headquarters, his joy was clear to see. Kaisa is a lovely, fresh-faced woman but her blue eyes were dulled by what she had seen. She, like so many here, did not want to leave this country or her husband  they were only married four months ago  but she had no choice. Kaisa, 30, was employed by a non-governmental organisation working to mentor and empower Afghan's young women. She risked being shot or worse if she stayed.

Nevertheless her decision to leave has been an agonising one.

'I had 75 girls in the programme to raise the position of girls in society and ten female staff,' Kaisa told me. 'They are not just my staff they are my friends, inviting me to their homes. They are the ones who surprised us [in April] throwing us a big wedding party with beautiful traditional dresses and nice traditional Afghan food.

'I say to my girls now, 'Go to your homes, cover up and stay low. That's the safest place for you.' They're sending me messages all the time saying, 'The Taliban is outside my house. They're watching me.' Even then, Kaisa's loyalties were torn. 'I cannot leave my friends,' she said, looking to Pen for support.

'You're going,' Pen said firmly. Their quiet devotion was humbling to witness. Kaisa stood behind him, draping her arms over his shoulders and rubbing her cheek against his head. 'When will I see you? Will I ever see you?' she asked.

Keeping his emotions in check, Pen simply replied: 'You need to get ready.' He has spoken to her only briefly since she's arrived in Norway. 'She told me she has landed so I said, 'Brilliant, I'll speak to you whenever.' We haven't got time for pleasantries at the moment. We just need to get this job done.'

In a week that has seen the Taliban seize control of the Afghan capital, this heroic man has run the gamut of emotions: disbelief, fear, hope, bewilderment and fury  but mostly fury, particularly at the British Government's 'clusterf***' withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Yesterday a mob of armed Taliban fighters arrived at the Kabul compound where Pen works night and day to save his Afghan staff and 156 rescue animals. 'It was a bit of a heart-pounding moment,' he says.

Talking to me on Zoom yesterday, the monumental pressure he's under was evident on his face: 'They came to our gate this morning. There were about 15 of them  all armed and ready to go. We thought they were going to come in but, thankfully, just as they were about to, their radios and walkie talkies went crazy so they ran, jumped in their cars and left. Now we are just waiting to see if they come back.'

During the last 48 hours, the Taliban have been searching door-to-door, hunting those who stood against them with the US and UK forces. There are reports of torture and executions.

Pen served with the elite 42 Commando in the Battle of Nawzad against Taliban insurgents in 2006. 'If they do come back, my office manager and I will go out and meet them,' he says. 'We are going to tell them we are a non-government organisation so they have got no worry from us. Yes, I was a marine but that was a long time ago and I've spent my last 15 years here working in a peaceful charity that only wants to improve Afghanistan. So, let's see what they say.'

Pen has a plane on standby to rescue his 25 staff  including six women  their immediate families and his beloved cats and dogs. He has jobs, and training schemes for every one of them, but is still waiting for the government to say, 'Yes you can go'. Yesterday, a woman and two children were trampled in the increasingly chaotic scenes at Kabul airport bringing the death toll to 16. UK armed forces minister James Heappey finally admitted flights might only continue for a few more days and people who had been promised sanctuary will be left behind.

Safe: Kaisa Farthing with her mum, Sissel, in Oslo, yesterday

'I am still hearing politicians saying, 'Oh, it's a little bit of congestion outside the airport'. Thousands of people are desperate to get away. That's not congestion. It's a humanitarian disaster,' says Pen.

'If people are so desperate that they're clinging on to the sides of an aircraft now, can you imagine what the hell is going to happen on the last day when the British or American troops fly out?' Pen left the Royal Marines in 2009 but the Commando spirit  courage, determination, unselfishness and cheerfulness in the face of adversity  remains the biggest part of him. He'd no more leave a single one of his staff or his rescued cats and dogs here than leave a fellow marine in the field. It's part of the reason he is so furious with the politicians who've displayed the greatest dereliction of duty.

For along with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who was sunning himself in Crete when the Taliban overran the city, it has since emerged senior civil servants at the Foreign Office, Home Office and MoD were also all away on holiday.

'All I can say is any of them who are on holiday don't deserve to be in office or in their jobs. They're the ones who made the call to send British troops here. They should be back at their desks watching every single moment,' he says, frustration showing on his face.

This is a man who has barely snatched three hours sleep a night in the past six days and won't until his 'mission' to evacuate his staff and animals is accomplished.

He set up his charity after rescuing a horribly mutilated dog that was used by Afghans in dogfights. It became the first of 1,700 dogs he has saved. The Taliban class dogs as dirty animals so won't allow them to be kept as pets. 'I'm not going to leave my staff here to face persecution and reprisals because they supported the rescue of soldiers' dogs,' he says.

'I justified what we [the British troops] did here so girls could go to school. It was an amazing sight to see  kids who were keen for life, women who loved the fact they had a job and an income.

'In the space of literally weeks we've said, 'Nah, we'll give this country back to the Taliban'  the very people British troops removed from power, hundreds sacrificing their lives, to give the Afghan people aspirations, hope and dreams for a better future.

'The Western governments have just ripped up that sacrifice  that future  and thrown it down the plughole. Can someone, anywhere, explain why we did that because I don't think there'll ever be anyone who can... it's heart breaking.'

He introduces me on video link to 26-year-old Dr Hamida Shabae. She is a gentle, pretty woman who graduated from university in 2016 and, when she joined Pen's charity was beside herself with joy. Now her eyes are red raw from crying.

Her father continues to fight for the remaining Afghan military in a district north of Kabul. Her mother weeps 'every hour' at the thought of her daughter leaving Afghanistan but knows she cannot stay. 'When I was a child, I saw women wearing burkas. They didn't let their daughters go to school. During the last 20 years everything changed. When I saw women bowling or going to the gym I'd smile because I was so happy to see women improving their standing in society.

'Everything went wrong in one day. Now women are wearing burkas again. We're back to 20 years ago. We've heard in some provinces the Taliban are searching each house to get girls who are between 14 and 45 to marry them. I will not be a sex slave of the Taliban. I don't want to leave my country but I don't want to stay here. At least Pen can save my life.'

It is a huge responsibility, but one Pen is determined to shoulder. He understands from the Home Office that the Government will grant his staff visas. His challenge now is to set plans in motion to get them and his animals to the airport.

'Everything comes down to, how do I get into the airport? The British troops can't push out from the airport because it only takes one trigger happy Tali or some nervous soldier and we are severely in trouble so we are going to have to find a way to get ourselves there. Hence there might be a rather rich Tali after this.' He frowns.

'I hate the thought of giving the Taliban money but this is the only choice I've got so that's what I'm going to have to do.'

The dogs bark. We freeze. Are the Taliban back? Thankfully, they are not. 'Getting scared is not going to change the situation,' he reasons. 'It's not going to make anything better so I might as well just try to stay as calm as possible and think rationally. That's what the Marines spent a long time training me to do.

'If people don't get out, the West has got a mass hostage situation on its hands,' he states.

The International Monetary Fund has said Afghanistan will no longer be able to access the lender's resources and the US has frozen nearly $9.5billion (7billion) of the country's assets. Pen explains: 'When they decide to stop the money all the Taliban has to do is go around and find someone with a British or American passport, throw them on the TV and say, 'We are going to chop off their heads unless we get funding.' That's the scenario if we don't get out.

'They could have done this so differently but the Western governments have just demonstrated a master class of how to screw up a country. Whatever is coming our way, people need to hold their heads in shame because they created this. I was really angry but now it's just numbness because there's nothing you can do. The Taliban are now in charge.

'Do you know something?' he says. 'Yesterday was actually Afghan Independence Day so we had a little cheer in the office. It's kind of ironic  Afghan Independence Day.'

Sadly, the irony and tragedy are lost on no one.

Donations for the animals and staff seeking sanctuary in Britain can be made at www.nowzad.com
The key role Sir Keir Starmer played in the convictions of Stephen Lawrences murderers has been left out of the ITV drama about the investigation into his killing, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The Labour leader was Director of Public Prosecutions in 2012 when he made the bold decision to prosecute Gary Dobson and David Norris for the 1993 racist killing.

But there is no character that depicts Sir Keir, nor is he mentioned in the three-part series, Stephen, which airs next month.

Sources suspect Sir Keirs omission was deliberate because writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a friend and Left-wing supporter of previous Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Set insiders insisted the programme was about a black family, though it does depict the investigating officer, DCI Clive Driscoll, who is played by Steve Coogan.

Mr Driscoll joined the murder investigation in 2006, 13 years after Stephen was killed by a gang of white men in Eltham, South-East London.

He went on to charge Dobson and Norris, who were jailed for life in 2012.

The retired detective recently praised Sir Keir for his role in agreeing to charge Dobson.

Mr Driscoll recalled: We took our evidence to Keir Starmer who agreed we had enough new and compelling evidence to take Gary Dobson to court.

Cottrell-Boyce is a close ally of Mr Corbyn, whose militant Left-wing supporters are furious at Sir Keirs lurch towards a moderate Blairite approach.

Liverpool-born Cottrell-Boyce wrote the introduction to Mr Corbyns Arts & Culture Vision for Britain 2020 manifesto.

He also joined Mr Corbyn when he launched his policy for UK arts and culture in September 2015.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) was Director of Public Prosecutions in 2012 when he made the bold decision to prosecute Gary Dobson and David Norris for the 1993 racist killing

Last week the Mail on Sunday revealed that Stephen downplays the key role of the Daily Mail in bringing the killers to justice (pictured right, while left: Previous Daily Mail coverage bravely accusing the Lawrence suspects of murder)

In July 2018, Cottrell-Boyce backed Mr Corbyn for the Prime Ministers job instead of Boris Johnson, tweeting: Who cares what BoJo the Clown thinks or says? Run Tories out! Corbyn for PM!

It is understood he is a friend of another screenwriter, Michael Winterbottom, who penned This Sceptred Isle, the forthcoming Sky Atlantic drama which tells the story of Boris Johnsons first year at No 10.

Last week this newspaper revealed that Stephen downplays the key role of the Daily Mail in bringing the killers to justice.

There is no mention of the papers involvement or any characters relating to the newspaper, but its famously brave 1997 front page, which branded five suspects as Murderers, will be shown at the end of the first episode.

The Mail, under its Editor Paul Dacre, ran numerous campaigning stories on the case, chronicling moves to reform double jeopardy laws to allow Stephens killers to stand trial a second time, the setting up of a public inquiry and the scandal of how bungling police officers escaped sanction.

After then Home Secretary Jack Straw ordered a judicial inquiry into the killing, the Metropolitan Police apologised to the Lawrence family, admitting failures in the investigation.

In 2002, the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone.

But three years later, the Government dropped the legal principle that prevented suspects being tried twice for the same crime, and police announced they were investigating new forensic evidence.

Finally, in 2011, Dobson and Norris were put on trial at the Old Bailey and found guilty of murder.

Dobson was jailed for a minimum of 15 years and Norris for 14 years.
Sneering civil servants and public sector workers at a woke conference claimed middle-aged people jump on clickbait news stories and lack the education to unpick fascist ideas, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

At least 300 employees have joined the UKGovcamp event forum to discuss issues relating to central and local government.

Civil servants are supposed to be impartial and steer away from party politics.

But in typed conference discussion notes, uncovered by the MoS, Left-wing staffers openly moaned about the Government, the uneducated British public and apparent rising fascism across the country.

The forum members included staff from 16 Government departments, among them the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Foreign Office, alongside spy agency GCHQ, the BBC, Public Health England and almost 40 local councils.

The event was led by civil servants, including Sarah Baskerville of the Department for Transport who has previously sparked anger after criticising Government policy and MPs

Protect war memorials, Minister urged Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick Robert Jenrick is facing demands to beef up the Governments war on woke by stopping town hall leaders rebranding memorials to British war dead. The Communities Secretary has been urged by Tory MPs and peers to issue new statutory guidance to curb the malign activities of councils that pander to woke zealots and denigrate British history. In a letter to Mr Jenrick, the partys Common Sense Group called on him not to just retain historic monuments but also to proclaim them. Protests in Bristol last year led to the toppling of a statue of 17th Century slave trader Edward Colston. But the Common Sense Groups intervention has been sparked by a row in Newcastle over plans to add information panels to a 113-year-old Boer War memorial with colonialist links. A council review of the citys statues found no links to slavery or racism, and said the Boer War memorial commemorated the dead... not the war itself, but added that some view the conflict as a colonialist enterprise. The information panels would be partly based on advice from a suitably-informed academic. Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group, said Mr Jenrick must stop misguided local authorities rebranding war memorials... with utterly unnecessary... politically correct additions. The letter accused Newcastle of a subversive desire to denigrate British history. The council said its plans, are in line with what the Government has stated it wants councils to do. Advertisement

The three-day virtual event was led by civil servants, including Sarah Baskerville of the Department for Transport, who has previously sparked anger after she posted tweets criticising Government policy and MPs.

In a forum chat about the event, seen by the MoS, she said she was trying to conceal the controversial conference notes by keeping the page hidden from search engines.

But this newspaper has obtained the notes from sessions including one called Government is political. We need to be more ready to talk about that, in which workers outlined a swathe of woke gripes and complaints.

Another discussion entitled Resisting fascism  are you a check or a balance? saw staff complain that rising fascism posed a threat with significant challenges domestically and internationally.

The notes went on to claim, patronisingly, that many people dont have the educational background/ tools to unpick fascist messaging and ideas.

Employees added that its middle-aged people who jump on clickbait [online news stories] and hold more polarised views while older people in authority with extreme views have a platform and are able to influence many more people.

One worker commented: First time I saw [Nigel] Farage given a platform on the BBC, I had a visceral feeling that something really ugly had been normalised and amplified.

Another moaned that the rise of the Far Right and being unable to voice my disagreements at what is happening in Western societies  it scares me, and makes me question whether I can continue to be a civil servant.

The workers drew parallels to 1930s Germany and becoming involuntary Nazis, claiming that when a system mutates so much, we have to redefine our parameters.

Ms Baskerville, whose Twitter profile features the EU flag, previously featured in a news story after she tweeted criticism of her bosses, the Government and then-MP Douglas Carswell in 2010.

She appeared to complain during Januarys conference that there are less and less safe spaces for civil servants to voice their opinions.

Workers during the sessions even suggested setting up a secret chat room which would be kept hidden from official records.

A statement from UKGovcamp on behalf of Ms Baskerville stated: UKGovcamp is not affiliated with the Government or the Civil Service.

'We have a code of conduct that all attendees are bound by that gives people the safe space (either physical or on-line) to hold frank, open and supportive discussions.
It SOUNDS like something from the script of The Hunt For Red October, the Hollywood film in which Sean Connery commands a Russian submarine powered by a revolutionary engine so quiet it can pass for a whale.

The Royal Navy has revealed its hunt for a unique propulsion system  based not on conventional thrusters but on the way fish and other animals move in the sea.

In what was immediately dubbed Project Penguin, the Navy declared it was interested in powering vessels with so-called evolutionary biomechanics, inspired by the flapping fins of swimming animals such as rays, penguins and turtles.

It added: Examples of this may include, but not be limited to, how a dolphin manoeuvres underwater, or how a snake swims on the surface.

The project emerged after the Navy asked innovators and entrepreneurs what was available in the commercial sector with a view to adapting it for military use.

Companies were requested to give details of their technology in terms of size, weight, payloads, comms, anti-collision, robustness, environmental limitations, manoeuvrability, propulsive efficiency and noise.

The Navy asked firms: If we were to provide an opportunity for a live demonstration in November 2021 in a maritime environment, what would you be able to show?

The project emerged after the Navy asked innovators and entrepreneurs what was available in the commercial sector with a view to adapting it for military use (Pictured: Artist impression of potential future Royal Navy submarine technology)

Last month, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said: Only by continued experimentation with the latest technology can we properly prepare our people for the challenges of the future' (Pictured: Foreign adversary Vladimir Putin)

Project Penguin is inspired by the flapping fins of swimming animals such as rays, penguins and turtles (Pictured: Artist impression of potential future Royal Navy submarine technology)

Project Penguin got off to a difficult launch last week after would-be innovators were offered just 200 to develop a product  a sum quickly corrected to a more attractive 200,000 (Pictured: British submarine)

Companies were also asked to assess the potential of their technology in two to five years time.

Project Penguin got off to a difficult launch last week after would-be innovators were offered just 200 to develop a product  a sum quickly corrected to a more attractive 200,000.

The Ministry of Defence declined to comment beyond making clear it was only putting out feelers.

But it emerged last month that Royal Marines are set to use a new Raydrive underwater drone disguised as a manta ray, developed by an Oxford-based company.

Equipped with wings and 3D-printed fins to help it glide through the water, it will be used to spy on enemy warships and submarines.

Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the Commons Defence Committee, said: This does remind me of The Hunt For Red October and its stealth propulsion system, although even that was picked up by highly sensitive sonar sensors.

So its welcome to see innovators think outside the box on even stealthier forms of propulsion which could be adapted for military use.

Last month, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, said: Only by continued experimentation with the latest technology can we properly prepare our people for the challenges of the future.
A growing number of seaside resorts are banning the sale of cheap bodyboards amid fears about pollution and safety.

The boards, many of which are made in China and which can be bought for as little as 60p online, are hugely popular.

But thousands of them are abandoned every year, while many crumple after just a couple of uses.

Holly Robertson is the beach manager at Croyde Bay Devon. with cheap plastic bodyboards causing polystyrene

Most disintegrate into tiny plastic fragments that are almost impossible to remove from the beach.

Now seaside shops are removing them after calls for a nationwide ban. We find thousands of these boards on the beaches, said Neil Hembrow, of Keep Britain Tidy.

Theyre imported from China or Asia and they last a very short time, perhaps even just one surf.

'Theyre made of two inches of cheap polystyrene covered with nylon, sometimes a plastic sheet.

'But a single wave can weigh up to a ton. So the impact on these boards makes them snap.

Were seeing towns and villages around the coast banning them.

Sales have surged in recent years as the pastime has gained popularity. Former Prime Minister David Cameron and his family have often been spotted boarding in Cornwall.

Last year, an estimated 16,000 boards were discarded, a figure expected to soar with some 30 million holidaymakers  more than double last years total  descending on UK beaches this summer.

When The Mail on Sunday visited Croyde Bay in Devon, we saw hundreds of plastic, brightly coloured bodyboards in use and picked up handfuls of rainbow-coloured polystyrene bits as we walked along the beach.

Beach ranger Holly Robertson said: These super-cheap boards wont even see out the day, never mind the week. Some of them are broken within two hours.

She added: They get dumped and they break up into tiny fragments. To birds, the pieces look like food. They think its a fish egg. But its killing them.

The fragments collect algae which causes them to sink and resemble fish food, Ms Robertson said.

The leatherback turtles out there between us and Lundy Island are being killed by plastic pollution, she added. These are the same turtles pictured on the kids bodyboards. How ironic is that?

Earlier this year, Westward Ho! in North Devon became the first resort to agree a ban on the sale of cheap bodyboards

They are also endangering human life. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution was called out to 2,000 bodyboard incidents last year.

Nathan Lockwood, from the UK Bodyboarding Association, which backs the campaign to end the use of cheap plastic boards, said: Ive seen people going into the sea with these types of boards when there are strong currents.

As soon as a decent wave comes, the board snaps and they are out of their depth.

Earlier this year, Westward Ho! in North Devon became the first resort to agree a ban on the sale of cheap bodyboards. Officials encourage families to rent or buy higher-quality boards made of wood or more expensive plastic. In Croyde Bay, surf shops have also agreed to stop selling them.

Mr Lockwood said: They are not sustainable in any way and give the sport a bad name.
Prince Andrew will be allowed to stay on as colonel of the Grenadier Guards even though he most likely won't return to public duties after sexual assault accusations emerged against him.

The Queen has reportedly announced she will let her son the Duke of York, 61, stay on in his honorary role despite the allegations he denies.

But military chiefs fear that him not being able to perform public duties will embarrass the forces.

The Queen has reportedly announced she will let her son the Duke of York, 61, stay on in his honorary role despite the allegations he denies

A senior military source told The Sunday Times: 'The Queen has let it be known to the regiment that she wants the Duke of York to remain as colonel and the feeling is that nobody wants to do anything that could cause upset to the colonel-in-chief...

'How can you have a colonel who can't perform the role? ...You can't have a colonel who can't do public duties.'

Prince Andrew has also kept other honorary commands including colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, colonel-in-chief of the Yorkshire Regiment, commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm and honorary air commodore in the RAF.

The move suggests the monarch is supportive of her son who stepped back from public duties 'for the foreseeable future' after his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in 2019.

But military chiefs fear that him not being able to perform public duties will embarrass the forces

One of Epstein's victims, Virginia Guiffre (nee Roberts), 38, has accused Andrew of rape, sexual battery and sexual assault in a recent lawsuit she filed this month.

She alleges that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17.

Prince Andrew denies the claims but is yet to make a public response to the lawsuit.

Prosecutors last week said Andrew had 'sought to falsely portray himself to the public as eager and willing to cooperate' but had given no interview to federal authorities and had repeatedly declined requests to talk with investigators.

Andrew remains a person of interest to prosecutors in the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, according to the source - but they do not expect to be able to interview him in the foreseeable future, if ever.

'He doesn't seem to want to talk to us,' said the source, who is familiar with the US inquiry. Representatives of the Prince declined to comment, but have previously denied any wrongdoing of failure to assist.

The 61-year-old prince has strenuously denied her claims that she was forced to have sex with him on Epstein's orders.

Pictured: Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts (now known as Giuffre) and Ghislaine Maxwell

He said he categorically did not have any sexual contact with her and does not even recall meeting her.

But the failure of his lawyers to formally respond to Mrs Giuffre's lawsuit has been met with incredulity, with palace insiders telling the Mail last week they were 'extremely unhappy with the strategy of stonewalling'.

The duke's lawyers may apply to have the case thrown out on the basis that the New York court has no jurisdiction in the UK, according to the Sunday Times.

While the prince vehemently denies her claims, with palace insiders pointing out that her account has changed over the past decade, they acknowledge there are question marks over his version of events too.

Prince Andrew is pictured with Epstein in Central Park in New York in February 2011

However a source told the Mail this week that Mr Scully's account was also 'questionable'.

The source pointed out that by his own recollection, the alleged sighting of Andrew with Mrs Giuffre might have taken place as late as 2004  by which time she was married and no longer working for Epstein.

Epstein died in his jail cell in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman told The Sunday Times: 'The Grenadiers and all the duke's military appointments are in abeyance after he stepped back from royal duties for the foreseeable future in November 2019, this remains the situation.'

The MoD declined to comment.
The NYPD is hunting for a thug who brutally pushed a 70-year-old man off a bus, causing him to break his hip.

The elderly man was getting on an MTA bus in the Bronx borough around 8.30pm on July 8 when the man was pushed off the steps, newly released video footage showed.

The surveillance footage shows the elderly man climbing the stairs as a man in a white tank top yelled at the bus driver. He appears to be telling the bus driver to 'go.'

It is unknown if the men knew each other or why the young man attacked him.

An elderly man was shoved off a bus by a man in a white tank top in the New York City borough of the Bronx, causing him to break his hip

As the elder man reachs the top of the stairs, the young man leans forward and shoves the man off the bus.

In a rush of a few seconds, the elderly man bangs into the doors before landing flat on his back on the ground. The items he was carrying go sprawling across the sidewalk as he goes.

Officials report the elderly man broke his hip in the process and was taken to Saint Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx.

In newly released footage, the man can be boarding the bus and standing near the doors as the elderly man boards

The man apparently ran off the bus after the attack, according to the Daily Beast. No arrests have been made.

Cops released the footage in hopes of someone recognizing the suspect.

The elderly man's current condition follow the attack more than a month ago is unknown.

He can be seen yelling at the bus driver moments before the elderly man climbs the stairs. He appears to be telling the driver to 'go'
An Alabama man was shot in the chest and injured in a gun fight with his wife's lover who had secretely been living in their home for more than a year.

Frank Reeves, 58, was told by his wife, Tracy, who was high on meth, that there was an intruder in their home in Creola on August 15. The intruder, however, was her lover, Michael Amacker, who was also high on drugs.

The pair got into a gunfight and Reeves was shot in the chest and injured. He returned fire shot Amacker in the leg and elbow. Both men were taken to the hospital and were not seriously hurt, as reported by Fox 10.

Amacker was allegedly able to keep his presence in the home a secret because Tracy provided him with food when he needed it. He also stayed hidden by urinating in bottles and limiting his trips to the bathroom.

Officers later found the bottles of urine in a room where Amacker had been living, accourding to source Chris Murphy.

Frank (not pictured) and Tracy (right) Reeves live on Skidmore Road in Creola, Alabama with Tracy's lover Michael Amacker (left), although Frank thought he was an intruder when he walked into his home on August 15 around 9pm

Amacker (left) was charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number and drug possession. Tracy (right) was also charged with drug possession

Amacker lived in the home with the married couple for more than a year and Frank never had a clue

Neighbors told the news station that the Reeves' were quiet and didn't mingle with the community much. When the gunfire rang out one neighbor said he thought it was thunder from an incoming storm 'because it was so loud and so close'.

Neighbor Kenneth Wilson saw the aftermath and told Fox 10: 'We saw them bring out the suspect and also the man that was shot, and they both seemed to be okay.

'They weren't saying much. In fact the suspect did not say a word - it looked like he was way out of it.'

Tracy was allegedly providing him with food and he stayed hidden by urinating in bottles and limiting his trips to the bathroom

Frank was hit in the chest and Amacker (pictured) was shot in the leg and elbow. Both men were taken to the hospital and were not seriously hurt

According to investigators Tracy and Amacker were high on methamphetamine when the shootout happened.

Officials said Tracy was too intoxicated and 'incoherent' to be interviewed at the scene.

Amacker was arrested after he was released from the hospital on Wednesday and charged with attempted murder, possession of a firearm with an altered serial number and drug possession.

No bond was listed in the jail records.

More charges could be coming from ICE because Amacker is already a convicted felon.

Tracy Reeves was also charged with drug possession.

A murder-for-hire plot investigation is underway in an attempt to figure out why she told her boyfriend that her husband was an intruder, according to WKRG.

Officers believe it could have possible been a set-up to get the husband out of the picture considering couple had separated for a short period of time.

Neighbors told Fox 10 that the Reeves were quiet and didn't mingle with the community much. Kenneth Wilson (right) saw the aftermath an said Amacker 'looked like he was way out of it'

Amacker (pictured at time of previous arrest) is already a convicted felon and could be facing additional charges

A murder-for-hire plot is under way in attempts to explain why Tracy (left pictured with Amacker) would tell her husband that her boyfriend was an intruder whom she did not know

But according to Mobile County Sheriff's Captain Paul Burch 'they appeared to have been working things out'.

Burch told the local news station: 'People that are on meth - you really can't apply a normal rationale to their thought process so you always have to take that into account as well.

'Not only do they have paranoia, they can't keep their mouth shut. So if there was some kind of diabolical plan it is very possible Amacker has told some other people.'

He also said that this was one of the most bizarre cases he's ever seen.

'I've still yet to figure out how somebody can be staying in your house and you not know it,' he said to the local news station.

'It's something that I haven't seen in 30-plus years,' he added.

Deputies said Amacker is well known in the meth community. He has been arrested multiple times on charges ranging from manufacturing to possessing drugs.
A 20-year-old groom has been killed in a horrific crash just hours before he was due to get married.

Myles Harty was in the front passenger seat of a car that smashed into a pole at around 1am at Cragmore on the Askeaton to Rathkeale Road in Limerick.

His heartbroken bride Kate Quilligan today released balloons in his memory at St Munchin's Church in Limerick city where the pair were due to get married.

Myles Harty (pictured with his bride Kate Quilligan) was in the front passenger seat of a car that smashed into a pole at around 1am at Cragmore on the Askeaton to Rathkeale Road in Limerick

Ms Quilligan today released balloons in his memory at St Munchin's Church in Limerick city where the pair were due to get married

She told The Sun: 'I love you forever. It will always be me and you no matter what.

'I love you unconditionally my gentle giant, you didn't deserve this my handsome baby boy.'

Ms Quilligan and hundreds of other family and friends mourned outside the church the wedding was supposed to take place in and released dozens of heart-shaped balloons.

Ms Quilligan said: 'I love you forever. It will always be me and you no matter what. I love you unconditionally my gentle giant, you didn't deserve this my handsome baby boy'

Ms Quilligan and hundreds of other family and friends mourned outside the church the wedding was supposed to take place in and released dozens of heart-shaped balloons

The Askeaton Parish priest Friar Sean O'Longaig said: 'The families are now switching from a wedding to a funeral.

Fr Sean OLongaigh, Askeaton Parish Priest, said Myles was well-known in his rural west Limerick community... The family must be in bits.'

A teenager who is believed to have been driving the car that Myles was in has been arrested.
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Afghans trying to flee to Britain to escape the Taliban will have to make their own way to the borders if the Americans do not delay the date for leaving the country, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declares today.

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK.

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain.

The MoD is looking at establishing hubs in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey  but, startlingly, is also exploring whether the Taliban might allow the UK to retain a presence in Kabul after the Americans have gone.

Mr Wallace makes a veiled plea for Washington to delay the US leaving date beyond August 31, writing: Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do.

The 900 British troops cannot remain without the logistical support of the 6,000 US soldiers in Kabul and will have to finish the evacuation before that point to allow enough time to secure their own safe exit.

Mr Wallaces announcement coincided with scenes of carnage at Kabul airport yesterday, with reports of at least four women crushed to death in a stampede.

US citizens were yesterday warned not to go to the airport amid fears that they might be hijacked en route by militants. The State Department said the US side of the airport would close for 48 hours. The British section remained open.

According to the MoD, 3,821 British and Afghan nationals have been evacuated from Kabul, where 1,000 British troops are based. About 3,500 people are still waiting to be airlifted.

Last night, an MoD source said the announcement about the refugee centres was intended to display honesty about the thousands of British allies likely to be left behind.

In a separate announcement last night, under-fire Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britain had stepped up to the plate after he secured 200 visa waivers for Afghan journalists to flee.

In other dramatic developments:

Mr Raab was accused of defying an order from No 10 to return early from his holiday as the crisis escalated. However, allies of Mr Raab said Boris Johnson had given him permission to remain;

Tony Blair branded the abandonment of Afghanistan and its people as tragic and dangerous; Sources claimed that the Prime Minister felt betrayed by Joe Biden over the Afghan withdrawal  although No 10 denied there are any tensions between the two;

One source even claimed the President, 78, was a bit doolally;

Taliban leaders Mullah Baradar and Siraj Haqqani arrived in Kabul to form a new government;

UK hate preacher Anjem Choudary urged the Taliban to restore full Islamic justice, including stoning adulterers;

The Home Office was scrambling to make the Taliban a proscribed group in an attempt to dissuade British jihadis from heading to Afghanistan;

Britons in Kabul said the city was running out of food and money; Britains heroic ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, called the crisis the greatest challenge of his 30-year career. Thousands rallied in London in protest at the Governments handling of the crisis;

The Minister with responsibility for Afghanistan, Lord Ahmad, was reported to be on holiday when the Taliban seized Kabul.

Afghans trying to flee (pictured: Chaos at Kabul airport yesterday) to Britain to escape the Taliban will have to make their own way to the borders if the Americans do not delay the date for leaving the country, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declares today

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK. Pictured: Afghans attempt to get into Kabul airport yesterday

Mr Wallace (pictured right) makes a veiled plea for Washington (pictured left: US President Joe Biden) to delay the US leaving date beyond August 31, writing: Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do'

Has Kabul debacle opened a rift between Boris and 'doolally' Biden? No10 denies PM feels 'betrayed' after Washington's rapid pull-out left UK exposed Boris Johnson's feelings about America's withdrawal from Afghanistan have been variously described by sources as 'furious', 'a betrayal' and 'let down'. Downing Street dismisses the claims  it is in neither country's interests to stoke tensions when the future of Afghanistan hangs in the balance  but there is little question that the UK has been left exposed by the speed of Washington's pull-out. Britain is tied to America's cut-off date of August 31 for the end of evacuation flights, which was agreed without consultation, meaning that if Joe Biden fails to extend the date, the UK will have to stop flights within days  to allow time to also remove the 900 British troops in the country. No 10 also denies claims that the Prime Minister was disappointed by Mr Biden's victory in the Presidential elections and had declared that it would have been 'better' if Donald Trump had won a second term, and say it is 'categorically untrue' that Mr Johnson employs the President's derogatory nickname of Sleepy Joe during jocular conversations. Advertisement

In his article today, Mr Wallace says that the collapse of Afghanistan has been an exhausting, worrying and demanding time, and warns that the distressing exit of the West will have consequences for us all for years to come.

He says: The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges. Public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people. Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds.

The Minister adds: Too many people in the airport has meant a suspension of access. I am confident that too will be fixed or mitigated but until it is, the crowds will get bigger.

'And ticking along, impossible to stop, is time. I have said all along that no nation will be able to get everyone out.

It is a source of deep sadness for many of us across Nato and no one wanted 20 years of sacrifice to end this way. We will do our best to the very last moment. But it isnt the end.

'The Home Secretary and I have been planning the next stage we will establish a series of processing hubs across the region outside of Afghanistan for those Afghans we have an obligation to bring to this country.

Meanwhile, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Home Secretary Priti Patel is scrambling to proscribe the Taliban as a terrorist group amid fears that hundreds of British jihadis will head to Afghanistan to join and live under the Islamist regime.

The Home Office is now looking urgently to ban the group which has avoided proscription so far, even though the Taliban has harboured terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and killed 456 British troops in Afghanistan over the past two decades.

If an organisation is on the Governments list of proscribed groups, it becomes a criminal offence for anyone in Britain to join or even support it, punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

If the situation remains as it is, Ministers fear that British jihadis could join and train under the regime then escape prosecution on their return to Britain.

Sources have told the MoS that Ms Patel is livid that the Taliban in Afghanistan has not been banned already. A source said last night: The fault doesnt lie with Priti. It goes far back, as no previous Home Secretary has bothered to ban it.

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain. Pictured: British and US troops help Afghans in Kabul

The MoD is looking at establishing hubs in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey  but, startlingly, is also exploring whether the Taliban might allow the UK to retain a presence in Kabul after the Americans have gone. Pictured: A British evacuation flight with 265 people on board

The 19th century struggle for power in Afghanistan between the UK and Tsarist Russia was called the Great Game. As the US and the UK pull its troops and the Taliban retake control by force, who will Afghanistan's new leaders cosy-up with? Turkey, the only Muslim-majority member of Nato, could benefit, partly because it can control the flow of Afghan refugees into Europe. The mullahs in Iran are delighted by the departure of the US and will recognise the new Kabul regime. Russia will also be pleased to see the US leave, but has its own concerns about Islamic extremism. China and Pakistan have also made early noises of support, while Qatar hosted Taliban leaders in its capital Doha since 2013. However India is dismayed by the Taliban's victory. Here Michael Burleigh looks at where each countries vested interests lie, and which countries will be happy and who will be angry at the Taliban takeover

Ex-Royal Marine who refused to flee Kabul without the Afghan staff from his animal welfare charity says he is now in talks with the Foreign Office Paul 'Pen Farthing', 52, says he is 'in talks' with the Foreign Office about getting 68 local workers from his Kabul-based Nowzad charity and their families processed by UK officials A former Royal Marine running an animal welfare charity in Afghanistan says he has begun talks with the UK Government in the hope of getting his staff to safety. Paul 'Pen' Farthing, 52, says he is now 'in talks' with the Foreign Office about getting 68 local workers from his Kabul-based Nowzad charity and their families processed by UK officials. The ex-Royal Marine Commando says he is 'hopeful' they will be relocated to the UK. Pen, whose charity has been backed by celebrities including Ricky Gervais and Judi Dench, said it was an 'absolute result'. 'We're just waiting for that process to finish. Hopefully, I've been told, it shouldn't take too long,' he told the BBC. Yesterday the Foreign Office confirmed to the BBC that it had been in contact with Mr Farthing. A spokeswoman told the broadcaster it was 'working closely with the Home Office to offer assistance'. Serviceman-turned-charity boss, Pen, served in Helmand at the height of the Afghanistan conflict and saw two of his comrades killed fighting the Taliban. He remained in Kabul as the extremist group stormed the Afghan capital and took control. Pen was separated from his wife Kaisa during the takeover, though, as reported by the Daily Mail yesterday, she has since been flown to safety. Speaking last week as panic-stricken Westerners fled, the veteran spoke of his anger towards Britain and America for abandoning the Afghan people to the medieval regime. And, after turning down the offer of a repatriation flight, he vowed to stay in Kabul until he can secure his British visas for his Afghan staff. Advertisement

A Government source told the MoS that MI5 and counter-terrorism units are preparing for the possibility of British jihadis travelling to Afghanistan.

Some will go and train under the Taliban and may come back to launch attacks, said the source.

Others may take their families with them and live under the Talibans Islamic government.

Britain has promised to evacuate about 6,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country, but that is looking increasingly unlikely.

Yesterday, amid chaotic scenes, Britons were told to either go to Kabul airport or the nearby Baron Hotel, where their papers could be processed. But some found their path blocked by makeshift Taliban checkpoints.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy wrote to Mr Raab saying that hundreds of her Afghan constituents had contacted her to say that their relatives  some with young children  were stranded or beaten at checkpoints.

Last night, a Briton and his wife told how they came under fire from Taliban militants at a checkpoint as they headed to the hotel. Their driver was injured in the shooting.

As the British man tried to explain to the militants that he was a foreign national he was beaten and threatened.

He told ITV News: My wife came out of the car, she was trying to save me and then they start beating my wife as well. They are warning me that if they see me next to that checkpoint they will kill us.

It comes as yesterday the US Embassy told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without 'individual instructions from a US government representative,' citing potential security threats outside its gates.

And yet crowds remained outside its concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Footage has since emerged of pandemonium and violence outside the airport, with US officials reporting that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban as they've tried to reach safety. The White House earlier confirmed that three military helicopters were used to rescue 169 Americans who were trapped at a hotel near the airport.

Meanwhile, Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital yesterday for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Nato yesterday begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.'

Meanwhile, pressure continues to grow on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Witnesses told the Times that the Cabinet minister was swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete, as the crisis began to unfold.

Nato yesterday begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible. Pictured: Medical support personnel help an Afghan mother with her family off a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft moments after she delivered a child aboard the aircraft upon landing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.' Pictured: British troops in Kabul yesterday

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighter, stand guard on their respective sides while a truck moves to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

And tonight he was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

Tonight Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

A source said: 'There is no doubt that Raab was told to come back on that Friday. There was then a significant amount of surprise when he appeared on the Cobra on the Sunday down the line from Crete. He must have nobbled Boris and asked for permission to finish his holiday'.

Last night, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday that he had enjoyed a 'wave of support', and denied that there was pressure from within his party to resign.

Mr Raab said: 'I've not heard any of my Conservative colleagues call for me to resign, but I have had a wave of support. There is no doubt that, like all countries, there is a measure of surprise at the rapidity of the Taliban takeover.

'But as the Foreign Secretary travelling around the world, whether I am on leave or I'm travelling for work purposes, I am always set up to be able to grip things'.

A close ally of Mr Raab insisted that No.10 had not 'ordered' him to return on the Friday.

The ally said: 'The suggestion was that he should make plans to come back. They said that if things get worse then he needed to be ready to come back at a moment's notice. He then talked it through with the PM and it was agreed that he would came back on Sunday'.

DEFENCE SECRETARY BEN WALLACE: The American deadline is looming... we have no time to lose to get people out

By Ben Wallace, Defence Secretary, for the Mail on Sunday

For everyone involved, the last few months have been an exhausting, worrying and demanding time.

The unedifying exit of the West from Afghanistan will have consequences for us all for years to come.

As Defence Secretary I have been incredibly proud of the work done by my civil servants and military personnel.

From before the collapse of the Afghan government to the present, four Ministry of Defence civil servants alone have handled the process and faced thousands of fearful Afghans.

They did so often at risk to themselves. Alongside them a small band of 150 military secured their part of the airport.

We are able to do what we are doing today because of them and because of the immense effort and support of our closest allies, the United States.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says he is 'incredibly proud of the work done by my civil servants and military personnel'

Our force has now grown to over 1,000 troops, Home Office border officials and embassy staff.

The US has surged to close to 6,000 military personnel. Only last week, as the crisis deepened, I had departmental civil servants volunteering to deploy.

The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges. Public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people. Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds.

Despite all this we are getting people out  more than 1,000 in the past 24 hours alone.

But be under no illusion, as one problem is solved a new one appears. At first we worried whether the airport would remain open, then if those coming to Britain would able to get to the airport. Next came overcrowding.

One by one, our commanders, Brigadier Dan Blanchard and Vice Admiral Ben Key, removed the problems.

Todays problem is different. Too many people in the airport has meant a suspension of access. I am confident that, too, will be fixed or mitigated, but until it is the crowds will get bigger.

And ticking along, impossible to stop, is time. I have said all along that no nation will be able to get everyone out.

It is a source of deep sadness for many of us across Nato, and no one wanted 20 years of sacrifice to end this way. We will do our best to the very last moment.

But it isnt the end. The Home Secretary and I have been planning the next stage.

Firstly, it is important to note that the scheme is not time- limited. We shall stand by our obligations and are investigating now how to process people from third countries and refugee camps.

Pictured: Afghan people gather along a road as they wait to board an evacuation aircraft to leave the country

We will establish a series of processing hubs across the region outside Afghanistan for those Afghans we have an obligation to bring to this country.

As far back as April, we relocated an Afghan family from a Greek refugee camp. People must not despair.

As I write, we are exploring ways to keep a presence in the country after the military are gone. There is much work to do to ensure conditions are right.

If the US timetable remains, we have no time to lose to get the majority of the people waiting out. We have the planes  we just need the flow.

Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer, and they will have our complete support if they do.

Soldiers often witness the worst of humanity and the best of humanity. I know I did on my operational tours.

Right now, the best resides in the men and women of the Army, RAF and Royal Navy risking their lives to save others.

Crushed to death in stampede: At least four women are killed in front of terrified children as thousands desperate to flee the Taliban descend on Kabul airport after discovering mercy flights could end in just 48 hours

By Ian Gallagher and Abul Taher for the Mail on Sunday and James Robinson and Tom Pyman for MailOnline

For thousands upon thousands, the litter-strewn road outside Kabul airport will be forever synonymous with dashed hopes of freedom.

But for once, the masses turned away were the lucky ones. Because for some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country.

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Each day brings ever more pitiful scenes in Afghanistan: men clinging to and falling from moving planes, mothers pressing their babies into the arms of soldiers. Yet nothing so unbearable as yesterday.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children.

Precious few, if any, of the wretched souls who descended on the airport qualified for evacuation. But they were in a race against time, spurred into one futile final act by warnings from London and Washington that the clock was ticking, that the mercy flights out of Kabul would soon cease.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children

Paratroopers tried to pull people from the chaos, and stood atop compound walls, spraying the crowd with hoses to try and cool them down, as medics dashed between casualties

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Pictured: Soldiers cover up the bodies of those who died yesterday

For some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country

A soldier gives one of the locals at the airport a bottle of water, as many struggled in chaotic scenes at the airport today

Some Afghans had planned to try their luck today or tomorrow. Suddenly nobody was prepared to wait. The deadline brought their haphazard plans forward, triggering an overwhelming scramble.

Two shipping containers blocked the road alongside the airport, funnelling people into narrow gaps either side in a vain attempt to ensure some kind of order.

Instead, it produced only more chaos. Scarcely a minute passed without a cry for medical assistance or a hopeless plea for a stretcher.

British Paratroopers did all that was humanly possible, pulling the most badly hurt to safety, cradling gasping children, administering first aid and dousing those collapsing with dehydration with water from a hose.

It was pretty impressive stuff, said Sky News reporter Stuart Ramsay at the scene. They were yanking people out as soon as they could that was on the British side, further up the road. On the American side, people were just penned in, they had been there all day with no shade whatsoever and a limited amount of water.

Elsewhere at the airport, a Taliban militant hit an old man with his rifle butt to stop him pushing on a gate. Nearby women were beaten with sticks.

A man who gave his name as Abdullah told The Mail on Sunday: All human rights and dignity have been buried here. No one behaves like human beings.

The foreigners have created this situation, they cannot manage this situation and this is their last attempt to humiliate us.

It is thought about 3,500 British nationals and Afghan locals are awaiting evacuation. Latest reports show that 3,821 people have been airlifted out. In Kabul itself, food is running out and prices are rising fast.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow (pictured), who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, who founded an animal welfare charity in Kabul, said: I cant draw out any money  the banks are running out.

'I cant pay my staff salaries, nobody can buy food. This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control.

He added: Im past angry, Im past everything. Im just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

Gul Ali, 55, clutching a British passport, had camped outside the airport for six days. He has lived in Britain for six years, and only went back to Kabul to visit relatives. Now he is stranded.

He said: I cannot get out. Nobody gives me permission. Its like doomsday, what is going on? What are these security men doing, its an uncontrolled situation, its uncertain, the US and UK forces are unable to manage the situation.

Joy and hope were scarce but an interpreter called Waheed, who had worked with British forces, was one of the few who made it through the airport.

Waheed, with his wife and children, spoke of his relief that he was finally UK-bound, saying: Its a very happy day in my life.

Describing the crush outside the airport, he added: It was very scary like a zombie land.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow, who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas.

He said the evacuation effort was without a doubt the greatest challenge of his 30-year career.

Speaking for the first time since the Taliban takeover, Sir Laurie said: The scale of this effort is enormous. Lives are at stake and I am incredibly proud of the tenacious efforts of my team during these challenging times, with military and civilian staff working together to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the last week.

We will continue to work tirelessly to get British nationals, Afghan staff and others at risk out of the country as quickly as possible as we also support Afghanistans long-term future.

His comments come as thousands of Afghans fear they could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday.

Efforts have been ramped up, however, with the Ministry of Defence yesterday confirming that the UK repatriated 1000 people in the last 24 hours - the most in a single day so far.

Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday, August 13, that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Taliban are making progress in forming a government and ensuring security across the country, an official said yesterday, adding that the Taliban are 'aiming to improve the situation and provide a smooth exit' at the airport over the weekend.

A soldier carries someone amid the chaos at Kabul airport in Afghanistan yesterday, with thousands desperate to flee the country

There were also scenes of people left injured and bloodied, sat amongst piles of papers and discarded clothes near the site, while others stood shoulder to shoulder, amid sounds of screams and gunshots

Shocking footage shows injured Afghans bleeding as they desperately try and make their way into the airport

British soldiers desperately shouted for medics and stretchers, as unconscious people were carried away, many being pronounced dead and covered in white sheets

The mayhem followed more violence in the capital last night, with footage emerging of people in crowds being beaten with sticks

A U.S. Navy Corpsman with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, hands out water to children during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

An evacuee holds up a peace sign after being manifested for a flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport

A U.S. Airman with the Joint Task Force-Crisis Response speaks with families who await processing during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

How many people have the West actually evacuated? America The promise: At least 22,000 evacuees including US citizens and those holding visas Aid groups said 80,000 visas may need to be issued to keep Biden's pledge to help all those who aided US forces, but that promise has almost certainly been broken The reality: Just 17,000 people have been airlifted out of Kabul in the last seven days, the Pentagon said on Saturday, despite there being capacity for up to 9,000 per day Since the end of July, some 22,000 people have been airlifted out, including Embassy staff, citizens of NATO countries, at-risk Afghan nationals as well as Afghans with special visas Who's left? That means to keep even its most-modest promises, the US has at least 10,000 more people to evacuate before the air bridge closes Britain The promise: The UK said it wants to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country Prime Minister Boris Johnson then promised to take another 5,000 refugees this year as part of a scheme that will allow 20,000 to settle over five years The reality: Britain evacuated 2,163 people from Kabul between Sunday night and Friday morning, and is aiming to take out another 1,000 per day as long as flights can keep operating. This target was met on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said. In total, the UK has now taken some 4,800 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks, including more than 600 UK citizens and thousands of Afghans covered by the resettlement scheme Who's left? To keep its most-modest promises, the UK must evacuate some 2,200 people - but up to 8,200 if the prime minister's pledge to take refugees is to be met Advertisement

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city.

Government sources stressed it was unlikely Britons would be left behind but said as many as 2,000 Afghan citizens could miss out.

So far 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul while a number have died at the airport.

In a new security warning yesterday, however, the US Embassy told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without 'individual instructions from a US government representative,' citing potential security threats outside its gates.

And yet crowds remained outside its concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Footage has since emerged of pandemonium and violence outside the airport, with US officials reporting that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban as they've tried to reach safety. The White House earlier confirmed that three military helicopters were used to rescue 169 Americans who were trapped at a hotel near the airport.

It comes as Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital yesterday for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Nato yesterday begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.'

Meanwhile, pressure continues to grow on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Witnesses told the Times that the Cabinet minister was swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete, as the crisis began to unfold.

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

And tonight he was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

A source said: 'There is no doubt that Raab was told to come back on that Friday. There was then a significant amount of surprise when he appeared on the Cobra on the Sunday down the line from Crete. He must have nobbled Boris and asked for permission to finish his holiday'.

Last night, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday that he had enjoyed a 'wave of support', and denied that there was pressure from within his party to resign.

Mr Raab said: 'I've not heard any of my Conservative colleagues call for me to resign, but I have had a wave of support. There is no doubt that, like all countries, there is a measure of surprise at the rapidity of the Taliban takeover.

'But as the Foreign Secretary travelling around the world, whether I am on leave or I'm travelling for work purposes, I am always set up to be able to grip things'.

A close ally of Mr Raab insisted that No.10 had not 'ordered' him to return on the Friday.

The ally said: 'The suggestion was that he should make plans to come back. They said that if things get worse then he needed to be ready to come back at a moment's notice. He then talked it through with the PM and it was agreed that he would came back on Sunday'.

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier indicates direction to Afghan nationals at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, front, and Taliban fighters, stand guard on their respective sides while a truck moves to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Taliban fighters stand guard on their side at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighter stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

U.S. Embassy tells Americans NOT to go to Kabul airport due to security threats The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home. 'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says. The warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home. It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers. The president made the promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'. He also said allies around the world have not questioned US credibility over the chaotic Kabul evacuation, insisted Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan and claimed there has been 'no indication' the Taliban has blocked Americans from reaching the airport. Minutes after Biden said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Yes, Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport. Kabul airport is the only way out of the country after the Taliban started seizing the country's major cities. Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Talibans top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday. The world's eyes are on him as he leads discussions with other Taliban leaders who will construct the framework for how they govern the country over the next week few weeks - a stark difference to the shadowy presence they maintained for years pre-9/11 when they ruled by harsh, draconian Sunni law. A Taliban official told Reuters that the framework 'will protect everyone's rights' but would not be a democracy by Western standards. It's unclear exactly how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000. Advertisement

Senior Tories piled pressure on the US and security services yesterday, with one cabinet minister telling the Times: 'Why do the CIA and MI6 get such large budgets if they can't tell us what is happening? It's an intelligence failure.'

Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative MP and attorney general, told Sky News: 'I think if they had known this was going to happen, would the US withdrawal have proceeded in the way it did?

'It must be an intelligence failure that one should end up with thousands of people crowding into an airport seeking to leave a country when it has been triggered by military decisions by the United States as to how it was going to conduct its withdrawal.'

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken.

A senior government source told the Times: 'People are going to get left behind. It's a question of how many. It could be thousands. I don't think people have realised the extent of the risk.'

Another insider pointed out if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans to be left to the Taliban.

The source added to the paper: 'There's a risk that thousands could be left behind but it's unlikely to be British nationals.'

Meanwhile, the European Union's top officials have warned the Taliban that current conversations being held to secure the departures of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the 27-nation bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain.

But she said this was 'separate' from 'political talks'.

'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said.

'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.'

It comes as a former British Marine turned animal charity manager in Kabul painted a desperate picture of life under the new regime.

Pen Farthing, who has been an outspoken critic of the Nato response to the crisis, revealed he and his 'terrified' staff are plotting a daring effort to break through the Taliban ranks and into the city's airport.

He said insurgents had set up shop next door to where they are staying - but were leaving them alone - while people go hungry because they cannot buy food.

The Islamist militants said yesterday the group have not kidnapped any foreigner, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

It was reported that Mr Biden would leave Washington DC for his holiday home in Delaware yesterday - exiting the White House amid the biggest crisis of his presidency - but it later emerged that he had changed plans.

He will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

One of those still on the ground is former British Marine Mr Farthing who unveiled his team's plan to break through the Taliban ranks surrounding the airport and try to catch a flight.

He told the Today programme: 'We are literally trying to plan how we are going to break into Kabul airport. Can you believe I'm saying that? We are trying to plan how we can break into Kabul airport.

'Somebody somewhere needs to get a grip of this. It's not a joke, it's not anything, that is genuinely what we are trying to do. With our team here I am going to try to plan to break into Kabul airport. I'm lost for words.'

He said he would 'absolutely not' be prepared to leave without his staff. 'I've got women and children I'm not leaving without them. They're coming with me.

'Right now they're terrified, absolutely terrified. There are no assurances that they will be okay if they were to stay here.'

The UK Armed Forces are pictured taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan yesterday

Thousands of Afghans could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday. Pictured: British citizens catching a flight earlier this week

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted. Pictured: Members of the United Services Organizations carry food for Afghan evacuees aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany,

An Afghan family arrives in Islamabad Airport after their evacuation from Kabul by Belgian forces called Red Kite mission, in Islamabad, Pakistan

Afghans continue to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Afghan capital of Kabul yesterday

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city. Pictured: The airport yesterday

An insider pointed out that if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday, then there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans (pictured at the airport yesterday) to be left in the hands of the Taliban

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul (pictured, the airport yesterday) could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken

Pentagon contradicts Biden MINUTES after his fumbling speech Minutes after President Biden on Friday said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. He cancelled plans to return home to Wilmington on Friday evening as officials scrambled to give off an air of urgency. He even answered questions about Afghanistan for the first time in 10 days after delivering a speech in the East Room of the White House. Would he send troops out of their base in Hamid Karzai International Airport to help stranded Americans reach safety, he was asked. 'We have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport,' he said. 'We've made an agreement with the Taliban thus far, they've allowed them to go through, it's in their interest for them to through.' But a different view emerged in reports of a briefing call that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held with lawmakers, telling them that Americans had been beaten as they tried to reach the airport. And officials at the Pentagon confirmed they were aware of Americans reporting being attacked. 'We're certainly mindful of these reports and they're deeply troubling and we have communicated to the Taliban that that's absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans and - by and large - that's happening,' said Kirby. Advertisement

He also slammed the IMF and President Biden for stopping money flowing into Afghanistan, saying the Taliban do not need it because they have the opium trade but the locals do to buy food and pay their staff.

He said: 'This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control and I don't see any politicians doing anything about it.

'We can't leave the country because we can't get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. I've got 71 staff members and women to get into that airport.

'We've all seen the scenes, it's no different today than it was at any other time. It's just getting worse.'

He said he had an email from the embassy this morning telling him to get an evacuation flight - but he would have had to leave his workers behind.

He said: 'How? How would you like me to get into the airport? It's ridiculous. I'm past angry, I'm past everything. I'm just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.'

And he revealed that Taliban forces had moved in next door to where he is but were leaving them to themselves for now.

'We see them. They've left us alone. The issue here in Kabul is not the Taliban at the moment, it's the fact we can't get money out... no one can buy food... and obviously you can't get to the airport because you can't get into it.

'It's the most dire situation, a humanitarian crisis on a humanitarian crisis.' He added it was not feasible for paratroopers to go and fetch him because they would just 'be putting their lives in danger'.

But in a ray of hope for the former soldier and his entourage, his campaigner said progress is being made in the operation to evacuate them.

Dominic Dyer said all 68 people should have visas 'within the next 24 hours' and that an aeroplane with 'significant capacity' for them and the animals is being deployed in the coming days.

About 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul airport in the last week - but 12 have died around the site.

Mr Dyer said he is seeing 'a lot more co-operation from the British Government' including 'direct involvement' from Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Speaking from Milton Keynes, he said a 'wealthy investor in the United States' is now helping fund the mission. He said the 'main obstacle' is 'getting through the airport' where thousands of desperate people are trying to escape.

He said: 'Defra are helping us now in terms of all the issues around the dogs coming - the rabies control and quarantine rules. We have an aeroplane, an A340 airbus, with significant capacity for the people and the animals.

'We are hopeful that all 68 people will be approved for visas, we can't leave anybody out, so we need that completely.'

He added: 'The one thing that we've begun to see is that the Americans began to deploy Chinooks, and the French and Germans have smaller capacity helicopters.

'We don't have any helicopters in that theatre at all because we removed them all weeks before this operation started, which sounds absolutely ridiculous.'

Afghans (pictured yesterday) are continuing to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Taliban

Cars line the road on the way to the city's airport as thousands are still trying to escape the Taliban and catch a flight to the West

Pakistani soldiers stand guard as Afghan and Pakistani nationals queue to cross into Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman yesterday

Meanwhile a head teacher in Nottingham said two of her school children are expected home from Afghanistan in the 'next couple of days' after successfully making it to Kabul airport.

Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle but got trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma usually attend, told the Today programme: 'We're absolutely frantic about their situation.

'They are still at the airport waiting for their repatriation flights, firstly to Dubai - I think there is a military flight to Dubai and then a connecting commercial flight back to the UK.

Son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani REFUSES to comment on unfolding crisis His Afghan government leader father reportedly fled Kabul in a helicopter stuffed with $169million in cash and four cars - but Tarek Ghani leads an altogether different existence as an economics professor residing in one of America's most genteel neighborhoods, DailyMail.com can reveal. Life for the 39-year-old son of exiled Ashraf Ghani could not be more different to the horror unfolding on the streets of the Afghan capital where the Taliban are beginning to exert their rule of terror and killing. Tarek Ghani (pictured) is the son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani He and wife Elizabeth Pearson own an immaculate $1.2million red-painted town house just a mile from the Capitol building in a charming Washington DC enclave, its patchwork of streets lined with trees and other similar upscale properties. The power couple bought their three-bedroom, three-bathroom home for $959,000 in 2018 and it has rocketed in value since the Covid pandemic. The area's average real estate prices are in the country's top seven percent. Yet despite his proud heritage, expertise and background fighting to prevent war, he bluntly refused to discuss the unfolding situation in Afghanistan when DailyMail.com turned up at his home to ask him about it. He said 'no', and closed the front door. Advertisement

'But they are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.'

Ms Dawson said the videos and voice messages sent to her of the children by their older sister during their time stuck in Afghanistan were 'absolutely heart breaking'.

She added: 'They were terrified: watching shooting, watching people being assaulted and just the chaos outside that airport compound was really traumatising for anybody but particularly for young children.'

Meanwhile, former Afghan diplomat Zubair Juenda has described his 'mission impossible' journey out of Afghanistan with his wife and two children, aged nine and 10, amid the Taliban takeover.

He told Channel 4 News: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be.

'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible.

'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.'

He added: 'I was very worried, being a father with children of that age and a wife it is of course worrying, it felt like a nightmare.

'Adults have been crushed by people... I passed out myself after being crushed, but six people died outside the camp.'

It comes as the US Embassy told Americans yesterday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates.

The warning was issued less than 24 hours after President Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

That was part of Biden's 50-minute speech on Friday, which was the first time in nine days the president answered any questions about the chaos in Afghanistan.

During the speech, he was contradicted by Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby who said he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The point was furthered over the last 12 hours as videos depicting pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport have surfaced.

Vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation sent desperate pleas not to be left behind.

But some outgoing flights have been far from full because of Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges.

A Taliban fighter stands guard on Afghan side while people wait to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

Pedestrian movement has limited in Torkham border, only stranded people in both sides and trucks taking goods to Afghanistan can passes through this border point. Pictured: Taliban fighters stand guard at the border

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says there is 'no recognition' of Taliban from bloc European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain The European Union's top officials warned the Taliban on Saturday that the current conversations being held to secure the exit of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain. 'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said. 'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.' She also said the continuance of European humanitarian aid to Afghanistan will hinge on the Taliban respecting human rights, especially for women and girls. 'We hear the Taliban statement that stresses that women will have their right place in society and have the right to study and work, within the framework of Islam, whatever that means. 'But we also hear more and more reports of people being hunted down for their past work or opinions, and we hear of women being turned away when they show up at their usual workplace,' she said. 'The one billion euros set aside by the European Union for the next seven years for development aid is tied to strict conditions: respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities, and respect for the rights of women and girls.' Advertisement

Then a backlog at the transit facility in Qatar, which is one of the main countries welcoming refugees, stalled flights for hours on Friday.

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

No one knows how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said yesterday they have not kidnapped any foreigners, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Just a week after the Taliban's swift takeover of the south Asian nation, Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos and reports of violence by the insurgents.

The Taliban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

He ruled out incidents of reported kidnappings of foreigners, but added: 'We are questioning some of them before they exit the country.'

The official also said yesterday the Taliban will be accountable for its actions and will investigate reports of reprisals and atrocities carried out by members.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the group planned to ready a new model for governing Afghanistan within the next few weeks.

'We have heard of some cases of atrocities and crimes against civilians,' the official said. 'If Talibs (members) are doing these law and order problems, they will be investigated.'

He added: 'We can understand the panic, stress and anxiety. People think we will not be accountable, but that will not be the case.'

Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital yesterday for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Baradar will meet militant commanders, former government leaders and policy makers, as well as religious scholars among others, the official said.

The chief of the Taliban's political office, Baradar was part of the group's negotiating team in the Qatar capital of Doha.

Reported to have been one of the most trusted commanders of the former Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar, Baradar was captured in 2010 by security forces in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi and released in 2018.

Meanwhile German Chancellor Angela Merkel conceded yesterday the Afghan army's resistance against Taliban militants had been misjudged.

'The army collapsed at a breathtaking pace,' Merkel said at an election event. 'We had expected the resistance to be stronger.'

An Afghan man yesterday stands near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

An Afghan man is pictured yesterday standing near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Two boys stand next to their crumbling house yesterday after it was damaged during the air strikes in Helmand province two weeks ago

An Afghan boy yesterday stands at a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Former diplomat describes 'mission impossible' escape from Afghanistan A former Afghan diplomat has described his escape from the country with his wife and two young children as 'mission impossible' amid the Taliban takeover. Zubair Juenda told Channel 4 News that at one point he passed out as he and his family pushed through huge crowds to reach 'the gates out of hell' and were evacuated with the help of the British military. Mr Juenda fled from Kabul to England with his wife and children, aged nine and 10. They left the Afghan capital on Thursday and had to make the perilous journey via three checkpoints controlled by the Taliban, before arriving in England the following day. He said: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be. 'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible. 'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. 'I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.' Advertisement

Merkel said the focus now was on rescuing people from Afghanistan, but later there would need to be a discussion on what had or had not been achieved.

Despite the chaos gripping the Middle East country, President Biden has decided to leave Washington DC and return to his holiday home in Delaware.

The president will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

Vice president Kamala Harris left DC on Friday for an Asia tour and will be absent for a week, visiting Singapore, Vietnam and then California. Her office insisted she will continue to work on the Afghan crisis while she is in Asia.

President Biden also has access to secure command and control centres at all the locations he travels to.

The President has taken flack throughout the crisis, most recently last night during his speech from the White House that presented a distorted reality.

Minutes after he said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda was a success and he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon.

Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

He also flubbed while describing key communications with the Taliban, mangling the name of Doha, Qatar  a key focal point of negotiations as well as evacuations.

Asked about assurances of security for people making it to the airport, Biden responded: 'We've been in constant contact with the Taliban leadership on the ground in Kabul, as well as the Taliban leadership in Daho.'

He did not immediately correct himself, but he later referred to the location correctly when defending the way the evacuation was handled.

'The point was that although we were in contact with the Taliban and Doha for this whole period of time,' there wasn't expected to be a 'total demise' of the Afghan military.

President Joe Biden vowed Friday to get all Americans and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan and took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - for the first time in nine days. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

Afghan baby seen being lifted by US Marine over barbed wire wall has been reunited with her father A baby who was captured in a viral video being handed to a US Marine over a wall topped with barbed-wire at Kabul airport has been reunited with her father. The video sees the sobbing infant being handed over to a Marine across a reinforced wall at Hamad Karzai International Airport who then hands the child to a fellow soldier. Major Jim Stenger told CBS News: 'The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on site and cared for by medical professionals. I can confirm the baby was reunited with their father and is safe at the airport. 'This is a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations.' It is the latest iconic image to emerge as people desperate to flee the Taliban beg troops and US allies to help them evacuate. Advertisement

Elsewhere in the international crisis, the Gulf nation of Bahrain said yesterday it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation, an option that should ease pressure after the US faced issues on Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The backlog forced flights from Kabul's international airport to stop for several hours. The United Arab Emirates also said yesterday it would host up to 5,000 Afghans 'prior to their departure to other countries'.

Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, are seeking evacuation after the Taliban's shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan in a little over a week.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an 'inclusive, Islamic' government, offer full amnesty to those who worked for the US and the Western-backed government and claim they have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001.

They also say they will honour women's rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Taliban's harsh rule of the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Meanwhile Uzbekistan yesterday said it had accepted about 400 more refugees from Afghanistan and put them up in temporary accommodation near the Afghan border.

It is unclear how many Afghans have crossed into the former Soviet republic as Taliban insurgents overran Afghanistan.

The Tashkent government has denied senior Afghan figures such as ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dustum were among them.

But approximately 650 Afghan officers from units commanded by Dustum were already at the same health centre, TASS cited the source as saying.

Uzbekistan said on Friday that it had sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan as per an agreement with the Taliban and after requests from the refugees themselves.
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For thousands upon thousands, the litter-strewn road outside Kabul airport will be forever synonymous with dashed hopes of freedom.

But for once, the masses turned away were the lucky ones. Because for some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country.

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Each day brings ever more pitiful scenes in Afghanistan: men clinging to and falling from moving planes, mothers pressing their babies into the arms of soldiers. Yet nothing so unbearable as yesterday.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children.

Precious few, if any, of the wretched souls who descended on the airport qualified for evacuation. But they were in a race against time, spurred into one futile final act by warnings from London and Washington that the clock was ticking, that the mercy flights out of Kabul would soon cease.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children

Paratroopers tried to pull people from the chaos, and stood atop compound walls, spraying the crowd with hoses to try and cool them down, as medics dashed between casualties

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Pictured: Soldiers cover up the bodies of those who died yesterday

For some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country

A soldier gives one of the locals at the airport a bottle of water, as many struggled in chaotic scenes at the airport today

Some Afghans had planned to try their luck today or tomorrow. Suddenly nobody was prepared to wait. The deadline brought their haphazard plans forward, triggering an overwhelming scramble.

Two shipping containers blocked the road alongside the airport, funnelling people into narrow gaps either side in a vain attempt to ensure some kind of order.

Instead, it produced only more chaos. Scarcely a minute passed without a cry for medical assistance or a hopeless plea for a stretcher.

British Paratroopers did all that was humanly possible, pulling the most badly hurt to safety, cradling gasping children, administering first aid and dousing those collapsing with dehydration with water from a hose.

It was pretty impressive stuff, said Sky News reporter Stuart Ramsay at the scene. They were yanking people out as soon as they could that was on the British side, further up the road. On the American side, people were just penned in, they had been there all day with no shade whatsoever and a limited amount of water.

Elsewhere at the airport, a Taliban militant hit an old man with his rifle butt to stop him pushing on a gate. Nearby women were beaten with sticks.

A man who gave his name as Abdullah told The Mail on Sunday: All human rights and dignity have been buried here. No one behaves like human beings.

The foreigners have created this situation, they cannot manage this situation and this is their last attempt to humiliate us.

It is thought about 3,500 British nationals and Afghan locals are awaiting evacuation. Latest reports show that 3,821 people have been airlifted out. In Kabul itself, food is running out and prices are rising fast.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow (pictured), who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, who founded an animal welfare charity in Kabul, said: I cant draw out any money  the banks are running out.

'I cant pay my staff salaries, nobody can buy food. This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control.

He added: Im past angry, Im past everything. Im just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

Gul Ali, 55, clutching a British passport, had camped outside the airport for six days. He has lived in Britain for six years, and only went back to Kabul to visit relatives. Now he is stranded.

He said: I cannot get out. Nobody gives me permission. Its like doomsday, what is going on? What are these security men doing, its an uncontrolled situation, its uncertain, the US and UK forces are unable to manage the situation.

Joy and hope were scarce but an interpreter called Waheed, who had worked with British forces, was one of the few who made it through the airport.

Waheed, with his wife and children, spoke of his relief that he was finally UK-bound, saying: Its a very happy day in my life.

Describing the crush outside the airport, he added: It was very scary like a zombie land.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow, who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas.

He said the evacuation effort was without a doubt the greatest challenge of his 30-year career.

Speaking for the first time since the Taliban takeover, Sir Laurie said: The scale of this effort is enormous. Lives are at stake and I am incredibly proud of the tenacious efforts of my team during these challenging times, with military and civilian staff working together to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the last week.

We will continue to work tirelessly to get British nationals, Afghan staff and others at risk out of the country as quickly as possible as we also support Afghanistans long-term future.

His comments come as thousands of Afghans fear they could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday.

Efforts have been ramped up, however, with the Ministry of Defence today confirming that the UK repatriated 1000 people in the last 24 hours - the most in a single day so far.

Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday, August 13, that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Taliban are making progress in forming a government and ensuring security across the country, an official said today, adding that the Taliban are 'aiming to improve the situation and provide a smooth exit' at the airport over the weekend.

A soldier carries someone amid the chaos at Kabul airport in Afghanistan today, with thousands desperate to flee the country

There were also scenes of people left injured and bloodied, sat amongst piles of papers and discarded clothes near the site, while others stood shoulder to shoulder, amid sounds of screams and gunshots

Shocking footage shows injured Afghans bleeding as they desperately try and make their way into the airport

British soldiers desperately shouted for medics and stretchers, as unconscious people were carried away, many being pronounced dead and covered in white sheets

The mayhem followed more violence in the capital last night, with footage emerging of people in crowds being beaten with sticks

A U.S. Navy Corpsman with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, hands out water to children during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

An evacuee holds up a peace sign after being manifested for a flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport

A U.S. Airman with the Joint Task Force-Crisis Response speaks with families who await processing during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

How many people have the West actually evacuated? America The promise: At least 22,000 evacuees including US citizens and those holding visas Aid groups said 80,000 visas may need to be issued to keep Biden's pledge to help all those who aided US forces, but that promise has almost certainly been broken The reality: Just 17,000 people have been airlifted out of Kabul in the last seven days, the Pentagon said on Saturday, despite there being capacity for up to 9,000 per day Since the end of July, some 22,000 people have been airlifted out, including Embassy staff, citizens of NATO countries, at-risk Afghan nationals as well as Afghans with special visas Who's left? That means to keep even its most-modest promises, the US has at least 10,000 more people to evacuate before the air bridge closes Britain The promise: The UK said it wants to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country Prime Minister Boris Johnson then promised to take another 5,000 refugees this year as part of a scheme that will allow 20,000 to settle over five years The reality: Britain evacuated 2,163 people from Kabul between Sunday night and Friday morning, and is aiming to take out another 1,000 per day as long as flights can keep operating. This target was met on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said. In total, the UK has now taken some 4,800 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks, including more than 600 UK citizens and thousands of Afghans covered by the resettlement scheme Who's left? To keep its most-modest promises, the UK must evacuate some 2,200 people - but up to 8,200 if the prime minister's pledge to take refugees is to be met Advertisement

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city.

Government sources stressed it was unlikely Britons would be left behind but said as many as 2,000 Afghan citizens could miss out.

So far 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul while a number have died at the airport.

In a new security warning today, however, the US Embassy told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without 'individual instructions from a US government representative,' citing potential security threats outside its gates.

And yet crowds remained outside its concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Footage has since emerged of pandemonium and violence outside the airport, with US officials reporting that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban as they've tried to reach safety. The White House earlier confirmed that three military helicopters were used to rescue 169 Americans who were trapped at a hotel near the airport.

It comes as Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital today for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Nato yesterday begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.'

Meanwhile, pressure continues to grow on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Witnesses told the Times that the Cabinet minister was swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete, as the crisis began to unfold.

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

And tonight he was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

Tonight Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

A source said: 'There is no doubt that Raab was told to come back on that Friday. There was then a significant amount of surprise when he appeared on the Cobra on the Sunday down the line from Crete. He must have nobbled Boris and asked for permission to finish his holiday'.

Last night, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday that he had enjoyed a 'wave of support', and denied that there was pressure from within his party to resign.

Mr Raab said: 'I've not heard any of my Conservative colleagues call for me to resign, but I have had a wave of support. There is no doubt that, like all countries, there is a measure of surprise at the rapidity of the Taliban takeover.

'But as the Foreign Secretary travelling around the world, whether I am on leave or I'm travelling for work purposes, I am always set up to be able to grip things'.

A close ally of Mr Raab insisted that No.10 had not 'ordered' him to return on the Friday.

The ally said: 'The suggestion was that he should make plans to come back. They said that if things get worse then he needed to be ready to come back at a moment's notice. He then talked it through with the PM and it was agreed that he would came back on Sunday'.

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier indicates direction to Afghan nationals at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, front, and Taliban fighters, stand guard on their respective sides while a truck moves to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Taliban fighters stand guard on their side at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighter stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

U.S. Embassy tells Americans NOT to go to Kabul airport due to security threats The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home. 'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says. The warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home. It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers. The president made the promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'. He also said allies around the world have not questioned US credibility over the chaotic Kabul evacuation, insisted Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan and claimed there has been 'no indication' the Taliban has blocked Americans from reaching the airport. Minutes after Biden said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Yes, Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport. Kabul airport is the only way out of the country after the Taliban started seizing the country's major cities. Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Talibans top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday. The world's eyes are on him as he leads discussions with other Taliban leaders who will construct the framework for how they govern the country over the next week few weeks - a stark difference to the shadowy presence they maintained for years pre-9/11 when they ruled by harsh, draconian Sunni law. A Taliban official told Reuters that the framework 'will protect everyone's rights' but would not be a democracy by Western standards. It's unclear exactly how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000. Advertisement

Senior Tories piled pressure on the US and security services today, with one cabinet minister telling the Times: 'Why do the CIA and MI6 get such large budgets if they can't tell us what is happening? It's an intelligence failure.'

Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative MP and attorney general, told Sky News: 'I think if they had known this was going to happen, would the US withdrawal have proceeded in the way it did?

'It must be an intelligence failure that one should end up with thousands of people crowding into an airport seeking to leave a country when it has been triggered by military decisions by the United States as to how it was going to conduct its withdrawal.'

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken.

A senior government source told the Times: 'People are going to get left behind. It's a question of how many. It could be thousands. I don't think people have realised the extent of the risk.'

Another insider pointed out if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans to be left to the Taliban.

The source added to the paper: 'There's a risk that thousands could be left behind but it's unlikely to be British nationals.'

Meanwhile, the European Union's top officials have warned the Taliban that current conversations being held to secure the departures of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the 27-nation bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain.

But she said this was 'separate' from 'political talks'.

'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said.

'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.'

It comes as a former British Marine turned animal charity manager in Kabul painted a desperate picture of life under the new regime.

Pen Farthing, who has been an outspoken critic of the Nato response to the crisis, revealed he and his 'terrified' staff are plotting a daring effort to break through the Taliban ranks and into the city's airport.

He said insurgents had set up shop next door to where they are staying - but were leaving them alone - while people go hungry because they cannot buy food.

The Islamist militants said today the group have not kidnapped any foreigner, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

It was reported that Mr Biden would leave Washington DC for his holiday home in Delaware today - exiting the White House amid the biggest crisis of his presidency - but it later emerged that he had changed plans.

He will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

One of those still on the ground is former British Marine Mr Farthing who unveiled his team's plan to break through the Taliban ranks surrounding the airport and try to catch a flight.

He told the Today programme: 'We are literally trying to plan how we are going to break into Kabul airport. Can you believe I'm saying that? We are trying to plan how we can break into Kabul airport.

'Somebody somewhere needs to get a grip of this. It's not a joke, it's not anything, that is genuinely what we are trying to do. With our team here I am going to try to plan to break into Kabul airport. I'm lost for words.'

He said he would 'absolutely not' be prepared to leave without his staff. 'I've got women and children I'm not leaving without them. They're coming with me.

'Right now they're terrified, absolutely terrified. There are no assurances that they will be okay if they were to stay here.'

The UK Armed Forces are pictured taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan yesterday

Thousands of Afghans could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday. Pictured: British citizens catching a flight earlier this week

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted. Pictured: Members of the United Services Organizations carry food for Afghan evacuees aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany,

An Afghan family arrives in Islamabad Airport after their evacuation from Kabul by Belgian forces called Red Kite mission, in Islamabad, Pakistan

Afghans continue to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Afghan capital of Kabul today

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city. Pictured: The airport today

An insider pointed out that if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday, then there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans (pictured at the airport today) to be left in the hands of the Taliban

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul (pictured, the airport today) could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken

Pentagon contradicts Biden MINUTES after his fumbling speech Minutes after President Biden on Friday said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. He cancelled plans to return home to Wilmington on Friday evening as officials scrambled to give off an air of urgency. He even answered questions about Afghanistan for the first time in 10 days after delivering a speech in the East Room of the White House. Would he send troops out of their base in Hamid Karzai International Airport to help stranded Americans reach safety, he was asked. 'We have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport,' he said. 'We've made an agreement with the Taliban thus far, they've allowed them to go through, it's in their interest for them to through.' But a different view emerged in reports of a briefing call that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held with lawmakers, telling them that Americans had been beaten as they tried to reach the airport. And officials at the Pentagon confirmed they were aware of Americans reporting being attacked. 'We're certainly mindful of these reports and they're deeply troubling and we have communicated to the Taliban that that's absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans and - by and large - that's happening,' said Kirby. Advertisement

He also slammed the IMF and President Biden for stopping money flowing into Afghanistan, saying the Taliban do not need it because they have the opium trade but the locals do to buy food and pay their staff.

He said: 'This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control and I don't see any politicians doing anything about it.

'We can't leave the country because we can't get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. I've got 71 staff members and women to get into that airport.

'We've all seen the scenes, it's no different today than it was at any other time. It's just getting worse.'

He said he had an email from the embassy this morning telling him to get an evacuation flight - but he would have had to leave his workers behind.

He said: 'How? How would you like me to get into the airport? It's ridiculous. I'm past angry, I'm past everything. I'm just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.'

And he revealed that Taliban forces had moved in next door to where he is but were leaving them to themselves for now.

'We see them. They've left us alone. The issue here in Kabul is not the Taliban at the moment, it's the fact we can't get money out... no one can buy food... and obviously you can't get to the airport because you can't get into it.

'It's the most dire situation, a humanitarian crisis on a humanitarian crisis.' He added it was not feasible for paratroopers to go and fetch him because they would just 'be putting their lives in danger'.

But in a ray of hope for the former soldier and his entourage, his campaigner said progress is being made in the operation to evacuate them.

Dominic Dyer said all 68 people should have visas 'within the next 24 hours' and that an aeroplane with 'significant capacity' for them and the animals is being deployed in the coming days.

About 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul airport in the last week - but 12 have died around the site.

Mr Dyer said he is seeing 'a lot more co-operation from the British Government' including 'direct involvement' from Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Speaking from Milton Keynes, he said a 'wealthy investor in the United States' is now helping fund the mission. He said the 'main obstacle' is 'getting through the airport' where thousands of desperate people are trying to escape.

He said: 'Defra are helping us now in terms of all the issues around the dogs coming - the rabies control and quarantine rules. We have an aeroplane, an A340 airbus, with significant capacity for the people and the animals.

'We are hopeful that all 68 people will be approved for visas, we can't leave anybody out, so we need that completely.'

He added: 'The one thing that we've begun to see is that the Americans began to deploy Chinooks, and the French and Germans have smaller capacity helicopters.

'We don't have any helicopters in that theatre at all because we removed them all weeks before this operation started, which sounds absolutely ridiculous.'

Afghans (pictured today) are continuing to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Taliban

Cars line the road on the way to the city's airport as thousands are still trying to escape the Taliban and catch a flight to the West

Pakistani soldiers stand guard as Afghan and Pakistani nationals queue to cross into Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman today

Meanwhile a head teacher in Nottingham said two of her school children are expected home from Afghanistan in the 'next couple of days' after successfully making it to Kabul airport.

Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle but got trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma usually attend, told the Today programme: 'We're absolutely frantic about their situation.

'They are still at the airport waiting for their repatriation flights, firstly to Dubai - I think there is a military flight to Dubai and then a connecting commercial flight back to the UK.

Son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani REFUSES to comment on unfolding crisis His Afghan government leader father reportedly fled Kabul in a helicopter stuffed with $169million in cash and four cars - but Tarek Ghani leads an altogether different existence as an economics professor residing in one of America's most genteel neighborhoods, DailyMail.com can reveal. Life for the 39-year-old son of exiled Ashraf Ghani could not be more different to the horror unfolding on the streets of the Afghan capital where the Taliban are beginning to exert their rule of terror and killing. Tarek Ghani (pictured) is the son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani He and wife Elizabeth Pearson own an immaculate $1.2million red-painted town house just a mile from the Capitol building in a charming Washington DC enclave, its patchwork of streets lined with trees and other similar upscale properties. The power couple bought their three-bedroom, three-bathroom home for $959,000 in 2018 and it has rocketed in value since the Covid pandemic. The area's average real estate prices are in the country's top seven percent. Yet despite his proud heritage, expertise and background fighting to prevent war, he bluntly refused to discuss the unfolding situation in Afghanistan when DailyMail.com turned up at his home to ask him about it. He said 'no', and closed the front door. Advertisement

'But they are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.'

Ms Dawson said the videos and voice messages sent to her of the children by their older sister during their time stuck in Afghanistan were 'absolutely heart breaking'.

She added: 'They were terrified: watching shooting, watching people being assaulted and just the chaos outside that airport compound was really traumatising for anybody but particularly for young children.'

Meanwhile, former Afghan diplomat Zubair Juenda has described his 'mission impossible' journey out of Afghanistan with his wife and two children, aged nine and 10, amid the Taliban takeover.

He told Channel 4 News: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be.

'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible.

'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.'

He added: 'I was very worried, being a father with children of that age and a wife it is of course worrying, it felt like a nightmare.

'Adults have been crushed by people... I passed out myself after being crushed, but six people died outside the camp.'

It comes as the US Embassy told Americans today not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates.

The warning was issued less than 24 hours after President Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

That was part of Biden's 50-minute speech on Friday, which was the first time in nine days the president answered any questions about the chaos in Afghanistan.

During the speech, he was contradicted by Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby who said he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The point was furthered over the last 12 hours as videos depicting pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport have surfaced.

Vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation sent desperate pleas not to be left behind.

But some outgoing flights have been far from full because of Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges.

A Taliban fighter stands guard on Afghan side while people wait to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

Pedestrian movement has limited in Torkham border, only stranded people in both sides and trucks taking goods to Afghanistan can passes through this border point. Pictured: Taliban fighters stand guard at the border

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says there is 'no recognition' of Taliban from bloc European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain The European Union's top officials warned the Taliban on Saturday that the current conversations being held to secure the exit of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain. 'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said. 'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.' She also said the continuance of European humanitarian aid to Afghanistan will hinge on the Taliban respecting human rights, especially for women and girls. 'We hear the Taliban statement that stresses that women will have their right place in society and have the right to study and work, within the framework of Islam, whatever that means. 'But we also hear more and more reports of people being hunted down for their past work or opinions, and we hear of women being turned away when they show up at their usual workplace,' she said. 'The one billion euros set aside by the European Union for the next seven years for development aid is tied to strict conditions: respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities, and respect for the rights of women and girls.' Advertisement

Then a backlog at the transit facility in Qatar, which is one of the main countries welcoming refugees, stalled flights for hours on Friday.

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

No one knows how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said today they have not kidnapped any foreigners, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Just a week after the Taliban's swift takeover of the south Asian nation, Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos and reports of violence by the insurgents.

The Taliban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

He ruled out incidents of reported kidnappings of foreigners, but added: 'We are questioning some of them before they exit the country.'

The official also said today the Taliban will be accountable for its actions and will investigate reports of reprisals and atrocities carried out by members.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the group planned to ready a new model for governing Afghanistan within the next few weeks.

'We have heard of some cases of atrocities and crimes against civilians,' the official said. 'If Talibs (members) are doing these law and order problems, they will be investigated.'

He added: 'We can understand the panic, stress and anxiety. People think we will not be accountable, but that will not be the case.'

Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital today for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Baradar will meet militant commanders, former government leaders and policy makers, as well as religious scholars among others, the official said.

The chief of the Taliban's political office, Baradar was part of the group's negotiating team in the Qatar capital of Doha.

Reported to have been one of the most trusted commanders of the former Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar, Baradar was captured in 2010 by security forces in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi and released in 2018.

Meanwhile German Chancellor Angela Merkel conceded today the Afghan army's resistance against Taliban militants had been misjudged.

'The army collapsed at a breathtaking pace,' Merkel said at an election event. 'We had expected the resistance to be stronger.'

An Afghan man today stands near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

An Afghan man is pictured today standing near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Two boys stand next to their crumbling house today after it was damaged during the air strikes in Helmand province two weeks ago

An Afghan boy today stands at a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Former diplomat describes 'mission impossible' escape from Afghanistan A former Afghan diplomat has described his escape from the country with his wife and two young children as 'mission impossible' amid the Taliban takeover. Zubair Juenda told Channel 4 News that at one point he passed out as he and his family pushed through huge crowds to reach 'the gates out of hell' and were evacuated with the help of the British military. Mr Juenda fled from Kabul to England with his wife and children, aged nine and 10. They left the Afghan capital on Thursday and had to make the perilous journey via three checkpoints controlled by the Taliban, before arriving in England the following day. He said: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be. 'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible. 'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. 'I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.' Advertisement

Merkel said the focus now was on rescuing people from Afghanistan, but later there would need to be a discussion on what had or had not been achieved.

Despite the chaos gripping the Middle East country, President Biden has decided to leave Washington DC and return to his holiday home in Delaware.

The president will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

Vice president Kamala Harris left DC on Friday for an Asia tour and will be absent for a week, visiting Singapore, Vietnam and then California. Her office insisted she will continue to work on the Afghan crisis while she is in Asia.

President Biden also has access to secure command and control centres at all the locations he travels to.

The President has taken flack throughout the crisis, most recently last night during his speech from the White House that presented a distorted reality.

Minutes after he said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda was a success and he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon.

Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

He also flubbed while describing key communications with the Taliban, mangling the name of Doha, Qatar  a key focal point of negotiations as well as evacuations.

Asked about assurances of security for people making it to the airport, Biden responded: 'We've been in constant contact with the Taliban leadership on the ground in Kabul, as well as the Taliban leadership in Daho.'

He did not immediately correct himself, but he later referred to the location correctly when defending the way the evacuation was handled.

'The point was that although we were in contact with the Taliban and Doha for this whole period of time,' there wasn't expected to be a 'total demise' of the Afghan military.

President Joe Biden vowed Friday to get all Americans and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan and took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - for the first time in nine days. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

Afghan baby seen being lifted by US Marine over barbed wire wall has been reunited with her father A baby who was captured in a viral video being handed to a US Marine over a wall topped with barbed-wire at Kabul airport has been reunited with her father. The video sees the sobbing infant being handed over to a Marine across a reinforced wall at Hamad Karzai International Airport who then hands the child to a fellow soldier. Major Jim Stenger told CBS News: 'The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on site and cared for by medical professionals. I can confirm the baby was reunited with their father and is safe at the airport. 'This is a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations.' It is the latest iconic image to emerge as people desperate to flee the Taliban beg troops and US allies to help them evacuate. Advertisement

Elsewhere in the international crisis, the Gulf nation of Bahrain said today it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation, an option that should ease pressure after the US faced issues on Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The backlog forced flights from Kabul's international airport to stop for several hours. The United Arab Emirates also said today it would host up to 5,000 Afghans 'prior to their departure to other countries'.

Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, are seeking evacuation after the Taliban's shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan in a little over a week.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an 'inclusive, Islamic' government, offer full amnesty to those who worked for the US and the Western-backed government and claim they have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001.

They also say they will honour women's rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Taliban's harsh rule of the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Meanwhile Uzbekistan today said it had accepted about 400 more refugees from Afghanistan and put them up in temporary accommodation near the Afghan border.

It is unclear how many Afghans have crossed into the former Soviet republic as Taliban insurgents overran Afghanistan.

The Tashkent government has denied senior Afghan figures such as ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dustum were among them.

But approximately 650 Afghan officers from units commanded by Dustum were already at the same health centre, TASS cited the source as saying.

Uzbekistan said on Friday that it had sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan as per an agreement with the Taliban and after requests from the refugees themselves.

MAIL ON SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Rabb defied Number 10 order to cut short holiday and deal with Afghan meltdown TWO DAYS before he finally returned

ByGlen Owen Political Editor For The Mail On Sunday

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

The Cabinet Minister has faced a torrent of criticism for staying on holiday as Kabul fell into the extremists' hands, and for omitting to call the Afghan foreign minister to seek help for translators stranded in the country.

Sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning

Hundreds of people run alongside a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane as it taxis down a runway of the international airport, in Kabul on Monday

US soldiers stand guard behind barbed wire as Afghans sit on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul yesterday

Chaos seen at Kabul airport while hundreds desperately try and escape the country

Soldiers help Afghans trying to flee the country since the Taliban took over

The saga has led to sniping at Mr Raab from within his own party and calls from Labour for him to resign, although Mr Johnson has said that he 'absolutely' has full confidence in his Foreign Secretary.

It has, however, undoubtedly strained relations between No.10 and the FCO.

A source said: 'There is no doubt that Raab was told to come back on that Friday. There was then a significant amount of surprise when he appeared on the Cobra on the Sunday down the line from Crete. He must have nobbled Boris and asked for permission to finish his holiday'.

Last night, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday that he had enjoyed a 'wave of support', and denied that there was pressure from within his party to resign.

Mr Raab said: 'I've not heard any of my Conservative colleagues call for me to resign, but I have had a wave of support. There is no doubt that, like all countries, there is a measure of surprise at the rapidity of the Taliban takeover.

'But as the Foreign Secretary travelling around the world, whether I am on leave or I'm travelling for work purposes, I am always set up to be able to grip things'.

The claim against Mr Raab is strongly denied by his friends, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend

The Cabinet Minister has faced a torrent of criticism for staying on holiday as Kabul fell into the extremists' hands

A Marine is seen assisting with desperate Afghan evacuations at Kabul airport

A US Airman embraces a mother after she helped to reunite their family at the airport in Kabul

A US Airman high fives a child after helping to reunite their family at the airport in Kabul

A close ally of Mr Raab insisted that No.10 had not 'ordered' him to return on the Friday.

The ally said: 'The suggestion was that he should make plans to come back. They said that if things get worse then he needed to be ready to come back at a moment's notice. He then talked it through with the PM and it was agreed that he would came back on Sunday'.

The ally strongly denied reports that Mr Raab had spent most of last Sunday on the beach.

'That is just not true. He based his family on the beach in a gazebo precisely so that he could go back and work at the hotel, while checking in on them every now and again'.

The row has led to speculation that Mr Raab will be moved in the next reshuffle, possibly replacing Robert Buckland as Justice Secretary.

Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, who is eyeing a move to one of the great offices of state, is among those tipped to replace him. Downing Street declined to comment.

UK embassy guards WILL be rescued: Government U-turns and says more than 100 Afghan security staff in Kabul are already being evacuated

Afghans who worked for the British Embassy in Kabul will be rescued after a government U-turn, the armed forces minister has confirmed.

James Heappey said the security guards were at the stricken airport in the capital and were being prepared for evacuation yesterday.

It comes after reports earlier this week suggested the UK were set to leave the 125 personnel - who guarded government workers during their time there - to a grim fate with the Taliban.

The Afghans were reportedly told they could not be flown out of the fallen city because they were hired by a contractor.

They were working for GardaWorld and some had been there for a decade before allegedly being told they were no longer needed.

It comes as British Paratroopers desperately tried to hold the line at Kabul airport amid fears the rescue mission could collapse in days, leaving thousands behind.

As dramatic pictures showed the airport being surrounded by scenes of anarchy and anguish, the Paras mounted a frantic last stand to prevent the operation descending into chaos.

Women and children were crushed in a stampede as huge crowds tried to escape the Afghan capital and reach the sanctuary of an evacuation flight.

James Heappey said yesterday the security guards were at the stricken airport in the capital and were being prepared for evacuation. Pictured: The British embassy in Kabul

Biden: Nato agreed with US withdrawal Joe Biden issued another extraordinary defence of his handling of the crisis in Afghanistan, claiming every Nato member, including Britain, agreed with his decision to pull troops out. The US President said he spoke to world leaders at the G7 summit in Cornwall in June telling them of his plans and was given full backing. Ignoring a cascade of criticism that has come America's way this week as the Taliban took over the capital Kabul, Mr Biden said: 'I've seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world. In fact I've seen the exact opposite.' 'Our Nato allies are standing strongly with us,' he added. His claim came just hours after Boris Johnson appeared to issue a coded criticism of the President, saying allies would have to 'manage the consequences' of the US decision to withdraw and two days after a Commons debate poured scorn on the President. Mr Johnson said: 'We went in to Afghanistan to support and help protect the United States. So when the United States decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have, clearly, we're going to have to manage the consequences.' The US leader said he had spoken to Mr Johnson this week, along with German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron and said they would speak again at a special G7 meeting next week. As scenes on the ground continued to descend into mayhem, Mr Biden said: 'I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, that it will be without risk of loss. 'There will be time to criticise and second guess when this is over, for now, I'm focused on getting the job done.' Advertisement

Mr Heappey yesterday morning suggested the government was backing down under pressure over the fate of the embassy security guards.

The defence minister told Sky News: 'If you're referring to the GardaWorld staff who protect the embassy, I can tell you they have arrived at the airport this morning and we'll be moving them out later today.'

But the former British Army officer, who served in Afghanistan, refused to be drawn on why their evacuation was ever in doubt.

An FCDO spokesman added: 'We are clear there is absolutely no legitimate basis to prevent civilians from travelling to safety.

'We are monitoring the situation with GardaWorld closely and remain in contact with them to provide any required assistance.'

Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds blasted the reports, said ministers should be 'ashamed' of the claims and called on the government to change tact.

He said: 'To leave over a hundred guards at the British embassy in Kabul without protection is a shameful betrayal of brave Afghans who have risked their lives serving alongside our representatives in Afghanistan.

'Ministers should be ashamed. They are not living up to our obligations as a country and are trashing Britain's reputation around the world.

'Their gross negligence is putting lives at grave risk. They must U-turn on this - urgently. Yet again the foreign secretary has made a dangerous blunder.

'He should have resigned today and if he is - dishonourably - refusing to go, the prime minister should sack him immediately.'

Nearly all GardaWorld employees working on the British Embassy contract applied for help from the Ministry of Defence-run Afghan relocations and assistance policy, designed to assist people working for UK organisations, and all except 21 translators were rejected last month.

According to the Guardian, they received letters explaining they were not eligible because they 'were not directly employed by Her Majesty's Government'.

The letters added: 'We realise this will be disappointing news'.

Most of the guards are male, but about 10 are women, responsible for frisking female visitors to the diplomatic compound among other things.

Bin Laden wanted 'incompetent' Joe kept alive Osama Bin Laden once told his fighters not to bother targeting Joe Biden because he would be an incompetent president and 'lead the US into crisis'. According to diary entries found after the Al Qaeda leader, right, was killed by a US strike force in Pakistan in 2011, he had been plotting attacks on then-US president Barack Obama and General David Petraeus, US commander in Afghanistan at the time. But Bin Laden told his followers to ignore then Vice President Biden, left. The Washington Post reported that Bin Laden wrote: 'Obama is the head of infidelity, and killing him automatically will make Biden take over the presidency. Biden is totally unprepared for that post, which will lead the US into a crisis.' Advertisement

One GardaWorld HR manager claimed he was asked to prepare termination letters for many of the British Embassy guards last week, and that the process had been disrupted by the Taliban takeover of the country.

Oliver Westmacott, the president of GardaWorld's Middle East operations, denied that formal termination letters had been sent out. Asked if the guards were still GardaWorld employees, he said: 'Technically they are because we haven't communicated with them formally to the contrary.

'I fully appreciate the predicament that all these poor people of ours are in, in desperate situations trying to sort their lives out and get to safety. So, it is a nightmare. We fully recognise that.'

The Ministry of Defence said the guards were welcome to reapply for the relocation scheme.

Meanwhile British Paratroopers desperately tried to hold the line at Kabul airport amid fears the rescue mission could collapse in days, leaving thousands behind.

As dramatic pictures showed the airport being surrounded by scenes of anarchy and anguish, the Paras mounted a frantic last stand to prevent the operation descending into chaos.

Women and children were crushed in a stampede as huge crowds tried to escape the Afghan capital and reach the sanctuary of an evacuation flight.

US President Joe Biden said it was one of the 'most difficult' airlifts in history and admitted he could not guarantee what the 'final outcome' would be.

He said he wanted all Americans out of Afghanistan by August 31  though it appears an even tighter timescale is being used by others.

Boris Johnson said Britain was having to 'manage the consequences' of the 'emphatic' decision by the US to withdraw its troops from the country.

He admitted the rescue effort faced 'formidable' challenges and the situation in Afghanistan was 'precarious'.

Armed Forces minister Mr Heappey conceded the UK would not be able to rescue everyone who has been promised sanctuary here and the operation at Kabul airport may remain open for only two more days.

Britain has promised to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country, but Mr Heappey said the 'sad truth' was that 'we don't have it in our gift to stay there until absolutely everyone is out'.

Mr Heappey's admission and the astonishing scenes in Kabul raised fears last night that many Afghan translators and their families could get left behind. The Taliban have already started going door to door in the country, hunting down those who worked for the West.

'Taliban burnt our home down': Five sisters at Kabul airport who risk being abducted as sex slaves say 'our parents made us leave because they feared for our lives'

EXCLUSIVE: The young women are Hazaras, a peaceful ethnic Shia group living in Hazarajat in Afghanistan

The Hazara have long been the victims of persecution from other groups  and most recently by the Taliban

Aaina Sheikh, 19, a high school student, said that she was at Kabul airport with her four sisters and brother

Ms Sheikh said that her and her family were desperate to get to America because: 'We cannot stay here safely'

These five sisters among the crowd outside Kabul airport have told MailOnline of their desperate efforts to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban burnt their house down.

The young women are Hazaras, a peaceful ethnic Shia group living in Hazarajat in central Afghanistan among the Hindu Kush mountains.

With fair complexions and delicate features, the Hazara have long been the victims of persecution from other groups down the decades  and most recently by the Taliban.

Aaina Sheikh, 19, a high school student, said she was at the airport with her four sisters and brother. 'We want to go to America, we cannot stay here safely,' she said.

None of the women, nor their brother, even have passports, far less the visa documentation that would allow them to travel, but that doesn't stop them hoping for a miracle.

The young women (pictured with their brother) are Hazaras, a peaceful ethnic Shia group living in Hazarajat in central Afghanistan among the Hindu Kush mountains

With fair complexions and delicate features, the Hazara have long been the victims of persecution from other groups down the decades  and most recently by the Taliban. Pictured left to right: Hawa, Hafizah and Aaina

NATO begs Biden NOT to leave Kabul: Transatlantic alliance says US should stay at airport to get people out NATO has begged Joe Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible - as American forces are accused of hiding behind the wire while British and European troops mount recuse missions into the city. The US was urged to extend its August 31 deadline to save more evacuees from the Taliban by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference on Friday. America is by far the strongest military power in Nato and it is unusual for the alliance to publicly issue requests to the White House. He said the challenge was not so much transporting people from Kabul but getting them to the airport in the first place, and this was 'an urgent need'. British, French and German special forces have been speeding into Kabul in armored cars, despite the huge risk from Taliban fighters, while the US forces are reportedly under strict orders to remain at the airport. But they are reliant on the 6,000 American troops has deployed to secure Kabul airport, and would be forced to leave if Biden withdraws. Stoltenberg said: 'The U.S. has stated that the timeline ends on Aug 31, but several of our allies raised ... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out. Advertisement

'Until last week we were living happily in our home and then the Taliban came and burned it to the ground,' said Aaina.

'Our parents told us to leave because they feared for our lives.'

In recent weeks there have been countless reports of Taliban abducting young women and girls to be their 'wives'  or sex slaves - as they have captured cities, towns and villages across the country.

So the Sheikh women set off on the 150-mile journey to Kabul airport on Sunday and have been sleeping on the pavements since then, with only their brother Nader, 25, a salesman, to try and protect them.

Aaina, the second youngest of the six siblings, added: 'We have some money which we are spending I don't know how long that will last.

'We're too young to remember the Taliban before, but our parents have told us how they killed so many Hazara people in the past.'

The sisters are all living proof of the advancement of women in Afghanistan in the last two decades.

Aaina's sister Hafizah, 23 was studying computer science at a polytechnic in Kabul, while her other sisters, twins Hawa and Latifa, 20, and 18-year-old Marjaan, are also students.

Now all that progress could be thrown away after the US and its allies turned its back on Afghanistan.

Few set much store by the doubtful pledges by the Taliban leaders that they have changed their attitude towards women.

The Taliban have promised girls can go to school, for now, but asked if women will again be stoned for adultery or if thieves would face amputations, their spokesman insisted those decisions that could only be made by a Sharia judge.

Whether the Sheikh family will be able to escape their homeland for a better life is a question which remains unanswered, but they haven't given up hope.

The Sheikh women set off on the 150-mile journey to Kabul airport on Sunday and have been sleeping on the pavements since then, with only their brother Nader, 25, a salesman, to try and protect them. Left: Aaina. Right: Marjaan

Aaina's sister Hafizah (pictured), 23 was studying computer science at a polytechnic in Kabul, while her other sisters, twins Hawa and Latifa, 20, and 18-year-old Marjaan, are also students
Mack says she may leave Stella in Indonesia because she fears Stella 'will be exposed to what happened' if she takes her to the U.S.

Mack says she may leave Stella in Indonesia because she fears Stella 'will be exposed to what happened' if she takes her to the U.S.

The girl is unaware of why her parents are in prison

The girl is unaware of why her parents are in prison

Stella, 6, was born while Mack was in prison and has lived with a foster family in Bali since she was 2

Stella, 6, was born while Mack was in prison and has lived with a foster family in Bali since she was 2

to the U.S. upon her release

to the U.S. upon her release

Mack, the American woman who stuffed her murdered mother's corpse into a suitcase at a Bali hotel in 2014, will be

Mack, the American woman who stuffed her murdered mother's corpse into a suitcase at a Bali hotel in 2014, will be

'Suitcase Killer' Heather Mack is fearful for her daughter, Stella, as she nears her early release from prison in Bali

'Suitcase Killer' Heather Mack is fearful for her daughter, Stella, as she nears her early release from prison in Bali

The American woman who stuffed her murdered mother's corpse into a suitcase at a Bali hotel, has voiced fears for her daughter who was born in prison as she nears her release date.

'I am fearful and nervous of returning to Chicago. I'm not worried about the idea that people cannot understand the tragedy for my sake. But I'm nervous for [my daughter] Stella,' Heather Mack, 25, told The New York Post.

'I'm scared that if she comes back to the States with me, she will be exposed to what happened.'

Stella, 6, was born in prison while her parents, Mack and then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, went on trial for killing Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese-Mack in August 2014.

The child has been in the care of a foster family in Bali since she was two.

Heather Mack (left), the American woman who stuffed her murdered mother's corpse into a suitcase at a Bali hotel, has voiced fears for her daughter Stella, now 6, (right) as she nears her release from prison

Mack (left) gave birth to Stella while incarcerated for the murder of her mother, Chicago socialite Sheila von Wiese-Mack (right)

Stella has been shielded from the reasoning behind her parents' imprisonment and Mack wants it to remain that way.

'I do not want anyone shoving a camera into Stella's face. I know that it will happen to me but I will do my best to protect Stella from that trauma,' Mack explained.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced last week that Mack will be released in October, nearly three years early, for good behavior.

Mack will be deported immediately to the United States, however, she is considering leaving Stella with her foster family.

'I could not have wished for a better family to raise her,' Mack told the news outlet.

'However, it's hard not being with her, particularly when she is sick or for important moments like graduating kindergarten.'

Mack's then-boyfriend Tommy Schaefer (pictured holding Stella), who is also the father of her child, was sentenced in the murder as well

Mack (pictured holding baby Stella) says her daughter is unaware of why her parents are in prison. She fears if she brings Stella to the U.S. she 'will be exposed to what happened'

Mack has not seen Stella since March 2020 when authorities stopped prison visits because of the coronavirus pandemic. She had limited visitation due to her imprisonment before that.

'Out of seven years in jail, the hardest part has been the past 18 months because I have not seen Stella,' Mack said. 'Video-calling Stella three times a week from the prison phone is my only option. I'm grateful I can do that.'

Mack and Schaefer were convicted in 2014 of killing Mack's millionaire mother at a five-star Bali hotel and stuffing her broken body into a suitcase as they tried to flee.

They claimed 62-year-old von Wiese-Mack became violent after Mack, then 18, revealed she was pregnant and Schaefer, then 21, lashed out to defend himself.

The then-couple was caught when a taxi driver noticed blood seeping out of the suitcase which contained von Wiese-Mack's body. The driver alerted police and the couple was arrested at a nearby budget motel.

Both were found guilty of first-degree murdere and incarcerated at Bali's Kerobokan prison. Mack was sentenced to 10 years and Schaefer to 18.

In a 2019 interview with DailyMailTV (below), Mack said: 'I never want to go back home to Chicago,' noting that she was 'more Indonesian than American now'.

She reportedly learned to speak the Indonesian language and mastered the local Bahasa Balinese dialect. She claims to have significantly changed in prison.

'I have learned things about myself that I didn't even know before. I like to make people laugh, and I know how to put other people before myself. I do this to the point of stupidity,' Mack told the Post.

'I think that I am kind, and I have become a peacemaker in the jail, which is a strange thing for a murderer to say.'

Mack also notes that Stella has grown up in Bali and has a good life in the country.

'My daughter is more Indonesian than American. She has a good life here,' Mack told DailyMailTV in 2019.

'The people are nicer and it's better and safer than back home. Back there I was getting in with a bad crowd. It's violent, there are guns, drugs. To be honest I'm glad not to be there. It's actually better and safer here in prison.'

Mack, who signed von Wiese-Mack's $1.56 million estate over to Stella in 2018, will return to her hometown of Chicago later this year with nothing more than her clothing. She is expected to stay with a friend.

She has previously said that even if she was extradited to the U.S., she would returned to Bali with Stella.

As for her mother's murder, Mack said: 'I am  disgusted with myself just as much as anyone else is.'
Davina McCall is turning her menopause into a brand by trademarking the word Menopausing as part of her bid to end the taboo around the subject.

As well as using the word for the title of her new book, due to be released next May, she has also applied to the Intellectual Property Office for the rights to use it on goods, including lotions, scented candles, nutritional supplements, books and kitchenware.

The 53-year-old TV presenter has previously insisted that her forthcoming tome is more than just a book, its a movement.

Her application could also see her launch her own podcast as she has applied to trademark the name for digital and television content.

The Long Lost Family host insists the move is not to make money out of the menopause but more about raising awareness. A source close to the presenter said: Davina wants to stop this taboo. Women have suffered in silence for centuries as they have endured the menopause.

Davina McCall is turning her menopause into a brand by trademarking the word Menopausing as part of her bid to end the taboo around the subject

Enough is enough. She hopes that Menopausing will open a conversation and create a hub for women to share.

Menopausing is a word that hopefully women can notice and discuss the issue around.

Last month, the mother of three revealed that she had teamed up with GP and menopause expert, Dr Louise Newson, to write the book.

Through Ms McCalls website, women have been encouraged to share their experiences of the menopause as part of the research.

At the time, Ms McCall said: It seems crazy that every night us women have to take to social media to ask each other questions and share information because there is nowhere for us to turn.

I want us to keep talking, and to create a home for our menopausing community so no woman feels alone in her experience. No one should ever have to suffer in silence.

The book follows on from the success of the Channel 4 documentary Ms McCall presented alongside Dr Newson back in May called Sex, Myths And The Menopause.

Last month, the mother of three revealed that she had teamed up with GP and menopause expert, Dr Louise Newson, to write the book.

It was hailed a triumph by Dr Edward Morris, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who said at the time: We are pleased there will be a documentary on prime-time television highlighting the menopause and the challenges women face accessing support.

The menopause will affect every woman at some point in their life and should not be viewed as a taboo subject.

Ms McCall has also been open on social media about her hormone replacement therapy routine in an effort to help destigmatise the treatment.

Did you know testosterone is an enormously important womans hormone as well? she said in one post.

Ms McCall has also been open on social media about her hormone replacement therapy routine in an effort to help destigmatise the treatment

My testosterone was low and I take a pea-sized bit of testosterone and I rub it on my thigh at the same time as I do all my other hormones. The subject of menopause has become big business in recent years and is estimated to be worth an annual 425 billion globally.

Gwyneth Paltrow, who was one of the first to sell menopause vitamins, encouraged her 7.5 million Instagram followers to buy her wellness and lifestyle brand Goops Madame Ovary supplements.

The 48-year-old Hollywood actress told fans she used the 75-a-month pills to manage her own perimenopausal symptoms.
Medical students are demanding to be protected from expulsion if they engage in sex work to fund their studies.

The trainee doctors have called for the British Medical Association to work with universities to recognise and support students working in the sex industry.

In a motion to be debated at the BMAs annual conference next month, the trade unions student wing say the pandemic has forced student sex workers into more risky situations.

Therefore they are calling on the body to lobby the General Medical Council and Medical Schools Council to ensure medical students engaging with sex work, of whatever form, to support their studies are not penalised for this and are safe from expulsion and professional proceedings.

In 2012, leading medical journal the BMJ published research that found one in ten students knew a fellow medic who had engaged in erotic dancing, prostitution or escort work to fund their course.

The trainee doctors have called for the British Medical Association to work with universities to recognise and support students working in the sex industry (stock image)

Some 93 per cent said they believed money was the prime motivation for it as fees, without living costs, are now 9,250 a year and the course is a minimum of five years.

The English Collective of Prostitutes said they had seen the number of students contacting them for support rise by a third in the last 12 months.

Spokesperson Laura Watson said they welcomed the BMA motion, adding: We have experienced an increase in the number of students considering prostitution.

This is undoubtedly related to the costs of medical school, but also speaks to the scarcity of part-time jobs that students might, in the past, have used to supplement their income.

Student sex workers should be supported and helped with financial alternatives, not penalised or kicked off their course.

However, a number of doctors and feminists say the motion risks normalising prostitution.

Dr Angela Dixon, a GP who is a BMA member, said she would vote against it, adding: Being a sex worker is more of an accepted thing in universities because of all the wokery thats been pushing this.

Basically this motion seeks to normalise sex work and say this is an okay thing for women to do.

Some 93 per cent said they believed money was the prime motivation for it as fees, without living costs, are now 9,250 a year and the course is a minimum of five years (stock image)

We should not be encouraging students to get involved in sex work at all.

Feminist writer Julie Bindel, who authored the book The Pimping Of Prostitution: Abolishing The Sex Work Myth, said while the trainee medics might be well-intentioned, it sent out a worrying message.

The glamorous gloss and makeover prostitution has enjoyed in recent years has had an effect on middle-class students.

Whereas it used to be that the vast majority of women selling sex were poor, single mothers and those with abusive boyfriends, relatively privileged students are now being sold a lie that prostitution is merely work and a fun way to earn a living.

Surely students should be kept from harm and protected from exploitation rather than led into the lions mouth?

A spokesman for Universities UK said that their institutions encouraged legal, healthy and safe behaviours and support students to make the right choices.

The BMA said it does not discuss motions before they are debated.
President Joe Biden has failed in his most basic task, the leadership of the civilised world. By abruptly abandoning Afghanistan to the rule of the Taliban, he has gravely wounded the people of that country, who had grown used to the civilisation and freedom brought by Western intervention, and reasonably felt entitled to the continued support of those who had made this possible.

They will not quickly forget that, when times are hard, America can no longer be relied on. Nor will all those around the world who had assumed that it was still a beacon of freedom.

Mr Biden has also delighted the many enemies of liberty and proper democracy, in China, Russia and Iran, who will have noted carefully that the US is not now the stern, tough obstacle to their plans that it once was.

This weekend, they feel stronger and more powerful than they did before. The world has grown perceptibly darker and less safe as a result of this headlong evacuation.

US President Joe Biden gestures as delivers remarks on the military's ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House on Friday

There is also a great irony here for all the liberals and wokeness enthusiasts who rejoiced at the arrival of Mr Biden in the White House, as if it were the Second Coming, and who applauded his endorsement of their favourite feminist and gay causes.

How foolish and naive they look now. His incessant woke posturing was crucial to his victory and much-beloved in the great Left-wing centres of California and New York.

But here he is, passively handing over a whole country to the Taliban, the utter negation of the principles such people espouse.

As Afghan women gloomily resume the shrouds and veils they cast off during their brief years of freedom, as schools and jobs are closed to girls and women, and a stern regime of puritan repression descends on Kabul and the rest of the country, this will be recalled, globally and in America, as Bidens work.

But he has disappointed other allies too. The Nato nations, not least Britain, were left with no choice but to follow the USs decision, taken in Washingtons interest whether the other countries were happy about it or not.

Britain, whose sacrifice in Afghanistan is one of the greatest, must watch as the work and bravery of 20 years is wiped out by a scowling army of Islamist fanatics. How hollow all those years of proclamations about the alleged special relationship between London and Washington are now revealed to be.

Afghan people sit inside a US military aircraft to leave Afghanistan, at the military airport in Kabul on August 19 after the Taliban's military takeover of the country

Huge crowds are pictured outside the Kabul airport after the Taliban's military takeover

Many in this country have long suspected that the White House in truth cares little for our ever-reliable help and friendship. But we never imagined the cold truth would be exposed so cruelly and so abruptly.

We should be relieved that President Biden has removed the bust of Winston Churchill that once stood in the Oval Office. It is best that even a bronze image of Sir Winston should not have to see how far his beloved America has fallen since the days of his alliance with Franklin Roosevelt. It is not hard to imagine his scorn for such a retreat.

Great nations, such as the US, can and do survive failures and periods of weakness. But to do so they need far better stewardship than Mr Biden has so far shown.

He may be sure that if he and his country rediscover the strength and resolve of former days, Britain, their oldest ally, will be there to support them.
Britain's most fanatical hate preacher is urging the Taliban to impose a stricter form of Islamic justice  including stoning adulterers, chopping off the hands of thieves and lashing anyone caught drinking alcohol.

Anjem Choudary, 54, who inspired a generation of jihadi fighters and dozens of terrorist murders, also wants to ban music and mixing between sexes, and says non-Muslims should pay an infidel tax.

His outpourings are included in an extraordinary 3,500-word treatise entitled Sincere Advice To The Leadership Of The Taliban.

Choudary, jailed five years ago for supporting the Islamic State terror group, was banned from speaking in public following his release

Expressing his opinions on the encrypted social media network Telegram, Choudary appeared to suggest British and American forces were legitimate targets

In it, the firebrand cleric, from Ilford, East London, calls on Afghanistans new government  which has tried to project a more moderate image  to expunge all traces of Western culture and ban useless pursuits such as music, drama and philosophy.

Choudary, jailed five years ago for supporting the Islamic State terror group, was banned from speaking in public following his release. But the order was lifted last month, leaving him free to spread his hate.

Expressing his opinions on the encrypted social media network Telegram, Choudary appeared to suggest British and American forces were legitimate targets, urging Taliban fighters to point their guns at occupying forces and anyone who stands in the way of implementing the rule of Allah.

COWARD URGES OTHERS TO FIGHT BUT WONT JOIN THEM

Of the many barbs that come his way, the one that wounds Anjem Choudary the most is the word coward. For more than two decades, the father of five has been at the heart of UK jihadism, spouting hate without censure and mocking British justice. It is often said that the 54-year-old extremist, pictured right, enjoys egging on others to wage jihad but has little stomach for the fight himself. Instead, he prefers to remain in his comfortable East London home playing the bogeyman and carping about Britain  all while claiming a string of benefits. Some of his pronouncements are comically provocative. Once he promised that a flag of sharia would fly over Downing Street, said Buckingham Palace should be renamed Buckingham Masjid, the Arabic word for mosque, and he accused the Queen of not washing properly and having only two baths a year. But while it is easy to cast Choudary as a cartoonish, ludicrous figure, he is manifestly dangerous  a deeply pernicious, destabilising influence in the words of one former Minister. He inspired some of the countrys most infamous Islamist killers, including Khuram Butt, leader of the London Bridge attacks, and the men who killed Fusilier Lee Rigby in Woolwich in 2013. Justice finally caught up with Choudary in 2016 when he was jailed for five and a half years for supporting the Islamic State terror group. To the frustration of those who understand the threat he represents, he was freed on licence after serving half his sentence. Advertisement

And with world leaders beseeching the Taliban not to isolate Afghanistan, Choudary advises closing down the countrys embassies abroad, even in Muslim countries, and expelling the United Nations from Kabul.

Any non-Muslims living in Afghanistan, he says, must pay a tax known as jizya, often referred to as the infidel tax. This toll ensures they receive protection.

Choudary says the Taliban must enforce strict sharia law, and run only sharia courts, getting rid of existing bodies such as high courts and supreme courts.

Only strict sharia punishments  including chopping off thieves hands and stoning adulterers  must be implemented.

He said: The penal code or Hudood is the right of Allah to cut the hand off the thief, stone the adulterer, implementing capital punishment upon the apostate and lashing those who drink alcohol (all after due court process and evidence) must be implemented without question and hesitation.

According to Choudary, the level of strictness employed by the Taliban to implement sharia law will determine whether it is truly Islamic. He said: Muslims around the world must assess whether this fledgling state is really implementing Islamic law or whether it is just another country choosing Islam to be part of its name that it wishes everyone to call it by.

Choudary is urging the Taliban to change the name of Afghanistan to Islamic State, which is what IS called its territory once it declared a caliphate. He said: There should be the removal of all borders and an invitation to all Muslims to become citizens of the new Islamic State with the aim to unite the Muslim land of the Indian sub-continent to begin with, to be the precursor of greater unity under the Khilafah [caliphate].

When Choudary was asked by the MoS if he himself would go to Afghanistan, he said he was unable to because he was on a UN terrorism watchlist and was banned from travelling.

But he said other Muslims could travel to the country, adding: As a Muslim, we believe in Islam and the sharia, so it is a natural thing to live there. Why do Jews gravitate towards Israel?
Although food waste decreased in lockdown, it now appears to be rising again

But we, the domestic users, are responsible for 70% of the nations food waste

Some of waste is caused by over-production on farms and mistakes in labelling

Waste not, want not! That was the tedious mantra of my parents. I was born during the Second World War and one of my earliest memories is of mothers stricken face as the precious weekly egg ration  five for a family of five  smashed on the halls tiled floor.

My elder brother had been trusted to carry them home, but one of them must have been cracked and sogged up the bottom of the paper bag, which gave way, obliterating our weekly treat of a single boiled egg for Sunday supper.

We scooped them up and ate them anyway. Scrambled. To waste them would have been a sin. Besides, it was illegal. You could go to jail for wasting food in the war.

If we didnt want our dinner, wed be told to eat up our greens with the admonishment: Youre lucky to have them. Think of the starving children in India! A reply along the lines of Well, give it to the starving children then would bring a clip round the ear  and no pudding.

A poster from the Second World War urging Britons to conserve their food to beat Adolf Hitler (left) and a stock image of food wastage today (right)

I was born during the Second World War and one of my earliest memories is of mothers stricken face as the precious weekly egg ration  five for a family of five  smashed on the halls tiled floor, writes Prue Leith (pictured above)

Fourteen years of rationing engendered habits that faded slowly, with each generation less inclined to save, and more inclined to waste. Today, the world wastes a third of the food it produces, with the UK about halfway down the league table, according to the UN.

Some of that waste is caused by over-production on farms, mistakes in labelling, faults in manufacture, and returns in the wholesale or retail chains (most notably rejection by supermarkets if their specifications as to size, uniformity and colour are not met).

Some of this wholesale waste is unavoidable, and there is comfort in that more and more of it is being given to charities feeding people in need, recycled into animal food or compost, or used as bio-fuel.

The major problem is undoubtedly us. We, the domestic users, are responsible for 70 per cent of the nations food waste. Altogether, we chuck away about 18 per cent of the food we buy, 85 per cent of it perishable and 70 per cent still edible. The average UK family wastes 730 a year on uneaten food. Meanwhile, nearly eight million people dont get enough to eat, according to a recent government study.

Youd think it would be easy to get our surplus food to people who need it. But its not. Fareshare, which distributes unwanted items to food banks and charities, can accept it only from wholesalers or retailers. It has to be in date and, if perishable, it must have been kept and transported under refrigeration.

You and I cannot rock up at a Salvation Army kitchen with surplus food from a cancelled party. As much as theyd love half a cooked ham or bowl of potato salad, they are not allowed to accept it.

Altogether, we chuck away about 18 per cent of the food we buy, 85 per cent of it perishable and 70 per cent still edible (file photo)

The answer, of course, is for us not to create the waste in the first place: to think about how many people well be cooking for, and how often, and buy only for those meals (file photo)

And its obviously impractical to give away the product of over-buying on the weekly shop. So heaps of it go to landfill or get burned along with our general rubbish, with the consequent cost in money, energy and carbon footprint.

The answer, of course, is for us not to create the waste in the first place: to think about how many people well be cooking for, and how often, and buy only for those meals. And to resist the supermarkets siren call to pop a bit more into the shopping trolley.

I have a husband who loves to shop and his motto is Nothing in moderation. Ive now taken to specific shopping-list demands: one small melon; 1 lb new potatoes; four apples. It doesnt always work. One day he came back from the farmers market with three huge cabbages.

Admittedly one was red, one Savoy and one that hard coleslaw type. But how much cabbage can two people eat? The freezer is now stuffed with cabbage soup and cooked red cabbage and we have a massive jar of sauerkraut which I enjoyed making but I dont think well ever eat.

Refrigeration is a boon and it should mean we waste less food because the colder its kept, the longer it lasts. But how many of us have any space in the freezer? I bet yours, like mine, is stuffed to the gunwales, and some of the things have been in there for months.

And as for the fridge, Im pretty sure the bigger the fridge, the more the waste.

In his Environment Secretary days, Michael Gove (pictured above) set in train some great ideas, but what happened to the plan to prevent manufacturers slapping best before and use by dates on everything?, writes Prue

The first time I went to the Far East, I was astonished at the tiny amounts of fresh food housewives would buy in the market  just a handful each of beanshoots, mushrooms, leeks, seafood. Because the extreme heat would have food going off quickly, they shopped every day. And the food would be stir-fried in a blazing wok, and all eaten up! So no leftovers and no chance of food poisoning. But in the affluent West, we can store it, so we do, until it reaches its use-by date, when we bin it.

When I was in my 30s, I used to do the market run for my restaurant with the famous chef Albert Roux. Id meet him at his Gavroche restaurant, then in Lower Sloane Street, and hed be checking his supplies before we set off for the veg, meat and fish markets. His cold room was almost bare. He took pride in never buying too much. Hed rather sell out than have ingredients that had been around too long.

We all need to do our bit, and that includes the Government. In his Environment Secretary days, Michael Gove set in train some great ideas, but what happened to the plan to prevent manufacturers slapping best before and use by dates on everything? I doubt it saves much food poisoning. It certainly creates anxiety and results in a lot of perfectly good food being binned.

Worryingly, as The Mail on Sunday reveals today, although food waste decreased during lockdown, it now appears to be rising again.

So Im delighted this newspaper is campaigning hard on the issue. Lets hope its the start of a nationwide effort to reduce the 100kg per head of good food we throw away a year. Thats enough food to feed every single person in the UK, three meals a day for seven weeks. Its crazy. And it has to stop.
For everyone involved, the last few months have been an exhausting, worrying and demanding time.

The unedifying exit of the West from Afghanistan will have consequences for us all for years to come.

As Defence Secretary I have been incredibly proud of the work done by my civil servants and military personnel.

From before the collapse of the Afghan government to the present, four Ministry of Defence civil servants alone have handled the process and faced thousands of fearful Afghans.

They did so often at risk to themselves. Alongside them a small band of 150 military secured their part of the airport.

We are able to do what we are doing today because of them and because of the immense effort and support of our closest allies, the United States.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says he is 'incredibly proud of the work done by my civil servants and military personnel'

Our force has now grown to over 1,000 troops, Home Office border officials and embassy staff.

The US has surged to close to 6,000 military personnel. Only last week, as the crisis deepened, I had departmental civil servants volunteering to deploy.

The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges. Public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people. Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds.

Despite all this we are getting people out  more than 1,000 in the past 24 hours alone.

But be under no illusion, as one problem is solved a new one appears. At first we worried whether the airport would remain open, then if those coming to Britain would able to get to the airport. Next came overcrowding.

One by one, our commanders, Brigadier Dan Blanchard and Vice Admiral Ben Key, removed the problems.

Todays problem is different. Too many people in the airport has meant a suspension of access. I am confident that, too, will be fixed or mitigated, but until it is the crowds will get bigger.

And ticking along, impossible to stop, is time. I have said all along that no nation will be able to get everyone out.

It is a source of deep sadness for many of us across Nato, and no one wanted 20 years of sacrifice to end this way. We will do our best to the very last moment.

But it isnt the end. The Home Secretary and I have been planning the next stage.

Firstly, it is important to note that the scheme is not time- limited. We shall stand by our obligations and are investigating now how to process people from third countries and refugee camps.

Pictured: Afghan people gather along a road as they wait to board an evacuation aircraft to leave the country

We will establish a series of processing hubs across the region outside Afghanistan for those Afghans we have an obligation to bring to this country.

As far back as April, we relocated an Afghan family from a Greek refugee camp. People must not despair.

As I write, we are exploring ways to keep a presence in the country after the military are gone. There is much work to do to ensure conditions are right.

If the US timetable remains, we have no time to lose to get the majority of the people waiting out. We have the planes  we just need the flow.

Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer, and they will have our complete support if they do.

Soldiers often witness the worst of humanity and the best of humanity. I know I did on my operational tours.

Right now, the best resides in the men and women of the Army, RAF and Royal Navy risking their lives to save others.

'No nation will be able to get everyone out': Defence Secretary admits desperate Afghans trying to escape to the UK will have to make their own way past the Taliban after August 31 - as four women are crushed to death in Kabul airport stampede

By Glen Owen and Ian Gallagher for the Mail on Sunday

Afghans trying to flee to Britain to escape the Taliban will have to make their own way to the borders if the Americans do not delay the date for leaving the country, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declares today.

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK.

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain.

The MoD is looking at establishing hubs in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey  but, startlingly, is also exploring whether the Taliban might allow the UK to retain a presence in Kabul after the Americans have gone.

Mr Wallace makes a veiled plea for Washington to delay the US leaving date beyond August 31, writing: Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do.

The 900 British troops cannot remain without the logistical support of the 6,000 US soldiers in Kabul and will have to finish the evacuation before that point to allow enough time to secure their own safe exit.

Mr Wallaces announcement coincided with scenes of carnage at Kabul airport yesterday, with reports of at least four women crushed to death in a stampede.

US citizens were yesterday warned not to go to the airport amid fears that they might be hijacked en route by militants. The State Department said the US side of the airport would close for 48 hours. The British section remained open.

According to the MoD, 3,821 British and Afghan nationals have been evacuated from Kabul, where 1,000 British troops are based. About 3,500 people are still waiting to be airlifted.

Last night, an MoD source said the announcement about the refugee centres was intended to display honesty about the thousands of British allies likely to be left behind.

In a separate announcement last night, under-fire Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britain had stepped up to the plate after he secured 200 visa waivers for Afghan journalists to flee.

In other dramatic developments:

Mr Raab was accused of defying an order from No 10 to return early from his holiday as the crisis escalated. However, allies of Mr Raab said Boris Johnson had given him permission to remain;

Tony Blair branded the abandonment of Afghanistan and its people as tragic and dangerous; Sources claimed that the Prime Minister felt betrayed by Joe Biden over the Afghan withdrawal  although No 10 denied there are any tensions between the two;

One source even claimed the President, 78, was a bit doolally;

Taliban leaders Mullah Baradar and Siraj Haqqani arrived in Kabul to form a new government;

UK hate preacher Anjem Choudary urged the Taliban to restore full Islamic justice, including stoning adulterers;

The Home Office was scrambling to make the Taliban a proscribed group in an attempt to dissuade British jihadis from heading to Afghanistan;

Britons in Kabul said the city was running out of food and money; Britains heroic ambassador to Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, called the crisis the greatest challenge of his 30-year career. Thousands rallied in London in protest at the Governments handling of the crisis;

The Minister with responsibility for Afghanistan, Lord Ahmad, was reported to be on holiday when the Taliban seized Kabul.

Afghans trying to flee (pictured: Chaos at Kabul airport yesterday) to Britain to escape the Taliban will have to make their own way to the borders if the Americans do not delay the date for leaving the country, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declares today

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK. Pictured: Afghans attempt to get into Kabul airport yesterday

Mr Wallace (pictured) makes a veiled plea for Washington to delay the US leaving date beyond August 31, writing: Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do'

In his article today, Mr Wallace says that the collapse of Afghanistan has been an exhausting, worrying and demanding time, and warns that the distressing exit of the West will have consequences for us all for years to come.

He says: The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges. Public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people. Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds.

The Minister adds: Too many people in the airport has meant a suspension of access. I am confident that too will be fixed or mitigated but until it is, the crowds will get bigger.

'And ticking along, impossible to stop, is time. I have said all along that no nation will be able to get everyone out.

It is a source of deep sadness for many of us across Nato and no one wanted 20 years of sacrifice to end this way. We will do our best to the very last moment. But it isnt the end.

'The Home Secretary and I have been planning the next stage we will establish a series of processing hubs across the region outside of Afghanistan for those Afghans we have an obligation to bring to this country.

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain. Pictured: British and US troops help Afghans in Kabul

The MoD is looking at establishing hubs in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey  but, startlingly, is also exploring whether the Taliban might allow the UK to retain a presence in Kabul after the Americans have gone. Pictured: A British evacuation flight with 265 people on board

Meanwhile, The Mail on Sunday can reveal that Home Secretary Priti Patel is scrambling to proscribe the Taliban as a terrorist group amid fears that hundreds of British jihadis will head to Afghanistan to join and live under the Islamist regime.

The Home Office is now looking urgently to ban the group which has avoided proscription so far, even though the Taliban has harboured terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and killed 456 British troops in Afghanistan over the past two decades.

If an organisation is on the Governments list of proscribed groups, it becomes a criminal offence for anyone in Britain to join or even support it, punishable by up to 14 years in jail.

If the situation remains as it is, Ministers fear that British jihadis could join and train under the regime then escape prosecution on their return to Britain.

Sources have told the MoS that Ms Patel is livid that the Taliban in Afghanistan has not been banned already. A source said last night: The fault doesnt lie with Priti. It goes far back, as no previous Home Secretary has bothered to ban it.

In a separate announcement last night, under-fire Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab (pictured) said Britain had stepped up to the plate after he secured 200 visa waivers for Afghan journalists to flee

A Government source told the MoS that MI5 and counter-terrorism units are preparing for the possibility of British jihadis travelling to Afghanistan.

Some will go and train under the Taliban and may come back to launch attacks, said the source.

Others may take their families with them and live under the Talibans Islamic government.

Britain has promised to evacuate about 6,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country, but that is looking increasingly unlikely.

Yesterday, amid chaotic scenes, Britons were told to either go to Kabul airport or the nearby Baron Hotel, where their papers could be processed.

But some found their path blocked by makeshift Taliban checkpoints.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy wrote to Mr Raab saying that hundreds of her Afghan constituents had contacted her to say that their relatives  some with young children  were stranded or beaten at checkpoints.

Last night, a Briton and his wife told how they came under fire from Taliban militants at a checkpoint as they headed to the hotel. Their driver was injured in the shooting.

As the British man tried to explain to the militants that he was a foreign national he was beaten and threatened.

He told ITV News: My wife came out of the car, she was trying to save me and then they start beating my wife as well. They are warning me that if they see me next to that checkpoint they will kill us.

Crushed to death in stampede: At least four women are killed in front of terrified children as thousands desperate to flee the Taliban descend on Kabul airport after discovering mercy flights could end in just 48 hours

By Ian Gallagher and Abul Taher for the Mail on Sunday and James Robinson and Tom Pyman for MailOnline

For thousands upon thousands, the litter-strewn road outside Kabul airport will be forever synonymous with dashed hopes of freedom.

But for once, the masses turned away were the lucky ones. Because for some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country.

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Each day brings ever more pitiful scenes in Afghanistan: men clinging to and falling from moving planes, mothers pressing their babies into the arms of soldiers. Yet nothing so unbearable as yesterday.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children.

Precious few, if any, of the wretched souls who descended on the airport qualified for evacuation. But they were in a race against time, spurred into one futile final act by warnings from London and Washington that the clock was ticking, that the mercy flights out of Kabul would soon cease.

Beneath a fierce late-morning sun, crowds parted to reveal womens lifeless bodies and then, rising above the chaotic hubbub, the piercing screams of their children

Paratroopers tried to pull people from the chaos, and stood atop compound walls, spraying the crowd with hoses to try and cool them down, as medics dashed between casualties

At least four women are thought to have died in what witnesses called a horrendous crush. Pictured: Soldiers cover up the bodies of those who died yesterday

For some, it was here on this dusty road yesterday that their lives ended, crushed beneath the feet of stampeding families who, like them, were desperately seeking a way out of their benighted country

A soldier gives one of the locals at the airport a bottle of water, as many struggled in chaotic scenes at the airport today

Some Afghans had planned to try their luck today or tomorrow. Suddenly nobody was prepared to wait. The deadline brought their haphazard plans forward, triggering an overwhelming scramble.

Two shipping containers blocked the road alongside the airport, funnelling people into narrow gaps either side in a vain attempt to ensure some kind of order.

Instead, it produced only more chaos. Scarcely a minute passed without a cry for medical assistance or a hopeless plea for a stretcher.

British Paratroopers did all that was humanly possible, pulling the most badly hurt to safety, cradling gasping children, administering first aid and dousing those collapsing with dehydration with water from a hose.

It was pretty impressive stuff, said Sky News reporter Stuart Ramsay at the scene. They were yanking people out as soon as they could that was on the British side, further up the road. On the American side, people were just penned in, they had been there all day with no shade whatsoever and a limited amount of water.

Elsewhere at the airport, a Taliban militant hit an old man with his rifle butt to stop him pushing on a gate. Nearby women were beaten with sticks.

A man who gave his name as Abdullah told The Mail on Sunday: All human rights and dignity have been buried here. No one behaves like human beings.

The foreigners have created this situation, they cannot manage this situation and this is their last attempt to humiliate us.

It is thought about 3,500 British nationals and Afghan locals are awaiting evacuation. Latest reports show that 3,821 people have been airlifted out. In Kabul itself, food is running out and prices are rising fast.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow (pictured), who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas

Former Royal Marine Pen Farthing, who founded an animal welfare charity in Kabul, said: I cant draw out any money  the banks are running out.

'I cant pay my staff salaries, nobody can buy food. This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control.

He added: Im past angry, Im past everything. Im just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

Gul Ali, 55, clutching a British passport, had camped outside the airport for six days. He has lived in Britain for six years, and only went back to Kabul to visit relatives. Now he is stranded.

He said: I cannot get out. Nobody gives me permission. Its like doomsday, what is going on? What are these security men doing, its an uncontrolled situation, its uncertain, the US and UK forces are unable to manage the situation.

Joy and hope were scarce but an interpreter called Waheed, who had worked with British forces, was one of the few who made it through the airport.

Waheed, with his wife and children, spoke of his relief that he was finally UK-bound, saying: Its a very happy day in my life.

Describing the crush outside the airport, he added: It was very scary like a zombie land.

Only a small number of British embassy staff remain in Kabul, led by ambassador Sir Laurie Bristow, who has won plaudits for staying to help process visas.

He said the evacuation effort was without a doubt the greatest challenge of his 30-year career.

Speaking for the first time since the Taliban takeover, Sir Laurie said: The scale of this effort is enormous. Lives are at stake and I am incredibly proud of the tenacious efforts of my team during these challenging times, with military and civilian staff working together to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the last week.

We will continue to work tirelessly to get British nationals, Afghan staff and others at risk out of the country as quickly as possible as we also support Afghanistans long-term future.

His comments come as thousands of Afghans fear they could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday.

Efforts have been ramped up, however, with the Ministry of Defence today confirming that the UK repatriated 1000 people in the last 24 hours - the most in a single day so far.

Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday, August 13, that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Taliban are making progress in forming a government and ensuring security across the country, an official said today, adding that the Taliban are 'aiming to improve the situation and provide a smooth exit' at the airport over the weekend.

A soldier carries someone amid the chaos at Kabul airport in Afghanistan today, with thousands desperate to flee the country

There were also scenes of people left injured and bloodied, sat amongst piles of papers and discarded clothes near the site, while others stood shoulder to shoulder, amid sounds of screams and gunshots

Shocking footage shows injured Afghans bleeding as they desperately try and make their way into the airport

British soldiers desperately shouted for medics and stretchers, as unconscious people were carried away, many being pronounced dead and covered in white sheets

The mayhem followed more violence in the capital last night, with footage emerging of people in crowds being beaten with sticks

A U.S. Navy Corpsman with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, hands out water to children during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

An evacuee holds up a peace sign after being manifested for a flight at Hamid Karzai International Airport

A U.S. Airman with the Joint Task Force-Crisis Response speaks with families who await processing during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

How many people have the West actually evacuated? America The promise: At least 22,000 evacuees including US citizens and those holding visas Aid groups said 80,000 visas may need to be issued to keep Biden's pledge to help all those who aided US forces, but that promise has almost certainly been broken The reality: Just 17,000 people have been airlifted out of Kabul in the last seven days, the Pentagon said on Saturday, despite there being capacity for up to 9,000 per day Since the end of July, some 22,000 people have been airlifted out, including Embassy staff, citizens of NATO countries, at-risk Afghan nationals as well as Afghans with special visas Who's left? That means to keep even its most-modest promises, the US has at least 10,000 more people to evacuate before the air bridge closes Britain The promise: The UK said it wants to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country Prime Minister Boris Johnson then promised to take another 5,000 refugees this year as part of a scheme that will allow 20,000 to settle over five years The reality: Britain evacuated 2,163 people from Kabul between Sunday night and Friday morning, and is aiming to take out another 1,000 per day as long as flights can keep operating. This target was met on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said. In total, the UK has now taken some 4,800 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks, including more than 600 UK citizens and thousands of Afghans covered by the resettlement scheme Who's left? To keep its most-modest promises, the UK must evacuate some 2,200 people - but up to 8,200 if the prime minister's pledge to take refugees is to be met Advertisement

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city.

Government sources stressed it was unlikely Britons would be left behind but said as many as 2,000 Afghan citizens could miss out.

So far 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul while a number have died at the airport.

In a new security warning today, however, the US Embassy told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without 'individual instructions from a US government representative,' citing potential security threats outside its gates.

And yet crowds remained outside its concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Footage has since emerged of pandemonium and violence outside the airport, with US officials reporting that Americans have been beaten by the Taliban as they've tried to reach safety. The White House earlier confirmed that three military helicopters were used to rescue 169 Americans who were trapped at a hotel near the airport.

It comes as Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital today for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Nato yesterday begged Mr Biden not to leave Kabul and urged the US troops to stay at the airport to get as many people out as possible.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said: 'The US has stated that the timeline ends on August 31, but several of our allies raised... the need to potentially extend that to be able to get more people out.'

Meanwhile, pressure continues to grow on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab after new claims emerged accusing him of failing to engage with foreign counterparts on the Afghanistan situation until the Taliban had reached Kabul.

Witnesses told the Times that the Cabinet minister was swimming and using a paddleboard on the last day of his break, which was spent at a beach at a five-star hotel on the Greek island of Crete, as the crisis began to unfold.

Mr Raab was already in the firing line after it emerged he delegated a call about repatriating Afghan interpreters, while away on August 13, to a junior minister, a decision that resulted in the phone conversation with the Afghan foreign minister not taking place and possibly delaying taking them to safety.

And tonight he was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis.

The sources said Mr Raab had been told by a senior Downing Street official on Friday 13th August that he should return to London immediately as the situation in Kabul deteriorated, and that there had been 'much gnashing of teeth' when he delayed his homecoming until the early hours of Monday morning.

Tonight Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was plunged into a fresh row over his holiday after sources told the Mail on Sunday that he had refused an order by No.10 to return from the Mediterranean to deal with the Afghanistan crisis

The claim is strongly denied by friends of Mr Raab, who insist that he was assured by Boris Johnson that he could stay with his family until the end of the weekend.

A source said: 'There is no doubt that Raab was told to come back on that Friday. There was then a significant amount of surprise when he appeared on the Cobra on the Sunday down the line from Crete. He must have nobbled Boris and asked for permission to finish his holiday'.

Last night, Mr Raab told the Mail on Sunday that he had enjoyed a 'wave of support', and denied that there was pressure from within his party to resign.

Mr Raab said: 'I've not heard any of my Conservative colleagues call for me to resign, but I have had a wave of support. There is no doubt that, like all countries, there is a measure of surprise at the rapidity of the Taliban takeover.

'But as the Foreign Secretary travelling around the world, whether I am on leave or I'm travelling for work purposes, I am always set up to be able to grip things'.

A close ally of Mr Raab insisted that No.10 had not 'ordered' him to return on the Friday.

The ally said: 'The suggestion was that he should make plans to come back. They said that if things get worse then he needed to be ready to come back at a moment's notice. He then talked it through with the PM and it was agreed that he would came back on Sunday'.

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier indicates direction to Afghan nationals at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, front, and Taliban fighters, stand guard on their respective sides while a truck moves to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

Taliban fighters stand guard on their side at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighter stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan

U.S. Embassy tells Americans NOT to go to Kabul airport due to security threats The U.S. Embassy issued a stern warning to Americans on Saturday not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates a day after President Biden vowed to bring citizens and Afghan allies home. 'Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so,' the Embassy warning says. The warning was issued less than 24 hours after Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home. It was the first time Biden took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - in nine days since the chaos started unfolding in Afghanistan. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech that he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers. The president made the promise to 'mobilize every force necessary' despite admitting he doesn't know how many Americans were left and he 'cannot promise what the final outcome will be'. He also said allies around the world have not questioned US credibility over the chaotic Kabul evacuation, insisted Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan and claimed there has been 'no indication' the Taliban has blocked Americans from reaching the airport. Minutes after Biden said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Yes, Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. Over the last 12 hours, videos started emerging showing the pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport. Kabul airport is the only way out of the country after the Taliban started seizing the country's major cities. Abdul Ghani Baradar - one of the Talibans top leaders who negotiated the exit of US troops with former President Donald Trump in Qatar - arrived in Kabul on Saturday. The world's eyes are on him as he leads discussions with other Taliban leaders who will construct the framework for how they govern the country over the next week few weeks - a stark difference to the shadowy presence they maintained for years pre-9/11 when they ruled by harsh, draconian Sunni law. A Taliban official told Reuters that the framework 'will protect everyone's rights' but would not be a democracy by Western standards. It's unclear exactly how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000. Advertisement

Senior Tories piled pressure on the US and security services today, with one cabinet minister telling the Times: 'Why do the CIA and MI6 get such large budgets if they can't tell us what is happening? It's an intelligence failure.'

Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative MP and attorney general, told Sky News: 'I think if they had known this was going to happen, would the US withdrawal have proceeded in the way it did?

'It must be an intelligence failure that one should end up with thousands of people crowding into an airport seeking to leave a country when it has been triggered by military decisions by the United States as to how it was going to conduct its withdrawal.'

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken.

A senior government source told the Times: 'People are going to get left behind. It's a question of how many. It could be thousands. I don't think people have realised the extent of the risk.'

Another insider pointed out if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans to be left to the Taliban.

The source added to the paper: 'There's a risk that thousands could be left behind but it's unlikely to be British nationals.'

Meanwhile, the European Union's top officials have warned the Taliban that current conversations being held to secure the departures of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the 27-nation bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain.

But she said this was 'separate' from 'political talks'.

'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said.

'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.'

It comes as a former British Marine turned animal charity manager in Kabul painted a desperate picture of life under the new regime.

Pen Farthing, who has been an outspoken critic of the Nato response to the crisis, revealed he and his 'terrified' staff are plotting a daring effort to break through the Taliban ranks and into the city's airport.

He said insurgents had set up shop next door to where they are staying - but were leaving them alone - while people go hungry because they cannot buy food.

The Islamist militants said today the group have not kidnapped any foreigner, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave.

An official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

It was reported that Mr Biden would leave Washington DC for his holiday home in Delaware today - exiting the White House amid the biggest crisis of his presidency - but it later emerged that he had changed plans.

He will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

One of those still on the ground is former British Marine Mr Farthing who unveiled his team's plan to break through the Taliban ranks surrounding the airport and try to catch a flight.

He told the Today programme: 'We are literally trying to plan how we are going to break into Kabul airport. Can you believe I'm saying that? We are trying to plan how we can break into Kabul airport.

'Somebody somewhere needs to get a grip of this. It's not a joke, it's not anything, that is genuinely what we are trying to do. With our team here I am going to try to plan to break into Kabul airport. I'm lost for words.'

He said he would 'absolutely not' be prepared to leave without his staff. 'I've got women and children I'm not leaving without them. They're coming with me.

'Right now they're terrified, absolutely terrified. There are no assurances that they will be okay if they were to stay here.'

The UK Armed Forces are pictured taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan yesterday

Thousands of Afghans could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday. Pictured: British citizens catching a flight earlier this week

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted. Pictured: Members of the United Services Organizations carry food for Afghan evacuees aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany,

An Afghan family arrives in Islamabad Airport after their evacuation from Kabul by Belgian forces called Red Kite mission, in Islamabad, Pakistan

Afghans continue to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Afghan capital of Kabul today

The UK is urging President Joe Biden to delay withdrawing US forces from the airport to help with the airlifting of as many as 6,000 British nationals and locals from the Taliban-controlled city. Pictured: The airport today

An insider pointed out that if the flights are ground to a halt on Tuesday, then there is the potential for as many as 2,000 Afghans (pictured at the airport today) to be left in the hands of the Taliban

Ministers have reportedly been told the last British evacuation flight out of Kabul (pictured, the airport today) could be on Tuesday - to establish an 'orderly withdrawal' and allow soldiers to get out - but a final decision had not been taken

Pentagon contradicts Biden MINUTES after his fumbling speech Minutes after President Biden on Friday said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda in Afghanistan was a success and that he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon. Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety. The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home. He cancelled plans to return home to Wilmington on Friday evening as officials scrambled to give off an air of urgency. He even answered questions about Afghanistan for the first time in 10 days after delivering a speech in the East Room of the White House. Would he send troops out of their base in Hamid Karzai International Airport to help stranded Americans reach safety, he was asked. 'We have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport,' he said. 'We've made an agreement with the Taliban thus far, they've allowed them to go through, it's in their interest for them to through.' But a different view emerged in reports of a briefing call that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held with lawmakers, telling them that Americans had been beaten as they tried to reach the airport. And officials at the Pentagon confirmed they were aware of Americans reporting being attacked. 'We're certainly mindful of these reports and they're deeply troubling and we have communicated to the Taliban that that's absolutely unacceptable, that we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans and - by and large - that's happening,' said Kirby. Advertisement

He also slammed the IMF and President Biden for stopping money flowing into Afghanistan, saying the Taliban do not need it because they have the opium trade but the locals do to buy food and pay their staff.

He said: 'This is just turning into a disaster upon a disaster. The humanitarian crisis here is getting out of control and I don't see any politicians doing anything about it.

'We can't leave the country because we can't get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. I've got 71 staff members and women to get into that airport.

'We've all seen the scenes, it's no different today than it was at any other time. It's just getting worse.'

He said he had an email from the embassy this morning telling him to get an evacuation flight - but he would have had to leave his workers behind.

He said: 'How? How would you like me to get into the airport? It's ridiculous. I'm past angry, I'm past everything. I'm just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.'

And he revealed that Taliban forces had moved in next door to where he is but were leaving them to themselves for now.

'We see them. They've left us alone. The issue here in Kabul is not the Taliban at the moment, it's the fact we can't get money out... no one can buy food... and obviously you can't get to the airport because you can't get into it.

'It's the most dire situation, a humanitarian crisis on a humanitarian crisis.' He added it was not feasible for paratroopers to go and fetch him because they would just 'be putting their lives in danger'.

But in a ray of hope for the former soldier and his entourage, his campaigner said progress is being made in the operation to evacuate them.

Dominic Dyer said all 68 people should have visas 'within the next 24 hours' and that an aeroplane with 'significant capacity' for them and the animals is being deployed in the coming days.

About 12,000 foreigners and Afghans working for embassies and international aid groups have been evacuated from Kabul airport in the last week - but 12 have died around the site.

Mr Dyer said he is seeing 'a lot more co-operation from the British Government' including 'direct involvement' from Environment Secretary George Eustice.

Speaking from Milton Keynes, he said a 'wealthy investor in the United States' is now helping fund the mission. He said the 'main obstacle' is 'getting through the airport' where thousands of desperate people are trying to escape.

He said: 'Defra are helping us now in terms of all the issues around the dogs coming - the rabies control and quarantine rules. We have an aeroplane, an A340 airbus, with significant capacity for the people and the animals.

'We are hopeful that all 68 people will be approved for visas, we can't leave anybody out, so we need that completely.'

He added: 'The one thing that we've begun to see is that the Americans began to deploy Chinooks, and the French and Germans have smaller capacity helicopters.

'We don't have any helicopters in that theatre at all because we removed them all weeks before this operation started, which sounds absolutely ridiculous.'

Afghans (pictured today) are continuing to wait around the Hamid Karzai International Airport as they try to flee the Taliban

Cars line the road on the way to the city's airport as thousands are still trying to escape the Taliban and catch a flight to the West

Pakistani soldiers stand guard as Afghan and Pakistani nationals queue to cross into Afghanistan at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossing point in Chaman today

Meanwhile a head teacher in Nottingham said two of her school children are expected home from Afghanistan in the 'next couple of days' after successfully making it to Kabul airport.

Nargas Ziahe flew out to Afghanistan more than six weeks ago following the death of an uncle but got trapped in Parwan province with her brother Omar, five, and sister Asma, nine, following the lightning Taliban advance.

Amanda Dawson, head of Mellers Primary School which Omar and Asma usually attend, told the Today programme: 'We're absolutely frantic about their situation.

'They are still at the airport waiting for their repatriation flights, firstly to Dubai - I think there is a military flight to Dubai and then a connecting commercial flight back to the UK.

Son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani REFUSES to comment on unfolding crisis His Afghan government leader father reportedly fled Kabul in a helicopter stuffed with $169million in cash and four cars - but Tarek Ghani leads an altogether different existence as an economics professor residing in one of America's most genteel neighborhoods, DailyMail.com can reveal. Life for the 39-year-old son of exiled Ashraf Ghani could not be more different to the horror unfolding on the streets of the Afghan capital where the Taliban are beginning to exert their rule of terror and killing. Tarek Ghani (pictured) is the son of exiled Afghan president Ashraf Ghani He and wife Elizabeth Pearson own an immaculate $1.2million red-painted town house just a mile from the Capitol building in a charming Washington DC enclave, its patchwork of streets lined with trees and other similar upscale properties. The power couple bought their three-bedroom, three-bathroom home for $959,000 in 2018 and it has rocketed in value since the Covid pandemic. The area's average real estate prices are in the country's top seven percent. Yet despite his proud heritage, expertise and background fighting to prevent war, he bluntly refused to discuss the unfolding situation in Afghanistan when DailyMail.com turned up at his home to ask him about it. He said 'no', and closed the front door. Advertisement

'But they are safe, they are in the airport and, unless the airport falls of course, they are safe and we are expecting them to be home in the next couple of days.'

Ms Dawson said the videos and voice messages sent to her of the children by their older sister during their time stuck in Afghanistan were 'absolutely heart breaking'.

She added: 'They were terrified: watching shooting, watching people being assaulted and just the chaos outside that airport compound was really traumatising for anybody but particularly for young children.'

Meanwhile, former Afghan diplomat Zubair Juenda has described his 'mission impossible' journey out of Afghanistan with his wife and two children, aged nine and 10, amid the Taliban takeover.

He told Channel 4 News: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be.

'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible.

'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.'

He added: 'I was very worried, being a father with children of that age and a wife it is of course worrying, it felt like a nightmare.

'Adults have been crushed by people... I passed out myself after being crushed, but six people died outside the camp.'

It comes as the US Embassy told Americans today not to go to Kabul airport - which is the only way out of the country - because of 'security threats' outside its gates.

The warning was issued less than 24 hours after President Biden said there was 'no indication' that the Taliban was stopping Americans and their allies from reaching the airport and promised to get everyone home.

That was part of Biden's 50-minute speech on Friday, which was the first time in nine days the president answered any questions about the chaos in Afghanistan.

During the speech, he was contradicted by Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby who said he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The point was furthered over the last 12 hours as videos depicting pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport have surfaced.

Vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation sent desperate pleas not to be left behind.

But some outgoing flights have been far from full because of Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges.

A Taliban fighter stands guard on Afghan side while people wait to cross at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

Pedestrian movement has limited in Torkham border, only stranded people in both sides and trucks taking goods to Afghanistan can passes through this border point. Pictured: Taliban fighters stand guard at the border

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen says there is 'no recognition' of Taliban from bloc European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain The European Union's top officials warned the Taliban on Saturday that the current conversations being held to secure the exit of as many Afghan evacuees as possible do not mean the bloc is prepared to recognise the new regime. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the necessity of continuing to engage with the Taliban during her visit, with EU Council president Charles Michel, to a reception centre for evacuees near Madrid, in Spain. 'We do have operational contacts with the Taliban in this moment of crisis, because we need to discuss in these difficult times how we can facilitate it for people in Kabul to come to the airport,' she said. 'But this is completely distinct and separated from political talks. There are no political talks with the Taliban and there is no recognition of the Taliban.' She also said the continuance of European humanitarian aid to Afghanistan will hinge on the Taliban respecting human rights, especially for women and girls. 'We hear the Taliban statement that stresses that women will have their right place in society and have the right to study and work, within the framework of Islam, whatever that means. 'But we also hear more and more reports of people being hunted down for their past work or opinions, and we hear of women being turned away when they show up at their usual workplace,' she said. 'The one billion euros set aside by the European Union for the next seven years for development aid is tied to strict conditions: respect for human rights, good treatment of minorities, and respect for the rights of women and girls.' Advertisement

Then a backlog at the transit facility in Qatar, which is one of the main countries welcoming refugees, stalled flights for hours on Friday.

A defense official said about 5,7000 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul in 16 C-17 transport planes. The previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

No one knows how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

'This is one of the largest difficult airlifts in history and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America,' Biden said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said today they have not kidnapped any foreigners, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave Afghanistan.

Just a week after the Taliban's swift takeover of the south Asian nation, Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos and reports of violence by the insurgents.

The Taliban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity: 'Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint.'

He ruled out incidents of reported kidnappings of foreigners, but added: 'We are questioning some of them before they exit the country.'

The official also said today the Taliban will be accountable for its actions and will investigate reports of reprisals and atrocities carried out by members.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that the group planned to ready a new model for governing Afghanistan within the next few weeks.

'We have heard of some cases of atrocities and crimes against civilians,' the official said. 'If Talibs (members) are doing these law and order problems, they will be investigated.'

He added: 'We can understand the panic, stress and anxiety. People think we will not be accountable, but that will not be the case.'

Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar arrived in the Afghan capital today for talks with militant commanders, former government leaders and religious scholars.

Baradar will meet militant commanders, former government leaders and policy makers, as well as religious scholars among others, the official said.

The chief of the Taliban's political office, Baradar was part of the group's negotiating team in the Qatar capital of Doha.

Reported to have been one of the most trusted commanders of the former Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar, Baradar was captured in 2010 by security forces in Pakistan's southern city of Karachi and released in 2018.

Meanwhile German Chancellor Angela Merkel conceded today the Afghan army's resistance against Taliban militants had been misjudged.

'The army collapsed at a breathtaking pace,' Merkel said at an election event. 'We had expected the resistance to be stronger.'

An Afghan man today stands near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

An Afghan man is pictured today standing near a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Two boys stand next to their crumbling house today after it was damaged during the air strikes in Helmand province two weeks ago

An Afghan boy today stands at a damaged house after airstrikes in two weeks ago during a fight between government forces and the Taliban in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province

Former diplomat describes 'mission impossible' escape from Afghanistan A former Afghan diplomat has described his escape from the country with his wife and two young children as 'mission impossible' amid the Taliban takeover. Zubair Juenda told Channel 4 News that at one point he passed out as he and his family pushed through huge crowds to reach 'the gates out of hell' and were evacuated with the help of the British military. Mr Juenda fled from Kabul to England with his wife and children, aged nine and 10. They left the Afghan capital on Thursday and had to make the perilous journey via three checkpoints controlled by the Taliban, before arriving in England the following day. He said: 'It was horrendous. Everybody has the fear to be stopped by the Taliban at the checkpoints and the sense of uncertainty over what the reaction of the Taliban would be. 'It was difficult and we had to drive many checkpoints controlled by the Taliban to actually get to the place where we were met by the British army officers, but getting to it was a mission impossible. 'But we managed to get through. Thousands of people were standing trying to get in to the camp, so we had to push through. 'I had my two children and my wife with me, and we had to get through this gate which I now call the gate out of hell.' Advertisement

Merkel said the focus now was on rescuing people from Afghanistan, but later there would need to be a discussion on what had or had not been achieved.

Despite the chaos gripping the Middle East country, President Biden has decided to leave Washington DC and return to his holiday home in Delaware.

The president will have spent only four days in the last 15 in the White House since the Taliban took their first regional capital, with the rest of the time at Camp David or in Delaware.

Vice president Kamala Harris left DC on Friday for an Asia tour and will be absent for a week, visiting Singapore, Vietnam and then California. Her office insisted she will continue to work on the Afghan crisis while she is in Asia.

President Biden also has access to secure command and control centres at all the locations he travels to.

The President has taken flack throughout the crisis, most recently last night during his speech from the White House that presented a distorted reality.

Minutes after he said the mission to destroy Al Qaeda was a success and he knew of no circumstances where Americans had been unable to reach Kabul airport, he was flatly contradicted by the Pentagon.

Al Qaeda remains present in Afghanistan, said Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby during a briefing, and yes, he was aware of reports of Americans being beaten by the Taliban as they tried to reach safety.

The contradiction will raise further doubt about whether Biden is in control of the White House messaging operation, let alone the chaotic effort to bring Americans home.

He also flubbed while describing key communications with the Taliban, mangling the name of Doha, Qatar  a key focal point of negotiations as well as evacuations.

Asked about assurances of security for people making it to the airport, Biden responded: 'We've been in constant contact with the Taliban leadership on the ground in Kabul, as well as the Taliban leadership in Daho.'

He did not immediately correct himself, but he later referred to the location correctly when defending the way the evacuation was handled.

'The point was that although we were in contact with the Taliban and Doha for this whole period of time,' there wasn't expected to be a 'total demise' of the Afghan military.

President Joe Biden vowed Friday to get all Americans and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan and took questions from White House reporters - on a pre-approved list - for the first time in nine days. 'Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home,' Biden pledged during the speech he started 50 minutes late where he stumbled over answers.

Afghan baby seen being lifted by US Marine over barbed wire wall has been reunited with her father A baby who was captured in a viral video being handed to a US Marine over a wall topped with barbed-wire at Kabul airport has been reunited with her father. The video sees the sobbing infant being handed over to a Marine across a reinforced wall at Hamad Karzai International Airport who then hands the child to a fellow soldier. Major Jim Stenger told CBS News: 'The baby seen in the video was taken to a medical treatment facility on site and cared for by medical professionals. I can confirm the baby was reunited with their father and is safe at the airport. 'This is a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations.' It is the latest iconic image to emerge as people desperate to flee the Taliban beg troops and US allies to help them evacuate. Advertisement

Elsewhere in the international crisis, the Gulf nation of Bahrain said today it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation, an option that should ease pressure after the US faced issues on Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The backlog forced flights from Kabul's international airport to stop for several hours. The United Arab Emirates also said today it would host up to 5,000 Afghans 'prior to their departure to other countries'.

Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, are seeking evacuation after the Taliban's shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan in a little over a week.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an 'inclusive, Islamic' government, offer full amnesty to those who worked for the US and the Western-backed government and claim they have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001.

They also say they will honour women's rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Taliban's harsh rule of the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Meanwhile Uzbekistan today said it had accepted about 400 more refugees from Afghanistan and put them up in temporary accommodation near the Afghan border.

It is unclear how many Afghans have crossed into the former Soviet republic as Taliban insurgents overran Afghanistan.

The Tashkent government has denied senior Afghan figures such as ethnic Uzbek leader Abdul Rashid Dustum were among them.

But approximately 650 Afghan officers from units commanded by Dustum were already at the same health centre, TASS cited the source as saying.

Uzbekistan said on Friday that it had sent 150 Afghan refugees back to Afghanistan as per an agreement with the Taliban and after requests from the refugees themselves.
Joe Biden was forced to cancel a weekend jaunt to his home in Delaware yesterday amid the fallout over his dismal handling of the crisis in Afghanistan.

The 78-year-olds love of home comforts  and abject failure to wake up to the severity of the Afghan crisis  have consolidated his image as Sleepy Joe in the minds of many Americans.

Last Sunday, with the Taliban advancing on Kabul, Mr Biden was relaxing at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, seemingly blase to the global implications.

PHOTO CALL: Joe Biden tucks in to an ice cream  an image echoed by triumphant Taliban fighters

Mr Biden has been in the White House for only 215 days but he has become shockingly outsmarted by a group of Islamic militants

The feeling among his team was one of disbelief. It was Bidens FUBAR moment, said a presidential aide  using the slang military acronym for F****d Up Beyond Any Recognition.

In what turned out to be a calamitously inept attempt to show the President was in charge of events, the White House press team belatedly issued a photo of him, all alone in a conference room, staring gormlessly at a bank of TV screens.

In a withering putdown, the New York Post reported: Isolated, feeble, indecisive: that is the lasting image of the President of the United States as his nation suffered the worst self-inflicted humiliation of its history. In a polo shirt, a hippy bracelet on his left wrist and his right hand covering his mouth, the vacationing President looked every bit his 78 years as he sat alone at a vast table set for 18 absent advisers.

The photo encapsulated the Talibans contempt for Sleepy Joe  a nickname given to Mr Biden by Donald Trump in 2019 when he announced his presidential candidacy. Mr Trump said: Welcome to the race, Sleepy Joe. I only hope you have the intelligence, long in doubt, to wage a successful primary campaign.

Mr Trump is no soothsayer but it seems he was spot-on.

This weekends planned trip to Delaware would have been Mr Bidens 19th return to the state since his inauguration only seven months ago, until he made a last-minute decision to cancel it.

There is a sense in America that even Mr Bidens staunchest allies believe he has lost the plot.

Not only the physical evidence  stumbling over words, forgetting questions, falling up the stairs of Air Force One  but also obvious mental lapses amid claims he relies heavily on an autocue.

If its not written down, he forgets it, one presidential speechwriter complained this month.

A source familiar with discussions in the White House told the MoS: People have been covering up for Joe for a long time. Its become a case of the Emperor has no clothes. Biden dropped the ball on Afghanistan and everyone knows it. Theres a very real possibility he will become a lame-duck President.

An attempt to manage the Afghan crisis by arranging an interview with a sympathetic journalist, ABCs George Stephanopoulos, backfired spectacularly. Mr Biden stumbled through the interview, dismissively waving away a question about Afghans falling from planes.

There is a sense in America that even Mr Bidens staunchest allies believe he has lost the plot

Mr Trump  who, when President, passed a mental cognitive test with flying colours  again called for Mr Biden to prove he is mentally capable of holding office: Joe should take that test because somethings going on we cant have somebody whos not 100 per cent.

Even the liberal media that was so fawning of Mr Biden and contemptuous of Mr Trump has turned against him. The usually pro-Biden New York Times ran the headline: To save his Presidency, Biden must tell the truth about Afghanistan. On the TV news channel CNN, a long-time Biden cheerleader, anchor Anderson Cooper, called his mishandling of the Afghan crisis an utter disaster and the worst foreign policy crisis since Vietnam.

While there have been rumblings of discontent in the White House for months, the events of the past few days  described as a s*** show by one aide  have led to those around Mr Biden breaking the code of silence.

Everyone has been protecting him for so long, the source said. This week everything has come crashing down.

Gone are the days when the sycophantic press indulged in joshing photo-calls, when Mr Biden would pose with an ice-cream cone and friendly journalists would ask him: What flavour are you having today, Joe? They would clap when he replied chocolate-chunk chip and boot-licking reports would duly appear the next day. How symbolic that mocking photos are now being spread on the internet of Taliban fighters holding similar ice-cream cones in Kabul.

Even Mr Bidens advisers are openly contradicting him. On Friday, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin directly countered comments made by the President in a rambling press statement earlier in the day, during which he insisted all Americans who wanted to reach Kabul airport were able to do so.

Mr Biden, who had publicly vowed there would be no scenes of helicopters fleeing from the roof of the US embassy in Kabul like the American retreat from Vietnam, believed he had months for a controlled withdrawal of troops and citizens from Afghanistan

The MoS has been told the roots of the Afghan humiliation started 11 days ago with Mr Biden distracted by domestic politics.

After a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill and a $3.5 trillion package to finance the Democrats social agenda were passed by the Senate, a source says: Everyone was doing high-fives. Then they all packed up and went home. The President was exhausted. No one was thinking about what was going on halfway around the world.

Mr Biden, who had publicly vowed there would be no scenes of helicopters fleeing from the roof of the US embassy in Kabul like the American retreat from Vietnam, believed he had months for a controlled withdrawal of troops and citizens from Afghanistan.

Of course, the memory of the Vietnam War  and the deaths of 58,000 US military personnel  is etched in American consciousness. Mr Biden was a young politician at the time, having obtained five deferments from serving in the military when he was a student.

Mr Biden has been in the White House for only 215 days but he has become shockingly outsmarted by a group of Islamic militants of whom, only a month ago, he said: Theyre not the North Vietnamese army. Theyre not remotely comparable in terms of capability.

As former senior CIA officer Mathew Burrows says: We look like a deer caught in the headlights. It is one more chink gone in the American empire.
Incredible pictures show 265 people packed on to a flight from Kabul as the Ministry of Defence have revealed 3,821 have been evacuated from Afghanistan so far.

An RAF plane was filled to capacity with embassy staff, British nationals and any Afghans able to settle in the UK.

Evacuations have been underway in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country on August 13 after American troops were pulled from the country.

Reports have since flooded in of death squads hunting Afghans who helped the British or American armies in their homes and killing them.

Operation Pitting, involving 1,000 British soldiers, has been deployed to help repatriate those stranded in the country and desperately needing escape.

An RAF plane was filled to capacity with embassy staff, British nationals and any Afghans able to settle in the UK

Evacuations have been underway in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country on August 13 after American troops were pulled from the country

Members of the British and US military engage in the evacuation of people out of Kabul, Afghanistan on Friday

Some 265 people are evacuated in a flight by the British Army out of Kabul

British armed forces work with the U.S. military to evacuate eligible civilians and their families out of the country today

Britain's ambassador in Afghanistan, Sir Laurie Bristow, told The Sun: 'The scale of this effort is enormous and is without a doubt the biggest international challenge I have worked on as a diplomat.

'Lives are at stake and I am incredibly proud of the tenacious efforts of my team during these challenging times, with military and civilian staff working together to successfully evacuate thousands of people in the last week.'

Chaos has ensued at the airport ever since the Taliban took control and the Armed Forces are in a race against time to evacuate as many as possible.

British troops at the airport in Kabul told Sky News that the mayhem at airports, including mass crushes which have killed at least four women, were the worst scenes they saw during their service.

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK. Pictured: Afghans attempt to get into Kabul airport yesterday

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain. Pictured: British and US troops help Afghans in Kabul

A U.S. Navy Corpsman with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response - Central Command, hands out water to children during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

A Pakistani paramilitary soldier, right, and Taliban fighters stand guard on their respective sides at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

Taliban fighters stand guard on their side at a border crossing point between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in Torkham, in Khyber district, Pakistan

Thousands of Afghans could be left behind in Kabul as ministers push to extend the deadline for the last British evacuation flight beyond Tuesday. Pictured: British citizens catching a flight earlier this week

It is unclear exactly when evacuations need to be finished by but US President Joe Biden has indicated he wants them finished by the end of the month, meaning Britain will most likely have to follow suit.

It comes as Defence Secretary Ben Wallace declared that 'no nation will be able to get everyone out'.

How many people have the West actually evacuated? America The promise: At least 22,000 evacuees including US citizens and those holding visas Aid groups said 80,000 visas may need to be issued to keep Biden's pledge to help all those who aided US forces, but that promise has almost certainly been broken The reality: Just 17,000 people have been airlifted out of Kabul in the last seven days, the Pentagon said on Saturday, despite there being capacity for up to 9,000 per day Since the end of July, some 22,000 people have been airlifted out, including Embassy staff, citizens of NATO countries, at-risk Afghan nationals as well as Afghans with special visas Who's left? That means to keep even its most-modest promises, the US has at least 10,000 more people to evacuate before the air bridge closes Britain The promise: The UK said it wants to evacuate 7,000 UK citizens and Afghan staff from the country Prime Minister Boris Johnson then promised to take another 5,000 refugees this year as part of a scheme that will allow 20,000 to settle over five years The reality: Britain evacuated 2,163 people from Kabul between Sunday night and Friday morning, and is aiming to take out another 1,000 per day as long as flights can keep operating. This target was met on Saturday, the Ministry of Defence said. In total, the UK has now taken some 4,800 people out of Afghanistan in recent weeks, including more than 600 UK citizens and thousands of Afghans covered by the resettlement scheme Who's left? To keep its most-modest promises, the UK must evacuate some 2,200 people - but up to 8,200 if the prime minister's pledge to take refugees is to be met Advertisement

In a powerfully emotive article for The Mail on Sunday, Mr Wallace warns that time is ticking along, impossible to stop towards the imminent end of the UKs mission to rescue thousands of Afghans entitled to come to the UK.

While acknowledging that no nation will be able to get everyone out, Mr Wallace also announces that a series of processing hubs will be set up in countries neighbouring Afghanistan for refugees who manage to escape. If they can establish their right to come to the UK, they will be flown to Britain.

The MoD is looking at establishing hubs in countries such as Pakistan and Turkey  but, startlingly, is also exploring whether the Taliban might allow the UK to retain a presence in Kabul after the Americans have gone.

Mr Wallace makes a veiled plea for Washington to delay the US leaving date beyond August 31, writing: Perhaps the Americans will be permitted to stay longer and they will have our complete support if they do.

The 900 British troops cannot remain without the logistical support of the 6,000 US soldiers in Kabul and will have to finish the evacuation before that point to allow enough time to secure their own safe exit.

US citizens were yesterday warned not to go to the airport amid fears that they might be hijacked en route by militants. The State Department said the US side of the airport would close for 48 hours. The British section remained open.

According to the MoD, 3,821 British and Afghan nationals have been evacuated from Kabul, where 1,000 British troops are based. About 3,500 people are still waiting to be airlifted.

Last night, an MoD source said the announcement about the refugee centres was intended to display honesty about the thousands of British allies likely to be left behind.

In a separate announcement last night, under-fire Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Britain had stepped up to the plate after he secured 200 visa waivers for Afghan journalists to flee.

In his article today, Mr Wallace says that the collapse of Afghanistan has been an exhausting, worrying and demanding time, and warns that the distressing exit of the West will have consequences for us all for years to come.

He says: The Parachute Regiment at the airport are dealing with unimaginable challenges. Public order, overcrowding, searing heat and desperate people. Soldiers trained for war are instead holding babies and co-ordinating crowds.

The Minister adds: Too many people in the airport has meant a suspension of access. I am confident that too will be fixed or mitigated but until it is, the crowds will get bigger.

'And ticking along, impossible to stop, is time. I have said all along that no nation will be able to get everyone out.

It is a source of deep sadness for many of us across Nato and no one wanted 20 years of sacrifice to end this way. We will do our best to the very last moment. But it isnt the end.

'The Home Secretary and I have been planning the next stage we will establish a series of processing hubs across the region outside of Afghanistan for those Afghans we have an obligation to bring to this country.
A new map shows where hundreds of fireballs meteors, an unusually bright meteor that can glow brighter than Venus, have hit Earth's atmosphere in the last 33 years.

The Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory compiled data from 1988 through 2021 of fireballs that were detected by government sensors.

The world map shows dots, ranging in four different sizes and colors, that are proportional to the impact (kinetic) energy of each fireball, the total energy the meteoroid brought into the atmosphere due to its velocity.

Scientists use the kinetic energy given off by the fireball, sound waves and energy at other wavelengths to determine the size even before it enters Earth's atmosphere.

Using such calculations helped scientists determine the fireball meteor that fell over Chelyabinsk, Russia on February 15, 2013 measured 65 feet across, which is the largest shown on the map.

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The world map shows dots, ranging in four different sizes and colors, that are proportional to the impact (kinetic) energy of each fireball, the total energy the meteoroid brought into the atmosphere due to its velocity

This fireball exploded over the Ural Mountains, causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,600 people.

The meteorite broke up into multiple pieces as it entered the atmosphere, scattering debris and creating a shock wave estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs.

The second largest group of fireballs shown on the map primarily fell around the Pacific Ocean and bordering countries, such as Fiji and other islands surrounding Asia.

The US has been hit with smaller-sized meteorites, though not as many as other parts of the world.

Using such calculations helped scientists determine the fireball meteor that fell over Chelyabinsk, Russia on February 15, 2013 measured 65 feet across, which is the largest shown on the map

The meteorite broke up into multiple pieces as it entered the atmosphere, scattering debris and creating a shock wave estimated to be as strong as 20 Hiroshima atomic bombs. Pictured is one of the pieces

Paul Chodas, director of CNEOS, said in a statement: 'More people see meteors during a shower because there are so many of them. For the Perseids, there are up to 100 meteors per hour. 'Fireball events, on the other hand, are quite rare and can happen on any day of the year'

FIREBALL METEORS: FRAGMENTS OF AN ASTEROID Sometimes known as a shooting star, a fireball meteor is a rapidly moving space rock inside Earth's atmosphere. According to NASA if a meteor is able to survive this burning trip and hit the ground, the rock on Earth becomes known as a meteorite. The pieces of rock often come from asteroids that broke up due to a collision or other event. Some have been pieces of other planets or even the Moon. A piece of Mars rock that fell to Earth as a meteorite is on the Perseverance rover to help calibrate its equipment. By studying different types of meteorites, scientists can learn more about asteroids, planets and other parts of our solar system. Advertisement

However, most of these rare meteors that entered Earth's atmosphere since 1988 appear to have broken apart over one of the planet's five oceans and were likely unnoticed by most humans.

Paul Chodas, director of CNEOS, said in a statement: 'More people see meteors during a shower because there are so many of them. For the Perseids, there are up to 100 meteors per hour.

'Fireball events, on the other hand, are quite rare and can happen on any day of the year.'

The spectacular Perseids meteor shower, which occurred earlier this month, saw between 40 and 100 fireballs streak across the night sky every hour from August 11 through 13.

NASA photographer Bill Ingalls captured a stunning photograph of a meteor passing overhead on August 11, from the summit of Spruce Mountain in West Virginia.

A few thin clouds lingered, reflecting light from distant urban areas.

The meteor in the photo appears to look green in some areas, which Bill Cooke, lead at the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office, said is due to the way the meteoroid excited oxygen molecules during its impact with the atmosphere.

Cooke also noted that the Perseid shower is especially rich in bright meteors.

He pointed to data from NASA's network of all-sky meteor cameras, which can detect meteors that are brighter than Jupiter.

'The number of bright meteors in the Perseids dwarfs all other meteor showers30 percent more than the Geminid shower, which has better rates and is also noted for bright meteors,' Cooke said in a statement.
The Holiday Guru is always on hand to answer your questions.

This week he helps a reader who doesn't have a smartphone - and wants to know how she can fill out a passenger locator form for a trip to Greece.

Q. We wish to go to Greece, but we dont possess smartphones to fill out passenger locator forms. We cant be the only over-70s in this position. Any advice?

Elizabeth Morris, Shrewsbury.

Covid travel without a smartphone - the Holiday Guru reveals how to do it

A. If you complete the Greek entry form online on a computer before you leave, you will be sent a unique QR (Quick Response) code by email  see travel.gov.gr. Print this to take on your journey out. You will need to find a computer in Greece to do the same for the UK passenger locator form. Yes, it is fiddly.

Q. We are going to Denmark in September for our grandsons first birthday. Were both fully vaccinated, but as Denmark is on the amber list we need to follow the procedures when coming home.

However, we are flying there at 2pm on a Saturday and coming home at 9pm on the Monday  approximately 55 hours in all. So can we do a lateral flow test before we fly to Denmark, and is this then valid for our return?

Carol Webb, via email.

A. Yes, but it must not be an NHS lateral flow test. It will need to be conducted by a testing firm that is recognised by the Government.

Q. We plan to take the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander in Spain. We are double vaccinated. What do we need to do?

Jane Mackenzie, via email.

The Guru offers advice to a reader travelling from Portsmouth to Santander (pictured) in Spain

A. Before going, fill in a Spanish health control form online (spth.gob.es) and prepare proof of your vaccinations on the NHS app. In Spain, fill out a UK passenger locator form within 48 hours of travelling home. You must also take a Covid antigen test in the three days before your return, and book a PCR test to take by day two of arrival in the UK.

WERE HERE TO HELP

If you need advice, the Holiday Guru is here to answer your questions. Email us at holidayplanner@dailymail.co.uk.
Bindi Irwin and her family are enjoying a camping trip at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in Queensland's Cape York Peninsula.

And on Friday, the new mother revealed her five-month-old daughter Grace Warrior has started to show signs of teething.

The 23-year-old shared a photo of herself smiling with her beaming baby girl sitting on her lap.

Exciting! Bindi Irwin reveals her daughter Grace Warrior has reached an exciting new milestone as they continue their family camping trip. In the post she revealed: 'While we've been here our beautiful girl has started to show teething signs'

In the picture, taken by her husband Chandler Powell, the family appeared enjoying some quality time together on the porch of their cabin on the reserve.

'Time on the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve is incredibly special,' Bindi wrote in the caption.

'While we've been here our beautiful girl has started to show teething signs,' she revealed.

Most babies begin teething at six months old, however some can begin at four months or after 12 months old, according to the NHS.

Adorable: Bindi also shared a sweet selfie with Grace and added in the caption: 'Early mornings and not much sleep for any of us. However, this little sunbeam smile makes it all worth it'

'Early mornings and not much sleep for any of us. However, this little sunbeam smile makes it all worth it,' the doting mother added in the caption.

Another photo in her post was a sweet selfie of the mother and daughter.

Earlier this week, Bindi shared sweet photos of her adorable new photos of her little girl enjoying the great outdoors.

In one image, Grace was seated in a tiny camping chair next to her father, Chandler Powell, and uncle Robert Irwin.

Family trip: Earlier this week, Bindi shared sweet photos of her adorable new photos of her little girl enjoying the great outdoors, including a heart-melting photo of her, Grace Warrior, seated in a tiny camping chair next to her father, Chandler, and uncle Robert Irwin

Exploring: She also shared another photo of herself holding Grace while smiling alongside Robert, Chandler and Irwin matriarch Terri

She also shared another photo of herself holding Grace while smiling alongside Robert, Chandler and Irwin matriarch Terri.

In a third picture, Chandler held his daughter and gazed adoringly at his wife, who smiled at their baby girl.

'Our Wildlife Warrior princess. I wish you could hear all of Grace's "ah-gooo" and "gheeeee" noises while these photos were taken. Her smile is the best part of our day,' Bindi wrote on Instagram.

Proud parents: In a third picture, Chandler held his daughter and gazed adoringly at his wife, who smiled at their baby girl

Cute: 'Our Wildlife Warrior princess. I wish you could hear Grace's "ah-gooo" and "gheeeee" noises while these photos were taken. Her smile is the best part of our day,' Bindi wrote

Love story: Bindi first met Chandler in 2013, when the American former wakeboarder went on a guided tour of Australia Zoo in Queensland

Bindi first met Chandler in 2013, when the American former wakeboarder went on a guided tour of Australia Zoo in Queensland.

The pair married in a makeshift ceremony at Australia Zoo in March last year, due to Covid restrictions.

In March 2021, they welcomed daughter Grace Warrior.
They worked in a bar in Chelsea before finding fame on the 2020 winter series of Love Island.

And twins Jess and Eve Gale lived up to their party girl status as they hit the town in London on Friday.

The 22-year-old's pulled out all the stops for their evening out in Mayfair, with Jess leaving little to the imagination in a strapless multicoloured knit minidress.

Twins: Eve (left) and Jess (right) Gale lived up to their party girl status as they hit the town in London on Friday

Jess flaunted her ample cleavage in a racy number which also showed her white thong underwear.

She added a boost to her height with open toe perspex heels and carried a grey Dior saddle bag.

Eve, meanwhile, also showed off her jaw-dropping curves in a busty nude crop top and white ripped denim shorts.

All eyes on her: The 22-year-old's pulled out all the stops for their evening out in Mayfair, with Jess leaving little to the imagination in a strapless multicoloured knit minidress

Strutting her stuff: Eve, meanwhile, also showed off her jaw-dropping curves in a busty nude crop top and white ripped denim shorts

Racy: Jess flaunted her ample cleavage in a racy number which also showed her white thong underwear

She accessorised her skimpy outfit with a mini Fendi handbag and heels for their second night out this week.

The girls appeared in the mood to party as they strutted down the street and posed up a storm for cameras.

Their outing comes after Jess showcased her jaw-dropping curves on Instagram last week.

Designer garb: Eve accessorised her skimpy outfit with a mini Fendi handbag and heels

Party people: The girls headed for their second night out this week

Ray of sunshine: Jess looked stunning in a blue bikini and posed against a background of a whitewashed building after touching down on a recent trip to Santorini in Greece

She wore a blue bikini and posed against a background of a whitewashed building after touching down on a recent trip to Santorini in Greece.

Eve also posted a similarly revealing snap on her page while on the island.

She could be seen in a multi-coloured co ord with a zigzag pattern across it, with the sheer material showing off her underwear and pert derriere.

The star captioned the snap simply with the word: 'Living,' along with a palm tree emoji.
Australian Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik is currently enjoying a vacation in Tulum, Mexico, with her new boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan.

And on Friday, the 30-year-old sure turned up the heat as she posed in a racy white cut-out dress.

Shanina looked absolutely incredible in the $990 gown, by designer Christopher Esber.

Gorgeous: On Friday, Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik absolutely stunned as she showed off her incredible figure in a racy $990 cut-out dress while holidaying in Mexico

The frock featured a halter neck design and tie-up detailing on the waist that showed off plenty of skin and her stunning figure.

Shanina showed off a fresh holiday glow in the images she posted on her Instagram, posing with her long hair out and over her shoulders.

She accessorised with a watch and layered gold jewellery and wore natural-looking makeup.

Steamy! In another image, she can be seen swimming in a stunning cave in Mexico with her boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan and sharing a kiss in the water

The photo was posted as part of a gallery of holiday pictures shared with fans.

Her post was captioned: 'Tulum drop'.

In another image, she can be seen swimming in a stunning cave in Mexico with her boyfriend Matthew Adesuyan and sharing a kiss in the water.

Off the market: Shanina debuted her relationship with Matthew on Valentine's Day, with the pair going official on Instagram

Shanina debuted her relationship with Matthew on Valentine's Day, with the pair going official on Instagram.

Sharing a black-and-white picture of the couple, she wrote: My Valentine... Happy Valentine's Day.'

Shanina's romantic getaway comes after she recently returned from her idyllic trip to Croatia.
Jenn Harley has been hit with two charges following a June domestic violence incident with now ex-boyfriend Joseph Ambrosole.

The ex of Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro faces one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor count of battery in the state of Nevada per legal documents obtained by TMZ on Friday.

On June 19, Harley got into a heated altercation with Ambrosole, whom she allegedly pointed a gun at while threatening 'I'll shoot you n****' and 'I'll kill you right f****** now,' following a night of heavy drinking.

Facing charges: Jenn Harley faces one felony count of assault with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor count of battery in the state of Nevada after a June 19 domestic violence incident with boyfriend Joseph Ambrosole; pictured in June 19 booking photo

Harley's attorney Michael Cristalli told TMZ that the charges are 'unsubstantiated.'

Cristalli continued to have his client's back and maintained her innocence as he said: 'there is going to be overwhelming mitigated evidence that exists [showing] Jenn did not commit any crime.'

The incident in question culminated with her hurling racial slurs and brandishing a gun at Ambrosole after a night out on the town.

Law enforcement detailed the evening to the publication at the time, and spoke about the drama that allegedly went down between the pair at Crazy Horse 3 in Las Vegas  which continued back at home.

The night in question: On June 19 Harley got into a heated altercation with Ambrosole whom she allegedly pointed a gun at while threatening 'I'll shoot you n****' and 'I'll kill you right f****** now,' following a night of heavy drinking; pictured June 18

The duo reportedly argued over her alcohol consumption as well as the location of where they would park their vehicle, and their riff continued into the establishment where they were asked to leave by club security.

The fight continued throughout the course of the drive home where Harley's anger allegedly intensified to the point where she got a bit physical and even tossed his phone out the window.

After pulling over to look for the phone, Harley reportedly got into the driver's seat and left him stranded, forcing him to find his own way back home  at which point things turned more violent.

Authorities said that Ambrosole explained that when he arrived to their residence, they continued to exchange words, at which point Harley threatened him with the firearm, before fleeing the home.

Happier times: The pair who are now said to be exes are pictured in Las Vegas just one month before the incident

She was eventually tracked down by police, who booked her on charges of domestic violence and assault with a deadly weapon which she now faces in court.

Just one month after the incident  which occured on the same weekend Ortiz-Magro got engaged  her rep Gina Rodriguez told TMZ that Harley had checked into a 28-day program of her own volition for alcohol.

'Jenn Harley has decided to check into a Las Vegas rehab facility to seek treatment for her alcohol dependency. She made the decision to get help because she wants to be the best parent she can be for her children,' the statement read.

Harley is mom to an 11-year-old son named Mason from a previous partner and a three-year-old daughter Ariana who she shares with the Jersey Shore vet.

Treatment: Just one month after the incident her rep told TMZ that Harley had checked into a 28-day program of her own volition for alcohol; pictured May 24

And their on-off relationship from 2017 to 2019 was also rife with issues including numerous physical altercations, cheating allegations, and domestic violence arrests on both sides.

In 2018 she showed up to a Vegas hotel unannounced where filming for Season 2 of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation was taking place, at which point she 'lunged, spit and shoved Ronnie,' prompting hotel security to get involved and the police to be called.

Just weeks later she was arrested for domestic battery after she was said to have hit him in the face and dragged him with a car which caused him to sustain injuries.

She did not face charges however due to insufficient evidence and denied the situation, flipping it on him, but she was arrested another time for domestic battery in 2019.
She has been busy filming series four of Brassic.

But Michelle Keegan enjoyed a night off work as she headed to Peter Street Kitchen Restaurant in Manchester on Friday.

The actress, 34, looked stylish as ever as she stepped out in a black blazer and trouser suit which she accessorised with a Fendi handbag.

On the town: Michelle Keegan enjoyed a night off work as she headed to Peter Street Kitchen Restaurant in Manchester on Friday

The blazer and slightly flared trousers sheathed over Michelle's slender frame.

The actress wore her brunette locks in a high ponytail and looked effortlessly polished with a radiant make-up look.

Michelle accessorised her all-black outfit with hoop earrings and gold necklaces.

Fashion maven: The actress, 34, looked stylish as ever as she stepped out in a black blazer and trouser suit which she accessorised with a Fendi handbag

It comes after it was revealed this week Michelle and husband Mark's dream '3.5million' family home in Essex is still far from completion despite work starting on it over a year ago.

Due to various lockdowns and Covid restrictions, construction has been stop, start after they demolished a farmhouse and began building a five-bedroom mansion complete with bar, gym, granny annexe and outdoor swimming pool.

The former TOWIE star and Our Girl actress won planning approval for the colossal building project back in January 2020 - and it looks like it'll be over two years after that date until they can move in.

Wow! It comes after it was revealed her dream '3.5million' family home in Essex is still far from completion despite work starting on it over a year ago (before, top, and the CGI plans)

They purchased the original property for 1.3million in October 2019 and in January 2020 it was revealed that they were demolishing the farmhouse. Construction experts have estimated the demolition and rebuild of the home will cost around 3.5million.

The pair even set up an Instagram account for the work, @wrightyhome, but that hasn't been updated with photos of construction work since April.

Now contractors have moved onto ripping out the old driveway, in preparation of building a one-bedroom 'granny flat', although the pool is still yet to be built and the sides of the home are not currently in place.

The 56-square metre trendy annexe - which is bigger than the average London flat - will have an ensuite bedroom with a cloakroom, kitchen, dining area and sitting area.

It has been estimated that the granny annexe alone will need four months from now to complete as the foundations have not yet been laid.
After examinations of the O.J. Simpson trial and murder of Gianni Versace, this acclaimed anthology series will explore a presidential scandal from the same era.

FX Networks dropped the second trailer for Impeachment: American Crime Story on Friday, and the primary focus was the troubled friendship between Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky at the center of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal in 1998.

The role of Tripp, the civil servant who secretly captured explosive recordings in the case, is going to American Crime Story veteran actress Sarah Paulson, while Monica will be portrayed by Booksmarts Beanie Feldstein.

Betrayal: FX Networks dropped the second trailer for Impeachment: American Crime Story on Friday, and the primary focus was the troubled link between Linda Tripp and Monica Lewinsky

The latest snippet promoting the show opens on a hushed and candid conversation between the two women, with Linda surmising over coffee that Monica 'must be dating some big DC player.'

Over establishing shots of Washington DC, Tripp continues, 'Tell me about him. Someone from work.

'Someone important ?' she guesses, as the camera settles on the actress looking virtually unrecognizable in the role.

Youth and innocence: The role of Monica Lewinsky will be portrayed by Booksmart star Beanie Feldstein

Uncanny resemblance: The role of Tripp, the civil servant who secretly captured explosive recordings in the case, is going to American Crime Story veteran actress Sarah Paulson (Tripp pictured L in 1998)

Then, Feldsteins Lewinsky is seen, exuding youth and innocence as she stammers and tries to hide a smile.

The trailer for the show also features Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones, another woman who accused President Bill Clinton of sexual harassment during his presidency.

But the primary focus remains the evidence that Tripp procures, in the form of secretly recorded conversations between herself and Lewinsky.

The trailer for the show also features Annaleigh Ashford as Paula Jones: Another woman who accused President Bill Clinton of sexual harassment

Well done: The show got the casting just right yet again, recreating a famous news article of the era featuring Jones (seen on the left in 1994)

As she says in voiceover that she 'is in possession of some very sensitive information of major national importance,' Monica is again seen, this time at an outdoor event smiling at Clinton (portrayed by Clive Owen).

Linda then simply presses the play button of her tape recorder when asked if she is sure she has 'enough evidence.'

Later, she is seen pleading on the telephone regarding her betrayal, 'Monica can never find out!!'

Same smile: Monica is again seen in the trailer, this time at an outdoor event smiling at Clinton; Lewinsky seen on the left in July 1998

Later: Linda pleads on the telephone regarding her betrayal, 'Monica can never find out!!'

When asked if she is sure she has 'enough evidence': Tripp simply presses the play button of her tape recorder

The clip also features cast members Colin Hanks, sounding exactly like his famous father, veteran actor Kevin Pollak as former White House council member Bernie Nussbaum and Cobie Smulders as Ann Coulter.

Impeachment: American Crime Story will also star Sopranos vet Edie Falco as Hillary Clinton.

The series is set to premiere on September 7th on FX.

Not bad either: Bill Clinton (left) will be portrayed by Clive Owen

The clip also features: Kevin Pollak, as former White House council member Bernie Nussbaum and Cobie Smulders as Ann Coulter.

Other notable cast members: Colin Hanks, sounding exactly like his famous father, and Cobie Smulders as Ann Coulter
She has not long returned from a lavish hen weekend in Ibiza with her nearest and dearest.

And bride-to-be Jess Wright, 35, wowed on Instagram on Friday in lace black lingerie as her fiance, William Kemp-Lee, 34, embarked on his stag do.

The ex-TOWIE star bared her ample cleavage in the sultry snaps, her perfectly made-up face giving off a gorgeous glow.

Stunning: Bride-to-be Jess Wright put on a sultry display in lace black lingerie as fiance Will heads on his stag do (pictured above on Instagram on Friday)

The reality star exuded confidence in the lingerie post, adding a black-and-white filter to an image where she knelt on a stool in the alluring garment.

Jess also coiffed her long luscious locks into beautiful beach waves.

She penned a teasing caption: 'Sending him off on his stag like. [sic]', with mum Carol, 61, replying 'Hahahah this made me laugh'.

Sultry: The reality star exuded confidence in the lingerie post, adding a black-and-white filter to an image where she knelt on a stool in the alluring garment

Ha! Jess penned a teasing caption: 'Sending him off on his stag like. [sic]', with mum Carol, 61, replying 'Hahahah this made me laugh'

Her latest social media update comes after she was reportedly 'gutted' sister-in-law Michelle Keegan was unable to attend her hen party celebrations in Spain.

New! magazine claimed on Tuesday that the actress, 34, 'can't take' the risk of potentially contracting Covid-19 with her filming commitments for TV series Brassic, and will 'make it up' to Jess back home in the UK.

'They're all gutted Michelle couldn't be there and Michelle will be, too. But she has to put her career first and she can't take any risks, particularly while working on a set with other actors,' an insider reportedly told the magazine.

Missed out: Jess' latest social media update comes after she was reportedly 'gutted' sister-in-law Michelle Keegan (pictured right) was unable to attend her hen party celebrations in Spain (pictured in 2018

Michelle, who wed Jess' brother Mark Wright, 34, in 2015, is said to be planning something for Jess back home in the UK.

'She'll more than make up for it when Jess is back. They're really close so Michelle will find a way to make Jess feel special,' the source went on to say.

MailOnline reached out to Jess and Michelle's representatives for comment at the time.

Jess' sister Natalya, 21, marked the hen do with a sweet post on Instagram on Monday, with the genetically blessed siblings in great spirits as they posed in bikinis.

She wrote: 'The best weekend EVER celebrating you.. My sister, my bridey, oh what fun we have had. I am already maid of honoured out!!

'Bring on the wedding of the year @jesswright77 @okuhotels', with Jess replying: 'You couldn't have made the weekend anymore special & so happy I got to share it with my amazing sis. Love you '

No sibling rivalry: Jess' sister Natalya, 21, marked the hen do with a sweet post on Instagram on Monday, with the genetically blessed siblings in great spirits as they posed in bikinis (pictured)

The Wedding! It was announced on Monday that Jess has inked a deal with ITVBe and ITV Hub for a 90-minute special titled Jess Wright: The Wedding

It was announced on Monday that Jess has inked a deal with ITVBe and ITV Hub for a 90-minute special titled Jess Wright: The Wedding, which will chronicle the build-up to her big day with William.

Filming is well underway, but the date the show will air is yet to be confirmed with ITV telling MailOnline it will likely be late autumn.

The show will follow Jess' journey to the altar as she and William set about staging their dream wedding, a star-studded event on the paradise island of Mallorca.

Having already delayed their nuptials once already, and with travel restrictions constantly changing due to Covid-19, there is much for the pair to navigate.

Jess Wright: The Wedding is made by Potato, part of ITV Studios, the producers behind Ferne McCann: First Time Mum, Sam and Billie: The Mummy Diaries and the forthcoming Billie and Greg: The Family Diaries.
He's been doing the publicity rounds for his latest film Reminiscence.

And on Saturday, Hugh Jackman made a special appearance on Sunrise to talk about the sci-fi thriller and the 'mindset' of his character Nick Bannister.

The 52-year-old actor began by commending interviewer Jason Davis for getting 'up at 7am' to discuss the movie with him over Zoom.

Cheeky! On Saturday, Hugh Jackman shared his excitement for his new film Reminiscence during a TV interview - before taking a cheeky dig at pal Ryan Reynolds

'We do it for our Hugh,' responded Jason.

'As long as you don't do it for Ryan Reynolds,' Hugh said jokingly in a cheeky quip. 'I don't care if he's from the Commonwealth, whatever, screw him.'

His friendly rivalry with Ryan, alongside whom he starred in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has been going on for five years.

Good mates: His friendly rivalry with Ryan, alongside whom he starred in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has been going on for five years

The X-Men star then elaborated on the 'head space' of his character, who is a private investigator and former army veteran who helps his clients recover their lost memories in a future war-torn Miami.

'I did look a lot into (the) PTSD of war veterans because there's a big part of the movie, of his backstory, he was in active duty for four years,' Hugh said.

'So, this Humphrey Bogart, impenetrable, silent, stoic, tough, exterior guy is born of that,' he added.

Hugh's character, Nick Bannister, begins a passionate love affair in the movie with the mysterious Mae, portrayed by actress Rebecca Ferguson.

However, when a different client's memories involve Mae in a string of violent crimes, Nick must venture through a dark past to unravel the truth about his lover.

'I did look a lot into (the) PTSD of war veterans because there's a big part of the movie': The X-Men star elaborated on the 'head space' of his character, who is a private investigator and former army veteran who helps his clients recover their lost memories. Pictured in Reminiscence

The movie is directed by screenwriter Lisa Joy, who states on Sunrise that she wouldn't have signed on to direct if Hugh didn't play the lead.

It's the Wolverine actor's first major film role since the 2019 HBO crime-drama Bad Education.

He recently said he was fascinated by how his new film 'kept going all over the place', even if he didn't consider the motion picture to be 'cool'.

Hugh told ComicBook.com: 'I actually rang my agent 20 pages in saying, "I know this is not a very cool, like a poker movie to make, but I'm totally doing this movie".

Speaking out: He recently said he was fascinated by how his new film 'kept going all over the place', even if he didn't consider the motion picture to be 'cool'

'I'd hear about, I'd seen some pictures. She'd told me through the world of the film, but not the whole story. And I thought the movie in the first 10, 15 pages was, I'd say it's a genre film. I understand. I'm playing like a Sam Spade, Bogart-type character. Here we go.'

The X-Men star continued: 'And then I'm like, "Oh, hang on. Oh, oh, that's cool. Oh no, it's sci-fi. Oh, it's a romance. No, it's a thriller!" And it kept going all over the place. And it's just so unique and different. And I love that for audiences. And for me, it was a screaming "Yes", an easy one.'

Hugh had to fight underwater in Lisa Joy's movie and admits that he 'learned a lot' from the challenging scenes.

Hugh is also known for roles including The Greatest Showman and X-Men.
Ice-T is grieving the loss of his friend Joseph Taheim Bryan after he was fatally 'gunned down while sitting in his new Mercedes-Benz' in New York City on Thursday night.

'MFs killed my friend last night. Im not in a good place behind this. Taheim was a GOOD dude making positive moves,' the rapper, 63, tweeted on Friday night, sharing a photo of himself and Bryan.

Law enforcement sources informed the New York Post that Bryan, who recently produced the Ice-T action film Equal Standard, was 'killed around 11:15 p.m.' while parked outside the Jackson Park luxury apartment complex in Long Island City.

Tragic: Ice-T is grieving the loss of his friend Joseph Taheim Bryan, who recently worked on the Ice-T action film Equal Standard, after he was shot to death

The actor continued: 'He wrote & we made the film Equal Standard together. He leaves a wife & daughter. Dirty MFs followed him home and murdered him.'

Bryan's shooter fired about seven shots, 'hitting him four times in the arm and torso before fleeing.'

The assassin 'was allegedly dropped off around the corner on Jackson Avenue by the driver of a dark-colored Mazda,' Deadline reported.

In mourning: Two hours later, the father-of-three tweeted that 'losing friends and family to the streets makes you cold'

'You cant tell me shit about PTSD. How many of your friends have been Murdered? It changes you,' he wrote

Bryan was brought to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, where he was pronounced dead.

Later on Friday, the father-of-three tweeted that 'losing friends and family to the streets makes you cold.'

'You cant tell me shit about PTSD. How many of your friends have been Murdered? It changes you,' he wrote.

He posted a screenshot of the tweet on his Instagram, which garnered more than 12,601 likes in three hours and supportive comments.

The star was immediately flooded with condolences from fans and followers.

'Im so so sorry about your friend, praying for his family,' one wrote, while a few others shared their own tragic experiences with gun violence.
Alessandra Ambrosio showcased her fab figure when she headed to a yoga class in Brentwood on Friday.

The longtime supermodel, 40, rode along the suburban streets on a scooter, while dressed in skintight baby blue leggings and a white cropped sweatshirt.

While at the yoga studio, the Brazilian beauty slipped into promo mode on her Instagram Stories and shared a few video clips of herself posing in her ensemble from the activewear brand, Alo Yoga.

Sporty: Alessandra Ambrosio, 40, showed off her 5ft9.5in statuesque figure in baby blue leggings and a midriff-revealing crop top while en route to a yoga class in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Friday

The former Victoria's Secret Angel was wearing the same Alo Yoga outfit when she posted the four short selfie clips.

With a rigorous workout ahead, she also pulled her long brown tresses back off her face and into a loose bun.

At one point, she flashed a peace sign for the camera, and added the caption: 'Bar class in my favorite @alo !!!'

Promo mode: The longtime supermodel also slipped advertising mode by posing in Alo Yoga gear, while testing out her new filter

Peace baby! At one point she flashed a peace sign while sitting in the Yoga studio

Around the same time, Ambrosio got flirty for her 10.3 million Instagram fans and followers when she shared a quick video promoting a new camera phone filter.

She puckered her lips and offered a kiss into the camera, and then seconds later gave a seductive wink as Selena Gomez's song Fetish featuring rapper Gucci Mane played in the background.

'Try my new filter!' she wrote in the caption before referencing the filter with the hashtag '#BrazilianBabeGlow Made by @sasha_soul_art.'

The Brazilian-born model and entrepreneur revealed her new filter with the hashtag #BrazilianBabyGlow

Flirty: During the short clip, Ambrosio got playful and puckered up her lips

Flirty: The legendary Victoria's Secret Angel also gave a wink straight into the camera

By the late afternoon, the mother of two would take back to Instagram and share of photo of herself striking a pose in a red bikini that was taken poolside.

'Weekend ready! Pronta para o fim de semana! #tgif,' she declared in the caption.

In the sweet snap, the Gal Floripa co-founder went into somewhat of a pirouette pose on one foot, with the other an inch or two off the ground, as she had both arms reaching towards the sky.

One day earlier, Ambrosio shared a family photo showing her holding hands with boyfriend Richard Lee, seemingly out at a restaurant with her daughter Anja, 12, son Noah, nine, and her parents, Lucilda and Luiz Ambrosio.

Fab: The Gal Floripa co-founder pronounced herself 'weekend ready' dressed in a red bikini
Earlier this month, former Home and Away star Pia Whitesell enjoyed a little break in the idyllic Hawaii, after fleeing locked-down NSW.

And now the model and actress is back in Los Angeles, with Pia sharing a stunning selfie from her car after getting her hair done at a leading salon in Hollywood.

The 37-year-old posted a picture on Instagram on Friday, saying she was grateful to have been able to get her hair done.

Dolled up: Pia Whitesell stunned in a new selfie on Friday, after visiting the hairdressers in Los Angeles

'Hair feels nice,' she wrote, tagging her hairdresser George Papanikolas.

Seemingly referring to the lockdown situation in Australia at the moment, she added: 'Grateful to even be able atm.'

In the image, she has her long locks out and over her shoulders in loose, tousled curls.

Stunning: Last week, Pia shared a picture from the beach in Maui, Hawaii. The idyllic photo showed a glimpse of Maui's tropical coastline, complete with palm trees, white sand and crystal clear water

She appears to have gotten a touch of blonde highlights on her ends.

Last week, Pia shared a picture from the beach in Maui, Hawaii.

The idyllic photo showed a glimpse of Maui's tropical coastline, complete with palm trees, white sand and crystal clear water.

However, it is unclear whether she was joined in the tropical paradise by her new husband, Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell, 56.

It comes after Pia hit back at an Instagram troll who attacked her for sharing a glum selfie during lockdown in July.

Vacay? However, it is unclear whether she was joined in the tropical paradise by her new husband, Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell, 56

The soap actress was accused by the troll of sulking over Sydney's latest lockdowns because she looked dour in her latest post.

'Wow, how long was Melbourne locked up for. Get back with a sad face then u should be smiling' they wrote.

Pia shot back: 'I've done Melb lockdown with my fams, this and many a quarantine in between. I'm sweet.'

Pia announced her engagement to multimillionaire Patrick, 56, who is the executive chairman of the Endeavor Talent Agency, on November 28.

Unfortunately, the newlyweds have been forced to spend a large period of their marriage apart due to COVID-19 border closures.
They're not afraid to pack on the PDA.

And Michael B Jordan and his girlfriend Lori Harvey put on an amorous display on Friday during a date night at Craig's in West Hollywood.

Their outing comes as Michael shapes up to appear in plenty of romantic scenes with co-star Chante Adams for the new film directed by Denzel Washington, Journal For Jordan.

Loved up: Michael B Jordan, 34, and his girlfriend Lori Harvey, 24, put on an amorous display during a date night to Craig's in West Hollywood on Friday

The Black Panther actor, 34, looked as handsome as ever as he modelled a stone co-ord which featured a patterned open shirt and matching beige slacks.

He teamed his busy-patterned short-sleeved shirt with a trademark crisp white vest and accessorised with a short silver chain.

Michael looked sleek as he sported an all-over buzz-cut alongside some very dashing facial hair.

Handsome as ever: The actor looked as handsome as ever as he modelled a stone co-ord which featured a patterned open shirt and matching beige slacks

Look away, Lori! Michael is shaping up to appear in plenty of romantic scenes with co-star Chante Adams for the new film directed by Denzel Washington, Journal For Jordan

His other half, 24, put on a stylish display in a slouchy leather black jumpsuit - which boasted a strapless neckline and tie-waist detailing.

Lori, who's father is famous actor and Family Feud host Steve Harvey, looked stunning as she stepped out for her date in a pair of delicate black stilettos.

The brown-eyed beauty accessorised modestly with only a rose gold watch and a few sparkly bangles on her wrist, while she carried her essentials in a wine leather crocodile purse.

Wow! The brunette dazzled with her glamorous makeup palette, which included a bronze eyeshadow look, winged eyeliner and a slick of nude lipgloss on her pout

The brunette dazzled with her glamorous makeup palette, which included a bronze eyeshadow look, winged eyeliner and a slick of nude lipgloss on her pout.

The pair waltzed into the high-class Craig's restaurant hand-in-hand before cosying up to a romantic meal together.

The pair were first romantically linked in November 2020 when Michael was spotted with his now-partner while spending time in Atlanta.

The two kept things low-key over the next month before they went Instagram official this past January after having spent New Year's Eve together.

The following month, Lori's father Steve publicly commented that he approved of the pair's relationship and expressed that the Fruitvale Station actor was good for his daughter.

Sweet: The pair were first romantically linked in November 2020 when Michael was spotted with his now-partner while spending time in Atlanta. Pictured in July 2021

The Creed star spoke to People in April and expressed that, although he generally keeps his love life under wraps, he was enthusiastic about his new girlfriend.

'I'm still private, and I want to protect that, but it just felt like it was a moment of just wanting to put it out there and move on. I am extremely happy,' he said.

'I think when you get older, you feel more comfortable about the [public nature] of the business that we're in. So for me, it was a moment to, I guess, take ownership of that and then get back to work,' he remarked.

His new film is centered around the relationship between First Sergeant Charles Monroe King (Jordan) and journalist Dana Canedy (Adams), whose 2008 Pulitzer Prize winning memoir provides material for the movie.

King had kept journals of his deployment in the Iraq War - in which he perished in 2006 - with messages for his son Jordan, who was seven months old when his father died.

While Denzel won't be seen in front of the camera for this project, the dramatic film marks Washington's fourth directorial effort, following the Oscar-winning Fences in 2016.

Both Jordan and Washington are producers on the movie, and Jordan said he was 'a sponge right now' working with the Hollywood icon.

A Journal For Jordan will have a limited release in the US on December 10 before a wide release on December 22. The UK release will follow on 28 January 2022.
Rebecca Gibney is set to return to screens in the much-awaited reboot of Packed To The Rafters in September.

But in the lead-up to the spin-off series, titled Back To The Rafters, the 56-year-old has stunned on this Sunday's cover of Stellar Magazine.

In an interview with the publication, Rebecca revealed she's worried about the modern climate of 'cancel culture'.

Coming soon: Rebecca Gibney (pictured) is set to return to screens in the much-awaited reboot of Packed To The Rafters in September. On Saturday, she told Stellar Magazine that she's worried about the modern climate of 'cancel culture'

'I worry we've become too politically correct,' she said.

'Sometimes there's a bit of witch-hunt, but there are a lot of men who do want to know change and do want to learn, so let's keep those doors open for them.'

Rebecca also said we can learn from the likes of powerful women like New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who openly relies on her partner.

Concerns: 'I worry we've become too politically correct,' she said. 'Sometimes there's a bit of witch-hunt, but there are a lot of men who do want to know change and do want to learn, so let's keep those doors open for them.' Pictured on the cover of Stellar Magazine

'We can still run the world; look at Jacinda Ardern. But she wouldn't be there without Clarke (Gayford). She talks very much about how they're a team,' she said.

Speaking to Sydney Confidential in May, Rebecca promised, 'Yummy, fuzzy feelings' around the upcoming Packed To The Rafters reboot - but admitted the process was 'not without its drama.'

'Just when you get lulled into a false sense of security that it's going to going to be this lovely, happy, everyone is really happy situation, it isn't,' she added.

Support: Rebecca also said we can learn from the likes of powerful women like New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who openly relies on her partner. 'We can still run the world; look at Jacinda Ardern. But she wouldn't be there without Clarke (Gayford). She talks very much about how they're a team,' she said. Jacinda and Clarke are pictured

'The world is a sad place at the minute so I think people want something that is familiar, comfortable and loved,' Rebecca added.

The beloved Channel Seven series will return to Amazon Prime on September 17.

The new series will be set in the present time - six years after the show's final season.
She's now known for being one of the world's top supermodels.

But Helena Christensen made sure to remind fans of her humble beginnings as she took to Instagram on Saturday to share a slew of throwback snaps.

Documenting her pre-teen years, the 52-year-old began with a sweet shot of herself posing in front of an unmistakably 1970s curtain, and joked her fashion sense was always 'on point.'

'Fashion was always on point': Helena Christensen shared an adorable string of throwback snaps to her pre-teen years in 1970s Copenhagen to Instagram on Saturday

All grown up: The model, reflected on her childhood growing up in Copenhagan, and joked her fashion sense was always 'on point' [pictured in 2020]

The Victoria's Secret Angel joked, 'Whatevers goin on in these pics one things for sure, fashion was always on point [sic],' alongside her post.

Clasping her hands together, Helena wore a burgundy dress over a white shirt, which she paired with an almost knee-high pair of khaki socks in her opening shot.

Sending her followers even further back in time to her pre-school years, the future photographer posed in a chic orange dressing gown alongside a doll in a pushchair.

Having a blast: Sending her followers even further back in time to her pre-school years, the future photographer posed in a chic orange dressing gown alongside a doll in a pushchair

Big day: In a following shot, the tot donned a red long-sleeve tee to blow out her birthday cake candles, complete with Danish flags on top

Adorable: A young Helena encapsulated the 1970s fashion movement in a photo where she beamed in a head-to-toe white long-sleeved dress

Sweet: Helena made sure to remind fans of her humble beginnings

Comedian: The Miss Universe 1986 champion cracked a joke in her caption

In the following photo, the tot donned a red long-sleeve tee to blow out her birthday cake candles, complete with Danish flags on top.

A young Helena encapsulated the 1970s fashion movement in a snap where she beamed in a head-to-toe white long-sleeved dress.

Her mother Elsa looked gazed lovingly towards the future Miss Universe 1986 champion while wearing a yellow polo-neck.

Doting mum: Her mother Elsa looked gazed lovingly towards the future celebrity

What a pair! The Vogue coverstar smiled for a group pic alongside her sister Anita [left]

Happy: The Chanel model looked like she was having a whale of a time in a floral pyjama ensemble

Talented: Sporting a a stripy blue sweatshirt, complete with an eye-popping pair of turquoise socks, the fashion icon sat in front of a grand piano during a school recital

In subsequent photos, the Vogue coverstar smiled for a group pic alongside her sister Anita and looked like she was having a whale of a time in a floral pyjama ensemble.

Showing off her piano skills, the amateur musician had evidently brought her followers forward to the 80s for another shot.

Sporting a a stripy blue sweatshirt, complete with an eye-popping pair of turquoise socks, the fashion icon sat in front of a grand piano during a school recital.

Finally, an animated Helena showcased her sense of style as she sprawled herself out on a sofa in a hot pink flowing maxi skirt, which she combined with a white tee.
She's due to star in the upcoming movie Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings - the first Marvel film to feature an Asian superhero as the lead character.

And Awkwafina, 33, has said she is 'so proud' to be a part of a movie that is making a difference to audience members from her community as she covers Cosmopolitan's September issue.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan about her new role as Katy in the new Marvel standalone, she said: 'These movies make me so proud, just as a watcher, because they contribute to visibility, which I do think has real-life effects.'

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: Awkwafina, 33, has said she is 'so proud' to be a part of a movie that is making a difference to audience members from her community

'When the AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community is seen as not ancillary characters, it's almost like, then people will know that we're here, you know?'

Awkwafina, or Nora Lum as she was born, is excited to be in an action-packed film after featuring in the 2018 rom-com Crazy Rich Asians and 2019's drama The Farewell.

'Dangling off of things and flying, falling backwardit's really different from, say, an indie rom-com. It's really cool. It's so weird to switch from ''friend mode.''

'It's really cool': Awkwafina, or Nora Lum as she was born, is excited to be in an action-packed film after featuring in the 2018 rom-com Crazy Rich Asians and 2019's drama The Farewell

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings features an almost entirely Asian cast - a feat that would have been welcome when she was 'growing up'.

'When I was growing up, I knew how I was socioeconomically classified. I knew that my grandma was a working-class immigrant and my dad was a single dad. I knew that I would have to get through in my own way.'

The star added: 'That taught me a lot of lessons, like you really have to humble yourself, doing waitress jobs and applying to really hip stores and not getting the job and feeling like, What is even out there? You have to really hit a kind of rock bottom to really want it, to fight for it.'

However, the film is not out of the woods yet. Marvel has come under fire for attempting to use Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings to 'fix' its 'Asian problem'.

The Guardian wrote: 'And now Marvel has 'fixed' its 'Asian problem' by announcing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' after a series of 'problematic' casting choices in their previous movies.

'Keen to avoid a backlash when depicting the traditionally stereotyped Mandarin supervillain in Iron Man 3, the studio cleverly cast part-south Asian actor Ben Kingsley as a drunken English luvvie, Trevor Slattery, who was only ever playing the role of Tony Stark's evil nemesis. The only problem was that this was another role not going to an actor of east Asian extraction.'

Under fire: Marvel has come under fire for attempting to use Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings to 'fix' its 'Asian problem'. Pictured: Simu Liu as Shang-Chi on set

Ben Child added: 'Iron Fist fell into the problematic 'white saviour' trap by casting Finn Jones as kung-fu-kicking New York rich kid Danny Rand, a stereotypical white guy who beats the Asian martial arts experts at their own game.'

Out soon: The September issue of Cosmopolitan is on sale from August 24

The cast also includes Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan plus returning Marvel Cinematic Universe characters Wong (Benedict Wong) and Abomination (Tim Roth).

Abomination was first featured in the second Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, 2008's The Incredible Hulk.

Wong was first featured in 2016's Doctor Strange, before returning in 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame.

Destin Daniel Cretton (Short Term 12, Just Mercy) directs from a script he co-wrote with Dave Callaham (The Expendables) and Andrew Lanham (Just Mercy).

Disney also announced in May that their movies such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the upcoming Free Guy will have a 45-day theatrical window before arriving on the Disney Plus streaming service.

The September issue of Cosmopolitan is on sale from August 24.
Steve Coogan has said he 'felt a personal connection' with Clive Driscoll after meeting with him ahead of playing the detective in ITV's Stephen.

The drama, which is based on investigation into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence, will is set to air on 30 August.

As part of his preparation into taking on the role, Steve initiated a lengthy video call with the officer who joined the investigation in 2006 - 13 years after Stephen was killed by a gang of white men in Eltham, South London in 1993.

Emotional: Steve Coogan has said he 'felt a personal connection' with playing detective Clive Driscoll in the TV drama about Stephen Lawrence's murder investigation

'I said to him, ''You are a working class policeman,'' the actor began.

''A lot of people from your background might have thought they weren't going to get any higher on the ladder and they might as well line their pockets.

''Why did you not turn out like one of those sort of policemen?''

Doppelganger: Clive joined the investigation in 2006 - 13 years after Stephen was killed by a gang of white men in Eltham, South London in 1993 (pictured in 2021)

Clive replied that his mother, a single parent, raised him and he felt he would be letting her down, which Steve found 'really profound'.

'Clive is just a working class bloke who is decent and does a good job. It goes all the way back to Clive watching Dixon of Dock Green as a young boy who, funnily enough, was a working class role model,' the Alan Partridge star said.

'I felt a personal connection with playing Clive and speaking to him, I liked his approach.

Working hard: Unseen pictures from the first episode of the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation drama show Steve with his team

Success: The drama tells the story of how detective chief inspector Clive led the probe that finally secured the convictions.

'Including the Cockney singalongs he performs for people in care homes and so on. I tinkle on the piano a little bit and I play the piano in the series.

'There is a robustness about Clive. A no-nonsense approach that on first appearance might look brusque and maybe rude. But the more time you spend with Clive, the more you realise it's actually part of his charm,' he concluded.

Joining Steve is Adil Ray, who took on the role of Imran Khan, who had only been working as a lawyer for 18 months when he took on the case and was awarded the rank of Queen's Counsel in 2018.

Hero: Khan had only been working as a lawyer for 18 months when he took on the case and was awarded the rank of Queen's Counsel in 2018 (Real-life Imran in 1998, right, Adil as Imran in 2021, left)

In character: Steve Coogan is playing the role of DCI Clive Driscoll - who put together an investigation that secured the convictions of the two gang members

Talented: Stephen's mother, now Baroness Lawrence, is played by Sharlene Whyte (right) and his father by Hugh Quarshie (left)

The drama also stars Sian Brooke as Met Police chief Cressida Dick  acting deputy commissioner at the time of the verdict  and Jorden Myrie as Stephen's brother Stuart.

Stephen's mother, now Baroness Lawrence, is played by Sharlene Whyte and his father by Hugh Quarshie.

Both actors said they did not meet the Lawrences while researching the roles as they felt it would be unfair to make them relive the case again.

The senior officer: It also stars Sian Brooke (right) as Met Police chief Cressida Dick (left)  acting deputy commissioner at the time of the verdict

The family: Stuart Lawrence (left), Doreen Lawrence (middle) and Neville Lawrence (right)

'I was trying to keep a respectful space,' Miss Whyte added.

The drama is a sequel to The Murder Of Stephen Lawrence, which was screened in 1999.

Actor Quarshie said he spoke to Neville Lawrence 'the first time around'.

He added: 'I was very aware of the fact that I don't sound anything like him, I don't look anything like him so it was important to grab his essence or some aspect of it.

Respectful: Both actors said they did not meet the Lawrences while researching the roles as they felt it would be unfair to make them relive the case again (Hugh Quarshie plays Neville Lawrence, left, and Sharlene Whyte plays Doreen Lawrence, right)

Doting mum: Sharlene Whyte, in character, pictured alongside a photo of Stephen Lawrence

'This time around I felt that I had his impersonation in the bank, so to speak. But I had a feeling that it was going to be kind of intrusive to ask a man whose son had been murdered, 'how did you feel about the second investigation?'.

'And it was pretty clear that this script is less a reconstruction and more of a dramatic interpretation of events, so it was less about trying to imitate or impersonate Neville and more about trying to interpret the script.'

On not meeting Doreen, Whyte added: 'I didn't feel that it was right that I go to her and start asking her questions and asking her to relive the experience yet again, because I can imagine how raw and traumatic that would be.

On the phone: Actor Quarshie said he spoke to Neville Lawrence 'the first time around'

Holding back: On not meeting Doreen, Miss Whyte added: 'I didn't feel that it was right that I go to her and start asking her questions'

Skilled: 'I was very aware of the fact that I don't sound anything like him, I don't look anything like him so it was important to grab his essence or some aspect of it,' Hugh said

Also in the cast is Richie Campbell as Duwayne Brooks, who was a friend of Stephen's and who was with him at the time he was murdered.

Stephen was killed on the evening of 22 April 1993 in a racially motivated attack whilst waiting for a bus in Well Hall Road, Eltham.

Even though Doreen and Neville Lawrence knew the identity of their son's killers, the original investigation had failed to convict those responsible.

Frustrating: Even though Doreen and Neville Lawrence knew the identity of their son's killers, the original investigation had failed to convict those responsible

Captivating: Yazmin Mwanza as Georgina Lawrence, Stephen's sister

Spellbinding: Sharlene Whyte as Doreen Lawrence (left), Jorden Myrie as Stuart Lawrence (middle) and Hugh Quarshie as Neville Lawrence (right)

The killers: David Norris, played by Rob Witcomb (left) and Gary Dobson, played by Stephen Patten (right)

The family's extraordinary campaign for justice led to a public inquiry which branded Metropolitan Police institutionally racist.

It also brought about sweeping changes in the law and police practices, transforming thinking and understanding of racial inequality in the UK.

Yet six years on from the Inquiry no progress had been made into the case.

The ongoing struggle by Doreen and Neville to achieve justice is documented in the series.

Gripping: The drama tells the story of the ongoing struggle by Doreen and Neville to achieve justice

Justice: DCI Driscoll put together an investigation that finally  more than 18 years after his death  secures the convictions of two of the gang who committed the murder of Stephen

The drama has been produced by HTM (Hat Trick Mercurio) Television in association with Baby Cow Productions and executive produced by Mark Redhead, who produced the original drama in 1999.

Paul Greengrass, award winning screenwriter and director, who wrote and directed the Murder of Stephen Lawrence will also serve as an Executive Producer. Jimmy Mulville and Jed Mercurio are also executive producers.

Stephen was directed by Alrick Riley and produced by Madonna Baptiste. The sequel is written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Joe Cottrell Boyce.

Tragic: Stephen (pictured) was killed on the evening of 22 April 1993 in a racially motivated attack whilst waiting for a bus in Well Hall Road, Eltham

The production team are producing this sequel with the full support of the Lawrence family, most notably Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Dr Neville Lawrence, who have given the drama their blessing.

Producer Madonna Baptiste said: 'The Lawrences' campaign for justice totally transformed attitudes to race and equality in the UK and it's an honour to be able to help tell what is an untold chapter in their story.

'Current events only highlight how relevant and important Stephen's case remains and it is such a privilege to work with Hattrick, Frank and Joe Cottrell-Boyce, Alrick Riley and our amazing cast to bring this important story to screen.'
Holly Willoughby looked radiant as she treated her followers to a bathtime selfie on Instagram on Friday.

Protecting her modesty with nothing but a cluster of bubbles, the TV presenter, 40, flashed a cheeky smile for the camera while closing her eyes to enjoy her dip.

Keeping her makeup to a minimum, the blonde bombshell had styled her gorgeous locks into a sleek middle parting.

Say cheese: Holly Willoughby looked radiant as she treated her followers to a bathtime selfie on Instagram on Friday

'Bath day,' the Garnier ambassador captioned the sensual snap alongside an animation imitating the bubbles in her tub.

It comes after Holly landed a nod for Best TV Presenter in this year's National Television Awards while her This Morning co-host Phillip Schofield was noticeably snubbed.

Nominations for this year's ceremony were announced on Tuesday, with fellow This Morning host Alison Hammond also recognised in the shortlist, ahead of the ceremony next month.

Head-to-head: It comes as she and fellow This Morning presenter Alison Hammond landed a nod for Best TV Presenter in this year's National Television Awards (pictured in 2021)

Holly and Alison will compete opposite veteran winners Ant and Dec, who have been nominated for a record 20th year in a row.

The duo have been longtime winners of the award ever since they first scooped the prize in 2002, but will face stiff competition from Holly and Alison this year.

Holly and Phil have continued to delight viewers with their on-screen antics while hosting This Morning during the Covid pandemic, while in September Alison took over as host of the show's Friday edition alongside Dermot O'Leary.

Pals: Holly and Phil have continued to delight viewers with their on-screen antics (pictured in 2021)

Also nominated is Bradley Walsh for his work hosting The Chase, as well as Piers Morgan for his stint presenting Good Morning Britain before he quit the show back in March.

Once again This Morning has also been nominated for Best Daytime, and will compete opposite Loose Women, The Repair Shop and The Chase.

The mid-morning show has long dominated the category, winning for the past 10 years in a row.

The shortlist for the NTAs opened on Tuesday, and the public will be able to vote online until Thursday September 9.
Jessica Rowe has revealed the humiliation she suffered after being sacked from Channel Nine's Today show in 2006.

Speaking to Stellar Magazine, the author, 51, recalled the awkwardness of seeing her former co-star Karl Stefanovic, 47, for the first time, after her departure.

'I remember seeing Karl at an airport one year. He was walking with a bunch of people and I was walking with a bunch of people, and we just said hello, but we'd never spoken about what happened between us,' she said.

Difficult: Jessica Rowe has revealed the humiliation she suffered after being sacked from the Today show in 2006. Pictured in this week's Stellar Magazine

Jessica had invited Karl to appear on her podcast, The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show, so they can talk over the past and finally put the past to bed.

'Even though nearly 15 years have passed, there are some things that never leave you and feel unresolved, even though both of us have gotten on with our lives and we are both much happier people now than we were then,' she said.

Elsewhere in the interview, Jessica admitted she felt like a 'failure' for not fighting the sacking.

Past: Speaking to Stellar Magazine, the author, 51, recalled the awkwardness of seeing her former co-star Karl Stefanovic, 47, for the first time, one year after her departure. Pictured together on the Today show in 2006

Memories: 'I remember seeing Karl at an airport one year. He was walking with a bunch of people and I was walking with a bunch of people, and we just said hello, but we'd never spoken about what happened between us,' she said

'I didn't have the emotional, mental or financial strength to take on Nine. And that also made me feel like a failure,' she said.

'Like, what message are we sending to my brand-new baby girl that as women we can't stand up; that we aren't able to fight? I realised I couldn't fight that battle then'.

In 2006, Jessica was thrust into the spotlight when she moved from Channel 10 to the Nine Network to replace Tracy Grimshaw as co-host of the Today show.

But scandal struck when Nine's chief executive Eddie McGuire allegedly asked when he could 'bone' Jessica, with reports suggesting at the time he meant to 'sack' her.

Hard: Elsewhere in the interview, Jessica admitted she felt like a 'failure' for not fighting the sacking. 'I didn't have the emotional, mental or financial strength to take on Nine. And that also made me feel like a failure,' she said

He reportedly made the comments during a conversation with his then deputy Jeffrey Browne and Nine's head of news and current affairs, Mark Llewellyn.

'What are we going to do about Jessica? When should we bone her? I reckon it should be next week,' McGuire had reportedly asked.

Llewellyn then allegedly told McGuire the network might risk also losing Jessica's husband, Nine News reporter Peter Overton, if they sacked her.

McGuire is said to have replied, 'Maybe we have to take that risk,' before Browne added: 'She's a laughing stock and if we keep her on air we'll be the laughing stock.'

Headlines: In 2006, Channel Nine's then-CEO Eddie McGuire (right) allegedly asked fellow executives when he could 'bone' (i.e. sack) Jessica as co-host of the Today show. McGuire has since denied using the term 'bone' in the conversation

McGuire has since denied using the term 'bone' in the conversation, which was laid out by Llewellyn's sworn affidavit (made public after he left the network for rival station Seven).

Discussing the 'boning' incident years later, Jessica said that people forget 'how powerful words can be and how they can hurt like hell', adding that she was still 'terribly upset' by what happened.

'That year was a terrible time in my life and it was not helped by public abuse, abuse from within the network that I worked at and abuse from someone who was in charge of that particular network,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2016.

'It was horrific and it pre-empted then a very dark period in my life. A whole lot of factors contributed to a perfect storm... and it just makes me terribly sad.'

Jumping ship: Jessica left the Today show in 2007 following her return from maternity leave. At the time, she cited payment issues as the reason for her departure. She later joined Channel Seven as a newsreader and presenter on Weekend Sunrise

Another change: In 2013, Jessica moved to Network Ten and hosted morning show Studio 10 alongside Ita Buttrose, Joe Hildebrand, Sarah Harris and Denise Drysdale. In March 2018, she announced she was resigning from the program to spend more time with her family

Jessica left the Today show in 2007 following her return from maternity leave. At the time, she cited payment issues as the reason for her departure.

She then joined Channel Seven as a presenter for Seven News in Sydney, before taking part in Dancing with the Stars.

Jessica moved to Weekend Sunrise in late 2010 and stayed there for three years.

In 2013, she signed with Network Ten and hosted morning show Studio 10 alongside Ita Buttrose, Joe Hildebrand, Sarah Harris and Denise Drysdale.

In March 2018, she announced she was resigning from the program to spend more time with her family.
It was only two weeks ago that he angered Love Island fans by kissing Lillie Haynes.

But Liam Reardon, 22, seemed to have forgotten all about his Casa Amor antics during a romantic date with Millie Court on Friday, and openly declared his love for the blonde beauty during Friday's show.

While celebrating his birthday, the bricklayer took the opportunity to insist he 'couldn't remember a time when it wasn't Millie' in his life, which lead many fans to note his prior infidelity.

'Does this man have memory loss?': Love Island fans were left baffled on Friday after Liam declared his love for Millie Court two weeks after ditching her for Lillie Haynes in Casa Amor

'I can't remember a time where it wasn't you and me,' Liam said during the idyllic castle dinner, causing Millie to blush.

The Welshman even pledged to leave his home nation in order to make his relationship work with the Essex girl.

He may have won Millie over with his poetic words, however viewers were far from impressed, recalling his unfaithful foolery in the show's Casa Amor twist, where his coupling with Millie seemed to be the very last thing on his mind.

Shock! It was only two weeks ago that he angered viewers after kissing Lillie Haynes

Look of love: Liam Reardon, 22, seemed to have forgotten all about his Casa Amor antics during a romantic date with his fashion buyer beau, 24

Forgetful: 'I can't remember a time where it wasn't you and me,' Liam said, causing Millie to blush

One Twitter user took to their keyboard to question: 'Liam can't remember a time when it wasn't him and Millie??! Does this man have memory loss?' It was only over two weeks ago you had your tongue down Lillie's throat.'

Another raged: 'Oh that's funny Liam, because I can remember a time where it wasn't you and her A few weeks ago on your lads holiday.'

A further angry fan wrote: 'Don't worry Liam, we can remember when it wasn't just you two.'

Pucker up: The pair enjoyed a steamy kiss following their meal

Wow! They celebrated his birthday during a romantic candle-lit castle dinner

While Millie maintained her loyalty in the main villa, Liam hopped into bed with Lillie.

He later went on to kiss the blonde bombshell - outside of a challenge.

After initially being thrilled when her man returned a single man, heartache soon followed when Lillie hit the villa and divulged into details of their blossoming relationship.

Moving on quickly: While Millie maintained her loyalty back in the main villa, Liam hopped into bed with Lillie where they spooned

Fans were left upset after Millie took the hunk back, despite being told about his X-rated activities in the bedroom by his fling.

At Friday night's candle-lit dinner, she too seemed to have allowed for the incident to slip her mind, saying: 'It's been the best six weeks of my life.

'I never thought I'd come on to Love Island and actually find someone and feel this way about someone. I feel like you definitely are what I want.'

Love or lust? Things began heating up very quickly between Liam and Lillie, despite his coupling with Millie

Love Island 2021 - Meet the contestants

Which Love Island couples are still together?

Where are the Love Island winners now - and what are they worth?

When is the Love Island Finale 2021?
She's a mum of three boys and will be welcoming a baby girl with fiance Joe Swash in only a matter of weeks.

And Stacey Solomon, 31, treated sons Rex, two, Zachary, 13, and nine-year-old Leighton to a fun-filled night by hiring an entire swimming pool for them on Friday.

Taking to Instagram to share the evidence, the TV personality began her slew of snaps with an adorable mirror selfie, which she shared with Rex.

'Swim time': Pregnant Stacey Solomon treated her three sons to a fun-filled night at a privately-hired pool on Friday night, complete with a playground of water rides and a hot tub

Donning a burgundy-and-black leopard-print bikini, the presenter looked radiant as she shot a beaming grin while flaunting her growing bump.

Her youngest, whom Stacey dubbed her 'little water pickle', clung onto his famous mum's shoulder and sported a pair of turquoise armbands which matched his outfit.

Taking to a playground of water rides, an amused Rex couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he splashed around with his blonde locks tied up.

Having a blast! Taking to a playground of water rides, an amused Rex couldn't contain his enthusiasm as he splashed around with his blonde locks tied up

The brothers whooshed their way out of a plethora of slides, before hitting a bubbling hot tub to unwind after a day of excitement.

The former X Factor contestant later rushed to her keyboard to tell her fans: 'We had the best evening.

'The boys love swimming so, so much. So me, my family and a few of the boys friends all chipped in and hired the pool for the night to try and do something different for the holidays.

Thrilling: The brothers whooshed their way out of a plethora of slides, before hitting a bubbling hot tub to unwind after a day of excitement

'It was so lovely and quiet and so nice to do something like this knowing we won't get away or anything for a long time.

'I also thought it was super reasonable 250 for the night so between us all it worked out 35 a family.'

Stacey revealed that the pool, which had become the envy of all her followers, was Colchester's My Leisure World in her native Essex.

Family fun: Stacey revealed that the pool, which had become the envy of all her followers, was Colchester's My Leisure World in her native Essex

The outing comes after fiance Joe, 39, revealed during an Instagram Q&A session the heartwarming reason why he and Stacey have postponed their wedding.

One curious fan asked the soap star if he and pregnant Stacey would be tying the knot before the baby arrives, which triggered Joe to explain that they won't be as they'd like 'all their kids' to be at the big day.

He began by gushing that he would marry Stacey 'tomorrow' if he could, but admitted that the decision to postpone their wedding was a mutual one, explaining: 'We both wanted to wait until next year that way all of the kids can be there.'
She's known for playing the iconic character Bianca Jackson on EastEnders.

And Patsy Palmer couldn't have looked further away from her Albert Square character on Saturday as she picked up her essentials in Malibu, California.

The star, 49, was dressed for the sunshine in linen cropped trousers as she enjoyed shopping trip to Malibu Country Mart with her husband Richard Merkell, 56.

Worlds away: Patsy Palmer, 49, couldn't have looked further away from her Albert Square character on Saturday as she stepped out in floaty trousers in Malibu, California

Patsy boasted a white T-shirt and mauve linen trousers, which she paired with comfy grey, white and light blue trainers.

She accessorised the chic ensemble with a selection of beaded bracelets, drop earrings and statement orange shades.

The actress's signature auburn tresses cascaded in gorgeous waves as she walked from shop to shop.

Forever waiting: While Patsy beamed on the excursion, her husband Richard Merkell, 56, appeared less enthusiastic about the shopping trip as he waited for her to get her nails done

Casual: Patsy boasted a white T-shirt and mauve linen trousers, which she paired with comfy grey, white and light blue trainers

Patsy was glowing as she modelled a pared-down makeup look, showing off her natural beauty.

The actress enjoyed the trip to the beach town with her husband and their pooches.

The pair explored the boutique mall where they browsed the various clothing stores.

While Patsy beamed on the excursion, her husband appeared less enthusiastic about the shopping trip as he waited for her to get her nails done.

Patsy soared to fame with her role as Bianca Jackson in EastEnders from 1993 to 1999 and returned for six years in 2008.

She then left the UK and moved to Malibu in 2014 with her husband Richard and their children.
Jessika Power has launched a scathing attack on her quarantine hotel in Brisbane.

The former Married At First Sight star flew into Queensland from Sydney, where she was filming Big Brother VIP, on Saturday.

In a series of Instagram Stories videos, the 29-year-old explained she had her last meal around 1.30pm when she boarded the flight, and was unable to get any more food before being ushered to the hotel.

Travels: Jessika Power (pictured) has launched a scathing attack on her quarantine hotel in Brisbane. The former Married At First Sight star flew into Queensland from Sydney, where she was filming Big Brother VIP, on Saturday

Jessika says she had originally been slated to stay in quarantine on the Gold Coast, but was transferred by shuttle to a Brisbane facility after learning the Gold Coat location had run out of room.

Once in her hotel room, she learned that she was not able to order food, and was trying to get by with a handful of mints for dinner.

'Is this a fair enough thing for me to get upset about? It's 10.13 at night. I've been here since six o'clock, and we haven't had any dinner,' she asked in one clip.

Hungry! In a series of Instagram Stories videos, the 29-year-old explained she had her last meal around 1.30pm when she boarded the flight, and was unable to get any more food before being ushered to the hotel

Food please! 'Is this a fair enough thing for me to get upset about? It's 10.13 at night. I've been here since six o'clock, and we haven't had any dinner,' she asked in one clip. 'And my flight was at 1.30 [pm], so I didn't eat since 1.30. Am I being a sook?'

She has needs: 'We aren't allowed to order anything here, because it's the first night of this quarantine hotel or something,' the reality star went on. 'We can order tomorrow, but I can't go to bed without any food. Can I? Surely they cant make me do that!'

'And my flight was at 1.30 [pm], so I didn't eat since 1.30. Am I being a sook?'

'We aren't allowed to order anything here, because it's the first night of this quarantine hotel or something,' the reality star went on.

'We can order tomorrow, but I can't go to bed without any food. Can I? Surely they cant make me do that!'

Star power: The blonde stars on the new season of Big Brother VIP alongside Thomas Markle Jr, the 55-year-old older brother of Meghan Markle; former advisor to Donald Trump, Omarosa Manigault Newman and Caitlyn Jenner

It's unclear if Jessika was able to obtain any food, as her during her last clip, she was still without a meal.

The blonde stars on the new season of Big Brother VIP alongside Thomas Markle Jr, the 55-year-old older brother of Meghan Markle; former advisor to Donald Trump, Omarosa Manigault Newman, 47 and Caitlyn Jenner, 71.

It's the latest reality show appearance for Jessika, who rose to fame on Married at First Sight in 2019.
She celebrated her 63rd birthday on Monday.

And Madonna still seemed in high spirits on Friday as she oozed glamour in a very busty dress while taking a break from partying and visiting a church in Ostuni, Italy.

The Queen Of Pop has been on holiday with her daugher Lourdes, 24, Rocco, 21, David Banda, 15, Mercy James, 15, and twins Estere and Stella Ciccone, eight, as well as her 27-year-old beau Ahlamalik Williams.

Wow: Madonna still seemed in high spirits on Friday from celebrating her 63 birthday earlier this week as she oozed glamour in a very busty dress while visiting a church in Ostuni, Italy

Family trip: The Queen Of Pop was joined on the trip by her six children, including her stunning 24-year-old daughter Lourdes Leon who beamed in the holiday post

Madonna put on her best angelic face as she posed in front of an alter in a black lace veil on her Instagram stories.

The music icon posed in the candle light with her hands placed together in a prayer position with many rings adorning her fingers.

She gazed upwards with her heavily linered eyes and wrapped a string of prayer beads around her hands for the snap.

Outside of the church, Madonna put on a PDA display with her boyfriend Ahlamalik - who is 36 years her junior - as they kissed passionately in the street.

Madonna: The music icon looked put on her best angelic phase as she posed in front of an alter in a black lace veil on her Instagram stories

Angelic? Madonna wrapped a string of prayer beads around her hand and posed by candlelight in the Italian church

Loved-up: Outside of the church, Madonna put on a PDA display with her boyfriend Ahlamalik - who is 36 years her junior - as they kissed passionately in the street

Madonna looked more radiant than ever as she shared a snap of her poking her head out of a train window in large black glamorous glasses and gold hoop earrings.

The star put on a stylish display in an all-white ensemble in a peasant sleeved embroidered blouse and a matching skirt.

She accessorised the look with a large floppy hat, which kept her head shaded in the stifling summer heat.

Madonna put on a busty display in the plunging shirt and accessorised with a selection of bangles and chunky rings.

Ageless: Madonna looked more radiant than ever as she shared a snap of her poking her head out of a train window in large black glamorous glasses and gold hoop earrings

Holiday: Madonna put on a busty display in the plunging shirt and accessorised with a selection of bangles and chunky rings

The star's children appeared to be enjoying themselves on the trip as she shared a selection of sweet snaps of her family to her story, too.

Lourdes, Rocco, David Banda, Mercy James, and twins Estere and Stella Ciccone all posed up a storm as Madonna posted a selection of artistic black and white family snaps.

Happily undertaking his big brother duties, Rocco beamed as his sister sat on his lap at dinner.

Soaking up the sun: The star's children appeared to be enjoying themselves on the trip as she shared a selection of sweet snaps of her family to her story, too

Model material: They all posed up a storm as Madonna posted a selection of artistic black and white family snaps

Happy family: Happily undertaking his big brother duties, Rocco beamed as his sister sat on his lapt at dinner

Treat: One of the twins gave the camera a cheeky glance as she tucked into her Italian gelato on Madonna's story

63-year-old Madonna proved to her 16.4million Instagram followers on Thursday that her birthday celebrations were far from over as she took to her profile to share a montage from a fun-filled evening in Italy.

The Queen Of Pop looked in great spirits, wearing a dark blue ruffled dress and a splash of red lipstick for the evening as she cosied up to beau Ahlamalik.

She captioned the post: 'La Famiglia#ostuni #borgoegnazi #pugliaautoclassica #casasangiacomo #terraross #deanmartin'.

The montage began with a vintage car experience, the Hung Up songstress riding in a Puglia Auto Classica with Ahlamalik before snippets showed the birthday guests also piling out of vintage cars.

Birthday girl: Madonna gave fans a peek at her lively birthday celebrations in Italy on Thursday as she marked the occasion with her 'famiglia' (pictured on Instagram)

Special outing: The Queen Of Pop looked in great spirits, wearing a dark blue ruffled dress and a splash of red lipstick for the evening as she cosied up to beau Ahlamalik Williams, 27

Party! Casa San Giacomo is where the party spent the remainder of the evening - and from Madonna's video, it looked as if it was a night to remember

Dancer and choreographer Ahlamalik appeared smitten with the popstar, who is 36 years his senior, as he gave her a piggy-back into Italian and Mediterranean restaurant Casa San Giacomo.

The vibrant eatery is where the party spent the remainder of the evening and from the lively video, it looked as if it was a night to remember.

Madonna lead her birthday gang in celebrating with tambourines as they sang and danced around the table.

Iconic: Madonna lead her birthday gang in celebrating with tambourines as they sang and danced around the table

Celebrations: A friend was heard shouting 'happy birthday queen!' as the group all clapped and cheered

Fun-filled evening: It appeared that the drinks were flowing, as everyone gathered to celebrate the iconic popstar's birthday

It appeared that the drinks were flowing, as everyone gathered to celebrate the iconic star's birthday.

A friend was heard shouting 'happy birthday queen!' as the group all clapped and cheered.

Madonna ended the peek into her birthday celebrations with a snippet of her receiving yet another piggy-back, her heeled boots still intact.
Brooke Shields became emotional as she sent her firstborn off to college.

On Saturday, the 56-year-old actress dropped her daughter Rowan Francis, 18, off at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and shared a heartfelt post about the experience.

'My unique and extraordinary baby girl spreading her wings,' Brooke wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

Milestone moment: Brooke Shields became emotional as she sent her firstborn off to college

She continued, 'I love you so. We are so proud of you. This was the saddest drive away from anywhere I've ever had to make.'

'But my baby is BEGINNING one of the most important adventures of her life to dateNOW!'

Shields shares Rowan and daughter Grier Hammond, 15, with her husband Chris Henchy, 57, whom she married in 2001.

Family: In the second photo, Shields and Henchy were seen standing with their daughters in front of a wall decorated with posters

In a set of photos that the Pretty Baby star shared on Instagram, she and her family were seen helping Rowan get settled at the university.

Brooke and Rowan, who were both clad in floral dresses, posed for a mother-daughter shot in Rowan's dorm room with Rowan tenderly embracing her mom from behind.

The Golden Globe nominee clasped her daughter's hands as the two smiled for the camera. In the second photo, Shields and Henchy were seen standing with their daughters in front of a wall decorated with posters.

Scenic: Brooke shared a video of the college's historic Wait Chapel as bells rang out and then panned the camera to show her followers the quad

Brooke shared a video of the college's historic Wait Chapel as bells rang out and then panned the camera to show her followers the quad.

The Vogue cover star was seen wrapping her arms around Rowan in another photo taken on campus. While Rowan smiled broadly, Brooke looked visibly emotional as she held her daughter.

In another video, students wearing graduate robes walking down a pathway. Shields also included another photo of the Wait Chapel lit up a night.

Picturesque: Shields also included another photo of the Wait Chapel lit up a night

As Brooke and her family drove away after leaving the campus, she shared a video of the sun peaking out from under clouds before turning the camera to show her tear-stained face.

In June, Shields spoke about the bond that she has with her daughters in an interview with People magazine. She said, 'They're sort of at the age now where I'm not as repellent to them anymore.'

'They wear my clothes, they want to do TikToks with me now. I'm sure it's not going to be very long lived.'

Going home: As Brooke and her family drove away after leaving the campus, she shared a video of the sun peaking out from under clouds

Over the summer, the trio posed for a fun photo shoot in which they wore matching Aerie swimsuits. Brooke said that after her daughters were sent their swimsuits, she was inspired to get one for herself. The family were also celebrating Brooke's ongoing recovery from a leg injury she sustained in February.

'I said, 'Is it funny? Would you let me get one too? I know I'm your mom, but...' And so we just sort of embraced the idea that I can walk again and it's summer. We had a fun moment.'

She went on to say, ''It's about just celebrating life and that we're all coming out of this crazy time and we're together.

'Anytime that I can spend with them, I beg to do it.'
Amanda Seyfried shared a tribute to her late castmate, Bill Paxton, on her Instagram account on Friday.

The 35-year-old actress shared a throwback photo standing side-by-side the late actor as they worked together on the set of the hit HBO series Big Love.

Seyfried also wrote a lengthy tribute to the performer in her post's caption where she expressed her gratitude for having known Paxton.

In remembrance: Amanda Seyfried shared a shot with her late Big Love costar Bill Paxton to her Instagram account on Friday

'Bill and me. Sorting through the thousands of photos I've packed away over the years has been mostly fun,' she wrote.

Seyfried pointed out that going through old photos was bittersweet, as she wrote that 'every once in a while I find one that brings me to my knees.'

The Academy Award-nominated performer then wrote about Paxton's presence as they worked on the hit drama series.

Tragic: Paxton passed away in 2017 at the age of 61 after undergoing open-heart surgery and experiencing complications following the procedure; seen in 2007

'I got so lucky to know this man and feel his bright, warm light so often while playing his daughter on Big Love,' she noted.

Seyfried concluded her message by expressing her grief at the loss of the actor and wrote that he was missed by many.

'He was wonderful and so deeply loved and I miss him,' the performer remarked.

Aaron Paul, who portrayed the actress' husband on the program, also left a message in the comments section that read: 'What a beautiful and rare light that man was.'

Being sincere: Seyfried also wrote that her late castmate was 'wonderful and so deeply loved'

Paxton passed away in 2017 at the age of 61 after undergoing open-heart surgery and experiencing complications following the procedure.

The actor's family went on to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and the doctor that operated on him following his passing.

Immediately after the performer's death, Seyfried gave a statement to People where she spoke about his guidance in the early stages of her days as an actress.

'He was an amazing and supportive father-figure to me in my early career,' she said.

Helping out: After Paxton's death, Seyfried described the actor as a 'supportive father-figure to me in my early career'

The actress also pointed out that Paxton was an extremely positive presence on set and expressed that he was an ideal castmate.

'Incredibly inspired and full of life at every turn, he made you feel like everything was possible. This is a terrible loss,' she said.

Paxton previously portrayed Bill Henrickson on Big Love, in which he starred for all of its five seasons.

The series was centered around his character, who attempted to balance his personal life as a polygamist and his professional ambitions.

The actor received multiple Golden Globe nominations for his work on the program.
They are set to enter the villa in Love Island's famous 'meet the parents' episode.

And ahead of Sunday's show, Teddy Soares' mother Ana and Faye Winter's sister Joanne have revealed what they really think of the lovebirds.

Viewers have watched Faye, 26, and Teddy's also 26, rollercoaster romance unfold onscreen, which have included dramatic fights and romantic moments, with most recently Teddy asking the blonde beauty to be his girlfriend.

Conversation: Ahead of Sunday's Love Island meet the parents' show, Teddy Soares' mother Ana and Faye Winter's sister Joanne have revealed what they really think of the lovebirds

Ana said of watching his son on screen: 'Its been a mixture of emotions. Its surreal to see my son on screen. Ive been riding the highs and lows with him.'

'Theyre polar opposites, but you know what they say opposites attract.'

Faye's sister Joanne also revealed the family have loved watching her journey unfold on the reality show: 'We have loved seeing Fayes journey. She has grown as a person and been true to herself.

'We have laughed with her and cried with her. She will always be the baby of the Winter family and we cant wait to see her.'

Ups and downs: Ana said of watching his son on screen: 'Its been a mixture of emotions. Its surreal to see my son on screen. Ive been riding the highs and lows with him'

On what was Ana's favourite Teddy moment, she thought when he entered the Villa was most thrilling, while Joanne loved seeing her sister in the heart rate challenge where Faye performed a sexy dance in a red latex bodysuit, saying: 'She looked incredible!'

Teddy's mother revealed she thought the funniest Teddy moment was when he went on a date with his partner, and rode a bike as if it were his first time again.

Meanwhile, Joanne found when Faye was trying to act 'unbothered' about Teddy being on a date with Priya while filing her nails to be her funniest moment.

In-laws: They both dished on what they thought of their nearest and dearest's partner, with Ana saying she thinks Faye is 'fiery, witty and authentic to people around her'

They both dished on what they thought of their nearest and dearest's partner, with Ana saying she thinks Faye is 'fiery, witty and authentic to people around her.'

While her sister thinks Teddy is 'lovely and very chilled' and that, as a couple, they seem to be by each other's side all the time.

Joanne went on: 'It is very exciting as they havent had the easiest journey in the villa but they seem a very strong couple.'

Ana confessed she is most excited to tell her son when he gets out: 'Im proud of him and the way they both navigated the villa' and wants to 'cook Teddys favourite meal for both of them.'

Joanne wants to give her sister 'a big hug' and thinks 'once she is out of isolation well have a family dog walk and spend as much time as possible with each other.'

Ana gave the young couple a bit of advice for success: 'Communication, respect and trust will be key for them both to work outside the villa.' While Joanne said to 'make time for each other and have fun in the outside world.'

Cute: While her sister thinks Teddy is 'lovely and very chilled' and that, as a couple, they seem to be by each other's side all the time

Friction: The couple have had ups and downs in the Villa, with fiery Faye causing a stir when she shouted at him for saying he was sexually attracted to Clarisse Juliette in Casa Amor

The couple have had ups and downs in the villa, with fiery Faye causing a stir when she shouted at him for saying he was sexually attracted to Clarisse Juliette in Casa Amor.

Meanwhile, in the Villa, the couples have been going out on their final dates, with Millie Court and Liam Reardon also reached a milestone in their relationship, with the Welsh hunk confessing his love for her in a romantic castle

Sweet: Tyler Cruickshank and Kaz Kamwi also enjoyed a day of romance as they were swept off in a horse drawn carriage to a loved-up location

But in Thursday's episode, Teddy asked Faye to be his girlfriend after romantic date ahead of Monday's final.

During their romantic getaway - which saw them take a dip in a pool full of rose petals - Teddy took their relationship to the next level.

He said: 'Ive been waiting for the right moment, and what I would like for our future is you being my girlfriend. So, will you be my girlfriend?'

Faye said yes, and the couple are now the second official couple from this years series after Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish made it official just before Jake headed off to Casa Amor.

Millie Court and Liam Reardon also reached a milestone in their relationship, with the Welsh hunk confessing his love for her in a romantic castle.

Love Island continues on ITV2 at 9pm on Sunday.

On the rocks: Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish decided to attend their date on a speedboat but was far less romantic than they thought with the pair deciding to leave the show after calling it quits on their relationship

Love Island 2021 - Meet the contestants

Which Love Island couples are still together?

Where are the Love Island winners now - and what are they worth?

When is the Love Island Finale 2021?
Love Island's Jake didn't rule out getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Liberty as he candidly spoke in his first interview since his bombshell exit from the villa.

The water engineer, 24, said 'never say never' and 'time is a healer' as he discussed a possible reunion with the Birmingham beauty, 21.

The couple - who were both original Islanders - sensationally left the show on Friday night's emotional episode when Liberty called time on their romance after admitting she 'didn't think they were right for each other'.

Hope: Love Island's Jake didn't rule out getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Liberty as he candidly spoke in his first interview since his bombshell exit from the villa

When asked if fans should fans hold out for a 'Jiberty' reunion, Jake answered: 'Never say never, time is a healer!'

Further probed on whether they will date on the outside the hunk from Weston-super-Mare replied: 'Potentially. Who knows  cannot confirm or deny, I don't know. Definitely we'll keep in contact, even if it was as friends.

'I'll always be there for her and she's been there for me. She only sees the positive in people and that's the girl I fell in love with. That doesn't come around often. That's a trait which is very, very hard to find in someone. She always puts people first.'

Former couple: The water engineer, 24, said 'never say never' and that 'time is a healer' as he discussed a possible reunion with the Birmingham beauty, 21 (pictured together)

He added: 'I can't just switch feelings off like that, do you know what I mean? I do love the girl, it's as simple as that.'

During the interview, Jake also responded to some fans' claims he was being 'fake' or had a 'game plan' during his time in the Majorcan villa.

He explained: 'At the end of the day I've just got to be true to myself  if I was trying to have a game plan, I think I'd still be there, I wouldn't have left. I think actions speak for themselves.

Sad: The couple sensationally left paradise on Friday night's emotional episode when Liberty called time on their romance after admitting she 'didn't think they were right for each other'

'I've stepped aside from the people who have got something good going, so let them enjoy their moment. I've just been honest throughout the whole time. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion.'

He went on to tell how the pair decided to leave so that the other couples had a chance of winning after feeling like they were 'sucking the energy out of them'.

He said: 'The last week of Love Island should be happy, looking forward to doing things. It was a case of me and Lib made the decision to step aside and remove ourselves from the situation.

Tease: When asked if fans should fans hold out for a 'Jiberty' reunion, Jake answered: 'Never say never, time is a healer!' (pictured on their final date)

'I don't want to be in there and, say for example, another couple gets voted out and me and Lib are still in there, I'd feel awful for the fact that they've gone, when they are a couple and a real couple who are together, and me and Lib aren't anything no more. I just think it would be terrible, it wouldn't be fair.'

The reality star also told how he would have shared the money if he had got the 50k envelope during a win at the final.

He explained how his 'whole journey had been Lib' and how he 'wouldn't have got to where I am today' if it hadn't been for her.

He added: 'She only sees good in people, she only sees positive. She hasn't got a bad bone in her body! So 100% sure she would have shared it because our journey was together.'

The reality star also dished the dirt on his 'gut-wrenching' breakup saying it ended on 'very good terms but sad terms', before insisting it didn't get 'nasty'.

He said they could still 'laugh and joke and look back at their memories', adding: We fell in love with each other.

Honest: The reality star also told how he would have shared the money if he had got the 50k envelope during a win at the final

'It's almost like a movie; it started off strong, went bad, went strong again, then bad will it go strong again on the outside? Who knows. I'm over the moon about the fact that we can still talk and can still be friends.'

Jake also went on to tell how his favourite moment of Love Island was the night he asked Liberty to be his girlfriend.

At the end of the interview he also briefly gave his view on who he thinks is going to win, revealing he reckons Millie and Liam will bag the 50,000 prize.

He explained: 'They are joined at the hip. I had to book into Millie's diary to get a bit of time with Liam. How far they've come to now. It's like a love story and you're in there to find love and I think they've found love.'

Support: At the end of the interview he also briefly gave his view on who he thinks is going to win, revealing he reckons Millie and Liam will bag the 50,000 prize

Love Island 2021 - Meet the contestants

Which Love Island couples are still together?

Where are the Love Island winners now - and what are they worth?

When is the Love Island Finale 2021?
She has recently slammed OnlyFans for their decision to ban sexually explicit content.

And Megan Barton Hanson, 27, put on a very glamorous display on Saturday evening as she stepped out in the capital for Sophie Tea's art exhibition.

The reality star, who rose to fame on Love Island three years ago, flaunted her cleavage in a pink corset which she complemented with a white trouser suit.

Show-stopping: Megan Barton Hanson amped up the glamour in a light pink corset and white trouser suit in London on Saturday amid slamming OnlyFans for sexually explicit content ban

Megan styled her famous blonde locks into a trendy up-do, keeping a few strands loose around her radiant face.

The podcast host added additional splashes of pink to her stunning outfit, including a mini handbag and bright nail varnish.

Her full face of makeup comprised of blush, a set of thick eyelashes and shimmering lip gloss.

The Vice columnist completed her outfit with open heels and a silver Dior choker.

Sensational: The reality star, who rose to fame on Love Island three years ago, flaunted her cleavage in the jaw-dropping ensemble

Simply stunning: Megan's full face of makeup comprised of blush, a set of thick eyelashes and shimmering lip gloss

Megan's evening out in London follows her social media slamming of OnlyFans, who made the decision to ban sexually explicit content on Thursday.

The Essex born star reportedly earns 800,000 a month from the members only site and took to Instagram on Friday to vent her anger.

'To say Im disappointed with @onlyfans choice to stop explicit content is an understatement.

Speaking out: Megan's evening out in London follows her social media slamming of OnlyFans, who made the decision to ban sexually explicit content on Thursday

The greed is unreal, using sex workers to make millions and to now cut off the majority of your users, further perpetuating the narrative that sex work is shameful.

I hope all explicit creators arent panicking too much please be safe! There are alternative platforms to work from adult-work and @vuepay safely and securely. Please dont compromise your safety and do things youre not comfortable with.

I cant believe how they have done this with no apology and proper explanation blaming it on banking partners greedy and irresponsible! she ranted.

Voicing her views: The Essex born star reportedly earns 800,000 a month from the members only site and took to Instagram on Friday to vent her anger

OnlyFans has become the go-to place for creators to post explicit photos and videos - and the ban on pornography will begin on 1 October.

The move is to comply with its banking partners and payout providers, but creators can still share nudity - as long as it complies with OnlyFans' policy.

This prohibits specific explicit content like rape, torture and sex trafficking.
Kanye West and Irina Shayk have reportedly called off their months-long relationship for good.

The 44-year-old rapper  who's in the middle of divorcing estranged wife Kim Kardashian  was first spotted with the stunning supermodel earlier this year on a romantic trip to Paris.

Despite on-and-off reports, a source told PEOPLE that their relationship 'was never a serious thing that took off.'

Over: Kanye West and Irina Shayk have reportedly called off their months-long relationship for good; seen in 2020

'Kanye has been busy working and spending time with his kids. This is his focus. He doesn't have time to date right now. He finds Irina amazing though,' another source noted to the publication. 'They remain friendly.'

Just last month, an insider revealed that Irina, 35, and Kanye 'are still very much dating' despite reports of a split as sources claimed the supermodel is very upset over the 'lies' their relationship ended.

'They are very much still dating, they were just together for the 4th of July weekend in San Francisco where he's working right now,' an insider revealed to PEOPLE.

Kanye and Irina have known each other for at least a decade, having first worked together when she played an angel in the music video for his song Power before hitting the runway for the rapper when he debuted a fall/winter collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2012.

Moving on: The 44-year-old rapper  who's in the middle of divorcing estranged wife Kim Kardashian  was first spotted with the stunning supermodel earlier this year on a romantic trip to Paris

The couple has been linked together for months and were first spotted on a romantic date in Provence in June, but most recently brought their love to the West Coast.

Sources reported in July that Irina just wanted to remain friends after not receiving an invitation to Paris with Kanye as he traveled to France for work.

'Irina is so upset at the lies about her and Kanye,' the source noted before adding that the model 'was moved to take legal action to set the record straight.'

Insiders insisted she isn't looking for a relationship and turned down his request to accompany him to Paris for a fashion show as she didn't want to add fuel to the speculation.

Sources reported in July that Irina just wanted to remain friends after not receiving an invitation to Paris with Kanye as he traveled to France for work (seen in June)

But sources told TMZ that all was not as it seemed: 'Ye hadn't invited her because it was a quick business trip, he flew in and out of Paris the same day.'

Split rumors surfaced again when a source told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: 'She likes him as a friend, but doesn't want a relationship with him.

Kanye has been in the throes of promoting his as-yet unreleased 10th studio album, Donda, and is set to host a third listening party for the catalog in his adopted hometown of Chicago on August 26.

Donda was initially slated for a July release, and then received an early August date only to be pushed back to an undetermined time.

Late rapper Pop Smoke is set to be featured, including songs with The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi and longtime collaborator Jay-Z, with Donda marking their first time working on a song together in five years following a feud.

Kim filed for divorce from her estranged husband in February after nearly seven years of marriage. The former couple have four children together: North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.
After getting engaged to the love of his life and securing a dream home, James Middleton's domestic life has never been better.

Now I am pleased to reveal that the Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother's business is soaring too  his marshmallows firm, Boomf, has just made its first 1 million profit.

After some rocky years with Boomf  its ongoing losses since he founded it in 2013 are 1.9 million  James, 34, admitted he suffered bouts of depression.

Alizee Thevenet and James Middleton attend the London Premiere of Apple's acclaimed documentary 'The Elephant Queen' on October 17, 2019

The Duchess of Cambridge's younger brother's marshmallows firm, Boomf, has just made its first 1 million profit

But he has doubled down on his business efforts and the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. He reported a profit of 1,107,222 in accounts filed for last year.

James's Reading-based office has also taken on two more staff members, taking the total on the payroll to 29.

And unlike some other firms of wealthy celebs, it made no furlough claims during the pandemic.

Originally selling only personalised marshmallows, Boomf now stocks cards, flowers and other gifts including a barbecue box stocked with chilli jams and an apron reading: 'It's Sausage Time!'

James is also working on a posh dog food company, Ella & Co, inspired by his large pack of cocker spaniels.

In June, he and his stunning fiancee Alizee Thevenet, 30, a French financier, moved into a 1.45 million Grade II listed farmhouse just a stone's throw from the 4.7 million Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Not everything has been rosy, however. The couple, who got engaged in September 2019, have had to postpone their wedding twice due to Covid lockdowns.

Meanwhile, James is not the only Middleton coming up with bright ideas. I hear that his sister Pippa has come up with a new business named Pippa's Playground.

It's based in the same Mayfair office as her husband James Matthews's successful hedge fund.

He invested 100,000 in Boomf in 2016 and Pippa's Playground  described simply as 'human health activities'  is under his umbrella too, as two of his partners are on board.

I'm sorry to reveal the Today programme's popular business presenter Dominic O'Connell has quit the BBC's flagship show and is off to Times Radio.

And my spies tell me he's probably just the first of many casualties at Radio 4.

I hear there's chaos at the Beeb over a pledge to co-present Today from outside London for 100 episodes a year.

A source tells me 150 roles are moving to studios including Salford  and so many staff don't want to go North that redundancy applications are pouring in.

According to his daughter Grace, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell is so handy with his fists that he takes her to events to stop him hitting people!

'My dad takes me to places where he's scared he's going to get into a fight,' reveals comedian Grace, 27.

According to his daughter Grace, former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell (pictured together) is so handy with his fists that he takes her to events to stop him hitting people

'I always have to stop him getting into tussles. He loves a scrap. It happens all the time. My dad's very good at making someone hit him.'

There's something we can agree on
He famously covered a cast of a human skull in thousands of diamonds  so I'm wondering if that's why artist Damien Hirst was tempted by this Rolex, as a gift for his rumoured fiancee, ballerina Sophie Cannell.

The watch is a 166,600 18-carat gold Pearlmaster studded with 713 gems.

It's so spectacular that Sophie took to Instagram to show it off  along with a whopping great diamond engagement ring on her left hand.

Such a sparkler will do little to quell speculation that she and Damien, her boyfriend of three years, are engaged and ready to commit despite the 28-year age gap between them.

Damien Hirst and Sophie Cannell attend a private view of 'Damien Hirst: Mandalas' at White Cube Gallery on September 19, 2019 in London

Sophie took to Instagram to show off the Rolex  along with a whopping great diamond engagement ring on her left hand

Friends were convinced Cressida Bonas was dropping a huge pregnancy clue last week when she posted a photo of herself in the children's section of a bookshop.

Prince Harry's former girlfriend has been married for just over a year and is probably bored to tears with being asked when she'll start a family with husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley.

Cressie told her followers: 'The children's section  a magical place and one of my favourite spots.'

It attracted comments such as 'We're very happy and excited for this beautiful family.'

I would never wish to join the chorus of speculation of course, but

I am a huge fan of the Fleming twins, Hum and Chloe, who light up the festival season with their creative outfits.

Chloe Fleming's business Good Head launches this week. It convinces people to pay 80 or more for a balloon

But I can't resist saying Chloe, might be a bit of an airhead. I'm not being rude: it just seems appropriate as she designs balloon headwear!

Chloe, whose business Good Head launches this week, convinces people to pay 80 or more for a balloon  so I'll admit she's got a real head for business!
Republicans and Democrats have gone to battle over how elections should be run at the state and federal level since the chaotic 2020 vote.

The Democrats are trying to pass the H.R.1 For The People Act, which expands voter registration, early voting, mail-in voting and introduces restrictions on campaign finance.

The GOP believes this would amount to a federal takeover of elections and has responded with a series of bills aimed at protecting voter integrity and security of elections at the state level.

In March, GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called H.R.1 an 'unparalleled political grab' that would consolidate Democratic power.

Donald Trump has called the bill a 'monster' that cannot be allowed to pass and former vice president Mike Pence said it would 'increase opportunities for election fraud, trample the First Amendment and further erode the confidence in our elections'.

In the legislation proposed and passed in GOP-controlled states including Texas, Wisconsin and Georgia, voters would have to provide a valid drivers license or the last four digits of their social security in order to cast their ballot.

Voters would also have to fill out paperwork if taking someone who is not a relative to vote in person. The regulations would also prevent election officials from sending mail-in ballots to voters who haven't asked for them.

Republicans claim that expanded hours for voting, wider access to mail-in ballots, and other accommodations made for the pandemic led to extensive voter fraud.

Democrats say there is no evidence for that, and that the GOP, after losing the White House and Senate in the November vote, simply want to make it harder for many people.

The party believes the new measures would make it harder for African-Americans, Native Americans and others who tend to support Democrats, to participate in elections.

The fight over the restrictions has drawn comparisons with decades ago when laws were drawn up across the south to prevent black Americans from voting.

In 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed, and prohibited racial discrimination in voting by outlawing literary tests and poll taxes.

Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court upheld two provisions in Arizona that discarded votes cast at the wrong precinct on Election Day and made it illegal for an absentee ballot to be collected by anyone other then a postal worker, election official, voter caregiver, family member or household member.

The changes Republicans are pushing include:

Many states have permitted citizens, if not already registered to vote, to do so on election day with simple evidence of their residency in the state.

But the new legislation in some states demands they register early and do so with an official ID card like a driver's licence.

Democrats and civil liberties groups claim the ID requirements hit the poor more than others, and can result in a 2-3 percent fall in voter turnout.

The legislation in Florida would also stop people from going door-to-door to drum up votes.

Mail-in voting:

Many states expanded voting by mail in 2020 to address the challenge of the coronavirus, but Republicans believe this lead to fraud.

In the 2020 election the number of people who voted by mail more than doubled from four years earlier, resulting in many ballots being delivered late and not counted until days after election day.

It caused chaos in the aftermath of the November vote, with states including Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania not finishing their count for days and Joe Biden not being called the winner for almost a week.

Georgia cut in half the time allowed to obtain a mail-in ballot.

Arizona proposed to require that every mailed ballot be post-marked five days before an election.

Colorado and other states send mail-in ballots to every registered voter. In June Wisconsin's Republican legislature voted to require anyone wanting a mail-in ballot to formally request it in writing, with a copy of their ID.

Georgia and other states have moved to limit the availability of drop-boxes for mail ballots.

Early voting limits:

Early in-person voting was expanded during the pandemic because of social distancing and to avoid lines at the polls on election day.

Legislators in some states are shortening the number of days and the hours for early voting.

Democrats say it makes it difficult for people who work long hours to be able to vote and disproportionately impacts poor communities and minorities.

Help for voters:

On election day in Georgia last year voters in largely Democrat, African-American districts had to wait in line for hours.

To help them with the long wait volunteers handed out water and snacks.

Georgia has banned people from providing snacks.

Republicans also want to prevent people from delivering ballots to election offices for those who cannot do so themselves.

The Democrats believe this is tactic is being used to stop Native Americans who live on reservations from voting. A new law in Montana bans organized ballot collection on reservations.

Democrats' desire

Democrats in Washington D.C. want to see federal legislation enacted to protect voting rights.

Their 'For the People' Act would create a national automatic system for registering voters and established national standards for mail-in and absentee ballot.

In June, Senate Republicans blocked the legislation from moving forward in that chamber after the House approved it.

That June failure increased focus on the Senate filibuster, which requires any legislation to have 60 votes in order to move forward.

If left in place, odds of the Democrats' two voting rights measures - For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act - becoming law are slim.

Many Democrats, including some Biden allies, have expressed frustration with the lack of White House push to reform the filibuster.

'I'm not filibustering now,' Biden said in Philadelphia after his speech, when he was asked about the issue.

Some Biden supporters point out he was elected with broad support from black voters, who are at most risk from the new state voting restrictions.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, a longtime Biden ally, urged this week that the filibuster be modified for voting rights legislation.

Clyburn told Politico if the Democrats' two voting laws don't pass Congress: 'Democrats can kiss the majority goodbye.'

The Democrats' second bill, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, would:
Kadapa: Thousands of people from Andhra Pradesh, who returned from Kuwait because of corona, are now unable to return and they are facing problems of unemployment.

The Kuwaiti government has not yet relaxed restrictions on the entry of Indians. About 30 lakh workers from the two Telugu states were employed in Gulf countries. They were employed as masons, maids, drivers and other professions. About 14,000 people from Kadapa district were working in those countries and more than half of them returned to the state last year. They are unable to stay in employment or residential colonies. They have been staying at home for the past year and in the absence of employment, they are subject to a lot of difficulties here. Even though corona has declined somewhat, the countries still do not allow returning Indians. Some countries said that they will allow conditional entry for those who have completed two doses of vaccination, although guidelines to that extent have yet been issued.

Mudam Nagabhushanam of Rajampet, who runs Alshifa Ahilya home medical care centre with 30 workers in Kuwait, came here last November to attend a marriage. Since then he has been stranded here. The centre is being looked after by 23 workers. "We look forward to allowing those who have completed two doses of vaccination to enter Kuwait. Permits will begin in the third week of this month and continue till the first week of September," he hoped.

Parveen Bibi from Kadapa, who works as a maid in a house in Kuwait, said, "I lost my job during corona. All house-owners discarded the services of maids. If I go back now, there are no flights to that country."

Divakar Oleti, who has an electronic gadgets shop in Kuwait, told Deccan Chronicle that his family members have been stranded in India, for over na year now. He said he hoped the Kuwaiti government would soon ease corona sanctions and allow Indians.

Venkat Koduri, convener, United Telugu Forum in Kuwait speaking to Deccan Chronicle said that they are in regular touch with Indian embassy officials and all the information regarding travel restrictions are passed on to our friends and relatives in India.
Hyderabad: The BJP in Telangana plans to reach out to the people of the State with mass reach-out programmes beginning next week.

As the Opposition party in the State, the BJP feels it can come to power there following its good show in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections and the byelection to Dubbak Assembly constituency late last year.

The reach-out programmes include a 'padayatra' to be undertaken by State president of the party and Parliamentarian Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

While Sanjay Kumar, known for his fiery speeches, is scheduled to launch his padayatra from the Bhagyalakshmi temple at Charminar here on August 24, Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy has undertaken a 'Jana Ashirwada Yatra' for three days beginning August 19.

Kishan Reddy's yatra is to seek the blessings of people in view of his recent elevation to the Union Cabinet, State BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao told PTI on Saturday. It was mandated by the national leadership of the party for the newly-inducted ministers to go to the people and seek their blessings, he said.

Kishan Reddy's yatra was a government-related event, not political in nature, he said.

Sanjay Kumar's padayatra is timed to coincide with the possible byelection to Huzurabad Assembly constituency in Karimnagar district, according to party sources.

Bypoll to Huzurabad is necessitated due to resignation of sitting MLA Eatala Rajender two months ago after he was removed from the State Cabinet over allegations of land-grabbing.

Rajender, who denied the allegations, has since joined BJP and is likely to be its candidate in the bypoll. The Election Commission has not yet announced the schedule for the bypoll in Huzurabad.

"BJP is wanting to connect to the people at the village-level and ensure they understand the ideology of the party, our agenda, our political and governance agenda," Krishna Saagar Rao said.

"Then, we want to request the people of Telangana to give us an opportunity whenever the elections are, to let us show them how the governance of the BJP will be different from the regional parties, especially the TRS for the last two terms," he said.

Observing that the agenda and aspirations of people of Telangana with regard to water, employment and resources, and in the formation of the separate State is clear, Krishna Saagar Rao alleged that the TRS has failed the people.

The BJP alone can fulfil the core agenda of people and the party wants to communicate the same to people, he said.

The saffron party has been known for undertaking yatras since the days of L K Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said N V Subhash, a BJP spokesperson in the State.

The yatras would help to understand people's problems at a micro-level and to take them to the notice of the State and Central governments, said Subhash, a grandson of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. Sanjay Kumar's padayatra would continue in phases in the run-up to next Assembly elections.
The people cited above said the Indians were taken away for questioning and it is not unusual under the current circumstances. (Representational-AFP)

New Delhi: A group of Indian nationals is learnt to have been stopped and taken to an unknown location near the Kabul airport on Saturday for questioning and verification of travel documents, triggering some confusion and concerns in India.

These Indians were learnt to have been released subsequently.

People tracking the developments in Kabul said there were no specific reports of any harm to Indians in Kabul so far.

The Indians were among 150 people who were heading towards the Kabul airport when they were stopped by Taliban fighters, according to Afghan media reports.

Kabul Now news portal initially reported that the group was "abducted" by the Taliban fighters but it later updated the report saying all the people were released and on their way back to the Kabul airport.

The people cited above said the Indians were taken away for questioning and it is not unusual under the current circumstances.

There was no immediate official comment or reaction on the matter.

Meanwhile, India on Saturday evacuated around 80 Indian nationals from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians from Kabul, they said, adding it is expected to arrive at Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

India has already evacuated 200 people including the ambassador and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF after the Taliban seized control of Kabul on Sunday.

The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people, mostly staffers at the Indian embassy, on Monday.

The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians from Kabul on Tuesday.
SRINAGAR: Against the backdrop of apprehension over and speculation of over a possible ingress of the Afghan Taliban, a senior police officer who is at the thick of counterinsurgency operations in Kashmir said on Saturday that the Indian Army, the J&K police and other uniformed forces would act professionally in such an eventuality.

In case any foreign element enters Kashmir, the J&K police, the Army and other security forces are ready to deal with the challenge in a very professional manner. As far as the Taliban are concerned, I will not talk and those who are authorised to speak will talk about it, inspector general of police Vijay Kumar told reporters here.

He also said, Speaking as a police officer, I may say if anyone comes here, my job is to collect information and launch operations along with the Army to neutralise the threat. Any future challenge will be handled in a professional manner. We are fully alert.

He said that the security forces and official agencies would seek public corporation if any element, any terrorist or suicide bomber plans anything. We will look for information from the locals. If any incident happens, the locals will be affected as tourists will fear coming here.

He asked, Whose economy will be affected if it happens, and, answering the question himself, said, It will be the locals and as such I will ask them to share information.

The IGP said that there are inputs about some fresh infiltration bids having been made from across the Line of Control (LoC). The terrorists killed in Bandipora recently had infiltrated this year, he said.

Replying to questions, he said that the militants after targeting civilians and politicians take refuge in woods and that the J&K police and the Army were activating human intelligence in the forest areas as well to take on them. We will not just track terrorists in the hinterland only but in the woods too, he said.

Asked about the increase in the number of incidents in which activists of mainstream parties, particularly BJP, were being killed by suspected militants, the officer said it has been happening in J&K since 1989.

We cant provide security to all of them but yes, those facing threats and are vulnerable must approach us and we will provide them security cover, he said.
Hyderabad: Union tourism minister G. Kishan Reddy was accorded a rousing reception by BJP leaders, activists and people on his maiden visit to the city after his elevation as Cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. His three-day Jan Ashirwad Yatra concluded here on Saturday.

The yatra passed through Amberpet, Musheerabad, Ameerpet in the city before reaching the party office at Nampally on Saturday.

Thousands of party workers and people cheered Kishan Reddy, standing on either side of the roads. The main junctions and road-dividers were flooded with hoardings and flexies welcoming Kishan Reddy.

Kishan Reddy addressed roadside public meetings at several places in the city.

He took a dig at the TRS government and Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao in his speeches while highlighting the achievements of Modi government at the Centre over the past seven years especially during the Covid-19 pandemic by coming to the aid of all sections.

"Modi and KCR came to power at the same time in 2014. While Modi worked day and night without taking leave or holiday for a single day in the past seven years, KCR spent most of his time at his farmhouse or in Pragathi Bhavan. KCR never meets people. He doesn't come to Secretariat," Kishan Reddy said.

Stating that BJP will bring a change in Telangana soon to end Chandrashekar Raos dictatorial, family and corrupt rule, Kishan Reddy said, "After the BJP comes to power in Telangana, we will provide transparent and good governance. The BJP will give a CM, whose doors are open to the public all the time. A CM who is always accessible to people to hear their grievances and resolve them."

Dubbing Telangana as the only state which lacked a full-fledged Secretariat, Kishan Reddy said, "KCR demolished the Secretariat complex for vastu reasons. Now no one knows which government department is housed where and where can one meet any official. The state administration completely went haywire. Government offices are scattered across the city."

He said people of Telangana are looking for a change and strongly believing that only BJP can bring this change for the better.

"I urge all people in Telangana to support the leadership of Modi and support BJP to bring a qualitative change and to end the anti-people, anti-poor rule of TRS," Kishan Reddy said.
Thudumdebba district president Godam Ganesh said that there are thousands of landless Adivasis and many of them are working as agricultural laborers or as tenant farmers.  Representational image/DC

ADILABAD: In a surprising move, hundreds of adivasis are filling up applications, which will be submitted to district officials, appealing to the state government to give Rs 10 lakh to each adivasi family by implementing Adivasi Bandhu like Dalita Bandhu.

They are also likely to seek three acres of land to landless adivasis and issue of pattas to the podu lands that they have been cultivating for decades together in old Adilabad district.

Adivasis are busy filling up the applications that have been prepared by Thudumdebba (Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti) to press for their demand for Adivasi Bandhu. Thudumdebba has prepared a proforma in which they furnish all the personal details showing their social and economic status, which requires a Dalita Bandhu-like scheme.

Thudumdebba district president Godam Ganesh said that there are thousands of landless Adivasis and many of them are working as agricultural laborers or as tenant farmers.

He said the state government has failed to issue pattas to podu lands and added that their organization is not encouraging further expansion of podu cultivation but demanding pattas under the Forest Rights Act.
Actor Kalki Koechlin's debut book as an author, an illustrated non-fiction account of motherhood titled Elephant In The Womb, will release on September 27.

Illustrated by Ukaranian artist Valeriya Polyanychko, the graphic book will be published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).

Kalki, who welcomed her daughter with partner, classical musician Guy Hershberg, in February last year, shared the release date and cover of her graphic narrative on her Instagram page.

"Here's what I've been up to over the last year and half of lockdown and parenting! So delighted to share the cover of my graphic narrative published by @penguinindia.

"Available 27th September onwards, everywhere books are sold," the 37-year-old actor wrote.

A combination of personal essays and think-pieces, the book is a "candid, funny and relatable" account talking about pregnancy and parenting for mothers, expectant mothers, and "anyone even thinking about motherhood".

The book was announced in May this year.
Film producer Pradeep Guha, best known for backing Hrithik Roshan and Karisma Kapoor-starrer Fiza, passed away at a hospital here on Saturday.

Guha, who was in his late 60s, was admitted to Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here.

The producer's wife Papia Guha and son Sanket Guha shared the news of his demise in a statement issued to the media.

"We regret to announce the sad demise of our dear Mr Pradeep Guha. In these Covid-19 times the family has requested to be allowed to grieve in private and will share a date for a prayer meeting in a few days.

"No condolence visit at home due to Covid-19 restrictions. Please keep him in your prayers, the statement read.

According to a hospital source, Guha was battling with cancer.

"He passed away due to cancer today afternoon at the hospital. He was 68-69, the source told PTI.

Apart from "Fiza" (2000), Guha had also produced the 2008 film "Phir Kabhi", starring Mithun Chakraborty and Dimple Kapadia.

Film personalities Manoj Bajpayee, Subhash Ghai and Adnan Sami condoled Guha's death on social media.

"Deeply shocked and saddened to hear about my friend @guhapradeeps passing away !! May you rest in peace Pradeep," Bajpayee wrote on Twitter.

Sami said he is saddened to learn about Guha's demise.

"He was an incredible person & a genius at marketing! I have many fond memories with him starting from the time when he was Editor of Bombay Times 20 years ago," he added.

Ghai said he is indebted to Guha for his unending support and guidance for his film institute Whistling Woods, where the producer had served as a managing director.

"Good bye my friend #Pradeep Guha. I will always be indebted for your genuine love and support to I needed and we all @Whistling_Woods international for your enriched guidance as a director on board since its birth... RIP my friend," he tweeted.
Cuba's drug regulator granted emergency approval for its homegrown Soberana 2 vaccine on Friday, allowing the drug's full inclusion in the country's inoculation program as it races to curb a Delta variant-fueled coronavirus outbreak.

The Soberana vaccine, which Cuba says has an efficacy rate of 91.2 per cent, has already been used to vaccinate some health workers and ordinary citizens in areas with high rates of transmission as part of early intervention studies.

Approval by the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices means the drug, comprised of two initial shots and a booster, can be included in the national vaccine program and could also help licensing abroad.

Cuba's healthcare system has been overwhelmed by the recent Covid-19 outbreak, struggling with a lack of oxygen medicines, doctors and equipment. Just a quarter of the population of around 11 million has been fully vaccinated.

Also read: Full FDA approval for Pfizer vaccine is imminent

The country currently has one of the highest rates of officially confirmed cases and deaths per capita in the world, even though it managed to keep both low for much of last year.

The real numbers are likely even higher, according to reports from various provinces as the latest outbreak has outpaced its testing capacity.

Health Minister Jose Angel Portal said this week the official death toll likely fell short because it only included people who had formally tested positive for Covid-19 before death, state-run newspaper Invasor reported.

The Soberana 2 vaccine was approved last month for emergency use in Iran, which struck a deal with Cuba to produce the drug on an industrial scale in the Islamic republic.

A second locally produced Covid-19 vaccine, Abdala, which Cuba says has a 92.28 per cent efficacy rate was approved by the Cuban regulator for use last month

Late phase clinical trial data showing efficacy rates for either vaccine has yet to be published in peer-reviewed journals.
The Taliban militants on Saturday detained nearly 150 people, mostly citizens of India, from near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, even as an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft evacuated over 80 others from the capital of Afghanistan.

Nearly 150 Indian citizens and some Afghan Hindus and Sikhs reached the airport in eight vehicles in the early hours on Saturday. They wanted to catch a flight and leave for India. But they were not allowed to enter the airport. A group of unarmed militants of the Taliban took them away to Tarakhil in eastern Kabul, according to the reports reaching New Delhi.

The militants interrogated them and checked their passports before releasing them and allowed them to go to the airport in Kabul. KabulNow, a news portal, reported that the Taliban militants had assaulted some of the Indian citizens before releasing them. The news portal quoted one of the Indian citizens, who had managed to escape along with his wife when the others had been taken away by the Taliban.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft meanwhile evacuated over 80 other Indians and some Afghan citizens from Kabul to a military airbase at Ayni in Tajikistan. An Air India aircraft was sent to bring them to New Delhi. The IAF aircraft would remain at Ayni to evacuate the remaining Indian citizens in Afghanistan.

Also Read  Indians captured by Taliban near Kabul airport 'safe': Report

The overcrowded Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul continued to remain chaotic, with hundreds of Afghans as well foreign nationals trying to leave the country, where the Taliban now seems to return to power. The soldiers of the United States and some of its NATO allies are guarding the airport.

Track latest updates from Afghanistan here

New Delhi has been in touch with President Joe Bidens administration in Washington D.C. to coordinate the evacuation of Indians and the Afghan Hindus and Sikhs from Kabul. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his US counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the repatriation of Indians and other foreign nationals from Afghanistan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis Government particularly promised to help Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, who might like to travel to India in view of the return of the radical Sunni Muslim militant organizations return to power in Afghanistan. India also promised to stand by its friends in Afghanistan. Though New Delhi could facilitate the return of some Indian citizens from Afghanistan before and after the Taliban militants took over the capital of the conflict-ravaged country, it had to pause the repatriation when the operations of the commercial airlines from the overcrowded Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul was suspended due to chaos.

New Delhi evacuated its envoy and diplomats from Kabul on Tuesday  less than 48 hours after the Taliban militants entered the capital city after occupying many provincial capitals across Afghanistan and President Ashraf Ghani escaped from the country marking the collapse of his government.
All Indians who were abducted by the Taliban from an area close to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Saturday morning are safe, according to a local media report.

The Taliban abducted over 150 people, mostly Indian citizens, while they were on their way to the Kabul airport for evacuation on Saturday morning, the local media Etilaatroz reported.

Track latest updates from Afghanistan here

"All #Indians are safe. and the people who took them collecting their passports and checking them and investigating. a source told @Etilaatroz abductors told them that all will move back to the #kabulairport. now they are in a garage close to the #kabulairport," a reporter of a local media Etilaatroz tweeted.

#Breaking: All #Indians are safe. and the people who took them collecting their passports and checking them and investigating. a source told @Etilaatroz abductors told them that all will move back to the #kabulairport. now they are in a garage close to the #kabulairport  Zaki Daryabi (@ZDaryabi) August 21, 2021

Earlier, a source, who managed to escape along with his wife and some others, told Etilaatroz that the abductees include some Afghan citizens and Afghan Sikhs as well but most of them are Indian citizens.

Men affiliated with the Taliban have abducted over 150 people, mostly Indian citizens, from an area close to Hamid Karzai International Airport earlier this morning, Saturday, August 21, a reliable source confirmed to @Etilaatroz .https://t.co/d9rGo6VD4M  Kabul Now (@KabulNow) August 21, 2021

New Delhi is trying to ascertain the veracity of the report.

The source added that the Taliban officials "approached them" while they were heading to the Kabul airport in minivans for evacuation at around 1 am. When they couldnt enter the airport for lack of cooperation, the Taliban "took them all to Tarakhil, an eastern neighborhood in the capital Kabul, after beating them physically."

According to the report, the source, his wife, and few others managed to escape by jumping outside from windows of the minivans. The Taliban told the passengers that they would take them into the airport from a different gate but their whereabouts is not yet clear, the source said.
Sri Lanka will issue captive elephants with their own biometric identity cards and ban their riders from drinking on the job under a wide-ranging new animal protection law.

Many rich Sri Lankans  including Buddhist monks  keep elephants as pets to show off their wealth, but complaints of ill treatment and cruelty are widespread.

The new measures are aimed at protecting the animals' welfare and include strict regulations around working elephants, as well as mandating a daily two-and-a-half-hour bath for each creature.

Official records show there are about 200 domesticated elephants in the South Asian nation, with the population in the wild estimated at about 7,500.

The new law will require all owners to ensure that animals under their care have new photo identity cards with a DNA stamp.

It also brings in multiple regulations for working elephants.

Baby elephants can no longer be used for work  even cultural pageants  and cannot be separated from their mothers.

Logging elephants cannot be worked for more than four hours a day and night work is prohibited.

There are new restrictions on the tourism industry too  from now on, no more than four people can ride an elephant at once, and they must sit on a well-padded saddle.

Their use in films is banned, except for government productions under strict veterinary supervision, as is allowing their riders to drink while working.

"The person who owns or has the custody of such elephants shall ensure that the mahout (rider) is not consuming any liquor or any harmful drug while employed," Wildlife Protection minister Wimalaweera Dissanayaka said in a gazette notification dated Thursday.

Owners must send their animals for a medical check-up every six months.

Those who violate the new law will have their elephant taken into state care and could face a three-year prison sentence.

Capturing wild elephants in Sri Lanka is a criminal offence punishable by death, but prosecutions are rare.

Animal rights activists as well as elephant experts have alleged that over the last 15 years, more than 40 baby elephants have been stolen from national wildlife parks.
Taiwan's foreign minister accused China on Saturday of wanting to "emulate" the Taliban, saying the island that Beijing claims as sovereign Chinese territory did not wish to be subject to communism or crimes against humanity.

The rapid fall of the US-backed Afghan government has sparked heated debate in Taiwan about whether they could suffer the same fate to a Chinese invasion, while state media in China has said Kabul's fate showed Taiwan it cannot trust Washington.

Writing on Twitter in response to the US State Department reiterating a call for China to stop pressuring the island, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu expressed his thanks to the United States for upholding the wishes and best interests of Taiwan's people.

"They include democracy & freedom from communism, authoritarianism & crimes against humanity," Wu said.

Read | Indians abducted by Taliban in Kabul released: Report

"China dreams of emulating the Taliban, but let me be blunt: We've got the will & means to defend ourselves," Wu added, without elaborating.

There was no immediate response from China, whose Taiwan Affairs Office did not answer calls seeking comment outside of business hours on Saturday.

China has sought to build ties with the Taliban despite its own worries about the possible effect on what Beijing sees as Islamist extremists operating in China's Xinjiang.

Afghanistan has become the latest issue Taiwan and China have sparred over.

Taiwan has complained of stepped up Chinese diplomatic and military pressure in recent months, including repeated air force and navy drills near the island, prompting concern in Washington and other Western capitals.

Taiwan is a rambunctious democracy whose people have shown little interest in being ruled by autocratic China.

Beijing has also been angered by US support for Taiwan even in the absence of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, including regular US arms sales.
Biden is facing criticism for a chaotic and often violent scene outside the airport as crowds struggle to reach safety inside. He called the past week heartbreaking," but insisted his administration was working hard to smooth and speed the evacuations. Around 80 Indian nationals were evacuated on Saturday from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force amid a deteriorating security scenario in the Afghan capital, people familiar with the development said. Stay tuned for more updates.
Tensions in Haiti were rising on Saturday, one week after a devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people, as scant aid has arrived in the remote regions of the impoverished Caribbean nation that were hit hardest.

Many Haitians whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by the magnitude 7.2 quake that struck last Saturday morning said they were unsure how to even start rebuilding.

The official death toll from the earthquake stands at 2,189 people, with an estimated 332 people still missing. But residents in towns across the southern rural countryside are still digging for bodies believed to lie underneath the rubble.

Read | Haitian quake victims rush aid sites, take food and supplies

Tens of thousands of homes are in ruins, leaving many families with no option but to sleep outside despite torrential downpours at night. The hurricane season in the Caribbean runs until the end of November and Prime Minister Ariel Henry has warned residents to brace for more storms.

"After the emergency phase, which we hope will only last a few weeks, we will need to start thinking about reconstruction," Henry told a meeting with the Organization of American States on Friday, appealing to neighboring countries for support and aid.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Twitter that the USS Arlington naval vessel was en route to Haiti carrying helicopters, a surgical team and a landing craft to assist in the relief effort. Several countries, including the United States, have already dispatched aid and rescue teams.

Read | Past disaster failures haunt quake-ravaged Haiti

Reaching the areas most in need of help has been hindered by landslides and damage to the highway, as well as gang fighting that has complicated travel between the capital Port-au-Prince and southern parts of the country, however.

There, crops and access to drinking water were destroyed. Some animals kept for food were also killed.

Despair and frustration over the lack of aid began to boil over on Friday, with residents attacking aid trucks in multiple towns across the south.

A confrontation also erupted after former President Michel Martelly visited a local hospital in the city of Les Cayes, where one of his staff left behind an envelope of money that set of a violent scramble.

Officials and residents in small towns and rural areas continued to tally the dead and disappeared. For countless others, the earthquake has upended their lives in quieter but enduring ways.

Manithe Simon, 68, stood in front of her collapsed home in Marceline on Friday, shocked at how quickly her honeymoon had turned into a nightmare.

Only days before the quake, Simon and Wisner Desrosier had finally decided to marry in a service in the nearby Baptist church. They had been together 44 years and raised four children together.

Now, the bedroom where she had posed for wedding photographs in a sleeveless white dress, flower petals decorating her bed, lay in a heap of concrete and twisted iron.

"Our wedding was so beautiful, even though it was raining cats and dogs that day," she said. "But now we have lost everything."
Forces holding out against the Taliban in northern Afghanistan say they have taken three districts close to the Panjshir valley where remnants of government forces and other militia groups have gathered.

Defence Minister General Bismillah Mohammadi, who has vowed to resist the Taliban, said in a tweet that the districts of Deh Saleh, Bano and Pul-Hesar in the neighbouring province of Baghlan to the north of Panjshir had been taken.

It was not immediately clear what forces were involved but the incident adds to scattered indications of opposition to the Taliban who swept to power in a lightning campaign that saw them take all of Afghanistan's main cities in a week.

Read | As Kabul turmoil mounts, Taliban's PR offensive falters

Local television station Tolo News quoted a local police commander who said Bano district in Baghlan was under the control of local militia forces and said there had been heavy casualties.

The Taliban have not commented on the incident.

Former Vice President Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud, son of former anti-Soviet Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, have vowed to resist the Taliban from Panjshir, which repelled both Soviet forces and the Taliban in the 1980s and 1990s.

People close to Massoud say that more than 6,000 fighters, made up of remnants of army and Special Forces units as well as local militia groups, have gathered in the valley. They say they have some helicopters and military vehicles and have repaired some of the armoured vehicles left behind by the Soviets.

There appeared to be no connection between the groups in Panjshir and apparently uncoordinated demonstrations in some eastern cities and the capital Kabul in which protesters raised the red green and black colours of the Afghan flag.

But they underscore the problems that may face the Taliban as they begin to consolidate their rapid victory.

The Taliban have not so far tried to enter Panjshir, which is still dotted with the wreckage of Soviet armoured vehicles destroyed in the fighting more than 30 years ago.

But Western diplomats and others have expressed scepticism about the ability of the groups gathered there to mount an effective resistance given the lack of outside support and the need to repair and maintain weapons.

The Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, leaving after 15,000 of its troops were killed and tens of thousands were wounded.
Haitians left hungry and homeless by a devastating earthquake swarmed relief trucks and in some cases stole desperately needed goods Friday as leaders of the poor Caribbean nation struggled to coordinate aid and avoid a repeat of their chaotic response to a similar tragedy 11 years ago.

The attacks on relief shipments illustrate the rising frustration of those left homeless after the Aug. 14 magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which killed nearly 2,200 people, injured more than 12,000 and destroyed or damaged more than 100,000 homes.

I have been here since yesterday, not able to do anything, said 23-year-old Sophonie Numa, who waited outside an international aid distribution site in the small city of Camp-Perrin, located in the hard-hit southwestern Les Cayes region. I have other people waiting for me to come back with something.

Also Read | Oxygen plant among earthquake-damaged buildings in Haiti

Numa said her home was destroyed in the quake and that her sister broke her leg during the temblor.

The food would help me a lot with the kids and my sister, she said.

George Prosper was also in the large, anxious crowd awaiting aid.

I am a victim. I was removed from under the debris, the 80-year-old Prosper said. I don't feel well standing up right now. I can barely hold myself up.

In the small port city of Les Cayes, an AP photographer saw people stealing foam sleeping pads from a truck parked at a Red Cross compound, while others stole food that was slated for distribution, said Jean-Michel Saba, an official with the country's civil protection agency.

Police managed to safely escort the food truck away, Saba said. He did not say how much was taken. People also stole tarps from a truck in a community outside Les Cayes.

Similar thefts appeared to take place in the small town of Vye Terre near Les Cayes, where a second AP photographer witnessed a group of men pulling large sacks from a half-opened container truck. People then grabbed the sacks and rushed off. One man who made away with a parcel of food was immediately surrounded by others who tried to grab it from him as people nearby screamed.

Also Read | Past disaster failures haunt quake-ravaged Haiti

The frustration over the pace of aid has been rising for days and has been illustrated by the growing number of people crowding together at aid distribution sites. But Friday was the first time there was such widespread stealing.

Some of the trucks that were looted were part of the convoy of the United States-based nonprofit group Food For The Poor. The trucks were transporting cases of water, bags of rice and beans and cases of Vienna sausage.

Although this unfortunate situation took place, our drivers were able to remain safe and the trucks were not damaged spokeswoman Soraya Louis said in a statement.

... Our staff members in Haiti are working on assessing the damage and figuring out how to continue the task at hand in reaching even the furthest of the localities in need.

Complicating aid matters, officials began restricting access to the bridge connecting Les Cayes to the small, quake-impacted port city of Jeremie, meaning aid distribution had to be delivered there by boat or plane.

The quake wiped out many of the sources of food and income that the poor depend on for survival in Haiti, which is already struggling with the coronavirus, gang violence and the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Most of the devastation happened in Haiti's already impoverished southwestern region.

Also Read | Haiti earthquake death toll rises to 2,189

As of Wednesday, more than 300 people were estimated to still be missing, said Serge Chery, head of civil defense for the Southern Province, which includes the small port city of Les Cayes. In that community, a group of Mexican rescuers focused Friday night on a quake-damaged two-story home where equipment that allows them to detect sounds beneath the rubble caught noise.

Pressure for coordinated aid efforts mounted this week as more bodies were pulled from the rubble and the injured continued to arrive from remote areas in search of medical care.

International aid workers on the ground said hospitals in the areas worst hit by the quake are mostly incapacitated and that there is a desperate need for medical equipment.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Friday asked international governments and aid groups to funnel all of their donations through the country's civil protection agency, which will specify the needs of each town, each village and each remote area not yet attended.
Taliban websites that delivered the victorious insurgents' official messages to Afghans and the world at large in five languages went offline abruptly Friday, indicating an effort to try to squelch them.

It is not immediately clear, though, why the sites in the Pashto, Urdu, Arabic, English and Dari languages went offline Friday. They had been shielded by Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial-of-service protection provider.

Cloudflare has not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on the development, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The Cloudflare shield prevents the public from knowing who exactly hosts the sites.

Also Read | How Taliban turned social media into a tool for control

Also Friday, the popular encrypted messaging service WhatsApp removed a number of Taliban groups, according to Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online extremism.

The websites' disappearance may just be temporary as the Taliban secures new hosting arrangements. But the reported removal of the WhatsApp groups followed the banning of Taliban accounts by Facebook, the service's parent company, on Tuesday after the US-backed Afghan government fell to the Taliban.

WhatsApp spokesperson Danielle Meister did not confirm the removal but referred The Associated Press to a statement the company issued earlier this week saying it was obligated to adhere to US sanctions laws. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban.

Katz said via email that she hoped the removal of the Taliban websites is just a first step to diminishing its online presence.

Unlike the Taliban of 20 years ago that the US drove from power in Afghanistan, today's Taliban is immensely media savvy and its online infrastructure inspires and mobilizes" al-Qaeda and other extremist Islamist factions, said Katz.

Tech companies should do what they can to get ahead of this problem as soon as possible, as the group's online presence is stoking a newly emboldened jihadi movement worldwide, she added.

Twitter has not removed Taliban accounts and the group's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has more than 300,000 followers there. The company indicated Tuesday that as long as such accounts observe its rules  including not inciting or glorifying violence  they will remain up.

Like Facebook, Google's YouTube considers the Taliban a terrorist organisation and prohibits it from operating accounts.

The Taliban is not on the US list of foreign terrorist organizations, but the US has imposed sanctions on it
A suicide bomber in Pakistan attacked a motorcade of Chinese personnel on Friday, killing one Chinese national and two local children, the Chinese embassy said on Saturday.

"The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan strongly condemns this act of terrorism, extends its sincere sympathies to the injured of both countries, and expresses its deep condolences to the innocent victims in Pakistan," it said in a statement.

The attack took place at the Gwadar East Bay Expressway project in Balochistan, the embassy said. Several wounded people were sent to a hospital in Gwadar for treatment, it said.

The embassy called on Pakistan's authorities to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident and severely punish the perpetrators.

In July, a suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying workers to a dam construction site in northern Pakistan, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese.

Pakistan's foreign minister said Pakistani Taliban militants known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan were behind those attacks. The TTP told Reuters it was not involved..

Beijing is investing over $65 billion in infrastructure projects in Pakistan as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, under its wider Belt and Road initiative.

A Chinese tabloid run by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily called the bus blast the most serious attack on Chinese nationals in recent years.
The Taliban's co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks with fellow members of the group and other politicians on establishing a new Afghan government.

"He will be in Kabul to meet jihadi leaders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up," a senior Taliban official told AFP.

FOLLOW LIVE UPDATES ON AFGHANISTAN HERE

Arrested in Pakistan in 2010, Baradar was kept in custody until pressure from the United States saw him freed in 2018 and relocated to Qatar.

He was appointed head of the Taliban's political office in Doha, where he oversaw the signing of the foreign forces' withdrawal agreement with the Americans.

Baradar arrived in Afghanistan on Tuesday from Qatar, choosing to touch down in the country's second biggest city Kandahar -- the Taliban's spiritual birthplace.

Within hours of his return the group announced its rule would be "different" this time.
Afghan women are being shipped into neighbouring countries in coffins and used as sex slaves, according to a former judge.

Najla Ayoubi, who lives in the US after "fleeing for my life" from the Taliban, said she has heard horrific examples of violence against women since the militants took control of her homeland on August 15, reports metro.co.uk.

She said one woman was "put on fire because she was accused of bad cooking for Taliban fighters" in the north of the country.

Other young women are being forced into marriage and sexually abused.

Read | Taliban bans co-education in Herat province: Report

The lawyer told Sky News: "They are forcing people to give them food and cook them food. Also there are so many young women in the past few weeks being shipped into neighbouring countries in coffins to be used as sex slaves.

"They also force families to marry their young daughters to Taliban fighters. I don't see where is the promise that they think women should be going to work, when we are seeing all of these atrocities."

The Taliban have said they will respect women's rights and allow them to work and be educated.

Read | How Taliban turned social media into a tool for control

She said there was "no way to believe" assurances that the Taliban wanted to form inclusive government, saying she knew of one female TV anchor who was told to go home.

She said many women's activists are now hiding and in fear of their lives and their loved ones lives, but there is "no way out of the situation".

The situation is looking increasingly desperate as more reports emerge of human rights atrocities, particularly against women.

Just days ago a woman was said to have been gunned down in the street for not wearing a burqa.

Some women are so desperate they were filmed trying to pass their babies over barbed wire at Kabul airport, where foreign troops are evacuating their citizens and local allies.
The US military in Afghanistan sent helicopters to rescue over 150 Americans unable to reach the Kabul airport gates, an official said Friday, in the first evidence that US forces were willing and able to go beyond the US-secured compound to help people seeking evacuation.

The news came as American officials confirmed evacuation operations from Afghanistan stalled for about seven hours Friday, because the receiving base in Qatar was overflowing and could not take in evacuees.

That left thousands more Afghans already cleared to leave their country for the United States waiting at the Kabul airport.

Also Read | Biden pledges to Americans in Kabul: 'We will get you home'

"It was early this morning, and it lasted about six to seven hours," Major General Hank Taylor told reporters, adding the backlog was subsequently cleared.

The US State Department has been criticized for being overly bureaucratic and not having enough staff to process thousands of Afghans seeking to come to the United States.

Evacuee accounts from Qatar describe sleeping on the floor in sweltering heat in a US aircraft hanger for three days or more, with limited facilities.

Taylor said US aircraft flew some 6,000 people, including a couple of hundred US citizens, out of Kabul in the 24 hours to early Friday, until the bottleneck halted flights.

Flights from Kabul resumed late Friday after US operations in Qatar arranged for trips for many evacuees onward to the US military base in Ramstein, Germany.

US citizens and Afghans who worked for the US forces in Afghanistan continued to attempt to get to the airport in Kabul to leave the country.

There were numerous accounts of some struggling to reach and enter the airport, some impeded by Taliban fighters who now control Kabul.

President Joe Biden said Friday that US troops had to go beyond the perimeter of the airport to retrieve 169 Americans, potentially risking a conflict with the Taliban.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby downplayed the incident.

Also Read | Kabul airlift gathers pace as harrowing stories emerge

"They were very close to the perimeter of the airport. Very close," he said, adding later that they had been airlifted from the Baron hotel, near the airport, by three US Chinook helicopters.

The helicopters had been deployed due to concerns for the Americans' safety in traversing a huge crowd that had gathered outside the airport's Abbey entry gate.

"There was a large crowd established outside the Abbey Gate, a crowd that not everybody had confidence in, in terms of their ability to walk through it, and so local commanders on the scene took the initiative and flew these helicopters out there to pick them up," Kirby said.

Taylor said the Taliban have mostly been cooperating with US officials to allow those with US passports or visas to get to the airport and that there was "constant communication" between the US commander on the ground and the Taliban.

"We're seeing that things that we are asking for," such as passage to the airport, "is happening and getting better," he said.
BJP President J P Nadda on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent the entire army to the border with China and forced them to step back during the stand-off in eastern Ladakh last year.

Addressing a gathering of ex-servicemen in Uttarakhand, where elections are due early next year, Nadda said since the Modi government came to power in 2014, the armed forces have been directed to respond soundly to any misadventure by the enemy at the borders.

Earlier, the practice was 'abhi ruko, sandesh ka intezar karo' (not now, wait for orders). But, Modi had made it clear that anybody resorting to any folly at the border, has to be responded to in full measure, the BJP president said.

Read | Modi prioritised defence sector: J P Nadda

How much we heard about China. But, when the stand-off with China took place, Modi sent the entire Army to the border and they had to step back, Nadda said.

Nadda also mentioned that the state of Uttarakhand has given decorated generals to the Armed Forces, which include the current Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.

The BJP President said Modi's leadership has awakened a special confidence in the armed forces. People used to talk about the armed forces a lot, but it is Prime Minister Modi who has given the message of standing by the armed forces, he said.

A large section of Uttarakhand's population comprises serving and retired personnel of the armed forces and issues related to security have a special appeal among the electorate.

Everyone prefers to celebrate Diwali at home. But Modi ji celebrates the festival with the jawans at the border. This not only boosts their morale but gives a message to the entire country that it is because of soldiers deployed along the borders that the rest of us can celebrate Diwali at home, Nadda said.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami loses no opportunity to mention that he hails from a family of ex-servicemen.
Two elephants were killed after they came in contact with illegally installed electric fences in Assam's Baksa district near the Bhutan border, a forest official said on Saturday.

The incident happened in the Koroibari area near the Batabari Forest Range on Friday, he said.

The elephants, both adult females, came down from the Bhutan Hills in search of food, he added.

A person, identified as Reshan Daimary, who had allegedly installed the electric fences to protect his crops, surrendered before the police.

An investigation into the incident is underway, the official said.

"Daimary will be taken into custody and booked under the Wildlife Protection Act," he said.

This is the third incident of electrocution of elephants this year amid a growing human-elephant conflict with illegal electric fences having claimed the lives of 13 jumbos so far, the official said.
Three militants affiliated with Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit were killed in a pre-dawn encounter with security forces in Tral area of south Kashmirs Pulwama district on Saturday.

Reports said the gun battle broke out in the wee hours of Saturday after Army and J&K police cordoned off Nagbaeran forest area of Tral following a tip off about the presence of militants there.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the search party of the security forces, who retaliated. In the ensuing firefight, police said, three Jaish militants were killed while three AK rifles were recovered from the encounter site.

#TralEncounterUpdate: 03 unidentified #terrorist affiliated with proscribed #terror outfit JeM killed. #Search going on. Further details shall follow (sic), J&K police tweeted.

On Friday two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed in Khrew area of Pulwama district.

Over 100 militants and 21 security forces and J&K police personnel have been killed in Jammu Kashmir since the beginning of this year. The highest number of militants (31) were killed in July, which included several top commanders of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Among 100 militants killed in J&K this year, only 11 are Pakistanis while the rest are all locals. According to the Army, there are still 200-225 militants active across J&K despite the fact that almost no infiltration has taken place so far this year.

Official data reveals that 82 locals joined militancy in the first seven months of 2021, while 88 ultras were killed in the same period in encounters with the security forces.

The spate of recruitment suggests that the counter-offensive of security forces is proving to be a zero-sum game, as for every militant killed a new one is immediately being recruited. Last year, there were around 220 active militants in Kashmir and despite the killing of 80 militants this year, the number, as per police records, remains more or less the same.
The government needs to step up its outreach in Jammu and Kashmir, reassuring the people that India will continue to be a secular democracy as the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan is likely to trigger a renewed offensive by Pakistan-based terror groups in the region, former Army chief General Shankar Roychowdhury said.

Gen Roychowdhury, who commanded the 16 corps in Kashmir at the height of the militancy in the early 1990s, said buoyed by the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan "will make a fresh bid on Kashmir".

He said that India needs to reach out to former Afghan government forces rallying around Ahmad Massoud, son of late legendary anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, in Panjshir Valley, besides the factions within the Taliban that are friendlier to India.

Also Read | In Kashmir, few now dare to speak out

"We have to step up our outreach to Kashmiris, we also have to re-assure them that India will continue to be a secular democracy," he told PTI in an interview.

The 1999 hijack of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar by Pakistani terrorists is believed to have been with active cooperation of the earlier Taliban regime. India had to exchange top terrorists, including Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar, for the passengers and the crew.

"We need to understand that the (Taliban) victory in Afghanistan is being seen (by terror groups) as a Pakistani victory and India's defeat... We have to organise ourselves for a renewed offensive by elements like the JeM," said Gen Roychowdhury, a veteran of the 1965 and 1971 wars, besides several counter-insurgency operations.

"We have to be prepared for Pakistani intentions (covert operations), supported by radical elements here," he added.

A study by French think-tank Centre d' analyse du terrorisme (Centre for Analysis of Terrorism) published last week warned of the possibility of "more operational coordination between Pakistan-supported groups like the Lashkar e Toiba and JeM, and the Taliban".

Also Read | Taliban official says some foreigners are being queried

India steadfastly refused to do business with the Taliban regime of the 1990s, which it saw as a proxy for Pakistan's military.

India continued to support the remnants of the Afghan government and later the Northern Alliance, aiding them with training and supplies.

Gen Roychowdhury, who at present heads think-tank Research Centre for Eastern and Northeastern Studies, said India's role in Afghanistan should revolve around providing training, relief materials and above all giving refuge to those who seek shelter.

"People of Afghanistan remain our friends and we must be willing to give them refuge," he said.

He also warned that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina are on good terms, opposition forces in Bangladesh, which include "the entire radical set-up", would be re-invigorated by the Taliban take over and they "may not let this chance slip by".

There has been a disquiet in India's security community about the possibility of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh drawing upon released Bangladeshi Taliban fighters, increasing their activities in bordering Indian states.
Pakistan-based terrorists are frustrated with the BJP's growing popularity and are conspiring to derail the peace process in Jammu and Kashmir, senior party leader Ravinder Raina asserted on Saturday and said "intelligence agencies" have informed that a terror outfit has issued a threat against him.

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP president also condemned the killing of party functionaries by terrorists in the Union Territory, saying they want to create fear among the people.

The BJP also claimed that 23 of its members have been killed in the last two years in Jammu and Kashmir.

In this month, terrorists killed two BJP functionaries -- Javeed Ahmad Dar on August 17 in Kulgam and Ghulam Rasool Dar on August 10 in Anantnag. Dar's wife was also killed in the attack.

Read | Terrorism a curse for peace, says J&K L-G on 75th I-Day

"I was informed by intelligence agencies about a threat statement of TRF (The Resistance Front) on social media against me I was asked to stay alert although all necessary measures have been taken to counter the threat," Raina told PTI.

TRF is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The BJP leader, however, said he was least bothered by such threats which have become a routine.

In April, he had received a call and a video message from a Pakistani mobile number with the caller introducing himself as a LeT commander and threatening him.

This shows the frustration in the ranks of the Pakistan-based terrorists over the growing popularity of the BJP, especially in the Valley. During my recent visit, thousands of people welcomed me in South Kashmir and took part in our rallies which has left the terror groups frustrated, Raina said.

He said the condemnable attacks on innocent BJP members were the outcome of the frustration on the part of the terrorists who want to derail the peace process and create fear among the local population.

The BJP is not going to be cowed down by such threats and will continue to work for peace, progress and development of Jammu and Kashmir under the mission of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas', Raina said.

He said the BJP is gaining ground across Jammu and Kashmir and is going to form the next government whenever the assembly elections are held.

Anti-national elements are frightened and they will not be spared, the BJP's J&K chief said.
Once considered to be a potential candidate for the post of prime minister, Kalyan Singh, one of the key figures behind the Ram Temple movement, is credited with the rise of the BJP in Indias largest and politically most crucial state of Uttar Pradesh.

Born on January 5, 1932 at Madhauli village in UPs Aligarh district, about 400 kilometres from Lucknow, Singh, who served twice as the chief minister of the state, represented Atrauli constituency in the state assembly as Jan Sangh, Janata Party and BJP representative on several occasions.

Hailing from the electorally influential Lodha Rajput community, which has a large presence in over two dozen assembly seats in several districts of central and west UP, Singh rose to power riding the Ram Temple movement of which he was one of the main crusaders.

Read | Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh passes away

It was during Singhs stint as the chief minister of UP that the Babri Masjid had been demolished in Ayodhya by thousands of Karsevaks on December 6, 1992.

Singh resigned owing moral responsibility for the demolition. The then Congress government at the centre later dissolved the state assembly but by then Kalyan Singh had already emerged as the new poster boy of Hindutva.

Veteran journalist and Lucknow based media analyst Rakesh Pandey says that Singh was then considered equal to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K.Advani in stature in the BJP.

"Such was his popularity after the Babri Masjid demolition that it took him 13 hours to cover a distance of 130 kilometres from Lucknow to Ayodhya, when he visited the temple town after the demolition," Rakesh Pandey recalled.

Singh again became the chief minister of UP in September 1997 and remained so till November 1999.

In 1998 his government was dismissed by the then UP governor Romesh Bhandari, who thereafter invited Jagadambika Pal, then the leader of a breakaway group of Congress legislators, to form the government. The Allahabad high court, however, quashed the governors decision and ordered status quo ante and as a result Singh again became the CM.

Singh quit the BJP after his son Rajveer Singh was denied BJP nomination from Etah LS seat. He formed his own outfit Jan Kranti Party and became its patron while his son was its president. He rejoined the BJP later and was appointed the governor of Rajasthan, when BJP was swept to power following 2014 LS polls.

He was acquitted in the Babri Masjid demolition case by a special CBI court in Lucknow.
BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi on Saturday said he will challenge Congress leaders to prove their allegations that he has accumulated ill-gotten wealth.

"I have not earned any wealth in dubious means. I will challenge Congress leaders to prove their allegations. If I have earned ill-gotten wealth I am ready to donate it to the public," Ravi told reporters here.

"I have not gone to jail and secured bail in wealth-related cases," Ravi, a former minister, said.

He was reacting to Congress leaders' allegation that Ravi made huge wealth as the minister in the BJP government in Karnataka earlier.

He also said that it was Congress leader B K Hariprasad, who first started insulting our PM when the name change issue came up. "It was Hariprasad, who insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi by saying Modi's name should be kept for toilets."

"I have not insulted late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru," he said adding that Congress kept Nehru-Gandhi parivar names for more than 271 schemes and institutions.

"Why can't Congress keep other leader's names? Others have not done anything to develop the country?" he questioned.

"I am ready to debate comparison between Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle and building new India. Instead of debating this, Congress leaders are busy praising their dynasty," he said.

"Congress leaders are behaving as if they have only contributed to the freedom struggle. A large number of non-Congress leaders also contributed to the Indian freedom struggle," Ravi said.

Reacting to the Youth Congress leader's threat to protest in front of his house for his comments against Nehru, Ravi said, "I welcome their protest. If they hold protest, my wife will tie them Rakhi and give them sweet."
Hindu Army chief Sushil Tiwari has been arrested for allegedly raising slogans against a community during a protest near the Jantar Mantar here, police said on Saturday.

Tiwari, a native of Lucknow, was questioned on Friday night, following which he was arrested, a senior police officer said.

Two video clips had surfaced, and in one of them, Tiwari was seen using foul language and raising slogans against a community, police said.

Six people, including advocate and former BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay, have already been arrested in the case. The slogans, police said, were raised during the August 8 protest organised by the Bharat Jodo Andolan held near the Jantar Mantar.

The earlier arrests were made after an FIR was registered at the Connaught Place Police Station. It pertained to provocative sloganeering at the programme, they said. Besides Upadhyay, Preet Singh, Deepak Singh, Deepak Kumar, Vinod Sharma and Vinit Bajpai have been arrested, police said, adding that Tiwari is the sixth to be arrested in the case.

Preet Singh is the director of Save India Foundation while Deepak Singh, Deepak Kumar and Vinod Sharma are associated with different right-wing organisations. The videos showing slogans being raised against a community during the protest was widely circulated on social media, following which the Delhi Police registered a case.

Hundreds of people had attended the protest organised by Bharat Jodo Andolan.

Shipra Srivastava, media in-charge of Bharat Jodo Aandolan, had said the protest was held under the leadership of Upadhyay.

However, she denied any links to those who raised anti-Muslim slogans.

The protest was held against colonial laws and demanding to abolish 222 British laws. We have seen the video, but have no idea who they are. The police should take strict action against those who raised the slogans, Srivastava had said.

Upadhyay has denied his involvement.

I have submitted a complaint to the Delhi Police to examine the video which went viral. If the video is authentic, strict action should be taken against the persons who were involved in it," he had said.

If the video is fake, then a propaganda is being circulated to defame Bharart Jodo Andolan, Upadhyay had said.
The Congress on Saturday alleged that Rs 935 crore had been misappropriated in MGNREGA schemes over the last four years and said the government must be held accountable for failing to check corruption.

The party also demanded that the government restore the four per cent quota for differently-abled persons in police forces.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said a media report, which assessed publicly available information of the Rural Development Ministry, revealed that Rs 935 crore was misappropriated in schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) over the last four years.

These numbers are the outcome of audits done by social audit units under the Rural Development Department of the Ministry of Rural Development, he told a press conference.

Khera said the significant outcome of the social audit unit was that the primary type of misappropriation in most cases was "financial misappropriation" which includes and is not limited to bribery, payments to non-existent persons and to vendors at inflated procurement prices.

He said of the "whopping" Rs 935 crore misappropriated, only Rs 12.5 crore, which is 1.34 of the misappropriated amount, stands recovered.

The very fact that misappropriations has been happening is a testament to the lack of accountability and due diligence by the Narendra Modi government, the Congress leader alleged.

"The Congress party demands that the government of India is held accountable for the misappropriations in the MNREGA scheme and ensures that social audit is undertaken as per the provisions of the MGNREGA," Khera said.

"We also demand that the government of India recovers the misappropriated amount at the earliest and ensures that the recovered money is used to compensate the poor and marginalised who have suffered a lot due to Covid-19 mismanagement," he said.

The Congress leader claimed that Tamil Nadu had the highest misappropriation of Rs 245 crore between 201718 and 2020-21, and in Bihar, Rs 12.34 crore was misappropriated.

Jharkhand, then ruled by the BJP, saw misappropriations to the tune of Rs 51.29 crore, while Rajasthan did not see any misappropriation of MGNREGA funds, Khera claimed.

He alleged that this reflects on the real intentions of the BJP, whose government allowed misappropriation of Rs 935 crores of tax-payers money meant for the poor and marginalised.

Khera also demanded that the Centre withdraw the notification that scrapped the four per cent quota for differently-abled persons in police forces and undo this inhuman wrong.

With rising crimes against women under this government it is a matter of shame that more than 90 per cent of the reserved posts for women police officers are vacant, he claimed.

"We demand filling them on a war footing," Khera said.
With Covid-19 cases on decline, tourism industry in Kashmir is slowly getting back on track with tourist arrivals seeing an increase of late.

With hill stations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Achabal, Kokernag and other places open, the hotels and houseboats around the Dal Lake in Srinagar too are opening. Tourists could be seen taking shikara (boat) rides around the lake and enjoying pleasant weather.

To woo tourists back, hotels and houseboats are providing huge discounts with prices slashed by as much as 50%. On an average 30 flights operate at Srinagar International Airport these days with seven to eight thousand people travelling to and fro Kashmir.

It may be mentioned that earlier this year, amid worsening Covid-19 situation, flight arrivals had seen a dip. The daily arrivals at the Srinagar Airport in May and June, when Covid cases had peaked, had dropped to as low as 14 to 18 flights.

Read | Ladakh removes ILP restrictions for Indian citizens

Before the second wave of Covid-19 hit J&K like the rest of the country earlier this year, the tourist arrivals during the winter had seen a sharp rise in Kashmir. As per official figures from November 2020 to March 2021 1.11 lakh tourists visited Kashmir which was threefold from 36,728 during November 2019-March 2020.

The hotel bookings also went up in the first four months of this year with the direct flight services from various cities like Ahmedabad and Bengaluru to Srinagar making travel to Kashmir easier.

This was largely on account of travelers who could no longer fly to international destinations like Switzerland for a white winter experience, in view of the pandemic. The tourism sector is a significant contributor to Jammu and Kashmirs economy and accounts for around seven per cent of the regions gross domestic product, according to Union Territory governments estimates.

A member of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir (TAAK), a representative of more than 100 tourism agencies said enquiries from tourists have started to take place for the upcoming festival seasons. If there is no third wave of Covid, this season could see a record number of tourists visiting Kashmir, he hoped.

All the tourists arriving in the valley are being asked for their vaccination certificates as well as the test results of Covid-19. Tourists have also been asked to make sure that they follow all the Covid protocol.
Ex-Uttar Pradesh IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who had announced that he would contest against chief minister Yogi Adityanath in the upcoming state assembly polls, due early next year, was on Saturday allegedly put under "house arrest" after he tried to visit Gorakhpur, Adityanath's home town, to hold a public contact program.

According to the sources here, Thakur was prevented from leaving for Gorakhpur in the morning and was taken back to his house in Gomti Nagar area.

Cops were deployed around his house, sources said.

While Thakur claimed that he had been put under "house arrest", the police officials said that he had only been stopped from going to Gorakhpur as there was apprehension of breach of peace and threat to his security.

Read | Yogi meets Shah, Nadda, discusses poll preparations in UP

Thakur had said that he would conrest against Adityanath from wherever he filed nomination in protest against his repressive and undemocratic policies. "It doesn't matter how many votes do I get.....I will force Adityanath to follow the model code of conduct in letter and spirit," he had said.

The firebrand ex-IPS officer, who had been usually given insignificant postings in view of his plain speaking, had irked the BJP government, when he predicted that gangster Vikas Dubey, who had killed eight cops and was nabbed in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh last year, would be killed in encounter even before it happened.

Similarly had again embarrassed the bureaucracy and the government after he demanded action against the district magistrate of Hathras following brutal rape and murder of a woman there.
When a woman gets encouragement and opportunity, she does not feel shy, and once she becomes a part of a task, she gives her best, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday during the launch of the third phase of "Mission Shakti" here.

"And, this is the speciality of women," she said at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow after the launch of the campaign.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were also present on the occasion.

The Union minister said the Centre was promoting women-led development and the Uttar Pradesh government is taking all those programmes with the same vigour.

UP government's 'Mission Shakti' campaign focuses on ensuring safety and dignity of women and girls.

The Union finance minister said, "When I was the defence minister, a small beginning was made to admit girls to UP Sainik School in Lucknow. This opened up the possibility of getting admission to the National Defence Academy and subsequently becoming a directly commissioned officer in the Army, Navy, Air Force or the Coast Guard."

Referring to the recent reshuffling of the Union Council of Ministers, Sitharaman said, "More and more women are being inducted as ministers. There are 11 women ministers in the council of ministers."

Addressing women self-help groups, the Union minister said, "The central government gives money for storage facilities in villages. I would request all women SHGs to utilise this opportunity so that things produced locally can be stored there."

Praising CM Adityanath for his "energy" and "capacity to work", Sitharaman said, "In five years, he would have visited each district of the state at least 10 times. I congratulate him for making women feel safe in the state, for the overall development, and for law and order."

"In the coming days, UP will move with such speed that the role of women will be clearly visible. Your future is bright and the coming days are absolutely promising and bright with such a chief minister," she added.

The Union minister said UP is the only state where women have been made "bank mitra" and they are posted in every village to render banking services.

"This will take the progressive idea ahead," she said.

Sitharaman also recalled a campaign initiated for girls' education by Governor Anandiben Patel as a minister in Gujarat.

"At that time, it was quite difficult to admit girls to schools," she said.

But, a campaign was initiated by her (Anandiben Patel) under which on the day of reopening of the school every year, girls were brought to the school on elephants or camels and with a band accompanying them. People of the entire village will stand up and watch the exciting visuals. This helped in making the mission successful," she said.

Referring to the stint of PM Narendra Modi as the CM of Gujarat, Sitharaman said, "He made special efforts for the participation of women in panchayats.

In 2014, when Modiji became the PM, he auctioned all his gifts and gave the money for education of girls, she said, adding that the PM's priority is the welfare of women.

"Be it the Jan Dhan, Ujjwala scheme, Swamitva scheme or MUDRA loan, the women have got top place in all of these," she said.

Addressing the event, Adityanath said "Mission Shakti" will make the state and the country more capable.

"No society, state or country can become capable by ignoring half of its population. Today, the 'Mission Shakti' programme was held in all 75 districts of the state, in which 75 women were honoured," he said.

Referring to the recent panchayat elections in UP, Adityanath said women have become village pradhans and block pramukhs at many places.

He also extended "Rakshabandhan" greetings to all women.

Later, Punjab National Bank MD & CEO S S Mallikarjuna Rao handed over a loan sanction letter of Rs 5,100 crore for implementation of the Ganga Expressway project to the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) in the presence of Sitharaman and Adityanath.

Sitharaman said, "I am very proud of the chief minister who understands the larger national interests and translates that into the state's own policies and takes it to an execution level till the last mile."

Referring to the infrastructure work going on in the state, she said, "That which had to be done in six decades is being attempted to be completed within four-five years. It requires extraordinary commitment and efforts, and that is what the CM is doing. Pleasantly happy that a public sector bank has gone thinking forward."

Combined with the Yamuna Expressway, which connects Greater Noida to Agra, the Ganga Expressway would ensure a high-speed road corridor linking Lucknow to Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), Sitharaman's office said in a tweet.

"The amount of Rs 5,100 crore, under the securitisation process, will be repaid to the bank within a period of 15 years from the toll to be received on the Agra-Lucknow Expressway," it said.

"During this period of loan repayment, the expressway would continue to be owned and operated by UPEIDA," it added.
Pakistan's strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover of the Afghan civil war into Pakistani territory, a US government report has said, citing inputs from the Defence Intelligence Agency.

"Pakistan continues to support peace talks, while maintaining ties with the Afghan Taliban," US Department of State Office of the Inspector General noted in its latest quarterly report on Afghanistan.

"According to the DIA, Pakistan's strategic security objectives in Afghanistan almost certainly continue to be countering Indian influence and mitigating spillover into the Pakistani territory," the report said.

Also read: Pakistan Army used militants trained by Lashkar-e-Taiba to aid Taliban

The report for the quarter April 1 to June 30 said the Pakistani government is concerned that a civil war in Afghanistan would have destabilising effects on Pakistan, including an influx of refugees and providing a potential safe haven for anti-Pakistan militants.

During the quarter, financial contributions to the Afghan Taliban increased in the Pakistan border regions, according to media reports, citing eyewitness sources. Solicitation efforts traditionally targeted mosques, but Afghan Taliban militants now openly visit the bazaar areas in nearby Pakistani towns, it said.

"The militants typically solicit contributions of $50 or more from shopkeepers. Local residents told reporters that solicitation efforts were now commonplace in the towns and cities of Quetta, Kuchlak Bypass, Pashtun Abad, Ishaq Abad, and Farooqia," it said.

According to the report, the DIA, citing media reports, said that Iran welcomes the withdrawal of US and coalition forces from Afghanistan but "almost certainly" remains concerned about the resulting instability in Afghanistan.

According to the DIA, Iran will continue to pursue influence in any future Afghan government through relations with the Afghan government, the Taliban, and power brokers, but Iran opposes the reestablishment of the Talibans Islamic Emirate, it said.

As a resurgent Taliban continues to occupy new territory and an overtaxed Afghan National Defence Security Force is increasingly unable to provide security in certain areas, Afghan power brokers have increasingly begun raising private militias, it said, citing media reports.

"During the quarter, leaders related to the Northern Alliance spoke openly of a 'second resistance' to the Taliban, and some of the leaders began to mobilise anti-Taliban forces under their respective commands," the report said.

The Northern Alliance comprised militias of primarily Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara ethnicity, while the Taliban was largely of Pashtun ethnicity. The period of direct conflict between Northern Alliance and the Taliban included significant violence, often targeting civilians because of their ethnicity.

According to the Afghanistan Analysts Network, a resumption of conflict between the Taliban and the elements, which formerly made up the Northern Alliance risks a recurrence of such violence.

In April, Ahmed Massoud -- a militia commander and son of the Northern Alliance's most prominent leader Ahmed Shah Massoud killed by al-Qaeda shortly before the attacks of September 11, 2001 -- said in a media interview that his followers were prepared for the "failure of peace".

In May, Massoud told reporters that over 100,000 militia leaders, fighters and other stakeholders in northern Afghanistan have pledged support to his anti-Taliban movement.

He said public concerns about the stagnant peace process, US withdrawal of troops and apparent Taliban gains against the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have led to an increasing number of Afghans to take up arms and organise independently, the report noted.
Indigenously developed Zydus Cadila's Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D has received approval for Emergency Use Authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India and it will be administered to people 12 years and above.

With this, ZyCoV-D has also become the first vaccine to be administered to those in the age group of 12-18 years in the country.

This approval assumes importance as there is debate among health experts about a possible third wave of Covid-19 hitting the vulnerable and unvaccinated population, including children.

The second wave that hit the country in April and May caused thousands of deaths as medical facilities collapsed and oxygen shortage hit many states. Experts are anticipating a third wave in the winter.

Read | What do we know about booster shots for Covid-19?

Will the third wave affect children disproportionately?

Health experts opined that the third wave may impact the unvaccinated, which could be the children but many, including some of India's primary health officials, disagree. A study last month said the widely anticipated third wave is unlikely to impact the children disproportionately, finding that the level of sero-positivity among kids is comparable to the adults during the second wave of the epidemic.

The Indian Academy of Paediatrics also said, "Children are as susceptible as adults and older individuals to develop an infection but not severe disease. It is highly unlikely that the third wave will predominantly or exclusively affect children.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said on Friday that the Centre is fully ready to tackle a possible third wave of Covid-19 and a provision of Rs 23,123 crore has been made for this purpose. He added that special emphasis is being given to strengthening paediatric care amid apprehension that the third wave may affect children more than others.

Several states are building facilities with more paediatric beds and oxygen supply, due to concern that children returning to school without being vaccinated will be among the most vulnerable during the third wave.

Looking at rising Covid-19 trends in the US where a record number of children are hospitalised due to the Delta variant, states are preparing for the worst.

The Maharashtra government has stockpiled medicines, and built facilities for additional pediatric beds and oxygen provisions in new centres in Mumbai and Aurangabad. Gujarat has set up 15,000 pediatric oxygen beds. Karnataka is reviewing its pediatric beds estimates and Delhi is also increasing its health infrastructure to deal with Covid-19 as the national capital was one of the worst-hit regions in the second wave.

Meanwhile, schools in at least 11 of the 28 states have opened after more than a year of closures, raising worries these could become breeding grounds for transmission of the virus.

Read | Small-scale study on mixing Sputnik V, AstraZeneca shows positive result: RDIF

Vaccines for children in India

Apart from Zydus Cadila, Bharat Biotech is conducting trials for children aged between 2 and 18 years and the results for them are expected in September or October.

AstraZeneca is also conducting trials in the age group 6-17 but no data is in yet.
Like every major city, Bengaluru too had distinct architectural characteristics that were visible until a few decades ago. With the rocky terrain in its immediate surrounding and the availability of cheap labour and craftsmen specialised in stonework made granite stone popular as a building material.

Many public buildings, places of worship, schools and colleges, factories and even residences were constructed by using the locally available granite.

But this characteristic of the city has been drowned in glass buildings.

The earliest stone structures in Bengaluru, which can still be seen today, are the four watchtowers of Kempegowda and the remnants of the fort wall near the city market.

With the advent of the British in Bengaluru, many of the public buildings were distinct and imposing structures of stone. Hospitals and charitable dispensaries built nearly a hundred years ago were made of the grey stone  examples include Minto Eye Hospital, Victoria Hospital and Vani Vilas Hospital, all located in Chamarajpet and the original building of NIMHANS on Lalbagh Road.

Many corporation dispensaries, some of which were set up by philanthropists in Bengaluru, are of stone  Corporation maternity hospital on J C Road; maternity hospitals in N R Colony, Sajjan Rao Circle, Guttahalli; Velu Mudaliar dispensary on Kamaraj Road; Annaswamy Mudaliar dispensary in Frazer Town, among many others.

In the cantonment area, there are several educational institutions all made of stone structures. The St Josephs School and college, which is over a hundred years old, Renukacharya College of Commerce on Race Course Road, St Charles High School in St Thomas Town, Industrial Training Centre on Lalbagh Road, Kamalabai Girls High School on Connaught Road, Theresa Convent in Briand Square and A P S High School are all stone structures.

Many of the older Corporation schools such as the Telugu School in Shivaji Nagar, Urdu School in Frazer Town, Girijamma Mukunda High school in Basavanagudi, Corporation Girls High School near Thimmaiah Road have a stone structure and facade.

Bengaluru was once famous for textile mills and the factory buildings of these old textile mills were of stone, like the Binny Mills, Minerva Mills and Raja Mills.

Some of the well-known buildings of stone include Andrews Building and Bible Society building on M G Road, Kumara Krupa Guest House on Kumara Krupa Road, B R V Theatre on Cubbon Road, the Oriental Building near Kumble Circle housing the LIC office, churches like St Francis Xavier Cathedral on St Johns Road, Seventh Day Adventist Church, Cunningham Road, St Stephens Lutheran church in Frazer Town and St Josephs Church in Briand Square.

Stone buildings continued to be erected even during the early decades after independence. The most prominent among these is, of course, the Vidhana Soudha, built during the mid-fifties. It is a stone structure, built almost entirely with the Bangalore Granite excavated from the environs of Mallasandra and Hessaraghatta, selectively mixed with Magadi Porphyry, popularly known as Magadi Pink, and Turuvekere Black, for enhancing the visual effect.

A prominent stone building established in 1973 is the Indian Institute of Management campus. The GPO building with grand entrance steps and imposing columns of the classic design was completed in the mid-eighties.

Among the recent public buildings built in stone include the Bangalore Central Jail in Parappana Agrahara and the Kannada Bhavan adjacent to Ravindra Kalakshetra on J C Road.

Glass buildings may be popular in Bengaluru today. But even the new millennium has witnessed an imposing stone building  the Vikas Soudha, adjacent to the Vidhana Soudha.
In North Karnataka, the freedom movement saw the involvement of professional theatre artistes and playwrights in voicing their dissent against British rule.

This was also a golden age of drama, where the form was a mix of western realism and Indian stylised theatre.

The playwrights also chose themes and characters from Indian mythology to allegorise the resistance to colonial rule. The irony was that these plays were staged in a proscenium  which was introduced in the country as a direct result of colonial rule.

Garud Sadashivarao (1882-1954) was one such playwright who was influenced by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhis thoughts on the swadeshi and freedom movement.

All of Sadashivaraos plays were staged through his own company, the Shri Dattatreya Sangeeta Nataka Mandali (1910-1945). And since Sadashivrao himself acted in leading roles in his plays, it was easy for him to communicate the aim of the freedom movement to the audience.

In one such play, Sri Rama Paduka Pattabhisheka, Lord Ram is the ideal king while Queen Kaikeyi represents Queen Victoria and her hunger for power.

In Lankadahana, Sadashivarao played the character of Maruti (Hanuman), who characterises Ravanas abduction of Sita as the colonial theft of Indias pride.

When the play was staged in Vijayapur in 1935, the government asked for a few dialogues considered derogatory to British rule to be deleted.

In response, Sadashivarao turned the dialogues into a song. Set to choral music, the song was sung during Ravanas entry into the royal court.

The audience were reportedly so moved that a few members came onto the stage during the scene and put a Gandhi topi on Marutis head, while shouting slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

The Mandali also raised funds for the freedom struggle through its benefit shows and provided refuge for freedom fighters at the time.

Kandagal Hanamantraya (1886-1966) was another prolific playwright who wrote nearly 50 plays for Company Theatre, most of them after Indias independence.

Mythological characters

A staunch nationalist who was influenced by Gandhi as well as Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda, Hanamantraya was well-versed in Kannada epics and the literature of his contemporaries.

His plays were staged by several theatre companies in North Karnataka and were popular among the masses. Further, his penchant for choosing themes from the Mahabharata meant he was called Karnatakas Shakespeare in theatre circles.

Akhsayambara or Draupadi Vastrapaharana written in 1935, has many shades of the swarajya and khadi movement.

Lord Krishna is the central figure of this play and protects Draupadi, and by extension, Mother Indias dignity.

Some clever wordplay also links Lord Krishnas Sudarshana Chakra to the Charaka, and Lord Krishna then voices a preference for desi cloth as opposed to imported cloth.

The dramatist Nalavadi Srikantha Shastri (1889-1967), was a contemporary playwright of Kandagal Hanamantraya.

Srikantha Shastri was known for his harikatha (traditional religious theatre), which attracted people from all classes of society, and used the art form to promote nationalism. A strong believer in the khadi movement, he criticised colonial rule through plays like Bhakta Sudhanva, Dharmadroha, AhiraavanaMahiraavana, Hutatma Mylar Mahadeva.

Inspired by history

There were also a few historical plays based on kings, feudal lords and warriors who fought against colonial rule.

Tipu Sultan, Kittur Chennamma, Naragunda Bandaaya or Naragunda Babasaheb (King of Naragund in Gadag), Surapurada Venkatappa Nayaka (King of Surapur in Yadgir), Sangolli Rayanna, Veera Sindhura Laxmana (Warriors) were all popular subjects for these plays.

Company troupes who staged these shows often faced the ire of the British administration and a couple of shows were even banned.

There were also a few plays with social themes written in Kannada that spoke against the British rule.

However, the theatre of the time depended on larger than life characters, from mythology or history, to convey concepts of patriotism and nationalism. The ordinary persons struggle against the colonial rule was not dramatised effectively.

But most plays effectively used spirited dialogue, which conveyed concepts from Gandhis swadeshi movement, the principle of ahimsa, unity, communal harmony and the abolition of untouchability.

Some plays worth mentioning are Nettarada Owtana (Feast of Blood) and August 15 ra Nantara (After August 15th) by Kandagal Hanamantaraya; Chaleejaav (Quit India) and Navayuga (New Age) written by Nalavadi Nalavadi Srikantha Shastri and Satyasankalpa (Determination of Truth) by Garud Sadashivarao.

Tiruguppu (Retreat) or Jagratarashtra written by Krishna Kumar Kallur (1909-1982) is another well-written play against colonial rule.

The play is based on the Quit India movement of 1942 and Gandhis call of Do or die .

It also has a social theme based on an incident that took place at a small tea shop at Yaragatti cross in Belagavi district.

Narasamma, the owner of a tea shop, is the central character. Her shop is a hideout for freedom fighters.

Some scenes are rendered in the poetic, folk language of North Karnataka and highlights the fact that the spirit of nationalism and patriotism was not just limited to the urban middle class but had seeped down to touch the ordinary person in Indias villages as well.
The officers of Customs seized gold weighing 115 grams net valued at Rs 5,58,900 at Mangalore International Airport from a male passenger hailing from Murudeshwar who arrived from Dubai by Air India Express Flight No IX 384 on Saturday.

The gold was concealed inside beads of ladies' hair bands along with other personal effects. The operations were led by Rakesh, Superintendent along with Superintendents Maria Norohna, Vikas, Gopala Krishna Bhomkar, Bikarm Chakravarthy, Ashish Verma, Inspectors Shri Sandeep and Harimohan.

The officers of Customs had also recently seized gold weighing 350.330 grams worth Rs 16,85,087 concealed in an armature portion of blender along with other personal effects from a male passenger hailing from Kasargod who arrived from Dubai.

Commissioner of Customs Mangaluru Imamuddin Ahmad, expressed his concern regarding the increasing trends in smuggling and directed the officers to intensify the vigilance and surveillance and crack the attempts made by the unscrupulous elements who are indulging in these activities. The investigation into both the cases are in progress.
Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy visited the residence of a living soldier, instead of the one who had died, after apparently being mislead by local leaders, and announced a government job and land to his kin.

The gaffe happened on Thursday, when the newly appointed Minister in the Modi government was in Gadag district, as part of his 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra'. According to BJP sources, Narayanaswamy was taken to the house of Ravikumar Kattimani, who is currently posted in Jammu and Kashmir region, instead of taking him to the house of Basavaraj Hiremath, who died in Pune a year ago.

As part of the Minister's itinerary, he was scheduled to visit the dead soldier's family and offer condolences to them.

Sources said Narayanaswamy, who was behind schedule when he reached the district's Mulagund along with Member of Parliament Shivakumar Udasi, was taken to Kattimani's residence, much to the surprise of family members. The Minister, who enquired the family members, announced that a government job would be given to one of them and also land, which left them in a state of "shock and confusion".

Later, a local BJP worker who knew about the family, made a video call to soldier Kattimani and asked the minister to speak to him directly, they said, adding that after realising the "blunder", Narayanaswamy trying to control the damage praised the soldier's service and felicitated the family members, before he left.

After leaving the soldier's residence, the Minister took local BJP leaders to task for embarrassing him, by providing wrong information, party sources added. "My husband is working in Kashmir, it has been two months since we got married. The Minister coming to our house and inquiring about us caused some confusion, but neighbors' said he might be coming out of respect to soldiers serving in border areas....when he started assuring job and land, I felt some what and told him that- my husband is there and I will have to ask him", Kattimani's wife told local media.

Noting that someone has given wrong information to the Minister, she said the family was relieved only after speaking to her husband. "....it caused unnecessary tension to us and my husband there."

The Minister however did not visit the dead soldier Hiremath. "No one came to our house. He (Minister) is said to have gone to the house of a soldier who is alive....I only want my son back," an emotional Hiremath's mother said.
, dhns: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Minister for Environment, Ecology and Tourism Anand Singh is in constant touch with him and there is no disgruntlement among any of the ministers and MLAs.

Speaking to media persons at his house in Hubballi on Saturday, he said Anand Singhs disgruntlement theory is a media creation and the minister had informed him (CM) about the reason for missing the cabinet meeting held in Bengaluru on Friday.

Replying to a question on appointing of district in-charge ministers, the chief minister said so far no decision has been taken in this regard. Obviously, there are a few ministers who want to become district in-charge ministers for a few districts. The party has not discussed this issue. Soon, we will announce it, he said in response to a question on two ministers (Anand Singh and Sriramulu) openly expressing their desire to be made district in-charge minister of Ballari.

Bommai also informed the media persons that he would seek information from the revenue minister regarding the glitches in the Kaverionline portal that is delaying in registration of property and other issues.

The chief minister is in Hubballi to attend the wedding of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshis nephew.
Around 500 people have taken part in an event this afternoon to remember Derry hunger striker, Michael Devine, on the 40th anniversary of this death.

Aged 27, the father-of-two passed away on August 20, 1981 - he was the last of the 10 hunger strikers to die.

Members of his family were among those who take part in today's commemoration, organised by the Derry IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party), which saw a parade, led by eight masked men and accompanied by two flute bands, make its way from the former Rosemount shirt factory to the City Cemetery where those in attendance were addressed at the INLA monument by leading IRSP member, Dan Murphy, from Belfast.

As well as floral tributes from the Devine family, wreaths were also laid by the families of Patsy O'Hara and Kevin Lynch, INLA members who also died on the hunger strike. Floral tributes were also laid by the INLA in Derry, Strabane and Belfast as well as the IRSP in the three towns.

There was no visible police presence on the ground throughout the 90-minute event although a PSNI helicopter was in the air and two drones hovered over the cemetery commemoration.

Meanwhile, police in the city are investigating shots being at the a mural dedicated to the Derry hunger striker on Friday evening.

The probe follows video footage of two masked and armed men firing a volley of shots being posted on social media.

The incident took place shortly before a new billboard was unveiled to Michael Devine next to the mural on the wall of house at Fern Park in the Galliagh area..

Appealing for information, PSNI Superintendent Catherine Magee said: We are aware of reports circulating on social media of masked men holding what appear to be firearms.

Anyone with information is asked to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 2840 of 20/08/21.

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
Capt. Vikram Batra's brother clarifies the war hero & Dimple Cheema were not engaged, she wanted him to dance at their wedding

The moving biopic on Kargil martyr and Param Vir Chakra awardee Captain Vikram Batra has been a huge success. Apart from Sidharth Malhotra's moving performance as the war hero, netizens cant stop heaping praises on Kiara Advani who played Dimple Cheema, Vikram Batras girlfriend.

Dimple in many places has been cited as late Vikram Batras fiancee who never got married after his death. The martyrs twin brother Vishal Batra has, however, clarified that even though Dimple and Vikram wanted to tie the knot, they were not engaged when the latter laid down his life for the nation during the Kargil War in 1999.

While their unfulfilled love story is the talk of the town since Shershaah was released, Vishal Batra also said he and his family tried to convince Dimple to get married after Captain Vikram Batras demise.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sidharth Malhotra (@sidmalhotra)

Dimple and Vikram were not engaged. It hurts to read wrong reports in the media and I just hope that everyone who matters is reading this and does not do goof-ups in their write-ups hereafter. People who have written that she was his mangetar (fiancee) have just been silly, Vishal Batra told Times of India.

He also revealed that while the family wanted to get Dimple and Vikram Batra married there had been no engagement. Talking about the last thing Dimple had told him before Vikram Batra died during the Kargil war Vishal said, I remember Dimple and I were having lunch together, six days before the ill-fated day. She had come to see me off; I was headed to Delhi for some work. She told me: 'Jab Vikram vapas aa jayega toh aap hamari shaadi mein nachoge na?' (After Vikram comes back, you'll dance at our wedding na?). I said, 'Of course, nachunga' (I will definitely dance).

Vikram Batra lost his life during the Kargil war on 11 July 1999. Shershaah was his code name during the war. The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on 12 August.
Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan will head to Serbia for Vikram Vedha remake

Back in 2019, it was revealed that Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan have been approached for the remake of Vikram Vedha. However, some time later Aamir decided to back out of the project. Much to our delight, Hrithik Roshan was roped in to share the screen with Saif in this neo-noir action thriller film which follows the intriguing story of a police inspector and a gangster. Last month it was revealed that the much awaited film will arrive in theatres on 30th September next year.

Well according to the latest report shared by Mid Day, Saif and Hrithik will take the film on floors in October this year. A source was quoted saying, Hrithik, Saif and the crew will head to Serbia to shoot a major chunk of the film, followed by a stint in Georgia. They intend to wrap up the action sequences in the foreign locales before they return to home turf to can the dramatic scenes. The remake will be helmed by director duo PushkarGayathri, who were also the masterminds behind the original film.

While Saif will return to the screen as cop Vikram, originally played by R. Madhavan, Hrithik will step into the shoes of South superstar Vijay Sethupathi to portray the role of gangster Vedha. Actress Radhika Apte, on the other hand, has been roped in to play the role of Vikrams wife and Vedhas lawyer.
Singapore Airlines is integrating its corporate travel programmes under the HighFlyer brand from the 1st of September 2021.

The airline says this will provide even greater value, benefits, and options for corporate customers from businesses of all sizes, ranging from large multi-national companies to small and medium enterprises.

The main change? Singapore Airlines corporate travel programme currently focuses on large corporates while Highflyer is designed for small and medium enterprises. From September, they will both come under the same banner.

With the integration, new features will be introduced while all benefits currently available in both programmes will be retained in the new HighFlyer, Singapore Airlines announced this week.

So, if you are part of a large company thats part of Singapore Airlines corporate program, nothing (really) should change. Youll still be able to fly Singapore Airlines like normal (perhaps with a couple more benefits). But youll also (if you or your company choose) have greater flexibility to earn points by flying on Singapore Airlines budget airline Scoot.

Participating companies will be able to enjoy preferential corporate fares, and earn HighFlyer points, for all eligible travel on both Singapore Airlines and Scoot, the two passenger airlines within the SIA Group, Singapore Airlines says.

This gives businesses the flexibility to choose between a full-service or low-cost offering, and enjoy convenient connections on the complementary network of destinations.

What are the new features? The perks include more eligible booking classes for HighFlyer points accrual on non-corporate discounted flights, as well as rewards for reaching specific milestones in customer spend. Singapore Airlines will also expand the rewards catalogue for HighFlyer members, introducing more options for members to redeem with HighFlyer points.

The updated HighFlyer programme aims to make things ~smooth~. Customers of the programme will have a convenient one-stop corporate portal for booking flights, redeeming rewards, and managing their travel with ease. Eligible customers will also be able to enjoy priority services on their travel, including priority reservation waitlist and airport standby.

Additionally, Singapore Airlines is planning to introduce new HighFlyer earn and burn options with non-air partners such as hotels and car rental services, which relate to business travel needs. This, the airline says, will give customers more opportunities to earn and use their HighFlyer points.

Singapore Airlines explains: HighFlyer, together with the SIA Groups loyalty programme KrisFlyer, provides rewards to companies, as well as their employees, who travel on SIA and Scoot. For each eligible flight, business travellers with a KrisFlyer membership can earn miles for themselves on top of the HighFlyer points earned by their company.

Companies can also reward their employees by converting HighFlyer points into KrisFlyer miles. To support this, SIA has boosted the conversion rate to one HighFlyer point for one KrisFlyer mile, up from two HighFlyer points for one KrisFlyer mile.

HighFlyer will be available in all countries and have four tiers: HighFlyer, HighFlyer Silver, HighFlyer Gold and HighFlyer Platinum. The basic HighFlyer entry tier will be free to enrol, while the Silver, Gold and Platinum tiers will have annual minimum spend requirements. Enrolment can be done from the 1st of September 2021.

Current SIA Corporate Travel Programme accounts will have their contracts renewed under the new HighFlyer programme, and current HighFlyer accounts will automatically be eligible for the new benefits at the launch.

Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said: The corporate travel segment will remain an important market for the SIA Group as we recover. With the integration of our corporate travel programmes, HighFlyer will deliver even more flexibility, benefits, and choices to this key group of customers.

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PORTALES  The Portales City Council approved introduction of an ordinance setting parameters for cannabis manufacture, sale and consumption, but its anticipate the final ordinance may be a little less restrictive than what was presented Tuesday night.

Councilors will look over the ordinance and determine if any changes are needed prior to a vote for final approval at the Aug. 24 meeting. City officials have stressed the importance of having the ordinance in effect before the state opens up the application process Sept. 1.

City Attorney Randy Knudson provided the council with an 11-page document includes the following requirements for cannabis establishments:

 Establishments must be more than 300 feet from any school or day care.

 Establishments must be more than 1,000 feet from any residence, religious assembly or church, library, cultural center ,community center, public park or government facility.

 Establishments must be more than 200 feet from any other cannabis establishment.

 Operation hours are limited to 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to midnight Sunday for cannabis consumption areas; 7 a.m.-midnight Monday through Saturday and noon to midnight Sundays for off-site consumption.

 A permit is $250, with a $100 annual renewal.

Knudson warned ordinance aspects could get fought in court if theyre restrictive  he noted the 1,000-foot requirement might not pass legal muster  but that councilors could amend it as they saw fit.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Miller said its his understanding a couple of communities are planning the most restrictive measures possible, including the 1,000-foot restriction, and are prepared to go to court. Miller thinks theyre going to lose, and doesnt see why Portales should expend resources joining that fight.

If those towns win the right to tighter restrictions, Miller said, we can always come back and amend the ordinance, but the overarching principle should be to treat cannabis establishments like any other business.

Ward D Councilor Dianne Parker said councilors should anticipate plenty of constituent questions, and that constituents should anticipate a council with no relevant experience may not have a good answer.

Its going to be uncharted territory for a while, Parker said. This (ordinance) is a good foundation.

Mayor Ron Jackson said at the conclusion of the 15-minute discussion that it was important to note the efforts of Miller and attorney Steve Doerr in crafting the ordinance.

In other business at the Tuesday meeting:

 A meeting of the Infrastructure and Capital Improvement Plan committee was pushed a day back to 9 a.m. Friday due to a Thursday groundbreaking ceremony for the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority.

Committee members are Jackson and councilors Jake Lopez, Oscar Robinson and Veronica Cordova. Councilor Chad Heflin was also selected as an alternate.

 The council repealed Ordinance 741 governing collective bargaining procedures to align with state standards.

 The council approved a contract amendment with Daniel B. Stephens and Associates on its Blackwater Wellfield Development. Public Works Director John DeSha said the amendment adds scope of work, and the overall project was previously included in the budget.

 A usage agreement was struck with the Portales Softball Association for use of the citys fields on Industrial Drive through November.

Recreation Director Jodi Diaz said the agreement is similar to those in past years, and the association has treated the property well.

When asked about field conditions, Diaz conceded, they need a little work; you can tell they havent been played in a few years.

 The council approved Local Economic Development Act projects with Dawg Houze, Portales Country Club, Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation and Sterling Management. Heflin, who owns the Dawg Houze, abstained from the vote.

 The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Memorial Building.
SANTA FE  A district judge ruled Friday against Floyd school board members, who sought an injunction on their Aug. 4 suspension by the Public Education Department.

The board members  Leon Nall, Jeff Essary, Charlsea Lee, Vicki Banister and Ryan Bollema, voted 5-0 in a July 26 meeting to make many COVID-19 mitigation requirements from the PED optional, including face masks, social distancing and advanced air filtration.

Education Secretary Ryan Stewart warned the board it would face suspension if it did not rescind its July 26 decisions. The board convened again for an Aug. 2 special meeting, and following an hour-long executive session declined to rescind its votes. Instead, the board placed Superintendent Damon Terry on paid administrative leave and sent communication to the PED alleging it did not have the right to suspend the Floyd board.

Stewart on Aug. 4 suspended the board members and reinstated Terry, and six days later delegated district governance to Stan Rounds, executive director of the New Mexico Coalition of Educational Leaders.

This ruling is an affirmation that we, as a state, have a responsibility to our children to ensure that they have safe and healthy learning environments, Stewart said in a PED release. We continue to take that responsibility very seriously and are grateful that the court shares that point of view.

A public hearing providing the Floyd board members an opportunity to contest the suspension remains to be scheduled.

A message left for the Floyd board members counsel was not immediately returned.

Stewarts final day as education secretary was Friday; he announced in late July he was leaving the post to tend to family health matters. Former Los Alamos Superintendent Kurt Steinhaus is serving as secretary designate.

According to court documents:

 On the day Stewart suspended the Floyd board, the PED filed suit against the five members in the First Judicial District in Santa Fe. The suit alleged the board placed school staff and educators in the untenable position of choosing to either risk adverse licensure measures for violating PED guidance, or risk adverse employment measures if they followed PEDs guidance in contravention of the school boards actions.

 In response, the Floyd board members sought a temporary restraining order, arguing the PED failed to comply with formal rule making processes required for issuance of emergency regulations.

 In an affidavit filed Thursday, Stewart said because Floyd was scheduled to start school the Monday following the special board meeting, he believed immediate suspension of the board was warranted so that the district could offer safe and uninterrupted in-person learning opportunities.
IS it possible to be against the Taliban  as Im darn sure 99.9% of our population are  and also be against U.S troops fighting them on the ground in Afghanistan  which is the only solution I can see to the nightmare scenario that has been unfolding there while the horrified world looks on?

It seems illogical to me to be in both those camps at the same time  to treat the feared Taliban and the American imperialists as an equal foe, while somehow hoping peace and democracy will break out in Afghanistan by some other means.

But ever since it became clear that the Taliban were swiftly wrestling back control of the country after U.S troops announced their withdrawal, that is just what many, particularly on the left, have been espousing.

It seems, to me, to be a feat of mental dexterity that defies all common sense and logic  if you really want to bring an end to the appalling new regime in that troubled country.

For, lets be clear, the Talibans brutal government will remain in place  terrorising the population, attempting to spread unrest and rebellion across that unstable region, while hoping to act as a lightning rod for renewed acts of terrorism in the West  unless and until the American forces go back and unseat them.

That may seem extremely unlikely today, and under the current President  but in a few years, who knows?

It would not be an ideal option. It would assuredly lead to deaths and yet more tragedy for that long-suffering country in the short-term. And the Americans have a dreadful track record on what happens in a country after their military might has held sway. But it is the only option.

A successful U.S military intervention would, like the last one, ultimately enhance the lives of millions of Afghans, in particular women, who now face a lifetime of misery and torment at the hands of the Taliban.

But why cant some people accept this truism? How can they ever hope to restore freedom to the Afghan people if American force is not used first?

Joining hands around a circle of like-minded people and chanting Give peace a chance wont unseat the Taliban. Nor will the United Nations, since it didnt even authorise the U.S invasion of Afghanistan 20 years ago.

Who else could act, then, on the western worlds behalf?

Well, even if the European Union had an army, it is doubtful all 27 of its countries would agree to undertake a conflict in Afghanistan. Think what the body bags arriving in Munich, Paris and Dublin would do to public morale in nations cocooned from the wars of the world for two generations  even if these soldiers died fighting a barbaric enemy.

No, we in Europe dont like to see people die for the sake of global peace. We prefer to let the Americans do it.

Or, in the case of many on the left, to not let Americans do it and ... what? Simply hope for the best?

Just to be clear, when it comes to the Taliban, hoping for the best is not an option.

There are other countries that could do an America and adopt the mantle of global policeman in Afghanistan, I suppose.

China or Russia could invade it and implement a regime change, but that would surely end up being an annexation, led by a useful puppet of those countrys own authoritarian leaders.

Besides, Russia, in the guise of the Soviet Union, tried invading Afghanistan before, in 1979. They retreated almost a decade later, tails between their legs, so may not be so confident of a victory in Kabul.

Would even the most principled and impassioned left-wing person want either China or Russia to do our bidding, ahead of America? Er, maybe dont answer that...

So, in conclusion, I suppose it is entirely possible to be against U.S imperialism, as the left call it, and the Taliban. But only if you then accept that you will never be able to fix the woes of the Afghan people. And holding onto your principles will be cold comfort for the multitudes of its people facing hardship, death, rape, and a multitude of other horrors.

If youre not part of the solution, youre part of the problem.

Heres another question: If we accept U.S force is the only way to free Afghanistan, and a President takes that action, where will the people of Ireland stand when the Americans ask to again use Shannon Airport as a stop-off point for their soldiers?

Of course, we have known the answer to that for 20 years.

A sizeable amount of people will insist this is contrary to Irish neutrality, and a chunk of those will be out protesting on the streets at this affront.

Ever since the U.S invaded Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11, many Irish people have made their views on the Shannon connection perfectly clear.

An anti-war demo in Dublin just a few weeks after 9/11 included placards that stated Stop and think: Give space for peace, not air-space for war.

Would that happen again in the event of a new invasion?

Im afraid so, as anti-American sentiment is rife in this country.

Campaign groups that sprang up to oppose using Shannon as a stop-off point for U.S soldiers included Shannonwatch, Afri, the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, and the Irish Anti War Movement, to name just a few.

Many parties of the left in Ireland allied with these groups in vociferously opposing any attempt to help the American fight in Afghanistan. None of this made a jot of difference. As recently as last year, Foreign Minister Simon Coveney reiterated the government line  that the use of Shannon Airport by U.S military was fully consistent with Irelands position of neutrality.

But opposition to it has never wavered. Prior to the 2020 general election, Labours Brendan Howlin said his party would push for an end to the Shannon stop-off for the U.S if in power.

In Kabul this week, we saw the direct result of not supporting the U.S. against the Taliban.

Around three million soldiers have passed through Shannon Airport since 2002, and presumably this link will be redundant now U.S troops have pulled out.

As we saw images of armed Taliban taking their place on our TVs and in our newspapers this week, can any of us say that the world is a better place for Americas retreat?

Of course, the U.S has rightly been attacked for the manner of its withdrawal, President Trump was foolish to think a deal with the Taliban would hold, while the sight of the U.S contriving to lose a war it thought it had won will do great harm to President Biden.

The withdrawal signals a sea-change in U.S foreign policy, as its politicians and people tire of losing thousands of their citizens lives and trillions of dollars on behalf of something called the free world. Its not as though Europe ever thanked it for its sacrifices  too many people here are happy to enjoy the peace and prosperity the U.S has helped to create, while lambasting its imperialism.

In truth, there is a sizeable bloc in Ireland who will damn the U.S if they do invade Afghanistan in the name of democracy, and damn them if they dont. But I repeat, their presence in that country is the least worst option on the table.

Its not that Im a supporter of the U.S or its myriad wars on foreign soil  I just dont like any of the other options one bit.

And while America refuses to do the worlds bidding, god help those poor people in Afghanistan.
A California judge has ruled that Proposition 22, the measure that allows companies like Uber and Lyft to keep classifying app-based drivers in the state as independent contractors, is unenforceable and unconstitutional. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Alameda County Superior Court judge Frank Roesch found that Prop 22 illegally "limits the power of a future legislature to define app-based drivers as workers subject to workers' compensation law."

Proposition 22 passed by a wide margin in the state when most people voted in favor of it in last year's November elections. Companies were legally obligated to classify gig workers as full-time employees under Assembly Bill 5 A (AB5), which was passed in 2019, but some (like the aforementioned ride-sharing firms) continued to treat them as contractors. Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash poured over $220 million into campaigning for Prop 22 in order to overturn AB5, and the move clearly worked.

The measure requires gig companies to provide their contractors with healthcare subsidies and a wage floor, but it also exempts them from having to classify their workers as employees with appropriate benefits and protections. While those in favor of the proposition argue that it would allow workers to keep their independence while enjoying benefits they didn't have before, not everyone's happy with the development. A group that includes the Service Employees International Union and the SEIU California State Council sued California earlier this year to overturn the proposition.

In his ruling, Roesch specifically singled out Section 7451 of the measure, which states that any future law related to collective bargaining for app drivers must comply with the rest of the proposition. "It appears only to protect the economic interest of the network companies in having a divided, ununionized workforce, which is not a stated goal of the legislation," he wrote in his decision. He also found it unconstitutional that any amendment to the measure requires a seven-eighths vote of approval to pass in the state Legislature.

If the ruling stands, gig companies like Uber and Lyft may have to spend hundreds of millions paying for healthcare and other additional benefits for their drivers. At the moment, though, Prop 22 is still in effect, and gig companies are already planning to appeal. An Uber spokesperson told The Chronicle:
Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Motherboard

Andrey Shumeyko, known as YRH04E and JVHResearch in online circles, spent years trading secrets in the leak and jailbreak community. He was also sharing what he found with Apple. As Motherboard explains, Shumeyko was collecting "personal information of people who sold stolen iPhone prototypes from China, Apple employees who leaked information online, journalists who had relationships with leakers and sellers and anything that he thought the company would find interesting and worth investigating."

Jack Yarwood, Polygon

Sony's Manchester studio opened in 2015, and when it was shuttered in 2020, it had yet to release what Polygon describes as "a throwback to old-school action games like Genesis shooter Desert Strike  albeit in 3D and utilizing modern technology on PlayStation 4." While the studio had "AAA aspirations," it never had a staff of more than 30 people.

Owen S. Good, Polygon

EA finally reworked Madden NFL's Franchise mode for this year's release. While the updates might not be apparent at first, give it some time. A feature like Gameday Momentum, Polygon explains, "doesnt seem like much, until it seems like a lot."
The PM KISAN scheme provides `6,000 to farmers to procure inputs and other household needs. The scheme is criticised for providing too little support. Features of various income support schemes are compared. Mukhyamantri Krishi Aashirwad, Mukhyamantri Parivar Samman Nidhi and Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation scheme have income redistributive feature across land size class. Schemes like KALIA, MPSN and Rythu Bandhu support tenant and agricultural labourers. In West Bengal, having Krishak Bandhu along with PM KISAN would have greatly helped farmers to absorb risk in farming.

The Government of India introduced the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN) scheme, which provides income support of `6,000 per year to the farmers. The scheme is in operation from 1 December 2018. It has the characteristics of a universal basic income support scheme, at least for farmers, which various researchers and thinkers have been asking for (PTI 2020). The scheme was brought in to provide relief to the farmers who were severely affected by the distress in the farm sector. A number of programmes and schemes were adopted in the past to mitigate the problems of the rural sector. A few of such initiatives are: raising of the minimum support price (MSP), loan waiver scheme, crop insurance, etc. The income support scheme is offered three times in a year and just before the crop seasons, that is, kharif, rabi and summer. The farmers can use the amount to purchase crop inputs like seeds, fertilisers, etc, hire labour for farm activities, and also to meet consumer needs. This would provide liquidity to the farm sector and help in boosting the demand in the rural economy. A number of similar schemes have been formulated by many state governments like Rythu Bandhu scheme, Rythu Bharosa, Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA), etc. The merits of each scheme needs to be evaluated so that the good points could be embraced by all.

A question is often raised that the amount of income support is so small that it would not make much impact. Income support schemes, especially those initiated by state governments, are justified as contributing to the countrys greater goal of doubling farmers income. In that perspective, it is important to assess the proportion of household income this income support constitutes. Further, do these income support schemes contribute to increasing equity or inequity in the economy? The study was therefore undertaken with the following specific objectives: (i) to assess the progress of the PM KISAN scheme, and (ii) to evaluate the income support schemes of different state governments.
Children under the age of 12 may be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine this winter, according to medical experts.

Dr. Whitney Schwarz, a pediatric emergency room physician at Methodist Childrens Hospital, was excited to share the news at a virtual town hall hosted by the city on its Facebook page Friday to provide facts and ease youths fears about returning to school.

A bunch of research studies are going on right now with regards to that patient population, Schwarz said.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg and two local health officials addressed questions submitted by more than a dozen children about COVID-19 and available vaccines. Most childrens questions focused on the virus, vaccine eligibility, face masks and how to protect themselves as school is starting.

Children under 12 years old currently arent eligible to receive vaccines for the virus as they attend classes this fall, and city officials have warned that youths are more susceptible to the delta variant than they were to the original form of the virus. The city reported 22 pediatric patients with COVID-19 in local hospitals Friday.

One youth, Abraham Gonzalez, asked if COVID vaccines are effective at protecting people against the different variants of COVID-19.

The COVID vaccine is very effective right now at preventing severe COVID illness, hospitalizations and deaths, Schwarz told him. So currently in the United States, greater than 95 percent of those hospitalized are unvaccinated. And the vast majority of deaths in the United States are in unvaccinated individuals. So that tells us just how effective vaccines are.

On ExpressNews.com: More children with severe COVID symptoms being admitted to San Antonio hospitals

However, Schwarz cautioned, fully vaccinated individuals can still catch the virus and spread it to others. That is why following public health guidelines for face masks, social distancing, testing and quarantining remain important, she said.

A.J. Hernandez touched on a common childhood anxiety when he asked if the shots hurt.

It is a small poke that lasts less than a second, Schwarz told him soothingly. And I guarantee you that small poke is a lot less painful than actually getting sick or being hospitalized ... You do get lots of pokes if youre hospitalized.

Another young child asked how COVID-19 arrived here and why it makes people sick.

We think that the coronavirus that is causing the COVID-19 pandemic came from another animal species, Schwarz said. How and when it happened is still being researched at this time.

Why does it make some people so sick and others not? Every individuals body has a different genetic code. So depending on that, some people can get really sick with the same virus that causes other people to not get sick at all, she said.

Schwarz and Claude Jacob, public health director at San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, urged children and teens to protect themselves by wearing face masks while indoors; washing their hands; playing in well-ventilated areas, such as outdoors; and getting vaccinated as soon as their age group becomes eligible.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas sees big increase in teens getting their COVID shots as delta variant rages

Jacob said children dont need to wear face masks while playing outside. Kids also shouldnt wear them while swimming.

What we do know is that when youre outside, its safer than when youre indoors, Jacob said.

Research shows that students should be in school if its safe because its the best place for them to learn most effectively, Nirenberg said.

However, in certain circumstances  and particularly when we have significant outbreaks in schools  thats not going to be possible, the mayor said. So we do want to have some (other) options.

Another child asked how the virus became stronger.

I always ask my doctor friends about this, Nirenberg responded. What they tell me is that the virus gets stronger when we allow it to live for a long time in our community or in our country. Thats why its so important that we do everything we can as a community to get rid of it as quickly as possible. That requires vaccines, that requires masking up, that requires us doing everything we can to slow down the transmissions and the sickness in our community.

pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare
Ken Branca

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the man killed while attempting to cross Interstate 35 earlier this week.

Stewart Meyer, 47, died from blunt force injuries. The medical examiner ruled his death an accident.
NEW YORK (AP)  Several parents who were separated from their children on the U.S.-Mexico border during former President Donald Trump's administration on Friday asked the Homeland Security Secretary for permanent legal residency in the United States and compensation, said the mother of two of the children.

Keldy Mabel Gonzales Brebe, who was separated from two sons in the fall of 2017, said a group of parents made the request during a virtual meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. She said she explained her story to Mayorkas and told him that she fears her temporary status in the U.S. might end one day and her family being torn apart again.

We don't want to be separated from our kids again, after we fought for them so hard. We suffered too much," said the Honduran immigrant after the meeting.

Gonzales Brebe, who now lives with her sons in Philadelphia, has been granted humanitarian parole, which allows her to remain in the country for three years.

Family Reunification Task Force Director Michelle Brane told the AP after the meeting that the government will look at all the options until it finds a solution for these families.

The Secretary was clear in expressing to the families that we have an obligation to support them and that we are doing everything we can to get them support, to look at ways of providing them with the permanent status. We may need legislative support for that," Brane said.

The meeting was hosted by the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.

During his administration, Trump imposed extraordinary measures to limit asylum, including the criminal prosecution of everyone who entered the United States illegally from Mexico, which resulted in the separation of thousands of children from their parents.

The Biden administration said in June that it had identified more than 3,900 children separated from their parents under Trumps zero-tolerance policy on illegal crossings. The exact number, however, changes often as new cases are added or others are inaccurate.

Many children have since been reunited with a parent, and the Biden administration has promised to reunite parents who are still apart from their children. According to the government, to date, the task force has reunited 47 families and a total of 120 total people in the U.S. This breakdown includes: 47 children, 40 parents, and 33 household members.

Gonzales Brebe, 37, fled Honduras to escape gangs, which had threatened her. She crossed the border with her youngest son Erick, now 17, and her middle child Mino, now 19, in the fall of 2017.

They were separated at the border in New Mexico and the boys were moved to a shelter for minors and later released to family members in Philadelphia. Gonzales Brebe was kept in a detention facility in El Paso, Texas, for a year and a half and then deported to Honduras in January 2019.

She immediately traveled back north and settled in Mexico, waiting for a chance to enter the United States. In May, she was reunited with her sons.

On Friday, she said she felt upbeat after the meeting with Mayorkas.

Every parent told his or her story and the Secretary promised to provide a better situation for us, she said. I know we can get that done.

The meeting happened weeks after Homeland Security said it resumed deportation flights to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador for families subject to expedited removal, a process by which people can be removed from the country without seeing an immigration judge.

The U.S. government also this month renewed emergency powers to expel families at the border due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of people stopped on the border in family groups is expected to hit a record for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, said David Shahoulian, assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at DHS.

On Friday, Homeland Security said after the meeting that Mayorkas and Brane acknowledged the pain and trauma that families separated under the zero-tolerance policy endured.

The Secretary was clear in recognizing our responsibility," said Brane. "He apologized to the families for what the government did and is dedicated to supporting them as they move forward with their lives, recognizing that the harm cannot be undone, and that some of the emotional scars will stay with them. He encouraged them to move forward and committed to helping them to do so.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has given new urgency to Vice President Kamala Harris' tour of Southeast Asia, where she will attempt to reassure allies of American resolve following the chaotic end of a two-decade war.

The trip, which began Friday and has stops in Singapore and Vietnam, will provide a forum for Harris to assert herself more directly in foreign affairs. She will have opportunities to affirm what she and President Joe Biden view as core American values, like human rights. That's especially important given concerns about the future for women and girls in Afghanistan with the Taliban back in power.

A particular high priority is making sure that we evacuate American citizens, Afghans who worked with us, Afghans at risk, including women and children, Harris told reporters before her departure.

But there are also substantial risks. A longtime district attorney and former senator, Harris is largely untested in diplomacy and foreign policy. Her swing through Vietnam could draw unwanted comparisons between the humiliating withdrawal of U.S. troops there in 1975 and the tumultuous effort this week to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan. And it's all happening in the shadow of China, whose growing influence worries some U.S. policymakers.

Evan Vucci/AP

Shes walking into a hornets nest, both with whats taking place in Afghanistan, but also the challenge of China that looms particularly large in Vietnam, said Brett Bruen, who was global engagement director during the Obama administration and a longtime diplomat. On a good day, its walking a tightrope. On a not so good day, its walking a tightrope while leading an elephant across. Theres just an enormous set of issues that she will run into from the moment that Air Force Two touches down.

Harris said Friday that the nations she will visit "are the seat of the Indo-Pacific region. We have interests there that relate to both security interests, economic interests and, more recently, global health interests.

Harris struggled at points in June when her first major trip abroad took her to Guatemala and Mexico. Her unequivocal warning to migrants not to come to the U.S. angered some liberal Democrats while doing little to mollify Republican critics who said the administration wasn't doing enough to address a growth of crossings at the southern border.

She'll have a fresh chance to make a global impression when she arrives in Singapore, anchor of the U.S. naval presence in Southeast Asia.

On Monday, Harris will speak with Singapore President Halimah Yacob over the phone, participate in a bilateral meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and deliver remarks on a U.S. combat ship visiting Singapore.

On Tuesday, she plans to deliver a speech outlining the U.S. vision for engagement in the region, and participate in an event with business leaders focused on supply chain issues.

Harris then heads to Vietnam, a country that holds both strategic and symbolic significance for the U.S. Leaders there have echoed U.S. concerns about the rise of neighboring China and the threat that could pose to global security. But it's also a nation etched into American history as the site of another bloody, costly war with an ignominious end.

The vice president will almost certainly address that parallel when she takes questions in Singapore during a joint press conference with the prime minister Monday. It's a potentially awkward position for Harris because Biden expressly rejected comparisons between Afghanistan and Vietnam in July, insisting there would be no circumstance" where the world would see people being lifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, a reference to historic images of a helicopter evacuating the U.S. Embassy in Saigon in 1975.

The harried effort to get Americans to the airport in Kabul this week defied that prediction.

While the disorderly conclusion of the Afghan war dominated Washington in recent days, China may be a bigger priority for Harris' trip. Biden has made countering Chinese influence globally a central focus of his foreign policy. Relations between the U.S. and China deteriorated sharply under Bidens predecessor, Donald Trump, and the two sides remain at odds over a host of issues including technology, cybersecurity and human rights.

And with Beijings incursions in the disputed South China Sea, engagement with Vietnam and Singapore is key to the Biden administrations diplomatic and military goals in the region.

David Shear, a former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, said Harris must be careful to offer a positive message to the nations, and avoid focusing entirely on China during her trip.

Our relationships with these countries are important in themselves, and they dont want to be thought of solely as a pawn in a U.S-China chess game," he said. They want to be thought of on their own terms, and they want their interests to be considered on their own terms,.

Instead, analysts say they hope Harris will focus in particular on trade issues. The White House has been considering a new digital trade deal with countries in the region, which would allow for the free flow of data and open opportunities for U.S. companies for greater cooperation on emerging technologies in a fast-growing region of the world.

And COVID-19 is certain to be top of mind in two countries facing starkly divergent virus trends. Singapore has experienced just a few dozen pandemic-related deaths and has a relatively high vaccination rate. It's getting ready to ease travel and economic restrictions this fall. Vietnam, meanwhile, is facing record-high coronavirus infections driven by the delta variant and low vaccination rates.

The U.S. has provided more than 23 million vaccine doses to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and tens of millions of dollars in personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment and other supplies to fight the virus.

During her visit to Vietnam, Harris is planning to hold a virtual meeting with ASEAN health ministers and cite the launch of a regional office of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gregory Poling, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said showing a commitment to the region on the pandemic is key for Harris' trip.

I think on COVID, the administration realizes that this is the singular issue," he said. If theyre not seen as leading vaccine distribution in the region, then nothing else they do in Asia matters, or at least nothing else they do is going to find a willing audience.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect the name of an Obama administration official. He is Brett Bruen, not Bruin.
HOLLY, Mich. (AP)  The remains of a Michigan soldier who went missing during the Korean War nearly 70 years ago will be interred Monday at Great Lakes National Cemetery.

Army Corporal Dale Wright of Flint was 19 when his unit was attacked near the Chosin Reservoir in the northeast of North Korea on Dec. 2, 1950, The Flint Journal reported.
The Alamo Heights Independent School District will require staff, students and visitors wear masks for the next three weeks beginning Monday in an effort to combat the spread of the COVID-19 delta variant.

The school board voted unanimously Saturday to approve Superintendent Dana Basharas recommendation for the mandate.

After the three weeks end Sept. 10, the mask requirement will be re-evaluated every two weeks. If fewer than 1 percent of the student body at a given campus is positive for COVID-19, masks will go back to being optional.

Bashara said the initial three-week time frame was chosen because it gets the district through Labor Day.

Last year, we saw our first uptick in positive cases after families went away for Labor Day weekend, and then came back to our campuses, she said.

The trustees decision came after two hours of public comment and 3 hours spent in executive session at Saturday mornings specially called meeting in the Alamo Heights High School auditorium.

On ExpressNews.com: North East ISD board votes 5-1 to mandate masks following arguments against it from overflow crowd

The trustees said they based their vote in large part based on the 2020-21 school year, during which the district required students to wear masks, among other COVID-19 safety protocols.

By the fifth day of school in 2020, there were just three confirmed COVID-19 cases in students throughout the school district. By the fifth day of school in 2021, which was Friday, the district had 30 confirmed cases, according to Frank Alfaro, assistant superintendent for administrative services.

District officials hope the mask mandate will safeguard the schools against the delta variant, which has affected children more than the first and second waves of the virus.

Whatever we can do to make sure kids can come to school is beneficial, so we need to rethink whatever adjustments we want to make, and how we can do that so we can keep kids in school and keep schools going, Alfaro said.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

Saturdays meeting on COVID-19 protocol was called after a contentious school board meeting Tuesday that saw around 50 parents advocating for a mask mandate and other COVID-19 prevention measures.

About 100 people attended Saturday mornings meeting, with 48 of them speaking during the public comment period. Of those who spoke, 33 were in favor of the mask mandate and 15 against. All of the speakers were either parents or grandparents of children who attend Alamo Heights schools, and many of them said they worked in the health care field.

Those who supported making face masks mandatory echoed public health officials stance that masks are an effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The mandate is necessary, supporters said, since children under the age of 12 cannot get vaccinated, and the delta variant has affected younger populations more than the original strain of the coronavirus did.

On ExpressNews.com: Paxton sues San Antonio ISD over employee vaccination requirement

Hillary Raines has a daughter with special needs who attends Cambridge Elementary School, and shes also a nurse who has been on the front lines of the COVID-19 battle for the past 18 months.

Raines supported a mask mandate, saying its likely the most effective way to get back to some sense of normalcy. She also said her daughters doctors have advised her not to send her daughter back to school unless a mask mandate was implemented.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

I think, especially with our population of kids that are 12 and under that cannot get the vaccine, we have an obligation in terms of public health to protect our kids and have them be protected when they go to school, Raines said. We cant always rely on people to do the right things. Sometimes we dont know our kids are sick.

This variant that I am seeing on a day-to-day basis in the hospital is a completely different bird than what weve been dealing with, she added.

Heather Yun, an infectious disease doctor with children in Alamo Heights schools, said hospitals both locally and across the state of Texas are in crisis right now due to the third COVID-19 surge.

Yun said mask-wearing has proven to be effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

This is the worst possible time out of the past 18 months of the pandemic to start relaxing protocol measures.  Were at the peak of any number of hospitalizations that weve had so far with COVID, actually as many as weve had so far in Bexar County, Yun told the board. But whats also unusual right now is that, unlike every other wave that weve had so far, pediatric ICUs are also full. At numerous points so far in the last three weeks, there have been zero pediatric ICU beds available in the entire state of Texas.

On ExpressNews.com: Slammed by COVID, the lone hospital in San Marcos pleads with city to fund hiring of nurses

But others argued that masks should be optional, not mandated, and that the school board doesnt have the authority as a government body to make medical decisions that should be made by parents. They also challenged the science that says masks are effective at thwarting the spread of the virus.

Phillip Hughes, who said he is a doctor and a grandparent of students in the school district, advocated against a universal mask mandate.

Masks hurt kids psychologically. They inhibit learning, friendship and language development, Hughes told the trustees. They do not prevent the transmission of viral respiratory disease. And an important point, if you think masks really work, why do you care if others wear a mask?

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

Emily Whittington said she and other parents shouldnt be co-parenting with the government, and that masks should be optional. She also said masks do more harm than good.

Masks are dehumanizing our children and teaching them to live in fear, Whittington said. They need to see faces to understand empathy, compassion and even discipline.  Face masks are the proverbial safety blankets for adults. Masking kids makes adults feel better, and all at a terrible expense to these childrens development and health, physically and mentally.

Multiple studies have shown that wearing face masks is effective at preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

One such study, which was published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases in October 2020, found that while cloth masks arent as effective as medical-grade N95 masks, when worn correctly theyre still capable of helping prevent community spread.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

Saturdays meeting came after the first week of school and a series of legal fights over mask mandates between the state and local government entities.

On ExpressNews.com: Battle over local mask mandates plays out across Texas courtrooms as state Supreme Court delays final ruling

Gov. Greg Abbott last month issued an emergency order banning any government entity from implementing mask mandates.

Bexar County and the city of San Antonio have sued Gov. Greg Abbott over control of COVID-19 safety guidelines. In addition, dozens of Texas school districts, most of them in urban areas, have defied Abbotts order banning mask mandates.

The local lawsuit Monday secured legal cover for the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District to require masks in all schools in Bexar County, and the 4th Court of Appeals upheld the local courts decision Thursday.

Robin Jerstad /Contributor

The mask mandate debate has become too political, said Raines, the COVID-19 nurse with a special needs daughter.

If parents saw what I saw in the hospital  if they saw the absolute suffering, the pure horrible suffering, the inability to breathe, the feeling of drowning that these patients have  I promise they would not think twice about putting a mask on a kid, Raines said after the public comments portion of the meeting. The patients now, with this variant, are younger. This is so much more aggressive, theyre so much sicker, and theyre dying so much faster.

I dont think people are looking at the science, she added. Its a political push.

Blanks writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. annie.blanks@express-news.net.
Its only been a couple of days since Leo Pacheco officially stepped down from his seat in the Texas House, but already his exit seems more impactful and dramatic than his 2 years as a state representative.

By vacating his seat, the South Side Democrat, who resigned to take a faculty position at San Antonio College, enabled House Republicans to claim a quorum with only 99 present members (rather than the normally required 100) and short-circuit a six-week Democratic walkout designed to block a GOP voting-restriction bill.

Pachecos resignation, more than six months before the 2022 Texas primary, also means well soon have a special election to fill the District 118 seat.

Given the possibility of runoffs, that could mean up to four separate District 118 election races for a candidate in the span of a few months.

At least five contenders have emerged so far  a former state representative, two former legislative aides, a local attorney and former suburban councilman.

Katie Farias, a Southside Independent School District board member and the daughter-in-law of former District 118 lawmaker Joe Farias, already planned to run in the 2022 Democratic primary before Pacheco announced his intention to resign two weeks ago. She immediately responded by declaring her candidacy for the special election.

Farias, 41, comes to the campaign with a well-honed understanding of South Side constituent concerns, after serving four years as district director for state Sen. Roland Gutierrez (going back to his time in the Texas House). She said a dedication to improving public education is at the heart and soul of her candidacy.

John Lujan, a Republican retired firefighter, is a testament to the unpredictable nature of special elections. District 118 has been reliably Democratic over the years, but Lujan pulled a big upset in January 2016, winning a special election over Tomas Uresti to fill the vacant Texas House seat.

Lujan never got to serve during a legislative session, however, because he surrendered the seat to Uresti in the November 2016 general election. Two years later, Lujan suffered a decisive general-election loss to Pacheco.

Lujan, 59, said he thought he had hung up his political gloves for good after that race. All that changed after he learned about Pachecos resignation.

Lujan said he began receiving calls of encouragement from fellow Republicans, who made the case that his name recognition could be a big asset in this special election.

One of those calls came from Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, R-Beaumont.

The speaker said that we dont know each other, but hes heard good things about me, Lujan said. He told me that we need good people to run for the Legislature.

If Lujan had any lingering uncertainty about his appetite for another campaign, the call from Phelan erased those doubts.

Frank Ramirez, 27, is easily the youngest candidate in the race, and certainly one of the most accomplished.

A self-described progressive Democrat, Ramirez grew up in District 118 and attended McCollum High School.

After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in government, Ramirez served as chief of staff and legislative director in Urestis Texas House office.

Ramirez then went on to work as the director of zoning and constituent services for City Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, a job he held up until this past week.

All of my experience accumulated, Ramirez said. It made sense for me to throw my hat in this race. I have the legislative experience, I have the policy experience, and from what I know Im the only candidate that does have any relevant experience that would translate directly to the House floor.

Like Ramirez, personal-injury attorney Desi Martinez, 47, is a first-time candidate.

The product of a military family, Martinez spent part of his youth in El Paso, went to law school at the University of Oklahoma and was living near Tampa, Fla., in 2005 when his San Antonio-based mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

So he relocated to help her through her crisis. After having 90 percent of her pancreas removed, she made a strong recovery and continues to be healthy.

Martinez said hes driven by a determination to boost the South Sides perennially challenged school districts, advocate for veterans and fight for Medicaid expansion in Texas.

Adam Salyer, 44, was on the District 118 ballot only nine months ago as the Republican challenger to Pacheco, losing the 2020 general election by 17 percentage points.

A former Universal City council member, Salyer has defined himself as pro-life, pro-Constitution, pro-God, pro-country.

He will be an extreme long shot in a crowded field that may yet become more crowded.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
There are some things that should never be said. Irresponsible and reckless comparisons to the Holocaust are at the top of the list.

In recent weeks, however, a rash of mind-numbing Holocaust comments have been uttered by people who should know better. Take Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who compared the Biden administration to Nazi storm troopers, saying in a Fox News interview, What the Biden administration is doing with Facebook and Twitter and Google is the same thing.

What is the Biden administration doing? Trying to get social media to curb erroneous information about COVID-19. For that they become storm troopers? The senator needs to go back to the history books.

Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene referenced the Holocaust in May, saying on Twitter that vaccinated employees get a vaccination logo just like the Nazis forced Jewish people to wear a gold star. Such comments trivialize what it truly meant for European Jews to have a wear a yellow  not gold  star. Back to the history books for her, too.

Then, there is U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who derided public health workers conducting door-to-door vaccination efforts, tweeting, Biden has deployed his Needle Nazis to Mesa County. I doubt Boebert has any history books to consult.

A letter from Jewish and non-Jewish constituents in Colorado to Boebert pointed out that trivializing the Holocaust to score cheap political points is insulting to the memory of those who were murdered.

To hear from a Holocaust survivor about Boebert and others, I spoke to Eric Cahn, 83, of Denver. Cahn was born a German Jew in 1938 in Mannheim, Germany. When he was 2, he, his parents and sister were shipped to a detention camp called Camp de Gurs. Two years later, he and his sister were smuggled out of the camp by the French Resistance, and Cahn was hidden in the basement of the home of a French Christian family.

His father survived Auschwitz. His mother died there.

Its very frightening, Cahn said about Boeberts comments. It harkens back to the 1930s in Nazi Germany. Its horrible to hear.

She and Marjorie Taylor Greene and others have been horrible in what they have done, he added. We have to stand up and speak out and not be like the German people in the 1930s. Its people who stand by and do nothing that allowed the Nazis to do what they did.

Cahns concern is that Lauren Boebert will be re-elected and continue doing what shes doing.

Why do Boebert and others speak so carelessly about the Holocaust? I wonder if they just dont know what the Holocaust really was. Maybe they dont know that 6 million Jews and 5 million others, including homosexuals, Blacks, Jehovahs Witnesses, Roma, the physically and mentally disabled, intellectuals, and Communists, were deliberately murdered by the German Nazi regime from 1933-1945.

Maybe they dont know the process by which the Holocaust was carried out. Nor, perhaps, do they know, beyond Adolf Hitler, the names of the people and organizations that conducted this systematic annihilation.

Nor, perhaps, do they know the reason for the Holocaust, which was chiefly the Nazi desire to elevate a German Aryan master race and to eliminate inferior others.

My suspicions that many dont know Holocaust history are not far-fetched. According to a recent report by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, 45 percent of adults cannot name a single concentration camp or ghetto, despite there having been more than 40,000 camps and ghettos in Europe.

Among the university courses I taught was one on the social history of the Holocaust. I bet Cruz, Greene and Boebert never took such a course. If they had, they wouldnt be so sloppy in making callous Holocaust references. And if Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz was more enlightened, he wouldnt have invited a Holocaust denier to the 2018 State of the Union, either.

I have been to the extermination camps in Poland, and to concentration camps there and in Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine. To be on that soil, to occupy that space, produces a strong sense of the terror that was the Holocaust.

The Holocaust is not something to be trivialized or diminished. Shame on those who do so.

Roger C. Barnes is professor emeritus of sociology at the University of the Incarnate Word.
Negotiators for the city and police union met for only an hour Friday and reached tentative agreements on just two items in their ongoing attempts to craft a new contract. But city officials expressed optimism that with two meetings planned in the next three weeks, a deal is within sight.

At last count, the city and the San Antonio Police Officer Association remain deadlocked on about 15 items in their 140-page contract. While most sticking points are minor, a few are contentious, including wages and the disciplinary process for officers accused of misconduct.

During Fridays meeting, negotiators came to tentative understandings on two elements: working hours and a tweak to one aspect of the disciplinary process referred to as the 180-day rule.

The two sides had reached a compromise on the rule a few months ago that allows the police chief to punish officers for major misconduct within 180 days of learning about it, rather than 180 days after the misconduct occurred, while leaving so-called minor misconduct subject to the existing 180-day rule.

The two sides on Friday agreed to a minor change regarding whom officers should report misconduct to. The union proposed that such reports be made to a captain, rather than a deputy chief, because a captain is more accessible, which the city agreed to. Alternatively, officers can report wrongdoing to the departments Professional Standards Section.

Were making progress in terms of layering down the issues, said Maria Villagomez, deputy city manager and head of the citys negotiating team, noting that meetings are scheduled for Aug. 30 and Sept. 8. Those two meetings will be telling in how close we are to a deal.

The two parties have met about 15 times since mid-February, when negotiations started. Their current agreement expires at the end of September, though an evergreen clause keeps most that contracts terms in place for eight years.

Though an agreement has been elusive, the two sides have made noteworthy progress. It took the city and the police union more than two years of intermittent and often contentious negotiations before settling on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement in 2016.

On ExpressNews.com: City of San Antonio, police union agree on contract terms

During that time, the two sides traded countless proposals. They seemed near a deal in fall 2015, but things fell apart after the city insisted on eliminating the contracts evergreen clause.

At one point, the city filed lawsuits against the police union, as well as the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association, asking the court to declare the evergreen clause a violation of the Texas Constitution.

Later, after the two sides reached an agreement, the city dropped its lawsuit.

This time, the city and police union have made headway on several key aspects of the contract, though they are futher apart on the appeals process for officers fired or disciplined for misconduct, as well as the scope of authority granted to third-party arbitrators who hear such appeals.

Throughout the proceedings, city negotiators have said they want to limit arbitrators ability to overturn Police Chief William McManus disciplinary decisions.

By various estimates, about two-thirds of fired officers who appealed their terminations in the past decade have returned to the force  reinstated either by McManus to avoid a drawn-out appeals process or by independent arbitrators.

On ExpressNews.com: Contract talks between San Antonio and police union stall - yet again - over officer discipline

Last month, the city proposed language that would bar an arbitrator from overturning the chiefs decision to fire an officer unless the officer establishes that his or her conduct did not amount to a substantial shortcoming.

Substantial shortcoming was defined as conduct that is detrimental to effective law enforcement or conduct that the community would recognize as good reason to fire an officer.

The union offered a counterproposal that the city said shifted more of the burden onto the city and no longer deferred adequately to the chiefs discretion.

On Friday morning, however, the two sides did not discuss the scope of an arbitrators authority, as had been expected. Villagomez said she expects to do so during the next meetings.

The language from the city and union on the arbitration part of the contract is very similar, Villagomez said. The difference is who proves the substantial shortcoming.

In addition to modifying the 180-rule on Friday, negotiators discussed off-duty employment, hours of work, and sick and family leave.

Villagomez said the two sides have been able to make considerable progress, in part, because the union has changed its ways since the last round of negotiations.

I think the new team that the association has in place has a very different approach from the team we negotiated with from 2014 to 2016, she said. A very different team, a very different approach.

eeaton@express-news.net
The Northern Irish government has started to issue 2.7 million support payments for those farmers who were impacted by extreme flooding and landslides in 2017.

Farmers in the Glenelly area of County Tyrone will receive support of over 100,000 per business for losses incurred and to help restore land for agriculture use.

The extreme flooding caused devastating landslides in the Glenelly Valley during the summer of 2017.

For years, those impacted had highlighted the extent of their financial losses and the challenges faced in restoring their land back to productivity.

Farming businesses affected had also raised the negative impact this unique severe weather event had on them both emotionally and mentally.

The NI Department of Agriculture (DAERA) Farming Minister Edwin Poots opened the 2.7m support scheme for farmers last month.

It is believed more than 200 farms were eligible for the one-off financial payment.

It is capped at 106,323 per farm business and wasavailable for farmers who applied for a Force Majeure in respect of the flooding incident.

Minister Poots said: Earlier this year I visited farmers in the North West whose farms were impacted by the flooding and landslides as a result of Storm Lorenzo.

"I heard about the challenges they faced at the time and the work required since then to restore land back to productivity.

"There is no doubt that it was a severely stressful time for those farmers, both financially and emotionally.

As a result, I was very keen to provide some financial support to compensate for their loss of income and restoration costs.

"I subsequently announced, in July, that I had allocated funding to support farmers in the area and Im pleased that 200 farmers in the North West will begin to receive payments from my Department this week.

The Ulster Farmers' Union said it was 'pleased' that farmers would 'finally get the financial support they need.'

The union had lobbied continuously to get support secured for those who completed majeure forms.

President Victor Chestnutt said: We witnessed first-hand the ongoing devastation to their farm businesses because of the severe weather event almost four years ago.

"While the emotional distress of the past number of years cannot be undone, we hope that the funding provides relief after experiencing such financial loss for so long and that the farming families affected can now move forward."
Image: Shutterstock



You need this if youre planning a road trip in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia



If youve always loved a road trip, youre good to travel in the new normal. A road trip is one of the best ways to control all the different sanitation and social distancing elements that we need to keep in place as we go forth and travel in this new world of ours. Whether youre driving alone, or going en famille, or even with your girl gang, a journey by car, whether in your own vehicle or one rented from a company that you know follows all the necessary sanitation protocols, is a great way to make the experience about the journey, not just the destination. It comes with the added advantage of allowing you to travel at your own pace, to stop where you like, when you like, and to pump money into the local economy  always a good thing in terms of conscious travel.



Now transfer all that gyaan to foreign shores. A road trip is a great idea anywhere in the world  all you need to do is get yourself an international driving license, take a crash course in local driving norms, and youre good to get an up close-and-very-personal experience of the destination youre exploring.





Image: marcinjozwiak/Pixabay

Which is why you will like this news: Skyscanner, the global travel search engine so beloved of travellers who love a good deal, and Inspirock, a free trip itinerary planner, have partnered up to create an online tool called Road Trips to help travellers on their next driving holidays through the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.



Said Anoop Goyal, CEO, and co-founder of Inspirock, in a statement, Weve created the ultimate tool for personalised road trips. Travellers today seek more than just the logistics of where to stay and the best route to get from A to B and B to C  they want to make the most of their precious holiday time by maximising their enjoyment of activities and experiences along the way, and that are tailored to them.

The road trips tool comes with all the info you need when you get behind the wheel on holiday. Choose from four themes  family, culture, outdoors, and romantic  and the planner will help you with every step, providing rental car and accommodation options as well as activities you could add to your itinerary through your trip.

Image: Avinash Patel/Pexels

Keep in mind that since this tool is not available in India yet, you need to log into the Skyscanner website of the country youre travelling to to access the road trips tool, like here for the USA.

This writer just had a wonderful time plotting a three-day trip with family from New York to Washington.

Also see: Take a road trip from Delhi to Rann of Kutch
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Akshay Kumar starrer Bell Bottom released in cinemas and the actors film is being loved by moviegoers who love watching big budget action films on the big screen. The performances by the ensemble cast is being praised and Lara Duttas performance is particularly pointed out when one talks about great performances in the film. However, did you know that it was Akshay Kumar who had suggested Laras name for the film.







Lara Dutta plays the late PM  Mrs Indira Gandhi in the film. Her make-up makes her look like Mrs Indira Gandhi unbelievably, but the actress even gets the Iron Ladys stature and personality bang-on too. Well, one needs to thank Akshay Kumar for this casting, as he was the one who suggested her name and even tried to convince the actress to do the role.





Today, as Akshay Kumar spoke to Bombay Times, the actor narrated the tale of how he got the actress on board. He said, For some reason, she (Lara Dutta) was the first person who came to my mind. I remember calling her up and telling her about this film that I was doing and that we were casting for the role of Indira Gandhi in it. I wanted her to consider it. And she started laughing and refused to believe I was seriously asking her to consider it. For the longest time, she thought I was playing a prank as she saw no similarity between the two whatsoever. But then I explained to her what the role entailed and why I felt she could do justice to it. And she, along with the brilliance of make-up artist Vikram Gaikwad and his team, did exactly that.






There is a lot of buzz about Kartik Aaryan headlining the remake of Ala Vaikunthapurramloo and the makers prepping for the film. Today E Times gets us some more news about the film and also almost confirms that Kartik has found his leading lady in Kriti Sanon.







Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon will team up for the remake which is being called Shehzada and the film will be backed by Ekta Kapoor and helmed by Rohit Dhawan. Now according to reports the two actors will start shooting for the film from November and kickstart the journey. Kriti Sanon was in the running for the lead of this film along with other two actresses, however the actress was fixed with some date issues. But now looks like, Kriti has cleared out her dates and the makers are keen to have her and lock the film. Neither the makers nor the actors have made anything official, but sources strongly suggest that the film is set to be rolled out.


Today India celebrates the festival of Onam and our hunk Vicky Kaushal surely had a great Onam lunch. The actor took to his Instagram to share a picture from his Onam lunch and we get to know that the Uri actor celebrated the festival with Malavika Mohanan.







Vicky Kaushal shared a cute click with Malavika and we see them in a warm embrace. Vicky wears a cute expression as he hugs Malavika and is seen in casuals, Malavika on the other hand is seen in red Indian wear and looks stunning. Vicky captioned the picture saying, Jaadu ki jhappi for my host and dost @malavikamohanan. Now looks like Vicky surely had a great lunch but netizens have got intrigued about this. Few years back there were rumours that Malavika and Vicky Kaushal were dating. The rumours had spread like wildfire and soon even died down. But now looking at these pictures, Vicky Kaushals fans and netizens are left intrigued.
SYDNEY, Aug. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kalkine Media is organising the next edition of the 'INVEST NEST' webinar series, titled '2 Must Know ASX listed Emerging Stories', on August 26, 2021.

There are two emerging companies-Australia-based silica sand explorer?VRX Silica Limited and specialist financial services provider?Fiducian Group Limited-that are making a mark in the Australian market. The panel consists of Managing Director of VRX Silica, Mr. Bruce Maluish and Executive Chairman of the Fiducian Group Mr. Indy Singh. Both VRX Silica and Fiducian Group are Kalkine's valued clients.

The webinar will help potential investors discover valuable information as top leaders of the companies navigate through insightful business information and discuss emerging themes in the Australian market.

Emerging companies

VRX Silica is a silica sand exploration company, which has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 2011. It is the only ASX-listed, pure-play silica sand firm, which possesses advanced development assets with more than 100 years of production life. Mr. Maluish will discuss the success story and future plans of VRX Silica, which has been on the investors' radar.

The Fiducian Group is an ASX-listed specialist financial services organisation providing platform administration, funds management and financial planning with underlying in-house fintech capabilities. The company's success is underpinned by the accumulated knowledge and experience gained across the business areas. Mr. Singh will trace the journey of Fiducian Group, which provides premium wealth services and solutions to its clients.

About Kalkine Media

Kalkine Media operates across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK and the US. It aims to keep its readers abreast of the latest and trending news on the equity and commodity markets, the unravelling economy and other business developments.

Contact: honey.bhargava@kalkinepr.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1341740/Kalkine_Logo.jpg
CHAM, Switzerland, Aug. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With an aim to bring an ethical revolution in cryptocurrency, Caizcoin is set to create history with its first-ever crypto trading platform built upon Islamic banking and finance rules. From business moguls to ordinary people, everyone today is talking about cryptocurrency. What's lacking in the current market is an Islam DeFi ecosystem that caters to the needs of those who want to conduct their digital financing operations in a safe and morally backed environment. Well, that's what the caiz developers are after. They have developed a Muslim cryptocurrency that will enable every individual from all around the globe to experience seamless crypto trading without worrying about anything else. Their new website was recently launched to enhance the user experience and enable easy navigation.

"Caiz' is derived from the Arabic word "Jaiz," which means permissible or legal. Caizcoin is a legal cryptocurrency that is launched to impart innumerable financial benefits and utilities. Islamic principles are pretty stringent and community-centric in banking and finance, which makes their adoption in advanced blockchain technology extremely difficult. The caiz team found this contention an unfair ground to restrict Muslim ummah from enjoying the state-of-art technology and so developed a platform that is a perfect amalgam of Islamic virtues and blockchain technology.

Caizcoin was developed in 2018 by Caiz Holding AG and a group of highly-spirited developers who wanted to revolutionize the crypto space. Caiz Holding AG is a long-term investment company that focuses on new technology and drives innovative initiatives to create sustainable economic and social values for its stakeholders. Their management comprises famous lawyers, former board members and judge-notaries, compliance and audit officers, a lawyer as their secretary and other legal personalities. Caizcoin is a 100% subsidiary of Caiz Holding AG based in Cham, Switzerland.

The crypto world is known for its volatility and malicious practices surfacing in different forms and shapes now and then. At such times, Caizcoin's efforts in building a moral platform will prove to be highly beneficial for small investors who are wandering for safe opportunities. The Crypto Company has made it clear on various occasions that their innovative financial solution will help the moslem crypto community in multiplying the results of their financial endeavours and would be advantageous for any other individual, irrespective of his background or religious affinity. The aim is to break the territorial boundary and build a community of like-minded people who agree to be driven by Islamic prudential rules. Since Islamic finance needs the express inclusion of moral and ethical principles, the Caizteam has obtained various certificates that make their venture more legitimate. Zertifikate ISO9001 is one such document that provides the necessary assurance of its legitimacy.

The developer team of Caizcoin has worked closely with international scholars, renowned economists, business specialists, and tech experts to build their advanced blockchain - Caizchain. It comes with meager transaction costs, distributed ledger, a top-notch consensus algorithm, and a transaction speed that surpasses all the popular blockchains functioning

today. Since Caizcoin is all about easing the financial operation of their community, they have devised a user-intuitive interface and rigorously tested their API on various parameters to ensure high-quality performance and scalability. The website recently underwent a complete makeover, and the team added a new whitepaper and lightpaper to allow potential investors to grasp a deep understanding of their vision and goals.

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Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 79F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

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Mostly cloudy skies. Scattered thunderstorms this morning. High around 90F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. A few clouds. Low 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Seen Group has launched its micro-influencer network, Community x Seen, in the United States after a successful launch in the United Kingdom.

Related: Credo for Change Mentorship Unveils Class of 2021

Community x Seen is said to connect beauty fans with major beauty brands they otherwise wouldnt be able to reach.

For brands, Community x Seen is a tool to stay ahead of emerging trends, offering the opportunity to connect directly with beauty enthusiasts not only to inspire content creation but also to glean first-hand insights from the beauty audience.

Community x Seen launched in the United Kingdom one year ago. The engagement levels and both brand's and consumer's demand convinced the company that the concept was now ready to launch in the United States.

With access to Community x Seen, brands can access consumer data and insights, which can be incorporated into their wider marketing strategies and support higher ROIs.

To be part of the community, members must be beauty enthusiasts that produce high-quality content with a unique point of view. Brands can then draw upon these unique skill sets and perspectives for creative campaigns.

Members of the community are segmented into categories based on their interests, platform, location, age and more, which allows brands to be highly targeted when seeking out influencers to work with, ensuring a good fit for the brands audience.

Commenting on the U.S. launch, Natasha Hulme, global strategy director for Seen Group, said: The face of beauty is changing and rightly becoming increasingly diverse and inclusive. There is a new type of beauty micro-influencer who fans recognize as being like me which gives them an authenticity and trusted expert status that may not automatically follow from other influencers with huge followings. We created Community x Seen to provide a platform for real, representative points of view from people that know what its like to have to go to the drugstore to stock up or have to put on their face while their loved ones or housemates are hammering on the bathroom door. In return, major beauty brands get to talk directly with real beauty fans from all walks of life and stay ahead of new trends in the market while building a grassroots army of advocates who are genuinely choosing to use their products.
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NEW YORK, Aug. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NFT platform Unique Network announced today that it has been selected by the United Nations accredited Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) and the International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI GLOCHA) as the lead tech partner for DigitalArt4Climate, its latest initiative to help combat climate change. Unique Network is an NFT Chain that is expanding the capabilities for non-fungible tokens through its more efficient and scalable proof-of-stake solution, currently built for the Kusama and Polkadot blockchains.



As the climate crisis continues to escalate, it is imperative that the young people of the world are brought into the solution-making process. To this end, the United Nations has recognized NFT technology as a unique new medium for creative expression that can help amplify messages about climate action. NFTs are a way for artists to monetize their work on a global scale and continue to receive payments for their work long after it is sold. Artists anywhere can reach an international audience of collectors who support their work, and the UN wants to bring this art form to the next generation of creators who stand to benefit from a technology that can help them amplify their work.

DigitalArt4Climate aims to empower young artists, designers, and activists worldwide to create art that can inspire people to take action against the global climate crisis. Technology has long been a resource for activism, and NFTs represent a new medium that is optimized for the digital age. Unique Network will create and host DigitalArt4Climates NFT marketplace for these artists and web designers to showcase their artwork. The marketplace will be built on Unique Networks ready-to-use suite of NFT solutions that uses blockchain technology that is optimized for energy efficiency and low carbon impact.

To address the climate crisis, the United Nations understands the need to use any tool available to inspire people to commit to serious action on climate change, says Miroslav Polzer, the founder and CEO of GLOCHA. We believe that uniting digital innovations (IoT, data marketplaces, NFTs) with social innovations (new forms of multi-stakeholder cooperation) will lead to scalable and high participatory systems. We have found Unique Network's innovative and flexible infrastructure to be the leading platform that will help us deliver high impact climate action. With this initiative we will drive the benefits of a society-wide mobilization of resources and peoples energies to make a sustainable world happen.

Unique Network has joined DigitalArt4Climate to lead the technical implementation of the program, alongside partner organizations GLOCHA, UN-Habitat, Social Alpha Foundation, Exquisite Workers, and Palette 69. SAF will provide mentorship sessions for artists and sponsor the winner awards. Exquisite Workers is the lead creative and content partner for the initiative while Pallette69 is leading UX/UI mentorship for Designathon.

We are excited to demonstrate that the ethos of distributed ledger technologies and open data can be used to support change agents in identifying climate actions they can make, says Alexander Mitrovich, CEO of Unique Network. Unique Network is extremely proud to collaborate with key United Nations associated initiatives, the global body for challenging paradigms and ensuring equity for a just transition. We believe that the future of human expression will be through sustainable NFTs, and we are dedicated to showing the world how it can unite our disparate communities in the fight to save our planet.

The first component of this initiative was a Designathon, a design competition started in July that saw UX/UI designers compete to create the digital art gallery and marketplace that will showcase the second component of this initiative, DigitalArt4Climates Art Competition. Starting on International Youth Day, August 12, young artists will be able to submit their work on the initiatives website. At the end of the competition, the submissions will be put up for auction on the DigitalArt4Climate marketplace. The advanced features of Unique Network will allow for building in flexible revenue models for individual artists.

About Unique Network

Unique Network is a foundation for the next generation of NFTs. The NFT chain for Kusama and Polkadot, it offers developers and creators independence from network-wide transaction fees and upgrades.

About Global Challenges Action Network (GLOCHA)

GLOCHA is a youth-focused, UN-accredited civil society organization based in Austria. IAAIs mission since 1999 has been to set up an ecosystem for the GLOCHA, and a corresponding intellectual, technological, and institutional infrastructure for societal engagement in the implementation of sustainable development goals for the environment.

About UN-Habitat Programme

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the UNs program for human settlements and sustainable urban development. UN-Habitat operates in +90 countries to promote transformative change in cities and human settlements through knowledge, policy advice, technical assistance, and collaborative action.

About Social Alpha Foundation

Social Alpha Foundation is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting blockchain education, outreach, and projects to empower communities utilizing blockchain technology for social good.

About Exquisite Workers

Exquisite Workers is a curated social media platform, creative consultancy, and the largest NFT community of artists (572 creators from 50 countries).

About Palette 69

Palette 69 is a design services company from India founded in 2015.

Media inquiry: jo@serotonin.co








HOUSTON and SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 16, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Buckeye Partners, L.P. (Buckeye) and OCI Solar Power, LLC (OCI Solar Power) announced today that Buckeye has acquired a 270 MW, construction-ready solar project (Project Parker) from OCI Solar Power.



Project Parker includes two sites that are located on adjacent land in Falls County, Texas. OCI Solar Power has secured site control and completed all permitting and electrical interconnection agreements. Buckeye plans to start project design and construction later this year with the goal of bringing the project online in first quarter 2023.

Buckeyes investment in Project Parker is an example of our strategy to drive sustainable value for our customers while playing an essential role in the energy transition, said Buckeye President and CEO Clark Smith. As we continue to evolve into a more diversified energy company, acquisitions like Project Parker represent an opportunity to invest in growth that aligns with our business and ESG priorities, and leverages our existing expertise and capabilities.

Having developed 650 MW DC of currently operational solar projects in Texas, OCI Solar Power made the key strategic decision several years ago to develop more in Texas with an emphasis on projects that can meet the electricity demands of population centers in the eastern half of the state. Our strategy is now being rewarded by the market, and the sale of Project Parker to such a well-respected energy company like Buckeye further validates our approach, said Charles Kim, President & CEO. Now were eager to see Project Parker move forward into the construction phase.

About Buckeye Partners

Buckeye Partners, L.P., a wholly owned investment of the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, owns and operates a diversified global network of integrated assets providing liquid petroleum product logistics solutions. Across every aspect of the business  including its nearly 6,000 miles of domestic pipeline, more than 115 liquid petroleum products terminals and 127 million barrels of tank capacity  Buckeye focuses on responsibly providing world-class service to meet the changing energy needs of its customers. As part of this business priority and commitment to its customers, Buckeye is increasingly diversifying its platform to advance energy transition initiatives and decarbonization efforts. For more information about Buckeye and its ESG efforts, visit buckeye.com.

About OCI Solar Power LLC

OCI Solar Power is a leader in the solar power industry. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, OCI Solar Power develops, constructs, finances, owns, and operates solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities, specializing in utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects throughout the U.S. OCI Solar Power is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OCI Company, Ltd., a publically traded company in Korea that provides solutions to customers worldwide through business portfolios ranging from basic chemical products to solar PV generation and urban development under the vision of Global Leading Green Energy and Chemical Company. For more information, visit ocisolarpower.com.

Media Contact:

Buckeye Partners

buckeye@fticonsulting.com
NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of RenovaCare, Inc. (OTC: RCAR) between August 14, 2017 and May 28, 2021, inclusive (the Class Period) of the important September 14, 2021 lead plaintiff deadline.



SO WHAT: If you purchased RenovaCare securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the RenovaCare class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2123.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than September 14, 2021. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) at the direction of the Companys Chairman, Harmel Rayat, RenovaCare engaged in a promotional campaign to issue misleading statements to artificially inflate the Companys stock price; (2) when the OTC Markets inquired, RenovaCare and Rayat issued a materially false and misleading press release claiming that no director, officer, or controlling shareholder had any involvement in the purported third partys promotional materials; (3) as a result of the foregoing, RenovaCares disclosure controls and procedures were defective; and (4) as a result, defendants statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked reasonable basis at all relevant times. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the RenovaCare class action, go to http://www.rosenlegal.com/cases-register-2123.html or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

lrosen@rosenlegal.com

pkim@rosenlegal.com

cases@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FT Portfolios Canada Co. (First Trust Canada), announced today that the cap, buffer and dates for the next Target Outcome Period for the First Trust Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF  August (TSX: AUGB.F) (the fund or August Buffer ETF) are as follows:



TICKER CAP BUFFER OUTCOME PERIOD AUGB.F 11.64% (Gross) 10% 23/08/2021  19/08/2022

The initial Target Outcome Period for AUGB.F concluded on August 20, 2021 and the upside cap for the new Target Outcome Period has been reset to prevailing market conditions.

The fund seeks an outcome that provides investors with returns (before fees, expenses and taxes) that match the price return of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY or underlying ETF), up to a predetermined upside cap, while providing a buffer against potential SPY losses. The fund is managed and sub-advised by Cboe Vest Financial LLC (Cboe Vest) using a target outcome strategy or pre-determined target investment outcome. To achieve its investment objectives, the ETF will under normal market conditions invest substantially all of its assets in FLexible EXchange Options that reference the price return of the Underlying ETF.

If an investor purchases hedged units after the first day of the Target Outcome Period, they will likely have a different return potential than an investor who purchased hedged units at the start of the Target Outcome Period and the buffer the fund seeks may not be available.

First Trust Canada believes a buffer against a level of losses can help investors stay invested during volatile times. The fund offers a way to gain access to outcome-based investingspecifically to buffer against a level of downside risk while allowing growth to a maximum cap eliminating bank credit risk, in a convenient, flexible investment vehicle.

Karan Sood and Howard Rubin, of Cboe Vest, serve as a portfolio managers for the fund. The portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for making investment management decisions for the fund.

For further information: Media Contact: Karl Cheong FT Portfolios Canada Co., 40 King Street West, Suite 5102, Email: karlcheong@firsttrust.ca, 1-877-622-5552.

About First Trust

First Trust Canada is the trustee, manager and promoter of the fund. First Trust Canada and its affiliates First Trust Advisors L.P. (FTA), portfolio advisor to the fund, an Ontario Securities Commission registered portfolio manager and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment advisor, and First Trust Portfolios L.P., a FINRA registered broker-dealer, are privately held companies that provide a variety of investment services. FTA has collective assets under management or supervision of approximately U.S. $207 billion as of July 31, 2021 through unit investment trusts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, mutual funds and separate managed accounts. For more information, visit www.firsttrust.ca .

About Cboe Vest:

Cboe Vest is the creator of Target Outcome Investments, which strive to buffer losses, amplify gains or provide consistent income to a diverse spectrum of investors. Today, Cboe Vests Target Outcome StrategiesTM are available in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), unit investment trusts (UITs), collective investment trusts (CITs), and customizable managed accounts / sub-advisory services. For more information about Cboe Vest and the evolution of Target Outcome Investments, visit www.cboevest.com or contact Linda Werner at lwerner@cboevest.com or 703-864-5483.

There may be commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses associated with ETF investments. ETFs are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Please read the prospectus of the fund before investing. Contact FT Portfolios Canada at 1-877-622-5552 or visit www.firsttrust.ca to obtain a copy of the prospectus and ETF Facts for the fund.

Important Information

The information presented is not intended to constitute an investment recommendation for, or advice to, any specific person. Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients

Cboe is a registered trademark of Cboe Exchange, Inc., which has been licensed for use in the name of the funds. The funds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or marketed by Cboe Exchange, Inc. or any of its affiliates (Cboe) or their respective third-party providers, and Cboe and its third-party providers make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in the funds and shall have no liability whatsoever in connection with the funds.

First Trust Advisors L.P. is the portfolio advisor to the funds. First Trust Advisors L.P. is an affiliate of FT Portfolios Canada Co., the trustee, manager and promoter of the funds. Financial advisors are responsible for evaluating investment risks independently and for exercising independent judgment in determining whether investments are appropriate for their clients.

Further information about First Trust Canadas ETFs can be found at www.firsttrust.ca .

CONTACT:

Karl Cheong

First Trust Portfolios Canada (416) 865-8053

karlcheong@firsttrust.ca




Governor Northam Announces Wood Products Expansions in Southwest Virginia

Woodgrain Inc. investment to create 100 new jobs in Grayson and Smyth Counties, increase purchases of Virginia-grown forest products

RICHMONDGovernor Ralph Northam today announced that Woodgrain Inc., a manufacturer of wood moulding and trim, will invest nearly $9 million to expand its operations in Smyth County and invest more than $8 million to purchase and expand the former Independence Lumber sawmill in Grayson County. These projects will create 100 new jobs, save 80 existing jobs, and increase purchases of Virginia-grown forest products.

Forestry is the Commonwealths third-largest private industry, supporting more than 107,000 jobs in our rural communities and providing an economic impact of $21 billion annually, said Governor Northam. Woodgrain continues to bring welcomed employment opportunities and capital investment to Southwest Virginia, supporting my administrations goal to bring economic vitality to all corners of the Commonwealth. Im thankful to Woodgrain for their commitment to Virginia forest products and look forward to continued partnership in the future.

These two projects will lead to the creation of 100 new jobs in the region and will save 80 jobs at Independence Lumber, which is Grayson Countys largest private employer. When the sawmill upgrades in Grayson County are complete, it will become the primary supplier for the companys Smyth County operation. This will allow Woodgrain to source 90 percent of its new forest products needs from the Commonwealth, leading to the purchase of an additional nine million board feet of Virginia-grown forest products over the next three years.

Woodgrain, a family-owned business based in Idaho, is one of the largest millwork companies in the world. They produce and distribute high-quality lumber, mouldings, doors, and windows at 27 facilities employing more than 3,500 individuals nationwide. In addition to millwork manufacturing, Woodgrain owns and manages forestlands and several sawmills in the Pacific Northwest. The dimensional sawmill in Grayson County will be the companys first sawmill on the East Coast. Woodgrain plans to retain the sawmills existing employees and create 20 new jobs at the facility. In Smyth County, Woodgrain will improve its existing manufacturing facility and expand into another building, creating 80 new jobs and increasing that facilitys purchases of Virginia-grown forest products by nearly 20 percent.



New and expanding markets for Virginia forest products are vital to the sustainable management of the Commonwealths 16 million acres of forestland, said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. These major expansions by Woodgrain will not only retain and create new high-paying jobs in Southwest Virginia, but also expand important market opportunities for our landowners, leading to a healthier forest resource.

For nearly thirty years, Woodgrain has been a valued contributor to the Commonwealths forest products industry, said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. The companys additional investment in Southwest Virginia reflects the strength of Virginias workforce and favorable business environment, two of the many reasons why the Commonwealth was just named Americas Top State for Business by CNBC. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Woodgrain.

We are excited about expanding our operations and furthering our commitment to Southwest Virginia, said Woodgrain Eastern Region Millwork Manager Robb Hitch. We believe this will have a significant, positive impact on the local economy and allow us to further leverage our vertical integration by supplying lumber to our millwork location in Smyth County and throughout the Southwest. Its a win-win situation that will allow us to continue to provide best-in-class service and product.

We are very pleased to see this sawmill continue to grow and thrive in Grayson County, said Grayson County Administrator William L. Shepley. We look forward to working with Woodgrain and to the growth of employment opportunities for our citizens.

Independence Lumber has been a good partner with Grayson County for many years, said Grayson County Board of Supervisors Chair Kenneth R. Belton. And we welcome Woodgrain for many years to come.

Woodgrains continued investment at their Atkins facility shows how much they believe in their employees and our community as a whole, said Smyth County Administrator Shawn Utt. We want the company to know how much we believe in them, as well, and appreciate those investments. They have long served our County as a prime employer, and we look forward to many more years of progress and growth.

The Board of Supervisors are thrilled Woodgrain continues to show faith in Smyth County, said Smyth County Board of Supervisors Chair Charles Atkins. With Woodgrains expansion bringing 80 new jobs to our area, it will continue to support our citizens and grow our County. We look forward to continuing to work with such a strong employer in our community and wish them a long future of success.

Virginias Industrial Advancement Alliance is extremely excited to help finalize both expansions of Woodgrain Millwork in Grayson and Smyth Counties, said Virginias Industrial Advancement Alliance (VIAA) Executive Director Josh Lewis. These expansions will strengthen the supply chain in the region. Congratulations to Grayson County, Smyth County, VIAA Business Retention and Expansion staff, Virginia Economic Development Partnership project managers, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Tobacco Commission for helping deliver another big win for the region.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, and Virginias Industrial Advancement Alliance worked with Grayson and Smyth Counties to secure the project for the Commonwealth. Governor Northam approved $350,000 in awards from the Governors Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development program to secure these projects for the Commonwealth. Funding and services to support the companys employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Economic Development Partnerships Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

"This is an exciting day for Southwest Virginia, said Tobacco Commission member Sandy Ratliff. Woodgrain is an industry leader, and I am pleased that the Tobacco Commission was able to support their expansion in Smyth County that will bring new jobs and millions of dollars of investment to our region. I wish Woodgrain the best as they get their project underway, and I know they will continue to find success here in Southwest Virginia for many years to come."

Southwest Virginia is a great place to live, work, and raise a family because of companies like Woodgrain, said Senator Todd Pillion. "This investment demonstrates a special commitment to the region that will add value to Virginias forestry industry while saving existing jobs and creating new opportunities. The local economy and entire community will benefit from this exciting expansion.

"This investment by Woodgrain in Grayson County will have a tremendous impact on the County and all of Southwest Virginia, said Delegate Israel OQuinn. Independence Lumber has been a wonderful business partner in our area, and this purchase by Woodgrain will ensure that it provides more great jobs and economic benefit for our region.

I am pleased to take part in the announcement of Woodgrains second expansion in five years here in Smyth County, said Delegate Jeffrey Campbell. Woodgrain has been an integral part of this community for many years, and is poised to continue to grow and prosper. The addition of 80 new jobs with this investment is welcomed as our economy continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic and I am truly thankful for the men and women who have worked very hard, every day, at Woodgrain to make this into reality.

# # #
GREENWICH  When George Tai signed up to serve in the U.S. Navy in 1944, he did not know what the future would hold, but he believed in taking a chance for a better future.

Tai didnt expect much in the way of gratitude for his service, beyond the honorable discharge he received and the granting of American citizenship that came with it.

But an additional measure of gratitude was bestowed on the 95-year-old sailor at the Nathaniel Witherell home on Friday afternoon, when he received the Congressional Gold Medal for his wartime enlistment.

The award, in the shape of a golden coin, was presented by a member of the Chinatown post of the American Legion in New York City, after the Pledge of Allegiance and a performance of The Star-Spangled Banner. The award to Tai was presented on behalf of a grateful nation, said Thomas Ong, a member of the American Legion Post. It was a long time coming, he added.

Tai, who has limited verbal capacity while still expressive and alert, smiled and saluted his old friends from the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291 on Canal Street in lower Manhattan, who drove up from the city for the presentation.

Wonderful, wonderful, he said, his eyes brightening as he shook hands with his fellow veterans. Thank you.

Tai, who co-owned a restaurant in Westport for many years, was one of 20,000 Chinese nationals and Chinese-Americans who volunteered to serve with the U.S. military during World War II. He was a young seaman on Chinese merchant ships, traveling to New York and Baltimore regularly before his enlistment.

His son, Jack Tai, said his father decided the possibility of a future in America was worth a gamble, and he entered a recruiting station in the U.S. and got an enlistment with the Navy. A photo of his graduating class of new recruits in Virginia on display at the Witherell ceremony shows him in crisp navy blue, the only Asian sailor in his group.

Tai went into service on ships in the Pacific as a seaman in the closing days of the war in the Pacific, working in the engine room or in kitchen galleys, and he was stationed on a destroyer at one point, according to his son. His family heard little about the details of his service, said Jack Tai, a Greenwich resident. He never talked about it.

George Tai married a young woman from Guangzhou, China, Kan Lai Chang, known as Agnes, after the war, settling in New York, raising three children and working hard. Agnes worked as a seamstress, and George operated the Golden House in Westport for many years, among a number of other jobs.

Tai was a regular presence at the American Legion Hall on Canal Street. Gabe Mui, a member of the post and friend, said Tai always left an impression on those he met. Nice guy, strong voice, he always had a presence. I always called him Mr. George,  said Mui, a Vietnam veteran.

There was little recognition for Chinese-American veterans of World War II. While other ethnic groups who served with the U.S. forces in the war had been granted the Congressional Gold Medal, it took lobbying and advocacy for all Chinese-American veterans to be granted the award in 2018, when the authorization was passed by Congress and signed by then-President Donald Trump.

The civilian medal demonstrates national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions, according to the provisions of the U.S. Senate.

Karen Chan, a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, was one of those who walked the halls of Congress and burned up the phone lines to advocate for men such as Tai to gain the recognition. Her own late father was in the Army medical corps in World War II, in the China-India-Burma theater, and the award to Tai, an old family friend, was also a way of honoring her father, she said.

Our goal is to educate the public about this group of people who served, and preserve their legacy. We dont want people to forget, said Chan, a resident of Brooklyn, N.Y.

There are about a dozen World War II veterans in the Chinatown American Legion Post, their leaders said, and about 200 Chinese-American veterans alive in the country today from that war.

Jack Tai said his dad was a true American success story. He worked as a cook, waiter and bartender to provide an education for his three kids. Today, the extended family, including Tais seven great-grandchildren, have earned educations from prominent colleges and universities. Four of them are due to enroll at Greenwich Country Day School later this year, Jack Tai said, and they have all lead productive lives.

George Tai has lived with family in Greenwich since 2008, along with another residence in Battery Park City in lower Manhattan. He moved to the Witherell, the town-owned nursing home and rehab facility, in 2019. His wife recently passed away.

Jack Tai said the moment of appreciation for his dad was well-deserved. His father was first and foremost proud of his family, he said, and after that, hes most proud of his service to our country.

His son said he was grateful his father took the chance in 1944 to serve in the Navy. We wouldnt be here without his risk-taking. ... Life is about taking risks, and were all pleased he did, Tai said.

Continuing, Tai said, He worked hard  two or three jobs when I was a kid, and on weekends. Great story, coming from nothing, we grew up in a tenement in Chinatown. Were lucky we had great parents like that. Now its time for giving back.

To celebrate, the family was taking out Tai for dinner. He loves a good hamburger, his son said with a laugh.

rmarchant@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  Many town leaders were away from their desks Friday and were instead out in the community, helping to prepare for approaching storm Henri as it heads toward the Northeast.

Daniel Warzoha, emergency management director for the town of Greenwich, said he expected to see the first signs of the storm by 10 p.m. Saturday, with heavy winds and rainfall arriving just a few hours later.

He spent Friday in meetings with municipal, state and regional partners and officials, while members of the Department of Public Works were moving around Greenwich, checking for any problems that could occur when the storm hits.

Each year, storm preparation becomes an all-hands-on deck endeavor, he said, with employees from the police, fire, emergency medical services, public works, parks and recreation and land use departments all contributing to the efforts.

Storm preparation is occurring as it normally does, with town workers using a familiar checklist to ensure that all generators are working, that theres enough fuel supply and that staff members available to respond, if needed, Warzoha said.

This is a particularly busy time of year with people on vacation, so we need to know what our human resources are, and what we can expect from responses from the different departments and agencies, said Warzoha, who retired as fire chief in 2007 before taking on his current role with the town.

Weve seen this before. This is nothing new, he added. Weve been in touch with Eversource several times today about their operational plans and how theyre going to manage things. Right now, the status of the town of Greenwich Emergency Operations Center is that were in monitoring mode.

In early July, tropical storm Elsa hit Connecticut, with heavy rainfall leading to floods in low-lying areas of the town in the early morning. But the quick-moving storm was gone by mid-day and sunny skies greeted the rest of the day.

The rainfall total for Fairfield County came to 5.10 inches, according to Greenwich police. That was enough to close the town beaches for the day and flood some homes and roadways, especially along Sound Beach Avenue, in Binney Park and in parts of Old Greenwich, officials said at the time.

And the Greenwich Fire Department responded to 52 calls from residents whose homes were flooded with up to 4 feet of water, damaging furnaces, electrical systems and hot water heaters, First Selectman Fred Camillo said at the time. The most impacted areas are Old Greenwich and Riverside, with a few homes in Cos Cob and central Greenwich.

About 100 power outages were reported in Greenwich, in contrast to last year when Tropical Storm Isaias left thousands of residents in the dark for days.

As for Henri, the preparations were running smoothly, but the forecast was as clear as mud right now, he added. Early on Friday, forecasts put the storm path over eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island and Cape Cod. But later in the day, the storm appeared to be heading straight for the Nutmeg State.

His department will continue adjusting operational plans, with guidance from the National Hurricane Center.

Warzoha said hes preparing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Winds could begin impacting Connecticut after 10 p.m. Saturday, with rainfall likely to occur after midnight or 1 a.m.

Henri will likely be classified as a Category 1 Hurricane or a very strong tropical storm when it hits the area, according to the National Weather Service.

When Isaias hit the Caribbean and East Coast in August 2020, there were major power outages for an extended period locally. Henri could cause similar disruption and will likely bring a tidal surge with it, Warzoha said.

Right now, its projected (at) 2 to 4 feet, but some indications are that it could (rise) to 3 to 5 (feet), he added. And it just so happens that on Sunday, we will have a brand-new full moon, which also brings us a higher tide. So, its a double-whammy kind of thing.

After a large storm hits, the recovery phase can be challenging, Warzoha said.

Wed like people to pay attention to the emergency messaging that well put out at some point later this weekend, Warzoha said. Try and avoid getting out into the storm itself. ... One of the things we find is that people have to go see whats going on, and at that point, people get in trouble and we find that common sense isnt too common at that point.

The towns reverse 911 system sends out emergency messages by phone and through text messages and email. The Greenwich Police Departments social media pages will contain information about the storm, and the Greenwich First Selectmans social media sites will contain messages continually, he said.

tatiana.flowers@thehour.com @TATIANADFLOWERS
The tragedy of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America will never be forgotten, particularly in Greenwich, where 33 people with ties to the town were killed.

The 20th anniversary of the attacks will be remembered in town at two special ceremonies.

The first ceremony will be held at the memorial in Cos Cob Park beginning at 8:46 a.m. Sept. 11. Some family members of those who died in the attacks will attend as well as town and state elected officials, members of the military, the American Red Cross and local first responders.

Pamela Farr, who was chair of the local chapter of the American Red Cross in 2001, will deliver remarks. An honor guard will lead a procession. Attendees will be allowed place flowers at the base of the memorial, which was designed to represent the twin towers of the World Trade Center, with the names of those killed carved into an American flag along the towers.

The service will begin with a cannon shot and a ringing bell to mark the moment that the first hijacked jet hit the World Trade Center. Another bell will ring at 9:03 a.m., when another plane hit the second tower. It will ring again at 9:37 a.m., when a plane hit the Pentagon; at 10:03 a.m., for the plane crash in Shanksville, Pa.; and at 10:28 a.m. when the first tower collapsed.

The names of the 33 victims tied to Greenwich will be read during the ceremony.

Social distancing and other COVID-19 safety measures will be in place for the ceremony, organizers said.

A second ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Glenville Volunteer Fire Company station.

A piece of steel from the World Trade Center has been turned into a memorial at the fire station in tribute to those who were killed that day. The ceremony will recognize the Greenwich citizens who were killed as well as all of the first responders.

Both ceremonies are open to the public.

Downtown

Classic car fans can head out to enjoy a new show while boosting the Greenwich Police Department Scholarship Fund.

Admission will be free for the car show, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 28 at Greenwich Town Hall. The rain date is Aug. 29.

The show will include classic cars as well as antique cars, custom designs and exotic cars. There will also be motorcycles, vintage fire trucks and military vehicles for attendees to enjoy.

There is still time to display your own special car, motorcycle or other vehicle.

Preregistration, costing $20, for vehicle owners continues until Aug at www.gpdscholarshipfund.org/gpdsf-car-show. There will also be same-day registration costing $25, if the space allows. Car clubs are welcome at the event.

All proceeds will benefit the Greenwich Police Department Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that awards scholarships to the children of active GPD officers for their undergraduate studies.

The GPD is celebrating its 125th anniversary, and the car show is one of the many special events planned for 2021 with the theme of Honoring Our Past and Embracing Our Future.

We are proud that the town of Greenwich Police Department has earned the reputation of being a well-trained and responsive professional organization over the past 125 years, Chief of Police James Heavey said. We strive for excellence and have demonstrated a sustained commitment of service to the public. I am very appreciative to be a member of this family, past and present, and I am equally pleased that we can celebrate this milestone together. We look forward to the history we will write together in the years ahead.

Heavey added, As a police department, its important for us to celebrate, especially now. Its been a different year due to COVID-19 and the many other stressors police officers are dealing with every day. We want the residents of Greenwich to join us in paying tribute and recognizing our 0fficers and staff who strive to keep Greenwich safe for everyone.

The family-friendly event will also have a DJ, food trucks, a 50/50 drawing and more. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.gpdscholarshipfund.org.

Downtown

The town Commission on Aging will be collecting donations of gently used durable medical equipment next month.

The collection, organized in partnership with Wheel-It Forward, will be held at the Greenwich Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 25. The donation drive promotes sustainability and helps those in need of equipment save money.

Equipment that will be accepted includes hospital beds, wheelchairs, walkers, knee scooters, canes, crutches, shower tub seats, toilet risers and portable wheelchair ramps. Residents can also donate unopened disposable items as well as new commodes.

Donations will also be accepted at Holly Hill during its regular hours, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

Old Greenwich

Its back-to-school time for the towns students, and the First Congregational Church in Old Greenwich is readying for a new year for the youngsters who attend its First Church Preschool.

Jennifer DiCarlo became the new preschool director in February, bringing with her a vision for enhancing student learning and parent engagement, the church said in a statement.

Spaces have been revamped inside the church at 108 Sound Beach Ave. for the start of the preschool year on Sept. 9 that will promote even greater learning, according to the church.

DiCarlo redesigned the area at the center of the preschool as a reading library and educational space. A new series of bookshelves filled with childrens books, along with a sofa and comfortable carpet, will allow teachers to read aloud to students, according to the statement.

COVID-19 safety precautions will be in place for the children and teachers.

Community is at the heart of First Church Preschool, DiCarlo said in the statement. We continue to look for ways we can better serve our preschool community as we welcome our young students into a lifelong journey of learning. Expanding and upgrading our physical space, creating a school library and bringing our staff and families together through technology upgrades are just the beginning. The future really is being molded right inside of our school.

The schools red door classroom and a new pink door classroom were renovated this summer. Other changes, including new training for management and staff, have also been put in place for the 65-year-old school.

For more information on the preschool, visit firstchurchpreschool.org.

Editors note: This story has been updated to correct the date of the Glenville 9/11 memorial ceremony. It will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 10.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
BRUSSELS (AP)  NATO foreign ministers committed Friday to focus on ensuring the safe evacuation from Afghanistan of their citizens and of Afghans deemed at risk after the Taliban takeover, centering on improving operations at Kabul airport first.

Faced with continuing chaos in the capital and the exit roads, many of the 30 allied nations raised the need to work harder on how we can get more people ... into the airport, then processed and then onto the planes, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

He called that "the big, big, big challenge.

All too often over the past hours and days, planes from NATO nations have been able to get to Kabul, only to be forced to leave empty or near-empty.

Belgium, for example, sent two big C-130 planes into Kabul, but of some 500 people who had been called up to board, only some 20 were lucky enough to get on the first plane, foreign minister Sophie Wilmes said. A second plane had to return to neighboring Pakistan empty, since designated passengers could not enter the airport.

There are Taliban controls and U.S. controls which are very strict, said Wilmes.

She joined several other allies to call on the United States to secure Kabul airport for as long as it takes, even if that stretches beyond the evacuation of all U.S. nationals.

A NATO statement Friday said that as long as evacuation operations continue, we will maintain our close operational cooperation through Allied military means at the airport.

Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said she already had received such assurances.

They (the United States) have assured us that they wont withdraw from the airport until the last person requiring evacuation is out, she told Spanish public radio RNE.

Stoltenberg also insisted that the Taliban have to give free passage to any Afghan wanting to leave the country.

Beyond the immediate challenge, the NATO foreign ministers insisted that the new rulers in Kabul would have to make sure that the nation does not revert to being a center for terrorism.

We will not allow terrorists to threaten us again from Afghanistan, Stoltenberg, reminding that NATO's engagement in the nation was based on the 9/11 attacks on the U.S. in 2001.

NATO has been leading international security operations in Afghanistan since 2003 but wound up combat operations in 2014 to focus on training the country's national security forces. NATO helped build up an army of some 300,000, but that force withered under the Taliban offensive in just days.

NATO headquarters has blamed a failure of Afghan leadership for the swift collapse of the countrys Western-backed armed forces.

A year ago, NATOs Resolute Support Mission to train Afghan security forces involved around 10,000 personnel from 36 member and partner countries. Last Sunday, there were no troops under NATO command in Afghanistan.

___

Associated Press writer Barry Hatton in Lisbon contributed to this report.
Microsoft introduced Windows 11 back in June days after Insiders received the first beta. The developer has provided the first ISO of the new operating system for beta testers to download. This allows for a clean install of the OS rather than an upgrade.

Specifically, Microsoft claims that this Windows 11 version with build number 22000.132 should provide an entirely new out of the box experience (OOBE). From the minute the Windows 11 PC is powered on, the newly designed setup interface is intended to arouse excitement. Once installed, the new Get Started software should prove to be extremely useful in getting the system up and running quickly.

Anyone interested in getting started with this Windows 11 ISO must first enlist in the Windows Insider program and ensure that their computer meets the (tight) system requirements. You can sign up here (Microsoft account) and then you get a link to download the iso.






The Project Gutenberg eBook of Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2], by Isaac Weld

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2]

Author: Isaac Weld

Release Date: August 20, 2021 [eBook #66096]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

Produced by: Tim Lindell, Barry Abrahamsen, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRAVELS THROUGH THE STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, AND THE PROVINCES OF UPPER AND LOWER CANADA, DURING THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797 [VOL. 1 OF 2] ***

The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.

Travels Through the States of North America,

and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada,

During the Years 1795, 1796, and 1797, Vol. I.

TRAVELS THROUGH THE STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, AND THE PROVINCES OF UPPER AND LOWER CANADA, DURING THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797.  By ISAAC WELD, Junior .  SECOND EDITION. ILLUSTRATED AND EMBELLISHED WITH SIXTEEN PLATES.  IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I  LONDON: PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY.  1799.

iii PREFACE.

AT a period when war was spreading desolation over the fairest parts of Europe, when anarchy seemed to be extending its frightful progress from nation to nation, and when the storms that were gathering over his native country[1] in particular, rendered it impossible to say how soon any one of its inhabitants might be forced to seek for refuge in a foreign land; the Author of the following pages was induced to cross the Atlantic, for the purpose of examining with his own eyes into the

ivtruth of the various accounts which had been given of the flourishing and happy condition of the United States of America, and of ascertaining whether, in case of future emergency, any part of those territories might be looked forward to, as an eligible and agreeable place of abode. Arrived in America, he travelled pretty generally through the states of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York; he afterwards passed into the Canadas, desirous of obtaining equal information as to the state of those provinces, and of determining from his own immediate observations, how far the present condition of the inhabitants of the British dominions in America might be inferior, or otherwise, to that of the people of the States, who had now vindeed thrown off the yoke, but were formerly common members of the same extensive empire.

When abroad, he had not the most distant intention of publishing his travels; but finding on his return home, that much of the matter contained in the following letters was quite new to his friends, and being induced to think that it might prove equally new, and not wholly unacceptable to the Public, he came to the resolution of committing them to print: accordingly the present volume[2] is now offered to the world, in an humble hope, that if not entertaining to all readers, it will at least be so to some, as well as useful to future travellers.

viIf it shall appear to any one, that he has spoken with too much asperity of American men and American manners, the Author begs that such language may not be ascribed to hasty prejudice, and a blind partiality for every thing that is European. He crossed the Atlantic strongly prepossessed in favour of the people and the country, which he was about to visit; and if he returned with sentiments of a different tendency, they resulted solely from a cool and dispassionate observation of what chance presented to his view when abroad.

An enthusiastic admirer of the beauties of nature, the scenery of the countries through which he passed did not fail to attract a great part of his attention; and interspersed through viithe book will be found views of what he thought would be most interesting to his readers: they are what he himself sketched upon the spot, that of Mount Vernon, the Seat of General Washington, indeed, excepted, for which he is indebted to an ingenious friend that he met in America, and the View of Bethlehem. He has many more views in his possession; but he thought it better to furnish his Publisher with a few only, in hopes that the engraving from them would be well executed, rather than with a great many, which, had they been given, must either have been in a style unworthy of the public eye, or else have swelled the price of the volume beyond the reach of many that may now read it. Of the resemblance which these views bear to viiitheir respective archetypes, those alone can be judges who have been spectators of the original scenes. With regard to the Cataract of Niagara, however, it must be observed, that in views on so small a scale no one must expect to find a lively representation of its wonderful and terrific vastness, even were they executed by artists of far superior merit; the inserting of the three in the present work is done merely in the hope that they may help, together with the ground plan of the precipice, if it may be so called, to give a general idea of the position and appearance of that stupendous Cataract. Those who are desirous of becoming more intimately acquainted with it, will soon be gratified, at least so he has been given to understand by the artist in whose ixhands they at present are, with a set of views from the masterly pencil of Captain Fisher, of the Royal British Artillery, which are allowed by all those who have visited the Falls of Niagara, to convey a more perfect idea of that wonderful natural curiosity, than any paintings or engravings that are extant.

Finally, before the Reader proceeds to the perusal of the ensuing pages, the Author will just beg leave to apprize him, that they are the production of a very youthful pen, unaccustomed to write a great deal, far less to write for the press. It is now for the first time that one of its productions is ventured to be laid before the public eye. As a first attempt, therefore, it is humbly hoped that the xpresent work may meet with a generous indulgence, and not be too severely criticised on account of its numerous imperfections.

Dublin, 20th December 1798.

VOL. I.

Page 205 line 10, for 60 read 6. Page 381 line 7, dele there.

VOL. II.

Page 18 line 28, for take, read take on. Page 23 line 14, for houses, read storehouses. Page 171 line 4 of the note, dele not.

xi CONTENTS

To VOLUME I.  LETTER I.

Arrival on the Coast of America.Trees the first Object visible.Description of the Bay and River of Delaware.Passengers bound for Philadelphia not suffered to land till examined by the Health Officers.Arrival at Philadelphia.Poor Appearance of the City from the Water.Plan of the City.Wharfs.Public and private Buildings.Some Account of the Hospital, and of the Gaol page 1

LETTER II.

Population of Philadelphia.Some Account of the Inhabitants, their Character and Manners.Private Amusements.Americans lose their Teeth prematurely.Theatrical Amusements only permitted of late.Quakers.Presidents Levee and Drawing Room.Places of public Worship.Carriages, what Sort of, used in Philadelphia.Taverns, how conducted in America.Difficulty of procuring Servants.Character of the lower Classes of People in America page 20

LETTER III.

xii Journey to Baltimore.Description of the Country about Philadelphia.Floating Bridges over the Schuylkill, how constructed.Mills in Brandy-wine Creek.Improvement in the Machinery of Flour Mills in America.Town of Wilmington.Log Houses.Bad Roads.Fine Prospects.How relished by Americans.Taverns.Susquehannah River.Town of Baltimore.Plan of the Town.Harbour.Public and private Buildings.Inhabitants.Country between Baltimore and Washington.Execrable Roads page 31

LETTER IV.

xiii Foundation of the City of Washington.Not readily agreed to by different States.Choice of the Ground left to General Washington.Circumstances to be considered in chusing the Ground.The Spot fixed upon central to all the States.Also remarkably advantageously situated for Trade.Nature of the Back Country Trade.Summary View of the principal Trading Towns in the United States.Their Prosperity shewn to depend on the Back Country Trade.Description of the Patowmac River.Its Connection with other Rivers pointed out.Prodigious Extent of the Water Communication from Washington City in all Directions.Country likely to trade immediately with Washington.Situation of Washington.Plan of the City.Public Buildings.Some begun, others projected.Capital Presidents House.Hotel.Stone and other building Materials found in the Neighbourhood.Private Houses and Inhabitants at present in the City.Different Opinions respecting the future Greatness of the City.Impediments thrown in the Way of its Improvement.What has given rise to this page 49

LETTER V.

Some Account of Alexandria.Mount Vernon, the Seat of General Washington.Difficulty of finding the Way thither through the Woods.Description of the Mount, and of the Views from it.Description of the House and Grounds.Slaves at Mount Vernon.Thoughts thereon.A Person at Mount Vernon to attend to Strangers.Return to Washington page 90

LETTER VI.

Arrival at Philadelphia.Some Observations on the Climate of the Middle States.Public Carriages prevented from plying between Baltimore and Philadelphia by the Badness of the Roads.Left Baltimore during Frost.Met with American Travellers on the Road.Their Behaviour preparatory to setting off from an Inn.Arrival on the Banks of the Susquehannah.Passage of that River when frozen over.Dangerous Situation of the Passengers.American Travellers at the Tavern on the opposite Side of the River.Their noisy Disputations page 96

LETTER VII.

xiv Philadelphia gayer in the Winter than at any other Season.Celebration in that City of General Washingtons Birth Day.Some Account of General Washingtons Person and of his Character.Americans dissatisfied with his Conduct as President.A Spirit of Dissatisfaction common amongst them page 104

LETTER VIII.

Singular Mildness of the Winter of 1795-6.Set out for Lancaster.Turnpike Road between that Place and Philadelphia.Summary View of the State of Pennsylvania.Description of the Farms between Lancaster and Philadelphia.The Farmers live in a penurious Style.Greatly inferior to English Farmers.Bad Taverns on this Road.Waggons and Waggoners.Customs of the latter.Description of Lancaster.Lately made the Seat of the State Government.Manufactures carried on there.Rifle Guns.Great Dexterity with which the Americans use them.Anecdote of Two Virginian Soldiers belonging to a Rifle Regiment page 109

LETTER IX.

Number of Germans in the Neighbourhood of York and Lancaster.How brought over.White Slave Trade.Cruelty frequently practised in the carrying it on.Character of the German Settlers contrasted with that of the Americans.Passage of the Susquehannah between York and Lancaster.Great Beauty of the Prospects along the River.Description of York.Courts of Justice there.Of the Pennsylvanian System of Judicature page 120

xv LETTER X.

Of the Country near York.Of the Soil of the Country on each Side of the Blue Mountains.Frederic-town.Change in the Inhabitants and in the Country as you proceed towards the Sea.Numbers of Slaves.Tobacco chiefly cultivated.Inquisitiveness of the People at the Taverns.Observations thereon.Description of the Great Falls of the Patowmac River.George Town.Of the Country between that Place and Hoes Ferry.Poisonous Vines.Port Tobacco.Wretched Appearance of the Country bordering upon the Ferry.Slaves neglected.Passage of the Patowmac very dangerous.Fresh Water Oysters.Landed on a deserted Part of the Virginian Shore.Great Hospitality of the Virginians page 131

LETTER XI.

Of the Northern Neck of Virginia.First settled by the English.Houses built by them remaining.Disparity of Condition amongst the Inhabitants.Estates worked by Negroes.Condition of the Slaves.Worse in the Carolinas.Lands worn out by Cultivation of Tobacco.Mode of cultivating and curing Tobacco.Houses in Virginia.Those of Wood preferred.Lower Classes of People in Virginia.Their unhealthy Appearance page 145

xvi

LETTER XII.

Town of Tappahannock.Rappahannock River.Sharks found in it.Country bordering upon Urbanna.Fires common in the Woods.Manner of stopping their dreadful Progress.Mode of getting Turpentine from Trees.Gloucester.York Town.Remains of the Fortifications erected here during the American War.Houses shattered by Balls still remaining.Cave in the Bank of the River.Williamsburgh.State House in Ruins.Statue of Lord Bottetourt.College of William and Mary.Condition of the Students page 158

LETTER XIII.

Hampton.Ferry to Norfolk.Danger in crossing the numerous Ferries in Virginia.Norfolk.Laws of Virginia injurious to the Trading Interest.Streets narrow and dirty in Norfolk.Yellow Fever there.Observations on this Disorder.Violent Party Spirit amongst the Inhabitants.Few Churches in Virginia.Several in Ruins.Private Grave Yards page 169

LETTER XIV.

xvii Description of Dismal Swamp.Wild Men found in it.Bears, Wolves, &c.Country between Swamp and Richmond.Mode of making Tar and Pitch.Poor Soil.Wretched Taverns.Corn Bread.Difficulty of getting Food for Horses.Petersburgh.Horse Races there.Description of Virginian Horses.Style of Riding in America.Description of Richmond, Capital of Virginia.Singular Bridge across James River.State House.Falls of James River.Gambling common in Richmond.Lower Classes of People very quarrelsome.Their Mode of Fighting.Gouging page 178

LETTER XV.

Description of Virginia between Richmond and the Mountains.Fragrance of Flowers and Shrubs in the Woods.Melody of the Birds.Of the Birds of Virginia.Mocking Bird.Blue Bird.Red Bird, &c.Singular Noises of the Frogs.Columbia.Magazine there.Fire Flies in the Woods.Green Springs.Wretchedness of the Accommodation there.Difficulty of finding the Way through the Woods.Serpents.Rattle-Snake.Copper-Snake.Black Snake.South-west, or Green Mountains.Soil of them.Mountain Torrents do great Damage.Salubrity of the Climate.Great Beauty of the Peasantry.Many Gentlemen of Property living here.Monticello, the Seat of Mr. Jefferson.Vineyards.Observations on the Culture of the Grape, and the Manufacture of Wine page 193

LETTER XVI.

xviii Of the Country between the South-west and Blue Mountains.Copper and Iron Mines.Lynchburgh.New London.Armoury here.Description of the Road over the Blue Mountains.Peaks of Otter, highest of the Mountains.Supposed Height.Much over-rated.German Settlers numerous beyond the Blue Mountains.Singular Contrast between the Country and the Inhabitants on each Side of the Mountains.Of the Weevil.Of the Hessian Fly.Bottetourt County.Its Soil.Salubrity of the Climate.Medicinal Springs here.Much frequented page 209

LETTER XVII.

Description of the celebrated Rock Bridge, and of an immense Cavern.Description of the Shenandoa Valley.Inhabitants mostly Germans.Soil and Climate.Observations on American Landscapes.Mode of cutting down Trees.High Road to Kentucky, behind Blue Mountains.Much frequented.Uncouth, inquisitive People.Lexington.Staunton.Military Titles very common in America.Causes thereof.Winchester page 220

LETTER XVIII.

xix Description of the Passage of Patowmac and Shenandoah Rivers through a Break in the Blue Mountains.Some Observations on Mr. Jeffersons Account of the Scene.Summary Account of Maryland.Arrival at Philadelphia.Remarks on the Climate of the United States.State of the City of Philadelphia during the Heat of Summer.Difficulty of preserving Butter, Milk, Meat, Fish, &c.General Use of Ice.Of the Winds.State of Weather in America depends greatly upon them page 239

LETTER XIX.

Travelling in America without a Companion not pleasant.Meet two English Gentlemen.Set out together for Canada.Description of the Country between Philadelphia and New York.Bristol.Trenton.Princeton.College there.Some Account of it.Brunswick.Posaik Water-fall.Copper Mine.Singular Discovery thereof.New York.Description of the City.Character and Manners of the Inhabitants.Leave it abruptly on Account of the Fevers.Passage up North River from New York to Albany.Great Beauty of the North River.West Point.Highlands.Gusts of Wind common in passing them.Albany.Description of the City and Inhabitants.Celebration of the 4th of July.Anniversary of American Independence page 256

LETTER XX.

xx Departure from Albany.Difficulty of hiring a Carriage.Arrival at Cohoz.Description of the curious Fall there of the Mohawk River.Still-water.Saratoga.Few of the Works remaining there.Singular Mineral Springs near Saratoga.Fort Edward.Miss MCrea cruelly murdered there by Indians.Fort Ann, wretched Road thither.Some Observations on the American Woods.Horses jaded.Difficulty of getting forward.Arrive at Skenesborough.Dreadfully infested by Musquitoes.Particular Description of that Insect.Great Danger ensues sometimes from their Bite.Best Remedy page 274

LETTER XXI.

Embark on Lake Champlain.Difficulty of procuring Provisions at Farms bordering upon it.Ticonderoga.Crown Point.Great Beauty of the Scenery.General Description of Lake Champlain and the adjacent Country.Captain Thomas and his Indians arrive at Crown Point.Character of Thomas.Reach St. Johns.Description of that Place.Great Difference observable in the Face of the Country, Inhabitants, &c. in Canada and in the States.Chambly Castle.Calashes.Bons Dieux.Town of La Prarie.Great Rapidity of the River Saint Lawrence.Cross it to Montreal.Astonishment on seeing large Ships at Montreal.Great Depth of the River page 288

LETTER XXII.

xxi Description of the Town of Montreal.Of the public Buildings.Churches.Funeral Ceremonies.Convents.Barracks.Fortifications.Inhabitants mostly French.Their Character and Manners.Charming Prospects in the Neighbourhood of the Town.Amusements during Summer.Parties of Pleasure up the Mountain.Of the Fur Trade.The Manner in which it is carried on.Great Enterprise of the North West Company of Merchants.Sketch of Mr. MKenzies Expeditions over Land to the Pacific Ocean.Differences between the North West and Hudsons Bay Companies page 309

LETTER XXIII.

Voyage to Quebec down the St. Lawrence.A Bateau preferable to a Keel Boat.Town of Sorelle.Ship-building there.Description of Lake St. Pierre.Batiscon.Charming Scenery along the Banks of St. Lawrence.In what respects it differs from the Scenery along any other River in America.Canadian Houses.Sketch of the Character and Manners of the lower Classes of Canadians.Their Superstition.Anecdote.St. Augustin Calvaire.Arrive at Quebec page 331

LETTER XXIV.

xxii Situation of the City of Quebec.Divided into Upper and Lower Town.Description of each.Great Strength of the Upper Town.Some Observations on the Capture of Quebec by the English Army under General Wolfe.Observations on Montgomerys and Arnolds Attack during the American War.Census of Inhabitants of Quebec.The Chateau.The Residence of the Governor.Monastery of the Recollects.College of the Jesuits.One Jesuit remaining of great Age.His great Wealth.His Character. Nunneries.Engineers Drawing Room.State House.Armoury.Barracks.Market-place.Dogs used in Carts.Grandeur of the Prospects from Parts of the Upper Town.Charming Scenery of the Environs.Description of Montmorenci Water Fall.Of La Chaudiere Water Fall page 341

LETTER XXV.

Of the Constitution, Government, Laws, and Religion of the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada.Estimate of the Expences of the Civil List, of the Military Establishment, and the Presents to the Indians.Salaries of certain Officers of the Crown.Imports and Exports.Taxes. page 361

LETTER XXVI.

Of the Soil and Productions of Lower CanadaObservations on the Manufacture of Sugar from the Maple-tree.Of the Climate of Lower Canada.Amusements of People of all Descriptions during Winter.Carioles.Manner of guarding against the Cold.Great Hardiness of the Horses.State of the River St. Lawrence on the Dissolution of Winter.Rapid Progress of Vegetation during Spring.Agreeableness of the Summer and Autumn Seasons page 379

xxiii

LETTER XXVII.

Inhabitants of Lower Canada.Of the Tenures by which Lands are held.Not favourable to the Improvement of the Country.Some Observations thereon.Advantages of settling in Canada and the United States compared.Why Emigrations to the latter Country are more general.Description of a Journey to Stoneham Township near Quebec.Description of the River St. Charles.Of Lake St. Charles.Of Stoneham Township page 399

xxiv LIST of PLATES.

 Vol. I.

Map of the NORTHERN STATES of America Page 1 Plan of the CITY of WASHINGTON 81 View of MOUNT VERNON, the Seat of General Washington 92 American STAGE WAGGON 27 View of the Natural ROCK BRIDGE in Virginia 221 View on the HUDSON RIVER[N.B.] 268 View of the COHOZ FALL 275 Map of Upper and Lower CANADA 305 Plan of the CITY of QUEBEC 342 View of CAPE DIAMOND, from Wolfes Cove, near Quebec 346 CANADIAN CALASH or Marche-donc 306

N.B.: In some of the Impressions, by mistake, called View of the Patowmac River from Mount Vernon.

Vol. II.

An Eye Sketch of the FALLS of Niagara 118 View of the HORSE-SHOE FALL of Niagara 118  Lesser FALLS of NIAGARA 118 General View of the FALLS of Niagara 121 View of BETHLEHEM, a Moravian Settlement 355

xxvi PART of the

United States of North America.



Click on the map for a higher resolution version.

1 TRAVELS THROUGH THE STATES OF NORTH AMERICA.

LETTER I.

Arrival on the Coast of America.Trees the first Object visible.Description of the Bay and River of Delaware.Passengers bound for Philadelphia not suffered to land till examined by the Health Officers.Arrival at Philadelphia.Poor Appearance of the City from the Water.Plan of the City.Wharfs.Public and private Buildings.Some Account of the Hospital, and of the Gaol.

MY DEAR SIR, Philadelphia, November, 1795.

OUR passage across the Atlantic was disagreeable in the extreme. The weather for the most part was bad, and calms and heavy adverse gales so frequently retarded our progress to the westward, that it was not until the fifty-ninth day from that on which we left Ireland, that we discovered the American coast. I shall not attempt to describe the joy which the sight of land, a sight 2that at once relieved the eye from the uninteresting and wearisome view of sky and water, and that afforded to each individual a speedy prospect of delivery from the narrow confines of a small trading vessel, diffused amongst the passengers. You, who have yourself made a long voyage, can best imagine what it must have been.

The first objects which meet the eye on approaching the American coast, south of New York, are the tops of trees, with which the shore is thickly covered to the very edge of the water. These, at a distance, have the appearance of small islands; but as you draw nearer they are seen to unite; and the tall forest rising gradually out of the ocean, at last presents itself in all its majesty to your view. The land which we made was situated very near to the bay of Delaware, and before noon we passed between the capes Henlopen and May, which guard the entrance of the bay. The capes are only eighteen miles apart, but within them the bay expands to the breadth of thirty miles. It afterwards becomes gradually narrower, until it is lost in the river of the same name, at Bombay Hook, seven leagues distant from the Atlantic. The river Delaware, at this place, is about six miles wide; at Reedy Island, twenty miles higher up, it is three miles wide; and at Philadelphia, 3one hundred and twenty miles from the sea, one mile wide.

SHORES OF THE DELAWARE.

The shores of the bay and of the river Delaware, for a very considerable distance upwards, are low; and they are covered, like the coast, with one vast forest, excepting merely in a few places, where extensive marshes intervene. Nothing, however, could be more pleasing than the views with which we were entertained as we sailed up to Philadelphia. The trees had not yet quite lost their foliage, and the rich red and yellow tints which autumn had suffused over the leaves of the oaks and poplars appeared beautifully blended with the sombre green of the lofty pines; whilst the river, winding slowly and smoothly along under the banks, reflected in its glassy surface the varied colours of the objects on shore, as well as the images of multitudes of vessels of various sizes, which, as far as the eye could reach, were seen gliding silently along with the tide. As you approach towards Philadelphia, the banks of the river become more elevated; and on the left hand side, where they are much cleared, they are interspersed with numberless neat farm houses, with villages and towns; and are in some parts cultivated down to the very edge of the water. The New Jersey shore, on the right 4hand side, remains thickly wooded, even as far as the city.

Vessels very commonly ascend to Philadelphia, when the wind is favourable, in twenty-four hours; but unfortunately, as our ship entered the river, the wind died away, and she had to depend solely upon the tide, which flows at the rate of about three miles only in the hour. Finding that the passage up to the city was likely therefore to become tedious, I would fain have gone on shore far below it; but this the captain would not permit me to do. By the laws of Pennsylvania, enacted in consequence of the dreadful pestilence which raged in the capital in the year 1793, the master of any vessel bound for that port is made subject to a very heavy fine, if he suffers any person from on board her, whether mariner or passenger, to go on shore in any part of the state, before his vessel is examined by the health officer: and any person that goes on shore, contrary to the will of the master of the vessel, is liable to be imprisoned for a considerable length of time. In case the existence of this law should not be known on board a vessel bound for a port in Pennsylvania, it is the business of the pilot to furnish the matter and the passengers on board with copies of it, with which he always comes provided. The 5health officer, who is a regular bred physician, resides at Mifflin Fort, four miles below the city, where there is a small garrison kept. A boat is always sent on shore for him from the ship. After having been tossed about on the ocean for nine weeks nearly, nothing could be more tantalizing than to be kept thus close to the shore without being permitted to land.

PHILADELPHIA.

Philadelphia, as you approach by the river, is not seen farther off than three miles, a point of land covered with trees concealing it from the view. On weathering this point it suddenly opens upon you, and at that distance it looks extremely well; but on a nearer approach, the city makes a poor appearance, as nothing is visible from the water but confused heaps of wooden storehouses, crowded upon each other, the chief of which are built upon platforms of artificial ground, and wharfs which project a considerable way into the river. The wharfs are of a rectangular form, and built of wood; they jut out in every direction, and are well adapted for the accommodation of shipping, the largest merchant vessels being able to lie close alongside them. Behind these wharfs, and parallel to the river, runs Water-street. This is the first street which you usually enter after landing, and it does not serve to give a stranger a very favourable opinion either of the neatness or commodiousness of 6the public ways of Philadelphia. It is no more than thirty feet wide; and immediately behind the houses, which stand on the side farthest from the water, a high bank, supposed to be the old bank of the river, rises, which renders the air very confined. Added to this, such stenches at times prevail in it, owing in part to the quantity of filth and dirt that is suffered to remain on the pavement, and in part to what is deposited in waste houses, of which there are several in the street, that it is really dreadful to pass through it. It was here that the malignant yellow fever broke out in the year 1793, which made such terrible ravages; and in the summer season, in general, the street is found extremely unhealthy. That the inhabitants, after suffering so much from the sickness that originated in it, should remain thus inattentive to the cleanliness of Water-street is truly surprising; more especially so, when it is considered, that the streets in the other parts of the town are as much distinguished for the neatness that prevails throughout them, as this one is for its dirty condition.

PHILADELPHIA.

On the level plot of ground on the top of the bank which rises behind Water-street, the city of Philadelphia was originally laid out, and it was intended by the founder that no houses should have been erected at the bottom 7of it; however, as there was no positive law to this effect, the convenience of the situation soon tempted numbers to build there, and they are now encroaching, annually, on the river, by throwing wharfs farther out into the stream. In another respect also the original plan of the city was not adhered to. The ground allotted for it was in the form of an oblong square, two miles in length, reaching from the river Schuylkill to the Delaware, and one mile in breadth. Pursuant to this scheme, the houses were begun on the Delaware side; but instead of having been carried on towards the Schuylkill, the current of building has kept entirely on one side. The houses extend for two miles nearly along the Delaware, but, on an average, not more than half a mile towards the Schuylkill: this is to be attributed to the great superiority of the one river over the other. All the houses built beyond the boundary line of the oblong square are said to be in the Liberties, as the jurisdiction of the corporation does not extend to that part of the town. Here the streets are very irregularly built, but in the city they all intersect each other at right angles, according to the original plan. The principal street is one hundred feet wide; the others vary from eighty to fifty. They are all tolerably well paved with pebble stones in the middle; and 8on each side, for the convenience of passengers, there is a footway paved with red brick.

The houses within the limits of the city are for the most part built of brick; a few, and a few only, are of wood.

In the old parts of the town they are in general small, heavy, and inconvenient; but amongst those which have been lately erected, many are to be found that are light, airy, and commodious. In the whole city, however, there are only two or three houses that particularly attract the attention, on account of their size and architecture, and but little beauty is observable in the designs of any of these. The most spacious and the most remarkable one amongst them stands in Chesnut-street, but it is not yet quite finished. At present it appears a huge mass of red brick and pale blue marble, which bids defiance to simplicity and elegance. This superb mansion, according to report, has already cost upwards of fifty thousand guineas, and stands as a monument of the increasing luxury of the city of Philadelphia.

As for the public buildings, they are all heavy tasteless piles of red brick, ornamented with the same sort of blue marble as that already mentioned, and which but ill accord together, unless indeed we except the new Bank of the United States, and the presbyterian 9church in High-street. The latter building is ornamented with a handsome portico in front, supported by six pillars in the Corinthian order; but it is seen to great disadvantage on account of the market house, which occupies the center of the street before it. The buildings next to these, that are most deserving of notice, are the State House, the Presidents House, the Hospital, the Bettering House, and the Gaol.

PHILADELPHIA.

The State House is situated in Chesnut-street; and, considering that no more than fifty-three years elapsed from the time the first cabin was built on the spot marked out for the city, until it was erected, the architecture calls forth both our surprise and admiration. The State House is appropriated to the use of the legislative bodies of the state. Attached to this edifice are the congress and the city-halls. In the former, the congress of the United States meets to transact business. The room allotted to the representatives of the lower house is about sixty feet in length, and fitted up in the plainest manner. At one end of it is a gallery, open to every person that chuses to enter it; the stair-case leading to which runs directly from the public street. The senate chamber is in the story above this, and it is furnished and fitted up in a much superior style to that of the 10lower house. In the city hall the courts of justice are held, the supreme court of the United States, as well as that of the state of Pennsylvania, and those of the city.

The presidents house, as it is called, was erected for the residence of the president, before the removal of the seat of the federal government from Philadelphia was agitated. The original plan of this building was drawn by a private gentleman, resident in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and was possessed, it is said, of no small share of merit; but the committee of citizens, that was appointed to take the plan into consideration, and to direct the building, conceiving that it could be improved upon, reversed the positions of the upper and lower stories, placing the latter at top, so that the pilasters, with which it is ornamented, appear suspended in the air. The committee also contrived, that the windows of the principal apartments, instead of opening into a spacious area in front of the house, as was designed at first, should face towards the confined back yards of the adjoining houses. This building is not yet finished, and as the removal of the seat of government to the federal city of Washington is so shortly to take place, it is most probable that it will never be occupied by the president. To what purpose it will be now applied is yet undetermined. 11Some imagine, that it will be converted into a city hotel; others, that it will be destined for the residence of the governor of the state. For the latter purpose, it would be unfit in the extreme, the salary of the governor being so inconsiderable, that it would not enable him to keep up an establishment suitable to a dwelling of one-fourth part the size of it.

PHILADELPHIA.

The hospital, for its airiness, for its convenient accommodation for the sick and infirm, and for the neatness exhibited throughout every part of it, cannot be surpassed by any institution of the kind in the world. The plan of the building is in the form of the letter H. At present but one wing and a part of the center are finished; but the rest of the building is in a state of forwardness. It is two stories high, and underneath the whole are cells for lunatics. Persons labouring under any disorder of body or mind are received into this hospital, excepting such as have diseases that are contagious, and of a malignant nature; such patients, however, have the advice of the attending physicians gratis, and are supplied with medicine from the hospital dispensary.

The productive stock of this hospital, in the year 1793, was estimated .17,065 currency; besides which there are estates belonging to it 12that as yet produce nothing. The same year, the legislature granted .10,000 for enlarging the building, and adding thereto a Lying-in and Foundling hospital. The annual private donations are very considerable. Those that contribute a certain sum have the power of electing the directors, who are twelve in number, and chosen yearly. The directors appoint six of the most skilful surgeons and physicians in the city to attend; there is also a surgeon and apothecary resident in the home. From the year 1756, when it was built, to the year 1793 inclusive, nearly 9,000 patients were admitted into this hospital, upwards of 6,000 of whom were relieved or cured. The hospital stands within the limits of the city, but it is more than a quarter of a mile removed from any of the other buildings. There are spacious walks within the inclosure for such of the patients as are in a state of convalescence.

The Bettering House, which is under the care of the overseers of the poor, stands in the same neighbourhood, somewhat farther removed from the houses of the city. It is a spacious building of brick, with extensive walks and gardens. The poor of the city and neighbourhood are here furnished with employment, and comfortably lodged and dieted. During the severity of the winter season, many 13aged and reduced persons seek refuge in this place, and leave it again on the return of spring. Whilst they stay there, they are under very little restraint, and go in and out when they please; they must, however, behave orderly. This institution is supported by a tax on the town.

PHILADELPHIA.

The gaol is a spacious building of common stone, one hundred feet in front. It is fitted up with solitary cells, on the new plan, and the apartments are all arched, to prevent the communication of fire. Behind the building are extensive yards, which are secured by lofty walls. This gaol is better regulated, perhaps, than any other on the face of the globe. By the new penal laws of Pennsylvania, lately enacted, no crime is punishable with death, excepting murder of the first degree, by which is meant, murder that is perpetrated by wilful premeditated intention, or in attempts to commit rape, robbery, or the like. Every other offence, according to its enormity, is punished by solitary imprisonment of a determined duration. Objections may be made to this mode of punishment, as not being sufficiently severe on the individual to atone for an atrocious crime; nor capable, because not inflicted in public, of deterring evil-minded persons in the community from the commission of offences which incur the rigour of the law; but on a 14close examination, it will be found to be very severe; and as far as an opinion can be formed from the trial that has been hitherto made by the state of Pennsylvania, it seems better calculated to restrain the excesses of the people than any other. If any public punishment could strike terror into the lawless part of the multitude, it is as likely that the infliction of death would do it as any whatsoever: but death is divested of many of his terrors, after being often presented to our view; so that we find in countries, for instance in England, where it occurs often as punishment, the salutary effects that might be expected from it are in a great measure lost. The unfortunate wretch, who is doomed to forfeit his life in expiation of the crimes he has committed, in numberless instances, looks forward with apparent unconcern to the moment in which he is to be launched into eternity; his companions around him only condole with him, because his career of iniquity has so suddenly been impeded by the course of justice: or, if he is not too much hardened in the paths of vice, but falls a prey to remorse, and sees all the horrors of his impending fate, they endeavour to rally his broken spirits by the consoling remembrance, that the pangs he has to endure are but the pangs of a moment, which they illustrate by the speedy exit of one whose 15death he was perhaps himself witness to but a few weeks before. A month does not pass over in England without repeated executions; and there is scarcely a vagabond to be met with in the country, who has seen a fellow creature suspended from the gallows. We all know what little good effect such spectacles produce. But immured in darkness and solitude, the prisoner suffers pangs worse than death a hundred times in the day: he is left to his own bitter reflections; there is no one thing to divert his attention, and he endeavours in vain to escape from the horrors which continually haunt his imagination. In such a situation the most hardened offender is soon reduced to a state of repentance.

PHILADELPHIA.

But punishment by imprisonment, according to the laws of Pennsylvania, is imposed, not only as an expiation of past offences, and an example to the guilty part of society, but for another purpose, regarded by few penal codes in the world, the reform of the criminal. The regulations of the gaol, are calculated to promote this effect as soon as possible, so that the building, indeed, deserves the name of a penitentiary house more than that of a gaol. As soon as a criminal is committed to the prison he is made to wash; his hair is shorn, and if not decently clothed, he is furnished with clean apparel; then he is thrown into a solitary 16cell, about nine feet long and four wide, where he remains debarred from the sight of every living being excepting his gaoler, whose duty it is to attend to the bare necessities of his nature, but who is forbidden, on any account, to speak to him without there is absolute occasion. If a prisoner is at all refractory, or if the offence for which he is imprisoned is of a very atrocious nature, he is then confined in a cell secluded even from the light of heaven. This is the worst that can be inflicted upon him.

PHILADELPHIA.

The gaol is inspected twice every week by twelve persons appointed for that purpose, who are chosen annually from amongst the citizens of Philadelphia. Nor is it a difficult matter to procure these men, who readily and voluntarily take it upon them to go through the troublesome functions of the office without any fee or emolument whatever. They divide themselves into committees; each of these takes it in turn, for a stated period, to visit every part of the prison; and a report is made to the inspectors at large, who meet together at times regularly appointed. From the report of the committee an opinion is formed by the inspectors, who, with the consent of the judges, regulate the treatment of each individual prisoner during his confinement. This is varied according to his crime, 17and according to his subsequent repentance. Solitary confinement in a dark cell is looked upon as the severest usage; next, solitary confinement in a cell with the admission of light; next, confinement in a cell where the prisoner is allowed to do some sort of work; lastly, labour in company with others. The prisoners are obliged to bathe twice every week, proper conveniencies for that purpose being provided within the walls of the prison, and also to change their linen, with which they are regularly provided. Those in solitary confinement are kept upon bread and water; but those who labour are allowed broth, porridge, puddings, and the like: meat is dispensed only in small quantities, twice in the week. Their drink is water; on no pretence is any other beverage suffered to be brought into the prison. This diet is found, by experience, to afford the prisoners strength sufficient to perform the labour that is imposed upon them; whereas a more generous one would only serve to render their minds less humble and submissive. Those who labour, are employed in the particular trade to which they have been accustomed, provided it can be carried on in the prison; if not acquainted with any, something is soon found that they can do. One room is set apart for shoemakers, another for taylors, a third for carpenters, 18and so on; and in the yards are stone-cutters, smiths, nailers, &c. &c.

PHILADELPHIA.

Excepting the cells, which are at a remote part of the building, the prison has the appearance of a large manufactory. Good order and decency prevail throughout, and the eye of a spectator is never assailed by the sight of such ghastly and squalid figures as are continually to be met with in our prisons; so far, also, is a visitor from being insulted, that he is scarcely noticed as he passes through the different wards. The prisoners are forbidden to speak to each other without there is necessity; they are also forbidden to laugh, or to sing, or to make the smallest disturbance. An overseer attends continually to see that every one performs his work diligently; and in case of the smallest resistance to any of the regulations, the offender is immediately cast into a solitary cell, to subsist on bread and water till he returns to a proper sense of his behaviour; but the dread all those have of this treatment, who have once experienced it, is such, that it is seldom found necessary to repeat it. The women are kept totally apart from the men, and are employed in a manner suitable to their sex. The labourers all eat together in one large apartment; and regularly, every Sunday, there is divine service, at which all attend. It is the duty of the chaplain to converse at times 19with the prisoners, and endeavour to reform their minds and principles. The inspectors, when they visit the prison, also do the same; so that when a prisoner is liberated, he goes out, as it were, a new man; he has been habituated to employment, and has received good instructions. The greatest care is also taken to find him employment the moment he quits the place of his confinement. According to the regulations, no person is allowed to visit the prison without permission of the inspectors. The greatest care is also taken to preserve the health of the prisoners, and for those who are sick there are proper apartments and good advice provided. The longest period of confinement is for a rape, which is not to be less than ten years, but not to exceed twenty-one. For high treason, the length of confinement is not to be less than six nor more than twelve years. There are prisons in every county throughout Pennsylvania, but none as yet are established on the same plan as that which has been described. Criminals are frequently sent from other parts of the state to receive punishment in the prison of Philadelphia.

So well is this gaol conducted, that instead of being an expense, it now annually produces a considerable revenue to the state.

20 LETTER II.

Population of Philadelphia.Some Account of the Inhabitants, their Character and Manners.Private Amusements.Americans lose their Teeth prematurely.Theatrical Amusements only permitted of late.Quakers.Presidents Levee and Drawing Room.Places of public Worship. Carriages, what sort of, used in Philadelphia.Taverns, how conducted in America.Difficulty of procuring Servants.Character of the lower Classes of People in America.

MY DEAR SIR, Philadelphia, November.

PHILADELPHIA, according to the census taken in the Year 1790, contained 42,000 people. From the natural increase, however, of population, and the influx of strangers, the number is supposed now to be near 50,000, notwithstanding the ravages of the yellow fever in 1793, which swept off 4,000 people. The inhabitants consist of English, Irish, Scotch, Germans, French, and of American born citizens, descended from people of these different nations, who are of course by far the most numerous class. The inhabitants are for the most part engaged in some sort of business; a few, and a few only, live without 21any ostensible professions, on the fortunes which they themselves have raised; but these men are not idle or inattentive to the increase of their property, being ever on the watch to profit by the sale of lands, which they have purchased, and to buy more on advantageous terms. It would be a difficult matter to find a man of any property in the country, who is not concerned in the buying or selling of land, which may be considered in America as an article of trade.

PHILADELPHIA.

In a large city, like Philadelphia, where people are assembled together from so many different quarters, there cannot fail to be a great diversity in the manners of the inhabitants. It is a remark, however, very generally made, not only by foreigners, but also by persons from other parts of the United States, that the Philadelphians are extremely deficient in hospitality and politeness towards strangers. Amongst the uppermost circles in Philadelphia, pride, haughtiness, and ostentation are conspicuous; and it seems as if nothing could make them happier than that an order of nobility should be established, by which they might be exalted above their fellow citizens, as much as they are in their own conceit. In the manners of the people in general there is a coldness and reserve, as if they were suspicious of some designs against them, which 22chills to the very heart those who come to visit them. In their private societies a tristesse is apparent, near which mirth and gaiety can never approach. It is no unusual thing, in the genteelest houses, to see a large party of from twenty to thirty persons assembled, and seated round a room, without partaking of any other amusement than what arises from the conversation, most frequently in whispers, that passes between the two persons who are seated next to each other. The party meets between six and seven in the evening; tea is served with much form; and at ten, by which time most of the company are wearied with having remained so long stationary, they return to their own homes. Still, however, they are not strangers to music, cards, or dancing; their knowledge of music, indeed, is at a very low ebb; but in dancing, which appears to be their most favourite amusement, they certainly excel.

PHILADELPHIA.

The women, in general, whilst young, are very pretty, but by the time they become mothers of a little family they lose all their beauty, their complexions fade away, their teeth begin to decay, and they hardly appear like the same creatures. In a few instances only it would be possible to find a fine woman of the age of forty, who has had a large family. The sudden decay of the teeth is a circumstance which 23has engaged the attention of the faculty; both men and women, American born, losing them very generally at an early age. Some ascribe it to the great and sudden changes in the weather, from heat to cold; but negroes, who are exposed to the same transition of climate, are distinguished for the whiteness and beauty of their teeth; and the Indians also, who are more exposed than either, preserve their teeth in good order. Others attribute it to the immoderate use of confectionary. Of confectionary, the Americans in the towns certainly make an inordinate use; but in the country, where the people have not an opportunity of getting such things, the men, but more generally the women, also lose their teeth very prematurely. Most probably it is owing to the very general use they make of salted provisions. In the country parts of America in particular, the people live upon salted pork and salted fish nearly the whole year round.

It is only within a few years past, since 1779, that any public amusements have been suffered in this city; the old corporation, which consisted mostly of the Quakers, and not of the most liberal minded people in the city, having always opposed the establishment of any place for the purpose. Now, however, there are two theatres and an amphitheatre. Little or no use is made of the old theatre, 24which is of wood, and a very indifferent building. The new one is built of brick, and neatly fitted up within; but it is hardly large enough for the town. A shocking custom obtains here, of smoking tobacco in the house, which at times is carried to such an excess, that those to whom it is disagreeable are under the necessity of going away. To the people in the pit, wine and porter is brought between the acts, precisely as if they were in a tavern. The actors are procured, with a very few exceptions, from Great Britain and Ireland; none of them are very eminent performers, but they are equal to what are usually met with in the country towns of England. The amphitheatre is built of wood; equestrian and other exercises are performed there, similar to those at Astleys. Dancing assemblies are held regularly every fortnight through the winter, and occasionally there are public concerts.

During summer, the people that can make it convenient retire to country houses in the neighbourhood of the town, and all public and private amusements cease; winter is the season for them, the Congress being then assembled, and trade not being so closely attended to, as the navigation of the river is then commonly impeded by ice.

PHILADELPHIA.

The president finds it necessary, in general, 25to come to Philadelphia preparatory to the meeting of congress, and resides there during the whole of the session. Once in the week, during his stay in the city, he has levees, between the hours of three and four in the afternoon. At these he always appears himself in a court dress, and it is expected that the foreign ministers should always attend in the same style; this they constantly do, excepting the French minister, who makes a point of going in dishabille, not to say worse of it. Other persons are at liberty to go as they think proper. Mrs. Washington, also, has a drawing room once every week. On this occasion the ladies are seated in great form round the apartment, and tea, coffee, &c. served[4].

Philadelphia is the grand residence of the Quakers in America, but their number does not bear the same proportion now to that of the other citizens which it did formerly. At present they form about one fourth only of the inhabitants. This does not arise from any diminution of the number of Quakers, on the contrary they have considerably increased, but 26from the great influx into the city of persons of a different persuasion. Belonging to the Quakers there are five places for public worship; to the Presbyterians and Seceders six; to the English Episcopalians three; to German Lutherans two; to the Roman Catholics four; and one respectively to the Swedish Lutherans, Moravians, Baptists, Universal Baptists, Methodists, and Jews. On a Sunday every citizen appears well dressed; the lower classes of the people in particular are remarkably well clothed. This is a great day also for little excursions into the country.

PHILADELPHIA.

The carriages made use of in Philadelphia consist of coaches, chariots, chaises, coachees, and light waggons, the greater part of which are built in Philadelphia. The equipages of a few individuals are extremely ostentatious; nor does there appear in any that neatness and elegance which might be expected amongst a set of people that are desirous of imitating the fashions of England, and that are continually getting models over from that country. The coachee is a carriage peculiar, I believe, to America; the body of it is rather longer than that of a coach, but of the same shape. In the front it is left quite open down to the bottom, and the driver sits on a bench under the roof of the carriage. There are 27two seats in it for the passengers, who sit with their faces towards the horses. The roof is supported by small props, which are placed at the corners. On each side of the doors, above the pannels, it is quite open, and to guard against bad weather there are curtains, which are made to let down from the roof, and fasten to buttons placed for the purpose on the outside. There is also a leathern curtain to hang occasionally between the driver and passengers.

The light waggons are on the same construction, and are calculated to accommodate from four to twelve people. The only difference between a small waggon and a coachee is, that the latter is better finished, has varnished pannels, and doors at the side. The former has no doors, but the passengers scramble in the best way they can, over the seat of the driver. The waggons are used universally for stage carriages.

American Stage Waggon.

Published Dec. 21. 1798, by J. Stockdale, Piccadilly.

The accommodations at the taverns, by which name they call all inns, &c. are very indifferent in Philadelphia, as indeed they are, with a very few exceptions, throughout the country. The mode of conducting them is nearly the same every where. The traveller is shewn, on arrival, into a room which is common to every person in the house, and which is generally the one set apart for 28breakfast, dinner, and supper. All the strangers that happen to be in the house sit down to these meals promiscuously, and, excepting in the large towns, the family of the house also forms a part of the company. It is seldom that a private parlour or drawing room can be procured at any of the taverns, even in the towns; and it is always with reluctance that breakfast or dinner is served up separately to any individual. If a single bed room can be procured, more ought not to be looked for; but it is not always that even this is to be had, and those who travel through the country must often submit to be crammed into rooms where there is scarcely sufficient space to walk between the beds.[5] Strangers who remain for any length of time in the large towns most usually go to private boarding houses, of which great numbers are to be met with. It is always a difficult matter to procure furnished lodgings without paying for board.

PHILADELPHIA.

29At all the taverns, both in town and country, but particularly in the latter, the attendance is very bad; indeed, excepting in the southern states, where there are such great numbers of negroes, it is a matter of the utmost difficulty to procure domestic servants of any description. The generality of servants that are met with in Philadelphia are emigrant Europeans; they, however, for the most part, only remain in service until they can save a little money, when they constantly quit their masters, being led to do so by that desire for independence which is so natural to the mind of man, and which every person in America may enjoy that will be industrious. The few that remain steady to those who have hired them are retained at most exorbitant wages. As for the Americans, none but those of the most indifferent characters ever enter into service, which they consider as suitable only to negroes; the negroes again, in Pennsylvania and in the other states where steps have been taken for the gradual abolition of slavery, are taught by the Quakers to look upon themselves in every respect as equal to their white brethren, and they endeavour to imitate them by being saucy. It is the same both with males and females. I must here observe, that amongst the generality of the lower sort of people in the United States, and particularly amongst 30those of Philadelphia, there is a want of good manners which excites the surprize of almost every foreigner; I wish also that it may not be thought that this remark has been made, merely because the same deference and the same respectful attention, which we see so commonly paid by the lower orders of people in Great Britain and Ireland to those who are in a situation somewhat superior to themselves, is not also paid in America to persons in the same station; it is the want of common civility I complain of, which it is always desirable to behold between man and man, let their situations in life be what they may, and which is not contrary to the dictates of nature, or to the spirit of genuine liberty, as it is observable in the behaviour of the wild Indians that wander through the forests of this vast continent, the most free and independent of all human beings. In the United States, however, the lower classes of people will return rude and impertinent answers to questions couched in the most civil terms, and will insult a person that bears the appearance of a gentleman, on purpose to shew how much they consider themselves upon an equality with him. Civility cannot be purchased from them on any terms; they seem to think that it is incompatible with freedom, and that there is no other way of convincing a stranger that he 31is really in a land of liberty, but by being surly and ill mannered in his presence.

LETTER III.

Journey to Baltimore.Description of the Country about Philadelphia.Floating Bridges over the Schuylkill, how constructed.Mills in Brandy-wine Creek.Improvement in the Machinery of Flour Mills in America.Town of Wilmington.Log Houses.Bad Roads.Fine Prospects.How relished by Americans.Taverns.Susquehannah River.Town of Baltimore.Plan of the Town.Harbour.Public and private Buildings.Inhabitants.Country between Baltimore and Washington.Execrable Roads.

MY DEAR SIR, Washington, November.

JOURNEY TO BALTIMORE.

ON the 16th of November I left Philadelphia for Baltimore. The only mode of conveyance which offers for a traveller, who is not provided with his own horses or carriage, is the public stage waggon; it is possible, indeed, to procure a private carriage at Philadelphia to go on to Baltimore, for which a great price is always demanded; but there is no such thing as hiring a carriage or horses from stage to stage. The country about Philadelphia is well cultivated, and it abounds with 32neat country houses; but it has a bare appearance, being almost totally stripped of the trees, which have been cut down without mercy for firing, and to make way for the plough; neither are there any hedges, an idea prevailing that they impoverish the land wherever they are planted. The fences are all of the common post and rail, or of the angular kind. These last are made of rails about eight or nine feet long, roughly split out of trees, and placed horizontally above one another, as the bars of a gate; but each tier of rails, or gate as it were, instead of being on a straight line with the one next to it, is put in a different direction, so as to form an angle sufficient to permit the ends of the rails of one tier to rest steadily on those of the next. As these fences, from their serpentine course, occupy at least six times as much ground as a common post and rail fence, and require also a great deal more wood, they are mostly laid aside whenever land and timber become objects of importance, as they soon do in the neighbourhood of large towns.

FLOATING BRIDGES.

The road to Baltimore is over the lowest of three floating bridges, which have been thrown across the river Schuylkill, in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. The view on passing this river, which is about two hundred and fifty yards wide, is beautiful. The banks on 33each side are high, and for many miles above afford the most delightful situations for villas. A very elegant one, laid out in the English taste, is seen on passing the river just above the bridge. Adjoining to it are public gardens, and a house of entertainment, with several good rooms, to which the citizens of Philadelphia resort in great numbers during the summer season.

The floating bridges are formed of large trees, which are placed in the water transversely, and chained together; beams are then laid lengthways upon these, and the whole boarded over, to render the way convenient for passengers. On each side there is a railing. When very heavy carriages go across these bridges, they sink a few inches below the surface of the water; but the passage is by no means dangerous. They are kept in an even direction across the river, by means of chains and anchors in different parts, and are also strongly secured on both shores. Over that part of the river where the channel lies, they are so contrived that a piece can be removed to allow vessels to pass through. These bridges are frequently damaged, and sometimes entirely carried away, during floods, at the breaking up of winter, especially if there happens to be much ice floating in the river. To guard against this, when danger is apprehended and 34the flood does not come on too rapidly, they unfasten all the chains by which the bridge is confined in its proper place, and then let the whole float down with the stream to a convenient part of the shore, where it can be hauled up and secured.

The country, after passing the Schuylkill, is pleasingly diversified with rising grounds and woods, and appears to be in a good state of cultivation. The first town of any note which you come to is Chester, fifteen miles from Philadelphia; this town contains about sixty dwellings, and is remarkable for being the place where the first colonian assembly sat. From the neighbourhood of this town there is a very grand view of the river Delaware.

FLOUR MILLS.

About half a mile before you come to Wilmington is Brandy-wine River, remarkable for its mills, no less than thirteen being built almost close to each other upon it. The water, just above the bridge which is thrown over it, comes tumbling down with great violence over a bed of rocks; and seats, at a very trifling expense, could be made for three times the number of mills already built. Vessels carrying 1,000 bushels of wheat can come close up to them, and by means of machinery their cargoes are received from, or delivered to them in a very expeditious manner. Among the mills, some are for flour, 35some for sawing of wood, and others for stone. The improvements which have been made in the machinery of the flour mills in America are very great. The chief of these consist in a new application of the screw, and the introduction of what are called elevators, the idea of which was evidently borrowed from the chain pump. The screw is made by sticking small thin pieces of board, about three inches long and two wide, into a cylinder, so as to form the spiral line. This screw is placed in a horizontal position, and by turning on its axis it forces wheat or flour from one end of a trough to the other. For instance, in the trough which receives the meal immediately coming from the stones, a screw of this kind is placed, by which the meal is forced on, to the distance of six or eight feet perhaps, into a reservoir; from thence, without any manual labour, it is conveyed to the very top of the mill by the elevators, which consist of a number of small buckets of the size of tea-cups, attached to a long band that goes round a wheel at the top, and another at the bottom of the mill. As the band revolves round the wheels, these buckets dip into the reservoir of wheat or flour below, and take their loads up to the top, where they empty themselves as they turn round the upper wheel. The elevators are inclosed in 36square wooden tubes, to prevent them from catching in any thing, and also to prevent dust. By means of these two simple contrivances no manual labour is required from the moment the wheat is taken to the mill till it is converted into flour, and ready to be packed, during the various processes of screening, grinding, sifting, &c.

MARYLAND.

Wilmington is the capital of the state of Delaware, and contains about six hundred houses, which are chiefly of brick. The streets are laid out on a plan somewhat similar to that of Philadelphia. There is nothing very interesting in this town, and the country round about it is flat and insipid. Elkton, twenty-one miles distant from Wilmington, and the first town in Maryland, contains about ninety indifferent houses, which are built without any regularity; it is a dirty disagreeable place. In this neighbourhood I first took notice of log-houses; those which I had hitherto seen having been built either of brick or stone, or else constructed with wooden frames, sheathed on the outside with boards. The log-houses are cheaper than any others in a country where there is abundance of wood, and generally are the first that are erected on a new settlement in America. The sides consist of trees just squared, and placed horizontally one upon the other; the ends 37of the logs of one side resting alternately on the ends of those of the adjoining sides, in notches; the interstices between the logs are stopped with clay; and the roof is covered with boards or with shingles, which are small pieces of wood in the shape of slates or tiles, and which are used for that purpose, with a few exceptions, throughout America. These habitations are not very sightly, but when well built they are warm and comfortable, and last for a long time.

A considerable quantity of wheat and Indian corn is raised in this neighbourhood, to the production of which the soil is favourable; but the best cultivated parts of the country are not seen from the road, which passes chiefly over barren and hilly tracts, called ridges. The reason for carrying the road over these is, because it is found to last longer than if carried over the flat part of the country, where the soil is deep, a circumstance which the people of Maryland always take into consideration; for after a road is once cut, they never take pains to keep it in good repair. The roads in this state are worse than in any one in the union; indeed so very bad are they, that on going from Elkton to the Susquehannah ferry, the driver frequently had to call to the passengers in the stage, to lean out of the carriage first at one side, then at 38the other, to prevent it from oversetting in the deep ruts with which the road abounds: Now, gentlemen, to the right; upon which the passengers all stretched their bodies half way out of the carriage to balance it on that side: Now, gentlemen, to the left, and so on. This was found absolutely necessary at least a dozen times in half the number of miles. Whenever they attempt to mend these roads, it is always by filling the ruts with saplings or bushes, and covering them over with earth. This, however, is done only when there are fields on each side of the road. If the road runs contiguous to a wood, then, instead of mending it where it is bad, they open a new passage through the trees, which they call making a road. It is very common in Maryland to see six or seven different roads branching out from one, which all lead to the same place. A stranger, before he is acquainted with this circumstance, is frequently puzzled to know which he ought to take. The dexterity with which the drivers of the stages guide their horses along these new roads, which are full of stumps of trees, is astonishing, yet to appearance they are the most awkward drivers possible; it is more by the different noises which they make, than by their reins, that they manage their horses.

ROADS.

39Charleston stands at a few miles distance from Elkton; there are about twenty houses only in it, which are inhabited chiefly by people who carry on a herring fishery. Beyond it the country is much diversified with hill and dale, and the soil being but of an indifferent quality, the lands are so little cleared, that in many parts the road winds through uninterrupted woods for four or five miles together. The scenery in this neighbourhood is extremely interesting. From the top of the hills you meet with numberless bold and extensive prospects of the Chesapeak Bay and of the river Susquehannah; and scarcely do you cross a valley without beholding in the depths of the wood the waters of some little creek or rivulet rushing over ledges of rock in a beautiful cascade. The generality of Americans stare with astonishment at a person who can feel any delight at passing through such a country as this. To them the sight of a wheat field or a cabbage garden would convey pleasure far greater than that of the most romantic woodland views. They have an unconquerable aversion to trees; and whenever a settlement is made, they cut away all before them without mercy; not one is spared; all share the same fate, and are involved in the general havoc. It appears strange, that in a country where the rays of the sun act with such prodigious 40power, some few trees near the habitations should not be spared, whose foliage might afford a cooling shade during the parching heats of summer; and I have oftentimes expressed my astonishment that none were ever left for that purpose. In answer I have generally been told, that they could not be left standing near a house without danger. The trees it seems in the American forests have but a very slender hold in the ground, considering their immense height, so that when two or three fully grown are deprived of shelter in consequence of the others which stood around them being cut down, they are very apt to be levelled by the first storm that chances to blow. This, however, would not be the case with trees of a small growth, which might safely be spared, and which would soon afford an agreeable shade if the Americans thought proper to leave them standing: but the fact of the matter is, that from the face of the country being entirely overspread with trees, the eyes of the people become satiated with the sight of them. The ground cannot be tilled, nor can the inhabitants support themselves, till they are removed; they are looked upon as a nuisance, and the man that can cut down the largest number, and have the fields about his house most clear of them, is looked upon as the most industrious citizen, and the one that is 41making the greatest improvements[6] in the country.

TAVERNS.

Every ten or twelve miles upon this road there are taverns, which are all built of wood, and much in the same stile, with a porch in front the entire length of the house. Few of these taverns have any signs, and they are only to be distinguished from the other houses by the number of handbills pasted up on the walls near the door. They take their name, not from the sign, but from the person who keeps them, as Joness, Browns, &c. &c. All of them are kept nearly in the same manner. At each house there are regular hours for breakfast, dinner, and supper, and if a traveller arrives somewhat before the time appointed for any one of these, it is in vain to call for a separate meal for himself; he must wait patiently till the appointed hour, and then sit down with the other guests that may happen to be in the house. Breakfasts are generally plentifully served; there is tea, coffee, and different sorts of bread, cold salt meat, and, very commonly besides, beef steaks, fried fish, 42&c. &c.[7] The charge made for breakfast is nearly the same as that for dinner.

This part of Maryland abounds with iron ore, which is of a quality particularly well adapted for casting. The ore is found in banks so near the surface of the earth that there is never occasion to sink a shaft to get at it. Near Charleston there is a small foundery for cannon. The cannon are bored by water. As I passed by, they were making twenty-four pounders, two of which I was informed they finished every week. The iron is extremely tough; very few of the guns burst on being proved.

The Susquehannah river is crossed, on the way to Baltimore, at a ferry five miles above its entrance into the Chesapeak. The river is here about a mile and quarter wide, and deep enough for any vessels; the banks are high and thickly wooded, and the scenery is grand and picturesque. A small town called Havre de Grace, which contains about forty houses, stands on this river at the ferry. A petition was presented to congress the last year to have it made a port of entry; but at present 43there is very little trade carried on there. A few ships are annually built in the neighbourhood. From hence to Baltimore the country is extremely poor; the soil is of a yellow gravel mixed with clay, and the roads execrable.

BALTIMORE.

Baltimore is supposed to contain about sixteen thousand inhabitants, and though not the capital of the state, is the largest town in Maryland, and the most considerable place of trade in North America, after Philadelphia and New York. The plan of the town is somewhat similar to that of Philadelphia, most of the streets crossing each other at right angles. The main street, which runs east and west nearly, is about eighty feet wide; the others are from forty to sixty feet. The streets are not all paved, so that when it rains heavily they are rendered almost impassable, the soil being a stiff yellow clay, which retains the water a long time. On the south side of the town is a harbour commonly called the Bason, which affords about nine feet water, and is large enough to contain two thousand sail of merchant vessels. There are wharfs and stores along it, the whole length of the town; but as a particular wind is necessary to enable ships to get out of this bason, by far the greater number of those which enter the port of Baltimore stop at a harbour which is formed by 44a neck of land near the mouth of the bason, called Fells Point. Here also wharfs have been built, alongside which vessels of six hundred tons burthen can lie with perfect safety. Numbers of persons have been induced to settle on this Point, in order to be contiguous to the shipping. Upwards of seven hundred houses have already been built there, and regular streets laid out, with a large market place. These houses, generally speaking, are considered as a part of Baltimore, but to all appearance they form a separate town, being upwards of a mile distant from the other part of the town. In the neighbourhood, Fells Point and Baltimore are spoken of as distinct and separate places. Fells Point is chiefly the residence of seafaring people, and of the younger partners of mercantile houses, who are stationed there to attend to the shipping.

BALTIMORE.

The greater number of private houses in Baltimore are of brick, but many, particularly in the skirts of the town, are of wood. In some of the new streets a few appear to be well built, but in general the houses are small, heavy, and inconvenient. As for the public buildings, there are none worthy of being mentioned. The churches and places for public worship are ten in number; one respectively for Episcopalians, Presbyterians, German Lutherans, German Calvinists, Reformed Germans, 45Nicolites or New Quakers, Baptists, Roman Catholics, and two for Methodists. The Presbyterian church, which has lately been erected, is the best building among them, and indeed the handsomest building in town. It is of brick, with a portico in front supported by six pillars of stone.

They have no less than three incorporated banks in this town, and the number of notes issued from them is so great, as almost to preclude the circulation of specie. Some of the notes are for as small a sum as a single dollar, and being much more portable than silver, are generally preferred. As for gold, it is very scarce; I hardly ever met with it during two months that I remained in Maryland.

Amongst the inhabitants of Baltimore are to be found English, Irish, Scotch, and French. The Irish appear to be most numerous; and many of the principal merchants in town are in the number. Since the war, a great many French have arrived both from France and from the West India Islands. With a few exceptions the inhabitants are all engaged in trade, which is closely attended to. They are mostly plain people, sociable however amongst themselves, and very friendly and hospitable towards strangers. Cards and dancing are favourite amusements, both in private and at public assemblies, which are held 46every fortnight. There are two theatres here, in which there are performances occasionally. The oldest of them, which stands in the road to Fells Point, is most wretched, and appears little better than a heap of loose boards; for a long time it lay quite neglected, but has lately been fitted up for a company of French actors, the only one I ever heard of in the country. Baltimore, like Philadelphia, has differed from the ravages of the yellow fever. During the autumn it is generally unhealthy, and those who can afford it retire to country seats in the neighbourhood, of which some are most delightfully situated.

ROAD, AND BRIDGES.

From Baltimore to Washington, which is forty miles distant, the country wears but a poor appearance. The soil in some parts consists of a yellow clay mixed with gravel; in other parts it is very sandy. In the neighbourhood of the creeks and between the hills are patches of rich black earth, called Bottoms, the trees upon which grow to a large size; but where there is gravel they are very small. The roads passing over these bottoms are worse than any I ever met with elsewhere. In driving over one of them, near the head waters of a branch of Patuxent river, a few days after a heavy fall of rain, the wheels of a sulky which I was in sunk up to the very boxes. 47For a moment I despaired of being able to get out without assistance, when my horse, which was very powerful, finding himself impeded, threw himself upon his haunches, and disengaging his fore-feet, made a vigorous plunge forwards, which luckily disengaged both himself and the sulky, and freed me from my embarrassment. I was afterwards informed that General Washington, as he was going to meet congress a short time before, was stopped in the very same place, his carriage sinking so deep in the mud that it was found necessary to send to a neighbouring house for ropes and poles to extricate it. Over some of the bottoms, which were absolutely impassable in their natural slate, causeways have been thrown, which are made with large trees laid side by side across the road. For a time these causeways afford a commodious passage; but they do not last long, as many of the trees sink into the soft soil, and others, exposed to the continual attrition of waggon wheels in a particular part, breaking asunder. In this state, full of unseen obstacles, it is absolutely a matter of danger for a person unacquainted with the road to attempt to drive a carriage along it. The bridges over the creeks, covered with loose boards, are as bad as the causeways, and totter as a carriage passes over. 48That the legislature of Maryland can be so inactive, and not take some steps to repair this, which is one of the principal roads in the state, the great road from north to south, and the high road to the City of Washington, is most wonderful!

49 LETTER IV.

Foundation of the City of Washington.Not readily agreed to by different States.Choice of the Ground left to General Washington.Circumstances to be considered in chusing the Ground.The Spot fixed upon central to all the States.Also remarkably advantageously situated for Trade.Nature of the Back Country Trade.Summary View of the principal Trading Towns in the United States.Their Prosperity shewn to depend on the Back Country Trade.Description of the Patowmac River.Its Connection with other Rivers pointed out.Prodigious Extent of the Water Communication from Washington City in all Directions.Country likely to trade immediately with Washington.Situation of Washington.Plan of the City.Public Buildings.Some begun, others projected.Capital Presidents House.Hotel.Stone and other building Materials found in the Neighbourhood.Private Houses and Inhabitants at present in the City.Different Opinions respecting the future Greatness of the City.Impediments thrown in the Way of its Improvement.What has given rise to this.

MY DEAR SIR, Washington, November.

THE City of Washington, or the Federal City, as it is indiscriminately called, was laid out in the year 1792, and is expressly 50designed for being the metropolis of the United States, and the seat of the federal government. In the year 1800 the congress is to meet there for the first time. As the foundation of this city has attracted the attention of so many people in Europe, and as such very different opinions are entertained about it, I shall, in the following pages, give you a brief account of its rise and progress.

CITY OF WASHINGTON.

Shortly after the close of the American war, considerable numbers of the Pennsylvanian line, or of the militia, with arms in their hands, surrounded the hall in which the congress was assembled at Philadelphia, and with vehement menaces insisted upon immediate appropriations of money being made to discharge the large arrears due to them for their past services. The members, alarmed at such an outrage, resolved to quit a state in which they met with insult instead of protection, and quickly adjourned to New York, where the session was terminated. A short time afterwards, the propriety was strongly urged in congress, of fixing upon some place for the meeting of the legislature, and for the seat of the general government, which should be subject to the laws and regulations of the congress alone, in order that the members, in future, might not have to depend for their personal safety, and for their freedom of deliberation, upon the good or bad police of any individual 51state. This idea of making the place, which should be chosen for the meeting of the legislature, independent of the particular state to which it might belong, was further corroborated by the following argument: That as the several states in the union were in some measure rivals to each other, although connected together by certain ties, if any one of them, was fixed upon for the seat of the general government in preference, and thus raised to a state of pre-eminence, it might perhaps be the occasion of great jealousy amongst the others. Every person was convinced of the expediency of preserving the union of the states entire; it was apparent, therefore, that the greatest precautions ought to be taken to remove every source of jealousy from amongst them, which might tend, though remotely, to produce a separation. In fine, it was absolutely necessary that the seat of government should be made permanent, as the removal of the public offices and the archives from place to place could not but be attended with many and very great inconveniences.

However, notwithstanding this measure appeared to be beneficial to the interest of the union at large, it was not until after the revolution, by which the present federal constitution was established, that it was acceded to on the part of all the states. Pennsylvania 52in particular, conscious of her being a principal and central state, and therefore likely to be made the seat of government if this new project was not carried into execution, was foremost in the opposition. At last she complied; but it was only on condition that the congress should meet at Philadelphia until the new city was ready for its reception, flattering herself that there would be so many objections afterwards to the removal of the seat of government, and so many difficulties in putting the project into execution, that it would finally be relinquished. To the discriminating judgment of General Washington, then president, it was left to determine upon the spot best calculated for the federal city. After mature deliberation he fixed upon a situation on the banks of the Patowmac River, a situation which seems to be marked out by nature, not only for a large city, but expressly for the seat of the metropolis of the United States.

In the choice of the spot there were two principal considerations: First, that it should be as central as possible in respect to every state in the union; secondly, that it should be advantageously situated for commerce, without which it could not be expected that the city would ever be distinguished for size or for splendour; and it was to be supposed, that 53the people of the United States would be desirous of having the metropolis of the country as magnificent as it possibly could be. These two essential points are most happily combined in the spot which has been chosen.

VIEW OF THE TRADING TOWNS.

The northern and southern extremities of the United States are in 46 and 31 north latitude. The latitude of the new city is 38 53 north; so that it is within twenty-three minutes of being exactly between the two extremities. In no part of North America either is there a port situated so far up the country to the westward, excepting what belongs to Great Britain on the river St. Lawrence, its distance from the ocean being no less than two hundred and eighty miles. A more central situation could certainly have been fixed upon, by going further to the westward; but had this been done, it must have been an inland one, which would have been very unfavourable for trade. The size of all towns in America has hitherto been proportionate to their trade, and particularly to that carried on with the back settlements. This trade consists in supplying the people of the western parts of the United States, or the back settlements, with certain articles of foreign manufacture, which they do not find any interest in fabricating for themselves at present; nor is it to be supposed that they will, 54for many years to come, while land remains cheap, and these articles can be imported and sent to them on reasonable terms. The articles chiefly in demand consist of hardware, woollen cloths, figured cottons, hosiery, haberdashery, earthen ware, &c. &c. from England; coffee, rum, sugar[8], from the West Indies; tea, coarse muslins, and calicoes, from the East Indies. In return for these articles the people of the back settlements send down for exportation the various kinds of produce which the country affords: wheat and flour, furs, skins, rice, indigo, tobacco, pitch, tar, &c. &c. It is very evident, therefore, that the best situation for a trading town must be upon a long navigable river, so that the town may be open to the sea, and thus enabled to carry on a foreign trade, and at the same time be enabled, by means of an extensive water communication in an opposite direction, to trade with the distant parts of the country. None of the inland towns have as yet increased to a great size. Lancaster, which is the largest in all America, contains only nine hundred houses, and it is nearly double the size of any other inland one. Neither do the sea-port towns flourish, which are not well situated for carrying on an inland 55trade at the same time. The truth of this position must appear obvious on taking survey of the principal towns in the United States.

VIEW OF THE TRADING TOWNS.

To begin with Boston, the largest town north of New York, and one of the oldest in the United States. Though it has a most excellent harbour, and has always been inhabited by an enterprizing industrious set of people, yet it is now inferior, both in size and commerce, to Baltimore, which was little more than the residence of a few fishermen thirty years ago; and this, because there is no river in the neighbourhood navigable for more than seven miles, and the western parts of the state of Massachusets, of which it is the capital, can be supplied with commodities carried up the North River on much better terms than if the same commodities were sent by land carriage from Boston. Neither does Boston increase by any means in the same proportion as the other towns, which have an extensive trade with the people of the back settlements. For the same cause we do not find that any of the sea-port or other towns in Rhode Island and Connecticut are increasing very fast; on the contrary, Newport, the capital of the state of Rhode Island, and which has a harbour that is boasted of as being one of the best throughout the United States, is now falling to decay. Newport contains about one thousand houses; 56none of the other towns between Boston and New York contain more than five hundred.

VIEW OF THE TRADING TOWNS.

We now come to New York, which enjoys the double advantages of an excellent harbour and a large navigable river, which opens a communication with the interior parts of the country; and here we find a flourishing city, containing forty thousand[9] inhabitants, and increasing beyond every calculation. The North or Hudson River, at the mouth of which New York stands, is navigable from thence for one hundred and thirty miles in large vessels, and in sloops of eighty tons burthen as far as Albany; smaller ones go still higher. About nine miles above Albany, the Mohawk River falls into the Hudson, by means of which, Wood Creek, Lake Oneida, and Oswego River, a communication is opened with Lake Ontario. In this route there are several portages, but it is a route which is much frequented, and numbers of boats are kept employed upon it in carrying goods whenever the season is not too dry. In long droughts the waters fall so much that oftentimes there is not sufficient to float an empty boat. All these obstructions however may, and will one day or other, be remedied by the hand of art. Oswego river, before it falls into Lake Ontario, communicates 57with the Seneka river, which affords in succession an entrance into the lakes Cayuga, Seneka, and Canadaqua. Lake Seneka, the largest, is about forty miles in length; upon it there is a schooner-rigged vessel of seventy tons burthen constantly employed. The shores of these lakes are more thickly settled than the other part of the adjacent country, but the population of the whole track lying between the rivers Genesee and Hudson, which are about two hundred and fifty miles apart, is rapidly increasing. All this country west of the Hudson River, together with that to the east, comprehending the back parts of the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and also the entire of the state of Vermont, are supplied with European manufactures and West Indian produce, &c. &c. by way of New York; not directly from that city, but from Albany, Hudson, and other towns on the North River, which trade with New York, and which are intermediate places for the deposit of goods passing to, and coming from the back country. Albany, indeed, is now beginning herself to import goods from the West Indies; but still the bulk of her trade is with New York. Nothing can serve more to shew the advantages which accrue to any town from an intercourse with the back country, than the sudden progress of these secondary places of trade 58upon the North River. At Albany, the number of houses is increasing as fast as at New York; at present there are upwards of eleven hundred; and in Hudson city which was only laid out in the year 1783, there are now more than three hundred and twenty dwellings. This city is on the east side of the North River, one hundred and thirty miles above its mouth. By means also of the North River and Lake Champlain a trade is carried on with Montreal in Canada.

But to go on with the survey of the towns to the southward. In New Jersey, we find Amboy, situated at the head of Raritan Bay, a bay not inferior to any throughout the United States. The greatest encouragements also have been held out by the state legislature to merchants who would settle there; but the town, notwithstanding, remains nearly in the state it was in at the time of the revolution: sixty houses are all that it contains. New Brunswick, which is built on Raritan River, about fifteen miles above its entrance into the bay, carries on a small inland trade with the adjacent country; but the principal part of New Jersey is naturally supplied with foreign manufactures by New York on the one side, and by Philadelphia on the other, the towns most happily situated for the purpose. There are about two hundred houses in New Brunswick, 59and about the same number in Trenton on Delaware, the capital of the state.

VIEW OF THE TRADING TOWNS.

Philadelphia, the largest town in the union, has evidently been raised to that state of pre-eminence by her extensive inland commerce. On one side is the river Delaware, which is navigable in sloops for thirty-five miles above the town, and in boats carrying eight or nine tons one hundred miles further. On the other side is the Schuylkill, navigable, excepting at the falls, for ninety miles. But the country bordering upon these rivers is but a trifling part of that which Philadelphia trades with. Goods are forwarded to Harrisburgh, a town situated on the Susquehannah, and from thence sent up that river, and dispersed throughout the adjoining country. The eastern branch of Susquehannah is navigable for two hundred and fifty miles above Harrisburgh. This place, which in 1786 scarcely deserved the name of a village, now contains upwards of three hundred houses. By land carriage Philadelphia also trades with the western parts of Pennsylvania, as far as Pittsburg itself, which is on the Ohio, with the back of Virginia, and, strange to tell, with Kentucky, seven hundred miles distant.

Philadelphia, however, does not enjoy the exclusive trade to Virginia and Kentucky; Baltimore, which lies more to the south, 60comes in for a considerable share, if not for the greatest part of it, and to that is indebted for her sudden rise, and her great superiority over Annapolis, the capital of Maryland. Annapolis, although it has a good harbour, and was made a port of entry as long ago as the year 1694, has scarcely any trade now. Baltimore, situated more in the heart of the country, has gradually drawn it all away from her. From Baltimore nearly the entire of Maryland is furnished with European manufactures. The very flourishing state of this place has already been mentioned.

VIEW OF TRADING TOWNS.

As the Patowmac river, and the towns upon it, are to come more particularly under notice afterwards, we may from hence pass on to the other towns in Virginia. With regard to Virginia, however, it is to be observed, that the impolitic laws[10] which have been enacted in that state have thrown a great damp upon trade; the Virginians too have always been more disposed towards agriculture than trade, so that the towns in that state, some of which are most advantageously situated, have never increased as they would have done had the county been inhabited by a different kind of people, and had different 61laws consequently existed; still however we shall find that the most flourishing towns in the state are those which are open to the sea, and situated most conveniently at the same time for trading with the people of the back country. On Rappahannock River, for instance, Tappahannock or Hobbs Hole was laid out at the same time that Philadelphia was. Fredericksburgh was built many years afterwards on the same river, but thirty miles higher up, and at the head of that part of it which was navigable for sea vessels; the consequence of this has been, that Fredericksburgh, from being situated more in the heart of the country, is now four times as large a town as Hobbs Hole.

York River, from running so closely to James River on the one side, and the Rappahannock on the other, does not afford a good situation for a large town. The largest town upon it, which is York, only contains seventy houses.

Williamsburgh was formerly the capital of the state, and contains about four hundred houses; but instead of increasing, this town is going to ruin, and numbers of the houses at present are uninhabited, which is evidently on account of its inland situation. There is no navigable stream nearer to it than one mile and a half, and this is only a small 62creek, which runs into James River. Richmond, on the contrary, which is the present capital of the state, has increased very fast, because it stands on a large navigable river; yet Richmond is no more than an intermediate place for the deposit of goods passi




Haiti - Earthquake : Aid from France is coming





Relying on the system of military sovereignty forces present in the Antilles, France mobilized the "Germinal" surveillance frigate based in Fort-de-France (Martinique) to transport nearly 50 tonnes of humanitarian aid to destination of Haiti, hit by a major earthquake of 7.2 on the Richter scale, last August 14 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes.html



Note that the frigate also carries a Panther helicopter from the 36F Flotilla and 25 soldiers from the 33rd Marine Infantry Regiment.



The following were loaded on board the frigate on Tuesday August 17 :



14 tonnes of essential goods provided by the American-Caribbean Regional Intervention Platform of the French Red Cross in partnership with the crisis and support center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs;



18 tonnes of freight (25 pallets of water) supplied by the Bernard Hayot / Carrefour group;



15 tonnes of freight from the local authority of Martinique (drinking water).



In addition, in partnership with the French NGO Tulipe, specializing in pharmaceutical equipment, the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs will send 30 cases of emergency drugs to Haiti, (1.7 ton) which will be donated by the French Embassy in Port-au-Prince to partner organizations in the health sector.



The Frigate "Germinal" which set sail on Wednesday August 18, 2021 is expected in Haiti this Friday August 21.



In addition, French civil security has proposed sending a water purification module with 40 people and 22 tons of equipment.



As President Emmanuel Macron declared, "France will continue to stand by Haiti and its people." https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34512-haiti-earthquake-rain-of-messages-of-sympathy-part-2.html



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34543-haiti-flash-at-least-266-national-schools-damaged-or-destroyed.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34525-haiti-flash-the-toll-is-growing-nearly-15-000-victims-partial-assessment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34512-haiti-earthquake-rain-of-messages-of-sympathy-part-2.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34479-haiti-flash-magnitude-72-earthquake-in-the-nippes.html



HL/ S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Workens Alexandre orthopedic surgeon released !

Kidnapped this Wednesday August 18, 2019, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34534-haiti-flash-kidnapping-of-one-of-the-rare-orthopedic-surgeons-in-haiti.html Orthopedist Workens Alexandre was released by his captors on Friday evening, according to his colleagues. We do not know under what condition.



4 humanitarian aid trucks attacked and looted

Friday 4 trucks of the NGO "Food for the Poor" filled with food for the victims of Jeremie, Pestel, Abricot and the Caymite Islands were attacked and looted on Friday August 20, 2021 by unidentified individuals. 1 truck was attacked between Camp-Perrin and Duchity, 2 other trucks were attacked Duchiti and the last not far from the Glace River. An act condemned by the NGO, which asks the authorities to ensure the safety of humanitarian convoys.



The Estime bridge, on the Grand-Anse river, is closed to traffic

On Friday the Ministry of Public Works published a notice prohibiting owners and drivers of vehicles from driving on the Estime bridge, thrown over the Grand-Anse river. This bridge located on the RN7 connecting the city of Les Cayes to that of Jeremie was severely damaged and is in danger of collapsing. A detour and a temporary ford should allow the GrandAnse river to be crossed.



Relocation of the Palace of Justice

The Ministry of Justice has just authorized the temporary relocation of the Palais de Justice. We are in talks with our technical and financial partners for the financing and rapid implementation of the project, to strengthen access to justice.



39 German rescuers and doctors arrived in Haiti

Friday 39 rescuers and German doctors of the "I.S.A.R. Germany" arrived in Port-au-Prince where German Ambassador Jens Kraus-Masse welcomed them. Under the coordination of the National Emergency Operations Center, they will come to the aid of the stricken inhabitants of the Cayemites Islands.



Nippes : The 7 children's homes need help

According to a report by the Institute for Social Welfare and Research (IBESR), the seven children's homes in Nippes each need 400 food kits and 200 hygiene kits to cope with this crisis. Also, to prevent the children from sleeping in the houses during the aftershock, the IBESR requested the support of partners for 24 large tents, failing which, 125 tarpaulins to install shelters and rehouse the children under the control of members of the staff of children's homes until normalcy is restored.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















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Published on 2021/08/21 | Source

Korean documentary "Oh! Flowers or Stars" added to HanCinema database

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"Oh! Flowers or Stars" (2020)

Directed by Lee Chang-joo-I

Synopsis

A documentary film recounting the trial process of independence fighters who were tortured for questioning Japan's manipulation of trial records.

No release date in Korea yet
Published on 2021/08/20 | Source

New review poster added for the Korean movie "Hostage: Missing Celebrity" (2021)

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Directed by Pil Kam-sung

With Hwang Jung-min, Kim Jae-bum, Lee Yoo-mi, Ryu Kyung-soo, Han Kyu-won-I, Jung Jae-won,...

Synopsis

After a VIP movie premiere, Korean top movie star Hwang Jung-min gets kidnapped by strangers. Jeong-min first thinks that someone is playing pranks, but the kidnappers' cruelty helps Jeong-min realize that the abduction is no joke. Jeong-min tries to find his way out, while the kidnappers demand him a huge amount of ransom within 24 hours.

Jeong-min encounters a real brutality that is way different and more extreme than the ones he has seen in the movies.

Release date in Korea : 2021/08/18
A BOATING business in Henley has been awarded its biggest contract to date, worth more than 210,000.

Henley Sales & Charter in Station Road is working with a French manufacturer to provide a solar-powered electric ferry.

Owner Gillian Nahum, who lives in St Andrews Road, has run the company for 30 years and has always been an advocate of electric boats.

The ferry will be used around Shoreham Port in West Sussex and give tourists the opportunity to go on boat tours and see ships up close.

Mrs Nahum said: I have been working on this project for 15 months. It is the biggest single boat contract and build contract that our company has achieved.

The delivery date is April 2022 to link with Shoreham Port opening a restaurant and tourism centre.

The UK shipping authorities are looking carefully at this project because other ports and tourism locations would like to do something similar.

Shoreham have said to me that everybody in that commercial sector is looking to them to see how it works out with a view to doing the same and this could be the first of many contracts from our point of view. It just goes to show that, in terms of electric boating in the UK, we are the go-to people these days.

Henley Sales & Charter launched an electric division,

E-Boatique, at the London Boat Show in 2018. It sells and hires electric and hybrid boats.

Mrs Nahum, who was named entrepreneur of the year at the 2018 Henley Heroes Awards, is also the co-owner of Pure Boating, which offers self-drive day boat hire in Goring, Streatley and Wallingford.

For her latest venture, she will work with Ruban Bleu, which is based at Vigneux-de-Bretagne, near Nantes, to deliver the 24-seater ferry. She said: I sell fleets of smaller electric boats to hire companies but this is a much bigger thing.

I have been selling electric boats for 30 years, but it takes time for people to get with the programme. Im surprised that a contract like this hasnt come up sooner.

The majority of private boats I sell now are electric. Some are French and some are British and the oldest one I sell was built in 1893, which shows this is nothing new.

It has taken quite a while and Brexit hasnt helped. I think there will be demand from other parts of the country to allow people to visit ports from the water.

Shoreham Port is a not-for-profit organisation so all its profits are reinvested.
Job growth in Texas surged in July and the unemployment rate plunged, but the state and local economies face new uncertainty as the highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus push COVID-19 cases higher.

Surveys that collect the data for the monthly employment report were conducted around mid-July, before the fourth wave of the pandemic gained momentum. Recent national indicators suggest that the soaring COVID-19 cases are slowing the economic recovery.

In a sign that consumers might be pulling back, the Commerce Department reported this week that retail sales, a sign of consumer spending, fell by 1 percent from June, a significant month-over-month decline. Consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity.

Patrick Jankowski, economist at Greater Houston Partnership, said if fear of the delta variant leads people to stop dining out, going to bars and attending events, it would slow the recovery, but probably not derail it.

We might backslide a bit, but were not going back to where we were last March and April, when tens of thousands of workers lost jobs when businesses shut down, he said. Consumers want to get out of the house.

STAYING MUM: OTC ends with organizers declining to disclose attendance numbers

Texas employers added almost 81,000 jobs in July, the biggest gain since March, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. The state unemployment rate fell by three-tenths of a point to 6.2 percent, the lowest rate since the pandemic began.

In Houston, the local economy gained 7,500 jobs in July, the most since April. The unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent from 11.1 percent a year earlier.

Texas has added about 715,000 jobs over the past year  a sizzling 6 percent growth rate. Houston has gained more than 130,000 jobs over the year, with employment growing by 4.5 percent.

The strong gains follow a national economy which, after faltering in the spring, picked up momentum in June and July. U.S. employers added 943,000 jobs in July after boosting payrolls by 938,000 in June. The national unemployment rate fell by a half-point in July to a pandemic low of 5.4 percent.

In Texas, Julys gains were led by leisure and hospitality, which added more than 20,000 jobs and returned to pre-pandemic employment levels as vaccinations helped boost dining-out and travel. The sector, however, which includes restaurants and hotels, is particularly vulnerable to the resurgence of the pandemic.

Hotel operators in Houston, for example, last week reported widespread cancellations ahead of the Offshore Technology Conference, which ended Thursday after days of sparse attendance.

RESERVATIONS: Delta-driven cancellations dashing Houston hotels' hopes for an OTC recovery

We may see some softening of job growth in the areas that were hit hardest early on in the pandemic, (such as) leisure and hospitality, said Parker Harvey, economist at Workfore Solutions, a regional workforce development agency. There's no signs of that in July's numbers  (but) the situation is fluid and could change.

Professional and business services, a sector that includes companies from office cleaners to management consulting firms, added nearly 12,000 jobs in July. Manufacturing added more than 8,000 jobs over the month.

Mining and logging, dominated by the oil and gas industry in Texas, gained another 1,400 jobs as oil prices rose above $70 a barrel and producers brought more drilling rigs into operation.

The resurgence of the pandemic, however, also is threatening the oil and gas industrys recovery from last years crash. New concerns that rising COVID cases will slow economic growth has driven a broad sell-off in recent weeks.

Oil, which rose as high as $76 a barrel in recent weeks, has since lost about 17 percent. Crude lost 2 percent Friday to settle at $62.32 in New York.

Jankowski said his main concern about the rapidly spreading delta variant is the impact on schools. If pediatric cases grow and it forces schools to shut down and return to virtual learning, it could affect parents ability to work, as well as family activities and a sense of safety in the Houston area.

That all plays into consumer behavior, which drives at least two-thirds of the economy, he said.
An emu has been roaming at large this week in Roman Forest, a small town northeast of Houston in Montgomery County.

The Roman Forest Police Department posted a Facebook warning about the rogue bird on Thursday. "Officers have been looking for this insurance salesman soliciting without a permit around the city today," the post reads. "But on a serious note, there is an emu reportedly running at large in the city. Please drive carefully and let us know if you see him."

Jennifer Sauceda Guerra did see the emu. In fact, she was startled to arrive at her mom's house to see a giant bird lurking in the shadows of the garage.

AT LEAST IT'S NOT A TIGER: How did this Houston neighborhood full of gossips miss a tiger living among them?

Guerra documented her experience on Facebook Live, chatting with commenters on the video while trying to get the bird to come out. "Not too common to see a bird like that roaming around a neighborhood or garage," she said.

Now Playing: An emu is roaming a small town near Houston, caught on video in a woman's garage Video: Houston Chronicle

"Video starts off like a scary movie!" a friend posted in the comments.

After first peeking out, the emu eventually left the garage, prompting Guerra to hurry back to the safety of her car, then wandered off into the yard. "It was cute," she said Friday. "He was just being nosey, so I named him Mr. Nosey."

Other commenters on the police department's post said they had also seen the emu. "It was not scared by me when I approached it. Has to belong to someone," Yara Santos posted.

Roman Forest Police Chief Stephen Carlisle said the emu has not yet been apprehended. "Our officers have never seen the emu," he said.

Police have received multiple emu reports, but by the time they arrive the bird is gone. "He's good at what he does," Carlisle said, adding that he's spoken with an animal sanctuary that will care for the emu if it is ever caught.
A pack of dogs killed dozens of deer at a Porter game ranch Thursday night, according to the Montgomery County Police Reporter.

John Christlieb, a game rancher permitted by Texas Parks and Wildlife, heard barking and went outside with his gun to find six dogs attacking his deer, he told the media outlet. The rancher shot one dog and scared off the others.
CHICAGO (AP)  The deputy inspector general for the Chicago Park District said he believes his suspension amid an investigation into charges of sexual abuse by lifeguards is a reprisal for trying to expose attempts to cover up the misconduct.

Nathan Kipp said he was placed on indefinite emergency suspension last week in what he called an attempt to whitewash an investigation into rampant sexual assault, sexual harassment and physical abuse among the district's lifeguards.

I cant think of any reason other than that I have been zealously pursuing this investigation, Kipp said Thursday.

This meritless action is a clear attempt by Park District officials to impede and obstruct a devastating investigation into widespread sexual assault, sexual harassment and physical abuse throughout the Districts Beaches & Pools Unit, Kipp said in a statement.

Park District officials offered him no explanation for the suspension, Kipp said.

The Park District said in a statement it operates independently of the Office of Inspector General and has absolutely no influence on policies and decisions made by the IG.

The Park District on Monday announced the suspensions of two high-level managers amid disciplinary action against 42 employees, including nine cases stemming from an investigation into sexual misconduct and abuse.

The two managers  the assistant director of recreation and beaches and the pools manager  were placed on emergency suspension Aug. 13 while the district awaits the outcome of the investigation by the inspector generals office, CEO Michael Kelly announced.

The inspector generals investigation probe began in March 2020, when Kelly turned over a complaint he received from a former lifeguard, who described a toxic environment at one beach, accusing fellow lifeguards of subjecting her and others to sexual harassment and sexual and physical abuse. She also reported witnessing rampant drug and alcohol use by fellow lifeguards.

Chicago public radio station WBEZ first reported in April that the park district was investigating wide-ranging claims of sexual misconduct among pool and beach employees.
HARPSWELL, Maine (AP)  A Maine lobsterman wanted by Michigan authorities for alleged sex crimes involving a minor was arrested Thursday by U.S. Marshals.

Michael Bernard, 26, of Auburn, was wanted for crimes involving a victim under 13-years-old, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Bernard met the victim online and communicated with them over several months, the Bangor Daily News reported.

Authorities said Bernard traveled to Michigan to engage in sexual activity and then returned to Maine.

Bernard was arrested Thursday in Harpswell after leaving his boat and was charged as a fugitive from justice. He will be arraigned in Maine pending his extradition back to Michigan, authorities said.

Its unknown whether he had an attorney, and Bernard didnt immediately return an email seeking comment.
Heres the key question to ask about Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts campaign to prohibit school districts, cities and counties from requiring masks indoors in public places, a practice recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Is this about the safety of kids  and the 29 million people he represents?

The delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire, leading to packed hospital intensive care units and some 100 deaths a day in Texas. Public health experts recommend wearing masks, even if youre fully vaccinated and indoors, because the delta variant is so much more contagious. They also say masks are needed to protect vaccine-ineligible students.

Many local officials and school districts get it. The White House and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nations chief infectious disease expert, get it. But Abbott doesnt seem to  although he did get COVID-19 himself this past week.

We of course wish the governor a speedy recovery. However, his obstinance has led cities, counties, school districts and nonprofits to defy him outright. Localities that are locked in courtroom battles with Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton include Harris County; a group of school districts; Bexar County and San Antonio; Dallas County; and Fort Bend County, outside Houston.

Local officials in these jurisdictions, and others, were cheered by a Texas Supreme Court decision on Thursday that allows school districts and some local governments to require masks on their property, for now. This was a ruling on a procedural question, far from the last word; but still. Other good news came from the Texas Education Association, which said it would not be enforcing Abbotts ban as the result of the ongoing litigation.

Such rulings buy time for local officials to continue their fight to require masks  and protect constituents  until the spread of the delta variant can be stalled.

One local official at the front lines is KP George, a first-term Democrat who is the Fort Bend Count judge. County officials late last month could boast that 66 percent of county residents age 12 and older were fully vaccinated, one of the best rates in the state. As Anna Bauman reported, local officials and hospital representatives at a court hearing Thursday painted a dire picture of ambulances waiting outside hospitals, patients stacked up in emergency rooms, and exhausted doctors and nurses.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Fort Bend County judge sides with county in legal challenge of mask mandate ban

A district judge then issued a temporary injunction blocking the states order and enabling local officials to require masks in public buildings, at least.

One thing I really know  I wanted to be on the right side of history, George said Thursday. I know that I am on the right side of history.

The all-Republican Supreme Court will likely have the final say on the subject. Still, George viewed the court case in Fort Bend as an opportunity to do the right thing, when it comes to protecting our citizens, our families, and our most vulnerable, our children.

And for the time being, at least, local leaders across the state can take advantage of the same opportunity, if they havent already.

The governors policy is an unpopular one  unless youre focused solely on the Texans who vote in the Republican primary, as Abbott may be. A new Ipsos poll finds that two-thirds of Americans are opposed to the idea of state prohibitions on mask mandates.

How widespread is the ensuing mutiny, in Texas? Paxton is keeping a list of governmental entities that have failed to comply with Abbotts order and is encouraging people to snitch on any others they hear of, by sending an email to his office.

All told, some 70 governmental entities were on Paxtons list as of Friday, most of them independent school districts. He vowed Friday that if localities continue to blatantly disregard state law, I will sue every single one of them. (Paxton, by the way, remains under indictment for state securities fraud, charges that he has denied).

Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School at Law, reckons that local officials still face an uphill battle in their legal battles.

The Supreme Court of Texas, he explained, didnt side against the state on the substantive question. It simply concluded that Paxton had skipped a step in the legal process, meaning that the statewide restraining order against Abbotts executive order remains in effect while Paxton retraces his steps.

The TEA guidance on masks, similarly, isnt a policy change on the agencys part; rather, its a recognition that a temporary restraining order issued by Travis County District Judge Jan Soife blocking the enforcement of Abbotts latest executive order remains in effect, while litigation is pending.

The real bottom line is that Judge Soifers TROs are still in effect today, but they may not be tomorrow, Vladeck said.

Vladeck thinks its more likely than not that the states highest court will eventually side with Abbott; after all, he noted, it previously issued stays against local mask mandates issued in Dallas and Bexar County  thats more than nothing, when it comes to reading tea leaves.

At the heart of the case, Vladeck continued, are genuine substantive questions about the scope of the governors powers under the Texas Disaster Act of 1975.

I think we can safely say theyre broad, Vladeck said. The problem is theyre surely not limitless.

Broad, but not limitless: Abbott should remember that the same could be said of his popularity. He has enjoyed generally strong approval ratings throughout his two terms as governor  especially compared to Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, two highly controversial conservatives. That could change quickly, though, if Abbott continues to dig in against common-sense COVID-19 precautions  and Texans continue dying.

Everyone already knows what to do, Abbott said earlier this month, speaking to a trade association in Dallas. Everyone can voluntarily implement the mandates that are safest for them, their families, and their businesses.

True; some Texans are abiding by their own personal mask mandates, even if theyve already been vaccinated. Others are not. As a result, his laissez-faire approach has done nothing to slow the spread of the highly transmissible delta variant while local officials like Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo dangle $100 gift cards to hesitant constituents to get their shots.

As for Abbott, as noted, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 less than 24 hours after spending an evening schmoozing with a maskless gathering of GOP donors at a fundraiser in Collin County. In a video message, the governor explained that hes having no symptoms. In addition to being fully vaccinated, Abbott has access to excellent health care and is receiving monoclonal antibody treatment as he isolates.

Still, the governors positive test is a reminder that no one is entirely safe from COVID  and, of course, many Texans have fewer resources to draw upon, if they contract the virus.

Which helps explain why local leaders across Texas seem to be doing everything in their power to protect the communities they serve  because the governor sure isnt.

erica.grieder@chron.com
BAY CITY  Two Bay City High School students out on a lunchtime drive died Thursday after their SUV crashed, according to police.

The two and a third student were in a Chevrolet Tahoe that crashed around 12:15 p.m. in the 600 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard, Bay City Police said in a news release. The SUV struck a power pole.

Police did not identify the students at the time of the release.

The driver was dead, and a rear passenger was severely injured, police said. A front seat passenger told police all three were Bay City High School students and that theyd gone for a drive during lunch, police said. That passenger said the driver went too fast and lost control, according to the release.

The front seat passenger was sent to Matagorda Regional Medical Center and was in stable condition. Fire officials extricated the other passenger; that person was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital and police were told later on that he died, according to the release.

There are no words to express the sadness we feel as a Bay City community in this moment, Bay City ISD said in a Facebook post, which was signed by Superintendent Marshall Scott III.

The districts post said counseling support is available for students and staff. People can get further information regarding grief response resources by calling the counselors office at Bay City High School, (979) 401-1130, according to the post.

Our hearts and our prayers go out to the families of these students, the post read. We are all mourning with you.
Jay Jordan

A man was pronounced dead on the scene of a South Houston shooting Friday evening, according to Houston Police.

The shooting happened around 8:33 p.m. at 5200 block of South Loop East Freeway near the South Park neighborhood of Southeast Houston.
OnSceneTV

A man was fatally shot Friday night while driving on Interstate 10 near Jacinto City with his two young sons, police said.

The father was driving around 10:40 p.m. east near Holland Avenue when an unknown assailant shot into the vehicle, striking the man once in the head, said Lt. R. Willkens of the Houston Police Department.
A man was shot and killed Friday night while driving in southeast Houston, police said.

The victim was driving around 8:30 p.m. on the service road for Interstate 610 near Martin Luther King Boulevard when an unknown shooter opened fire on the car, said Lt. R. Willkens of the Houston Police Department.

The man, in his 50s, was fatally shot through the door and the car drifted into a curb. His female passenger was not hurt and is cooperating with police as a witness.

No motive or suspect information was immediately available.
Leaders of the regions largest medical institutions on Friday called for widespread mask-wearing in schools and other policies to curb the spread of delta variant.

These are not ordinary times, reads the letter, which was signed by presidents and CEOs of the Texas Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, CHI St. Lukes Health, Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann Health System and Texas Childrens Hospital.

Even in the midst of the pandemic  and as the delta variant surges  we have tools to provide a relatively safe school environment with an acceptable level of risk, the group wrote. However, creating safe schools will not occur by luck. It will require a thoughtful, unified collaboration between schools, parents, and our community.

The group also offered guidelines for safely returning to school, including vaccines, keeping sick children and staff home, stressing the importance of masking in public and limiting or eliminating outside guests to school buildings.

On HoustonChronicle.com: COVID Help Desk: Whats up with COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction?

One final recommendation is for everyone, the group wrote. Recognize that this is a difficult time for all. Teaching is a noble but difficult profession in the best of times. COVID-19 has imposed an incredible burden on schools and teachers. The pandemic has forced parents to make decisions that are uncomfortable and unavoidable. We all need to work together to promote an environment of mutual respect. Please be kind to, and patient with, each other.

The letter comes amid intensifying fights and lawsuits between many local education officials and state leaders such as Gov. Greg Abbott, and as COVID cases rise at school districts across the region.

On Thursday, the Texas Supreme Court rejected Attorney General Ken Paxtons challenge to mask requirements by some districts, allowing them to remain in place amid ongoing legal battles between Paxton, Abbott and various local school districts.

On Friday, the Chronicle reported that the number of positive COVID-19 cases among Texas public school students increased by more than 2,400 over the week prior, when many schools returned.

robert.downen@chron.com
The number of positive COVID-19 cases reported in Texas public school students increased by more than 2,400 in one week as districts across the state began opening earlier this month, according to state data released Friday.

By Aug. 15, there were 5,655 reported positive cases of the virus in schools, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Of those, 3,575 were students, more than triple the number reported a week earlier.

Though up-to-date COVID data is not yet available for all school systems, most of the 25 Houston-area districts that opened their doors to students in the last two weeks have seen an uptick in cases, including some dramatic increases.

Conroe ISD, for example, has seen more than 145 new cases daily for four straight days. Others districts have seen lesser increases. For instance, Spring ISD had reported 72 cases on Aug. 13, the same day the district announced it would require masks. That has grown to 169 active cases as of Friday.

These numbers certainly are indicative of the fact that the delta variant is the most contagious variant of the virus to date, said Dr. James Versalovic, pathologist-in-chief at Texas Childrens Hospital. We expect to see even more cases as more school districts open next week. We are in the midst of the fourth surge and were not sure how or when it will end.

The rise in cases comes as court cases challenging Gov. Gregg Abbotts executive order banning mask mandates in public schools unfold. The Texas Education Agency said in guidelines released Thursday that it would not enforce Abbotts ban on mask requirements while the legal battles play out.

Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have said they will sue every district and local government that has enacted a mask mandate in defiance of the governors order.

During the 2020- 2021 school year, the state reported 148,197 positive cases in students and 73,741 in school employees through the end of July. There are an estimated 5.3 million students enrolled in Texas public schools and more than 800,000 staff.

Children who went uninfected in 2020 are more vulnerable now because of the more contagious variant, more than anything we saw in 2020, Versalovic said. More children will get infected and more children will get hospitalized.

Doctors are becoming increasingly concerned by the number of children hospitalized and in critical care and those who require ventilator support.

This could indicate that the delta variant is causing more severe illness in some children, Versalovic said. It is something that we are noticing very recently in the last few days as we review more cases of delta.

Most Houston-area districts that already have begun the 2021-22 school year are seeing a steady raise in new cases each day.

Conroe ISD, which started class for more than 65,000 students at its 64 campuses on Aug. 11, reported 1,072 active cases on its online dashboard by Friday afternoon, an increase of more than 100 from the previous day.

Of those, 929 cases involved students. Another 558 students who reported being symptomatic but had not yet tested positive were isolating on Friday, according to the district. The school system also has seen a steady increase in absences, including 4,858 on Thursday.

Humble ISD, a district with more than 45,000 students at 45 schools, reported 466 active cases in students and 141 in staff on Friday. That was up from 142 cases the day before.

Fort Bend ISD, the fourth largest district in the Houston region, reported 661 active cases Friday, including 564 students. There are approximately 77,000 students on the districts 81 campuses.

Katy ISD, which serves more than 85,000 students at 74 schools, reported 322 active cases Friday afternoon, including 218 students.

Masks can 100 percent stop the disease from happening in most people, Dr. Joshua Feinstein, a father of three kids in Spring Branch ISD and an emergency room physician for Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center. Its ridiculous that people arent concerned.

Feinstein joined other local doctors in signing a petition for Spring Branch ISD to require masks, but said administrators have ignored their pleas. The district, made up of more than 35,000 students at 43 schools, reported 253 active cases Friday. Of the 208 active student cases, nearly half are in elementary schools and the districts pre-kindergarten centers.

Dr. Brian C. Castrucci, an epidemiologist, former Director I in the Texas Department of State Health Services and now president of the nonpartisan public health-focused de Beaumont Foundation , said Abbotts order will harm children.

We don't know how delta works in kids or how it will play out, he said. Instead of taking precautions, the governor has volunteered Texas children to be the experimental group to find out.

Castrucci said now is the time for local school leaders to disobey the governors order to save lives.

Let the local elected officials, superintendents and school boards make this decision for their communities, he said. Let them do their job and protect children.

hannah.dellinger@chron.com
The calls came in late Sunday, after hours of news about the Talibans takeover of Kabul. A former Afghan interpreter for the United States military who now lives in Houston learned his sister had been killed in a barrage of gunfire after answering her door.

The interpreter, whom the Houston Chronicle is not naming to protect him and his family, said he believes his sister was killed by the Taliban due to her familys association with Allied forces.

They knocked (on) the door of my sister, the interpreter said. When his sister answered the door they asked for one of her brothers. (My sister said), We dont know. Because of that they shoot her straight away, the interpreter said.

The interpreters service with the U.S. government has been verified.

Shes trying to escape and they shoot her from the back, he said. They shoot a lot. When she fell down, they shoot more. On the walls, everywhere.

The interpreters four nephews and nieces were present; two of them were injured during the incident. A photo on his cellphone shows a bullet wound on a teenage boy.

He said he passed out when he heard the news late Sunday and was taken to the hospital due to high blood pressure.

The familys tragedy emphasizes the immediate danger thousands of people who worked with the U.S. military  and their extended families  face, despite the official Taliban message of a peaceful takeover. The vast majority of the 11,790 Afghans who have been resettled in Houston since 2007 have come through Special Immigrant Visas, which are granted to individuals with a proven record of working with Allied forces in Afghanistan or Iraq. Many fear their families back home will pay the price for their service.

A PAINFUL SITUATION: Afghans in Houston and in home country watch with dismay as Taliban takes control

The nonprofit No One Left Behind, which advocates for people eligible for Special Immigrant Visas, estimates at least 300 Afghan interpreters and their family members have been targeted and killed due to their affiliation with the U.S. military since 2016.

Though Afghans associated with Allied forces have historically been targeted by the Taliban, now the absence of an active U.S. embassy, Taliban-controlled borders and a chaotic international airport mean the walls are closing in on this group of interpreters and other workers who played an essential role in the U.S. military effort.

The Houston-based interpreter believes this attack was a targeted threat from the Taliban, based on prior threats he and his brothers have received, due to their work with the U.S. government.

NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here.

They have been called before, saying were going to come, the interpreter said, though it was his brothers, who worked for the U.S., who received these threats  not his sister.

The Houston Chronicle was unable to independently confirm the interpreters account. The State Department couldn't confirm the incident, a spokesperson said.

'She was the best person'

As the interpreter talked about his sister, Afghan community members began to arrive at his apartment in Southwest Houston to mourn his sisters death. Messages on his phone revealed Muslim prayers sent by other Afghans living in Houston.

She was the best person, she was very good, said the interpreter, adding that her community loved her.

Since its takeover, the Taliban has promised safety to interpreters and others who worked with Allied forces. Nobody is going to be treated with revenge, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a press conference Tuesday, according to a transcription by Al Jazeera.

They are lying, said the Houston interpreter, who added his brothers in Kabul are actively trying to evade Taliban attacks. Hes working with members of the Combined Arms veterans organization to secure them Special Immigrant Visas to come to the United States, before the Taliban finds them.

He said his sister was not the first family member hes lost to the Taliban. Before the U.S. occupation of the country, the interpreter said his eldest brother was targeted and killed by the Taliban for being Hazara, a persecuted ethnic minority group in Afghanistan.

While some of the Afghans who worked with the U.S. military, with pending Special Immigrant Visas, have been flown to U.S. military bases, the majority are stuck in Afghanistan and are fearing the worst. Some have been advised by advocates to destroy documents that proved they worked for the U.S. government, to avoid retribution from the Taliban.

'Plans for processing are uncertain'

Houston refugee agencies have already begun to resettle around 100 Afghans who were first evacuated to Fort Lee in Virginia, according to Kimberly Haynes, South Texas Office for Refugees executive director.

In a written statement, Haynes told the Houston Chronicle that Houston resettlement agencies can expect an additional estimated 100 individuals in some level of processing to arrive this week.

The situation is very fluid right now and all are preparing to welcome more Afghan SIVs (Special Immigrant Visa holders), Haynes said, however, the plans for processing are uncertain.

EVACUEES ARRIVING IN HOUSTON: Here's what you need to know and how to help

Chaos at the Kabul airport has prevented some Afghans destined for Houston to board their planes this week, according to Cress Clippard, who works with Special Immigrant Visa holders through Combined Arms.

Our arrivals this week are tentatively canceled, said Clippard, We dont know when our people are getting out, how theyre getting out, where they are going or how theyre getting here.

Thursday morning, Clippard said Combined Arms was supposed to welcome a family, including an expectant mother who is 35 weeks pregnant, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The family already had their Special Immigrant Visas, but were unable to board their commercial flight.

He wasnt able to actually access the airport, said the familys attorney, Julie Kornfeld, with the International Refugee Assistance Project. He got stopped at a Taliban checkpoint and was turned away.

COLUMN: Houston should be ready to welcome Afghan refugees

There needs to be a method to get folks from outside the airport inside, Kornfeld said.

The situation looks grim for thousands of Afghans with valid claims to come to the U.S. who will likely not be able to move their visa applications forward, unless they flee to third countries.

An estimated 18,000 Afghan interpreters and other workers have pending Special Immigrant Visas, along with tens of thousands of their immediate family members.

MORE: As family of slain Afghan interpreter arrives in Houston, questions linger about 18,000 civilian partners remaining

For the Afghan interpreter in Houston, the Taliban has now taken the lives of two of his siblings. He said he fears what could happen if his brothers arent able to board a plane to the United States.

Maybe they will kill tomorrow another brother?
Among the Afghan allies waiting for an evacuation flight out of Kabul is an interpreter who first applied for a Special Immigrant Visa  which would allow him and his immediate family to immigrate to the United States  in 2014.

They were dodging (the) Taliban doing crowd control by firing weapons into the air and mobs of desperate people, said Liz Vallette, a Houston refugee advocate and Iraq veteran who first met the interpreter through her nonprofit work in Afghanistan.

The interpreter, who is not being named by the Houston Chronicle to protect his family, is attempting to flee with his wife and four children. He told Vallette his family has abandoned its home in Kabul and has been in hiding for fear of the Taliban.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston-area Afghan interpreter mourns sister slain in Afghanistan

Since 2009, certain Afghans working with U.S.-allied forces have been eligible for Special Immigrant Visas. The visa program, which allows them to immigrate with their families to the U.S., has been a lifeline for interpreters and other Afghan workers facing death threats from the Taliban for their affiliation with the United States.

Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants are expected to arrive in Houston and other U.S. cities in the coming days and weeks through refugee resettlement agencies, though the number of Afghans who will make it safely on U.S. evacuation flights is unclear.

An estimated 18,000 Afghans and thousands more of their family members with pending visas are vulnerable to being left behind in Afghanistan, where many are likely to be targeted by the Taliban, facing potential death. The nonprofit No One Left Behind estimates some 300 Afghan interpreters and their family members have been killed by the Taliban for their association with the U.S. since 2016.

But the arduous, slow-moving visa process, handled by the State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has prevented thousands of eligible Afghans from securing visas before the recent Taliban takeover. Now, the risks they face are greater than ever, as the Taliban asserts its control of the country and desperate crowds flock to the Kabul airport.

It never should have come to this, Vallette said. Im so angry.

According to documents reviewed by the Chronicle, in 2016, around two years after applying, the interpreter received a rejection letter regarding the initial part of his Special Immigrant Visa application, for derogatory information, without any further explanation. He applied again and received initial approval in 2020. He was on to a critical next step: an interview at the U.S. Embassy. But, like many Afghans, due to COVID-19 his interview at the embassy was canceled and delayed until last month.

Long processing delays, vague application denials and tedious bureaucracy in the Special Immigrant Visa process are not uncommon, according to Deepa Alagesan, supervising attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, a nonprofit refugee organization.

NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Afghan evacuees are arriving in Houston. Here's what you need to know and how to help.

The program itself has been plagued by delays pretty much since it was created, she said. Our clients have faced huge issues around this bureaucratic quagmire where it seems like a Herculean task just to show that theyve completed the requisite service and can proceed in the application process.

In 2018, the International Refugee Assistance Project filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Afghans and Iraqis experiencing long visa processing times past the congressionally mandated nine-month period.

A federal judge ordered the government to establish a plan to speed up the process. But quarterly progress reports show applications are not being adjudicated within the mandated timeline.

Delays can also spring from application mistakes from previous employers. Another Afghan interpreter  who is also not being named to protect his safety  fled the Taliban in Kandahar last week after facing visa delays relating to an incorrect work timeline offered by his former employer, the private military contractor Dyncorp with offices in Fort Worth and San Antonio, which has since been acquired by the Amentum company. Earlier this week, Amentum posted a statement on Twitter inviting visa applicants to reach out regarding employment requests.

It is extremely dangerous. (There is) looting and stealing going on, the interpreter said in an exchange via Facebook messenger. Three days ago, the Taliban came to find and execute me. Luckily I was not there.

After the Taliban failed to find him, they seized his house and said they would never return it to me.

The interpreter said two friends were taken from their homes and killed, and that in outlying provinces, some bodies had gone unburied for three weeks. Hes staying in Kabul now, near the airport, among many hoping to catch an evacuation flight out of the country.

President Joe Biden pledged on Friday to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan  and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too. Were making the same commitment to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies equally important in the evacuations.

But Vallette criticized the process.

Its gut-wrenching, said Vallette, about the U.S. governments handling of the withdrawal and evacuation effort in Kabul, It didnt have to be this way.

(Special Immigrant Visa applicants) seem like an afterthought.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

elizabeth.trovall@chron.com

st.john.smith@chron.com
When the U.S. Census Bureau released their decennial statistics on the nations population last week, it marked the first step in what is likely to be a long, drawn out battle among lawmakers and voting advocates on how state and federal voting districts will be divvied up in Texas and around the country.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have long used the redistricting process  which occurs every 10 years and uses census data as its basis  to draw convoluted, tangled districts that favor them politically and increase their chances of remaining in office, a practice called gerrymandering.

Though the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlaws explicitly discriminatory voting practices, redistricting often falls along racial lines anyway, as people of color are more likely to vote Democrat. In a state like Texas, where Republicans control the state House and Senate, as well as the governors office, that means that Black and brown residents get shortchanged at the ballot box, advocates say.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Why Houston, not Chicago, deserves to be third in the Census

Redistricting goes hand in hand with gerrymandering in this state, specifically racial gerrymandering where some of the worst lines are drawn to dilute the voting power of people of color, said Miguel Rivera, voting rights outreach coordinator for the Texas Civil Rights Project.

The last time the Republican-led state legislature redrew political maps, after the 2010 census, it set off a flurry of lawsuits from Democrats and advocacy groups that lasted through three election cycles. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually decided that partisan gerrymandering is beyond the scope of their authority, and upheld the practice as long as it wasnt explicitly done on the basis of race.

For someone who might bring a lawsuit, the issue is proving that [race] was the rationale with drawing the lines, said Texas Demographer Lloyd Potter. It becomes pretty ambiguous between party- and racial-based gerrymandering, because minority status tends to align by party.

Federal laws around redistricting are loose enough that the only enforceable criteria is that each district has roughly the same amount of people. On a national level, Texas, which gained two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives following the 2020 census, will divide its population of 29,145,505 people by the 38 districts it was allotted to create districts of about 766,987 people each.

The lax restrictions around gerrymandering allow lawmakers to essentially choose their constituents, meaning some voters can have their voices drowned out by residents of communities that look nothing like theirs, though they share a representative. It also leaves little incentive for a representative to listen to some voters concerns, if the majority of their bloc is living in another community altogether and may have different agendas.

[A fair redistricting process] has never really been defined, and thats where the whole gerrymandering process comes from, because no one said You cant do this, Potter said.

Sam Gonzalez Kelly: Houston's population grows by nearly 10%, census data shows

Its not just in Texas, it happens everywhere, and if the Democrats were in power they would be doing the same thing, Potter said. From the perspective of objective representation, its a bit inconsistent with the democratic principles of true representation and having civil discourse.

This time around in Texas, the stakes are even higher, advocates say, as the state is no longer subject to civil rights-era restrictions that mandated federal officials sign off on any newly drawn maps. The restrictions had been in place for Texas and other states with segregationist pasts since the Voting Rights Act was signed in 1965, and were only lifted in 2013 after the Supreme Court ruled preclearance requirements unconstitutional.

Without the protection of the Voting Rights Act, we know were walking into a process that Texas has historically weaponized against communities of color, but this time without these very important federal protections, Rivera said.

As people of color drive Texas growth, making up 95% of the roughly 4 million new residents the state added in the last decade, advocates say there are ways to overhaul the redistricting process to more accurately reflect the changing demographics.

An independent citizens redistricting commission, for example, could take the redistricting process out of lawmakers hands and entrust it to a bipartisan, civilian taskforce. Several states and municipalities across the country, including Austin, have already adopted such measures.

Weve been working for a long time to get these common sense policy solutions passed. Weve been trying to get an independent citizens redistricting commission passed for a long time, said Stephanie Gomez, associate director at Common Cause Texas. Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-El Paso, introduced a bill this past session and it didnt go anywhere because, for the people currently in power, it doesnt serve their interest to form an independent commission.

State records show Gonzalezs bill was left pending in the House Redistricting Committee in April.

We always say redistricting is democracy in action, and as you see in Texas, power-hungry politicians draw voting district maps that benefit their interests, rather than allowing their every community has the opportunity to share their lived experience, Gomez said.

You look at the racial demographics of the Texas Legislature, and it doesnt reflect the makeup of white, Latinx, Black and Asian and other Texans. Redistricting works best when mapmakers draw districts in a transparent, fair and inclusive process that prioritizes communities that have been historically left out of the process, Gomez said.

In Texas, Latinos make up 40% of the states population, census data shows, but just 25% of the Legislature, according to the Mexican American Legislative Caucus.

We call upon the better angels of our colleagues in the Legislature to embrace diversity as a strength and commit to drawing electoral maps that are representative of our great state. Together, we can make the promise of democracy real for all of us, said State Rep. Rafael Anchia, chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and member of the House Committee on Redistricting.

Texas Republicans did not respond to a request for comment on allegations that the redistricting process undercuts the voting power of Black and brown residents.

We expect redistricting to be complete this year. We also expect each State House district to have approximately 194,000 people, Senate districts to have 940,000 people, and Congressional districts to have 767,000 people. We know for certain there will be 150 State House districts, 31 State Senate districts, and 38 Congressional districts, Matt Rinaldi, chairman of the Republican Party of Texas, said in a statement.
As the Taliban reestablishes control in Afghanistan, many Afghan allies of the U.S. military have been attempting to leave their country to escape retaliation and immediate danger since Sunday.

Here are things that you need to know about Afghan evacuees coming to Houston:

Evacuees already here

Since the Taliban's occupation of Kabul, there have been 100 Afghan evacuees relocated to Houston from Fort Lee in Virginia, according to Kimberly Haynes, executive director of the South Texas Office of Refugees. Haynes also said that another 100 evacuees will be arriving to the city in the next week.

Special Immigration Visas

According to the South Texas Office of Refugees, there have been 11,790 Afghans who have relocated to Houston since 2009 with more than 90 percent of them holding Special Immigrant Visas. These visas are granted to individuals who assisted the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of them served in interpreter roles.

'THE BEST PERSON': Houston-area Afghan interpreter mourns sister shot to death in Afghanistan

For these evacuees, the application process to obtain an SIV can take up to a decade to complete, requires letters of support from U.S. officials as well as proof that the applicant's life is in danger.

As recently as June, approximately 18,000 applicants who were interpreters were still waiting for their SIVs to be processed.

Roadblocks

Additionally, there have been physical barriers for Afghans trying to leave the country. Gunfire at the airport halted commercial airline flights out of the Afghan capital, with those looking to escape having to get on U.S. military flights to do so. Due to this, many evacuees with legitimate claims to come to the U.S. may now need to go to third countries before being able to reach their new destinations.

GRIEDER: Houston should be ready to welcome Afghan refugees

Organizations that are helping

There are five local refugee organizations that help Afghan evacuees who relocate to the city. They are the YMCA International Services, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, The Alliance, Refugee Services of Texas and Interfaith Ministries of Galveston-Houston.

Aside from volunteering or financial donations, some of these organizations also have wish lists for supplies like kitchenware or linens to help clients establish a new home.

NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here.

joel.umanzor@chron.com
Regarding Rep. Michael McCaul: Afghanistan will once again become a terrorist safe haven, (Aug. 19): Rep. Michael McCaul warns us about Afghanistan becoming a terrorist safe haven.

He never mentioned why we entered with our troops in 2001 following 9/11 under President George W. Bush in the first place. We had a mission but never heard what our exit strategy was.

McCaul also reminded us of his op-ed on May 1 stating when America pulls out of a conflict zone at the wrong time, it creates a vacuum in which the terrorists threat grows again. I wonder when McCaul believes the right time would be. I suppose 20 years was not long enough as we witnessed with the immediate collapse of the Afghan government and military.

The previous administration was willing to send our troops home in May of this year with a negotiated agreement with the Taliban. The fact that the U.S. didnt include the Afghan government in the negotiations tells us everything we need to know.

Gene Orlando, Spring

This country does not learn from its mistakes. The article by Rep. Michael McCaul is a prime example. He comes to two conclusions. The first is that we have lost significant intelligence capabilities. This flies in the face of the fact that these significant intelligence capabilities were unable to predict the rapid speed with which the Afghan National Army and government would completely disintegrate and collapse. The other conclusion is that Afghanistan will become a terrorist safe haven  really? The Taliban were not exporting terrorism, they were still fighting a civil war when we invaded. Osama bin Laden and his organization al-Qaida were the terrorists (and they did not learn to fly airliners in Afghanistan, they were taught by us). After we invaded, al-Qaida scattered around the world; they do not need a terrorist central any more, they have the internet. ISIS declared a caliphate and found themselves surrounded by enemies. Their threat is more on the internet, spreading their brand of Islam. One of the reasons America stayed in Vietnam so long was the theory that if South Vietnam fell, then all Southeast Asia would become communist, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma (Myanmar) and even India. It did not happen. Over 50,000 American lives were sacrificed on the altar of this theory. How many more American lives would McCaul be ready to sacrifice on the altar of his theory?

Gonzalo Martinez, La Porte

Rep. Michael McCaul perpetuates the same thinking that has led to 20 years of warfare without the result the United States desired. He acts as if what happens in Afghanistan is up to America and forgets whose country it is. He quotes himself and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, When America pulls out of a conflict zone at the wrong time, it creates a vacuum in which the terrorist threat grows again. What McCaul and Crocker dont and cant say is when the right time to exit the conflict in Afghanistan would be because there wont be a right time.

Folks who say staying in Afghanistan only involves a few thousand troops with low risk of American casualties seem to forget that would mean condemning the Afghan people to a forever civil war that we have proven we cant win. Our Republican president delivered the coup de grace to the Afghan government by signing a peace agreement with a resurgent Taliban that excluded the government we put in power. The Afghan army voted with its feet in the last few weeks on how they thought the war was going.

Robert L'Hommedieu, Spring

Infrastructure questions

Regarding Editorial: Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure bill - what's in it for Texas? (Aug. 19): What this piece needed to explain is how the money from the federal infrastructure bill will trickle into the state. Will it have a journey similar to the Harvey money still gathering dust in a state government bank account left up to the governor to decide who merits a slice of the pie? How will money be disbursed once it gets to the state? What agency of the state will receive the money and who decides the disbursement?

Aintre Antonoff, Houston

Patricks priorities

Regarding Dan Patrick blames COVID surge on unvaccinated African Americans, prompting widespread backlash, (Aug. 19): Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says, Last time I checked, over 90 percent of (African Americans) vote for Democrats in their major cities and major counties. Well, that just may be the problem. The fact that Patrick spends his time and my money checking on African Americans and how they vote and referring to major cities and major counties as being theirs tells us a lot about whats really important to him. It sounds to me like his priorities are white people who vote for Republicans and live in rural areas. God help the rest of us Texans because our state leadership certainly isnt.

Gene Fisseler, Houston
The fame of Paris, Texas has long been the replica of the Eiffel Tower that rises over their town of 25,000. Measuring 65 feet in height, it is tall enough to top the replica that stands in Paris, Tennessee, but not tall enough to reach even the first level of the Eiffel Tower. And while you might see not the Compiegne Forest but instead the Piney Woods from the top, the replica is, unlike the original, topped by a bright red cowboy hat.

Overnight, however, it has won fame for something else  something that might lead state officials in Austin to see a beret, not a Stetson, topping the tower.

On Tuesday, a short but stunning announcement appeared on the website of the Paris Independent School District. In response to Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order forbidding state entities, including schools, from mandating the wearing of masks, the Board of Trustees begged to differ. The governor, they declared, does not have the authority to usurp the Board of Trustees exclusive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of the public schools of the district.

Rather than challenge, as have half a dozen other districts, the governors claim of emergency powers to forbid the mandating of masks, Paris ISD instead took a more ingenious route. They turned to their dress code, declaring that it can be used to mitigate communicable health issues. As a result, they amended the PISD dress code to protect our students and employees. Overnight, not only are students forbidden from wearing jeans and shirts from revealing too much of their bodies, but they are now also forbidden from wearing faces that reveal too much of their mouths.

The governor did not reply. (Under treatment for COVID, Abbott is, well, hors de combat.) But his spokeswoman, Renae Eze, did, insisting, We are all working to protect Texas children and those most vulnerable among us, but violating the governors executive orders  and violating parental rights  is not the way to do it.

Ezes words betray the logical incoherence of her bosss position. If you are working to protect children and the most vulnerable in time of pandemic, you do not prevent local authorities from doing so. With their local hospital facing a shortage of ventilators, Paris school officials decided the only way to protect their children is by violating  or, better yet, resistingthe governors executive orders.

Of course, when one thinks about resistance, it is hard not to think of la resistance. The current meaning of the word happens to have been coined in Paris in 1940, when a clandestine journal by that name first appeared in mailboxes. As for the French Resistance, it inevitably evokes certain images: furtive meetings on darkened streets between hunched figures draped in scarves, small knots of men with Gauloise cigarettes wedged between their teeth while dynamiting a train track, or a woman on a bicycle passing German soldiers while carrying explosives hidden in her shopping basket.

These images are not mythical, but they convey only a small part of the reality of the resistance. It was often a mundane affair involving men and women who, naturally, had no prior experience as resisters. They were absolute beginners who nevertheless found themselves resisting a states authority  in this case, the Vichy regime  and innovating within the limits of what they already knew. As the leading historian of the French Resistance, Olivier Wieviorka, reminds us, successful resisters during the occupation needed especially fertile imaginations, since they could rely neither on historical precedents nor on institutional structures with a tradition of struggle behind them.

It is safe to say that all of these conditions apply to the men and women involved in the Parisian resistance on the outskirts of the Piney Woods. The men and women of PISD, like their counterparts in the other Paris, had no idea they were signing up for this when they ran for office. Yet, they insist on obeying their oath to fundamental moral principles, and not to a fundamentally amoral former president.

And so, they have no choice but to innovate, as fast and furiously as they can, ways of keeping that oath. Rather than construct barricades across the streets of Paris  more theatrical than tactical even in the other Paris of 1944  the board instead deconstructed the rules governing dress. Instead of issuing a public health mandate, like other ISDs, they added a rule to their sartorial dos and donts.

Our states Parisians are not alone. On Thursday afternoon, Texas City ISD joined Paris ISD, announcing that they, too, were tweaking their dress code. Shortly after, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that school districts could temporarily require masks, while the Texas Education Agency declared that it would not, for now, enforce Abbotts order.

The act of resistance is infectious. Dozens of districts are now defying the governor, some with direct mandates and others by dress code. And they have succeeded, at least for now.

Historical comparisons can cloud as easily as they can clarify reality. Obviously, wartime France has no more to do with present-day Texas than  notwithstanding the claims of certain Republicans  the wearing of Jewish stars has to do with the wearing of masks.

No less obviously, though, the histories of both Parises reveal a fundamental fact. While resistance to those who treat life as lightly as they do truth always begins with the individual, it soon becomes collective. As one famous resister, Albert Camus, wrote, I resist  therefore we are. This can happen whether one wears a Stetson or a beret.

Zaretsky is a University of Houston professor and the author of the forthcoming book Victories Never Last: Reading and Caregiving in Time of Plague.
A Texas House committee controlled by Republicans held off on advancing their partys priority bail reform bill after a four-hour hearing Saturday, during which lawmakers from both parties took aim at a provision that would bar most charitable organizations from posting bail for certain defendants.

The news came as a pleasant surprise to opponents who expected the controversial measure to advance after state Rep. Trent Ashby, a Lufkin Republican in charge of the committee, announced at the outset of the hearing that he would call for a vote before adjourning.

Reversing course hours later, Ashby said the committee would probably consider the bill at its Monday hearing on unrelated legislation, citing the need for lawmakers to address issues raised during public testimony Saturday. He did not say how lawmakers might amend the 35-page bill, though a majority of committee members  including two Republicans who voted to advance prior versions  appear to oppose the restrictions on charitable bail organizations.

What difference does it make where the money comes from? said state Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth. If this is a way just to pay the bail bondsmen, lets just say it.

While Geren and state Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, expressed newfound criticism of that portion of the bill, Saturdays hearing otherwise closely resembled one held six weeks ago, when the same committee advanced an earlier iteration of the measure on a party-line vote.

Those who support the bill, most of whom are Republicans, continued to argue that the measure would crack down on the growing number of defendants charged with new felonies and misdemeanors while out on bond  a tally that has tripled in Harris County since 2015  by limiting the opportunity for defendants to be released on no-cost personal bonds and giving judges more information about a defendants criminal history when setting bail.

The mostly Democratic opponents of the bill also rehashed their argument that the limits on no- and low-cost bonds would do nothing to curtail violent crime, with some pointing to a Houston Chronicle analysis that found most people accused of murder while out on bond in Harris County had secured their release by paying bail  a circumstance not directly addressed in the bill. They also say the proposed restrictions on personal bonds are overly expansive and would further overcrowd Texas jails, exacerbating an already massive backlog of cases that they say is mostly whats driving the problem.

State Rep. Reggie Smith, R-Sherman, argued the bill would reduce court backlogs, contrary to claims from Democrats on the committee, and touted a provision of the bill that would provide judges with more information about a defendants criminal history when setting bail conditions, including whether the defendant had previously failed to appear in court after being released on bail.

Smith also noted that while the bill still bars charitable bail groups from posting bail for defendants changed with a violent offense, it has a narrower limit for those awaiting trial for a nonviolent offense who have been previously convicted of a violent crime. While a prior version of the bill prevented the groups from posting bail for someone convicted of a violent crime at any point, the latest version only considers convictions within the last 10 years.

Democrats have argued that the charitable bail section of the bill, particularly a provision that exempts religious groups from the ban, violates the clause of the U.S. Constitution that grants people equal protection of the laws. Clardy raised that concern Saturday, drawing agreement from Smith that the section needed some tweaking.

This continues to deeply trouble me, Clardy said. Not just because theres some patent unfairness to it, but I think it also walks us, potentially, into a constitutional challenge under an equal protection argument: Why is this group of people, or charitable organizations and their money, treated differently than anybody else on the planet?

Speaker Dade Phelan, a Republican from Beaumont, tweeted Saturday afternoon that the bill would undergo changes in the House. He expressed support for a series of tweets by Marc Levin, chief policy counsel for the think tank Council on Criminal Justice, that argued against the limits on nonprofit bail funds. Levin cited limited data that shows defendants released through charitable bail funds succeed at high rates in returning to court & not being re-arrested.

The pending changes set up a potential showdown over the restrictions on charitable bail organizations between the Republican-controlled House and Senate. State Sen. Joan Huffman, a Republican from Houston, first introduced those provisions as part of her bail bill in the spring. They were folded into the final version of the measure, before the bill died when Democrats walked out of the Capitol at the end of the session.

Saturdays hearing saw the return of three Democrats on the committee  state Reps. Ann Johnson and Senfronia Thompson of Houston and John Bucy of Austin  who broke quorum for a second time in July, fleeing the state to again thwart the GOPs priority elections bill and killing the rest of Gov. Greg Abbotts special session agenda in the process.

As soon as that 30-day session ended, Abbott called another one and again placed bail reform at the top of the agenda, which he alone controls. The latest version of the bail proposal, Senate Bill 6, advanced swiftly through the upper chamber earlier this month and was revived in the House when enough Democrats returned to the Capitol on Thursday to resume business.

Though Republicans still have time to pass the bail bill and their other priorities this session, any further delays will leave them with little room for error to hit looming deadlines before the current session ends Sept. 5. In any case, Abbott could ask lawmakers to take up any failed bills once again when he reconvenes the Legislature for the next special session to redraw Texas political maps.

On Friday, the same House committee advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that would expand the ability of judges to deny defendants bail, which the Texas Constitution only allows for those charged with capital murder or some repeat offenses. The amendment, which has already passed the Senate, requires the support of two-thirds of both chambers and the approval of voters in November.

jasper.scherer@chron.com
Texas courtrooms have become a busy place this August, with Attorney General Ken Paxton battling school districts, cities, counties and nonprofits to defend Gov. Greg Abbotts ban on local mask mandates aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Tracking the status of lawsuits can be dizzying.

The way I like to think about it is there are four big buckets of cases and then there are some little minor cases out there, said Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, whose county has sued both Paxton and Abbott over the ban on mask orders.

Those buckets include Harris Countys lawsuit; one brought by a group of school districts; one from Bexar County and San Antonio; and one from Dallas County. Those cases are the furthest along in the legal process, Menefee said, and he expects a final decision on Abbotts mask order rules to come from one of those cases.

Harris Countys lawsuit and the school districts are proceeding along the same track, Menefee said. Local officials cheered a ruling late Thursday by the state Supreme Court, on a procedural question, that allowed the countys mask mandate to stay in place for now.

The all-Republican high court could have ruled on the merits of the question, but chose not to, instead punting it to a lower court. This signals that the court isnt yet prepared to offer a final decision on whether or not mask mandates across the state will be allowed to remain in place, he said.

They could rule whenever. The fact that they havent issued a ruling I think is encouraging because I think that means theyre thinking about it, Menefee said. If they do that, thats going to be the law of the land for Texas, applying to all cases.

Abbott last spring used his emergency powers to issue an executive order banning cities, counties or school districts from instituting mask mandates. His spokeswoman has repeatedly said the time for mask mandates is over and the focus should instead now solely be on personal responsibility.

Abbott himself is now recovering from COVID-19.

But his curtailing of local authority came before a surge in infections and hospitalizations driven by the more contagious delta variant. The state is approaching its previous high of coronavirus cases from earlier this year and, with a vaccination rate of about 57 percent among eligible residents, is lagging behind many other states in getting shots in arms.

With students returning to Texas classrooms, some rural school districts have already been forced to close as a result of COVID outbreaks among students and staff.

Paxtons office published a list saying that more than 60 school districts and counties around the state are defying Abbotts ban on mask mandates, calling them non-compliers, while superintendents from districts on the list say theyre simply attempting to act responsibly to keep children in their care safe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that even fully vaccinated people wear masks indoors when out in public. Dr. Anthony Fauci recently urged parents to pressure lawmakers to follow CDC guidance.

The debate has led to a flurry of lawsuits in the Lone Star State.

Some are suing Paxton, trying to stop him from enforcing mask mandates. Paxton is suing others  such as San Antonio ISD, which he did Thursday  trying to block the district from instituting a vaccination mandate.

The Texas Legislature gave the Governor the authority to create and enforce executive orders during a statewide emergency  not a hodgepodge of county judges, city mayors or superintendents, the conservative Republican said in a written statement Friday, If other governmental entities continue to blatantly disregard state law, I will sue every single one of them.

Masks have become a highly politicized issue, with many on the right decrying them as an infringement upon personal freedom. Abbott and Paxton are both facing GOP primary challenges next year.

The progress has been confusing as the cases move up and down through the court system on various questions and procedures.

In Bexar County and San Antonios case, local officials won a temporary injunction from an appeal, allowing their mask mandates to remain in place while their case is pending. A trial is scheduled for December. Paxtons office is likely to appeal that to the state Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Dallas County is fighting for a temporary restraining order to allow it to keep the mask mandate in place for the short term, a step that precedes arguments over a temporary injunction. That decision would last longer, months rather than weeks.

The stragglers, as Menefee described them, include a Fort Bend County case and a lawsuit from the Southern Center for Child Advocacy over many of the same issues.

A Fort Bend County district judge on Thursday granted the county a temporary injunction it its legal challenge to Abbott's ban on mask mandates. County Judge KP George said it removed the hurdles that have prevented our municipalities and school districts from taking the same action to protect their communities and the children

Thursdays ruling should remain in place until the issue goes to trial in at least 45 days. Or Paxton could appeal the lower courts decision to the state Supreme Court, as he has others, leaving it up to them to decide.

edward.mckinley@chron.com
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Pittsfield Officials Urge Caution as Tropical Storm Henri Bears Down

The current forecast and guidance from @MassEMA indicate the track of Hurricane #Henri is shifting west, increasing the chances of high wind, heavy rain, and power outages throughout the day Sunday. (1/3) https://t.co/4S228Q8hWK  Tom Bernard (@MayorBernardNA) August 20, 2021

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  With Tropical Storm Henri expected to impact Western Massachusetts with rainfall ranging between 3-6 inches and 30-40 miles per hour winds Sunday through Monday morning, city officials are urging residents to prepare ahead and use caution.

"Potential impacts from this storm may include flash flooding, downed trees and power lines," said Fire Chief Thomas Sammons, who along with other members of the city's Emergency Management Team met on Friday morning to discuss the city's plan. "We just want everyone to be stay safe so we're asking the public to prepare ahead, get what you need and stay off the roads as much as possible."

Also on Friday, Gov. Baker issued a statewide advisory , noting the storm's potential to affect much of the commonwealth with heavy rains and flooding.

As preparations are put into place for the coming storm event, Chief Sammons shared safety tips for the public to keep in mind.

"Home generators should not be connected to power within the residence as it can result in backfeeding, which is causing electrical power to flow from its normal direction, resulting in possible electrocution," Sammons said. "Also, as always, please stay away from downed power lines as contact can result in significant injury or death."

North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard was also urging residents to be aware of Henri's approach.

"Our @NorthAdams public safety, public service, and emergency management teams continue to monitor the forecast and will provide updates as information becomes available," he tweeted.

To report a down wire, call Eversource at 877-659-8636 or National Grid at 800-465-1212.

While crews will be dispatched across the city, residents are also asked to be mindful of nearby catch basins that may need clearing.

Here are some other tips from the state's website on preparing for before and after a storm

event:

Ensure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working and have fresh batteries.

Know where your electricity, gas, and water switches and valves are located and how to

shut them off.

Flooding hazards

Elevate your furnace, water heater, and electric panel to higher floors if they may be at

risk during a flood.

Clear clogged rain gutters to allow water to flow away from your home.

Elevate items stored in the basement to minimize damage from basement flooding.

If you have a basement or lower level of your property prone to flooding, buy and install

sump pumps with back-up power. If you already have a sump pump, check regularly to

make sure it is functioning properly.

Consider installing check valves in sewer traps to prevent floodwater from backing up

into the drains in your home.

Wind hazards

Remove dead or rotting trees and branches around your home.

If you don't have storm shutters, make temporary plywood covers for windows and glass

doors and store them in a readily accessible place.

City officials will continue to monitor and track the storm. Emergency updates are shared

through the city's notification system, CodeRED. To sign up, click here.
State Board of Education Expected to Endorse School Mask Mandate

BOSTON  The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education plans to meet Tuesday morning at 10 to authorize the commissioner of education to issue a mask mandate for public school students.

"In light of the current rise of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, I believe a mask mandate will be an important additional measure to keep students in school safely at this time," writes DESE Commissioner Jeffrey Rily in a memorandum to the board. "Masks remain a simple and effective mitigation measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A mandate will also provide more time for students and staff to get vaccinated, as we know vaccination remains the single most important tool in mitigating the impact of COVID-19."

Riley is requesting the action in light of the dramatic spike in positive cases of the novel coronavirus over the past three weeks. In the Berkshires, Berkshire Hills, Central Berkshire, North Adams, Mount Greylock and Pittsfield have already instituted mask mandates; McCann Technical, which only serves Grade 9-12, opted to follow the July 30 state guideline allowing vaccinated individuals not to mask.

The board can declare "exigent circumstances" exist under the Student Learning Time regulations that adversely affect student safety unless additional measures are in place.

"If the Board gives me this authority, having consulted with medical experts and public health officials, I will implement a mask mandate for all students and staff in all grades," Riley wrote.

The mandate would be in place until at least Oct. 1 before being reassessed. It would allow for certain exemptions. If by Oct. 1, 80 percent or more of all students and staff in a school are vaccinated, then the mask mandate could be lifted. That threshold has been agreed upon by the state Department of Public Health. This would apply only to vaccinated individuals; the unvaccinated would still have to wear masks. There is no vaccination dosage yet for children under age 12.

"The mask mandate will complement other measures we have put in place jointly with the Department of Public Health (DPH), including guidance for schools on hosting vaccination clinics and strongly encouraging districts and schools to maintain or establish a robust plan for COVID-19 testing in schools, including both diagnostic testing and surveillance screening for students and staff," wrote Riley.

Gov. Charlie Baker said on Friday, during a press conference on the approaching Tropical Storm Henri, that Massachusetts has the second best vaccination rate in the country behind Vermont (around 70 percent) and the second lowest hospitalization rate in the country. He expected "north of 100 clinics" for vaccinations were going to be happening for back to school.

"I think the commissioner felt this would give everybody sort of what I would describe as a common place to start the year, as well as some pretty heavy incentives for those who haven't gotten vaccinated to get vaccinated," he said. "I want to see more people get vaccinated to it's the really is the only way out of this."
State Reallocating Resources West as Henri Changes Track

The National Weather Service reports that Henri has strengthened to a hurricane as it continues to head northward off the East Coast. The storm is expected to make landfall near Long Island or southern New England on Sunday, then weaken rapidly as it heads across Connecticut on Sunday evening. The

storm will continue to slowly exit the region on Monday.

There remains uncertainty in how far west Henri will track and how strong it will become before making landfall. The main hazards include damaging winds and flooding rain.

"The new forecast also calls for significant rainfall Sunday into Monday, especially in Berkshire County, the Connecticut River Valley and Worcester County. And the likelihood of flash flooding and washed out roads are a distinct possibility in these areas, especially given all the rain we've seen in July," said Gov. Charlie Baker during an update on Saturday afternoon. "Given the new storm track, we won't be calling up any additional National Guard assets or personnel. "The assets we currently have are moving closer to Western Mass to assist there or Central Mass if they're needed there. State Police will also be redeploying their extra teams to those areas as well."

Baker has activated 1,000 guardsmen to assist emergency responders when Henri looked to hit just west of Boston. While the situation for Cape Cod and southeastern Mass has improved, there is still a warning of storm surges, heavy rain, wind and flooding.

The governor said he and his team had been on a call with President Biden, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, and Northeast governors about the pending storm.

Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director Pat Carnevale said the storm has been "dynamic" and changing over the last 24 hours.

"What we're seeing here is this storm has been all over the place at this point," he said. "So it started out in the west last night, shifted a little bit to east. So we have to be prepared as the storm still is trying to move around."

Carnevale, a Western Mass resident, said the flood risk must be taken very seriously "especially given all the rain we've had back in July."

Western Mass and northern Worcester County were greatly impacted by some flooding, he said, and MEMA was doing assessments on that when preparations had to begin for Henri.

"So, the rain that they've already received plus this rain will be a definitely an impact of Western, Central Mass," Carnevale said. "Many of us have dealt with flooding associated with Tropical Storm Irene in 2011."

Ten years ago, Irene caused massive flooding through eastern New York, Western Mass and Vermont.

In a CodeRed message, North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard said city officials are working with the Northern Berkshire Emergency Planning Committee to monitor and respond to conditions and inform the public.

Residents are being asked to prepare for potential power outages by having devices charged and flashlights handy. People are being asked to limit travel during Sunday and Monday when the storm will be at its height.

Eversource says it will have more than 1,100 crews in Massachusetts to restore power to customers.

Baker said the main concerns for Massachusetts are power outages and localized flooding. Drivers, if they must go out, are cautioned to avoid floodwaters which can be deeper than they look and conceal hazards.

"There's still the possibility of widespread power outages in just about every part of the commonwealth," said Baker. "Due to high winds and the heavy rain across Massachusetts, we will likely see tropical storm force winds, which will be somewhere in the vicinity of 40 miles an hour on a sustained basis throughout tomorrow. Regardless of wherever you live, even if you don't normally lose power in a storm you should be prepared to deal with the possibility."
Armed Taliban militants raided the house of Zalmai Lotfi, the head of Enikaas TV, on August 20. The International Federation of Journalists and its Afghanistan affiliate the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) condemn the attack and calls on Taliban leaders to respect the media.

Armed Taliban fighters stand next an Imam during Friday prayers at the Abdul Rahman Mosque in Kabul on August 20, 2021, following the Taliban's stunning takeover of Afghanistan. Credit:Hoshang Hashimi / AFP

According to the AIJA, Taliban militants raided the home of Zalma at around 10 am, searched for him and took away his car and other office equipment. It is reported that Taliban seized weapons from his house. According to AIJA, Zalmai had earlier gone into hiding fearing the possibility of an attack against him.

Despite conciliatory messages toward respect for press freedom by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid during his first press conference on August 17, intimidation, house searches and attacks on journalists and media are continuing behind the scenes. Taliban militants were reported as conducting search operations in homes of at least three employees of German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) and a freelance journalist and interpreter on August 18. The same day, Ariana TV cameraperson Mahmoud Naimi and Pajhwok News cameraperson Babrak Amirzadeh reported of being beaten up by Taliban militants in Jalalabad, in Nangarhar province while attempting to reporting on a protest against the Taliban takeover. On August 15, Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA) news anchor Khadija Amin and news presenter Shabnam Dawran were both removed from their posts and taken off air by the Taliban.A confidential United Nations document says the Taliban is currently intensifying the search for people who have worked with the US and/or NATO forces.

Enikass TV has been frequently targeted for its reporting over the past year. On March 2, 2021, female media workersMursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafifrom Enikass TV were shot dead by unknown gunmen in two separate attacks as they attempted to return home from work. On December 10, 2020, Malala Maiwand, a female TV anchor for Enikass TV and Radio, was killed by gunmen in Nangarhar. Enikaas TV already shifted its operations from Ningharhar to Kabul due to constant security threats on July 11, 2021, but it has now halted its broadcasts

IFJ affiliates from around the world are continuing to send messages of solidarity and support to their colleagues in Afghanistan amid the chaos of the countrys fall to the Taliban on August 16.

The AIJA said: These attacks are not only an attack on freedom of expression, but also a horrific act against media community and other citizens. The AIJA leadership believes that if such threats are not stopped, the work of the media and media personnel will be impossible.

The IFJ said:The unfolding reports of attacks on journalists and media workers suggest the conclusion that there is clearly no room to believe the rhetoric of Taliban leaders. The fear and anxiety of the media community and the global community of media workers is clearly justified. The IFJ urges the international community to take heed of these attacks and act quickly to evacuate the journalists most at risk.

To help the IFJ support journalists in Afghanistan and those fleeing the country, donate to the IFJ safety fund.
New York City this week became the first major U.S. city to require proof of at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine for customers to participate in indoor activities such as dining and going to the gym. Some businesses aren't thrilled about it.

On Tuesday, a group of businesses in Richmond County, located within the NYC borough of Staten Island, filed a lawsuit seeking to halt a mandate, announced earlier this month. NYC mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order, requiring businesses such as restaurants to not allow customers inside their premises with physical proof of vaccination. A sign must also be placed outside notifying customers of the requirement.

The lawsuit, backed by the Independent Restaurant Owners Association Rescue, an advocacy group for small businesses, argues that the city is unfairly targeting businesses that are struggling during the pandemic, threatening the livelihoods of those who work there.

"The executive order has rendered it impossible for anyone who chooses not to be vaccinated, for whatever reason, to work in the designated industries, wholly depriving them of their livelihood," the lawsuit says. It also notes that the mandate doesn't account for people with certain medical conditions or religious beliefs.

Some restaurants and bars have been requiring proof of vaccination for months largely for health and safety reasons, and they've managed to navigate these thorny questions. However, for many it's a completely new process that racked with complexities.

While requiring vaccinations may help alleviate some concerns about indoor activities among those who've been vaccinated. However, it may also turn some customers away or cause longer wait times due to the extra step of showing proof. It may also cause disarray among customers. If one person in a party isn't vaccinated and says it's due to religious beliefs, do you accept the party or not? That's largely for business owners to figure out.

The logistics will also be complicated as New York's roughly 25,000 restaurants and bars will have to figure out the best way to check vaccine status themselves. "Checking vaccination status isn't like ID-ing a customer before serving them a drink," a spokesperson for the National Restaurant Association told The New York Times. Oftentimes a credited ID such as a drivers license is required to verify the vaccination, if there isn't photo ID provided on the vaccine card itself. Additionally, counterfeit vaccine cards have been floating around. Thousands were confiscated by federal agents this week.
Right now, as the highly transmissible Delta variant surges across the country, many businesses are focusing on getting every worker vaccinated. Doing so successfully requires employer trust to combat misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. It may also take employer resources to educate employees and communities to increase vaccination rates.

Few people know this better than Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines. He announced on August 6 that all employees will be required to be vaccinated, becoming one of the first companies, and the first major U.S. based airline, to do so. United, which has about 67,000 employees in the U.S., has required new hires to be vaccinated since mid-June and unvaccinated workers to wear face masks at company offices. The company started mandating vaccinations for pilots and plane staff months ago, says Kirby, when they were traveling to places such as India that were seeing increasing death tolls and Covid-19 spikes.

During a panel discussion hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week, Kirby discussed why he took those steps and how he's going about implementing them at United. Here are his tips:

Allow for some flexibility.

Each employee at United Airlines will have to send an image of their vaccine card to the company or else face termination. But Kirby knows that not all employees will be getting the vaccine, so the company has made space for religious and medical exemptions. He also gave employees until October 25 to get the vaccines, or five weeks after the Food and Drug Administration grants full approval to one of the vaccines, whichever date comes first. He says the timeline will largely allow for those unable to get a jab to have ample time to do so.

Make it personal.

When family members of an employee have lost their life to Covid-19, Kirby writes a letter to the family. To him, the letters are a constant reminder of how the policies he has implemented affect those outside of the work environment, such as those who have immunocompromised family members, or who might have children who aren't yet eligible for a vaccination.

In addition to vaccinations, Kirby says United has implemented safety precautions, such as deep cleanings and extra time for air filtration before customers or staff board flights. The mandates and additional precautions, he says, also address an unspoken need for many in the workforce: to be able to focus on their job and not the fear of getting someone they love sick.

Expect pushback.

About five percent of employees have had an adverse reaction to the mandate, Kirby says. It's mostly employees who don't feel like it's the company's right to mandate a health policy as such. He advises business owners to speak to those people individually, especially managers, and explain the decision in terms of safety. He explains that the airline industry has thousands of other rules to protect an individual's safety during travel and that this is no different. He says employees don't have to agree or like the decision, but talking in terms of safety metrics and infection transmission puts the decision in a framework that they can understand.
It's really not a secret at all that Apple and Facebook aren't friends. They aren't even all that friendly of enemies. Sure, they're mostly polite, but there's no mistaking the degree to which there is hostility between the two companies.

It's sort of a strange position for two companies that arguably depend on each other in some unusual ways. For example, Facebook certainly depends on the iPhone considering that mobile represents 98 percent of the social platform's usage. Sure, a good portion of that comes from Android devices, but in the U.S. at least, the iPhone is probably Facebook's most important platform.

Of course, Facebook is also important to the iPhone. If suddenly you couldn't use Facebook's apps, that would be bad for Apple considering that people genuinely like using Facebook, despite its problems. Many of those people would switch to something else if they couldn't use it on their iPhone.

Still, the two companies can't seem to resist the urge to take shots at each other every chance they get. For example, Facebook took out full-page ads decrying Apple's decision to require developers to request permission before tracking users across apps and websites. That's a big deal to Facebook considering its business is largely based on doing just that.

Tim Cook responded that he wasn't "focused on Facebook at all." Which, as I wrote at the time, is both brilliant and brutal in its dismissal of the company.

More recently, Facebook threw shade at Apple over the latter company's announcement that it was implementing a change in future versions of iOS in order to detect CSAM images uploaded to iCloud Photos. Will Cathcart, the CEO of WhatsApp (which is owned by Facebook), said that Apple's decision represented a surveillance state and was the wrong approach.

We'll set aside, for a moment, the fact that Facebook is widely considered the worst privacy offender in a tech industry that can't resist monetizing user data at every opportunity. The bigger point is that--considering how much emphasis Apple puts on privacy--Facebook saw a chance to hit the company where it hurts most.

Now, Cook has another response, this time in an interview with the Australian Financial Review about tech companies and privacy:

Technology doesn't want to be good. It doesn't want to be bad; it's neutral. And so it's in the hands of the inventor and the user as to whether it's used for good, or not used for good ... The risk of not doing that means that technology loses touch with the user. And in that kind of case, privacy can become collateral damage. Conspiracy theories or hate speech begins to drown everything else out. Technology will only work if it has people's trust.

That last part is important--those nine words about how "technology will only work if it has people's trust." That's as clear an explanation of what's wrong with Facebook as I've heard yet. And, while Cook doesn't specifically mention Facebook, the part about "conspiracy theories or hate speech" makes it pretty clear whom he's referring to.

The point seems to be that tech companies, specifically Facebook, are focused on building features and products, without regard for the impact they have on user privacy. It's not hard to see how that is true. Facebook has reportedly been working on ways to analyze encrypted messages for the purpose of targeting ads at WhatsApp users--something it hasn't been able to do so far.

The company has also gone out of its way to defend its use of tracking user data as the key to the free and open internet, and crucial to small businesses. Even if those things are true, it really just makes Cook's point, which is that "privacy can become collateral damage." If your business model depends on gathering up and monetizing as much data from your users as possible, it's pretty hard to also protect their privacy.

It is also worth mentioning that Apple is facing its own criticism over how it handles user privacy right now. Of course, much of that pushback is related to the fact that Apple has long been a champion of protecting personal data, and its decision to include technology on the iPhone that can "scan" your photos for CSAM feels like a shift in that promise.
Kanye Wests forthcoming album DONDA will be released following the rappers listening event next week, according to his manager.

Fans were frustrated to learn that the rapper is holding a third listening party for his tenth studio album while the record remains unreleased.

Following on from the two previous listening parties held in Atlanta earlier this summer, West announced that a third event is due to take place in his hometown of Chicago on 26 August.

The album is scheduled to arrive the following day (27 August), according to a listing on Apple Music.

As reported by NME, the news appears to have been confirmed by Wests manager, Abou Bu Thiam, who replied to many of the rappers fans on Instagram this week.

While Thiam did not confirm an exact date for release, he responded Absolutely! to one of Wests fans who had asked: After this will he finally drop the album?

Asked by another fan whether there is a possibility that the album will be delayed further, Thiam claimed that West will 100% release DONDA following this third listening event.

The news comes after multiple delays to the albums release.

Kanye West at his Donda listening party (Getty)

The follow-up to his 2019 album Jesus is King was postponed last year and rescheduled for July, only to be delayed again after West held his first listening party for 40,000 fans in Atlanta.

A new release date was announced as 6 August, but again the album failed to materialise on that date.
The BBCs director-general has said the broadcaster is looking for lessons to be learned after its coverage of the Duke of Edinburghs death drew record complaints and low viewing figures.

Minutes show Tim Davie made the comments during a BBC board meeting on 22 April, during which he seemed to acknowledge that treatment of a royals death might be different in the future.

Some 109,741 people complained about the corporations decision to clear its schedules across major TV and radio channels in order to run a series of mirrored special programmes.

The complaints are believed to be the highest number ever published in the UK about television programming and made coverage of Prince Philips death the most complained-about piece of programming in BBC history.

Mr Davie made specific reference to the decision to devote BBC1 and BBC2s entire output to the dukes death on 9 April, according to the newly-published minutes.

This resulted in a record number of complaints, he admitted, as well as lower than expected viewers.

Viewing on the night of the announcement [of Philips death] was lower than expected at 2.6 million across BBC1 and BBC2, Mr Davie said, but added they delivered a peak of over 13 million viewers for coverage of the funeral itself on 17 April.

Still, the Executive were looking at lessons to be learned, he told the meeting.

It is believed the majority of complainants were left angry after missing out on shows including the MasterChef final and EastEnders. Elsewhere, BBC4, which was due to show an England womens football match, was taken off air and regular radio schedules were also interrupted.

As a result, audiences for BBC1 and BBC2 fell 6 per cent and 65 per cent week-on-week, according to Barb television ratings figures.

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Competitors ITV and Channel 4 also cleared their channels to cover the dukes death, but the BBCs decision to set up a dedicated webpage for viewers to lodge their grievances meant it took the brunt.

The form said that the BBC had received complaints about too much TV coverage, before asking viewers to provide an email address and make their feelings known.

Despite accepting viewers disgruntlement, Mr Davie said the BBCs coverage had had been accomplished, both in the implementation of the technical plans and editorial  and that it reflected the role of the BBC as the national broadcaster.

In a statement issued at the time, the BBC said: The passing of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was a significant event which generated a lot of interest both nationally and internationally. We acknowledge some viewers were unhappy with the level of coverage given, and impact this had on the billed TV and radio schedules.

We do not make such changes without careful consideration and the decisions made reflect the role the BBC plays as the national broadcaster, during moments of national significance.
The woman looked around with an anguished cry, frightened, seeking familiar faces as she stumbled out of the crowd. She tried to speak but no words would come out: then she fell to the ground, her hand raised in supplication.

The hopes this mother of three young children had of escaping a grim and uncertain future in Afghanistan, and starting a new life abroad with her family, had ended on a dusty road full of rubble in front of strangers, most of whom were so busy with their own troubles that they did not even notice what had happened.

Among those who did were the British soldiers from the Parachute Regiment. They ran and dragged her clear to give first aid. They put her on a stretcher and put a sun-screening sheet over her body. But it was too late: the sheet was soon pulled up over her face to become a shroud.

My wife, my wife, what has happened to her? cried a man rushing forward. He tore at the sleeves of his brown salwar-kameez in his grief. The soldiers held him back and made him sit down, two of them knelt with their arms around him.

Why did she die? Why not hospital? Why is this happening to us? What is going to happen to our children? the man asked through his tears. I am sorry, we did the best we could, we really did, said one of the soldiers. The other said, My heart breaks for you, mate.

This was another death in the chaos outside Kabul airport as thousands try to flee on evacuation flights organised by the US, UK and other foreign governments for those who are believed to be in danger from the Taliban.

The official count for fatalities is 12, but the real figure is almost certainly a lot higher. Four were killed outside the British base adjacent to the airport in the space of two hours, on a road hot, airless and packed with desperate and frightened people.

Those who had made their way there were not just trying to get passage to Britain, but to the US and other countries, through checkpoints further down the road. And a surge had taken place, on already huge numbers, after politicians in Washington and London warned that the evacuation process may end in just a few days time.

A family came, supporting an elderly relation by each arm. This is our uncle, he has fractured his ankle, we were going to take him to the hospital for treatment and then come here tomorrow, said 22-year-old Usman Khan Mohammed. But we heard that the UK is going to stop the flights so we came as quickly as possible. It took us six hours to get here, we had to carry our uncle most of the way.

As the crowd grew, another woman collapsed and died, followed by a third, younger one who may have been a daughter of the first victim. The bereaved father and husband fainted when he heard what had happened.

Then came a fourth death, another woman, also overcome by the crush of the crowd and heat.

The bodies, wrapped, had been placed across the road for collection by the families. A young Hazara girl, around eight years old, lifted one of the shrouds and fainted; it was her mother. The girl, who had a hand missing, the result of an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion, had asked me earlier to try and find her mother. I feel very scared, I have no one, she had said. We looked but failed to find her mother.

As the girl was being treated by a medic, a soldier came over to say: Well look after her, dont worry. Do you know, I have been in the army for 12 years and whats happening here is the worst I have ever experienced. A younger soldier simply said: I have never seen a dead body before, joining the army I expected to see people die, but not this, I didnt expect this.

As they spoke there were sudden shouts of get down... keep down. It was a security alert, a man with a suspect device had been spotted. Its a male in a white dish-dash, a red cap and a blue bag was the warning relayed by the soldiers. Specialist jamming equipment was brought out in case a bomb was primed to be set off electronically.

The incident passed off after a search, but what happened was a reminder that the Taliban is not the only Islamist group in the space created by the collapse of the Afghan government; Isis and al-Qaeda are also very much present in this country.

A barrier of barbed wire and cars put up in front of the base, The Baron Hotel, had looked formidable. But it had been simply been dismantled by the crowd in 24 hours.

A new barricade made of containers had been put up, but the numbers coming through were unpredictable, depending on how many were being allowed through a Taliban checkpoint further down the road. The Islamists, it seems, turned the tap on or off depending on how much pressure they wanted to keep the British troops under.

Abdul Fattar, who said he had worked for the Americans as well as the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) said he was assured of adequate documentation to get on a flight, but had been turned away at the checkpoint. I want to contact the ICRC, but I cannot get through, he said.

Samira Haidari (not her full name) had arrived at the gate and was hoping to be evacuated by the Americans. A 22-year-old student, she had been critical of conservative clerics and Islamists and had been receiving threats on social media.

It got much worse since the Taliban took over. And then the Talibs started visiting our neighbourhood and taking a list of people. My parents told me I must leave for my own safety, she said.

I knew I had to go, they can arrest me or, as I am single woman, even marry me off to someone. It was very hard coming through the Taliban checkpoint, a cousin came with me most of the way, but it was still very frightening. I dont know what Ill do if I get turned down, I cant live under the Taliban. That would be impossible, I would rather be dead.

As she spoke, Ms Haidaris eyes fell on the covered bodies laid out on the side of the road. I didnt mean that, I dont want to die, she said. Those poor, poor people and their families, I wonder if people in the world outside realise what is happening here?
Extinction Rebellion has demanded to know how its upcoming demonstrations will be policed after the Supreme Court ruled that protest can be a lawful excuse to block roads under human rights law.

Thousands of people across the UK are expected to join a two-week campaign of civil disobedience starting on 23 August, which will target the City of London as an arch-financier of carbon emissions.

During the climate activism groups previous actions, the Metropolitan Police responded to disruption to transport and businesses by arresting Extinction Rebellion demonstrators en masse, with the number of arrests revealed by the Met to have totalled 3,762.

But in a letter seen by The Independent, the activists warned Scotland Yard commissioner Dame Cressida Dick that the recent ruling by Britains top court could lead to claims of unlawful arrest if police are deemed to disproportionately interfere with a citizens rights of expression and assembly.

Prosecutors have recently been forced to review a host of cases involving Extinction Rebellion protesters in light of the ruling, after a number of demonstrators who had been prosecuted for highway obstruction  the offence with which hundreds of the groups activists were charged  successfully appealed to have their convictions quashed at the Old Bailey.

Presiding over one such acquittal on 4 August  during which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) presented no evidence against 65-year-old Robert MacQueen  Judge Mark Dennis QC said there seemed to be a fundamental problem with Extinction Rebellion appeals.

Judge Dennis said prosecutors had not grasped the effect of the Supreme Court ruling on 25 June, which saw the acquittal of protesters who had blockaded a London arms fair in 2017, or the basic human rights point that has been there for a very long time.

In its letter to the Met, Extinction Rebellion questioned, in light of the ruling, how the force intends to adapt its tactics and which powers it will be relying on to police the upcoming protests, which the group is calling the Impossible Rebellion.

The activists also asked how the ruling would affect the forces approach to pre-emptive arrests and seizures of equipment, applications for warrants and surveillance, the size of the police response, and the imposition of section 12 and section 14 orders  which grant police extra powers to control public assemblies.

While both kinds of order have been used  on one occasion unlawfully  during previous protests, officers have also pre-emptively raided Extinction Rebellion warehouses and other associated locations in the past, most recently in the lead-up to a demonstration in June. A dozen people were arrested, and items were confiscated from the premises.

With the Met confirming this week that it had brought forward 1,938 prosecutions of Extinction Rebellion protesters, 73 per cent of which it said had resulted in convictions, the group also questioned how the Supreme Court ruling would be applied when deciding which offences to prosecute or to refer to the CPS.

Speaking during a press briefing on the upcoming protests, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said the ruling and subsequent wave of overturned convictions do not preclude officers from taking action to prevent disruption to Londons road network where that obstruction is wilful and unreasonable.

These cases have rightly prompted questions regarding how police officers will respond and act in the event protesters cause disruption to road networks in London, DAC Twist said, adding that the consequence of these cases has been comprehensively considered by teams at the Met.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britains cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Womens C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold Reuters UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London PA UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest PA UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach. PA UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire PA UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families PA UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing Reuters UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week PA UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival PA UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident PA UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening PA UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair PA UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges PA UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games PA UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan PA UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14 Getty UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham PA UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Mens Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britains Charlotte Worthington competes during the Womens BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics PA UK news in pictures 1 August 2021 EPA UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics AP UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan PA UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Womens Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal Getty UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status PA UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants. PA UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel PA UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main PA UK news in pictures 23 July 2021 Children interact with Mega Please Draw Freely by artist Ei Arakawa inside the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern in London, part of UNIQLO Tate Play the gallery's new free programme of art-inspired activities for families PA UK news in pictures 22 July 2021 Festivalgoers in the campsite at the Latitude festival in Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk PA UK news in pictures 21 July 2021 A man walks past an artwork by Will Blood on the end of a property in Bedminster, Bristol, as the 75 murals project reaches the halfway point and various graffiti pieces are sprayed onto walls and buildings across the city over the Summer PA UK news in pictures 20 July 2021 People during morning prayer during Eid ul-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, in Southall Park, Uxbridge, London PA UK news in pictures 19 July 2021 Commuters, some not wearing facemasks, at Westminster Underground station, at 08:38 in London after the final legal Coronavirus restrictions were lifted in England PA UK news in pictures 18 July 2021 A view of spectators by the 2nd green during day four of The Open at The Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent PA UK news in pictures 17 July 2021 Cyclists ride over the Hammersmith Bridge in London. 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In a further press release on Friday, Scotland Yard said it was developing a comprehensive policing plan, with DAC Twist saying officers will look to engage with organisers from Extinction Rebellion, hoping to minimise, where possible, any disruption to Londons communities.

Specialist policing teams will also be on standby who are able to manage safely protesters who have built, or locked themselves to, complicated structures, he said, adding: Like everyone else, Extinction Rebellion have the right to assemble and the right to protest.

However, these rights are qualified and are to be balanced against the rights of others. They do not have the right to cause serious disruption to Londons communities and prevent them going about their lawful business.

It comes as the government seeks to pass the Home Office-sponsored Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which has sparked violent protests and has been labelled a step towards authoritarianism.

MPs on parliaments Joint Committee on Human Rights have suggested that the clauses in the bill relating to protest  which criminalise demonstrations deemed noisy or a nuisance  are a direct response to Extinction Rebellions previous protests, which infuriated ministers but also preceded the governments landmark pledge to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

In its letter to Scotland Yard, the group demanded to know whether Priti Patel had given the Met directions on how to police the upcoming protests.

In June, a court heard that the home secretary had called Dame Cressida and the chief constable of Hertfordshire Police, Charlie Hall, during a protest at a Rupert Murdoch-owned printing works in September, urging Mr Hall to expedite the removal of demonstrators.

A judge ruled in July that Ms Patel had not exerted improper influence on police, who had maintained their operational independence.

Under the policing bill, Ms Patel would be handed the power to define serious disruption  a definition that will be referred to by police in deciding whether to impose conditions on protest.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has accused the UK of using creative carbon accounting to present a false picture of its climate credentials.

Ms Thunbergs remarks follow an announcement by Boris Johnson the UK has managed to reduce its CO2 emissions by about 42 per cent on 1990 levels at the Leaders Climate Summit in April.

The 18-year-old environmentalist, who spearheaded the global movement of school strikes for climate, challenged the claim, branding it a lie and disputing the veracity of labelling the UK a climate leader.

She accused the UK of cherry-picking its data to appear to have reduced CO2 emissions more than it actually has, saying: Of course, if you dont include all emissions, the statistics are going to look much nicer.

Ms Thunberg said that the figure would not look that good if a number of excluded aspects had been factored in, listing aviation, shipping, outsourcing, the imports of consumption... and the burning of biomass.

Greenhouse gas emissions produced by international aviation, as well as shipping are not factored in to this figure, according to a review by fact-checking organisation Full Fact  and neither are emissions produced by any international goods and services that are consumed in the UK.

Meanwhile, a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in 2019: The impact of globalisation on CO2 emissions has resulted in service-based economies creating indirect emissions by outsourcing manufacturing products to countries with lower labour costs and less stringent pollution regulations.

The activist said that she is really hoping that people will stop referring to the UK as a climate leader, saying that if you look at the reality, [it] is simply not true.

They are very good at creative carbon accounting, I must give them that  but that doesnt mean much in practice, Ms Thunberg said.

While the ONS report found that the UKs apparent decline in territorial CO2 emissions is overestimated, the body recognised that it has made genuine efforts in cutting down both its territorial and consumption-based emissions in recent years.

Earlier this month, Mr Johnsons climate change spokesperson Allegra Stratton said that the governments 2050 target date of reducing the UKs net carbon emissions to zero is too far away.

We have to be changing our carbon emissions output right now, so that we can stop temperature increase by 2030, Ms Stratton said, as she acknowledged that progress had been delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A government spokesperson said: We are proud of the strides we are already making in tackling climate change, cutting emissions by 44 per cent over three decades.

This figure was published as part of our thoroughly transparent annual reporting, and was measured in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change standards for reporting emissions.

We stand by our assertion that we are a world leader in the fight against climate change, and are absolutely committed to meeting our future climate commitments. We were the first major economy to legislate to end our contribution to climate change by 2050, and our Net Zero Strategy  to be published shortly  will set out our plans to do even more.
Leons claim that it will become the first restaurant chain in the UK to sell carbon-neutral burgers and fries has been called into question after an investigation found the company was using controversial carbon credits.

The chain first made the claim in January, when it announced the carbon neutral meals would be available at more than 60 locations. Leon said it will purchase carbon credits for every burger and portion of fries sold to offset their footprint.

As part of its pledge to become net zero by 2030, Leon excluded high-carbon meats such as beef from its menu and switched to a more sustainable energy supplier. The company said it would purchase carbon credits from three rainforest conservation and tree-planting schemes to neutralise emissions.

But a joint investigation by the Guardian and Unearthed published earlier this year revealed serious concerns over one of the rainforest conservation projects that Leon buys carbon credit from. The project, the Peruvian Amazon, is run by a partnership between a conservation NGO and logging companies.

The Guardian reported that the Redd+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) carbon credits were unlikely to represent real emission reductions and threats to the forest had been overstated.

Carbon credits, which allow companies to emit a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, are generated by preventing hypothetical polluting activity.

But Britaldo Soares-Filho, a deforestation modelling expert who modelled the hypothetical deforestation the Peruvian Amazon was preventing, told the Guardian that it was generating phantom credits that resulted in little environmental benefit.

Soares-Filho, also a professor at the Institute of geosciences at the Federal University of Minars Gerais in Brazil, warned customers to beware of the claims, adding: Carbon neutrality of burgers sauced with Redd+ credits will not digest well.

The findings were criticised heavily by US non-profit Verra, which administered the standard for certifying carbon emissions reductions. Verra maintained that the offset system they endorse contributes to the fight against climate change.

Leon also strongly disputed the claim it was purchasing phantom credits and said it was confident that the credits helped prevent greenhouse gas emissions, protect vital biodiversity and create sustainable livelihoods for forest communities.

It said in a statement published on its website: Sustainability remains at the heart of the LEON business and thats why weve committed to be Net Zero by 2030. Were cutting the emissions in our restaurants by using 100 per cent renewable power and switching from gas to electric cooking.

Of the 13 burgers weve had on our menu this year 6 have been vegan, giving our customers a wide range of naturally lower carbon products to choose from.

Carbon offsetting forms just one part of our strategy to tackle the emissions we cant currently avoid and the Madre de Dios Project is one of many projects we support. It has been independently certified by Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and CCBS Gold Level (Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard) globally recognised certification standards.
The posters of Yasser Arafat are pasted from gutter to hovel rooftop outside the Palestine Liberation Organisation office in Rachidiye. The decision-maker in war and in peace, it says underneath.

But down the road where the Mediterranean thrashes the beach 12 miles from Israel  so close you can smell the breeze from Palestine, as one of them puts it  the Palestinians of Rachidiye have never felt such despair. Um Hussein, withered after 46 years in the refugee camps of Lebanon, lives within sight of the land she fled in 1948. Yasser Arafat has ruined our lives, she says.

Her arguments are simple, unanswerable and hopelessly unrealistic. She came from a village called Safa outside Acre, a 16-year-old Palestinian girl who walked into Lebanese exile on the assumption she would return home in seven days or seven weeks, once the first Arab-Israeli war was over. But like the other 700,000 Palestinians who fled their land in 1948  they and their children now number 2 million in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan alone  Um Hussein is forbidden to return, her refugee status consigned to a sentence in Mr Arafats Declaration of Principles.
As we get back into the swing of life after lockdown, data suggests that our fashion choices are continuing to veer towards more statement-like pieces that are daring and different.

The latest summer trend is not for faint of heart. Search platform Lyst reported a 78 per cent increase in searches for the curtain reveal top or pin top, which is an open front top held together across the chest by a safety pin or string.

The ab-baring style has been worn by a raft of celebrities and models, including Hailey Bieber, Bela Hadid and Kaia Gerber.

Megan Fox was spotted wearing a red cropped cardigan in this style by French brand Jacquemus, prompting searches for the item to spike 52 per cent within 48 hours. A 260 Cult Gaia pin top worn by model Emily Ratajkowski in June immediately sold out.

Megan Fox radiates in red Jacquemus open front jumper and matching skirt as she leaves a photoshoot at Milk Studios (London Entertainment/Shutterstock)

British Vogue endorsed the revealing trend last week, describing it as putting swathes of torso on display and leaves the wearers modesty hanging by a literal thread.

Love Island fans would have also spotted the trendy tops on the show within the past six weeks as contestants Millie Court and Faye Winters regularly blazers and shirts without a bra or top underneath.

Searches for another celebrity-approved trend are on the rise, as shoppers seek out form-fitting leotards and unitards. Cardi B, who is pregnant with her second child, was recently spotted showing off her baby bump in a vibrant bodysuit with geometric patterns in New Jersey, while Dua Lipa posed among palm trees in a black unitard with multiple cutouts and pink sleeves.

According to Lyst, searches for unitards increased 11 per cent since the start of August, with sustainable activewear brand Girlfriend Collective becoming one of the most sought-after brands on Lyst with page views spiking 104 per cent. Searches for leotards jumped 28 per cent over the last three weeks.

The desire for statement looks is part of the rise of the pandemic revenge outfit, which refers to an outfit characterised by plenty of extravagance to make up for being unable to wear going out clothes throughout the pandemic.

Last month, online searches for high heels and dresses rose by 197 per cent and 176 per cent respectively as lockdown restrictions lifted, and interest around no underwear designs and dresses featuring cutouts also surged.
A nurse has issued a warning against coronavirus misinformation after her anti-vaxxer mother died of the disease aged just 57.

Amy Crosby said her mother Geraldine Mount, who had no pre-existing health conditions, passed away from the virus at the same hospital where she has been working on the vaccine rollout.

In a Twitter post on Thursday, the 34-year-old nurse, who works at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, admitted that her relationship with her mother had become strained in the past 18 months due to her belief that the virus didnt exist.

Amy said she was sharing the post in the hope it may prevent others from falling prey to dangerous misinformation around coronavirus and vaccines.

She wrote: We have had a strained relationship over the last 18 months and some of this was due to her beliefs that Covid-19 isnt real and that vaccines are dangerous.

Today in hospital she died of complications caused by Covid, she spent the last month of her life without any family around her and her last memories were of sheer terror at having to be intubated and not knowing if she would wake up.

As a nurse whose been working on the Covid vaccine rollout at the same hospital she died at today, I cant tell you how painful this preventable loss is for our family.

If any good can come from this, it is that hopefully in sharing her story and our pain, even just one person with these ludicrous dangerous beliefs can rethink, reconsider sharing this warped evidence and get the vaccine to prevent their families having to go through what we are now.

I will be eternally thankful for the staff of James Cook Hospital who battled so desperately to save her. You are all heroes.

She finished her message by writing: Good night Mam, I love you and will remember the happier times, I hope you are at peace now.

Around 87.4 per cent of British adults have received at least one coronavirus jab, and some 76.4 per cent are now fully vaccinated.

It follows the story of Leslie Lawrenson, a healthy 58-year-old who died from the virus after refusing to get vaccinated. Leslie, from Bournemouth, died at his home on July 2 after downplaying his symptoms and denying he needed to go to hospital.

His long-term partner Amanda Mitchell, 56, who was severely ill with the virus at the time, said he believed the vaccines were too experimental and put his family at risk.
Less than a week after the fall of Kabul, the Taliban has released a propaganda video of its fighters in full US tactical gear  as Humvees and other American equipment continue to be spotted on the streets of Afghanistan.

At a packed mosque on Friday, a senior member of a Taliban splinter group also preached to those assembled while holding a US-made M4 rifle and flanked by fighters clad in US military uniforms.

The US provided an estimated $28billion in weaponry to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2017. The overall cost of its 20-year efforts in the country  before cities fell like dominoes this month  was $83billion.

An official told Reuters that the Taliban likely controls more than 2,000 armoured vehicles and up to 40 aircraft  including helicopters and drones. Social media images have pictured fighters armed with everything from M4, M18 and M24 sniper rifles to night vision goggles and other gear.

Everything that hasnt been destroyed is the Talibans now, another US official told Reuters.

The propaganda video posted this week to various Taliban and Taliban-friendly channels features interviews with fighters, footage of them utilising US equipment and even a soundtrack.

The Taliban was reportedly boasting of a unit called Badri 313 Battalion, something of a special-ops elite force.

When an armed group gets their hands on American-made weaponry, its sort of a status symbol. Its a psychological win, Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Center for International Policys Security Assistance Monitor, told The Hill.

That clearly played into the mindset of Khalil Haqqani, a designated terrorist with a $5million bounty on his head, when he preached in Kabul on Friday holding an American assault weapon.

Another propaganda photo appeared to show Taliban fighters, again outfitted in full US military gear, raising the groups white flag in an imitation of the world-famous 1945 photo that captured American soldiers raising the US flag in Iwo Jima.

The switch to US military uniforms may be good for optics when it comes to Taliban propaganda, but its extremely different from the groups trademark style of sneakers, traditional dress and AK-47s. But the Taliban is still in possession of Russian-made weapons and aircrafts in addition to its new stockpile from the US.

While some Taliban supporters were donning American garb, policemen and members of the Afghan defence forces were changing out of their own uniforms as the hardline Taliban advanced.

The New York Times reported this week that no amount of American training and materiel ... was sufficient to create a security force willing to fight and die for a besieged nation that American forces were leaving behind.

As Afghan citizens and foreigners swarm airports and borders in an attempt to flee, however, one consolation could be that the Taliban likely does not have sufficient knowledge to use more sophisticated weapons systems and aircraft, Yousif told The Hill.

They may be able to manage a flight or two or to operate them in some really limited capacity in the short term, but without long-term sustainment, maintenance, servicing, that sort of thing, it wouldnt turn into a robust or useful military capability, he said. It took the Afghans and the United States a long time to develop an indigenous air capability, and even then, they were reliant on the United States to keep those planes in the sky.

That still doesnt take the dangers away regarding the other weapons left behind, though, whether rifles, grenades or anything else  and those dangers are not limited to Afghanistan.

They are easy to maintain, easy to learn how to use, easy to transport, he told The Hill. The concern for all small arms is that they are durable goods and they can be transferred, sold. Weve seen this before where a conflict ends and the arms that stay there make their way to all parts of the world.
Police are appealing for information after a man in his 30s was raped in south London.

The assault took place at around midnight on Wednesday, 30 June in a wooded area on Clapham Common.

It is believed that two men were present at the time of the assault, which was reported to police in the past week.

The Metropolitan Police said the rape occurred at the western edge of the common, opposite The Avenue.

The incident is being treated as isolated, but detectives say they are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances of the attack.

Detective Sergeant Ross Burrell said: We are determined to identify the person or persons responsible for this horrific crime and seek justice for the victim.

A significant period of time has passed since the attack occurred, but we still think there will be people out there with information that could help.

We want to hear from anyone who was out on the Common that night and saw or heard anything suspicious.

Police said they wanted to speak to anyone who saw two men in the area before or after the incident, acting suspiciously or doing anything which raised concerns.

It does not matter why you were in the area, added DS Burrell.

You can be assured that officers will make no judgments and will treat any information you provide sensitively.

Your information, no matter how small, could be vital. Please make that call.

Anyone with information can call 101, providing the crime reference Cad 7542/17Aug or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111
Dame Cressida Dick has been referred to the police watchdog after publicly supporting a senior officer who faces a criminal trial in relation to a bullying probe.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police defended Matt Horne, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Force in evidence to MPs earlier this year.

Mr Horne was found guilty of three counts of misconduct while deputy chief constable of Essex Police before taking his role at the Met in 2019.

On Friday, the London Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (Mopac) said it had referred a complaint about comments made by Dame Cressida to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The Telegraph reported the complaint was made over her public comments about Mr Horne.

In evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee at a hearing in May, Dame Cressida said she made the decision to appoint Mr Horne as head of professional standards with her eyes absolutely open.

I stand by it and I stand by him, she added.

The Met police chief has been embroiled in several high-profile controversies this year and is currently awaiting a decision from Priti Patel, the home secretary, on whether or not to extend her contract, which expires in April.

She faced calls to resign in March after the Met's response to a vigil held over the killing of Sarah Everard, which was seen as heavy-handed by many.

In June, the force was labelled institutionally corrupt after a probe into the unsolved murder of private detective Daniel Morgan. Dame Cressida was accused of delaying the probe and the force was said to have prioritised protecting itself and its officers when faced with corruption claims.

The Met again faced criticism last month over its handling of public order during the chaos of the Euro 2020 finals, when crowds of ticketless fans stormed Wembley stadium while officers were on guard to support security staff.
Importing heavily pregnant dogs will be banned under government plans to crack down on trade in cruelly treated pets.

Ministers are launching a consultation, seeking peoples views, on proposals to make it illegal to bring into the country animals bred for sale, with little regard for their welfare.

Importing dogs with cropped ears or docked tails will also be outlawed, and the minimum age for importing a puppy will also be raised from 15 weeks to six months.

Celebrities have driven a craze in recent months and years for owning dogs and puppies whose ears and tails have been cruelly cut short.

Experts say the craze  together with higher demand for pets during lockdown  has driven a rise in imports of pets bred in cruel ways and in puppy smuggling, all of which prompted the changes that were outlined in the governments animal-welfare action plan this year.

Ministers also want peoples views on new penalties for breaching the new laws and whether they should include cats and ferrets.

Puppies that are imported too young face a significantly higher risk of developing illnesses and of death.

Raising the minimum age for bringing puppies into the UK should mean they are not separated from their mothers too early, allowing them to mature before being taken on potentially long and stressful journeys.

The RSPCA this year reported a 620 per cent rise in reports of dogs with ears that have been cropped - a painful process designed to make the animal look more aggressive. The surgery, which is illegal in the UK, can hinder their ability to communicate with other dogs and people.

Thousands of puppies and dogs are brought into Britain each year, with last years figure standing at more than 66,000, official statistics show.

Numbers of young puppies found by border officials not meeting the UKs pet import rules shot up by 160 per cent between 2019 and last year  from 324 to 843.

But animal-welfare charities have lobbied hard for a crackdown on puppy smuggling and pet mutilations.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Dogs Trust, which has a scheme helping discover illegally imported puppies at UK ports, said the consultation could bring the UK a step closer to ending the abhorrent puppy-smuggling trade.

Since setting up our Puppy Pilot in 2015, we have cared for more than 2,000 puppies which were seized at UK borders, often in horrendous conditions, he said.

We have seen puppies as young as four weeks old being smuggled into the country and dogs with open wounds from ear cropping, as well as heavily pregnant dogs close to giving birth.

Only a handful of cases have ever been prosecuted and existing penalties are no deterrent, he said.

Last year the Dogs Trust warned the public against buying dogs online after rescuing six underage puppies illegally imported from Romania that were covered in sticky oil and suffering diarrhoea. They had to be shaved to remove the oil.

Animal-welfare minister Lord Goldsmith said: Raising the minimum import age for puppies will help protect thousands of animals that are brought into the country each year and stop criminals looking to profit from the rise in demand for pets.
A virtual statue has been unveiled outside Brixton police station on the anniversary of Sean Riggs death in custody.

The statue, of campaigner Marcia Rigg, Seans sister, is the first in a series of augmented reality statue interventions through the Holding the Flame initiative.

Sean died following a cardiac arrest while in police custody at the south London police station on 21 August 2008; an inquest later found that officers had used unsuitable and unnecessary force on him.

The artwork, by transformative public arts company Aswarm, aims to offer a contemporary alternative to statues across Britain, inviting spectators to listen to, as well as view them.

It is part of a series, 81 Acts of Exuberant Defiance, responding to the 40th anniversary of the Brixton uprising. In the following weeks, the artwork will be available for longer-term public viewing through an app.

The Independent was invited to a private preview event attended by bereaved family members of people who have died following police contact, including campaigner Lee Lawrence, son of Cherry Groce who was shot by the police in her Brixton home in 1985; the mother of Joy Gardner, who died in 1993 after being restrained by police officers in her north London home; and the father of Roger Sylvester, who died in 1999 after slipping into a coma following his arrest in Tottenham, north London.

Guests including Black Lives Matter UK, poet and activist Linton Kwesi Johnson were also present.

Ms Rigg said: I, along with other families and the community, remember my dear brother Sean, 13 years on, with a vigil with a difference.

The virtual statue by public arts company Aswarm (The Independent)

I am truly honoured and excited to be part of this new, modern-day series of augmented reality statues as a way of celebrating people within our communities. Many families have challenged the system for better change and accountability in our justice system here in the UK, and it is nice to be recognised for the work that we families do.

Sean died a lonely and traumatic death at the feet of uncaring officers, just like George Floyd and so many others in the UK, the US and globally. We remember them all and they will certainly never be forgotten.

Following the unveiling, the families walked a short distance up the road to visit the newly-erected Cherry Groce Memorial in Windrush Square.

Marcia Rigg and Linton Kwesi Johnson (Inquest)

Rod Charles, the great-uncle of Rashan Charles who died in 2017 following contact with the Met Police in Dalston, also attended todays event to show his support to the Rigg family.

The avoidable loss of life which happened 13 years ago is just as poignant today as it was then  there is no change and its important to support the families, he told The Independent, adding that his own relatives have been left broken following Rashans death.

Mr Charles is a retired chief inspector who served 30 years in the Metropolitan Police. He joined in 1984 at a time when relations between the police and communities in many parts of London were difficult.

Sean Rigg died at Brixton police station in 2008 after being restrained by officers (Supplied)

I regrettably say that all these years on, in some communities, the relationship with the police is now worse, he added.

Police officers have very, very difficult jobs to do. I know about that, having done the job myself. But at the same time there needs to be a focus on the impact when things go wrong, and that focus is definitely missing, and I dont think its an oversight.

The structure, the policies, many of the characters within the police service and organisations of power do discriminate against other people.

Its important for the police to recognise the damage thats been done and, more often than not, the tragic errors which were avoidable, compounded by the cover-ups afterwards. The onus isnt on the community to adjust to the police, the onus is on the police service, the paid and trained officers to adapt to their communities.

Bereaved families of people who have died following police contact (Inquest)

Lucy McKay, from the charity Inquest which provides advice on state-related deaths, described the artwork as an important step in acknowledging and celebrating the strength and power of bereaved people.

Too often our legal systems fail bereaved families and do not provide the truth, justice and accountability that they and the public need following state-related deaths, she told The Independent.

However, this does not stop families from being at the forefront of creating positive change in our systems and society.

Marcia Rigg is one family member who has done just that, as well as other members of the United Families and Friends Campaign and the generations of families who came before them. This work, at a time when families are grieving, is so often hidden and overlooked.
Senior Conservatives are urging Boris Johnson to launch a rapid independent inquiry into the 20-year mission in Afghanistan amid growing controversy over the governments strategy for withdrawing from the region.

Seven days after the fall of the countrys capital to the Taliban insurgency, with scenes of chaos unfolding at Kabul international airport, one influential Tory MP warned: We cant pretend we have nothing to learn.

Earlier this week, during an emergency debate in the Commons, the prime minister dismissed a call from the chair of the Defence Committee, Tobias Ellwood, for a formal independent inquiry into the UKs conduct in Afghanistan.

However, a growing number of Conservatives believe an inquiry should be held in order to examine mistakes and for the government to learn lessons  piling pressure on Mr Johnson to act.

Former cabinet minister David Davis told The Independent there had been a litany of disasters over the past two decades in Afghanistan, saying: Should there be an inquiry? Yes, there should.

He said there was bound to be an internal government investigation, but suggested there was scope for review not just of the military element, but the whole strategic handling of this  from beginning to end.

Tom Tugendhat, who was applauded by MPs for the emotive speech he gave during Wednesdays debate, told The Independent he backed demands for an inquiry.

Tobias [Ellwood] is right, he said. We need an inquiry into an operation whose impact will continue to be felt around the world. We cant pretend we have nothing to learn.

Rory Stewart, who served as a minister in Theresa Mays government, said he had been pushing for an inquiry for eight years, insisting it had been incredibly clear an inquiry was needed for a very long time.

He suggested it should examine the combat operations between 2005 and 2014, the decision to withdraw from the region, and what on earth that decision suggests about Britains foreign policy  particularly in relation to the United States.

The real thing that needs to be looked at is the absolutely astonishing, surreal, unnecessary decision to leave when there was no reason at why we couldnt have stayed, he stressed.

Despite being challenged on the matter by Mr Ellwood in the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Johnson said there had been an extensive defence review in regard to the combat mission in Afghanistan that effectively ended in 2014, adding: I believe that most of the key questions have already been extensively gone into.

Hours later, the prime ministers official spokesperson told reporters: There will be lessons to learn from this, and that is what we will do, but the prime minister has set out our reasoning for not having an independent review in the house.

However, Mr Ellwood, who has served in Afghanistan, criticised the governments approach, stressing that it was completely wrong to attempt to push things into the past and hope that we move on as he reiterated his call for an inquiry.

We cannot just draw a line and move forward, he told The Independent. That would be absolutely wrong and would be an insult to all those people who served there and the families of those who didnt return.

The former minister at the Ministry of Defence said the inquiry would absolutely not be another Chilcot inquiry, which was estimated to cost more than 13m and did not produce its conclusions on the Iraq war for seven years.

What you want is a maximum six-month inquiry, essentially to provide an overall study so that genuine lessons can be learned, he said. How does a mammoth, hi-tech military alliance get defeated by a very low-level insurgency armed with nothing but AK-47s and landmines?

You would not want this to drag on. But we owe it to those who have served. We owe it to our wider understanding of western intervention as the world gets increasingly more dangerous. Where does this leave us as a diminished capability, recognising that our adversaries will take advantage of our failure?

Alistair Burt, a former Conservative minister for the Middle East who stood down at the 2019 election, also said he agreed with calls for an inquiry or some form of independent analysis of what has happened in Afghanistan and where we all go next.

He suggested two separate inquiries, with the first examining Afghanistan, bringing analysis up to date in light of events, what happened and why, and a second on the repercussions for the west in light of a darkening world.

What do we stand for, how do we defend ourselves, how we support like-minded people elsewhere, what the impact of these events is on our relationship with the US, with Nato and the EU  as well as with those who share different values  and where this all leaves us; and above all to set out what we actually intend to do and with whom. I suggest the latter inquiry is led by Rory Stewart, said Mr Ellwood.

At present, the Labour front bench has not joined calls for an inquiry, with a source telling The Independent: While calls for an inquiry are understandable and inevitable, the focus of the government must 100 per cent be on the crisis going on now. There will and should be time made to learn the lessons of how we got here.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, said the inquiry must be launched immediately with a similar remit to the Chilcot inquiry into the 2003 Iraq invasion, but with a much speedier timetable.

After twenty years of conflict and so much sacrifice on the part of brave service personnel, it is absolutely vital that lessons are learned. Where mistakes have been made, they must be identified so that they cannot occur again, he said.

There are countless questions to be answered about this long war  from the decisions of successive political leaders, to the culpability of the Conservative government in the recent, disastrous withdrawal.
An Alabama doctor has spoken out to urge a tough stance against unvaccinated patients, saying he will refuse to treat anyone who has opted against receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, as the state sees hospitalisations soar.

Jason Valentine, a physician at Diagnostic and Medical Clinic Infirmary Health in Mobile, made the unusual announcement in a Facebook post sharing a picture of the sign stuck on his office door.

Effective October 1, 2021, Dr. Valentine will no longer see patients that are not vaccinated against COVID-19, the sign read.

The Facebook post, which has since been made private after it went viral on social media, expressed the doctors frustration over peoples reluctance to take the vaccine, and said he saw results immediately after coming out with this stance, reported AL.com.

"First day of these signs in my rooms," he posted on Facebook. "All 3 unvaccinated patients on my schedule asked where they could get their vaccine today. No conspiracy theories, no excuses. Just where do I go.

He said if the patients asked why they needed the vaccine, he said he he told them: Covid is a miserable way to die and I cant watch them die like that.

Alabama state is reeling under a Delta-variant driven surge in cases, along with the rest of the country. But Alabama has the lowest vaccination rate in the US as only 36 per cent of its population is vaccinated. Hospitalisations with Covid infections have shot up to 2,900, the fifth-highest rate among states.

Dr Valentine detailed the reasons for his decision, saying that while there is still no great treatment yet for severe Covid, it can be prevented.

Unfortunately, many have declined to take the vaccine, and some end up severely ill or dead. I cannot and will not force anyone to take the vaccine, but I also cannot continue to watch my patients suffer and die from an eminently preventable disease, he said.

He concluded by saying that if his patients wished to keep him as their physician then they should get vaccinated or choose another physician.

We will be happy to transfer your records, he added.

The current Covid situation of the state has strained the hospital system in Alabama and the availability of ICU beds is running out, according to the Alabama Hospital Association.

On Tuesday, there were 1,568 patients who needed ICU beds but only 1,557 ICU beds are available for the entire state, Don Williamson, the associations president, toldWSFA.

Only 12 per cent of the patients who are in the hospital today are fully vaccinated, Mr Williamson told the station. This could have been prevented had we gotten vaccination numbers to higher levels.
A series of coyote attacks in Vancouvers Stanley Park has led an expert to warn that their unusually aggressive behaviour could be due to the ingestion of drugs.

Officials have warned the public to stay out of the park following three coyote attacks over a four-day period, most recently on Saturday, when a man out walking was bitten on the leg.

The recent spate of attacks comes after dozens of reports of erratic behaviour from the animals over the past few months.

Shelley Alexander, a coyote expert from the University of Calgary, told CTV Morning Live there could be a number of reasons for the issue.

The Stanley Park issue is more complicated than normal situations, she said, adding that theres definitely chronic feeding in Stanley Park, which is usually a precursor to an attack.

She also said that displacement could be a major factor. I looked at some of the maps and theres displacement of coyotes from their normal area of living by the homeless encampments, she added.

These animals have now been pushed into fringe areas where theyre more in contact with people and more likely to get into conflict.

However, noted Ms Alexander, there could be a more severe explanation for the attacks. The behaviour of some of these individuals suggest theyve ingested toxins or drugs, possibly opioids. Theres also some indication of possible abuse of these animals, she said.

This is abnormal behaviour that were seeing but the key thing is here theyve lost their bite inhibition and so this is no longer a situation that you could consider a co-existence scenario.

Ms Alexander recommended members of the public remain vigilant in the park. She said if anyone is approached by a coyote, they could shout, raise their arms, or clap their hands.
The US Food and Drug Administration is on track to give full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine on Monday.

The New York Times reports that the Pfizer shot will be the first of the coronavirus jabs to be cleared by the FDA.

According to the report, the FDA originally had planned to approve the vaccine before Labor Day, but decided to accelerate its ruling.

The development is significant as some Americans hesitant to take the vaccines have rooted their opposition to the shot in the fact that it was not fully approved by the US FDA. The full approval of the shot also paves the way for employers and private companies to mandate employees and patrons to be vaccinated.

More Americans have taken the Pfizer vaccine than any other company's shot, with more than 200 million doses administered since the shot received emergency authorisation by the USFDA in December of 2020.

Currently 52 per cent of Americans have been fully vaccinated.

The development comes as the coronavirus is well into its fourth wave, driven largely by the highly contagious Delta variant.

Covid-19 cases have increased across the country, though some states  particularly those with low vaccination rates have sharper increases than others. In states like Florida and Texas, ICU beds are at or near full capacity, and hospital staff are overwhelmed by the influx of patients.

Daily Covid-19 cases have increased by 600 per cent. In July, health officials reported 20,000 cases per day. By mid-August, that number grew to 140,000 per day.

The surge in cases has increased demand for the vaccine in recent weeks, with healthcare workers reporting incidents in which hospital-bound individuals suffering from advanced Covid-19 symptoms have asked for the shot. The full approval of the Pfizer vaccine will likely increase the demand further.

Debates over mask and vaccine mandates have been particularly heated as students return to classrooms for the academic year. Republican governors, like Florida's Ron DeSantis and Texas' Greg Abbott, have preemptively banned school districts from enforcing mask mandates for students.

Those decisions have been criticised as childhood Covid-19 diagnoses have increased with the arrival of the Delta variant. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommend all students, teachers and staff wear masks while in schools, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have noted an 85 per cent increase in childhood coronavirus infections.

The AAP also has urged the USFDA to fast-track emergency authorisation of the coronavirus vaccines for children under 12, noting the sharp increase in childhood cases. More than 10,000 students in Florida have been isolated or quarantined during just the first week of school.

On Friday, Alabama set a record for the number of children hospitalised with Covid-19. According to state health officials, 50 children were hospitalised with Covid-19 as of Thursday, a significant increase over the previous record of nine.
Members of Afghanistans gay community have described their terror of living under Taliban rule, as the threat of being found out and put to death is a constant fear.

Rameen* told Insider that his life had become a nightmare since the Taliban took power on Sunday. I just hope that somebody comes and wakes me up from this bad dream, he said.

The United Nations worker, 37, said that until last week, homosexuality had been illegal but there was still a vibrant underground gay scene in Kabul which had felt relatively safe. It was fantastic and so much fun, he said.

Now he cant even risk meeting his boyfriend of three years: If the Taliban finds out about us, theyll sentence us to death, he said. I think we will have to stop our relationship.

Many gay Afghans are now desperately seeking asylum from the hardline regime.

In July, German newspaper Bild reported that a Taliban judge had vowed to sentence gay men to particularly cruel deaths by stoning or by being crushed by a 3-metre wall.

Nemat Sadat is a US-based advocate for LGBT+ rights, and is helping gay Afghans apply for asylum. He organised an LGBT+ rights movement in Afghanistan while working as a political science professor at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.

Mr Sadat was forced to leave the country in 2013 after receiving death threats, and is now urging the international community to help vulnerable people escape almost certain persecution.

Its not hyperbolic to say that gay people will get weeded out and exterminated by the Taliban, just like the Nazis did, he said. People are messaging me saying heres my passport, heres all my information, please get me out of this country, Im going to die.

Canada plans to resettle more than 20,000 Afghans, prioritising minorities, female activists and those from the LGBTQ community. The US is predicted to take in fewer than 10,000 refugees this year.

*the names of gay Afghans still inside the country have been changed to protect their identities
A leftist Twitch star has come under fire after it was revealed he purchased a $2.7m home in Los Angeles, where he lives.

Hasan Piker is one of the most popular left-wing commentators on any platform, with 1.5 million followers on Twitch. The streamer uses his platform to discuss politics from a leftist perspective and also plays video games while interacting with his audience.

After it was revealed that he had purchased the five-bedroom, 3,800 square foot home in West Hollywood, critics lashed out at Mr Piker, claiming he was being a hypocrite as he is a proponent of socialism.

Some critics, like writer Fiona Applebum, suggested that by purchasing an expensive home, Mr Piker would leader younger socialists to believe that only the mega-wealthy can be exploitative with their wealth.

[Im] deeply concerned that a bunch of media class socialists will be responsible for having a younger generation of socialists walking around thinking that unless youre Jeff Bezos then you couldnt possibly be exploitative, she tweeted in a long thread about the purchase.

Others complained that simply the act of purchasing a house that is worth more than many Americans will ever earn is inherently immoral.

However, Mr Piker had many defenders who pointed out that the streamer built his wealth by performing online for voluntary subscribers to his channel. They argued that Mr Piker was not exploiting anyone, as he only makes money from voluntary subscribers and ad revenue from his stream. They also pointed out that the only product he sells  merchandise for his channel  was produced in the US by unionised workers.

Mr Piker  who is very used criticism on his stream from those who oppose his views from both the left and the right  also joined in on the fray, mocking those who complained that he did something wrong by buying his house.

Some critics complained that he should have used his money to further other leftist causes, but Mr Piker pointed out that such criticism was the root idea behind the conservative idea that charity  and not structural changes, like higher taxes on the rich  should be the primary driver of aid to those in need.

[T]he necessity of charity is an indication of systemic failure. its still useful to help out mutual aid orgs in the short term but thats not how you solve structural problems. The rich also use it as a tax shelter, Mr Piker said in a tweet.

Mr Piker  who is a Turkish immigrant who arrived in the US as a child  also lives with his family, who will presumably be moving into his house with him.

The streamer also pointed out that those arguing that socialists should not live in nice houses were parroting the same criticisms that conservatives levied against people like Senator Bernie Sanders, who owns three homes, or Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was lambasted for wearing expensive clothes.

Other defenders pointed out that socialism was not about living in poverty, but about organising an economy that empowers workers to fairly share in the profits of their products.

Ethan Klein, a podcaster, pointed out that there was a stark difference between Mr Piker buying a house and paying 50 per cent on his taxes and ultra-wealthy individuals like Jeff Bezos controlling billions and paying nothing in taxes.

Yall really think Hasan shouldn't be able to own a nice house and also champion for the poor and underprivileged? he tweeted. There is a difference between making millions on twitch and paying 50% in taxes, and Jeff Bezos being worth 150 billion and paying no taxes.

Mr Piker himself advocated for paying higher taxes.

"Listen, if you're mad at me tax the f*** out of people like me. I would get so mad," Mr Piker  who regularly advocates for higher taxes on the rich  said. His suggestion that he would be mad is clearly a joke.

The median home price in Los Angeles is $950,000.
 Close 'We will get you home': Biden promises to evacuate every American from Afghanistan

US President Joe Biden delivered an address to the nation for the second time this week, as the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan continues.

Mr Biden, who said this week chaos was unavoidable with his country's withdrawal from Afghanistan, addressed concerns about the evacuation of Americans, allies, and Afghan refugees, amid reports that the effort is falling behind.

The president vowed to Americans in Kabul we will get you home, but is being criticised for saying that there were no reports of people being stopped from reaching the airport by the Taliban who took control of the city on Sunday.

Reporters on the ground have many examples of people held back from accessing the airport by Taliban fighters and there are reports of physical violence and intimidation. The Pentagon then appeared to contradict the presidents statement.

Senator Lindsey Graham has threatened the president with impeachment if one American or Afghan ally is left behind in Kabul.

It remains unclear exactly how many people are awaiting airlifts from the country before an agreed deadline of 31 August, after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban last weekend.

The US military has evacuated 13,000 people since 14 August, and 18,000 since late July. In the past 24 hours 5,700 people have been airlifted as the operation begins to meet capacity levels of 5,000 to 9,000 per day as detailed by the Pentagon.
Stacey Abrams spent years telling donors that Democrats could win in Georgia if they would provide the money to build a statewide political operation. In 2020, Georgia finally delivered its 16 presidential electoral votes to a Democrat, Joe Biden, and sent two Democrats to the U.S. Senate.

Other Southern states are now trying to follow, and Georgia is eager to help.

The Georgia Democratic Party is combining forces with other state parties in the region for joint fundraising appeals, aiming to help those states make earlier-than-usual investments in voter registration and field organizing going into the 2022 midterms. Abrams' Fair Fight organization, which has raised more than $100 million since its inception after her 2018 loss in the Georgia governors race, is readying for another round of spending as well.

It's the latest example of Abrams' ripple effect on Democratic politics as she considers whether to run for Georgia governor again in 2022. Democrats pitch the investment in state parties  a relatively modest step, given the billions in political spending each cycle  as an important part of the larger effort to export Georgia's successes across Southern Sun Belt states that Republicans have dominated for decades.

Thats true from burgeoning battlegrounds such as Texas where Democrats have reduced their deficits in recent statewide losses, to deeply Republican strongholds like Alabama where swaths of Black voters and young, urban voters could at least dent Republican majorities in the Legislature.

If theres a way to partner with our friends in the South, then its a great opportunity for everybody, said Scott Hogan, executive director of the Georgia Democratic Party.

But party officials in the South agree that any future victories require a deliberate, long-term approach, and there's plenty of realism in a region where national Democrats once-ballyhooed 50-state strategy in the mid-2000s yielded few lasting shifts.

If Georgia had a 10-year rebuild, said the Alabama Democrats executive director, Wade Perry, then were in about year three.

Texas Democratic Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said the decade of work by Abrams and others in Georgia provides the blueprint.

Every state is different, Hinojosa said. Its not so much that Georgia is a step-by-step model, but they showed the impact that you can have with a significant campaign funded over a period of time.

Perrys and Hinojosas state parties recently sent joint fundraising pitches with Georgia Democrats, email solicitations to the parties' existing donor lists, splitting the proceeds. Separately, Georgia has joined several state parties -- in Arizona, North Carolina and Virginia -- in an ongoing joint fundraising agreement with multiple digital efforts partnering some or all of the states in the agreement.

For Texas and Alabama, specifically, its part of building party infrastructure early an election cycle. Both states, along with Georgia, are eying elections next year for governor, other statewide offices, the state legislature and the U.S. House. Georgia and Alabama also each has a U.S. Senate contest.

After a disappointing November, when President Donald Trump won Texas by more than 630,000 votes and Democrats failed to dent the GOPs legislative majorities, Hinojosas organization launched a $12.5 million voter registration campaign targeting rural Hispanics and young urban liberals.

We know $12 million wont cover the whole state, not even close, Hinojosa said. But drawing on one lesson from Georgia, he added: We have to have a targeted approach to do what we can execute in the time that we have.

Hinojosa said he has enough financial commitments to have begun hiring voter registration organizers.

Separately, the Texas party has created jobs for seven rural regional coordinators. Three of those are filled, Hinojosa said, bringing his total staff to about 30. Thats roughly where Texas was at the same point in 2019, a year before the presidential election, but well ahead of its 2017 pace, Hinojosa said.

Alabama has nine full-time staff members, Perry said, a high mark for an nonelection year. It comes after a decade of Democratic infighting that often left the state party unable to pay rent and utilities, much less hire field workers and organizers.

Party staff in every state are supported in part by monthly infusions of at least $12,500 from the national party. But the state leaders agreed that a sustainable, winning model requires state parties to cultivate their own donors and support voter outreach operations that are never completely dismantled after an election.

So much of our success over the past cycle is because of investment in specific areas of need, and the pace of that investment matters, Hogan said.

He noted that Georgia has had at least 25 employees through the early stages of this midterm cycle and will only grow. A year ahead of the 2018 governors race, the party had about a half-dozen workers in its Atlanta headquarters.

The fundraising teamwork is intended to help the state parties attract more long-term donors. The parties don't share their full donor databases with each other. Rather, each sends out the same fundraising pitch to its respective donor lists. Any donor who responds ends up on the lists of all participating parties going forward.

Hogan and his counterparts said it's not just Georgia bringing substantial donor lists to the table.

Texas was awash in small donors in 2018 when Democrat Beto ORourke made a serious challenge to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz but fell short. Alabama got its boost in 2017, when Democrat Doug Jones upset Republican Roy Moore in a Senate special election. Jones lost by a landslide in his bid for a full-term last November, but Perry said the state party is left with a list of past donors donors from all 50 states.

Beyond the organizing that early party hires do, theres an underappreciated benefit: leveraging what comes next.

High-profile candidates such as O'Rourke and Abrams, both of whom could run statewide again next year, draw considerably more money than state parties ever could. Likewise, Fair Fight's national fundraising footprint in 2022 will dwarf state parties.

But in each case, candidates for governor and outside groups such as Fair Fight can mean an injection of cash or other coordination with party staff. But only if the party has built an operation already.
 Close Watch live as Biden gives update on Hurricane Henri response

Tropical storm Henri - downgraded from a hurricane this morning - has made landfall near the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, on the border with Connecticut.

Coastal residents in New England have boarded up their windows, stocked up on supplies, and prepared their generators, local media report. The storm is expected to track to the northwest as it moves inland with more heavy rain and flooding expected.

New York City remains under a state of emergency, announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio last night, as residents were lashed with torrential downpours that broke records.

President Joe Biden provided an update on the federal governments response on Sunday afternoon, having already approved declarations of emergency for New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

More than 50 million people were put on weather alerts by authorities, according to CNN  more than 12 million under a storm surge warning, 5 million under a hurricane warning, and 37 million under a tropical storm warning.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield has insisted that President Joe Biden never shies away from taking questions after days of avoiding the White House press corps about the chaos unravelling in Afghanistan.

The president has come in for criticism over the harrowing images from Hamid Karzai International Airport as the US rushed to evacuate American personnel.

Former RNC spokesman Douglas Heye tweeted: In a sense this is true. Biden doesnt shy away from questions as much as his team shields him from them.

Mr Biden has often been coaxed into answering questions following public engagements, at times too often for his staffs liking.

The president has recently not been as available to the press as he was during the initial months of his presidency.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told David Axelrod of CNN in May that the communications staffers are not always happy about Mr Biden stopping to speak to reporters who shout questions at him during public events.

That is not something we recommend, Ms Psaki said. In fact, a lot of times we say Dont take questions.

But she also added that hes going to do what he wants to do because hes the president of the United States.

Mr Biden did a sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News this week but ignored reporters questions after he spoke to the nation about the state of the Covid-19 pandemic on Wednesday.

He just did a full sit down interview on this just yesterday. So he is always willing to take questions, and Ill let him decide if he is going to do that after his remarks today, Ms Bedingfield told MSNBC.

Mr Biden also chose to not answer questions after his defiant speech on the US withdrawal from Afghanistan on Monday.

The last time Mr Biden held a press briefing was on 10 August after speaking about the Senate passing part of his infrastructure plan.

On 2 July, Mr Biden said I want to talk about happy things man, when he was asked about the situation in Afghanistan.

Ms Bedingfield was asked about Mr Bidens comments on 8 July.

Is a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan now inevitable? Mr Biden was asked last month.

No, it is not, he responded. Because you  the Afghan troops have 300,000 well-equippedas well-equipped as any army in the worldand an air force against something like 75,000 Taliban. It is not inevitable.

He added that the Taliban takeover was highly unlikely and that Kabul wouldnt descend into chaos.

He was talking about whether this was a possibility and not an inevitability. And thats an important distinction. Look, obviously as weve seen in all the reporting the last week, the president saw a wide array of intelligence, Ms Bedingfield said on Friday.

But you heard from [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff] General Milley, you heard from Director [of National Intelligence] Haynes  they saw no intelligence that suggested that Kabul would fall within 11 days. That was not a scenario that was put in front of the president, Ms Bedingfield added.

So he saw a wide array of intelligence. But ultimately at the end of the day, hes the commander in chief and the buck stops with him. He made the decision.

The communications director said 9,000 people have been flown out of the country since it was taken over by the Taliban, and 14,000 have been been able to leave since last month.

We have taken control of the airport. Flights are leaving regularly. And I would say, thats not something that happens without planning, thats not something that just happened. The president planned for multiple contingencies, Ms Bedingfield said. And thats why he prepositioned troops in the Gulf able to move in immediately, taking control of the airport and setting up flights to get people out of the country. Its the mission that he is laser-focused on, getting every American who wants to leave Afghanistan out of Afghanistan, and moving people out as quickly as possible.

But CNNs Clarissa Ward reported on Friday morning that no US flights had taken off for a period of eight hours.

Ms Bedingfield was asked why the US didnt start evacuating Americans and Afghan allies sooner, before the Taliban overthrow of the US-backed Afghan government.

I think its important to remember that at any point that we began a mass evacuation of Americans and Afghan allies out of Afghanistan, it was going to signal the imminent collapse of the Afghan government it was going to be a chaotic situation whether it happened five months ago, whether it happened five weeks ago or whether it happened this week, she said. So our effort was to continue to try to ensure that the Afghan government had the opportunity to remain in place.
Pentagon officials confirmed that 17,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul Airport in Afghanistan since the military withdrawal began on 14 August. With the inclusion of individuals evacuated prior to the start of the US operation in Kabul around the end of July, that number increases to 22,000.

Included among the total evacuees were 2,500 American citizens. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby noted during a press conference that the thousands of Americans still left in the country will be allowed into the Kabul airport when they arrive.

If you're American and you're at a [Kabul airport gate], you'll be let through that gate, Mr Kirby said.

However, the revelation that the military was still processing evacuees caused some confusion among reporters, as hours earlier the US Embassy issued an emergency alert warning Americans to avoid the airport due to threats.

Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time, the embassy said in a statement.

Mr Kirby would not comment directly on the nature of the threat that prompted the emergency alert.

General Taylor told reporters that there was no reported change to the current enemy situation in and around the airport when questioned about the threat.

He also said that Afghan evacuees were being taken to US bases in Qatar, Germany and the US.

According to General Taylor, a group of Afghan refugees were brought to Dulles International Airport in Washington DC, after which they were taken to be processed at Fort Bliss in Texas.

Though thousands have escaped Afghanistan, many more are still desperately trying to secure a means of evacuation.

On Saturday, all gates at the Kabul airport were closed due to a backup of incoming refugees at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to Department of Defense officials.

The US military currently has about 5,800 troops still on the ground at the airport.

When Mr Kirby was asked about reports that Taliban members had been whipping Americans with canes and other implements, he confirmed that there had been reported incidents of violence, but no deaths.

Taliban leadership has pledged not to attack Americans so long as US forces pull out of the country by the end of September, though it remains to be seen if the group will hold true to that promise.

Mr Kirby maintained that the US troops only mission is to hold the airport and facilitate civilian evacuations.
Greece has erected a 25-mile fence and installed a new surveillance system on its border with Turkey in anticipation of a surge in Afghan refugees trying to reach Europe.

The Talibans rapid takeover of Afghanistan has fuelled concerns in the European Union of a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis, when nearly a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and beyond crossed to Greece from Turkey before travelling north to wealthier states.

Greece was on the front line of that crisis and has said its border forces are on alert to ensure it does not become Europes gateway again.

We cannot wait, passively, for the possible impact, citizens protection minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said after visiting the region of Evros with the defence minister and the head of the armed forces on Friday.

Our borders will remain safe and inviolable.

Mr Chrisochoidis said the extension to the existing eight-mile fence and automated electronic monitoring system had been completed in recent days because the crisis in Afghanistan had created possibilities for migrant flows into Europe.

Migrant arrivals to Greece, either by land or by sea, have slowed to a trickle since 2016 when the EU agreed a deal with Turkey to stem the flows in exchange for financial support.

Greece hardened its migration policy in recent months by fencing off its migrant camps and launching EU-wide tenders to build two closed-type facilities on the islands of Samos and Lesbos, close to Turkey.

Turkeys president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greeces prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed developments in Afghanistan in a rare telephone call on Friday, as both countries worried about a potential influx of refugees fleeing the Taliban.

Mr Erdogan said a new wave of migration will become inevitable if necessary measures are not taken to help Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, such as Iran, where Afghan migrants would head before trying to reach Turkey and Europe.

He also said that Turkey, which has reinforced its border with Iran, was discussing the issue of Afghan migrants with Tehran.

On Thursday, Mr Erdogan called on European nations to shoulder the responsibility for people fleeing the Taliban, warning that Turkey will not become Europes refugee warehouse.

His comments came following an increase in Afghans entering Turkey from Iran in recent weeks.

On Wednesday, Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi said the priority was to evacuate Europeans and Afghan citizens who had worked with EU forces there, but that Greece does not accept to be the gateway for irregular flows into the EU.

Speaking on Skai TV, he noted that Greece does not border Afghanistan, and there are countries to the east of us who could provide initial protection where necessary.

Turkey, he added, was a safe country for Afghans.

Turkey already hosts 3.6 million Syrians who fled the civil war to the neighbouring country, and 300,000 Afghans.

In 2016, Turkey and the EU signed a deal for Turkey to stop the hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees heading towards Europe in return for visa-free travel for Turkish citizens and substantial EU financial support.

Mr Erdogan has frequently accused the EU of not keeping its side of the bargain, while the deal led to thousands of asylum-seekers languishing in squalid refugee camps on the eastern Greek islands.

Greece and Turkey have long been at odds over migrant issues and competing territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean.

Additional reporting by agencies
As a teenager locked in a patriarchal and tradition-bound mountain village in the far north of Albania, Gjystina Grishaj made a drastic decision: She would live the rest of her life as a man.

She did not want to be married off at a young age, nor did she like cooking, ironing clothes or doing any of the things that women do, so she joined an Albanian fraternity of what are known as burrneshat, or female-men. She adopted a male nickname: Duni.

I took a personal decision and told them, I am a man and dont want to get married, Duni recalls telling her family.

Few women today want to join what anthropologists call Albanias sworn virgins, a tradition that goes back centuries. These women take an oath of lifelong celibacy and enjoy male privileges, such as the right to make family decisions, smoke, drink, and go out alone.

Duni says her choice was widely accepted, though her mother, who died in 2019, never stopped trying to get her to change her mind. Like other burrneshat, Duni  who remains Gjystina Grishaj on official documents  is still referred to in the traditional way, with female pronouns and forms of address, and does not consider herself transgender.

The fraternity that Duni joined nearly 40 years ago is dying out, as change comes to Albania and its paternalistic rural areas, allowing younger women more options. Her village  which is Christian, like much of the northern part of the country  has in recent years started to shed its claustrophobic isolation thanks to the construction of a winding road through the mountains, which attracts visitors but also provides a way out for strong-willed local women who want to live their own lives.

Many, like Duni, took the oath so that they could escape forced marriages; some so that they could take on traditional male roles  like running a farm  in families where all the men had died in the blood feuds that plagued the region; and others because they just felt like men.

Society is changing, and burrneshat are dying out, says Gjok Luli, an expert on the traditions of northern Albania. There are no precise figures for how many remain, but of the dozen or so he knows about, most are elderly. Duni, at 56, is perhaps the youngest, he says.

It was an escape from the role given to women, Luli says, but there is no desperate need to escape any more.

Among those now able to choose different paths in life is Dunis niece, Valerjana Grishaj, 20, who decided as a teenager to leave the mountains and move to Tirana, Albanias relatively modern-minded capital. The village, Grishaj explains over coffee in a Tirana cafe, is not a place for me.

Women today have much more freedom than before, and you dont need to become a man to live your own life

All my friends there have been married since they were 16, she says.

But Grishaj says she understands why her aunt made the decision she did. There were no strong, independent women up there, she says. To be one, you had to become a man.

She praises her parents for letting her make her own choices. I was very lucky, but parents like mine are rare, Grishaj says, noting that most still pressure their daughters to marry as teenagers.

Albania, which was isolated under a communist dictatorship until 1991, has seen rapid economic and social development in recent years, and the country has become increasingly connected to the rest of Europe. But Tirana, to where Grishaj moved at 17 to study theatre directing, can still be a difficult place for a young woman trying to make her own way.

The patriarchy still exists, even here in Tirana, Dunis niece says. Young women who live alone, she laments, are subject to nasty gossip and are often seen as whores.

The difference now, though, she says, is that women today have much more freedom than before, and you dont need to become a man to live your own life.

Albanian women still struggle with patriarchal attitudes, especially in rural areas (EPA-EFE)

By declaring herself a man, Duni was not striking at conventional gender norms but submitting to them. She also shares the strongly transphobic and homophobic views that are prevalent in Albania.

Men, everyone in her remote alpine hamlet of Lepushe believed, would always be afforded more power and respect, so the best way for a woman to share their privilege was to join them rather than trying to beat them.

As a man, you get a special status in society and in the family, Duni says, looking back on nearly four decades of dressing, behaving and being treated like a man. I have never worn a skirt and never had any regrets about my decision, she says.

Underpinning this tradition was the firm grip in northern Albania of the Kanun, a set of rules and social norms that classify women as chattel whose purpose is to serve men.

The low status afforded to women did give them one advantage, though: It exempted them from the battles that for centuries decimated northern Albanian families, as men from feuding clans died in a neverending cycle of vengeance killings. Parents whose sons had all been killed often urged a daughter to take on a male identity so that there would be a man to represent the family at village meetings and to manage its property.

A woman who became a sworn virgin was viewed as not entirely male, did not count in blood feuds, and therefore escaped being targeted for murder by a rival clan.

I have done this because I want to take on the role played by men and to get the respect of a man

Luli, the expert on local traditions, says one of his cousins, who went by the nickname Cuba instead of her original name, Tereza, was an only child and became a sworn virgin so she could avoid being married off and leaving her parents to fend for themselves. She died of old age in 1982.

He compares Cuba with a woman who decides to become a nun.

It is the same kind of devotion, Luli says, only to the family instead of God.

For Albanians pushing for gender equality, such devotion invokes mixed feelings. Saying I will not take orders from a man is feminist, says Rea Nepravishta, a womens rights activist in Tirana. Saying I own myself and will not be owned by a man is feminist.

But, she adds, being forced to be a man instead of a woman is totally anti-feminist; it is horrible.

Inequalities enshrined by the Kanun, Nepravishta says, gave women a choice between either living like a semi-animal or having some freedom by becoming a man. While still strong, the patriarchy has lost some power and no longer confronts women with such stark choices, she says.

I always felt like a man, even as a boy, says Diana Rakipi (AFP/Getty)

Some burrneshat say they declared themselves men simply because they never felt like women. Diana Rakipi, 66, a burrnesha in the coastal city of Durres, says: I always felt like a man, even as a boy.

Aggressively masculine in manner, Rakipi delights in being bossy. On a stroll near her tiny one-room apartment, she keeps stopping passers-by whom she thinks are acting improperly  like a boy she sees hitting his brother and berating them.

Rakipi, who was raised in the north before moving south to Durres, says she took an oath of celibacy as a teenager, in front of dozens of relatives, and vowed to serve the family as a man. Born after her parents only son died from illness, Rakipi says she grew up being told she had been sent by God to replace her dead brother.

I was always considered the male of the family. They were all so upset by the death of my brother, she says, sitting in a cafe in which all the other customers are men. She wears a black military beret, a red tie, mens trousers and a safari vest, its pockets stuffed with talismans of her eclectic beliefs, including a Christian cross and a medallion with the face of Albanias onetime dictator, Enver Hoxha.

Rakipi snorts with contempt when asked about people who undergo transition surgery. It is not normal, she says. If God made you a woman, you are a woman.

Rakipi helping in a fish market in Durres, Albania (AFP/Getty)

Duni, from Lepushe village, also has strong views on the subject, saying that altering the body goes against Gods will and that people should be put in jail for doing so.

I have not lived as a burrnesha because I want to be a man in any physical way. I have done this because I want to take on the role played by men and to get the respect of a man, she says. I am a man in my spirit, but having male genitals is not what makes you a man.

Locals in Lepushe, says Manushaqe Shkoza, a server at a cafe in the village, were initially surprised by Dunis decision to become a man, but it was accepted long ago. Everyone sees it as normal, Shkoza says.

Duni says she is sad that the tradition of sworn virgins will soon die out, but notes that her niece in Tirana has shown that there are now less-drastic ways for a woman to live a full and respected life.

Society is changing, but I think I made the right decision for my time, Duni says. I cant resign from the role I have chosen. I took an oath to my family. This is a path you cannot go back on.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp expressed his unhappiness about challenges by Burnley players after his sides victory over the Clarets at Anfield.

Klopp spoke of his concern over the idea of letting the game flow more and stressed the importance of protecting players, adding: Watch wrestling if you like these kind of things.

The Reds won 2-0, with Diogo Jota scoring an 18th-minute header and Sadio Mane doubling the lead with a 69th-minute strike.

Klopp told BT Sport after the match: Burnley was never a game where you are just flying or whatever and can outplay them, or at least not for us.

We always had to be ready for a proper fight. We were today in a really difficult game, because you saw these challenges with (Ashley) Barnes and (Chris) Wood and Virgil (Van Dijk) and Joel (Matip).

Im not 100 per cent sure if we are really going in the right direction with these kind of decisions. It feels like we go back 10, 15 years back to when we said oh, that was the football we wanted to see. Its just too dangerous.

You cannot really touch the situations. Its just hard. The rules are what they are, but the thing is you cant defend these situations.

(Nick) Pope is the first one, then (Ben) Mee and (James) Tarkowski the next one, and thats how it makes the game really tricky. Thats not the only balls they played, but they are the most difficult to defend.

He added: I heard we want to let the game flow. Now we always have these situations, we had the second goal from Brentford (against Arsenal on August 13)  it must be a foul. These kind of things.

Its all fine, we need to get used to it, but I think we have to think about it maybe a second or a third time.

Theres one message now, let the game flow, and now nobody knows exactly what that means.

I like all decisions in favour for the offensive team, thats fine. But we have to stick to protecting the players.

We cannot deny that completely and say thats a challenge, I love watching that. Then watch wrestling if you like these kind of things.

Klopp also raised the matter in his post-match press conference, saying: We came from protecting the players slightly more to let the game more flow.

There is a grey area in between which for sure we will have to adapt again during the season because just let the game run doesnt sound like it makes too much sense. We still need to talk about different things.

Theres the message, like a headline, let the game more flow. It started with no soft penalties, which is absolutely fine. But we cannot forget that we have to protect the players as well.

Liverpool made it two wins from two at the start of their campaign as they played their first Premier League match at a packed Anfield since March 2020.

Sean Dyche said his team must tidy up the details after the loss at Liverpool (Mike Egerton/PA (PA Wire)

Klopp said: I think our dreams were fulfilled today atmosphere-wise. It was really special.

How the game was as well, pretty special, because Burnley are Burnley  and Burnley cause you problems. We played a good game, we scored two, could have scored more.

While Trent Alexander-Arnold was limping as the game finished, Klopp said in his BT interview that nobody got injured.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche, whose side have started with two losses, said in his press conference: I thought overall it was a decent performance.

Tough place to come today  it is generally, but obviously with the crowd back in, the noise and feel of it. I thought the players handled that really well.

I thought we should have had a penalty on Dwight McNeil, but we know our record for them.

We have to tidy up the details, at both ends, because we had chances again today and didnt quite find that killer moment, but theres certainly the right energy and feel about the group at the minute.
Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue  and what it means for you.

In the olden days, when Yellow Pages provided a rich source of business for travel enterprises, US car rental firms went to extremes to be first in the listings. Aardvark Automobiles was always at an advantage  until Aafordable Rentals came along, swiftly followed by AAA1 Rent-a-Car.

In 2021 it is happening again  courtesy of the UK government and its list of travel testing providers. More in a moment.

You (and I) may think it ludicrous that fully vaccinated travellers from green list countries must take a test before departure to the UK and an expensive PCR test after arrival. No other European country makes such demands. They see no particular value in multiple tests for low-risk arrivals from low-risk nations. They also prefer to preserve their inbound tourism industries, and the wallets and sanity of their own citizens.

But as with so many aspects of travel during the coronavirus pandemic, the UK is a complete outlier. (One of many examples: arrivals from North America are split between quarantine-free US citizens and must-isolate Canadians.)

The government here insists that multiple testing for arrivals is essential to protect public health. You must pre-book that post-arrival (inaccurately named) day two test before you can complete the passenger locator form that will allow you to travel to the UK. While Scotland and Wales insist on a specific provider, price 68, England simply provides a list of companies. The health secretary, Sajid Javid, described some of them as cowboys. Yet here they are, including fly-by-night firms that see travel testing as a get-rich-quick scheme with government backing.

Earlier this week one proprietor had worked out that reducing the firms name to a single comma would be enough to propel them to the top of the official list of more than 400 test providers. The company formerly known as , has now vanished, with the list headed (as of Friday lunchtime at least) by .0.0.44 Tests.

Along with 14 other providers, this enterprise offers 20 PCR tests. Or does it? I have tried a good few of those advertising at this price. Some mail-order firms simply report Authentication Error when you try to pay, a problem that seems to vanish when buying higher cost products. Others specify that to get the 20 deal you must usually attend their premises  whether in Stockport, Warrington or Gloucester  but, mysteriously, no appointments seem to be available.

Some firms seize the opportunity of government-assisted marketing to mislead travellers  particularly by claiming you need a test to leave the UK. That is false. Some destinations ask for a test before travel, usually only for unvaccinated travellers, but many do not. No airline, ferry firm or international train operator will ask you for a Covid certificate unless the destination requires one.

Yet at the governments official website you are a click away from 01 Alpha Express Testing telling you: Looking to travel for leisure, work, or educational purposes? You will need to present a Fit To Fly Certificate upon departure from the UK.

I have asked the firm to remove the claim before too many people assume that an official provider linked from a government site will tell the truth, and waste 85 on an unnecessary test.

Earlier in the week I did the same when the Corona Test Centre asserted: Fit To Fly Test  Required. Mandatory for most flights leaving the UK. Travellers were invited to spend 129 for a PCR test certificate that was likely to be completely pointless. The firm has now removed the claim and offered to refund customers who were persuaded to pay for worthless tests.

It is ridiculous that I should become directly involved in holding companies to account and persuading them to tell the truth.

The official choose a provider website insists: The government does not endorse or recommend any specific test provider  you should do your own research about them and their terms and conditions.

Ministers have created travel rules that look a lot more like a deterrent rather that a coherent public health strategy. Yet they are enriching firms that invent nonsense names and make false claims to exploit the complexity and confusion for which the government is squarely responsible. Travellers, and what used to be the worlds leading travel industry, deserve better.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal today chaired the  5th meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting under the Chairship of India. The Industry Ministers of BRICS Countries (Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa) H.E. Mr. Xiao Yaqing Minister of Industry & IT of the Peoples Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Trade, Industry & Competition of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Carlos Da Costa, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy, Government of Federative Republic of Brazil and H.E. Mr. Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and delegates attended the virtual meeting.



India chose the theme of BRICS@15: Intra BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus for its Chairship, this year.



In the 5th Meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers held on 18th August 2021, the Joint Declaration was adopted.



Indias efforts of channelizing technology towards good and smart governance thus increasing transparency and accountability, were highlighted. India has developed a vibrant and dynamic start-up ecosystem, leveraged existing platforms and digital technologies such as Aadhar and UPI payments for ensuring delivery of critical services to the last mile. Online systems like COWIN and digital vaccination certificates are being cited as success stories across the world today.



Ministers recognized the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly in the fields of trade and industry. They complimented all the COVID warriors, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and scientists, across all the BRICS countries, for their selfless and tireless efforts in saving our lives.



They appreciated the need for adopting the emerging new technologies in a swiftly changing world and recognized this as an important tool for modernization and transformation of industry, promotion of inclusive economic growth, thus helping BRICS national economies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.



They agreed on the need to build human resources in line with the changing requirements accelerated by the new emerging technology to promote training and skills development of the related workforce and businesses through workshops, seminars, and exchange programs.



They reiterated their commitment to make efforts to foster open, fair, and non-discriminatory trade environment, ensure greater participation in global value chains, promote digital inclusion, assess the implications, and encourage the progressive, safe, equitable, and sustainable use of disruptive technologies for advancing growth.



They expressed their intention to collaborate with the New Development Bank (NDB). India expressed the desire to expand the horizon of NDB and resources be utilized for strengthening of social infrastructure besides promotion of Industrial sector.



The meeting concluded with the BRICS Industry Ministers reaffirming their commitment to work together as a group, complement strengths of each other, share best practices and learn from weaknesses, and move ahead in a positive and constructive manner to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Fourteen people were arrested from across Assam for alleged social media posts supporting the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, police said. The arrests were made since Friday night and they have been booked under different sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IT Act and CrPC, a senior police officer said.

"A total of 14 people have been arrested so far in 11 districts of Assam, which includes one MBBS student of Hailakandi, studying in Tezpur Medical college, and two others," a senior police official added.

AP

"Some of them criticised India"

We were on alert and monitoring social media for inflammatory posts, the officer said. Two people each were arrested from Kamrup Metropolitan, Barpeta, Dhubri and Karimganj districts, police said.

"While some directly supported Taliban, some of them criticised India and the national media for not supporting Taliban. This could create communal tensions," he further said. Those arrested were caught on the radar of the Assam Police's Cyber Cell that keeps constant vigil on social media networks; sources have said.

The Special Branch (SB) of Assam police is overseeing the operation. Deputy Inspector General Violet Baruah said the Assam Police is taking stern legal action against pro-Taliban comments on social media that are harmful to national security.

AP

"We're registering criminal cases against such persons. Please inform the police if any such thing comes to your notice," she tweeted.

17-20 social media profiles backing Taliban

According to police, at least 17 to 20 social media profiles have been found with posts backing Taliban and the terrorists' action in Afghanistan. Police said the posts were made from 11 districts in the state while three other profiles of people from Assam settled outside -- one each in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and in Mumbai.



Sources said they're trying to get more details on the three persons who are settled outside the state, and will forward the information to the Intelligence Bureau on their details.

Reuters

Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan has sparked major concerns across the world about the safety of locals as well as foreigners. Heartbreaking visuals have captured the plight of locals desperate to escape the Taliban rule.


Agencies

A group of people, which included mostly Indians, was 'abducted' by the Taliban fighters, the Kabul Now news portal initially reported. It later updated the report saying all the people were released and on their way back to the Kabul airport. Read more.

Here are the other top stories of the day.

Record Rain In Delhi Leads To Waterlogged Roads, Hours-long Traffic Jams

Delhi | Heavy rains in the national capital cause waterlogging at Rajghat premises. pic.twitter.com/qgxLALxoyM  ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2021

Record rain in the last 24 hours in Delhi has caused heavy waterlogging and traffic jams in parts of the city, with traffic police providing updates on flooded areas. As per India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi will witness "generally cloudy sky with moderate rain/thundershowers" today. Read more.

Images From Kabul Airport Reminds Me Of Kandahar Horror: Indian Pilot Narrates Nightmare

AP

Images from Kabul airport over the the last few days have brought back the horrors of 22 years ago, says Devi Sharan, captain of Indian Airlines flight IC814 that was hijacked in December 1999 and taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan where it was held captive for an entire week. Read more.



Resistance Forces In Afghanistan Recapture 3 Districts From Taliban, Kill Their Fighters

AP

Putting up a fierce fight against Taliban, local resistance forces have claimed that they have re-captured Pol-e-Hesar, Deh Salah and Banu districts in Afghanistan's Baghlan from the Taliban on Friday, as per local reporters. The Public's Resistance Forces under Khair Muhammad Andarabi also reportedly killed and injured a number of Taliban fighters, according to Afghan news agency Asvaka. Read more.



14 Men From Assam Extended Support To Taliban In Social Media Posts: What We Know So Far

Reuters

Fourteen people were arrested from across Assam for alleged social media posts supporting the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, police said. The arrests were made since Friday night and they have been booked under different sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IT Act and CrPC, a senior police officer said. Read more.
Around 150 Indian citizens were picked up by the Taliban from outside the gates of Kabul airport this morning, while they were waiting to be airlifted out of war-torn Afghanistan, a top government source told NDTV.

The Indians picked up by the Taliban are in no immediate danger, the government source said, adding that they were taken in trucks to a nearby police station where they are being questioned. Back-channel talks are ongoing to secure their release, the source said.

File: Parwiz/Reuters

A source said that Taliban affiliates had taken more than 150 people, most of them Indian nationals, from near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The source added that these people included a number of Afghan citizens and Afghan Sikhs, but most of them were ordinary Indian citizens.

Indians allegedly held at garage near airport

Local news outlets in Kabul say Indians picked up by the Taliban are being held at a garage near the airport; the Taliban were reportedly checking travel papers and passports. It must be stressed that these are unconfirmed reports and India Times has no independent verification of this claim at this time.



Multiple Afghan journalists claim that over 100-150 Indians have been kidnapped by the Taliban from outside the Kabul airport. No official confirmation yet from Indian Government or US/NATO forces on ground. Indian Govt is monitoring closely.



This is a DEVELOPING STORY. pic.twitter.com/OFBeIiu4Hy  Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 21, 2021





The source along with his wife, however, managed to escape. These people had gone to the airport in eight caster-type vehicles at 1:00 am today, but could not enter the airport due to lack of coordination. According to the source, several unarmed Taliban members came to their side and, after beating them, took them all to Tarakhil in Kabul.

Taliban denies abduction reports

However, Ahmadullah Waseq, one of the Taliban spokesperson, has rejected the abduction of Indian citizens from Kabul. A report in The Indian Express also say a group of 72 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus were Saturday stopped by the Taliban from boarding an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane to India. An IAF C-130J transport aircraft took off from Kabul with around 85 Indians.

#Update:

A Taliban source to me: We didnt abduct Indians near to Kabul airport, but we took to get them safely to airport.



They escorted to airport through a safe gate by us https://t.co/cvs45xIqpZ  Muslim Shirzad (@MuslimShirzad) August 21, 2021

It landed in Dushanbe in Tajikistan for refuelling, before making its way to New Delhi. Meanwhile, the Taliban are likely to unveil a new governing framework for Afghanistan within the next few weeks, a spokesperson said on Saturday.

Group to unveil new governing framework

Legal, religious and foreign policy experts in the Taliban aim to present the new governing framework in the next few weeks, the official told Reuters. Since returning to power in the country, the Taliban has sought to present a more moderate face.

The co-founder of the militant group, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrived in Kabul on Saturday for talks with fellow members of the group and other politicians on establishing a new Afghan government.

The Taliban will be accountable for its actions and will investigate reports of reprisals and atrocities carried out by members, an official of the Islamist militant group told Reuters on Saturday.
1. Resistance forces capture 3 districts in Afghanistan, several Taliban fighters killed: Report

File: Parwiz/Reuters

The Public's Resistance Forces under Khair Muhammad Andarabi have claimed that they captured Pol-e-Hesar, Deh Salah and Banu districts in Afghanistan's Baghlan from the Taliban on Friday, as per local reporters. A number of Taliban fighters were reportedly injured and killed, according to Afghan news agency Asvaka. According to sources, up to 60 Taliban fighters have been injured or killed. The resistance forces have said that they are also advancing towards other districts. They said that the Taliban "did not act in the spirit of a general amnesty".



2. Boris Johnson says UK will work with Taliban if necessary

Reuters

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday Britain would work with the Taliban if necessary after the militants capture of Afghanistan, and defended his foreign minister who has come under fire for his handling of the situation. "What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course if necessary, will go on," Johnson told media.

3. First Covid-19 vaccine for children above 12 years gets emergency use nod

PTI

Zydus-Cadilas DNA-based vaccine got approval for emergency use in India by the DGCA for use in adults and children above the age of 12 years. PM Modi hailed the zeal of Indian scientists as the worlds first DNA-based vaccine got an approval. Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur claimed that the government is ready to tackle third wave of the pandemic.



4. Delhi rain: Heavy rainfall leads to waterlogging, traffic snarls

BCCL

National capital Delhi witnessed rain accompanied by thunderstorms, affecting vehicular movement in several areas. Several roads near ITO, Minto Road, Pragati Maidan and others were waterlogged after heavy rainfall in Delhi. Meanwhile, Delhi traffic police has informed that Azad Market Underpass is closed due to 1.5 feet waterlogging. Additionally, traffic movement on MInto Bridge has also been closed. Traffic has also been affected at Moolchand Underpass due to waterlogging.
Never give up. That's probably one of the most cliched things weve ever heard. But not many can keep up with that kind of dedication.

Arokiaswamy Velumani founder, chairman and managing director of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. | Linkedin

Thankfully, there are a few who will inspire you to keep going. Case in point, Coimbatore landless farmers son who once struggled for two meals a day now owns the worlds largest thyroid testing company called Thyrocare Technologies Ltd.

Who is Dr A Velumani?

Arokiaswamy Velumani, born to a poor farmer family in a nondescript village, whose father couldnt afford to buy him a pair of pants or slippers, has traversed some rather difficult terrains since starting out from the nondescript village of Appanaickenpatti Pudur near Coimbatore. Along the way, the bespectacled scientist had also redefined the medical diagnostic industry in the country.

Arokiaswamy Velumani founder, chairman and managing director of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. | velumani.com

But with hard work and determination 65-year-old, Dr Arokiaswamy Velumani is now a founder, chairman and managing director of Thyrocare Technologies - the world's largest thyroid testing company, that boasts of 1,122 outlets across India, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Middle East!

Small boy with big dreams

Thyrocare founder Arokiaswamy Velumani and his three siblings were supported by his mother, who put together Rs. 50 a week from the milk fetched from the buffaloes she bought and used it to take care of her family over the next ten years. Growing up in a village that had minimum access to education, he moved out in search of a better future. Back then, young boys attended college mainly to find a fair-skinned wife.

Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. | Thyrocare

At the age of 19, Dr Velumani graduated with a BSc. degree and found a job in a small pharmaceutical company Gemini Capsules in Coimbatore with a meagre salary of Rs 150 per month, which was less than what a watchman would get in that area.

But Velumani didn't complain and every month Arokiaswamy sent a telegram at home with Rs 100 from his monthly salary and kept Rs 50 for himself for his daily needs. This went on for four years until the capsule-making company collapsed, and Velumani found himself jobless. After losing his job, Velumani started his journey from abject poverty in this small village with just Rs. 400 in his pocket to wealth and prosperity in the city of Mumbai.

The birth of Thyrocare

After quitting a job in Gemini Capsules, Arokiaswamy Velumani joined the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre(BARC) in Mumbai, While recollecting the early days of his struggle, Velumani quotes,  My parents were very poor. They never had the luxury of buying me a pair of chappals (sandals) or trousers. I was born at the bottom of the 10 slices of the pyramid. It wasnt easy. But today, I am at the top of the very pyramid,". After getting a secured job at BARC, Arokiaswamy Velumani married Sumathi Velumani, an employee at the State Bank of India.

Arokiaswamy Velumani founder, chairman and managing director of Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. | Facebook

After giving up his 14 years long job at BARC, Arokiaswamy Velumani got the opportunity to study for a doctorate in thyroid biochemistry.

Since his childhood, Velumani wanted to do something different. Arokiaswamy Velumani had developed an idea which he believed would help make thyroid testing more affordable for much of Indias poor class population.

The woman behind the success of Arokiaswamy Velumani

With the help of his wife Sumathi, Dr Velumani began his dream of Thyrocare with an initial investment of Rs. 1 lakh, from his Provident Fund (PF). Dr. Velumani and his wife set up the first Thyrocare lab in Byculla, Mumbai, with an initial focus on thyroid testing by considering the huge potential for it in India.

Left Coimbatore. August 18. 1982. 6:55 pm. Boarded Jayanti Janata. S9. Berth 41.



What a 39 Yrs journey.



Till you left us in 2016 it was absolute flawless heaven.

Now, nature too reminds your face often. #MissYouDarling. pic.twitter.com/4awUj8T0fc  Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) August 18, 2021

Arokiaswamy Velumani's wife Sumathi, quit her job at the State bank of India, to be the first employee of Thyrocare Technologies. According to Velumani, Business is as unique as married life. You are learning something new every day.

Dr Velumani's vision

Dr Velumani's vision was to build preventive thyroid testing and make healthcare diagnoses affordable to the consumer. He pioneered in launching preventive healthcare diagnostics in 2006. He reckoned that if he could offer lower prices, he could attract customers and build a large-volume business. This led to the creation of Thyrocare as an affordable healthcare testing brand.

Q: which to focus : Strength or Weakness. ?



A: If you focus on your strength becomes stronger and your weakness becomes weakest. #Focus  Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) August 11, 2021

Back in the day, no labs could get more than two samples a day, I worked on improving the business model and introduced the franchise model, which helped increase the number of samples per day, making operations cost-effective.

Came to Mumbai in 1982 with just Rs. 500. Focused.

40 yrs. 40% CAGR.



Came to Business in 1995 with just Rs. 2,00,000. Focused.

25 yrs. 40% CAGR.



Dedicated to my wife, Co-Creator, Late Mrs. Sumathi Velumani.  pic.twitter.com/clJzY693B7  Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) June 23, 2021

Velumani and his confederates then expanded the business, foraying into health diagnostics, including blood tests, preventive medical checkups and pulmonary function tests. Today, Thyrocare offers a comprehensive envelope of health diagnostics, from sexually transmitted diseases profile to cancer, diabetes and infertility tests, with thyroid disorders still being the prime focus.

From landlessness formers son to billionaire

Velumanis story is one of true grit. The son of a landless farmer, he grew up near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. When it comes to poverty, there are two kinds of people, Velumani had said during the interview a few months ago. One who enjoys it, and another who suffers because of it. The one who enjoys it will come out of poverty very fast while the one who suffers will remain poor.

In 2020, Thyrocare posted revenues of Rs 474 crore, up by 18 percent, while profits grew by 51 percent to Rs 119.7 crore. In the entire world, India is cheapest in healthcare, Velumani had told Forbes India earlier.

In 2016, over 20 years after Velumani founded the company, Thyrocare Technologies was listed on the bourses, with a net worth of Rs 3,377 crore which was subscribed some 73 times.

Poor has more problems.

Poverty gives the experience.

So poor freshers are experienced. #Focus.  Dr. A. Velumani.PhD. (@velumania) August 12, 2021

Velumani took many risky steps like quitting his job and spending a large amount of his provident fund, without knowing whether he would fail or succeed? This quality of Velumanis may inspire a lot of youngsters, who are able to withstand and tolerate any form of setback simply on their belief that they can reach their goals.
Rags to riches stories often seem like a fairy tale. However, for some, it is a reality. There are several people across the globe who have gone from being poor to being so rich that their names have been featured in several rich lists. One such story is of the Bikanervala family.

Bikanervala Success Story | Bikanervala

Sometimes work started from the ground up can become a big business in the future. Just like the Bikanervala became. Today, even though Bikanervala has become a big brand for all of us, but once, it used to be a small shop in Bikaner. Today we are sharing the inspiring story of Bikanervala, which started from a small street shop and has now become one of the best snacks companies in the country.

Who started Bikanervala?

After the Partition in 1947, businesses found themselves in a newly independent India, with a new set of rules and norms and finding new ground. Bikanervala sweets and snacks company too has a legacy that dates back to the pre-independence era.

Bikanervala Success Story | Bikanervala

Bikanervala, a name synonymous today with Indian sweets and snacks, traces its humble beginnings to 1905. The operations started out as a small sweet shop - Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar in Bikaner's old city area of Kote Gate by Shri Lal Chand Agarwal.

How did a small shop become the biggest sweets and snacks brand?

Bikanervala is an Indian restaurant chain headquartered in Delhi, that specializes in Indian sweets, snacks. According to the Bikanervala website, its humble beginnings trace back to 1905 from a small sweet shop - Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar in Bikaner. The shop initially sold a few sweets and namkeen tuned to the tastes of the Bikaneris. There it found acceptance and the shop prospered.

Beginning from the streets

Having prospered and created a name for itself in Bikaners old city area and neighbouring parts of the city, two brothers from the family set out to write another chapter in Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar's story.

Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar | Bikanervala

Using their family recipes which were handed down generation after generation to them, the culinary experience was something the capital had not witnessed before.

In 1950 two members of the Lalji family moved to Delhi to explore new avenues for expanding their traditional business. Initially, without any proper space, they used to sell their snacks on the street but soon with an increase in both their earnings and demand, the Aggarwal brothers set up a stall in Chandni Chowk by the name of Bikaner Bhujia Bhandar in Paranthe Wali Gali in Delhi.

Journey of Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar to Bikanervala

The shop was also called Bikaner Namkeen Bhandar and soon became famous amongst the population for its Moong Dal Halwa, Bikaneri Bhujia and Kaju Katli amongst others. The brothers and the shop soon began to be known as Bikanervala by the people of Delhi. That's how the name Bikanervala was born.

Bikanervala Success Story

In the 1960s, they increased their line of products by including more varieties of traditional sweets and namkeens and opened several shops as Bikanervala in prominent parts of Delhi including Karol Bagh.

The present Managing Director of Bikanervala Foods Pvt Ltd, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal, joined the family business in 1968. At that time, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal was only 16-year-old and had just finished high school.

Learning the art of making sweets from his father, in the 1980s, when the western fast-food Pizza entered the Indian market, Aggarwal realized that there was scope to explore more Indian products thus Bikanervala opened several outlets in various parts of the country.

Bikanervala tasted success

Bikanervala tasted success in its sweets and restaurant business. With the world becoming more globalized and Indians settling far away from India, the family-run enterprise decided to bring the traditional Indian offerings to Indians across the world and in the process also transform the industry and themselves. This led to the creation of the brand - Bikano.

Bikanervala Success Story | Bikanervala

They reached a milestone when they entered into an agreement with PepsiCos new brand Leher to sell Indian Namkeens. For this, they opened a new plant in Faridabad, Haryana. Bikanervala reached great heights due to their incredible business skills.

With a name given by the people, the taste and fame spread with time. Today, Bikanervala serves millions of customers every day with a diverse range of food products with more than 60 outlets in India and has a presence outside of India in countries like the USA, New Zealand, Singapore, Nepal and the UAE.

Bikanervala Success Story | Bikanervala

Founded in a small street as namkeen and snacks shops, now Bikanervala has one of the leading snacks brands with a worth of Rs 1,300 crore (US$ 178 Million).

Who thought that a small shop in Bikaner would one day become famous all over the world, but what is not possible with hard work and dedication.
A video of a father handing his baby to US troops at Kabul airport was all over social media yesterday. The heartbreaking video reminded us about the atrocities Afghans are facing in their own country ever since the Taliban took over.

The video showed a father giving his baby to a US security personnel over a razor-wire topped wall at Kabul's airport to get it to safety. It led many to wonder if the parents ever got reunited with the baby.

AFP

Now, according to a report by Forbes, the Department of Defense explained the baby required medical care but is now safely with its father. The baby is now safe at the airport behind the U.S. militarys perimeter, Marine Corps spokesperson Jim Stenger told Forbes.

The report also mentioned that neither of the spokespersons revealed any details on whether the baby and father will leave Afghanistan, or if any other family members made it into the airport.

It was an act of compassion because there was concern about the baby," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby had told AFP.

US troops take a baby over the wire into the secure area of Kabul Airport, #Afghanistan.



Troops on the ground are having to deal with some truly challenging conditions they probably never expected to ever experience.



As a father, this breaks my heart. What a world we live in. pic.twitter.com/qDsWLvYj7c  Alex Tiffin (@RespectIsVital) August 19, 2021

The official Pentagon images show thousands of people waiting outside the airport to leave the country and avoid living under the extremist militant group.
In an embarrassing incident, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy ended up going to a living soldier's house instead of a martyred soldier's home as part of BJP's Jan Ashirwad Yatra on Thursday, reported Times of India.

As he informed the confused family that a government job and land would be provided, they were shocked and broke down thinking they have lost their family member.

When the minister realised the goof-up, it was an embarrassing moment for him.

TOI

According to the schedule, the minister was supposed to visit the residence of a martyred soldier at Mulgund in the Gadag district in Karnataka.

However, he visited the house of serving soldier Ravikumar Kattimani. Since Narayanswamy was running behind schedule, he was in haste when he reached Mulgund accompanied by Haveri BJP MP Shivakumar Udasi.

He visited the house of Kattimani, currently posted in Jammu and Kashmir, and asked about the health and condition of the family members, who were left completely shaken by this visit.

He then announced that he would provide a government job to one member and land for the family, which left them feeling shocked and confused.

TOI

However, once the confusion cleared up, a local BJP member who knew the family, made a video call to soldier Kattimani and asked the minister to speak to him, reported Indian Express.

After realising the gaffe, Narayanaswamy tried to do damage control by praising the soldier's service. He also felicitated the family members before he left.

My husband is working in Kashmir, it has been two months since we got married. The minister coming to our house and inquiring about us caused some confusion, but neighbours said he might be coming out of respect to soldiers serving in border areas.when he started assuring job and land, I told him that my husband is there and I will have to ask him, Kattimanis wife told local media.



ET

Local BJP leaders were scolded by him for embarrassing him by providing wrong information, party sources added.


If you think you have heard the most bizarre story in the world, let me take you through this tale of a woman and chimpanzee.

A woman has been banned from visiting a chimpanzee at a zoo in Belgium. Why? Well, turns out she got a little too close to the primate. She has made statements like they are "having an affair".

The woman, Adie Timmermans has been visiting Chita, a 38-year-old male chimpanzee who lives at Antwerp Zoo in Belgium, for the past four years. According to Timmermans, she and the chimpanzee have developed a strong bond and they love each other.

ATV

However, Antwerp Zoo officials told her that she is no longer to make contact with Chita. They said he's already been excluded by other chimps within the group.

In conversation with regional news channel ATV, Timmermans said: "I love that animal and he loves me. I haven't got anything else. Why do they want to take that away?"

She added, "We're having an affair, I'll just say. Other dozens of visitors are allowed to make contact. Then why not me?"

According to the zoo, Chita's well-being may be compromised and it just wants the animal to be happy.

ATV

The zoo told Timmermans: "An animal that is too focused on people is less respected by its peers. We want Chita to be a chimpanzee as much as possible."



"Outside of visiting hours at the zoo, he has to manage 15 hours [a day] in his group. We want to give him the chance to be as happy as possible."

The spokesperson also said, "When Chita is constantly busy with visitors, the other monkeys ignore him and don't consider him part of the group, even though that is important. He then sits on his own outside of visiting hours."

ATV

Speaking to Radio 2 Antwerp, Sarah Lafaut, curator at the Antwerp Zoo, said, "Of course we are happy when our visitors feel so involved with the animals, but animal welfare comes first here. Chita was brought to the zoo 30 years ago because he was a pet at the time and became unmanageable. He learned chimpanzee behavior with us, but the interest in humans has remained."


File photo of (l-r)Darren Barnet, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Indian Americans Poorna Jagannathan and Mindy Kaling at Netflixs hosting a mobile truck pop up activation in celebration of the launch of Never Have I Ever Season 2 on July 15, 2021 in New York City. (Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Netflix)
Vice President Kamala Harris listens as President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the U.S. militarys ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, from the East Room of the White House on Aug. 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Indian American vice president will be embarking on a tour of Southeast Asia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Aoife MacManus, one of the Irish people who managed to escape from Afghanistan during the week, says she expects to be back in Ireland in the coming days.

Now in Islamabad in Pakistan after leaving Kabul on Thursday, the Co Meath woman says she hopes to leave for Ireland on Sunday or Monday.

According to Nato officials, it is now believed that more than 18,000 people have flown out of the Afghan capital since the Taliban seized control.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the number of Irish citizens known to be in Afghanistan and hoping to leave the country was 36.

Speaking to RTE's Morning Ireland on Friday, Ms MacManus  who had lived in Afghanistan for two years while working in the primary education sector  described how the Taliban ensured she managed to get a safe passage to Kabul Airport.

Civilians prepare to board a plane during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Picture: Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps via AP

She said that the issue for people is not getting flights, it's getting to the gates of the airport due to the crowds of people trying to get access.

On Wednesday when they were given the go-ahead for evacuation she was told they would be given an escort to the airport.

"We had an escort, which is actually what's happening at the moment for most NGOs and UN organizations," she said.

"It was a Taliban escort, dramatic as it sounds, to help us to get as far as the airport.

"They cleared traffic in some way and brought us as close to the gate of the airport as possible."

Ms MacManus described "several thousand" people trying to gain access to the airport and many NGO and UN vehicles were forced to turn back because they could not get to the gates.

"So then there are, you know, 1000s of Afghan people trying to also leave," she said.

"They're trying to make their way with their half-finished visa processes or whatever IDs that they have and their families also try and get in the military side of the airport to leave."

Shiite Muslim men strike themselves with knives attached to chains during a procession to mark Ashoura, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thursday, Aug. 19, 2020. Picture: AP Photo

She said she was one of the lucky few and was met at the gates to the airport by US Marines who brought them through and processed their details.

"I didn't feel in danger, she added. "I mean there's always going to be moments where things can turn but I felt quite, quite safe in getting to the gate."

When she finally got into the airport, Ms MacManus described thousands of people "standing or sitting around" waiting for their military flights to bring them to the UK or US.

"It was a scene, she said, "and I was still hearing all the gunshots from outside the airport.

"People were obviously still trying to push their way in from somewhere else and the gunshots would have gone into the air to control the crowds, but still quite a surreal experience."

Two civilians during processing through an Evacuee Control Checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021. Picture: Staff Sgt. Victor Mancilla/U.S. Marine Corps via AP

When her flight took off from Kabul airport, she said it was a very strange and heavy feeling to think that so many colleagues and friends are there and won't have the opportunity to leave any time soon. I was wondering what's next for them.

Ms McManus said she has to stay positive and hopes that things will settle.

"When we were leaving the city, things were much calmer than they had been in the previous days," she said.

She hoped that a middle ground could be reached where education and normal life could happen albeit maybe more conservative.
When Nasruddin Saljuqi arrived in Ireland as a refugee in 2000, he was one of very few Afghans living here at the time. He travelled with his wife and four children  all of whom went on to university and PhD-level education.

As the world's eyes turn to Afghanistan in 2021  Mr Saljuqi's life demonstrates how the conflict there goes back decades. He fled Afghanistan for Iran in 1991, more than 10 years after the Soviets invaded his country.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 meant its army withdrew from Afghanistan and a bloody civil war ensued, setting the stage for the Taliban to assume power in 1996.

The time I left Afghanistan Russia had invaded, it was a tough time. It was a very bad time, just not a good life  there was war all the time.

"I came to Iran with my family and we were there for nine years. But the Iranian government didn't give me any documents to live - I was illegal," explained Mr Saljuqi from his Dublin home this week.

Resettlement programme

After spending nine years as undocumented residents, his family was accepted on to a United Nations resettlement programme  Ireland was to be their new home.

"On October 22, 2000 I was resettled from Iran to Ireland by the help of the Irish government.

"The Irish government helped me come to Ireland with my wife and four children, three sons and one daughter, who all studied and have degrees and PhDs and are working in Irish society, the UK, Switzerland and the US now," he said.

When they arrived initially, finding private housing to rent was a challenge  an issue that asylum seekers still experience to this day. Their first six months were spent in a B&B.

"When we arrived here the government could not find a house for us, we were in a B&B for six months until they could find a house for us  20 years ago a landlord wouldn't give a house to an unemployed person.

Nasruddin Saljuqi: 'Afghanistan is very far from Ireland but assisting in the reunification of Afghan families already living here with those fleeing is something Irish people can call on their Government to do.'

"But I started working as an interpreter, and my son was studying and working. Then when we were working, we could get a reference.

"The only problem we experienced was finding a house  we wanted a home to live in and it was very, very good when we got a home. Our lives settled and we were all studying or working," said Mr Saljuqi.

Integrated with ease

The Afghan family integrated into Irish society with ease  something he credits to Irish people's kindness.

"We integrated really well, Irish people are very kind," Mr Saljuqi said.

As well as working as an interpreter, the father of four got busy writing more than a dozen books on Afghan history and culture, three of which were published here and the rest in Iran and Afghanistan.

He also set up the Afghan Community and Cultural Association of Ireland  an organisation he chairs today, and which connects him with the several thousand Afghan people now living in Ireland.

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul on Thursday. Picture: AP /Rahmat Gul

And how do they feel about the Taliban takeover of their country?

"Many have family there, they are upset, they have fear of the situation and they fear another war will start. They are just afraid and concerned," said Mr Saljuqi, whose own brother lives in Afghanistan.

"I have a brother there now, he has four daughters and two sons and they are in university and school, he is a professor and doctor. But he is afraid for his children about what's going to happen in the future," he said.

What if anything can Ireland or Irish people do to help?

"In the last 20 years since the Taliban was defeated we have many, many universities in Afghanistan, many people are studying and working, they are professionals and have good skills, I would urge the international community to listen to these people and their advice," Mr Saljuqi said.

But there is something far more specific and practical that Irish people can lobby for and which relates back to his own Irish story that began 21 years ago.

"Afghanistan is very far from Ireland but assisting in the reunification of Afghan families already living here with those fleeing is something Irish people can call on their Government to do," Mr Saljuqi said.
"Thousands" of Irish people could lose their incomes if OnlyFans ban sexually explicit images and videos, an Irish content creator has said.

Megan Sims from Limerick, who is a creator on the site, says the proposed ban, which OnlyFans say will come into effect on October 1, will see many "vulnerable" people across the country lose a vital source of income.

The social media platform, which is used by sex workers and influencers but also celebrities, musicians and comedians, allows "creators" to share pictures and videos with their subscribers.

It's unknown how many Irish people create content on the site but Sims estimates the number in its thousands.

Under the new guidelines, people will still be able to post nude content on the site but it will need to be consistent with the company's updated policies, which the firm said are being implemented at the request of its financial partners.

Its going to put a lot of people in a bad situation, explained Ms Sims, who says the site has offered an income to many "vulnerable" people who may not have access to alternative forms of work - such as people with disabilities, undocumented migrants and people in abusive relationships.

It's absolutely terrifying but to be honest. Its going to be hard for anyone who relies on it as a form of income, she added.

Well-known Irish OnlyFans creators include Matty Gilbert, the 'Irish Viking', who says he makes around 49,500 per month on the site, and 24-year-old Louth woman Niamh O'Connor, has purchased two homes with the proceeds of her OnlyFans content.

Lucy Fitz, influencer and OnlyFans content creator.

Limerick woman Lucy Fitz recently told the Irish Examiner that she makes "a steady income" from her content which includes nude images.

In a statement sent to the Irish Examiner, a spokesperson for OnlyFans said:

In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines.

These changes are to comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout providers.

"We will be sharing more details in the coming days and we will actively support and guide our creators through this change in content guidelines, they added.

The platform has around 130 million users, with around two million creators who post content for subscribers.

OnlyFans says these creators have earned more than 3.7(4.3) billion through the service.
Heartbreak is a privilege.

While watching men fall from planes as women burn their degrees and mothers shroud their young daughters, our hearts break.

Our heartbreak is matched only by our helplessness: A comment to a friend here, a liked Facebook post there  we feel powerless at the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, so we return to our Netflix show or social-media scroll.

But in our heartbreak and helplessness, we need to check our empathy: Is it about how we are feeling or is it about how others are doing?

This is not our lived pain, this is not our lived experience, nor our helplessness.

For those that feel helpless when the world is aching, said writer and liturgist Cole Arthur Riley, practise the kind of empathy that doesnt always centre you.

If you feel helpless in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti and the Talibans control in Afghanistan, good.

Your inherent expectation that your role is saviour, or that you should know and understand whats best for countries that arent yours, is precisely what must be dismantled for their protection, wrote the author and academic this week.

Help me enter their pain, without centring mine, she said.

Beyond grim

The footage and news from Afghanistan, as people clung to wings of moving planes and womens faces were painted in the streets of Kabul, were beyond grim.

Many people, from the comfort of their couch, with smartphone in hand, expressed their sincere heartbreak for their fellow human beings. Maybe you opened a link to a donation page, scanned it for information or a monetary suggestion, before leaving it again for something more palatable to fill your screen and time, donation not completed.

While life is hard for many of us right now, we are not clambering over metres-high concrete barricades with a baby strapped to our chest or attached to a drip thats being held upright by the crooked branch off a broken tree.

But shaming ourselves for our better fortune is as useless to the people in Afghanistan as being immobilised by our feeling of powerlessness.

Afghan security guards try and maintain order as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, as desperate crowds tried to flee the country. Picture: AP

So whats a decent citizen to do?

First: Listen.

Afghanistan has 38m people. Listen to the Afghan people there, and in Ireland. What are they asking for?

Second: Move the lens closer to home.

So far in 2021, 70 Afghan people have applied for asylum here, on this land. What stage is their application at? Are there any hold-ups? Lets ask questions of our Government: Ask your TD, a senator, a local councillor, any elected representative.

Before we despair at news footage from 7,000 miles away, we should consider how we, in Ireland, are responding to the needs of these 70 Afghan people who have already asked us for safe refuge, a new place to build a home.

Direct provision Then there are the 211 Afghan people living in direct provision here, the system whereby we house asylum seekers for years on end while our Government departments process their applications. The asylum seekers wait and wait to hear news of their application. People who have been through the system, or are in it, have described it as a "life in limbo". Can we expedite their applications? Do these 211 people have family trying to flee Afghanistan right now? These are some questions we can ask of our elected representatives, who are just an email away from your evening social media scroll. This week, the Government committed to resettling a further 150 Afghan people, while the Immigrant Council of Ireland and Oxfam said that number needs to be 1,000. Let your elected representatives know you want that increase. Another question we could ask our politicians is why we refused entry, or leave to land, to 75 Afghan people in 2020 and 41 in 2021. When we rage at colonial powers like the US and finger-point at their role in the latest Afghan situation, we can look closer at how our society and system are treating asylum seekers. The average length of stay in direct provision is 24 months, with some residents having spent up to 10 or 12 years in it, while we decide whether or not to grant them asylum and let them rebuild their lives. And the majority of the centres are managed by private contractors on a for-profit basis. Conditions vary widely from centre to centre. A woman with her children begs for alms at a bridge in Kabul. File picture: Adek Berry / AFP via Getty Images There are 38 of these centres in 17 counties in Ireland, in remote places where there is, maybe, one bus service a day to a local town. Imagine fleeing your country to end up in no-mans land for years on end? This is Ireland, not Afghanistan. The Government has committed to ending the direct provision system by 2024. When you feel powerless at the situation in Afghanistan, ask your TD to make sure we reach that 2024 target. In the meantime, see if there are any centres near where you live. Sometimes, private hotels are used. Often, there are new mothers there or pregnant women in need of everything we take for granted. Parents often need help affording school bags and books for their children. See what the people in your area need and try to source it for them. If youre an employer and a local person in direct provision has the right to work, see if you can employ them.

Informed action

The only antidote to helplessness is informed action.

Say you cant afford a donation. There are many people and small businesses who have really struggled these last 18 months who are now putting on fundraisers all around Ireland and online to gather donations for established programmes.

And there are so many other things to do, too.

World Pulse, an independent, women-led network for social change, has a curated spreadsheet list of actions people can take, complete with the registered organisation you would be helping. You can access it here

There are clever things, like donating your flight miles to Afghan asylum seekers who already have the visas and documentation, but cannot afford airfare.

Other actions include signing petitions addressed to the European Union.

Were anything but powerless. We cant do everything, but we can definitely do something.

Our heartbreak is useless unless it informs action.
Go on, admit it. Werent you thinking a bit of rain would be welcome after a week of our July heatwave? We just need a good downpour to freshen everything up and water the pots, said everyone melting in the queue at the supermarket checkout.

Yearning for the heat of Spain in summer is one thing; coping with it is another, leading me to think were actually programmed on a cellular level for rain: the feel of it, the coolness, the uniquely Irish smell and its ability to revive us in during a blistering spell.

Rain for me is a liquid version of the fresh smell of towels dried outdoors. Where we have a problem is with its volume and frequency.

The Tuberose & Black Pepper candle and diffuser from La Bougie offers sulty, warming scents for a cosy atmosphere (candle 25, diffuser 33 at www.labougie.com).

But much as we complain, the comfort of its scent is important enough to us that, thanks to a combination of geranium, patchouli and fern, you can get it in a scented candle called simply Rain. Its freakily accurate, according to its maker Alix Mulholland of the County Down home fragrance studio, Field Day.

Its actually brought people to tears which is the amazing thing about fragrance and the power to unlock memories and feelings, Alix says. A light, relaxing fragrance, its a good one for the bedroom, creating a lovely background scent along with a high content of essential oils that creates a safe, relaxing and head-clearing atmosphere.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the evenings are now closing in on us again, and its getting just a bit too chilly for sitting out on the patio without the luxury of a gas heater or fire pit, or at least donning a fleecy jumper and binding a blanket round the knees.

Rosehip signals the arrival of autumn and in this candle works in balance with cooking aromas in the home, with the jam jar container being reusable (15.95 at www.fieldday.ie).

Theres something lovely too, though, about the thought of hunkering down indoors for cooler, darker days ahead and focusing on adapting the space to suit the desire to hibernate.

The three-wick Winter candle has notes of orange, cinnamon and gloves for a warming winter feel (19.95 at www.fieldday.ie).

Scent really helps to create the right atmosphere while also being effective at mitigating odours from cooking, humans and pets at a time of year when windows are open less, if ever; when heating is bumped up and, if youre lucky enough to have one, theres comfort in an open fire or solid fuel stove.

Home fragrances in scented candles and diffusers come with all sorts of aromas to create freshness and also give a feeling of cosiness.

What about trying some notes of smoky firesides and leather upholstery wafting around your home? Theyre the basis of Alixs Gather candle, which she describes as one to cosy up with when the days start turning and getting shorter with a chill in the air.

Definitely one for the living room, she says, especially if you dont have a fireplace as it will give the same vibe as an open fire. A great scent if youre not a fan of floral or citrus scents.

For the coming weeks she suggests scents of berries and crushed leaves.

Autumn is my favourite time of the year, she says.

I love it when the pale pink wild roses transform into beautiful ripe red rosehips. Nature is amazing. Rosehip burns well in the kitchen. I love cooking smells and dont always want to mask them, so the fruity scent of Rosehip is ideal as it balances and compliments kitchen scents.

Lucy Haggerty, owner and fragrance designer at the Kinsale-based home fragrance studio, La Bougie, has a heavenly collection of candles and diffusers, often inspired by trips to Italy, so if you want to be transported to Tuscany, to feel warm in the middle of an Irish winter, Lucy says, Cosy is best achieved with a spicy fragrance, so black pepper is perfect. Its found in our Tuberose & Black Pepper fragrance alongside warming ginger and nutmeg with a heavier, narcotic floral note in tuberose.

Its my absolute favourite fragrance and perfect for when the nights draw closer and my go-to for a snug night in.

But not everyone is attracted to the heavier, more sultry fragrances, so Lucy also suggests something fresh but with warm notes. My other comforting choice would be lemongrass and ginger, she says. Again, its spicy with the warming citrus hit of lemongrass. Wonderful lit whilst taking a long, hot soak in a bath. It will warm the bones and make you feel you are in a five-star spa to boot.
Burma Myanmar Junta Tells Troops to Be Combat Ready at All Times

Regime troops in a residential area in Yangon during a crackdown on anti-regime protesters in early March. / The Irrawaddy

The regimes crackdown on its opponents is expected to intensify in the coming days as the military junta has issued an order to its unit commanders and other senior officers to be combat ready. The instruction comes amid an increase in daily unrest, including killings and bombings by anti-regime civilian fighters against regime troops and their associates throughout the country.

The order seen by The Irrawaddy was sent out to commanders last week. It was issued directly by the militarys top command in the capital, Naypyitaw.

The message to commanders also warned that terrorists could intercept our message and instructed that jamming devices should be used. The message added that troops should always remain in combat mode.

Following the coup in February, people from all walks of life opposed military rule. Young people have taken up arms after the juntas brutal crackdowns on protesters. Since then, the regime has branded anyone who opposes it terrorists.

In the order, commanders were instructed to set up more checkpoints and to launch surprise checks in residential areas.

This month, bloody attacks against the regime have become more frequent across the country, including in the countrys business hub Yangon. Last week, among other attacks, four policemen were shot dead by unknown attackers on a train on Yangons Circular Railway, highlighting the bloody reality that civilian resistance against the junta has yet to wane, more than six months into the regimes rule. In upper Myanmar, the regime admitted that aircraft at an airbase were damaged in attacks. The junta responded with more night raids and manhunts. This week, joint forces of police and military personnel arrested at least 15 young people in Yangon, looting goods and valuables from homes as they did so.

Some of the raids have resulted in deaths. On Aug. 10, five young people jumped from a building in Yangon to avoid being captured by junta forces. Two, including a young woman, died and three others were seriously injured and detained. The military regime said the three injured were in hospital, but family members have not been allowed to visit them.

The attacks against the junta are mostly carried out by loosely organized resistance forces, mostly known as the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), in Yangon and elsewhere. They have used homemade weapons, grenades and guns. The regime has branded them terrorists who are destabilizing the country.

In May, Myanmars junta designated the shadow National Unity Government (NUG) as a terrorist group, along with its affiliated Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), blaming it for killings, bombings and arson attacks.

The NUG subsequently established the Peoples Defense Force (PDF), saying it is necessary to prevent killings and other violent acts against the people by the junta, which calls itself the State Administration Council. The NUGs Defense Ministry said many youth members are undergoing training.

The regime is concerned about coordinated attacks in the countryside and urban areas, informed analysts and diplomats in Yangon said. Residents of Yangon said they have seen more security personnel on the streets recently, with many plainclothes soldiers and police deployed in buildings and on busy streets.

In the countryside the militarys security forces also engage in frequent clashes with PDF members and ethnic forces.

In June, to counter the increasingly frequent attacks and assassinations, the junta formed Pyu Saw Htee groups across the country, reportedly with support from the military, to counter the anti-regime movement. The first were formed in mid-May after the formation of the PDFs.

Since the coup in February, Myanmar has been in turmoil and the junta has been unable to restore stability. So far more than 1,000 people have been killed and over 4,000 detained.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmars Military Chief Staged a Coup. But He Did Not Act Alone

Rohingya Without Myanmar ID Not Being Given COVID-19 Jab: Junta

Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Sagaing and Kayah
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
Tom Hallberg covers a little bit of everything, from skiing to long-form feature stories. A Teton Valley, Idaho, transplant by way of Portland and Bend, Oregon, he spends his time outside work writing fiction, splitboarding and climbing.
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Emergency file

go through Amy How





8:06 p.m.

President Joe Biden wanted to lift the Trump-era border policy, but a federal district judge recently ordered the government to restore the policy. (Archna nautiyal via Shutterstock)

Biden Administration Friday Ask the Supreme Court Immediately postpone the restoration of the Trump-era stay in Mexico policy, which requires asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border to stay in Mexico while awaiting a hearing in the U.S. immigration court. Acting Deputy Attorney General Brian Fletcher told the judge that the lower court order instructing the government to resume the plan may cause ahumanitarian and diplomatic emergency and urged the Supreme Court to block the order, otherwise The order was originally scheduled to take effect on Saturday morning.

The Stay in Mexico policy announced by the Trump administration in 2018 is no stranger to judges. In March 2020, the court allow After being blocked by a judge in the federal district of California, the Trump administration began to implement the policy, officially known as the Immigration Protection Agreement.The court agree In October 2020, it reviewed the ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The ruling found that the policy may not comply with federal immigration law and international law, but the judges Be fired At the request of the Biden administration, the case was heard in June 2021, and the policy was terminated after the Biden administration took office.

The case now in court was filed in April by the states of Texas and Missouri, who argued (among other things) that the governments decision to terminate the policy violated federal immigration laws and federal laws governing procedures that must be followed by federal administrative agencies . On August 13, a federal district judge in Texas Good for the states And ordered the federal government to restore the policy before August 21. The district judge rejected the governments request to shelve the ruling during the governments appeal.On Thursday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Also refused The freezing of the district judges decision led to an urgent appeal by the government to the Supreme Court.

Critics of the policy say it forces tens of thousands of Central American immigrants to live in dirty and dangerous camps along the Mexican border, waiting for the results of their asylum applications. Texas and Missouri state that if there are no policies in place, a large number of immigrants will enter the United States based on suspicious asylum applications and charge fees to the states.

In a 40-page document submitted on Friday, Fletcher defended the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas decision to terminate the policy. Achieved after the standard of respect imposed by the Federal Administrative Law. Fletcher wrote that Majorcas simply concluded that the benefits of keeping the plan far outweigh the benefits of ending it.Fletcher also emphasized that the magistrates order for the government to resume policy involves extremely sensitive diplomatic relations issues and threats[s] Chaos at the borderespecially considering the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fletcher concluded his application with a sharp reminder that during Trumps administration, the court repeatedly issued extensive lower court injunctions on the executive branchs policies on immigration, foreign policy, and immigration management issues. In his opinion, The court should do the same thing here.

The request of the Biden administration was passed to Justice Samuel Alito, who was responsible for handling the urgent request of the Fifth Circuit. Alito can act on his own request or, more commonly in high-profile cases, submit it to the full court. The Biden administration not only requested a stay of the district courts injunction, but also a more limited stay, also known as an administrative stay, while the Supreme Court considers the governments request; the court can very quickly take action on the request for administrative stay.

This article is Originally published in Howe on the Court.
Emergency file

go through Amy How





9:16 p.m.

A group of Alabama real estate agents and landlords returned to the Supreme Court on Friday to ask the judge to block the Biden administrations latest eviction ban during the COVID-19 pandemic. The request was made less than two months after the judge voted 5 to 4. Refusal to cancel the earlier suspension of deportationJudge Brett Kavanaugh provided a key vote in late June to retain the earlier version of the ban and explained that although he agreed with the challengers view that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when issuing the ban, he voted Objection because the ban was originally scheduled to expire at the end of July.

Originally issued by Congress in early 2020, the eviction ban applies to all rental properties receiving federal assistance and is planned to last for 120 days. When the ban expired, the Trump administration implemented a broader ban that applied to all rental properties in the United States. Congress initially extended the ban for 30 days; the CDC subsequently extended it to July 2021.

Real estate agents and landlords went to federal court in Washington, DC, arguing that the CDC had no right to issue an injunction  they added that this cost the landlord billions of dollars in unpaid rent each month. In early May, Judge Dabney Friedrich agreed, but she shelved the ruling during the governments appeal. The U.S. District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision on June 2 to retain Friedrichs stay  and therefore the suspension  in place.

The challenger turned to the Supreme Court to seek an urgent ruling that would make Friedrichs decision effective and thus lift the suspension. But as Kavanaugh joined Chief Justice John Roberts and the three liberal justices of the court  Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan  voted against the relief, The ban is still in effect during the last month.

Shortly before the suspension period expired in late July, the White House stated that the CDC would not further extend the suspension period. Instead, the White House called on Congress to take action. But on August 3, after Congress failed to do so, the CDC extended the suspension period for another three months. The new version of the ban applies to areas with high levels of community transmission of COVID-19approximately 90% of U.S. counties.

The challenger returned to the court and On August 13, Friedrich rejected their request Lift the ban on the new version. Indeed, she wrote, the Supreme Courts recent ruling in this case strongly indicates that the CDC is unlikely to succeed on the merits of its claims. However, she reasoned that because the new version of the suspension is consistent with her Mays The version covered by the order was almost the same, and her hands were tied because DC Circuit decided to shelve her earlier order.

In a brief order on Friday, DC circuit makes the suspension effective, Rejecting the challengers request to block the deportation injunction while the lawsuit continues, laying the foundation for the challenger to return to the Supreme Court later that day.

In their 40-page document, the challenger reiterated the same argument they made in June, noting that it was clearly supported by five court members: Congress has never given the amazing powers that CDC now claims. Instead, challenge. The authors observed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited the rarely used regulations in 1944 as the authority for the ban on expulsion, which was previously limited to the sale of small sea turtles.

In fact, the challenger emphasized that even though the Biden administration admitted that the ban lacked legal authority, it still extended the ban. Instead, the challenger attributed the governments actions to the desire to appease members of Congress and get as much rent assistance as possible before the ban is blocked.

The challengers request was originally sent to Roberts, who was responsible for handling urgent appeals in the District of Columbia. Roberts acted quickly and instructed the Biden administration to submit a response before noon on Monday, August 23. Once the response and the challengers response appear, Roberts can act on the request alone, or more likely to take action in a high-profile case like this, and submit it to the collegiate panel.

This article is Originally published in Howe on the Court.
Cryptocurrency exchange It is an online platform where you can trade (buy and sell) between cryptocurrencies based on actual market prices. In order to value cryptocurrencies, investors and market participants determine demand and supply. This is similar to the concept of a stock exchange that buys and sells company stocks.

By using a cryptocurrency exchange, one can buy cryptocurrency and sell it for profit when the price rises. The key is to enter and exit the market at the right time. Just like traditional stock exchanges, cryptocurrency exchanges also involve transaction fees levied on transactions conducted by traders. In this article, we will introduce the types of fees charged by the exchange, which is very important for investors to understand.

Cryptocurrency transactions usually involve three types of transaction fees. Investors are advised to understand them.

Exchange fee

This is the first type of fee that investors need to pay attention to when using the exchange. Exchange fees are fees charged by the exchange to complete a users buy or sell order. Although most exchanges charge a fixed fee, smart investors must research the exchanges with the lowest fees on their own to save the ultimate cost of trading.

Another aspect of crypto exchange fees is the Maker-Taker fee model. In this model, Maker is a trader who uses limit orders to provide liquidity to the order book, while Taker is a trader who uses market orders to take away liquidity. As a reward for participating in the order book, Maker fees are often cheaper than Taker fees. In addition, in his model, the exchange also incentivizes traders with larger trading volumes.

Transaction fees are the main source of income for cryptocurrency exchanges and are still an integral part of their business practices and existence.

Related Reading | Cryptowisser publishes report on lowest transaction fees

network fee

Network fees may be what makes encryption so unique and legitimizes it as a reliable and energy-efficient store of value. Any cryptocurrency network runs with the support of miners to complete the work they do. Crypto miners are individuals or groups that use powerful computers to verify and verify transactions by checking that the token has not been spent twice and that all transactions are real-time and authentic. This makes mining cryptocurrency a lucrative source of income and is becoming more and more popular all over the world.

Only when investors transfer their cryptocurrency between exchanges and wallets, network fees will be collected from investors and paid directly to miners.

It should be noted here that the exchange cannot directly control the network fees, but directly pays to the miners/validators of the encrypted network for the work they do. When the network becomes very busy and congested, the network cost can increase according to demand.

Related Reading | The Bitcoin Mining Museum opened in Venezuela. Is this the first time in history?

Cryptocurrency wallet fees

The cryptocurrency is stored in a digital wallet. It is like an online bank account where users can safely store their cryptocurrency. A cryptocurrency wallet allows to store, send and receive cryptocurrency. Generally speaking, wallets do not charge any fees for the deposit and storage of cryptocurrencies, but charge fees for withdrawals from the wallet, which are basically network fees. Most wallets are very advanced and even allow the systematic purchase of cryptocurrencies. Some wallets also integrate merchant gateways that interact with real-world applications.

All exchanges provide a built-in wallet where users can store their cryptocurrency in one place without paying storage and deposit fees.

Related Reading | Wallet: How to store, send and receive cryptocurrency

In general, transaction fees and charges play an important role in the operation of the financial and investment services sector. The collected funds are very important to these companies, which enable traders and institutions to invest in cryptocurrencies in the comfort of their homes and offices by simply clicking a button on a digital online platform. These services are operated by a dedicated team of professionals and are at the forefront of the fintech revolution that is slowly replacing traditional financial institutions.A list of all cryptocurrency exchanges listed by level can be found here.

Featured image from iStockPhoto, Charts from TradingView.com
The percentage of illegal crypto transactions, according to this Chain analysis Report, accounting for about 2% of the total transaction volume. Although most cryptocurrency transactions are not illegal, they are increasingly used in criminal activities.

As part of the dark web operation, Australian police carried out large-scale cryptocurrency seizures. The total value seized was approximately US$6 million (A$8.5 million). According to the authorities, this is the largest cryptocurrency seizure in Australian history.

Cryptocurrency seizures and the dark web

Victoria Police Report The seizure is part of an ongoing online drug trafficking investigation. The arrests and seizures are part of an investigation into drug trafficking on darknet platforms that have been online since 2012. Australian authorities have been investigating dark web platforms for drug trafficking since early 2021.

Related Reading | U.S. government plans to reward darknet informants with cryptocurrency

On Thursday, detectives searched properties in King Lake, Preston, Prahran, Durrell and South Yarra. They conducted a search with the assistance of the East Gippsland Crime Investigation Team and the Bath Coast Crime Investigation Team. Several items were seized from these properties. These include drugs considered to be marijuana, Psilocin (magic mushroom), ecstasy, prescription drugs, and white powder and crystals. The police also seized assets with a total value of A$13.1 million. These include two properties located in Kinglake and Dollar, valued at approximately US$2 million. Vehicles worth about US$100,000 were also seized, including a Toyota Prado and a Volkswagen T-Cross.

Crypto total market cap settles above $2 trillion | Source: Crypto Total Market Cap on TradingView.com

The three were arrested and questioned by the police. They include a 31-year-old woman in Golden Lake and a 30-year-old man in Preston. Although both have been released and are awaiting further investigation, the woman is still accused of possessing marijuana. A 33-year-old man was also arrested at the Preston address.

Investigation is still ongoing

The investigation into Australias drug trafficking is still ongoing. The authorities urge anyone with information to contact them. Victorian Police Crime Command Commander Mick Frewen pointed out that the case highlights the modernity of serious and organized crime. This is the 21st century version of drug trafficking and money laundering, where criminals use technology to cause a lot of community harm and suffering, he said.

He also mentioned that although online drug trafficking may feel anonymous, investigations show that this is not the case. We will not apologize for those involved in the manufacture and trafficking of illegal drugs and hold them accountable.

Related Reading | British police seized $9.5 million worth of Ethereum on a USB flash drive

This incident is just one of many incidents recorded recently. The British police conducted an investigation, which resulted in the confiscation of cryptocurrency. The latest forfeiture involves large amounts of Ethereum (ETH) found on USB memory sticks connected to an international cryptocurrency scam.

Featured image from Decrypt, Chart from TradingView.com
LAFAYETTE, LA (KADN)- Many festivals across Acadiana were canceled this fall due to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. This can have a negative impact on the tourism industry.

Patrick Mould, one of the organizers of Festivals Acadien Et Creoles, said that they were expecting folks from all across the country.

38% percent of our audience travels a distance of 500 miles or more to get to us  France, Belgium, Haiti, Ireland, so we get a huge portion of our audience travels from outside the state of Louisiana to get to us, Mould said

Festivals Acadien Et Creoles were hoping to return in person this fall but recently announced that they are going to postpone their three day-festival due to the recent surge of coronavirus cases.

We were getting a tremendous amount of emails and excitement over the fact that we were possibly going to be able to go live in October, but again the surge just proved us different, he said.

The festival was virtual last but the organizer said it wasnt the same.

We're in the business of producing a Cajun and Creole, Cajun and Zydeco music festival, and to go to the virtual space and try to be able to represent our culture, in a unique fashion was a little difficult and again thats not what we do. Were in a live music festival business, he said.

According to Ben Berthelot, the president and CEO of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, fall and spring are the busiest times of year that tourists visit Acadiana.

Festival Acadien Et Creole as an example, that weekend is more than a $10 million economic benefit to our parish and the average attendee spends more than $370 dollars at that festival. All 50 states are represented and so that's certainly a big loss for us, he said.

When a festival or event is canceled thats one less opportunity to get people to visit Acadiana for the first time.

Sort of the dominoes started falling when the Jazz Fest announced their cancellation. It's very hard for people to say their festival is going to move forward when you see others that are canceling. There's just a lot of public outcry on so many sides, he said.

Festivals Acadien Et Creoles is postponed to March 18-20 of next year.
LAFAYETTE, LA (KADN)- The school year has begun and many parents are getting back into the habit of bringing their kids to school.

Some may be rushing to get to school on time and others may have to wait in long car lines for drop-offs and pick-up, but the most important thing to remember is to make sure your kids are strapped in their seats.

According to Tracy LeMaire, the regional director of the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force, car accidents involving children usually happen within a few miles of a home. So, its best to be sure that everyone, especially young children, is properly secured in their seats.

Because if somebody should bump into them while they're in the car riders' line, you know, it could be just a minor bump, but it could cause a lot of damage if a child lurches forward too far, LeMaire said.

Children under the age of four should always remain in a car seat.

Most people in the state of Louisiana and nationwide install car seats incorrectly. Nine out of 10 people in Louisiana, eight out of 10 in the country, she said.

Children have to stay rear-facing in their car seats until they are two years old and outgrow the seat by height and weight.

Always look at the labels on the seats, and in the instructions and make sure you're using the seat to the maximum option that's available that's the way the law is for Louisiana, she said.

Children also have to be at least four years old and outgrow the seat by height and weight in order to graduate to a booster seat.

Make sure that the child is buckling themselves correctly when in the booster and when they are unbuckling themselves they do not accidentally unbuckle other car seats that might be right next to the same buckle, she said.

The regional director advises parents that have multiple children or carpool to never overcrowd the vehicle.

Always only have enough people that there are seatbelts for you should not be sharing a seatbelt, she said.

Under Louisiana law, children must remain in the backseat until the age of 13.

The Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force provides free car seat training to any parent in Acadiana. The program is funded through the University Medical Center of New Orleans through the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
GRANTS PASS, Ore-- A local company that commonly raises funds for good causes could raise funds for itself with common stock  worth $100,000,000.

The Grants Pass-based Dutch Bros is asking the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) to consider its application to register with the SEC to sell common stock. It filed documents with the SEC Friday that could allow the company to sell ownership shares of the company to the public.

Dutch Bros says, Weve filed a confidential S-1 with the SEC, but any (initial public offering) IPO would potentially take place only after the SEC completes its review process, subject to market and other conditions.

While Grants Pass is the companys business address, SEC filing documents show the company registered its incorporation in Delaware in June. Its certificate of incorporation, also filed with the SEC, says Dutch Bros. is authorized to issue 5,000 shares of stock.

Dutch Bros preliminary prospectus with the SEC has more than 200 pages, dated August 20, 2021, and it says, The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Its registration Form S-1 with the SEC shows its intended possible stock IPO proposed maximum aggregate offering price is $100,000,000.

As it considers becoming a publicly held company, Dutch Bros says, At this point, we arent sure whether an IPO is the path well take, but we appreciate the opportunity to explore the future of Dutch Bros.

Due to securities laws, we cannot comment further at this time. Regardless of what we do, well remain committed to making a massive difference in the communities we serve!

Dutch Bros Coffee, founded by Dane and Travis Boersma in 1992, has more than 470 locations.
Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino says his department will accelerate the processing of the families of interpreters and others who supported Canada's mission in Afghanistan to evacuate as many approved people as possible quickly. Refugees from Afghanistan and Canadian Citizens board a bus after being processed at Pearson Airport in Toronto, Tuesday, Aug 17, 2021, after arriving indirectly from Afghanistan. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
A view of Matera, Italy, where a G20 foreign affairs ministers' meeting is taking place Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into a Liberal MP's trip to Italy in 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Antonio Calanni
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A subtle vibration permeates the still air, a thumping that melds with our heartbeat. The drumbeat becomes constant, louder, deafening, echoing the chaos around us.

The sounds initially emanate from a far-off land. There is news of a contagion. There are images of bodies in hospital wards, health care workers in full-body protective suits. Some health care workers release clandestine videos on social media. Are they whistleblowers? They disappear from their social media feeds before we can heed their warnings. Did they succumb to the virus? Or were they silenced?

The sounds grow louder and closer, now emanating from neighboring lands. Images of naked bodies on hospital beds stacked close together, in crowded hospital wards. Bodies lying on their bellies, faces obscured by tubes and lines, bodies sitting up in bed, with hoods over their heads, faces fatigued by the effort of breathing. Bed after bed, crammed with bodies, in close proximity, health care workers ministering to them in the now-familiar protective armor. Bodies with terror contorting their faces, health care workers expressions mirroring their horror.

As the sounds become deafening, we witness bodies pile up in our own hospitals, and beds become short. There is an effort to allay our fears. We are coddled with cookies and cakes and platitudes of heroism. We are admonished and instructed not to wear masks unless in the proximity of the bodies.

We are reprimanded when we say, We have families too and want to protect them. We are ordered to recycle N95 masks. We keep our precious cargo of one mask per day, per week, per month in paper baggies.

We label the baggies with our names, and we carry them with us all day and all night, everywhere we go. We cannot afford to misplace them. Some of us defy the rules or speak out, only to get fired. Some of us settle for pay cuts. Some struggle to find jobs. Some are funneled into areas beyond our expertise. Some of us adapt to changing times with telehealth.

We flock to social media. We create groups to disseminate and share information. We scramble to read every night. We try new medicines that show promise in theory, but in practice, prove to be harmful. We struggle to keep up. We are failing. We are flailing.

Our families become isolated. We want to protect them from contagion. We dont hug them. We dont share their bed. Some of us move out to keep them safe. We do it for them. Yet, what should make us stronger makes us weaker. We succumb to depression. We drink to excess to numb the pain as we lie alone night after night counting the bodies in our heads. Some of us give in, we end it, and there is peace.

Some of us go on. We suit up and enter the rooms with the bodies. Some bodies can talk, and they beg for life. They plead with their eyes, with their hands. with their words. We say we will do everything we can as we silence them into induced comas to aid the ventilator function. They never awaken. They lie alone, for days, for weeks, sometimes months. We hold their hands, rub their shoulders, whisper encouraging nothings in their ears. We really do want them to live, wake up and breathe. But they cannot. They die, eventually, inevitably, and they are alone.

Their families are isolated, as are ours. They cannot visit. They have to make do with FaceTime calls. They hang onto our words, which are few and far between. We just cannot find the time to call them every day. We rely on nurses to provide updates to the families, the message often getting lost in translation. We turn to palliative care services. They have ramped up their staffing severalfold. They struggle as well since they are also overwhelmed with the sheer volume of the bodies in need.

We steel ourselves when the code blue alarm summons us to the dying bodies. We perform CPR, and we feel the crunch of bones breaking. We witness blood oozing from their mouths. We see their eyes wide open, their pupils black, dilated, soulless. We pump and zap and pray for the bodies and for ourselves. We know this is all for naught. Yet we do it anyway, to appease the family that cannot witness this gruesome charade. They cannot say goodbye. They cannot get closure. We risk our lives as the contagion is super aerosolized with our futile efforts. We pronounce the time of death four, five, six, sometimes more times a day.

We know this will happen again tomorrow.

We call, and we sympathize with the families who have not seen the bodies for days, weeks, months. They cannot envision, imagine, comprehend the horrors they have endured. And because they cannot see, they cannot let them go. And thus, we prolong suffering, torturing the bodies till their last breaths, breaking their bones and our own spirits with the effort.

As we console others, we try not to think about our own colleagues who have fallen in the line of duty. We cannot mourn them yet. It is too hard. If we allow ourselves to feel, we will never return from that bottomless pit of despair. We bury the pain. We will unlock that box some other day.

We hear about a vaccine. We are happy. We are relieved. We gather again on social media and post giddy pictures of needles in arms. We share the news with others and are shocked at the response. They dont trust it. It was rushed. I will wait and see how it works for others.

We go on. We bear witness. We pray. We wear our armor day after day as we minister to the bodies. We watch the numbers decline, but we still hear the drumbeat, a little softer but ever-present, in the background. The danger persists. The contagion has won.

Rizwana Khan is a pulmonary and critical care physician and can be reached at DrKhanMDOnCall.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
EUGENE, Ore. -- After battling the COVID-19 virus for more than a year and a half, hospital workers say they are exhausted and frustrated, following the recent surge in cases.

"It's busy all night now. We don't have the typical slow periods," Desi Shubin, the Chief Nursing Officer at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center. "It's very busy, so a nurse that typical works 12 hours, sometimes that's extended to now 13 hours by the time we get everything done."

According to Shubin, the emergency department has longer than normal wait times due to increased demand. She also said nurses are seeing 20 to 25 percent more patients every day.

Vaccines are offered to COVID-19 patients multiple times throughout their hospital stay, according to Shubin. However, she said many of them still reject the vaccine, even as they fight the virus.

"We're here to take care of the patients, but when the patients are not accepting that a vaccination would be what would protect them from being so sick and are very resistant to that, it's stressful because we think that, you know, we know that there's something that could keep them from getting so sick, and they're not accepting that," Shubin said.

Shubin said the department's main goal is to discharge as many people from the emergency department as possible.

At Good Samaritan in Corvallis, Dr. Tomer Pelleg said they've had to turn away countless patients who need help from the ICU.

"I can't tell you how many people before I intubate them, tell me that they wish they had gotten the vaccine, but it's too late," Dr. Pelleg said.

He said a large number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 during this surge are younger.

"If I never have to tell a mom and dad that their 32-year-old kid died again from COVID, it won't be too soon, it's really not fair," Pelleg said.

Hospital workers who spoke with KEZI on Friday strongly encouraged anyone who's able to get vaccinated and has not already done so to get the shot.

"If you're not going to get vaccinated, you're just making your health care workers work that much harder and putting them at the brink of not even wanting to push through because it's so taxing on our own mental health and our own bodies," Caitlyn McCarron an ICU nurse at Samaritan Albany General Hospital said.
ALBANY, Ore.---Former Greater Albany Public Schools district superintendent Melissa Goff is speaking out after getting fired by the school board in July.

RELATED: ALBANY SCHOOL BOARD FIRES SUPERINTENDENT

Goff started out as a middle school teacher in Mitchell and then became the assistant superintendent first in Portland and then Philomath.

"When GAPS opened up as a permanent opportunity and I saw that they were looking for an equity driven leader, I knew that was a good move for me," Goff said.

Goff was the superintendent for GAPS for the past two years. She said she knew Albany was divided in terms of political views, but she was focused on spreading values that matter to her.

"People of color, people who are LGBTQSIA+ identified, giving them the chance to be in the education ranks," Goff said.

During her time at GAPS, Goff said she implemented the All Students Belong policy as well as an educational equity policy.

But Goff said things took a turn when a new board was elected.

MORE: COMMUNITY DIVIDED OVER FIRING OF GAPS SUPERINTENDENT

"I was disappointed to see the amount of political action and campaign money that came into this school board race," Goff said. "Particularly seeing leadership from places like Oregon Right to Life and donations comes in from huge corporations like Entek."

GAPS new school board was elected in May. When they fired Goff, it was at no cause but Goff believes it may have been due to a difference in values.

"We already see in the school board meetings that certain voices are not allowed to be heard," Goff said. "The immediate action by the new superintendent to undo the high school schedule change was a signficant blow."

The board chair Eric Aguinaga has stated that the termination was not because of Goff's position on diversity, equity and inclusion.

In a statement, Aguinaga said: "The termination of the former superintendents contract came as no surprise to anyone in Albany who was paying attention to the issues. There are no bad people involved in this situation. Everyone is trying to do their best job in a difficult education environment. I personally believe that our former superintendent did her best, but things did not work out well."

The board hired Rob Saxton as the interim superintendent and said he emphasized importance on diversity, equity and inclusion before getting hired.

MORE: GAPS HIRES ROB SAXTON AS INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT

Goff said she's known Saxton for years and was surprised the decision to hire him as interim was made so hastily. She said she wishes him success because she's worried about the students.

"What I want ultimately is for the students in the Greater Albany Public Schools district to not feel the pressure and the politics in the community," Goff said.

Goff said she does not plan to take legal action against the school board and she is focusing on time with family and other opportunities at this time. She said she's been heartwarmed by the community support.

"A lot of the parents at the school district reached out positively," Goff said. "Certainly all the chalk in front of the district office has been inspiring to me."
LEBANON, Ore.  A man who killed his mother in Lebanon last year has been sentenced to life in prison.

Kris Fiala, 55, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Gladys Fiala, 85. He also pleaded no contest to aggravated harassment for spitting blood in the face of a responding deputy.

RELATED: MAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING MOTHER NEAR LEBANON

Linn County Sheriffs Deputies responded to the home on Old Mill Road outside Lebanon at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2020. Dispatch had received a hang-up call from the home, and when dispatchers called back, a man answered and they heard someone in the background yelling for help.

Deputies responding to the scene found Fiala with a knife in his hand and found Gladys dead.

On top of the life sentence  with the possibility of parole  for the murder charge, Fiala was also sentenced to 2.5 years for the aggravated harassment charge.
EUGENE, Ore.  Starting Monday, people age 12 and up who are attending University of Oregon events will be required to prove they are vaccinated.

To satisfy the requirement, you can show your CDC vaccination card, a photocopy of the card, or a photo of it on a mobile device. Cardholders must be at least two weeks past receiving the first dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

An alternative is to provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of the event. It must be a SARS-CoV-2 viral test. Home tests will not be accepted.

In compliance with Oregons indoor face mask mandate, attendees 5 and older will be required to wear face coverings indoors throughout the venue, including in seats, except when actively eating or drinking.

For more information about the rules, CLICK HERE.
PORTLAND, Ore.  In a series of press conferences Friday, police, politicians and civic leaders asked Portlanders to "choose love" this weekend, ahead of an anticipated rally downtown.

Officials confirmed Friday that far-right groups, including the Proud Boys, are planning a rally near Waterfront Park Sunday afternoon.

It's exactly the kind of rally that, in the past, has drawn counter-protesters and sparked violent clashes. The most recent example happened earlier this month. People were caught on camera carrying rifles and fighting. In the moment, there was little to no police intervention.

Friday, officials pulled back the curtain on some details of their strategy for this weekend.

The police are developing an appropriate plan with adequate resources, said Mayor Ted Wheeler.

All available personnel will report for duty, said Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell.

Chief Lovell added hes calling in backup officers from surrounding law enforcement agencies, though he wouldnt say which ones. At this point, he said, PPB is not asking Governor Kate Brown to deploy the National Guard. He added if violence does break out, its not always safe for officers to intervene.

It's not necessarily the best tactical approach to have officers wading into situations where groups are clashing with each other, he said. When pressed, the chief declined to say exactly when officers would intervene, adding people are often arrested after demonstrations like these.

Mayor Wheeler said the city is committed to upholding every person's right to free speech, but said violence and destruction of property will be prosecuted. Whether they'll be prevented remains to be seen.

If you're somebody coming from out of our community for the purpose of spreading hate vitriol or causing fear, we don't want you to come here, Mayor Wheeler said.
Irish Water and Clean Coasts are urging the people of Kilkenny and Carlow to continue to Think Before You Flush as a recent survey has revealed that almost a million adults living in Ireland regularly flush wet wipes and other sanitary items down the toilet.

With sea swimming and use of our beaches becoming more popular, its a timely reminder that our flushing behaviour has a direct impact on the environment and that making small changes can help protect Irelands sandy beaches, rocky shores and secluded bays.

Speaking about the survey results Jim Fitzgerald, Irish Water said, In 2018, our research informed us that 36% of people living in Ireland were regularly flushing the wrong things down the toilet. Working in partnership with Clean Coasts on the Think Before You Flush campaign we have made some progress as 24% of respondents in this years survey admit to regularly doing so. Whilst this improvement is welcome, 24% represents almost a million people. The impacts of flushing the wrong things down the toilet are stark, as we are still removing thousands of sewer blockages from our network every month.

Removing blockages can be a nasty job, sometimes workers have to enter sewers to remove blockages with shovels. Some blockages can be removed with jetting and suction equipment. Ive seen pump blockages that workers have had to literally clear by hand in order to get the pumps up and running again in a race against time to avoid sewage overflows to the environment.

Our message is simple, only the 3 Ps, pee, poo and paper should be flushed down the toilet. All other items including wet wipes and other sanitary products should go in the bin even if they are labelled as flushable. This will reduce the number of sewer blockages, the risk of flooding to homes and businesses and the risk of pollution in the environment harming wildlife such as fish and birds and associated habitats. We have all seen the images of sea birds being impacted by marine litter and we all have a role to play in protecting our beaches, seas and marine life. A small change in our flushing behaviour can make a big difference - put wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items in the bin and not down the toilet

Speaking about the size and scale of the challenge, Jim added, Carlow and Kilkenny are such a beautiful counties and they welcome a significant number of vistors every year. Tonnes of wipes and ragging is removed annually from pumps and Wastewater Treatment Plants and this is foul material that needs to be disposed of. In addition to that we also clear hundreds of blockages across the wastewater network in these counties every year.

Speaking about the campaign, Sinead McCoy, Clean Coasts said, The Think Before You Flush campaign, through education and awareness, aims to prevent items like wipes, cotton bud sticks and sanitary items washing up on Irelands spectacular beaches. While we have seen a positive improvement in the nations flushing behaviour since 2018, one in four adults still admit to regularly flushing unsuitable items down the toilet. By making small changes in our flushing behaviour, we can prevent the harm caused by sewage related litter in our marine environment. We are asking everybody to only flush the 3 Ps  pee, poo and paper, and put everything else in the bin.

To find out more about the Think Before You Flush campaign please visit http://thinkbeforeyouflush.org and for tips and information on how to avoid blocked drains please visit www.water.ie/thinkbeforeyouflush
In April, in the cottony blackness of night, I stood on the banks of the Rio Grande in Roma, Texas, and watched hundreds of migrants cross into the United States via inflatable rafts. I interviewed many of them while working in Tapachula and Reynosa, Mexico. Most were from Central America and many of them unaccompanied children -- fleeing unemployment, poverty and violence, realities exacerbated by the pandemic.

A migrant minor in Tapachula told me how she became an orphan -- explaining of her parents, "They died because of the hurricane, and, truthfully, I was destroyed." She had migrated alone to Mexico hoping to eventually request asylum and reunite with family in the US.

Migrants from El Salvador told me stories of fleeing desperate hunger in their homeland, of placing white strips of cloth outside their homes to indicate that their families were on the verge of starvation. Kind neighbors and strangers, if they could, would leave food outside their door.

Girls as young as 12 years old told stories of fleeing the effects of last November's Hurricanes Eta and Iota, which had left villages underwater, in some cases killing entire families or leaving children orphaned. It should come as no surprise that as Covid-19 cases rise again and the Delta variant spreads in nations where citizens have little or no access to vaccines, crossings at the US-Mexico border have reached a two-decade high.

President Joe Biden's administration has framed the issue as a crisis -- as a surge that needs to be slowed -- but it should reframe it as an opportunity to address the labor shortage. His handling of the crisis has sparked criticism from immigrant advocates, as well as right-wing leaders.

In June, Vice President Kamala Harris, who is leading the administration's efforts to address the root causes of migration, traveled to Guatemala and told migrants, "Do not come to the US." Simultaneously, the US is facing a labor shortage that is evident in sectors like agriculture, meat processing and jobs involving the food supply chain.

When I gave a lecture on migration at Harvard University in March, one of the students in the audience asked me for one example of practical action the US government could take to address the border crisis. I responded that we as a nation simply needed to acknowledge the degree to which we rely on immigrant labor, especially undocumented immigrants, and to offer migrants legal options to work in the US, even if only as seasonal labor.

The Biden administration should repeal the Trump era Title 42, a public health order which allows border agents to expel migrants without allowing them to request asylum. In addition to turning away asylum seekers who would like to work and become productive citizens, many work visas like the EB-1 Extraordinary Ability visa are for highly skilled workers. As the EB-1 describes, "Few foreign nationals qualify for extraordinary ability visas, because you have to demonstrate that you are in the top of your profession and that you have sustained international or national acclaim in your field." There are few options for unskilled workers, like those who work in meat processing, agriculture or restaurants -- the industries most affected by the labor shortage.

Other options for work visas include the EB-1 Multinational Executive, the EB-2 Advance Degree and the TN visa for Canadian and Mexican citizens to come to the US to work for a US employer. Work visa options for migrants fleeing conditions imposed by the pandemic and climate change are few. For example, the H-2A visa program allows US employers to bring foreign nationals to the US to fill temporary agricultural jobs.

The labor shortage crisis is due in part to immigration restrictions that have reduced the number of unskilled workers. As of October 2020, immigrant and non-immigrant visas issued were down 54% from 2019. In 2021, farms, factories and restaurants -- all in need of unskilled workers -- have struggled with the labor shortage and many have offered increased pay and perks to attract workers. As Marisela Salazar reported in 2021, "Undocumented workers comprise 10 percent of all restaurant employees in the US, and as many as 40 percent in urban areas such as Los Angeles and New York." As the agricultural sector, food production and restaurants reckon with issues surrounding Covid, the Delta variant, mask mandates and vaccines, they must also acknowledge the role of immigrant and undocumented labor in maintaining our nation's food supply.

I've spent the last year covering working conditions at Arkansas-based Tyson, the largest US meat company. I've witnessed firsthand how the labor shortage has affected workers from Mexico, Guatemala, Myanmar and the Marshall Islands.

In recent months, workers at Tyson plants in Arkansas that I've interviewed told me they have been asked to work seven days a week with no break and to forgo their 2021 Christmas break. A notice from Tyson shown to me by one of my interviewees at a Springdale plant advised workers, "Any Team Member who has taken a December vacation in the past 3 years will not be available for a vacation in December unless there is room available."

Derek Burleson, a spokesperson for Tyson, denied that the company is asking workers to work seven days a week. Burleson noted that Tyson "briefly tested a crew rotation pilot program at one facility in Arkansas" on a volunteer basis to work Sundays with overtime pay and making sure they'd get time off so as not to work the entire week. He said, "All team members, company-wide, are given Christmas Day off. But like most companies (and newsrooms), we can't have everyone at the plant take the same week off." He added that the company staggers the week between Christmas Day and New Year's because much of its workforce needs to travel abroad during the holidays. "So, we're actively working to ensure our entire workforce has an equal and fair opportunity to take vacation time," Burleson said.

Several workers from Central America told me they requested notes from the priest at their church to get an exemption from working on Sunday. They wanted to go to church and spend the day with their loved ones rather than accepting a brutal work cycle which put strain on their families and other relationships.

These workers are thankful to have a job and to be able to send money to support their families back at home. However, the labor shortage has made their work more difficult and dangerous as they say they are required to work overtime on lines that are understaffed but still processing products that are in even higher demand than before the pandemic. In an instant, a tired worker can find their hand caught in machinery and sustain an injury that will leave them disabled for life. To make such jobs safer, the Biden administration needs to resolve the labor crisis, including addressing pay and safety issues.

In this global pandemic, a time of instability and uncertainty, so many US citizens have the privilege of accessing the vaccine, of having a job, a salary, their daily bread. In Mexico, as Covid cases rise again amid a shortage of vaccines, and as hospitals struggle to keep up with the demand for oxygen, families find themselves buying oxygen tanks on the black market. In Guatemala, impoverished families march through the streets shouting, "We are hungry" and relying on charity to survive.

Indeed, in many countries in Central America, citizens measure the risk of Covid against the chance of themselves or their families starving. Given these conditions, many are migrating to the US where they know they will be hired -- even without documents -- to work in restaurants, meat processing plants and the agriculture sector.

A truth that we should hold evident in the US is that the committed, relentless work of immigrants upholds our food supply system. In fact, an estimated 82,700 undocumented immigrants work at food processing facilities in the US, according to the Center for American Progress.

By not acknowledging their work, by not providing a legal means for them to contribute their valuable labor in the US, by forcing migrants who want to work to cross into the US illegally and work without documents, we put them at a greater risk of being exploited. As an increasing number of migrants arrive at our borders, the Biden administration should offer them a range of legal options to work in the US.

The-CNN-Wire

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AUSTIN, Minn. - Police said Monday that they have located a car believed to be involved in a hit and run.

"This was by a driver who, according to witnesses, shouted and honked at the girl after striking her, before driving off without checking her welfare. Based on the number of comments and the shares, we know cases like this strike a nerve for everyone," police said.

It happened Friday when the vehicle struck a pedestrian at 1st Ave. SW and 4th St. SW.

After striking the pedestrian, the vehicle fled eastbound on 1st Ave SW.

"Our staff took a lot of professional pride in trying to do the impossible though and find this car. Officer Ryan McCormack succeeded in doing that on our overnight shift, finding the suspect vehicle not too far away in SE Austin. We currently have the car impounded at the LEC," police said. "Having seen the video and damage to the car in our garage, I think it is incredibly fortunate we did not have more serious injuries here, and that neither of the two other gals riding with their friend were hit. It does not appear that our bicyclist was at fault in this matter. I would like to tell you that the registered owner of the car was forthright with us when we made contact, but that is not necessarily the case."
ROCHESTER, Minn. - The city of Rochester is no longer under a mask mandate after the city council rescinded Mayor Kim Nortons emergency order.

It happened last night after the order was put in place on Tuesday morning around 10:15am. It was originally put in place to protect those 12 and younger who are unable to be vaccinated as well as the medically vulnerable.

However, the city council rescinded the emergency order with a five to two vote with the majority saying Rochester is not facing an emergency that requires masking like we were more than a year ago.

The council did unanimously approve a resolution to strongly encourage COVID-19 safety precautions and that does include recommending masking indoors.

Visitors like Dennis Markey from Alaska say he believes its up to individual businesses to decide what theyd like to do.

He said, In public, someplace you have to go, and certainly a business owner have the right to say, "Wear a mask or don't come in."

However, Patrick Linder from St. Paul isnt as sure about what needs to be done. Linder said, In certain federal buildings it's alright but overall I'm kind of on the fence both ways. It's just hard to say. I think for certain situations you should have a mask and in certain situations you don't.

Rachel Lopdrup from Rochester believes those making decisions about masking should rely on scientific evidence.

She said, "Hopefully our politicians will be able to make a wise decision based off the science because it has been very good for this community."

Face masks are still required in all city-operated facilities as well as to enter Mayo Clinic.
MANLY, Iowa - U.S. Senator Joni Ernst is making her way through the state of Iowa as part of her 99 County Tour.

During a stop at the Manly Terminal and Logistics Park Friday morning, Ernst heard from stakeholders from Iowa Northern Railway, who have been working to develop 125 acres of industrial ready facilities, and have more plans on the way for sites in Shell Rock and Oelwein.

"We're just glad to see that they continue to develop in rural Iowa and really help promote the products that are coming out of rural Iowa."

A workforce must be developed to keep that effort going, however. The area's childcare and housing shortages also pose a challenge. The Senator views the zero-interest loan program through the USDA as a significant aid to the Railway, as well as for other projects and entities.

"I always tell people if there's something good, a program you like, let us know. If there's a program not working, let us know. This program seems to be working very well for them."

As thousands of Afghani citizens and American nationals continue to flee Afghanistan from the Taliban, Senator Ernst says the withdrawal and transition process was not well orchestrated.

"I think the withdrawal was hasty and haphazard. There seemed to be no plan in place to evacuate American citizens, as well as the Afghan interpreters that assisted our men and women in uniform."

A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Iowa National Guard, Ernst is voicing concern over what she calls President Biden's lack of response in thanking the men and women who have fought in the Global War on Terror for the last two decades.

"I'm here to say thank you. You've done your job, you've done it well. I honor and salute you."

The Senator also visited with Waldorf faculty and students in Forest City, as well as met with folks at Fox River Mills in Osage.
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As Covid-19 hospitalizations increase, a greater number of Americans are deciding to get vaccinated
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By Anna J. Park



Stocks related to carbon neutrality have been enjoying upward movements in the latter half of the year. EcoProHN, an affiliate of EcoPro Group focusing on developing reduction devices for greenhouse gases as well as chemical filter technology, saw its share price rise by more than 360.64 percent in just a few weeks since the beginning of July.



The increase was the highest among all listed stocks on the main benchmark KOSPI and tech-heavy Kosdaq markets during the period.



Other affiliates of EcoPro Group, such as EcoPro and EcoProBM, also rose by 134.03 percent and 47.71 percent, respectively.



Since its launch in 1998, EcoPro has focused on developing eco-friendly technologies and secondary batteries, becoming a representative company in the ecological chemical materials business. While EcoProHN has expertise in business related to the environmental aspects of the atmosphere, EcoProBM was spun off from the parent company in 2016 to specialize in materials fro cathodes, a key part of secondary batteries.



EcoProBM is also expected to draw additional global passive earnings, as it was recently added to Morgan Stanley Capital International's Korea Index earlier this month, along with SK IET and SK Bioscience.



Other carbon-free stocks witnessed a similar price rise recently. Cosmos Advanced Materials & Technology (Cosmos AM&T), a local manufacturer of secondary battery chemicals, also saw its share price rise 83.12 percent.



Huchems' stock price also rose 13 percent over the past three months, as the company is expected to garner profits for carbon credit trading in the second half of the year. The stock price of Sejong Industrial also increased by 22.4 percent during the past three months, as its filter device for vehicle exhaust fumes has been favorably received by eco-friendly consumers.



Market analysts expect carbon-free stocks could see further rises, as major countries' policies towards zero carbon emissions are becoming tougher amid the heightened calls for tangible environmental results. For example, the EU's "Fit for 55" aims to achieve its target of climate neutrality by 2050, requiring current greenhouse gas emission levels to drop substantially in the next decades. The EU plans to cut emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030. November's U.N. Assembly is also expected to stress the importance of addressing climate change issues head on, facilitating strengthened targets for carbon neutrality.



"The increase of carbon emissions due to climate change will upwardly pressure the price of carbon credit trading," said Han Dae-hoon, an analyst at SK Securities.



The analyst said the securities firm holds a positive forecast on KraneShares Global Carbon ETF (KRBN), the only available ETF that tracks the IHS Markit Global Carbon Index. The IHS Markit Global Carbon Index tracks the most liquid segment of the tradable carbon credit futures market.




Kazakhstan state visit sheds light on Moon's effort looking north



By Kwon Mee-yoo



President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited Korea last week, becoming the first foreign head of state to visit Korea since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the significance of the Central Asian country in Korea's New Northern Policy.



While reciprocating President's Moon Jae-in's visit to Central Asia in 2019, President Tokayev discussed how the two countries will promote cooperation in the post-COVID-19 era at the Korea-Kazakhstan summit.



Moon emphasized during the summit, held on Aug. 17, that Kazakhstan is an important partner in the administration's New Northern Policy and that the bilateral relationship has a lot of potential in the future.



The New Northern Policy was established by Moon back in 2017 with an aim to strengthen economic and political cooperation with countries to the north of Korea. President Moon also launched the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation to engage more actively with countries in the region covered by the policy.



The policy focuses on region-specific technology cooperation to deal with a variety of countries: from those of Eastern Europe to neighboring Russia and China. The focus for the Western Region, including Western Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, is technological cooperation in high-tech industries, while the focus of the Eastern Region, which includes the Russian Far East and the three northeastern provinces of China, is on building more substantial political and diplomatic partnerships with reinforced economic cooperation.



Central Asian countries such as Mongolia are noted in the policy for their great potential in terms of resource development and infrastructure. Based on strong historical and cultural bonds, Korea seeks to expand exchanges with more Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.



Kazakhstan President Tokayev's statement during his state visit resonates with Korea's efforts in accordance with the New Northern Policy.



"Korea is one of the most important Asian trading partners for Kazakhstan, with more than $6 billion of South Korean funds invested into Kazakhstan's economy. ... In terms of developing our bilateral relations, Kazakhstan has a special interest in Korea's advanced technologies and wants to introduce them into the Kazakh economy," Tokayev said.



The New Northern Policy has substantially increased trade, as well as people-to-people exchanges between Korea and countries in the New Northern region. Major areas of cooperation under the New Northern Policy include infrastructure  namely the Trans-Korean Railway and Trans-Siberian Railway  as well as energy, the operation of an innovation platform and other forms of investment.



The overall trade volume with the New Northern countries increased from $16.7 billion in 2016 to $30.5 billion in 2019, but slipped down slightly to $24.2 billion in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.



Thanks to the spread of hallyu, the Korean Wave, exports of consumer goods such as cosmetics and food have increased considerably, diversifying the export portfolio beyond traditional export items like automobiles, ships and machinery.



Korea also won a number of contracts for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects in the region, strengthening the basis for industrial cooperation. Notable projects include the front-end engineering design (FEED) for the Bukhara Oil Refinery in Uzbekistan, ferro-alloy electric furnace plants in Kazakhstan and the Kiyanly gas chemical complex in Turkmenistan.



The Korean government's Official Development Assistance (ODA) program also targets the New Northern countries of Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan to complement the policy. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the amount of ODA being provided to New Northern countries jumped 1.65 times, from 47.3 billion won in 2017, to 77.8 billion won in 2021.



The Kazakhstan presidential visit also shed light on new areas of cooperation such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution sectors of digital infrastructure, big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, as Tokayev showed interest in partnering with Korea's high-tech industries.



In March, the presidential committee rearranged the priorities of the New Northern Policy initiatives into eight key areas. Some of the major initiatives are disease control strategy and healthcare, as well as cooperation in the digital and green economies.



Korea's participation in green transition projects in the New Northern countries, such as a pilot project to overhaul aging water pipes and improve the waste management system in Uzbekistan, and a master plan for air quality control in Mongolia, shows where bilateral cooperation could expand in the future.





Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, left, bump fists with Korean President Moon Jae-in during their summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Aug. 17. Joint Press Corps
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Kabul [Afghanistan], August 20 (ANI): Former CIA Clandestine Service member John Sipher blamed Pakistan for the swift collapse of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

Responding to an article of The Washington Post which held American miscalculation responsible for Afghanistan's debacle, Sipher condemned Pakistan's enduring support to the Taliban for the fiasco.

Also Read | Afghanistan Crisis: US President Joe Biden to Deliver Address Chaotic Kabul Evacuation Amid Criticism.

"If the Pakistanis had withdrawn their enduring support to the Taliban and denied them sanctuary within their borders at any point during this 20-year war, it would have been the Taliban, not our Afghan allies, who collapsed swiftly," tweeted Sipher.

The Washington Post article written by Elliot Ackerman lauded Afghans for fighting two decades against the Taliban in spite of the support of Pakistan.

Also Read | Stephen Brock and How Reg A+ Can Help Life Science Companies Raise up to $75 Million in Funding.

"Despite these challenges, they have fought for two decades beside us (America) against a stubborn Taliban supported by nations such as Pakistan," the author added.

He also criticised US President Joe Biden's administration as well as his team for giving falsified ground situation of Afghanistan.

"I have never witnessed a more shameful US failure than that of this week. President Biden's address to the nation Wednesday featured two statements that were, at best, self-serving interpretations of events, but I would categorize them as falsehoods. First, the president said he and his national security team "have been closely monitoring the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and moving quickly to execute the plans we had put in place to respond to every constituency -- and contingency -- including the rapid collapse we're seeing now," said Ackerman.

Not only did the administration not have plans in place for every contingency, it did not have plans in place for what any casual observer of the withdrawal might consider all but certain to occur contingencies such as an emergency evacuation of our Afghan partners trapped in the country and under grave threat from the Taliban.

Beginning in April, a bipartisan group of more than 30 members of Congress, led by Reps. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.), both veterans, petitioned the president for meetings at the White House and a plan for how to evacuate key Afghan personnel. Their requests were met with silence, reported The Washington Post.

And then the president said this: "American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves."

"The Afghan military has consistently, in any one year, sustained more casualties in its fight against the Taliban than we have sustained in all 20 years of our war there. I fought alongside the Afghans. I watched them save American lives," said Ackerman.

"To say they are unwilling to fight because their forces collapsed after we turned our backs on them is a slap in the face not only to our Afghan allies but to Americans -- such as me -- who mixed our spilled blood with theirs," added the author of the article.

He also held the US strategy of not recruiting forces regionally and tribally for the sweep down in Afghanistan.

"It is a military we decided to build in our image as opposed to theirs. We made it a nationally recruited force as opposed to a regionally or tribally recruited force. The result was that Afghans typically didn't fight in their native provinces. The backbone of accountability in Afghanistan -- the disciplinary structures that have given them their reputation as fierce fighters -- did not translate neatly into the structure we imposed on them," said Ackerman.

"This was a strategic mistake made by us, one that has at times undermined our partnership with them in a counterinsurgency," added Ackerman. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tashkent August 21: The Airbus A400M military transport aircraft of the German Air Force delivered another 172 evacuees from the Afghan capital to Uzbekistan, an employee of the Tashkent International Airport told Sputnik on Saturday.

"Last night, an Airbus A-400M of the German Air Force delivered another group of evacuees from Kabul, with 172 passengers on board," an airport official said, adding that they would then fly to Frankfurt.

Also Read | Elon Musk Shares Picture of Taliban Members Without Face Masks, Asks Do They Even Know About Delta Variant (View Post).

After the security situation in Afghanistan worsened, Uzbekistan served as an intermediate evacuation point for Afghan nationals seeking escape to foreign countries. On Thursday, the Uzbek transport ministry told Sputnik that Tashkent loaned its aircraft to Germany for evacuation at the request of the German embassy in Uzbekistan.

Berlin continues to evacuate its citizens and Afghan nationals from the Central Asian country, with over 1,000 people already transported to Tashkent since the operation began.

Also Read | UK Will Work With Taliban If Necessary, Says PM Boris Johnson.

On August 15, the Taliban entered Kabul, causing the Afghan government to collapse. The change of power has forced thousands of Afghans to depart from the country for fear of reprisals from the Taliban, adding to the hectic situation at Kabul airport.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Nineteen years after an attack on #Bangladesh Prime Minister #SheikhHasina's convoy at #Satkhira on August 30, 2002, the police have arrested a fugitive who was convicted of the crime. pic.twitter.com/en8rz4lJ2p IANS Tweets (@ians_india) August 21, 2021

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
More than 1,400 people in Haiti were killed after a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the country on August 14.

It was followed by another disaster, with Tropical Storm Grace hitting the nation on Monday, bringing torrential rain and winds. Because of this, the island nation needs aid, and many are asking how to help Haiti.

Deadly Earthquakes in Haiti

As of Tuesday, Associated Press reported that at least 6,000 people had been injured from the earthquake, aside from the thousands of confirmed deaths.

It can be recalled that Haiti is also the site of a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in 2010. About 250,000 lives were lost, and 300,000 people were injured at the time.

Tens of thousands of people were displaced by the recent quake as more than 7,000 homes were destroyed. The August 14 tremor hit around 80 miles west of Port-au-Prince.

The country has only begun distributing COVID-19 vaccines two weeks before the massive earthquake. Search and rescue operations have also become a struggle due to the landslides.

READ NEXT: Tropical Storm Grace Strengthens; Cancun and Other Parts of Mexico's Tourist Destination Yucatan Under Hurricane Warning

A Chain of Disasters

In the past few months, Haiti has faced several struggles. The country is currently facing political upheaval due to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7.

In the midst of the rescue operation for the earthquake, Tropical Storm Grace also hit the island and caused mudslides and flooding.

Aside from the natural disasters, the country is also struggling against the COVID-19 pandemic, gang violence, and widespread poverty.

With the country facing such challenges, their need for help and assistance is apparent. Advocates, humanitarian workers, and local organizations are encouraging donors to help the country.

Here are several organizations that provide on-ground support in the region:

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund

The Haiti Emergency Relief Fund (HERF) collects donations for the victims of disasters in Haiti and directs all the money to the grassroots organizations in the island nation.

In 2010, in the aftermath of the earthquake, the HERF raised funds for women's groups, community organizers, and mobile health clinics in the country.

Haiti Communitere

This small organization is built around a community center in Port-au-Prince. Haiti Communitere offers a safe place for grassroots organizations to meet.

They also offer resources for education and work with the local community on addressing the needs of the people and providing emergency support.

FOKAL Haiti Relief

Donations through the FOKAL Haiti Relief are channeled directly to local organizations in the frontline of economic recovery following disasters. FOKAL also channels donations to women's organizations and farmers' associations in Haiti.

Doctors Without Borders

The organization has had its medical staff in Haiti for at least three decades. Teams from Doctors Without Borders have provided medical care in some of the areas in The country which disasters have critically hit.

Hope for Haiti

For more than 30 years, Hope for Haiti has been working in southern Haiti to provide humanitarian support and relief. The organization's main goal is to reduce poverty in the country through education, access to clean water, access to economic opportunity, and healthcare support.

Amid the disasters that Haiti is currently facing, many organizations continue to help the country. If you want to send aid to the country at this time, contact the groups mentioned above who are working to help Haitians.

READ MORE: Tropical Storm Fred Makes Landfall in Florida; Two More Tropical Disturbances Being Watched

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Haiti Quake Death Toll Surges to Nearly 2,000 - From ANC 24/7
A radio reporter was shot and killed in the state of Veracruz in Mexico on Thursday. Jacinto Romero Flores was the fifth journalist murdered in Mexico this year.

According to The Guardian, Flores, who covered politics and crime in the municipality of Zongolica, was shot dead in Ixtaczoquitlan.

The head of Veracruz state security agency, Hugo Gutierrez Maldonado, said on social media that the state police were already carrying out an operation in the area after the journalist was killed.

The radio station, Ori Stereo 99.3 FM, where Romero was working, released a statement expressing their sadness for the death of Romero.

"There are no words to express the pain and powerlessness we feel after the irreparable loss of our colleague Jacinto Romero Flores," read the statement.

The radio station also said that it was not the media that caused or brought the violence in the country. They noted that the media were the ones who were suffering the consequences for delivering out journalism and communication for the people.

READ NEXT: Mexican Drug Cartels Attack the Media in Battle for Territory; Jalisco Cartel 'El Mencho' Has a Message for 'Attackers'

Radio Reporter Killed After Reporting Police Abuse

Based on local media reports, Jacinto Romero Flores received a string of threats recently after he revealed in his reports the alleged abuses made by police officers in Veracruz.

Due to the recent incident, the State Commission for Attention to and Protection of Journalists condemned the killing and called the attention of the state prosecutor's office to open a full investigation. The commission wanted to know if Romero's work as a journalist has something to do with his murder, Al Jazeera reported.

The press freedom organization Article 19 noted that the radio reporter received death threats before he was killed. The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists posted on social media that the group strongly condemned the murder of Jacinto Romero Flores.

The group urged Mexican authorities to undertake a swift, transparent and exhaustive investigation into the killing of the radio reporter.

The Most Dangerous Place for Journalists in Mexico

The Mexican gulf coast state of Veracruz has been one of the most dangerous states for reporters for years, especially in a country that is considered the deadliest place in the world for media workers.

Last year, Mexico accounted for almost a third of all journalist killings in the world. The state of Veracruz straddles major routes for contraband prompting local politicians to build up powerful alliances with organized crime factions.

On Thursday, state journalists marched in the port city of Veracruz to protest and demand justice for Romero's murder. Press groups noted that nine journalists were killed in Mexico in 2020, making it the most dangerous country for reporters outside of war zones, as Voice of America reported.

Earlier this month, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel publicly threatened to kill a prominent television news anchor for attacking them verbally on air.

READ MORE: Real-Life 'Mario Kart': Police Bust Man Riding Go-Kart in Florida Streets With Cocaine, Gun

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Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Mexican Drug Cartel Threatens to Kill Journalist - From TeleSUR English
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is targeting to fully approve Pfizer's two-dose COVID vaccine next week.

Citing a source familiar with the agency's planning, The New York Times reported that the FDA is pushing for the full of approval of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, accelerating an earlier timeline for licensing the shot.

The Pfizer COVID vaccine was issued with an emergency use authorization in December, making it one of the jabs included in the U.S. vaccine rollout. More than 203 million people in the United States have already received the jab.

If the FDA's plan pushed through, Pfizer would be the first COVID vaccine to receive full authorization from the agency.

READ NEXT: White House Weighing Vaccine Mandates for Domestic Air Travelers, Nursing-Home Workers as COVID Delta Variant Spreads

FDA to Fully Approve Pfizer COVID Vaccine

FDA regulators were reportedly working on finishing the process by Friday. However, they were still preparing substantial amounts of paperwork and negotiations with the company.

The source noted that if some components of the review need more time, then the vaccine's approval might happen beyond Monday next week.

Despite the mishaps that might occur, the agency set an unofficial deadline of approval, which was scheduled around Labor Day on September 6.

The FDA's move to fully approve the Pfizer vaccine happened after the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he hoped that the Pfizer vaccine would receive full authorization by the end of the month.

The New York Times reported that the vaccine approval was expected to pave the way for a series of vaccine requirements from the private and public organizations, which were waiting for stronger regulatory backing before enforcing vaccine mandates.

Fauci earlier said that once the Pfizer vaccine received its full approval, vaccine mandates could easily be issued by the different public and private sectors.

He noted that companies, enterprises, businesses, universities, and colleges would be more confident about the vaccine against COVID-19.

As vaccine hesitancy continues to obstruct the federal government's efforts towards herd immunity, only 60 percent of American adults were reported to be fully vaccinated against COVID, even though the Delta variant already caused a surge in cases.

Pfizer and Moderna Booster Shots Available by Next Month

This week, the Biden administration announced that booster shots for both the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, would be available to the public next month.

On Wednesday, a joint statement from several top health officials announced that the booster shots would be available for adult Americans beginning the week of September 20.

They noted that individuals who were fully vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout, including health care providers, nursing home residents, and other senior citizens, would be eligible to get the booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna.

Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky cited new studies that convinced them to back the booster shots for both Pfizer and Moderna. The studies revealed that the protection given by the mRNA vaccines becomes weaker over time.

The Pfizer and Moderna booster shots would be given free, regardless of the health insurance and immigration status.

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Celebrates Nearing the End of the Pandemic in Fourth of July Speech

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: FDA to Grant Full Approval to Pfizer's COVID Vaccine Next Week - From PBS NewsHour
A majority of likely voters believed that President Joe Biden was not capable of doing his job and that "others" were actually running the White House.

A new Rasmussen Reports poll released on Friday showed that only 39 percent of respondents believed that Joe Biden was doing his job as president.

The survey also showed that 51 percent thought that "others are making decisions" for the 78-year-old president, while 10 percent said they were not sure.

New York Post reported that the recent survey showed a huge contrast to a poll conducted last March when the response to the same question was equally divided to 47-47.

The said poll of 1,000 likely voters was conducted between August 18 and August 19 as the chaotic U.S. evacuation in Afghanistan continues.

Fifty-two percent of respondents also said they were not confident that Biden was mentally and physically up to the job of being the president, while 46 percent claimed otherwise.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Won't Finish His Term, and Most Say Kamala Harris Will Replace Him Even She's Not Qualified

U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

Joe Biden spoke on Monday, August 16, about the situation in Afghanistan and admitted no fault for the chaotic drawdown.

He pointed to former President Donald Trump's withdrawal agreement and the performance of the Afghan government and the army as sources for the chaotic scenes in Afghanistan.

On Friday, August 20, Joe Biden claimed that Al Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan, and allies were not upset about the pullout of the U.S. from the country.

The president had also claimed that the Taliban is allowing Americans to reach Kabul airport. But the Pentagon leaders quickly contradicted Biden's claims, according to another New York Post report.

The president has reportedly spoken inaccurately about facts surrounding the evacuation of U.S. citizens from the airport. Pentagon said the Taliban is actually stopping Americans from reaching the airport.

Joe Biden also said that the terrorist organization Al Qaeda was "gone" or no longer in Afghanistan. But Pentagon press secretary John Kirby acknowledged that an Al Qaeda presence remains in the South Asian country, including ISIS.

When asked by the media to clarify the contrast between his words and Biden's, Kirby said they believe that there isn't a presence "significant enough to merit a threat to our homeland as there was back on 9/11, 20 years ago."

A recent United Nations report noted that al Qaeda is present in at least 15 Afghan provinces.

Doubts on Joe Biden's Abilities

A former White House doctor has claimed that Joe Biden would resign from his post due to limited cognitive abilities.

Rep. Ronny Jackson from Texas made this claim as he scrutinized the president's responses during a town hall speech last month. Jackson noted that there's something serious going on with Biden, adding that he thinks the president will resign or will be convinced to vacate his post due to medical issues.

Joe Biden has mumbled some questions at the CNN town hall that raised eyebrows from journalists and critics. A CBS News White House beat reporter tweeted that there should be a drinking game for every time Biden said "all kidding aside," "I'm not joking," and "I'm being serious."

In June, Joe Biden was also reported to have several mental lapses and gaffes during the G7 summit in England. In a press conference, the president had confused Libya with Syria on two more occasions. The president also mistakenly said COVID when he meant to say COVAX during the presser.

Meanwhile, Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, released a three-page medical summary of the president's health last month. The medical report declared Joe Biden as healthy and vigorous, adding that he's fit to successfully do all his duties as president.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Would Win and Beat Pres. Joe Biden if Next Presidential Election Were Held Now, New Poll Shows

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Joe Biden Delivers Remarks on Afghanistan - From NBC News






Pentagon officials on Friday flatly contradicted President Joe Biden on some information he revealed about the situation in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby contradicted Joe Biden minutes after the president claimed that the U.S. successfully destroyed the extremist group Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and that the Taliban group is allowing Americans to reach Kabul airport.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Won't Finish His Term, and Most Say Kamala Harris Will Replace Him Even She's Not Qualified

Pentagon Officials Contradict President Joe Biden's Claims

Joe Biden delivered the comments as he answered questions about the Afghanistan crisis for the first time in 10 days after giving a speech in the East Room of the White House.

In the press conference, the president was asked about sending troops out of their base at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to help Americans reach safety. Joe Biden answered that there's "no indication" that the Americans could not get to the airport in Kabul.

He said he believes all Americans who want to get into the airport and leave have been able to. The president noted that they had an agreement with the Taliban to allow the Americans to reach the airport safely.

Minutes after the president's briefing, Austin told House lawmakers that they had received reports that the Taliban fighters had beaten and harassed some Americans who were trying to leave Afghanistan.

Austin made his statement during a briefing call with House members and other top officials. According to unnamed sources who attended the briefing call, the defense secretary called the Taliban beatings "unacceptable" but did not elaborate on efforts to ensure the safe passage of Americans to the Kabul airport.

When asked about Austin's remarks, Kirby confirmed that they were aware of the Americans being attacked by the Taliban and that these reports were "deeply troubling."

"We have communicated to the Taliban that that's absolutely unacceptable... That we want free passage through their checkpoints for documented Americans. And by and large, that's happening," the Pentagon spokesman noted.

President Joe Biden on Al Qaeda in Afghanistan

In the press briefing, Joe Biden noted that Al Qaeda has also been wiped out in Afghanistan. But when Kirby was asked about Al Qaeda in Afghanistan, he acknowledged that an Al Qaeda presence remains in the South Asian country, including ISIS.

A recent United Nations report said that Al Qaeda is present in at least 15 Afghan provinces. According to terrorism experts, Al Qaeda still enjoys a close relationship with the Taliban. Reports about the Taliban giving "haven" to the group have surfaced this week.

Joe Biden also mentioned in the press briefing that at least 169 Americans "got over a wall into the airport [Kabul] using military assets," New York Post reported.

But Reuters later reported that these evacuees were loaded onto three Chinook helicopters from the Baron Hotel near the airport but were unable to reach the airport gates.

Meanwhile, Austin said they will work hard to evacuate "as many people as possible."

READ MORE: 3 More Cuban Officials Sanctioned by U.S., DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Says

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Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Chaos and Gunshots Outside Kabul Airport Amid Evacuations - From Guardian News
An Iowa woman has now been sentenced in a federal court to 25 years in prison for two hate crimes after she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old Latina girl and a 12-year-old Black boy with her SUV in 2019.

Nicole Poole Franklin, 43, has already been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the same crimes in May, a month after she pleaded guilty to two attempted murder charges.

According to CrimeOnline, Poole Franklin was given two concurrent 25 years sentences, including a mandatory minimum of 17 1/2, on state attempted murder charges.

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose delivered the latest 25-year sentence to the Iowa woman on Thursday, August 19. However, she could be imprisoned longer as the federal system does not have parole, ABC 7 Chicago reported.

According to the Department of Justice, Poole Franklin targeted minors due to their race and national origin, being the victims, Black and Hispanic.

READ NEXT: Chris Watts Tried to Poison Shanann Watts With Oxycodone Weeks Before Her Murder, Pen Pal Says

Iowa Woman Running Over the Black Boy and Latina Girl

Nicole Poole Franklin saw the 12-year-old Black boy walking on the sidewalk with his sibling, who was also a minor, on Dec. 9, 2019, while she was driving her vehicle.

The Justice Department noted that when the Iowa woman saw the children, she believed that the victim was of Middle Eastern or African descent, NBC News reported.

Poole Franklin then headed towards the curb and had struck one of the children. The victim sustained cuts and bruises but did not go to the hospital.

The Iowa woman said she ran over him because he's "just like ISIS" and "was not supposed to be there." She further noted that the young Black boy was going to take her out.

Poole Franklin then fled from the scene and saw the 14-year-old Latina girl. She also struck the child and drove away. The Iowa woman claimed that she targeted the Latina girl because she thought the victim was Mexican and was taking over "our homes" and "our jobs."

The Latina girl went to school to ask for help, and she was taken to a hospital to be treated for serious injuries. She had a concussion and bruises.

Richard D. Westphal, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, said Poole Franklin would be held accountable not only for her intentional actions but also for her malicious beliefs behind them.

According to prosecutors, Nicole Poole Franklin has a prior criminal history when she was 18, including convictions for theft, assault, and harassment. They also said that she had a history of substance abuse and mental illness.

The girl's father, Cesar Miranda, said that his belief that he was free in this country has disappeared due to the incident, CrimeOnline reported. Miranda added that he hopes the Iowa woman would change "because human beings can never live like this."

The Latina girl also testified at the sentencing hearing, saying that she was sorry that her skin color bothers Poole Franklin, but she and "her people are never leaving."

READ MORE: Hate Crimes Bill Seeking to Cut Asian American Bias Crime, Reaches Pres. Joe Biden's Desk

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WATCH: Iowa Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Hate Attacks on 2 Kids - From We Are Iowa Local 5 News






A MAN is due to appear before a special court sitting this evening after he was arrested and charged in connection with a robbery incident at a store in Limerick city.

Gardai were alerted to the incident at a premises at St Nessan's Road, Dooradoyle at approximately 5pm on Friday.

"A lone male entered the premises and armed himself with a glass bottle from the shelf. He subsequently attempted to take money from the till and hit the owner of the shop over the head with bottle and injured his face," said a garda spokesperson.

The culprit was arrested by gardai upon their arrival at the scene while the injured party received treatment from paramedics who attended.

The suspect, whose aged in his mid-20s, was conveyed to Roxboro Road garda station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

He has since been charged in relation to the incident and is due to appear before a special sitting of Ennis District Court this evening.

Investigations are continuing.
JUVENILE salmon or smolt are being mangled in the hydro-electric turbine run by the Kingspan Aeroboard company in Askeaton, the West Limerick Deel Anglers have claimed.

And they have appealed to the company to place grills at the top of the tail-race at Askeaton to protect salmon smolt and eels on their journey to the sea. They also want a grill or barrier placed at the lower end so that adult salmon going upriver are not caught in the turbine or left floundering in the pond.

Ger Hayes, secretary of the angling club, said they believe that electricity generation should stop each year at the peak season for the salmon smolt, May/June, to give them maximum chance.

This year they (Kingspan) agreed to that when we identified there was this fish kill, Mr Hayes said. They gave their word they wouldnt run the turbine until the salmon smolt run was finished in 2021.

If fish stocks on the river are to be restored, these measures are vital, he argued. This is the gateway for migratory fish species into the whole catchment area, he said.

In a statement from Kingspan, a spokesman said the company is aware of the concerns raised and we are working with Inland Fisheries Ireland.

The turbine is not in operation and will only be used when an agreed approach with IFI is finalised. Sustainability is a core pillar of Kingspans approach to business and we are committed to working with statutory bodies and relevant stakeholders to support the biodiversity of the river Deel and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile the Deel Anglers, which is an amalgamation of the Askeaton Angling Club and the Rathkeale Angling Club, also wants the Office of Public Works to get involved in improving other aspects of the river.

The weirs, Mr Hayes explained, need to be re-examined and modified for ease of fish passage. They are particularly concerned about the weir above the tail-race. They are also adamant that water quality in the river needs to be addressed urgently and that incidences of raw sewerage entering the river need to be stopped.

The Inland Fisheries Board, replying to questions put to them by the Limerick Leader, acknowledged the salmon run in the River Deel is significantly below the level that sustains a healthy population.

The Deel has a number of significant pressures, including a series of weirs in the Askeaton area which negatively impact on the ability of fish to freely migrate, a spokeswoman said. The weirs also damage the natural habitat of the river. Inland Fisheries Ireland has recently secured funding to examine options to improve fish passage at these weirs.

The organisation, the spokeswoman continued, Will work with the various stakeholders, including Kingspan, which operates the hydroelectric facility at Askeaton, to identify potential improvements with the aim of restoring conditions on the River Deel to a more natural state.
The Cappamore Show, due to take place this Saturday, is missing from the calendar this year. But missing from our lives every day is its legendary long-serving secretary Paddy Ryan (Luke) who passed away in June. To mark what should be the show date, the Leader asked the show committee to share their memories of Paddy. The result is this beautiful tribute...

THE late Paddy Ryans name is synonymous with the parish of Cappamore. He was the consummate community person being involved with and interested in every aspect of community life. His whole life has been dedicated to his family and to his community.

He has had a long and distinguished history of campaigning and indeed protesting when he felt the rights and entitlements of rural Ireland and its people were being ignored or neglected.

This part of Paddys personality can be traced back to the 1950s when he returned from Pallaskenry Agricultural College to run the family farm in Cappanuke. Straight away he joined the local branch of Macra na Feirme and in 1959 he was part of the Macra team, along with Willie Hickey, Pa Gleeson and Pat Duggan, who won the All Ireland Public Speaking competition. He held many officerships in Macra locally as well as being elected Limerick County President.

Paddy was a committed member of the National/Irish Farmers Association (NFA/IFA) and again held many roles in this organisation. He was a strong advocate for farmers rights. He partook in the famous Farmers March to Dublin under the leadership of Rickard Deasy in 1966 and also in the Farmers Blockade of the Dublin Road.

These protests strove to bring farmers plight to public attention. He was a key driver in the campaign to have John Dillon elected IFA president. Paddy was recognised for his immense contribution when he was awarded the Paddy Fitzgerald Memorial Award for his outstanding work for the IFA and for his local community.

Among some of the other organisations that Paddy was involved with were: Cappamore Community Association; Glenstal Group Water Scheme; Ballinure Graveyard Committee and Mulcair Flood Relief Scheme.

He showed no sign of hanging up his protest boots and was to the forefront in organising protests at the closure of the local Dairygold Superstore as late as last year. The subsequent closure of this facility was a great disappointment to him. He saw it as yet one more nail in the coffin of rural life, an issue which was very close to his heart.

However, keeping all the above in mind, there can be no doubt but it was his association with Cappamore Show that Paddy will be forever remembered. He was Mr Cappamore Show.

He became secretary of the show in 1960 having served as assistant secretary the previous year. He held this post for over sixty years and there can be no shadow of a doubt but the success of this rural agricultural show owes more than can be assessed to the amazing work and interest Paddy gave to the show down through the years.

His people skills are legendary. He had an unerring ability to pour oil on troubled waters and bring people together for the greater good. He could relate to both young and old and recruited many young people into the committee keeping the organisation fresh and modern and ensuring its survival into the future.

He travelled the length and breadth of the country supporting other agricultural shows. He fostered a huge network of contacts all of whom had the greatest regard for Paddy. He was known to ring people to pass on his personal and Cappamore Show wishes at Christmas, and at times of bereavement.

His hand written letters were also much treasured by those lucky enough to receive one. The esteem in which Paddy was held by people far and near was exemplified by the huge outpouring of sympathy and attendance at his removal and funeral.

Cappamore Show is the envy of many similar shows with its long list of sponsors. Most of these were recruited by Paddy  a man impossible to say no to! He had his own infallible filing system which would challenge any computer. He never forgot anything and could put his hand on any piece of information at a moments notice.

Paddy was interested in every aspect of the show from the craft and cookery exhibits to the cattle, horses and show jumping classes. He embraced all the changes down the years  from changes of venue to the change from midweek to weekend event. He was acutely aware that to survive change was necessary.

He was stoical about the cancellation of the show in 2020 and in 2021 but it didnt stop him thinking of the show, even in very recent times he was planning the 2022 show scheduled for Saturday, August 20.

A life-long pioneer, Paddy was the life and soul of every party. He was always ready with a story or joke to add to the gaiety of the gathering. One of natures gentlemen, his unique personality will be sadly missed.

There is an old but true saying that behind every good man there is an even better woman. How true is this when we think about Peggy  Paddys life partner of many years. Peggy herself was a former member of the show committee and continued to back Paddy in all his endeavours with full support and understanding. The terrible and untimely loss of their beloved daughter Helen was an immeasurable blow to this family but Helens children Jamie and Aoibheann live close by and gave Paddy and Peggy much consolation at that awful time. Sons, Ger and Sean are both involved in agricultural pursuits.

Paddy was predeceased by three current show members since Covid-19 upended our lives in March 2020  Mairead Finnan, Timmy Butler and Simon Tierney. We remember and miss them and when allowed we will commemorate them all at a dedicated Mass.

We are fully aware that picking up the pieces of the show following the two years of cancellation and the huge loss of our guiding light Paddy will be a mammoth task. However, we hope that Paddys spirit will be there to guide us and lead us on the right path to resurrecting this iconic and important local event.

His was a life well-lived. He was loved and respected by family and community  what more can any of us ask of our allotted time on earth? Ni bheidh a leithead aris ann.

Codhladh samh duit, a Phadraig.
THE last time first cousins Richie English and Darragh Fitzgibbon togged out on the same day in Croke Park in 2018 it was the Doon man who was celebrating a great win.

But could the roles be reversed on Sunday? Indeed, they could be playing on the same team if things had worked out differently as Darragh lives on the Limerick side of the border in Creggane, Charleville.

Richies mum, Marion, and Darraghs dad Mossy are brother and sister from Milford, near Dromcollogher.

Marion married the late and much-missed Paddy English of Doon while Mossy wed Ita OKeeffe, who played camogie with Castletown-Ballyagran, and they settled in Creggane.

As Mossy was a fine hurler with Cork intermediates, Darragh followed in his fathers footsteps and plays with Charleville GAA Club. He also starred for Charleville CBS. Both Doon and Charleville GAA are proud of their men who give so much back to their respective GAA clubs.

A lot has been made of the photo above when pleasantries were exchanged during the All-Ireland semi-final in 2018 but theyre not playing tiddlywinks  this is senior hurling.

Back in 2019, Darragh spoke to Shane Stapleton of OurGame.ie about the incident.

Were first cousins. Wed be close enough outside of the field. It was a heat of the moment kind of thing. He wasnt long letting me know after we lost the semi-final about the proper result.

I live close to the border in Charleville. There is good rivalry between all my family because we have a lot of family in Limerick as well, Darragh told Shane Stapleton.

But whichever teams lifts Liam MacCarthy on Sunday, having another All-Ireland medal in the extended English / Fitzgibbon family is something to cherish.
THE BIG weekend is finally upon us and one local woman has released a rework of The Weeknd's famous Blinding Lights" song in tribute to the Limerick hurlers.

Charlie Cassey was at home in Castletroy on Tuesday when her attention was drawn to the letter penned by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher, in which he asked the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler, to arrange for the Liam MacCarthy cup to be collected and rightfully returned to Leeside.

When I heard the song, the first line of it sounded like Is he coming home? and it made me laugh with the Cork mayor in the letter saying hes coming home, Charlie recalled.

That was Tuesday so I wrote the lyrics on Tuesday, recorded it on Tuesday, filmed it Wednesday, edited it Wednesday night and had two hours sleep. I did it all in 24 hours which is mad! she laughed.

The video for the song entitled Liam's Touch was produced in St Patricks GAA Club in Limerick city ahead of Limerick's big clash with Cork in the All-Ireland final this Sunday. Charlie stars in the video as the Limerick girl with the painted face. Also featuring is Amy Ni Chuirc, a teacher in Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh in Castletroy, Michael Green, a dancer and Cork supporter, well-known Limerick actor Myles Breen who plays the role of a Cork supporter, and Charlies children Tierney Cassey - Jordan, and Merlin Cassey - Jordan. Charlies husband Niall was on camera and production.

Charlie was born in the UK and came to Limerick in the year 2000.

Ive lived here in Limerick longer than Ive lived anywhere else in my life. My family are Irish - three generations on both sides and when I came across it felt like I was coming home.

I absolutely consider myself Limerick now. My family were originally from Cork actually. They were Casey in the famine and then they went to America on the famine boats and added another s in to disguise the Irishness apparently. They were dancing girls - there were seven of them, the Casey Sisters.

Charlie has a website called TheLimerickGirl.ie and she writes bespoke poetry.

I write for weddings, I do ceremony poems, invitations - very light-hearted is my style. I do rewrites as well, I rewrite songs - change the lyrics.

So how did she rope in well-known actor Myles Breen into the production at such short notice?

Myles and myself are in a group called Choke Comedy doing improvised comedy and we have acted together, Charlie explained.

She wrote the song in the space of half an hour, put together some ideas for the video and then rounded up the troops.

When I contacted people I just said could you just learn the dance for Blinding Lights. We hardly had time. I think I looked at it for about 10 minutes before we filmed. Michael looked at it on the bus, she laughed.

It was great fun - we had good weather and St Pats were great. My kids train there in St Patricks GAA Club Rhebogue.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Saturday discussed the situation in Afghanistan with his German counterpart Heiko Maas.

Appreciate the call from Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas of Germany," Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.

Discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan and the policy implications of the changes there," he added.

Earlier in the day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "The [Afghan] army collapsed at a breathtaking pace," Merkel said at an election event. "We had expected the resistance to be stronger."

Merkel said the focus now was on rescuing people from Afghanistan, but later there would need to be a discussion on what had or had not been achieved.

This comes in the backdrop of India evacuating around 80 nationals on Saturday from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force amid a deteriorating security scenario in the Afghan capital.

The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians, reported news agency PTI, adding the flight is expected to arrive at the Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

India has already evacuated 200 people, including the Indian envoy and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul, in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF after the Taliban seized control of Kabul on Sunday.

The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 Indians on Monday.

The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities, including Kabul, in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US forces.

Several countries, including Germany, are evacuating their citizens from the war-torn country as uncertainty and fear.

Jaishankar had on Friday held talks with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Afghanistan as he stopped over in Qatar's capital Doha on his way back home from a four-day visit to the US.

Doha has been the venue for the intra-Afghan peace talks and Qatar has emerged as a crucial player in facilitating the Afghan peace process.

The Taliban's political leaders have been residing in the Gulf country for years.

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports said the Taliban has been carrying out door-to-door searches of several embassies in Kabul and had gone to the Indian mission complex as well.

Qatar had also hosted talks between the Taliban and the United States. Earlier this month, Qatari special envoy for conflict resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani visited India during which he met Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and J P Singh, the Joint Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

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The United Arab of Emirates (UAE) has issued fresh guidelines for people travelling from India. According to the new travel guidelines, passengers can take a rapid PCR test six hours before their departure instead of four hours now.

The new circular noted that only transit travellers and UAE residents from India are permitted to travel to Dubai.

Guidelines for UAE-India travel:

-Passengers can take a rapid PCR test six hours before their departure instead of four hours now. The UAE has made this test mandatory for passengers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Uganda.

-The UAE has also resumed visa on arrival for only those Indians nationals who have a visa or residence permit issued by the USA, United Kingdom or an EU Member State.

-For passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Ras al-Khaimah Airports (RKT), 10 days home quarantine upon arrival in RKT and 12 days home/institutional quarantine in AUH.

-Passengers would be required to wear a medically approved wristband, provided by the authorities at the airport after clearing immigration.

-As per Dubai Civil Aviation Authorities, RT-PCR Test done from the laboratories listed below will not be accepted:

1. Suryam Lab, Jaipur

2. Dr P. BHASIN Pathlabs(p) Ltd, Delhi

3. Noble Diagnostic Centre, Delhi

4. 360 Diagnostic & Health. Services

-Passengers are mandated to download and register on the Alhosn app, using the UID and phone number.

-On the ninth day of quarantine, they would have to take a PCR test.

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Beijing: The Taliban have appealed to the international community to recognise it amid growing resentment against it at home and abroad, even as the Afghan militant group sought to placate China, saying Beijing can play a big role" under its rule in the strife-torn country.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the international community should "respect the will of the Afghan people" and officially recognise his group which has taken over power in Kabul.

Dismissing growing concerns over the Taliban curbing the freedoms of women under its plans to impose Sharia law like it did during its previous rule 20 years ago, Shaheen told Chinas state-run CGTN TV that the new Taliban government in Kabul would protect women's rights to education and work.

He also urged international monetary organisations to release funds to the new government.

The Taliban, which shared close ties with Pakistan, have been warming up to Beijing ahead of its recent offensive resulting in seizing power in Kabul.

China is a big country with a huge economy and capacity. They can play a big role in rebuilding, reconstruction of Afghanistan," Shaheen said.

We have had a relationship with China and Russia during the past years. We have told them they should not have any concern from Afghanistan," he said.

We see it in our interest not to allow anyone to use our soil against our neighbouring and regional countries. It is important for us," he said, amid increasing scepticism, especially among women who faced subjugation under Talibans previous rule 20 years ago with its efforts to impose strict Sharia law.

Also for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, we need the help of all countries," including neighbouring as well as regional, the US and the rest of the world, Shaheen said.

A Taliban delegation, headed by the head of its Political Commission Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, which visited China last month during its talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had promised not to permit the Uygur Muslim militant group from Xinjiang the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) to operate from Afghanistan.

China is concerned as according to a recent UN report, hundreds of militants belonging to the ETIM are converging in Afghanistan amidst the military advances made by the Taliban.

After Taliban seized power in the last few days, China has been striking what observers called a nuanced stand, calling on the group to shun terrorism and form an inclusive Islamic government with all parties and ethnic groups.

The Taliban are currently in talks with former President Hameed Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah, who headed the High Council for National Reconciliation, to form what it calls an inclusive government.

Questioned about the desperation of thousands of Afghans to escape its rule, leading to scenes of chaos at Kabul's airport, Shaheen said that many had been misled by rumours suggesting they would be able to settle in the UK or US if they boarded a flight.

The Taliban's advance across Afghanistan represented a "popular uprising against an imposed administration," he said.

The speed of the group's advance across the entire country legitimises its takeover of the national government, Shaheen said.

"It is not an election, but it shows the support of the people," Shaheen said in response to questions on the justification for the group's claims to represent the will of Afghans.

He said an election was a question for the future but he "would not rule out" a poll.

He reiterated the Taliban would permit women to continue their education and pledged not to persecute those who had worked with foreign powers.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

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The speed of the Talibans victory in Afghanistan surprised even some of its supporters and will force Iran to find a delicate balance if it is to build on the influence it has worked decades to build there.

For years, Iran has supplied Taliban insurgents with weapons and money, according to U.S. officials, forming an unlikely but resilient bond between Tehrans Shiite leaders and the fiercely Sunni fundamentalist insurgent group in Afghanistan.

Tehrans objectives are twofold: to ensure that security and economic ties remain strongIran and Afghanistan are important trading partnersand to prevent a flood of refugees across the border.

That challenge comes at a time when other powers, chiefly China, Pakistan and Russia, might also be well-placed to extend their influence in Afghanistan now that the U.S. is leaving.

Iran wants a stable, friendly Afghanistan that doesnt pose a threat, and with which it has aligned strategic objectives in favor of the resistance against U.S. and Western influence," said Andrew Peek, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for Iraq and Iran who also served as an adviser on intelligence and special operations issues for Gen. John Allen in Afghanistan.

An early indication of whether Iran will be able to work with the Taliban will be whether Afghanistans new rulers allow extremist Sunni terrorist groups to take root there, as al Qaeda did in the 1990s, a development that would pose a threat to Shia Iran and Shias in Afghanistan.

Before the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Iran and the Taliban regime were bitter foes. They nearly went to war in 1998, after the Taliban killed 10 Iranian diplomats. Tehran later cooperated with the U.S. in toppling the Taliban, with the two sides sharing intelligence about Taliban and al Qaeda locations. After the Talibans ouster, Iran assisted in forming a new Afghan government, bringing together feuding warlords.

A promising sign from Tehrans perspective came Thursday. In an attempt to portray itself as more tolerant of the countrys Shia minority, Taliban commanders in the northern city of Mazar-I Sharif allowed processions to go ahead to commemorate Ashura, the most important holy day for Shias.

Yet this week the Taliban also destroyed a statue of Abdul Ali Mazari, a leader of the Hazara ethnic minority who died in 1995. Its really a dangerous warning for Hazaras," one Kabul-based journalism student said. Today this statue, next, Hazara people."

Given the history between the two countries, Iran would have preferred a political settlement in Afghanistan that didnt leave the Taliban as the sole rulers. Iranian officials had called for a responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops, rather than the swift exit they have demanded in Iraq, said Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, an expert on Afghan-Iranian relations with the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank.

They fear developments similar to the 1990s," Ms. Tabrizi said. There could be a confrontation between the two."

Following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, relations between the Islamic Republic and the Taliban improved, while Iran also pushed back against the American presence across the Middle East. Significantly, Iran strengthened links to the Haqqani network, a hard-line and fiercely anti-Western wing of the Taliban, which has grown increasingly potent over the past decade.

Around 2015, improvised explosive devices that were the hallmark of hard-line Shia militias in Iraq a few years earlier became more commonplace in Afghanistan, likely as a result of Iranian support for the Taliban, Mr. Peek said.

The Taliban have also tried to broaden their support abroad. In the years immediately following the U.S. invasion, the Taliban relied heavily on Pakistan, which allowed Taliban fighters havens where they could regroup. But as the Taliban captured more territory in Afghanistan, the group set up a de facto capital in Sangin in Helmand province, where Taliban commanders had closer ties to Iran.

This weeks upheaval provides Iran with a chance to expand on those ties, and in recent weeks it has been preparing the ground for a closer relationship, to better control the potential chaos in Afghanistan.

In July, Iran hosted delegations from the Afghan republic, represented by former Vice President Yunus Qanuni, and the Talibans chief negotiator Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai. On Monday, new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi refrained from criticizing the Taliban for the chaos unfolding in Kabul and instead pitched the groups victory as a way forward out of years of war.

The military defeat and withdrawal of the U.S. from Afghanistan is an opportunity to restore life, security and lasting peace to the country," he said.

Mr. Raisi also spoke with Chinese President Xi Xinping by telephone Wednesday. Iranian state media reported him as saying Iran was willing to collaborate with China to secure stability in Afghanistan.

Still, Iran has concerns about how the situation in Afghanistan will develop, especially if its economy collapses.

Iran already hosts around three million Afghans, among them roughly one million refugees and two million undocumented migrants, according to the United Nations. Iran closed several border crossings with Afghanistan after they were captured by the Taliban in recent weeks and has bolstered its armed forces along its eastern border.

Iran is also Afghanistans largest commercial partner, with about $2 billion in bilateral trade each year, nearly one-third of Afghanistans total trade volume. Fuel has become an increasingly important commodity, and Iran now exports around 1 million tons legally to Afghanistan in addition to about 1.5 million tons exported illegally, according to David Mansfield, an independent socioeconomist and Afghanistan expert.

In addition to those flashpoints, Iran has long been locked in a water war with Afghan authorities to secure water flow to eastern Iran.

Iran is one of the regions most water-deficient nations. From 1998 to 2001, the previous Taliban regime closed the sluices at Kajaki dam in Helmand, cutting off the flow of the Helmand River to Iran.

More recently, Iranian-backed fighters have attacked another dam project in Nimruz province, on the Helmand River that would divert water for irrigation and to power a hydroelectric plant, according to Afghan security officials in the province. The Kamal Khan dam was inaugurated earlier this year.

Ava Sasani contributed to this article.

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The mayor of Orlando, Fla., urged residents to cut down their use of water as supplies dwindle of the resource required to supply liquid oxygen to patients hospitalized with Covid-19.

At a late Friday news conference, Mayor Buddy Dyer and other city officials said that if the city doesnt cut down on usage, residents could see a drop in water quality. That is because the water treatment center uses liquid oxygen to produce ozone gas as part of the water purification process. But with so much oxygen supply being used by hospitals, the city says it might run out of oxygen supplies for water treatment in the next couple of weeks if demand isnt diminished.

If we are unable to reduce water demand, hospital needs continue and the supply remains limited water quality may be impacted, said Linda Ferrone, chief customer and marketing officer at the Orlando Utilities Commission, in a statement. But we believe that will not happen if everyone does their part to conserve water.

If water quality is affected, the commission may have to issue a system-wide alert notifying residents to boil water before drinking or cooking with it. That could happen in as little as a week. Thats why Dyer is asking residents to dial back their water consumption.

Its a pretty simple thing that we are asking our residential customers, Dyer said. Lets just not water your yard for a week.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announces today water restrictions, since liquid oxygen is needed to treat the highest number of unvaccinated, critically-ill patients since the pandemic began. He says water treatment plants are used, and the water quality will be impaired soon. pic.twitter.com/gZWEtI65en  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 20, 2021

The oxygen shortage is not limited to Florida. There is a lack of supply nationwide, driven by the pandemic and made worse by a shortage of available tanker trucks and drivers required to transport it.

According to Ferrone, Orlandos Utilities Commission usually receives 10 tanker trucks worth of liquid oxygen each week. Now those deliveries have been cut to just five to seven each week, she told the Orlando Sentinel. If it falls below that number, she said, thats when water quality could be affected.

Its another result of what happens when people dont get vaccinated, become critically ill and require medical treatment, the mayor said, adding, If you havent been vaccinated, now is the time.

Currently, according to the latest CDC data, Florida is seeing a seven-day average of 15,564 people hospitalized with the virus, a 13 percent increase from the prior week as the Delta variant spreads. And one in four people who tested positive during the week ending August 19 was 19 years old or younger. Yet the states governor is threatening to slash funding to schools that require students wear masks.

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French icon Isabelle Huppert would love to play a Disney villain  except she would make her a bit more lovable, she laughs. Its scarier when you make them a bit more lovable and attractive and more manipulative instead of doing it like a classical villain.

In White as Snow, a playful twist on the Snow White tale, Huppert is Maud, a aging hotelier who worries about her stepdaughter Claire (Lou de Laage), a pure woman who is the object of Mauds jealousy. Directed by Anne Fontaine and in theaters now, White as Snow puts a modern twist on the oft-adapted story.

Huppert talked about her collaboration with Fontaine and playing the character who nods to the iconic wicked stepmother.

Its been quite a year  how have you been doing this past year and a half?

Ive been very lucky because Ive been working a lot. Ive been doing movies and Ive been working on stage recently. I did four movies over the last year.

I was meant to do my last play in New York, but that had to be canceled, but compared to what happened to so many people, it was not too bad.

You collaborated with Anne Fontaine again, what did she tell you about White as Snow?

The first time we collaborated was on My Worst Nightmare and I loved working with her. Shes so smart and has this great sense of humor. She knows how to make comedies with substance.

That was the case for White as Snow  it was a rereading of the original story, with a different insight and a contemporary input making her more sexual and aware of her own desires and physicality.

I loved playing Maud. She is the victim of her own passion and she is this woman who is madly in love. She is destroyed by that love and she becomes that monster. Its a very contemporary interpretation of the bad and the good and desire. I thought it was so interesting to show the myth of Snow White through this new lens.

We see the layers of Maud being peeled off as the film going on, what was it like exploring her and unpacking this character?

Usually, in the classical vision of the tale, you have this good and the bad, and that narrows her. So here, I was able to make her gentle, but underneath shes nasty. Theres this shadiness to her. And that was far more interesting to portray her through this tactical vision and story of the character.

Emmanuelle Youchnovski was the costume designer on the film, did you collaborate with her over Mauds red wardrobe?

We didnt spend that much time. I could tell she had a clear vision for Maud. I loved the first red outfit because it was this great contrast between that and the blue of the pool.

The apple and the mirror are all there which are treats that recall the classic. She goes to see the woman too about her future, and the character is quite sophisticated.

Sometimes she wears black jeans too, but theres a scene later when Maud is in the car with the headscarf, and that is a classical and iconic image. I loved that Grace Kelly homage, and all of a sudden you find yourself in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. So that was a great thing Emmanuelle did with the costume  paying homage there.

Towards the end, theres that energetic dancing scene with Claire, and Maud is uninhibited and free, can you talk about filming that dance scene?

We tried to choreograph the scene as much as possible, but it was a mix of something quite prepared and yet free. We chose the music to fit that scene because that moment is very wild and sexual, and turns into something saved. I was inspired by the music for that.

I love that scene because you cant tell whether shes drawn by joy or hate. Its always interesting to play that blend of passion, savagery and cruelty. That dance was a perfect metaphor from Mauds side of whats going on between the two women.

It was an intense shoot. It took a part of the night [to film that scene].

Where did you shoot?

We shot in Valence, which is in the southeast of France which is so beautiful and has these incredible landscapes  mountains and countryside.

So, would you ever want to play a Disney villain?

Yes, of course, I would. I would make her more lovable. Its scarier when you make them a bit more lovable, attractive and manipulative instead of doing it like a classical villain.

We had a different ending where I was destroyed and wounded for life and my face was distorted, but Anne changed that ending, going for the more classical ending to my character. But, I would love to do that. Its so interesting when you can make her attractive and manipulative.

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It was 19 years ago that Nick Broomfield, that spiky and compelling one-man band of documentary filmmakers, released Biggie & Tupac (2002), his chilling, no-frills, down-the-mean-streets-of-Compton investigative look into the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.

The movie arrived at a moment when Broomfield had begun to style himself as a kind of high-end tabloid detective, plumbing the mysteries behind such sensational stories as the rise of Heidi Fleiss (Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam), the suicide of Kurt Cobain (Kurt & Courtney), and the life and death of the serial killer Aileen Wuornos (Broomfield made not one but two films about her). Biggie & Tupac didnt present definitive evidence of anything, but it offered what was at the time a groundbreaking portrait of life at Death Row Records, the underworld music empire presided over by the gangsta entrepreneur Suge Knight. It was a movie that dove into key questions and pushed them further and further, all driven by Broomfields unshakable (and valid) conviction that the way these two murders actually went down mattered a great deal in the world at large. At the same time, the film flirted with a major conspiracy theory, suggesting that Suge Knight might have killed Tupac, his golden goose, to keep him from leaving Death Row.

When Broomfield made his second Aileen Wuornos film, Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, in 2003, it was a much greater documentary than the first, building on what he had done before. So when I learned that Broomfield had made Last Man Standing: Suge Knight and the Murders of Biggie & Tupac, returning to this subject with a kind of dogged obsession, I approached the film with a ripe sense of anticipation. In the two decades since Biggie & Tupac, the investigation of these dual hip-hop homicides has become a kind of industry, propelled by books, nonfiction series, even dramatic features (like the recent City of Lies, starring Johnny Depp). And if Broomfield was returning to it, it seemed likely that he had something: more evidence, maybe a smoking gun.

Having seen Last Man Standing, I can testify that he does. No, its not a smoking gun in the form of forensic evidence that proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that this person assassinated Biggie Smalls. But Broomfield builds on a thesis that he presented in Biggie & Tupac: that rogue members of the L.A.P.D. were connected to Suge Knights empire, and that they were likely involved in the murder of Biggie. He has also, for what its worth, dropped the Tupac/Suge conspiracy theory.

Knight is now serving a 28-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter (in 2018, he was convicted of committing a fatal hit-and-run), and with the former rap mogul behind bars, a lot of his former associates are a lot less scared of him than they used to be. Last Man Standing is, for Broomfield, a relatively prosaic piece of filmmaking (the director, who we hear tossing out questions, doesnt place himself at the center of the movie in a way that lent his earlier films a suspenseful charge). But Broomfield talks to a great many people (gang members, former bodyguards and henchmen, friends and associates of Tupac and Biggie), and what emerges from their testimony is a heightened look at a cultural moment  in hip-hop, and in the marketing of nihilism as celebrity. The movie asks us to connect the dots, and provides a great many dots; there are also tales of shattering viciousness.

The spine of the film is its close-up portrait of Tupac Shakur. And while it may seem, at this point, that his biography has literally been done to death, Last Man Standing uses interviews to fill in the paradoxical psychology of Tupac: that he was, at heart, an idealist, but also a brilliant actor, one who fashioned himself into a gangsta out of a fusion of opportunism and a kind of addiction that fed on media heat.

The time that Tupac served in prison, in 1995, for sexual assault had a profound effect upon him, and when Suge Knight bailed him out, with the agreement that Tupac would sign a pact with Death Row, Shakur agreed, in effect, to make himself the public image of the Bloods. He became Suges pet superstar, his Mob Piru mascot. Several people in the film testify that this wasnt the real Tupac, but others talk about how his identity shifted. Suge Knight lived a life of fantasy: the private jets and yachts and cars, the stores in a mall opened at 3:00 a.m. so that he could shop there. And Tupac was intoxicated by it all. We see candid photographs and videos of the life he led at Death Row: the orgies, the hard-case acting out, the raps that become more narcissistic than political. For 11 months, Tupac submerged himself in the Death Row mythology, so that on Sept. 7, 1996, when he and Suge beat down the Southside Compton Crip Orlando Anderson after a Mike Tyson fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Tupac was sealing his own fate. He was shot that night, in all likelihood by Anderson, but no one  not even Suge Knight  would testify against the shooter. Thats how much primal hostility there was toward the police.

Suge got even his own way: by arranging for a retaliatory hit. Biggie & Tupac floated the scenario that the East Coast/West Coast rap wars, having turned lethal, culminated in the death of Biggie Smalls. Last Man Standing offers new testimony that Suge ordered the hit from prison, and that it was carried out with the cooperation of L.A.P.D officers who had been named in Biggie & Tupac by officer Russell Poole. Poole has since died, but Last Man Standing gathers other witnesses, like Tupacs manager, Leila Steinberg, who places those cops at the scene of Biggies murder. Did the L.A.P.D. try to bury all this? There is testimony that Michelle Parks, the daughter of the L.A.P.D. chief at the time, Bernard Parks, was directly involved with the cops on Suge Knights payroll. Is that proof of anything? No. But it would be eyebrow-raising evidence in a court of law.

The story of Tupac and Biggie  who started off as friends, and who were both major artists  is larger than the issue of how corrupt and sickening their deaths were. Nick Broomfield, like others who have gone before him, is out to solve these crimes. But even if you do solve them, that doesnt answer the question of why two rap superstars who were so revered both wound up murdered in cold blood. Its like solving the assassination of Malcolm X. You can learn who did it, and why, but that wont tell you the larger reason for why these men were snuffed by a hate that shouldnt have been as large as the love they inspired.

Reviewed online, Aug. 19, 2021. MPAA Rating: Not rated. Running time: 105 MIN.

Production

An Abacus Media Rights release of a Gravitas Ventures, BBC Music On Screen, South Central Project Limited production. Producers: Pam Brooks, Nick Broomfield, Kyle Gibbon, Shani Hinton, Marc Hoeferlin. Executive producer: Charles Finch, Jan Younghusband, Patrick Holland, RJ Bond.

Crew

Director: Nick Broomfield. Camera: Barney Broomfield, Tristan Copeland, Sam Mitchell.

With

Suge Knight, Pam Brooks, Violette Wallace, Simone Green, Lipp Dogg, Mob James, Alison Samuels, Joe Cool, Leila Steinberg, Tracy Robinson, Yaasmyn Fula, C-Style, Danny Boy, Demitrius Striplin, Greg Kading, Phil Carlson, Kenneth Boagni, Terrence Harding.

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The 55th edition of the Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival returned to life in a fully live format Friday after a year-long COVID-forced break, with its traditional rousing dance numbers and a lifetime achievement Crystal Globe for Michael Caine.

The versatile two-time Oscar winner prompted his third standing ovation from the audience packed into the fests Grand Hall at the Hotel Thermal when he raised his walking cane from the stage in thanks to his fans.

Saying he began his actors journey as a nobody from nowhere who knew nothing, Caine told the crowd, Youve given me an award for something I love doing. Fest president Jiri Bartoska honored him with what the actor called the heaviest prize hes ever tried to lift at an upbeat ceremony featuring elaborate choreography themed around the 1960s U.S. pop song Popcorn, with dancers whirling discs that riffed on the unique logo for KVIFF this year, a stylized numeral 55 containing cartoon eyes.

Guests wore COVID-safe wrist bands after having presented proof of vaccine status on arrival, but few masks were in sight in the fully packed hall of the Brutalist 70s architectural icon that dominates the promenade area of this historic spa town.

Opening night presenter Marek Eben, a celebrity comedian-philosopher, observed that popcorn makes film the one art with its own unique smell, adding that the movie snack may be a superfood with qualities that combat depression.

But, he quickly added to uproarious laughs, popcorn isnt needed at Karlovy Vary because artistic director Karel Och selects art films for intellectuals who are on anti-depressants.

The fests return to West Bohemia was marked by a distinctive air of optimism, following two attempts at opening KVIFF as a live event in 2020, both of which had to be cancelled as the pandemic spread. The Czech Republic currently has low weekly infection rate of 191 cases and a high percentage of fully vaccinated citizens, and virus checks and safety measures on film sets have been a success as both local and international production continued apace over the past year.

Members of the Crystal Globe jury, including former KVIFF-winning Danish doc maker Eva Mulvad (A Modern Man, A Cherry Tale.), Polish actress Marta Nieradkiewicz (Wild Roses, Floating Skyscrapers, winner of the 2013 East of the West prize), Greek writer-director Christos Nikou (Apples) and German critic Christoph Terhechte, artistic director of DOK Leipzig, were also introduced, along with members of the East of the West jury.

That panel, considering both doc and narrative films from the former East bloc, the Middle East and North Africa, includes Latvian producer Alise Gelze (Oleg, Mother I Love You), Macedonian producer, director and editor Atanas Georgiev (Cash & Marry), Czech writer-director Michal Hogenauer (A Certain Kind of Silence), Cypriot writer-director Tonia Mishiali (Pause, a KVIFF 2019 world premiere), and Paris-based Israeli film critic and historian Ariel Schweitzer.

The fest has also announced added screenings of Paul Verhoevens Cannes sensation and erotic nun story Benedetta and Simon Safraneks RapStory, a dive into the Czech rap scene by the director of King Skate, the 2018 chronicle of pre-Velvet Revolution fringe culture centered on the highly improvised craze among practitioners who had to build their own boards.

Closing film The Nest, by Sean Durkin, featuring Jude Law as a British expat commodities broker in Reagans America who returns home, has also been announced, along with the recipient of the fest presidents award for Czech Oscar winner Jan Sverak (Kolya), who will present his 1995 Crystal Globe winner The Ride, which made headlines at KVIFFs 30th edition.

In 2019, Sverak published a novel, Bohemia, and is now completing his film Bethlehem Light, for which he wrote the screenplay based on the short stories of his father, Czech actor Zdenek Sverak.

The younger Sverak also filmed one of KVIFFs trademark trailers, a spoof of vintage horror stories from 1997, part of a tribute on opening night, featuring highlights of the two-decade tradition.

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Tom T. Hall, the Country Music Hall of Fame member known as The Storyteller for his detailed narrative songs like Harper Valley P.T.A., I Love, and Thats How I Got to Memphis, died Friday at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. He was 85. Halls son Dean confirmed his fathers death.

Born Thomas T. Hall on May 25th, 1936, in Olive Hill, Kentucky, Hall began playing music at a young age and performed with a bluegrass band, the Kentucky Travelers, while he was a teenager. He joined the Army in 1957 and sometimes performed on the Armed Services Radio Network while stationed in Germany. After returning to civilian life, Hall was working as a radio DJ in Virginia when a publisher heard his song D.J. for a Day and brought it to Jimmy C. Newman, who took it to the Top Ten. Halls first Number One came in 1965 with Johnnie Wrights version of Hello Vietnam.

Hall began to record his own compositions as well, signing with Mercury Records in 1967 and joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1971 as he was beginning to pile up hits under his own name. Among his Number Ones from the era are the barroom memory (Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine, I Love, Country Is, and Faster Horses (The Cowboy and the Poet). His plainspoken delivery and slice-of-life tableaus were easily approachable, ranging in tone from humorous to hefty on Seventies albums like Rhymers and Other Five and Dimers, The Storyteller, and Country Is.

Tom T. Halls masterworks vary in plot, tone and tempo, but they are bound by his ceaseless and unyielding empathy for the triumphs and losses of others, said Kyle Young, CEO, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He wrote without judgment or anger, offering a rhyming journalism of the heart that sets his compositions apart from any other writer.

Still, one of Halls best-known songs was Harper Valley P.T.A., which Jeannie C. Riley turned into a CMA award-winning crossover smash in 1968. Its narrative about a miniskirt-wearing single mother who righteously admonishes the hypocritical busybodies at her daughters school also spawned a movie and television series. Halls hits for other artists included Dave Dudleys The Pool Shark, Bobby Bares Thats How I Got to Memphis and, in 1996, Alan Jacksons Little Bitty.

The multi-talented Hall also branched out into writing books, releasing The Storytellers Nashville in 1979, then The Laughing Man of Woodmont Cove in 1982, The Acts of Life in 1986, and Spring Hill, Tennessee in 1990. He shared some of his pointers for aspiring tunesmiths in the 1976 book How I Write Songs, Why You Can.

#RipTomTHall Damn. The greatest storyteller songwriter of all time. A writers writer.

Theres at least a dozen categories of song that he wrote arguably the best ever example of.  Drive-By Truckers (@drivebytruckers) August 21, 2021

Halls work was often intertwined with that of his late wife Dixie, a songwriter and musician who became his collaborator until her death in 2015. From their Nashville-area home known as Fox Hollow (which inspired Halls beloved 1974 childrens album Songs of Fox Hollow), the pair wrote and recorded bluegrass music, championing the careers of other bluegrass musicians as well. His last studio album, 2007s Tom T. Hall Sings Miss Dixie and Tom T., was a collaborative effort between the two.

Hall was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

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As has become accustomed for border officials and those living along the United States borders with Mexico and Canada, the restrictions in place for non-essential travel will remain.

Implemented on March 21, 2020 and lasting one month at a time, this will be the 18th straight month that the borders will be closed. The current restrictions will now last through Sept. 21, 2020.

The Department of Homeland Security announced Friday the continued restrictions as there is seemingly no current end date in sight.

To minimize the spread of COVID-19, including the delta variant, the United States is extending restrictions on non-essential travel at our land and ferry crossings with Canada and Mexico through Sept. 21, while continuing to ensure the flow of essential trade and travel, the DHS said in a statement.

The new restrictions come after South Texas officials met just last week with United States Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas regarding border issues. Among the topic of migrants, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz previously stated that he also planned to pitch the border reopening to help the economy despite the growing concerns of COVID cases locally.

On Friday, Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28) had some words to offer about the continuing border restrictions along the border which he states are absurd as they have caused the state over $19 billion in revenue from Mexican shoppers and tourists, and are hurting many businesses downtown.

They let go of employees, and sometimes it is only the business owner  the husband or the wife (remaining)  that are just trying to carry out the business, Cuellar said. And they are waiting for that hope, for the border that it will open up.

Cuellar states that it is unacceptable that people with legal visas who come to shop and have families over here cannot come while he added migrants are being allowed to enter the country to be processed.

However, these migrants are being detained and bused into Laredos non-governmental organizations like the Holding Institute and Catholic Charities where they are being kept, or to other northern cities at their respective NGOs.

The announcement of the continued border restrictions comes on the heels of the latest unemployment rate figures for the city which showed that unemployment has decreased slightly. Summer jobs have added to the increase while locally-owned businesses continue to struggle hiring people as the closed border might be a continued hurdle for the lack of needed workers to attend to customer needs.

According to the Workforce Solutions for South Texas, they reported a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the Laredo metropolitan statistical area that decreased by 0.9% in July down to 6.7%.

Some of the industries that showed slight decreases are industries that typically have shown decreases in jobs as the summer months close out and portions of the labor force return to school, WSST Executive Director Rogelio Trevino said. There are some industries that are rebounding from the impacts of the COVID pandemic and show some slight increases in hiring.

However, Trevino states that the current spike in pandemic numbers and policy changes because of it are still holding many industries back from hiring and getting more people to work.

Sergio Serna, an employee at a local perfume shop in downtown Laredo, states that business has been down for the past year and a half at around 75-85%. He said his boss has not told them to look for another job and has not cut working hours, but they have also not been hiring over that time either.

People that come are just people trying to buy stuff for people who ask for stuff from Nuevo Laredo and are citizens or permanent residents that can cross, or just people that want to shop local, Serna said.

Once the border opens up, they will need more than just me to work the store. However, there is really no need if there are no customers, and also if the border remains closed, then those who like buying in downtown will not even come. Hope this changes soon but once the pandemic is really over for good.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Smoke from Californias wildfires choked people on the East Coast. Flames wiped out a gold rush-era town. Ash covers area that would dwarf Rhode Island.

Images of homes engulfed in flames and mountains glowing like lava would make it easy to conclude the Golden State is a charred black landscape.

Thats hardly the case, but the frightening reality is that the worst may be yet to come.

California has already surpassed the acreage burned at this point last year, which ended up setting the record. Now its entering a period when powerful winds have often driven the deadliest blazes.

Here we are  its not the end of August and the size and distribution and the destruction of summer 2021 wildfires does not bode well for the next months, said Bill Deverell, a University of Southern California history professor who teaches about fire in the West. The suggestion of patterns across the last two decades in the West is deeply unsettling and worrisome: hotter, bigger, more fires."

More than a dozen large wildfires are burning in California grass, brush and forest that is exceptionally dry from two years of drought likely exacerbated by climate change.

The fires, mainly in the northern part of the state, have burned nearly 1.5 million acres, or roughly 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers).

Firefighters are witnessing extreme fire behavior as embers carried miles by gusts are igniting vegetation ripe for burning in rugged landscapes, where it's hard to attack or build a perimeter to prevent it from spreading. Fires that in the past would cool down at night are sometimes surging miles in the dark.

The Dixie Fire, the largest currently burning and second biggest on record, wiped out the historic town of Greenville and continues to threaten thousands of homes about 175 miles (282 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco. The Caldor Fire, burning about 100 miles (161 kilometers) to the south, blew up since Aug. 14, torched parts of the hamlet of Grizzly Flat and is chewing through dense forest.

Gusts and low humidity in the forecast that could vastly expand the blaze led to the closure Friday of a 40-mile (64 kilometers) stretch of highway that runs along the fire's perimeter and links Sacramento to Lake Tahoe.

John Hawkins, a retired fire chief for the state and now wildland fire consultant, said he hadn't seen such explosive fire behavior in 58 fire seasons.

A fire 60 years ago that torched 100 homes and killed two people near Yosemite National Park once had the record for fastest expansion, covering nearly 31 square miles (80 square kilometers) in two hours. But that kind of spread is becoming more common today.

The Harlow Fire of 1961 was one of a kind in its day, Hawkins said. As we draw a comparison today, its not one of a kind, its one after another. Something has changed.

Hawkins said he saw similarly rapid growth in the Caldor Fire.

Dramatic time lapse video showed a massive plume growing above thick forest. The column rose up and dark smoke poured across the sky before the cloud erupted in flames shooting hundreds of feet in the air.

It wasnt a slow deal, Hawkins said. When you see one of those develop that fast in heavy timber and already see another dozen fires in California running crazy it doesnt take much to light your lightbulb or ring your bell.

Ten of the state's largest and 13 of the most destructive wildfires in the top 20 have burned in the last four years.

The largest of those fires, the August Complex, a group of lightning-sparked blazes that merged, began a year ago this week. The deadliest and most destructive, the Camp Fire, killed 85 and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings in November 2018.

In the past, forest fires have been dominant in late summer and fires in the fall have burned in chaparral and woodlands, driven by powerful dry winds created by high pressure over the Great Basin, said Malcolm North, a research ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service.

The offshore winds, known as Diablos in Northern California and Santa Anas in Southern California, usually have powered some of the worst blazes as they sap vegetation of moisture and pick up speed as they squeeze through mountain passes and canyons, becoming warmer and even drier.

With much of California experiencing exceptional drought, the highest intensity, according the U.S. Drought Monitor, large fires in the north could burn into early December, said Anthony Scardina, deputy regional forester for the Forest Service. Southern California could expect to see fires in September that could last to the end of the year.

Erratic infernos like the Creek Fire last year, the fifth-biggest ever, could be blamed in part on a 2012-16 drought. It is estimated to have killed more than 100 million trees in the Sierra Nevada, the state's largest mountain range and the setting for many of the fires, North said.

North was co-author of a 2018 scientific paper that predicted Sierra wildfires could burn at the intensity of blazes lit by fire bombings in Dresden, Germany and Tokyo during World War II.

I do think that's what we're seeing, said North. The current models we have for how fires are going to behave dont cover this because its just off the charts. Its hazardous to firefighters and hard as hell to predict what its going to do."

Fires have intensified across the entire West, creating a nearly year-round season that has taxed firefighters. Fire patterns used to migrate in seasons from the Southwest to the Rockies, to the Pacific Northwest and then California, allowing fire crews to move from one place to the next, Scardina said.

But the problem is all of those seasons are starting to overlap, Scardina said. We start to get stretched thin.

As the Caldor inferno erupted, firefighters were diverted from the Dixie Fire. Repositioning crews, fire engines, and water- and flame retardant-dropping aircraft takes time, allowing newer blazes to advance and leaving communities near older ones vulnerable.

Every time a new one starts it's like going to Toys R Us on Christmas Eve expecting to get a gift," Hawkins said, and finding nothing on the shelf."

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that the 1961 Harlow Fire was 60 years ago, not 50.
FEMA has authorized a $1,921,990 reimbursement to the City of Laredo for any expenses incurred as a result of migrants transported from the Valley region and Del Rio to the area, including the bus transportation from Laredo to northern cities like Austin and Dallas.

During the Friday morning press conference, Rep. Henry Cuellar also announced that the border closure would extend until Sept. 21 as a result of the COVID-19 delta variants impact on the country.

The city will now have a pool of funds to continue with the operation, however, Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz stated that Customs and Border Protection Chief Matthew Hudak announced that busing in migrants from outside sectors to Laredo would be suspended.

There was some speculation from local leaders that changes were made after the Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visit to McAllen that South Texas border leaders attended may have resulted in the suspension.

City Manager Robert Eads told Laredo Morning Times that the funds are already in the citys account and have replenished the estimated $90,000 spent on busing transportation these past two weeks. The funds will pay for any future busing done, PPE, sanitary equipment and basic amenities for the migrants to have on their way to whatever their destination may be.

With busing expenses costing approximately $8,000 to $9,000 a day, the FEMA funds will be available until Dec. 31. Receipts will be vital, and any money left over will be expected to be returned to FEMA at the end of the year.

We are reacting to what (CBP) are telling us, and there is no way  we have been trying to ask them  there is no way for them to plan any better, Eads said. They just call us one day to the next saying you are getting this many people and here comes three buses worth of individuals that we then have to process and get to their final destination.

This reactionary order of operations has been seen to result in non-governmental organizations reaching capacity, which resulted in the current busing service for migrants.

As for NGOs like Holding Institute, Eads clarified that the funds are not taken from the pool for those organizations, and they still expect their own reimbursement from FEMA.

Meanwhile, a question residents have on their minds is how much of their taxpaying dollars are being spent on transportation. Eads said that while local tax dollars are no longer being used and municipal projects and services are unaffected, federal dollars are being used to support FEMA.

They are not directly from Laredoans taxes, he said. In other words, we see this as a federal issue, and we forced the federal government to pay for this because we didnt want to burden our local community.

That remains counter to what Mayor Pete Saenz and Councilmember Dr. Marte Martinez said initially on Aug. 5 as they announced the agreement with the U.S. Border Patrol to bus migrants while dropping the lawsuit against the U.S. Saenz stated that taxpayer money would be used and that it was a temporary measure to find a political solution, as he claimed other communities are even worse and spending more money.

We are now using taxpayer money in a way our taxes werent intended for, Martinez said at the time. It will run out quickly. This isnt sustainable for us.

However, Eads told LMT last week that this was not exactly the case and that FEMA was expected to reimburse the city, as it did Friday. He cited other cities like McAllen who are already receiving reimbursements. All Laredo needed to do to receive the funds was apply for them, which it did.

In regards to the CBP suspension, while officials arent sure of the reason, Saenz speculated on the matter Friday saying he thought it could be a result of objections from mayors from other major Texas cities in the wake of the migrant transportation from Laredo. Saenz also referenced a discussion he had with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, claiming he was asked for Laredo to stop sending migrants.

I think the answer lies within the Biden administration, Saenz said he told him.

What needs to happen is  the policies are policies, and I am not going to argue with policies, Saenz added. Each president makes their own policies, and Ive always said, If you are going to insist on a policy, you have to package it, finance it, operate it fully. Dont expect the locals to bail you out.

In a private meeting with Mayorkas, Cuellar said that they discussed changes regarding the border. An example being that under Title 42, the federal government will now start sending migrants back to the southern tip of Mexico, closer to central America, which would put some closer to home but perhaps dissuade others from making the trip back to the border.

Additionally, approximately 1,000 asylum officers are expected to be hired to monitor and review asylum requests before appeals are handed off to immigration judges. Cuellar said that as judges face backlogs of cases with 1.3 million total cases, the wave of asylum seekers in 2021 will only add to the backlog.

One other way to address this high backlog is the hiring of more immigration judges at the border, a repeated request over the past decade. Cuellar explained that additional judges can make their own informed decisions regarding asylum appeals but emphasized that would not mean an influx of approved appeals.

If you have 100 people, they go before an immigration judge  88-90% are rejected and only 10-12% are going to be accepted. So why are we allowing everybody in? False hope to those people when they are not going to be accepted. Thats the reality of things.

Cuellar also stated that approved factors for asylum include being persecuted based on state, law enforcement or gender. This does not include poverty or gang violence.

cocampo@lmtonline.com
Officials from the City of Laredo and Webb County reported an additional 237 positive cases and three related deaths from the past two days.

The additions bring Laredo to 48,669 positives and 886 deaths historically dating back to the beginning of the pandemic locally in March of 2020.

Overall, the day brought some better news to the area than recent weeks as positive cases and hospitalizations both saw drops.

While Laredo was still above 200 cases for the ninth time in the past 10 reports, it was the third-fewest of that group while Wednesdays 172 was the lowest.

Those totals helped the city go from 375 positives announced Monday  the most of any recent three-day weekend tally  to having 784 positives this week. Thats fewer than the past two weeks including 1,081 from Aug. 7-13  the highest week of cases since Jan. 30 to Feb. 5  and 890 from July 31 to Aug. 6.

Laredos rolling seven-day positivity rate is currently 12.5%. Texas rolling positivity rate is 19% while the United States is at 11.4%.

This decrease in cases has brought active cases down to 696 as theyve decreased in three consecutive reports. The figure sat at 730 on Wednesday and at 906 as of last Friday  the highest point theyve been at since Feb. 6 at 1,016.

The current active cases include 230 below the age of 19, 370 between the ages of 20-49 and 96 above 50 years old.

COVID-19 Metrics in Laredo Positives: 48,669 Deaths: 886 Hospitalizations: 73 ICU: 35 Fully Vaccinated: 79.7% Recoveries: 47,087 Total Tested: 387,082 7-Day Positive Rate: 12.5% Source: City of Laredo Health Department See More Collapse

The city stated that of the currently investigated active cases, 471 are from non-vaccinated individuals. However, it did not state how many active cases were still pending investigation for the second straight report. On Monday, this figure sat at 77.9%.

This entire year, only 50 fully-vaccinated persons have been hospitalized with a breakthrough case.

The three deaths reported all belonged to men who were middle-aged, with one fatality from an individual in his 30s, 40s and 50s. All three died recently either on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.

Laredos hospitalizations also saw a much-welcomed drop Friday at 73. This is down from 81 Wednesday and 83 Monday  the latter being the most in a city update since Feb. 25 had 85 hospitalized.

Serious hospitalizations have also dropped with now 35 individuals in the ICU. This is down from 47 Wednesday which in itself had shot up from 34 on Monday.

With this decline, Laredos COVID-19 hospitalization rate has also fell to 18.5%, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services most recent figures from Thursday. This is another welcome drop as it sat at 21.1% two days earlier and is a week removed from hitting 22.1%  the highest single-day rate since Feb. 16 at 30.4%.

Laredos hospitalization rate is the 15th out of the 22 hospital regions in Texas listed by the DSHS. Corpus Christi and Galveston are both above 30% sitting at 33.5% and 31.1%, respectively.

Previously, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had said that any rate above 10% was a red flag, and above 15% was used as the states benchmark to close bars and decrease businesses maximum occupancy. However, that practice has since been halted by the state.

Laredos available hospital beds, however, have shrunk a bit in recent days as it fell to 10 Thursday, down from 19 three days earlier. However, it at least remained in double digits after it was below that in 14 of 15 days prior to Mondays data. Unfortunately, available ICU beds remain non-existent as the DSHS has the city with zero for the 18th straight day.

As Laredo is medically underserved and with facilities understaffed, its hospital capacity has been diminished despite being nowhere near its previous high in hospitalizations of 249 in January when it was receiving help from the state, something that has been denied this time around. This is why local experts continue to tout being vaccinated as vital, even despite the areas success in that regard, as its current lack of resources has curtailed that success.

As of the most recent vaccination data from the city, Laredo has a total of 79.7% of its eligible population over 12 years of age fully vaccinated, or 172,031 people. Additionally, around 18.7% have received only one shot, thus giving the area around 98.4% of its eligible population being at least partially vaccinated.

However, around a third of Laredos total population is below the age of 18. That means that a significant segment of the citys actual population may not be vaccinated, as those under 12 are unable to do so.

As for its elderly, the city reports that 95.5% of those age 65 and up have been at least partially vaccinated.

Over the course of the pandemic, 387,082 tests have been administered. An estimated 47,087 people have recovered from a previous infection.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said Wednesday hes looking to steer more federal funding to natural gas-fueled electricity generation in the $3.5 trillion spending bill thats moving through Congress.

As emissions billowed from CPS Energys Calaveras gas-fired plant in the background, the Laredo Democrat said at a news conference that Democratic lawmakers efforts to expand renewable energy sources in the U.S. shouldnt hobble the oil and gas industry. Energy companies provide an estimated 347,000 jobs in Texas.

We definitely need to look at clean energy, but you cant do it to disadvantage or attack oil and gas while it still creates thousands of jobs in our area, Cuellar said. He represents the 28th Congressional District, which reaches from Laredo to San Antonio and covers a large swath of the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas field.

When we do the big reconciliation bill and we look at clean energy, Im hoping that natural gas can be part of the clean energy, he said.

Cuellar was referring to the budget reconciliation bill thats being crafted by congressional Democrats. Much of the spending in the bill would go to progressive priorities such as expanding Medicare, extending child care tax credits and clean energy initiatives.

Cuellar didnt say how much funding hed seek in the budget bill to bolster gas-fired power generation.

His comments came a week after the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a nearly 4,000-page report that found extreme weather has become more common and reiterated that humans are causing climate change.

The new warning from the UN, from the IPCC, is actually Code Red, said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., a leading advocate in Congress for climate initiatives. This budget resolution is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save our people and our planet.

Cuellar said prioritizing natural gas over coal  as a fuel for power generation  could help continue reducing emissions while reliably producing electricity and preserving jobs. Natural gas emits between 50 to 60 percent the amount of carbon dioxide that burning coal does, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Supporting natural gas also would have political benefits for Democrats, said Cuellar, who received $219,000 in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry ahead of the 2020 election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

We saw what happened in South Texas with this last election, he said. The Trump campaign did a great job at saying that Democrats were against oil and gas.

In 2016, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton garnered 72 percent of the vote in four South Texas border counties within Cuellars district: Hidalgo, Starr, Webb and Zapata. Last year, Democrat Joe Biden lost ground in the region, winning 55 percent of the vote across the four counties. Then-President Donald Trump beat Biden in Zapata County.

City-owned CPS Energy, one of the largest municipally owned utilities in the country, is developing its FlexPower Bundle initiative, the aim of which is to replace the utilitys aging natural gas plants with new generation.

A new gas-fired plant is one possibility. CPS has floated the idea of converting the Spruce 2 coal-fired unit to run on natural gas.

The utility is also soliciting proposals to build 900 megawatts of solar power generation and 50 megawatts of battery storage, which could help shore up electricity supply in San Antonio when the wind isnt blowing or the sun isnt shining.

CPS expects to award contracts for the FlexPower Bundle plan before the end of this year.

Texas power generators cut their annual carbon emissions by a combined 10 percent between 2015 and 2019, even as consumption of electricity statewide increased by nearly 10 percent in the same period, according to the EIA.

Part of the industrys reduction stemmed from renewable energy.

So far this year, wind turbines and solar panels have generated 28 percent of the states electricity, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. Thats up from 15 percent in 2016.

The shutdown of coal plants and the states heavier reliance on natural gas for electricity also have helped reduce emissions, according to a report published Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

But Texas is approaching the limits of the current generating mix, Garrett Golding, a business economist at the Dallas Fed, said in the report. Aging gas and coal power plants have gone offline for maintenance more than grid operators had expected, and renewable power isnt available on demand.

Boosting the amount of battery storage in Texas could help provide emissions-free power when demand is high. The cost of industrial-scale batteries is falling quickly.

And tweaking the states grid to pay power plants for electricity they produce, whether its used or not, could make the states power system more reliable, according to the report.

Continuing (reducing emissions) and providing reliable electricity are not incompatible goals with prudent planning and incentives, Golding said.
A San Antonio woman said she was promised $2,500 to smuggle a 10-year-old boy through a Laredo international bridge, according to an arrest affidavit.

Monica Ivette Esparza, a 40-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport the migrant child.

Esparza arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in her private vehicle at about 11:14 p.m. Aug. 18. She was accompanied by two girls and one boy. She claimed that all were U.S. citizens. Esparza allegedly presented a City of San Antonio birth certificate on behalf of the boy.

All occupants were referred to secondary inspection. A CBP officer asked the boy if he was traveling with his mother, and the boy said no, according to court documents.

Esparza then allegedly admitted to providing her son's birth certificate for the boy to smuggle him into the United Stated for financial gain. CBP officers identified the boy as a 10-year-old from Mexico.

Defendant admitted that she agreed to smuggle the minor for approximately $2,500 of which $1,500 was given to her up front. She further admitted that she picked up the minor in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico at an unknown house and was going to transport and deliver him to San Antonio at an unknown gas station, states the affidavit.
The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks!

Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics.

The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc.

The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics.

The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates.

Access to college recruiters and advisors  its harder to line up higher education.

Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family.

Vote

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For the second year running, were being deprived of the annual Rose of Tralee Festival, which has been put off again due to Covid-19. But the pandemic has had no effect on our four-legged friends who are still vying for the prestigious Nose of Tralee title - especially Longford Nose, Bagheera.

Pet Sitters Ireland annual Nose of Tralee pet competition is in its eighth year and saw almost 1,600 people register their pets in the competition, 32 pets - 30 dogs and two cats - selected to represent their home counties this year.

Beautiful Bagheera is an export pedigree great Dane. At 11 months old, he is a gentle giant that sailed through to the finals of the nose of Tralee competition.

He was crowned the Longford Nose and his proud owner Tanniel Mienie is hoping to get enough votes to win him the national Nose of Tralee title.

We are delighted to see another year of very excited pet owners all hoping they will bring the title of 2021 Nose of Tralee home to their county Said Kate McQuillan Owner of Pet Sitters Ireland

Last years winner, Teddy from Offaly, is particularly excited to see if Offaly can hold on to the title again this year.

The winner will be announced live on the Pet Sitters Ireland Facebook and Instagram on the August 24 and will receive prizes from Pet Sitters Ireland, Tesco Ireland and David MCauley Photography.

You can vote for Bagheera at http://wshe.es/JdUv0jLY.
Three young boys made a discovery of a lifetime while on holiday.

Brothers Oisin ODoherty, Eoghan ODoherty from Greencastle along Odhran OSullivan discovered a message in a bottle while holidaying in Co. Kerry.

The Greencastle boys were in the 'Kingdom' while visiting family, when they made the eventful trip to The Glen Pier.

The boys noticed the bottle lodged into the rocks along the coastline, after help from a relative the bottle was eventually recovered and the message inside was found.

The message inside the bottle was written by Canadian fisherman Craig Drover while he was at sea off the coast of Newfoundland onboard his vessel The Artic Eagle.

The message reads: This bottle was tossed over the side of the Artic Eagle on the grand banks of Newfoundland, Canada while fishing for snow crabs.

He also wrote the co-ordinates of the vessel at the time of throwing the bottle over board.

The boys grandmother Catherine McGeoghegan said the were thrilled and absolutely delighted to find the message.

The message also contained Mr Drover's email address.

Following an email from the Inishowen family, the Canadian fisherman responded saying he regularly throws messages overboard and loves to hear from people who find them.

Glad to hear of the boys finding my message in a bottle. I'd say they were a little excited, to say the least. A nice way to end a vacation. It is a mazing how far those bottles travel, he wrote.
Author Elaine Weiss to speak at Tennessee State Museum

To mark the closing of the Tennessee State Museum exhibition Ratifed! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote and to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the museum will host a special event featuring author Elaine Weiss (The Womans Hour) in conversation with noted historian Carole Bucy.

The discussion, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, will focus on the legacy of the womens suffrage movement in Tennessee.

Limited seating in the museums Digital Learning Center is available. Tickets are free, but reservations are required via Eventbrite. The event will also be livestreamed on the museums website at TNMuseum.org/Videos.

After the discussion, Weiss will be available to sign copies of her books. A limited number of copies of The Womans Hour will be available for purchase in the museum store.

Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote closes on Sept. 26.

 Staff Report

UT extends mask edict as virus cases, hospitalizations rise

The University of Tennessee on Monday announced it will extend its mask mandate to all indoor public spaces due to the ongoing spike in coronavirus cases and increasing hospitalizations.

UT had been under a temporary mask mandate that applied only to classrooms, laboratories and indoor academic student events. Officials say the new requirement will extend to all indoor public spaces, but exceptions will include private offices, residence hall rooms and while engaging in fitness activities.

According to a news release, the university will re-evaluate the need for the expanded face-covering requirement by Sept. 7.

While we are trying to do our part to keep our campuses healthy, we continue to stress the importance of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, UT System President Randy Boyd said in a statement.

As of Monday, Tennessee has seen 13,135 COVID-19 related deaths to date, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins. That death count is the 15th highest in the country overall and the 24th highest per capita at 194 deaths per 100,000 people.

The state is averaging 2,508.3 current COVID-19 hospitalizations, according to data through Aug. 20 from the Department of Health and Human Services.

 Associated Press

Historically Black schools topic of TSU course

Historically Black university Tennessee State is offering students a chance to learn more about similar schools and their effects on the world.

The class looks at ways historically Black colleges and universities have influenced the social, economic, political and intellectual life of African Americans and the impact made by the schools graduates, TSU said.

There are more than 100 HBCUs in the United States. The course lets students look at the schools role in development of the communities where they are located and their relationship with residents through time.

I hope to provide a better understanding of the role of HBCUs in American society, said Learotha Williams, a history professor at TSU who is teaching the course. Not only that, but the national and international impact theyve had, particularly the individuals and social movements theyve produced.

 Associated Press
Bollywood has been following a few tropes of showing women on screen that we all have celebrated (guilty as charged). But as you start understanding the basic motto behind a particular character, you start to hate the trends the industry has been shoving on our faces for a long time now.

I remember the first time I ever heard the phrase manic pixie dream girl" and I wanted to know all about it. I was stunned to know that we all have liked these female characters in the past but this trend is actually really toxic.

Before I tell you about these 5 manic pixie dream girls in Bollywood, here's what it means.

What Is a Manic Pixie Dream Girl?

The term Manic Pixie Dream Girl was coined by movie pundit Nathan Rabin. A manic pixie dream girl is basically defined as a female character whose only sole motto is to be a part of a narrative to help the male in the movie realize that he has a bigger goal to achieve. She is someone whos the anchor to the story of the male protagonist. Well, she is simply used as a tool for the character development of the man in the narrative.

Why Is It Toxic And Why Bollywood Should Completely Stop This Trend?

Women being portrayed merely as characters that were only for helping men realize their true worth is what we have seen so far. Bollywood and Hollywood used this in their narratives to keep the male-centric stories flowing in the market. We have seen women take sh*t from men and still manage to be the ones who have set their wishes aside to help their men grow.

Critic Nathan described it as that bubbly, shallow cinematic creature that exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. In Bollywood, directors have used bubbly and chirpy female characters in their narratives that were full of life but when you understand the movie in-depth, you are disgusted by the fact that these female characters were just used as subjects of drawing your attention to the male characters sad life and his issues so that you are sympathetic towards them.

Its time that we put a full stop to consuming such content because women have many other stories to tell. Slowly and gradually, we are seeing more female-centric stories but it will take ages to be at a similar level of how men are shown in Bollywood narratives.

Its time to say goodbye to narratives wherein women are just healing men. Women have much more to do and we need to celebrate that rather than such a stereotypical way of presenting them.

Sadly, we have grown up seeing such stories and they've been engrained so deep into our systems that its hard to see beyond a certain periphery. Here are 5 such manic pixie dream girls in Bollywood movies over the years:

1: Tara (Deepika Padukone) In Tamasha

 YouTube/Nadiadwala Grandson

Tara has her own ambitions and she is someone who wants to live her life fully but things change after she meets Ved played by Ranbir Kapoor. Her life centers around him and she wants to help him come out of darkness. Her sole job in the movie is to help Ved understand himself and follow his passion of being a theatre artist. Well, we romanticized the entire scenario and fell for their love story.



2: Geet (Kareena Kapoor Khan) In Jab We Met

 T-Series

As described by Nathan, Geet is the perfect example of a manic pixie dream girl. She is bubbly and full of life but her purpose in the movie is, sadly, to help Shahid Kapoors character Aditya come out of his bubble. She helps him learn how to lead a regular life even when you are surrounded by issues.



3: Kalpana (Asin Thottumkal) In Ghajini

 IMDb

If you all remember seeing this movie, we see Kalpana as a chirpy girl but when Aamirs character enters her story, he becomes the protagonist of their lives. Kalpana is there to help Sanjay realize that theres life beyond his business circle and he doesnt need to hide behind a mask of formality.



4: Laila (Kartina Kaif) In Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

 Eros Now Movies

Laila might have had her own say in her career or her fashion choices but she was merely used as a tool to help Hrithik Roshans character Arjun in his personal development. She makes him understand the relevance of living in the present moment and not clinging to the past.



5: Heer (Nargis Fakhri) In Rockstar

 Eros Now Movies

Rockstar shows Heer helping Janardan played by Ranbir Kapoor understand the true purpose of his life. After his breakup with Heer, he understands the real goal of his life.


Even though the pandemic may have hit the world hard, top Hollywood actors may have not suffered like everybody else. According to a new report by Variety, Daniel Craig is apparently the highest-paid actor in the world and has the fattest pay cheque to prove it.

 MGM

Variety mentions that Daniel Craig penned a $100 million (Rs 743 crore) deal with Netflix for the Knives Out sequels. Daniel played the role of master sleuth Benoit Blanc in 2019 and will be reprising his role. Netflix won the rights for two sequels in a massive $469 million deal and the only condition was that Craig must star in both sequels and have the same budget as the 2019 movie.



It is also worth pointing out that Netflix compensates its actors for the prospective box-office share they would have made if the movies were only released in cinemas.

Amongst the highest-paid actors, Dwayne Johnson ranks second where his salary is half of what Daniel will be making after the Netflix deal. Johnson will be seen in Netflixs Red Notice with Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds next.

While Daniel Craig may have become the highest-paid actor in the world, he does not plan on passing all of his money to his children. He instead prefers giving it away and gave the example of industrialist Andrew Carnegie.

 Lionsgate

He told Candis magazine: Isnt there an old adage that if you die a rich person, youve failed? I think Andrew Carnegie gave away what in todays money would be about 11 billion dollars, which shows how rich he was because Ill bet he kept some of it too.



But I dont want to leave great sums to the next generation. I think inheritance is quite distasteful. My philosophy is: get rid of it or give it away before you go.

Will Smith and Denzel Washington tied on the third spot with $40 million paychecks while Leonardo DiCaprio was on the fifth spot with a $30 million salary. Jennifer Lawrence is currently the highest-paid female actor and ranks seventh overall in the world with a $25 million salary.

Source: Variety
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, horrific images and videos emerged online that shocked the world. However, the scariest video to surface from the aftermath was when two young Afghans who were desperate for freedom, fell off the plane while it was taking off from Kabul Airport. The video has been viewed millions of times across the world, but ex-army man Ajay Chettri witnessed it first-hand.

 YouTube/NBC News

Chhetri, a former Indian soldier, saw the entire incident happen right in front of his eyes. Chettri has now arrived in India safely from Afghanistan. He was evacuated in an Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft on 17th August and has now returned to Dehradun.



In an interview with Times of India, he said that he was still shocked at what he saw at Kabul airport. 60 year old Ajay Chettri lived in Afghanistan for more than a decade and was also scared to leave the city in such chaotic circumstances.

What I will never forget is how people were running side by side as the US cargo planes carrying hundreds of Afghans took off, Chhetri said.

 Twitter

One of the planes had left the ground but people were still clinging to its wheel. A little later, I saw two bodies drop down from the sky. It was horrific and I couldnt take it anymore, said Chettri.



The ex-Indian Army-man worked in Kabul as a security officer. After the Taliban captured the capital, hundreds of people rushed to the Airport. He was accompanied by his sister-in-law, Savita Shahi and decided to turn back from the Airport for a NATO shelter that was a few meters away. Shahi, who worked as an assistant to a US medical team in Kabul.

 YouTube/NBC News

Shahi detailed that arrangements had been made to leave for India however reaching Kabul Airport avoiding the Taliban was a challenge. A team of seven people left the camp at 3:30 AM in the morning and Chettri said they were praying that the Taliban would not stop them at a checkpoint. Chettri said that they were worried right up until the IAF plane reached Kabul at 6:00 AM.



Shahi and Chettri were evacuated from Kabul after they learned the IAF plane was scheduled to leave the city the next day with Indian diplomats and embassy staff. On our request, the embassy officials agreed to adjust five of us on the flight home. Two more Indians joined us later and they were also accommodated in the rescue flight, she said.

Source: Times of India
Taliban fighters have picked up 150 people and most of them are believed to be Indian citizens. The Taliban fighters captured the hostages outside the gates of Hamid Karzai International Airport according to NDTV.

The Indian Foreign Ministry is trying to confirm this development at the moment.

The reported abduction reportedly happened hours after an Indian Air Force C-130J transport plane managed to evacuate 85 Indians from Kabul. The plane has safely landed in Dushanbe in Tajikistan, according to NDTVs sources.

 Reuters

Sources have also added that Taliban officials approached them while they were on their way to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in minivans at around 1:00 AM. Sources also added that when they could not enter the airport due to lack of cooperation, the Taliban "took them all to Tarakhil, an eastern neighbourhood in the capital Kabul, after beating them physically.



Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesman has denied this report to a member of the Afghan media that reported on this story according to ANI. It is now being reported by Afghan media that they are being held for questioning at a nearby police station and are in no immediate danger. Back-channel talks are ongoing to secure the release of all Indian citizens, the reports added.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said earlier this week that the Government is very carefully monitoring the situation in Kabul and the rest of Afghanistan. However, the immediate focus is currently on evacuating all citizens.

 Reuters

India has evacuated all embassy staff but it is estimated that about 1,000 Indian citizens still remain in Afghanistan. The Indian government is trying to ascertain the location and condition of missing citizens but is proving to be a challenge, as not all of them are registered with the embassy, a Home Ministry official said.



Among the 1,000 citizens, 200 Sikhs and Hindus have taken refuge at a gurdwara in Kabul. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan last week Sunday after President Ashraf Ghani fled. The group entered Kabul with no opposition.

Source: NDTV
The alarm on your phone rings like a foghorn in your ears as you struggle to find it with eyes still closed. You eventually stumble across it beside your pillowcase because yet again, you fell asleep while mindlessly scrolling through your feed.

 iStock

You open your eyes, the first thing you see is how many notifications youve received. Followed by checking your feed on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and even Snapchat. The rest of the day is spent hopping from app to app until its nightfall again and the last thing you do before hitting the bed is fall in a loop of endless dog videos before you fall asleep.



That is exactly how addicted we are to the use of social media apps, so much so that most of the time we cant even take a dump without checking out at least 5 reels in the meantime. And while it may be thrilling and exhilarating (like any other form of addiction), it is harmful.

 iStock

Especially since its excessive use has started to impact us on a greater and deeper level than we ever anticipated. Apart from the physical health risks that overuse of social media puts us at - like impaired vision and constant headaches, it also has a negative impact on our mental health.



The more time we spend scrolling through the feeds of other, seemingly happier and successful people on social media, the more we are susceptible to feeling badly about ourselves and develop an inferiority complex.

 iStock

And so, to not fall prey to the superficiality of social media, it is important to distance yourself from it from time to time, just so you never start feeling dependent on it all the time. Here are a few ways to kickstart the process -



1) Set A Bedtime For Your Gadgets

 iStock

A common mistake were all committing that is pushing us further into the social media addiction is lingering on our phones or laptops until wee hours of the night. Thanks to the scrolling in bed, most of us have become insomniacs and the only way around it is to set a time after which youll be banned from touching your phone.



Every night, as soon as the clock strikes your designated time, put your gadgets away and practice self-control to not touch it until the next morning. Not to check your social media accounts at least.

2) Delete Your Social Media Apps

 iStock

Often not the kind to promote a cold-turkey way, but if and when you find yourself being controlled by the likes of an app and how it makes you feel, it is best to pull the plug on them and delete them for a while.



Temptation gives rise to sin and if you eliminate the root cause (even so, temporarily) you eliminate the problem itself. And later, when you feel in better control of yourself, you can always install them back.

3) Change Your Morning Routine

 iStock

Invest in an actual bed-side clock and set an alarm on that instead of your phone. Try to not touch or even look at your phone for the first 30 minutes of your morning.



The more we acclimatise ourselves to a routine where we dont need our phone screen but instead try to sip on our morning tea/coffee in peace and solitude, or go for a run, or even taking a nice refreshing bath, the more likely we are to starting our day with a lot more energy, without further feeling so drawn to social media.

4) Find A New Hobby

 iStock

It is said, the best way to get over your ex is by getting under someone new. While I may not be supportive of the statement in terms of the heart, I do feel it has some point, especially in the context of addictions.



When we are cutting back, everyone tends to get cold feet and often give into the temptation. But when we occupy ourselves with something new and exciting and time-consuming, it becomes easier to forget about other unimportant things.
$2.3M in EGLE brownfield funding to help redevelop contaminated sites in Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aug. 20, 2021

Jill A. Greenberg, EGLE spokesperson, GreenbergJ@Michigan.gov, 517-897-4965

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has awarded $2.3 million in brownfield grants and loans to four projects for redevelopment of contaminated properties in Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Overall, this summer EGLE will provide $15.6 million in brownfield funding to 21 projects statewide.

Plans include a transformational downtown redevelopment project in Manistee, a new mixed-use commercial and residential development in Sault St. Marie, a new energy service center in Elmira Township, and a five-unit townhome with private parking in Ludington.

More than half of EGLE's budget each year flows into Michigan communities through grants, loans and other spending that supports local projects, protects public health and the environment, ultimately creating economic growth and jobs for Michigan workers. When brownfields - vacant or abandoned properties with known or suspected contamination - are redeveloped, property values increase both on the revitalized site awards and on other nearby properties.

EGLE's Remediation and Redevelopment Division provides financial and technical assistance including grants, loans, tax increment financing, and free site assessments to facilitate the redevelopment of brownfield properties.

Manistee Gateway Project

The city of Manistee plans to use a $700,000 redevelopment grant and $800,000 brownfield redevelopment loan from EGLE to address environmental contamination on several properties located at US-31 and River Street. Redevelopment plans include a new boutique hotel, conference center, business incubator area, and public parking deck in downtown Manistee after addressing environmental contamination at the site this fall.

"The City of Manistee wants to thank EGLE for its continued partnership and support of the Gateway Project", said Edward Bradford, Interim City Manager. "This transformational redevelopment of the entry into historic Downtown Manistee is vitally important to the future economic well-being of the city. The EGLE grant and loan will help demolish obsolete structures and address significant environmental contamination, as well as being a critical first step in the $30 million mixed-use project."

Contamination on the site is believed to be a remnant of historic commercial operations, which included a dry cleaner, gasoline service station, and auto repair shop. The EGLE funding will pay for environmental investigations, removal of contaminated soil, and installation of barriers and ventilation systems in the new buildings to prevent exposure to subsurface contaminants remaining on the properties.

The new development is expected to create more than 100 jobs and will increase the city's tax base.

(EGLE site contact: Sara Mae Andrews, EGLE Brownfield Coordinator, AndrewsS8@Michigan.gov, 231-878-5761)

Sault Ste. Marie mixed-use redevelopment

This summer, the city of Sault Ste. Marie and McClellan Realty, LLC, will renovate a historic and deteriorating structure into a new mixed-use commercial and residential development. The Sault Ste. Marie Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will use an $850,000 brownfield redevelopment grant from EGLE to pay for remediation activities.

The MAC Building, located in the downtown district at 411 W. Portage Avenue, has been vacant for more than 30 years and is located directly across the street from the Soo Locks and St. Marys River. Originally constructed in the early 1900s, the former Soo Lock laundry building served the maritime industry of Sault Ste. Marie for more than 50 years until operations ceased in the 1970s. The property's historic use as a dry cleaner is the likely source of contamination.

"We are very thankful to EGLE for this grant that supports our community," said Jeff Holt, executive director of the Sault Economic Development Corporation. "The McClellan family has a long history in our community, and we fully support this renovation."

The EGLE grant will pay for environmental assessment, disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater, installation of a barrier and ventilation system to prevent subsurface vapors from entering the structure, and the removal of a suspected underground storage tank on site.

The building owner and developer, McClellan Realty LLC, will repurpose the 13,000-square-foot structure to accommodate four ground level commercial spaces and 10 second-floor residential units. It is anticipated that the nearly $3.5 million development will result in the creation of five-to-10 full-time jobs and a nearly $1.2 million increase in the property's taxable value.

(Abbie Hanson, EGLE Brownfield Coordinator, HansonA2@Michigan.gov, 906-202-1285)

Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative

The Otsego County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA) will partner with the Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative to make a contaminated property in Elmira Township safe for reuse as a new energy service center. A $74,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant from EGLE will pay for proper disposal of contaminated soil and demolition of a concrete storage pit.

"The Otsego County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority is proud to partner with EGLE in successfully obtaining grant funding to support Wolverine Power Cooperative in its demolition and clean-up efforts in Elmira", said Lisa McComb, director of the OCBRA. "This project will facilitate development of a new $4 million distribution center."

The new service center complements Wolverine's $200 million Alpine Power Plant in Elmira. Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative is currently upgrading and replacing portions of the 40- to 70-year-old transmission system in northern Michigan. The planned service center in Elmira is strategically located for Wolverine's 1,600 miles of power lines. Each mile of utility infrastructure costs about $1 million to replace, so Wolverine's investment in northern Michigan is substantial.

(EGLE site contact: Julie Lowe, EGLE Brownfield Coordinator, LoweJ2@Michigan.gov, 989-619-0617)

South James Street in Ludington

The city of Ludington received a $54,000 grant in 2018 to complete environmental assessment and pre-demolition surveys at a property located on South James Street in downtown Ludington. In 2020, the grant was amended to add an additional $645,000 to help facilitate the redevelopment of this property. The proposed development will consist of a five-unit townhome with private parking.

The property was first developed in the late 1800s and operated for various commercial purposes, including a community hall, blacksmith shop, auto repair, and other retail. It was later renovated to function as a gasoline filling station with automotive repair, which operated from 1950 into the mid-2000s. The building has been vacant for several years and suffered significant decline and deterioration, ultimately becoming blighted and functionally obsolete.

The site is believed to be contaminated as a result of the historic uses of the property. An environmental assessment confirmed the presence of volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals in both the soil and groundwater.

The grant will pay for additional assessment and investigation, excavation, transport and disposal of contaminated soil, and installation and commissioning of a vapor mitigation system, if needed.

The current state equalized value of the property is $72,500 and is expected to increase to $1.3 million following redevelopment. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2022.

(EGLE site contact: Sara Mae Andrews, EGLE Brownfield Coordinator, AndrewsS8@Michigan.gov, 231-878-5761)

# # #
AG Nessel Joins Local Kalamazoo Expungement Efforts

AG Nessel Joins Local Kalamazoo Expungement Efforts

Lynsey Mukomel agpress@michigan.gov Attorney General

August 20, 2021

LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today joined organizers - including the City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Defender, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Michigan Works! Southwest, Kalamazoo Prosecutor Jeff Getting, local courts and others - to provide residents with resources to expunge their criminal records.

The event was held at Bronson Park from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to help individuals navigate the state expungement process. More than 100 residents who were screened and registered in advance met with volunteer attorneys from local organizations to pursue expungement of their criminal records.

"I'm thrilled to be here today to support the efforts of local community organizations to assist residents in pursuing expungement of their records," Nessel said. "My department has seen a significant increase in the number of applications submitted for expungement under the law. I believe our role in reviewing and processing expungement applications is so important because clearing a criminal record can make a real, measurable difference in the life of an individual."

Michigan's new expungement law - known as the Clean Slate law - took effect on April 11, 2021. The law created a specific process to expunge certain offenses that are no longer crimes in the wake of the passage of Proposal 1 in November 2018 that legalized the possession and use of recreational marijuana for adults in Michigan. Qualifying misdemeanor marijuana convictions may be expunged by individuals who complete a required application process.

The new expungement law also expands the number of other misdemeanor and felony convictions a person may expunge. An individual convicted of up to three felonies, except life offenses and other serious felonies, and an unlimited number of certain misdemeanors can, with some exceptions, file an application with the convicting court to expunge all his or her convictions. Individuals with more than three felony convictions on their criminal record are not eligible to seek expungements under the new law.

Information regarding Michigan's Clean Slate law and the expungement process is available via the Department of Attorney General website.

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Governor Whitmer on Historic Increase of SNAP Dollars to Feed More Families, Kids

Governor Whitmer on Historic Increase of SNAP Dollars to Feed More Families, Kids

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2021

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer on Historic Increase of SNAP Dollars to Feed More Families, Kids

Governor celebrates permanent boost of food benefits that will help Michigan families put food on the table

LANSING, Mich.-Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement applauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to modernize the Thrifty Food Plan.

"Today, the Biden Administration is taking a significant step towards ending hunger across the United States. Increasing food assistance will help cash and time-strapped families stay healthy and feed their kids. I proudly advocated for this long overdue increase in food benefits and I am grateful for the efforts of the President, USDA, and especially Congressional leaders like Senator Stabenow whose longtime advocacy was instrumental in getting this done. The additional $539 million in yearly SNAP benefits coming to Michigan will uplift hundreds of thousands of families, communities, and small businesses as we continue our economic jumpstart."

According to USDA, almost 90% of current recipients report running out of benefits by the end of the month. Starting October 1st, average monthly benefits under the SNAP program for 42 million Americans will increase by 27%, up to $157 per person, a move that will fight hunger and improve health.

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Governor Whitmer Announces MI Safe Communities Investment to Reduce Crime, Support Local Law Enforcement

Governor Whitmer Announces MI Safe Communities Investment to Reduce Crime, Support Local Law Enforcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 16, 2021

Contact: Press@Michigan.gov

Governor Whitmer Announces MI Safe Communities Investment to Reduce Crime, Support Local Law Enforcement

The $75 million proposal will invest in local police, get illegal guns off the street, and fund expanded opportunities in jobs, education, and the justice system.

LANSING, Mich. - Today, Governor Whitmer put forward the MI Safe Communities framework to reduce violent crime while increasing public safety across Michigan. This proposal, which will utilize American Rescue Plan dollars to put Michigan's public safety first, works to ensure that every Michigander, no matter where they live or who they are, can live freely and safely.

"Every Michigander, no matter where they live or who they are, deserves to live safely. As a former prosecutor, I am committed to protecting public safety and reducing crime so we can build strong, vibrant communities together," said Governor Whitmer. "We must put Michiganders first by investing in law enforcement officers, getting illegal guns off our streets, and pursuing investments in jobs, justice, and education. I will work with anyone to bring down crime and help Michiganders feel safe in their community. Together, we can build a safer, more just Michigan where every family can thrive, where every kid can get a great education, and where every person has a path to a good-paying, high-skill job.

Throughout the past month, Governor Whitmer and her administration met with police officers, community leaders, faith leaders, and families to gather as many perspectives as possible to ensure that these policies would be reflective and inclusive of views from around Michigan. Governor Whitmer remains committed to working with law enforcement officers, police organizations, and unions to help them better serve communities across Michigan.

"Today's announced public safety proposal is a comprehensive plan that addresses many facets of this important issue," said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. "Every person in Michigan, no matter where they live or who they are, deserves to live freely and safely in a way that enables them to be their best selves. Yet we recognize that is not and has not been true for too many communities across Michigan today, particularly for many Black Michiganders and other communities of color. We have seen that when law enforcement professionals live in the communities they serve, building and sustaining positive police-community relationships is much more possible and productive. This plan allows for police officers to receive more support and training, helping them to serve residents better. I am encouraged to see this progress and a plan that recognizes and works to improve on the hardships communities of color across our state face. We look forward to continuing to invest in all of the mechanisms available to us to create communities where every person feels safe, with their needs met, knowing that the state of Michigan is invested in their future."

Governor Whitmer's public safety proposal includes investing more money into Michigan's police departments to strengthen training policies and programs and foster collaboration between the Michigan State Police and local departments on specialty services. Since taking office, the governor has signed budget bills delivering $1.4 billion to local governments to help them fund local police, fire departments, and emergency medical services. She has also delivered $40 million in COVID hazard pay for local officers and first-responders and over $10 million premium pay for MSP troopers. These dollars help ensure police are better equipped to fight crime today and have the resources to fight crime tomorrow.

The second aspect of Governor Whitmer's proposal focuses on getting illegal guns off the streets. Governor Whitmer also proposes increasing the number of visiting judges to tackle the backlog which has piled up during the pandemic, to ensure folks get the due process faster and ensure justice in their community.

Governor Whitmer's proposal includes holistic investments to expand opportunity through our education, jobs, and justice system. Through a partnership with the Biden Administration, Detroit is one of fifteen jurisdictions nationally boosting investment in Collaborative Community Violence Intervention Programs, which help prevent retaliatory violence. Investment in hospital-based violence intervention programs helps to provide counseling, peer support, mediation, and social services to hospital patients recovering from violent injuries and prevent further violence and injuries.

Recently, Governor Whitmer and legislature worked together to put Michigan students first and enact the most significant education investment in state history, including a historic investment for schools to hire more nurses, counselors, and social workers. Early investments in mental and social health help reduce crime in the long run.

Quotes from public officials:

"I am ecstatic that Governor Whitmer is taking such a deep dive into Michigan's massive public safety issues. I am confident that these discussion are going to be fruitful, continuous, and solution oriented. While funding police officers is important, I must emphasize that properly funding prosecutors, focusing on mental health solutions for defendants and the victims of crime, and focusing on global and holistic results will ultimately be what drives down crime," said Kym Worthy, Wayne County Prosecutor. "The old ways of doing things no longer work especially since family violence, gun violence, and criminal driving offenses are totally out of control."

"I want to commend Governor Whitmer's commitment and leadership to addressing the rise in violent crimes and our gun violence crisis. By taking this crucial step, we can ensure our communities and law enforcement officers in Detroit, and across the state, have the resources they need to combat crime," said Representative Brenda Lawrence. "I'm especially proud that dollars from the American Rescue Plan, which I voted for back in March, will help fund these lifesaving public safety initiatives. I'll continue to use my voice as the Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee to bring crucial federal resources back to the 14th District and our state."

"Detroit and cities across the state are working every day to address violent crime and we appreciate the Governor's leadership and partnership. Her plan to provide additional funding in these critical areas will be a great boost to our efforts to make our communities safer," said Mayor Mike Duggan.

"The Public Safety Act Plan allows us to act now to end the surge in violence in our cities. Ensuring our police officers have the resources and training they need to keep our communities safe while securing public trust is one of our top priorities. This plan does just that," said former Wayne County Sheriff deputy and State Representative Tyrone Carter.

"Governor Whitmer's attention to the alarming rise in violent crime we see across the country and in Michigan is so important and matters to combatting this issue that impact all our communities," said Rep. Debbie Dingell. "I applaud Governor Whitmer for announcing this strong plan today to reduce crime and increase public safety across the state. With federal dollars Congressional Democrats passed in the American Rescue Plan, we are able to take strong actions to ensure law enforcement agencies are equipped the tools they need, get illegal firearms off the street, and invest in education and jobs, as well as mental health and social services resources. Together, these actions will help law enforcement fight crime and make our communities safer."

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MANISTEE  The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has awarded $2.3 million in brownfield grants and loans to four projects, including one in Manistee.

The projects in northern Michigan and the Upper peninsula are for redevelopment of contaminated properties, according to an EGLE press release.

Plans include a transformational downtown redevelopment project in Manistee, a new mixed-use commercial and residential development in Sault St. Marie, a new energy service center in Elmira Township, and a five-unit townhome with private parking in Ludington, the release stated.

More than half of EGLEs budget each year flows into Michigan communities through grants, loans and other spending that supports local projects, protects public health and the environment, ultimately creating economic growth and jobs for Michigan workers. When brownfields  vacant or abandoned properties with known or suspected contamination  are redeveloped, property values increase both on the revitalized site awards and on other nearby properties.

EGLEs Remediation and Redevelopment Division provides financial and technical assistance including grants, loans, tax increment financing, and free site assessments to facilitate the redevelopment of brownfield properties.

This summer EGLE is expected to provide about $15.6 million in brownfield funding to 21 projects statewide.

Manistee Gateway Project

The city of Manistee plans to use a $700,000 redevelopment grant and $800,000 brownfield redevelopment loan from EGLE to address environmental contamination on several properties located at U.S. 31 and River Street. Redevelopment plans include a new boutique hotel, conference center, business incubator area and public parking deck in downtown Manistee after addressing environmental contamination at the site this fall.

The City of Manistee wants to thank EGLE for its continued partnership and support of the Gateway Project, said Edward Bradford, interim city manager, in a news release. This transformational redevelopment of the entry into historic Downtown Manistee is vitally important to the future economic well-being of the city. The EGLE grant and loan will help demolish obsolete structures and address significant environmental contamination, as well as being a critical first step in the $30 million mixed-use project.

Contamination on the site is believed to be a remnant of historic commercial operations, which included a dry cleaner, gasoline service station and auto repair shop. The EGLE funding will pay for environmental investigations, removal of contaminated soil, and installation of barriers and ventilation systems in the new buildings to prevent exposure to subsurface contaminants remaining on the properties.

The new development is expected to create more than 100 jobs and will increase the citys tax base, according to EGLE.

South James Street in Ludington

The city of Ludington received a $54,000 grant in 2018 to complete environmental assessment and pre-demolition surveys at a property located on South James Street in downtown Ludington. In 2020, the grant was amended to add an additional $645,000 to help facilitate the redevelopment of this property. The proposed development will consist of a five-unit townhome with private parking.

The property was first developed in the late 1800s and operated for various commercial purposes, including a community hall, blacksmith shop, auto repair and other retail. It was later renovated to function as a gasoline filling station with automotive repair, which operated from 1950 into the mid-2000s. The building has been vacant for several years and suffered significant decline and deterioration, ultimately becoming blighted and functionally obsolete.

The site is believed to be contaminated as a result of the historic uses of the property. An environmental assessment confirmed the presence of volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals in both the soil and groundwater.

The grant will pay for additional assessment and investigation, excavation, transport and disposal of contaminated soil, and installation and commissioning of a vapor mitigation system, if needed.

The current state equalized value of the property is $72,500 and is expected to increase to $1.3 million following redevelopment. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2022.

Sault Ste. Marie mixed-use redevelopment

This summer, the city of Sault Ste. Marie and McClellan Realty, LLC, will renovate a historic and deteriorating structure into a new mixed-use commercial and residential development. The Sault Ste. Marie Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will use an $850,000 brownfield redevelopment grant from EGLE to pay for remediation activities.

The MAC Building, located in the downtown district at 411 W. Portage Ave., has been vacant for more than 30 years and is located directly across the street from the Soo Locks and St. Marys River. Originally constructed in the early 1900s, the former Soo Lock laundry building served the maritime industry of Sault Ste. Marie for more than 50 years until operations ceased in the 1970s. The propertys historic use as a dry cleaner is the likely source of contamination.

The EGLE grant will pay for environmental assessment, disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater, installation of a barrier and ventilation system to prevent subsurface vapors from entering the structure, and the removal of a suspected underground storage tank on site.

The building owner and developer, McClellan Realty LLC, will repurpose the 13,000-square-foot structure to accommodate four ground level commercial spaces and 10 second-floor residential units. It is anticipated that the nearly $3.5 million development will result in the creation of five-to-10 full-time jobs and a nearly $1.2 million increase in the propertys taxable value.

Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative

The Otsego County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will partner with the Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative to make a contaminated property in Elmira Township safe for reuse as a new energy service center. A $74,000 Brownfield Redevelopment Grant from EGLE will pay for proper disposal of contaminated soil and demolition of a concrete storage pit.

The new service center complements Wolverines $200 million Alpine Power Plant in Elmira. Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative is currently upgrading and replacing portions of the 40- to 70-year-old transmission system in northern Michigan. The planned service center in Elmira is strategically located for Wolverines 1,600 miles of power lines. Each mile of utility infrastructure costs about $1 million to replace, so Wolverines investment in northern Michigan is substantial.

Related:

How Manistee's industrial past may lead to Gateway project's brownfield money

What's holding up the Gateway project?

Here's where the Manistee Gateway project stands during 'quiet phase'
BERLIN (AP)  Chancellor Angela Merkel's would-be successor pledged Saturday to fight with everything that I can for victory in Germanys Sept. 26 election, as the long-time leaders center-right bloc kicked off its official campaign amid a worrying sag in its poll ratings.

Merkel joined Armin Laschet, a state governor and leader of her Christian Democratic Union party, to appeal to voters to extend the party's long run in the chancellery. Laschet is running to succeed Merkel after her 16 years in office.

They both spoke at a rally in Berlin, with only a small crowd because of coronavirus restrictions, as recent polls have shown support for the Union bloc slipping as low as 23%  leaving it only a few points ahead of the center-left Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens.

The polls also have shown dismal personal popularity ratings for Laschet, even as Social Democratic rival Olaf Scholz  the vice chancellor in Merkels coalition government  has gained ground.

Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldnt seek a fifth term as chancellor. The Union took 32.9% of the vote in the last election, in 2017. In its best result under Merkel, the bloc won 41.5% in 2013.

Laschet assailed left-wing rivals, arguing that they plan tax increases that would risk strangling the economy even as it recovers from the pandemic and questioning how reliable they are on foreign policy matters. He stressed the Union's law-and-order credentials and insisted that offering economic incentives rather than banning things is the best way to combat climate change without damaging industry.

We will fight  I will fight with everything that I can  so that this country is not taken over by ideologues, so that we have the opportunity to implement our ideas for this modern Germany," Laschet said. That is what we are fighting for. We will give everything we can, we will make the differences with the others clear. Who governs is fundamental. We want to govern."

Laschet is a centrist figure in Merkels mold but doesnt appear so far to have inspired voters or to have impressed people with his management of the severe floods that hit his state, North Rhine-Westphalia  Germany's most populous  last month.

While Laschet has declined comment on the recent poll ratings, his rival for the nomination to succeed Merkel as chancellor has shown signs of impatience with the Union's campaign. Laschet emerged victorious from a battle in April with Markus Soeder, the head of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union.

In a speech at Saturday's rally, Soeder stressed that a center-right win next month wasn't assured. He said the Union faces its most difficult campaign since 1998, when then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl  Merkel's one-time mentor  lost power and the trend at the moment isn't heading steeply upward.

Let's be honest for a moment: it's tight, and it will be very tight in the coming weeks, Soeder said. Everyone must understand today that everything is really at stake. This is not the question we philosophized about for months  with whom we might prefer to govern. It is not the question of how we govern, but possibly whether.

It is time finally to fight, said Soeder, the governor of Bavaria. I have no interest in opposition.

Soeder also told Laschet, You can rely on my support. Laschet recently faced speculation that he could relinquish the nomination to Soeder, an idea he has rejected.

Merkel, who noted that she has deliberately stayed out of campaigning since she gave up her party's leadership nearly three years ago, stepped up to offer Laschet a personal reference.

Laschet is a person and politician for whom the C in our party's name is not just any letter, but the compass for everything he did and does," she said. It was and is always important to him to put the individual...in focus on the basis of our Christian credo, to build bridges between people.

In the 35 days that remain, it is worth fighting every hour for the CDU and CSU to be strong in the German parliament, for us to...lead Germany into a good future, and of course, with Armin Laschet as our future chancellor, Merkel said.
People evacuated popular beach communities and made last-minute runs on batteries and gasoline as Hurricane Henri churned closer to Long Island and southern New England, while officials pleaded with the millions of people in the storms path to brace themselves for torrential rain and storm surges.

Hurricane Henri was on course to collide Sunday in the late morning or afternoon with a long stretch of coastline, as hurricane warnings extended from near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New Yorks Hamptons, to the summer getaway of Fire Island.

Intense winds and potentially dangerous tidal surges were expected as far east as Cape Cod and as far west as the New Jersey shore, and utilities warned ensuing power outages could last a week or even more. Governors urged people to stay home during the brunt of the storm.

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected, placing eastern Long Island in its bull's-eye rather than New England. That gave people directly in the storm's path less time to prepare.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for some residents closest to the water in Madison, Connecticut. First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons wrote in a public notice, that any residents who do not leave the evacuation zone by 9 p.m. tonight are putting their lives at risk and public safety crews will not be able to respond to you once winds exceed 50 mph.

Residents and visitors on Fire Island, a narrow strip of sandy villages barely above sea level off Long Islands southern coast, were urged to evacuate. The last boats out will leave at 10:40 p.m. Saturday; after that, officials said, there may be no way out for people who decide to ride out the storm.

The evacuation threw a wrench into Kristen Paveses planned Fire Island bachelorette party. The group of 10 had intended to celebrate out on Saturday night, but ended up leaving on the ferry just a day after arriving. They had planned to stay until Monday.

Im upset about it, but its the weather. Its nothing I can control, said Pavese, a Long Island resident. Ive been going to Fire Island for a long time, so Im sort of familiar with this happening.

The group made alternate Saturday night plans at a Long Island winery, and Pavese said she was happy to still be with her friends.

Approaching severe weather Saturday night also halted a superstar-laden concert in Manhattans Central Park. The show headlined by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson was meant to celebrate New York Citys recovery from the coronavirus. But officials asked concert-goers to leave the park during Barry Manilow's set amid the threat of lightning. Mayor Bill de Blasio ultimately said the event had to be called off and urged attendees to go home.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded with New York residents to make last-minute preparations, warning that heavy rain, winds and storm surges from Henri could be as devastating as Superstorm Sandy in parts of the state. The governor, who will leave office in two days following a sexual harassment scandal, warned that heavy rains were expected to create problems far up into the Hudson River Valley.

We have short notice. Were talking about tomorrow, Cuomo said. So if you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground, it has to be today. Please.

Gov. Ned Lamont warned Connecticut residents they should prepare to shelter in place from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning as the state braces for the first possible direct hit from a hurricane in decades. In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee similarly urged state residents stay at home Sunday and into Monday morning.

We consider this a serious matter, McKee said at a news conference.

Officials said Logan International Airport in Boston was expected to remain open, but that some flights likely would be canceled. And service on some branches of New York City's commuter rail system will be suspended Sunday. Amtrak service Sunday between New York and Boston was cancelled.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker expressed relief Saturday that the latest models suggest Henri wont make a direct hit on the state.

But Baker and McKee at separate briefings warned that high winds and heavy rains still could lead to widespread and lengthy power outages.

The White House said President Joe Biden discussed preparations with northeastern governors and that New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who succeeds Cuomo on Tuesday, also participated.

Biden later began approving emergency declarations with Rhode Island.

New York hasnt had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished.

With a top wind speed of 75 mph (120 kph) Saturday, Henri sped up to move north at 21 mph (33 kph) as of Saturday night. It was about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southeast of Montauk Point on Long Island.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town was considering issuing a voluntary evacuation advisory for about 6,000 people. He said storm models showed that the storms center would run smack on the town of Southampton. He described a run on supplies like batteries and flashlights as people are starting to wake up.

Regardless of its exact landfall, broad impacts were expected across a large swath of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut, and Albany, New York, and eastward to Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists.

Storm surge between 3 and 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) is possible from Flushing, New York, to Chatham, Massachusetts, and for parts of the North Shore and South Shore of Long Island, the hurricane center said.

Rainfall between 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) is expected Sunday through Monday.

Officials in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York cautioned that people could lose power for days. Authorities advised people to secure their boats, fuel up their vehicles and stock up on canned goods.

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Islands east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding thats likely to turn streets like the mansion-lined Dune Road into lagoons.

We have a lot of wealthy people. Theres no doubt that we do, but everybody pulls together in an emergency, Schneiderman said. So, you know, yeah, there are people hanging out on their yachts at the moment drinking martinis, but theyre also starting to talk about this storm and Im sure theyre going to want to be helpful.

___

Hill reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writers Mallika Sen and Larry Neumeister in New York, Mike Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Mark Pratt in Waltham, Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court is temporarily halting a judge's order that would have forced the government to reinstate a Trump administration policy forcing thousands to wait in Mexico while seeking asylum in the U.S.

Justice Samuel Alito issued the temporary stay late Friday night. It will remain in effect until Tuesday night so the high court can consider filings in the case.

A federal judge in Texas had previously ordered that the program, informally known as Remain in Mexico, be reinstated Saturday. The Biden administration appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Appeal in New Orleans and asked for a delay in re-implementing the program, pending appeal, but that was denied Thursday.

Formally known as the Migration Protection Protocols, the policy required tens of thousands of migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to turn back to Mexico. It was meant to discourage asylum seekers but critics said it denied people the legal right to seek protection in the U.S. and forced them to wait in dangerous Mexican border cities.

The Texas judge, U.S. District Judge Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, ordered that the program be reinstated in response to a lawsuit filed by the states of Texas and Missouri, whose governors have been seeking to reinstate some of the hardline anti-immigration policies of the Trump administration.

The Biden administration argued in briefs that the president has clear authority to determine immigration policy and that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had discretion in deciding whether to return asylum seekers to Mexico.

In its brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, the administration argued that the policy had been dormant for more than a year and that abruptly reinstating it would prejudice the United States relations with vital regional partners, severely disrupt its operations at the southern border, and threaten to create a diplomatic and humanitarian crisis.

The Trump administration largely stopped using the Remain in Mexico policy at the start of the pandemic, at which point it began turning back virtually everyone crossing the Southwest border under a different protocol  a public health order that remains in effect. The Biden administration said the pre-pandemic policy had been largely dormant for months even before the outbreak of COVID-19.

President Joe Biden suspended the program on his first day of office and the Homeland Security Department ended it in June.

Texas and Missouri argued that the Biden administration had not gone through proper administrative procedures in ending the policy, a legal argument that was repeatedly successful in some of the legal challenges brought against Trump administration immigration policies.

Kacsmaryk was nominated to the federal bench by Trump. The 5th Circuit panel that ruled Thursday night included two Trump nominees, Andrew Oldham and Cory Wilson, along with Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the appeals court by President George W. Bush.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Greg Ryken showed up to his favorite lunch spot in San Francisco on Friday with an appetite and his vaccination record in hand.

A manager at Sam's Grill and Seafood restaurant verified he was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, put him on a list of customers who have met the city's new requirement for future reference, and walked him to his table.

Easy, Ryken said as San Francisco became the first major city in the U.S. to enforce the strictest vaccine mandate for entering restaurants, bars, gyms and large concerts.

Businesses posted signs and added extra staff to begin verifying people's vaccination and identity cards before allowing them in. Many gyms had already been checking their members' vaccination status before the health order went into effect.

We tested systems in place to see how we would do it, we were talking to our customers, getting our staff prepared, and we are so thrilled to have the full-throated support of the leadership of our city so we can confidently walk into this new landscape together, said Tracey Sylvester, owner of a Pilates studio in the Mission neighborhood.

Pete Sittnick, a managing partner of Waterbar and EPIC Steak restaurants on the city's waterfront, said he was worried about slow check-ins, resistance from guests against the requirement or people showing up without proper documentation. So far, he said, the lunch crowd came with vaccination cards in their hands, and the line to get through the door was short.

The good thing is, if somebody doesn't have their verification of vaccination they can still eat outside. There is an option and we just need to be ready for different scenarios, he said.

Mayor London Breed announced the requirement more than a week ago in an attempt to stem rising COVID-19 cases, saying she was worried the highly contagious delta variant could disrupt the citys economic rebound. She also hopes it will encourage vaccine holdouts to join the 79% of the population that have gotten their shots.

This is not a punishment, Breed said Friday. It's really about a chance to try and get us moving in the right direction and keeping people safe.

The mandate goes further than New York City, which requires people to be at least partially vaccinated for a variety of high-risk indoor activities, and New Orleans, which requires proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for indoor dining or drinking. All three cities make exceptions for people who don't qualify for the vaccine, including children under 12.

It follows a number of tough safety measures San Francisco imposed since the beginning of the pandemic. The city and its neighboring counties in the Bay Area were the first in the U.S. to issue a stay-at-home order, and was the first big city in the nation to require all city employees to be vaccinated, without the option of testing regularly.

This week, the city sent letters recommending a 10-day suspension without pay for 20 employees in police, fire and sheriff's departments who refused to report their vaccination status by the Aug. 12 deadline, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has also tighten the rules after announcing the reopening of Californias economy in June. He has required health care workers to get vaccinated to keep their jobs and all teachers and state workers to either get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

Local business groups have supported the new vaccine mandate, saying it will protect their employees' and customers' health and keep them from having to limit capacity indoors. Some businesses that had taken it upon themselves to check for proof of vaccination at the door said a citywide policy helps set clear expectations for all customers.

Jody McCord said the mandate forced her to cancel plans to meet relatives visiting from Wisconsin at her favorite dine-in spots because not everyone in her party is fully vaccinated. They had to take their reunion across San Francisco Bay to a restaurant in Sausalito.

It puts people between a rock and a hard place, McCord said.

Online ordering and reservation systems such as OpenTable are helping businesses by warning customers of the mandate ahead of time. The city's hospitality industry has launched a campaign called Relax, We're Vaxxed to get the word out to travelers.

City officials said a paper card issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a photo of the CDC card, or a digital vaccine credential will suffice. Proof of vaccination issued by foreign governments is also acceptable.

Pearce Cleaveland, co-owner of the Temple nightclub, said his security guards have been trained to check all forms of vaccination proof and they have caught some people with fake vaccination cards.

Weve had people who get upset at the door when theyre turned away, but in general theyre understanding, he said.

Workers have until Oct. 13 to prove they are fully vaccinated and Cleaveland said he expects to meet compliance by then.

After a sharp increase in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Bay Area over the summer, the numbers appear to be leveling off but remain high, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco.

He said reinstated restrictions have helped slow the spread.

There is no magic bullet, just a combination of a hard stick and soft stick, he said. The proof of vaccination mandate is a soft stick because you can still eat outdoors, but if you want to hang out with people indoors you better get vaccinated.
Shawn T. Moore / U.S. Department of Labor

DANBURY  A local bakery owner has been prohibited from retaliating against employees who are cooperating with a U.S. Department of Labor investigation after the agency said he threatened to fire them and notify immigration authorities.

In a statement released Friday, the U.S. Department of Labor began investigating the Padaminas NY Bakery II LLC, and its owner Pedro Coelho, for potential violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act in March.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden is facing a summer slump, with Americans taking a notably less positive view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his job approval rating ticking down.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 54% of Americans approve of Bidens job performance, down slightly from 59% last month. While that's still a relatively solid rating for a president during his first year in office, particularly given the nation's deep political polarization, it's a worrying sign for Biden as he faces the greatest domestic and foreign policy challenges of his presidency so far.

The biggest warning sign for the president in the survey centers on his handling of the pandemic. Last month, 66% of Americans approved of his stewardship of the public health crisis; now, that number has fallen to 54%, driven by a drop in support from Republicans and independents.

That decline in support coincides with other storm clouds gathering over Biden's presidency, most notably the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan as U.S. troops withdraw and the Taliban cement their control of the country.

The poll, conducted August 12-16, as news of the Talibans movement into Kabul was widely reported in the United States, shows Americans about evenly divided over Bidens handling of foreign policy (47% approve, 51% disapprove) and national security (52% approve, 46% disapprove).

Biden's domestic policy agenda also faces an uncertain future on Capitol Hill, with Democratic leaders trying to mend party divisions over a pair of infrastructure bills and few signs of progress on voting rights or police overhaul legislation.

Still, Biden's advisers believe his presidency is likely to rise or fall on his handling of the pandemic. As recently as early summer, the White House was all but declaring victory over the virus, backing the lifting of public health restrictions and encouraging vaccinated Americans to enjoy a return to normalcy this summer. Polling showed Biden winning plaudits for his approach to the pandemic not only from nearly all Democrats, but also a healthy share of Republicans.

Some of that support has eroded as a dangerous new strain of COVID-19 takes hold, worries about the virus grow and vaccination rates in the U.S. stall, leading more communities, businesses and schools to reinstate restrictions such as mask mandates that were lifted earlier this year when trends were heading in a more positive direction.

Biden has implored Americans to get vaccinated and has put in place vaccine requirements where he can, for federal workers and the military. But resistance to the vaccine has proven stubborn, largely in more conservative parts of the country that are now experiencing startling increases in COVID-19 cases.

I think a lot of that is out of his hands, said Judy Kunzman, 75, a Democrat from Middletown, Pennsylvania. If he gets too dictatorial, there will be a lot more blowback.

But Jeanette Ellis-Carter, 69, wants to see Biden push for more vaccine mandates across the nation. Despite being fully vaccinated, the Cincinnati resident recently contracted COVID-19 and worries that without vaccine requirements, more Americans will be at risk of getting sick.

When I was a child in school, we were mandated to get the polio shot, measles. What's any different about this?" she said.

Republican officials have led the opposition to the vaccine and mask measures that the Biden administration has put in place this summer. The August AP-NORC poll shows just 21% of Republicans approve of Biden on COVID-19, down from 32% last month and 43% in June. Among independents, 44% now support his handling of the pandemic, down from 72% last month.

Those shifts bring Biden's approval rating on the pandemic more in line with the public's views of his handling of other major issues, which largely split along partisan lines.

For example, the poll shows 49% approve of Bidens handling of the economy and 49% disapprove. That's down from 57% approval in April.

The White House is hoping that fall will bring final passage of a pair of sweeping bills that would pump money into the economy for infrastructure projects, as well as spending on health care, education and family services.

Biden cheered Senate passage of a hard-won, $1 trillion infrastructure bill that passed with bipartisan support. But that measure and a $3.5 trillion budget bill muscled through the Senate by Democrats face uncertain futures in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is trying to navigate between moderates who balk at the bigger bill's price tag and progressives who insist it's the price to be paid for their support of the bipartisan measure.

Another metric to watch for the White House: Americans have soured somewhat on the direction of the country, with 39% saying the nation is headed in the right direction, while 61% say its the wrong direction. Last month, 44% said the nation is headed the right way.

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The AP-NORC poll of 1,729 adults was conducted Aug. 12-16 using a sample drawn from NORCs probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
WATERBURY  Police announced Friday they have charged a Massachusetts man in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Trevor Figueroa earlier this summer.

Authorities are still searching for two other men in connection with the July 17 killing, and warn that both should be considered armed and dangerous.
The U.S. Naval Academy announced Friday that it has kicked out 18 Midshipmen following an investigation into allegations of cheating during a physics exam.

The Navy's service academy said that in December 2020, 653 Midshipmen took the final exam for General Physics I. The test was administered through the website myopenmath.com, and students were told that they were not to use outside sources or materials.

However, after the exam, the school said it became aware "of potential improper use of outside sources," including conversations on an anonymous chat platform.

"The superintendent immediately directed an investigation," the school said in a press release.

With the help of investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the school "reviewed website browsing history during the exam timeframe for all Midshipmen who took the exam."

All told, 105 Midshipmen were found to have likely "accessed unauthorized resources," breaking the school's honor code, prompting further investigation. After that review eighteen were separated; 82 were allowed to stay at the school but were sanctioned and put into a five-month honor remediation program. Four Midshipmen were cleared, and one is awaiting adjudication.

The school did not disclose why some were punished more seriously than others.

Despite the large number of Midshipmen who were caught up in the scandal, the school said that the students all acted alone and "without any coordinated effort."

"Inadequate proctoring" was the biggest issue in the eyes of investigators.

The Naval Academy said it will now strongly encourage instructors to go back to in-person, paper tests or to use monitoring software for future online exams. The school also will block websites that the faculty agrees have a "potential misuse as a vehicle for academic dishonesty."

The Navy is not the first service to run into issues with cheating at its academy. In December, 2020, more than 70 West Point cadets allegedly were caught cheating on a math exam. And this past January, the Air Force Academy said it was investigating 249 of its cadets for allegedly cheating.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Dismissals and Discipline at Air Force Academy After 249 Cadets Investigated for Cheating
WASHINGTON  U.S. military helicopters flew into Taliban-held Kabul on Friday to scoop up would-be evacuees, American officials confirmed to The Associated Press, as President Joe Biden pledged firmly to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan  and Afghans who aided the war effort, too.

But Biden's promises, and the limited U.S. helicopter sorties beyond the concrete barriers ringing the Kabul airport, came as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy.

We will get you home, Biden promised Americans who were still in Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, ending a two-decade war.

His comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport.

His commitment to find a way out for Afghan allies vulnerable to Taliban attacks amounted to a potentially vast expansion of Washington's promises, given the tens of thousands of Afghan translators and other helpers, and their close family members, seeking evacuation.

Were making the same commitment" to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies equally important in the evacuations.

Biden is facing continuing criticism as videos and news reports depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport.

I made the decision on the timing of the U.S. withdrawal, he said, his tone firm as he declared that it was going to lead to difficult scenes, no matter when. Former President Donald Trump had set it for May in negotiations with the Taliban, but Biden extended it.

Thousands of people remain to be evacuated ahead of Biden's Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops. Flights were stopped for several hours on Friday because of a backup at a transit point for the refugees, a U.S. airbase in Qatar, but they resumed in the afternoon, including to Bahrain.

A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment that's building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

Senior American military officials told The Associated Press that an American CH-47 Chinook helicopter picked up the Afghans, mostly women and children, and ferried them to Hamid Karzai International Airport on Friday. U.S. Armys 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division airlifted the Afghans from Camp Sullivan, near the Kabul airport.

The officials say sorties like this one have been underway for days from various points in Kabul as Afghans seek to flee the country taken over by the Taliban. Intelligence teams inside Kabul are helping guide both Americans and Afghans and their families to the airport or are arranging for them to be rescued by other means.

For those living in other cities and provinces outside Kabul, CIA case officers, special operation forces and agents from the Defense Intelligence Agency on the ground are gathering some U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals who worked for the U.S. at pre-determined pick-up sites.

The officials would not detail where these airlift sites were for security reasons. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations.

At a Pentagon briefing this afternoon, spokesman John Kirby was asked to confirm reports that US helicopters had flown beyond the airport, to multiple locations, to pick up people, both Afghans and Americans. Kirby responded: I cant confirm those reports. Not at this time.

In Washington, some veterans in Congress were calling on the Biden administration to extend a security perimeter beyond the Kabul airport so more Afghans could get through.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said a small number of U.S. troops did go outside the perimeter a short distance for a short amount of time to help bring in 169 people, but gave no details. Those were Americans, Biden said. The administration has said its not capable at current deployment levels in Kabul of bringing order to the chaos.

The lawmakers also said they want Biden to make clearer that the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops is not a firm one.

The deadline "is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever, said Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., who served in Iraq and also worked in Afghanistan to help aid workers provide humanitarian relief.

With mobs of people outside the airport and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. renewed its advisory to Americans and others that it could not guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside. The Taliban are regularly firing into the air to try to control the crowds, sending men, women and children running.

The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside. It said: "We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open.

While Biden has previously blamed Afghans for the U.S. failure to get out more allies ahead of this months sudden Taliban takeover, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that American diplomats had formally urged weeks ago that the administration ramp up evacuation efforts.

In July, more than 20 diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul registered their concerns that the evacuation of Afghans who had worked for America was not proceeding quickly enough.

In a cable sent through the State Departments dissent channel, a time-honored method for foreign service officers to register opposition to administration policies, the diplomats said the situation on the ground was dire, that the Taliban would likely seize control of the capital within months after the Aug. 31 pullout, and urged the Biden administration to immediately begin a concerted evacuation effort. That's according to officials familiar with the document who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the internal debate.

Biden said Friday he had gotten a wide variety of time estimates, though all were pessimistic about the Afghan government surviving.

He has said he was following the advice of Afghanistan's U.S.-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, in not earlier expanding U.S. efforts to fly out translators and other endangered Afghans. Ghani fled the country last weekend as the Taliban seized the capital.

Biden has also said that many at-risk Afghan allies had not wanted to leave the country. But refugee groups point to yearslong backlogs of applications from thousands of those Afghans for visas that would let them take refuge in the United States.

Afghans and the Americans trying to help them also say the administration has clung to visa requirements for would-be evacuees that involve more than a dozen steps, and can take years to complete. Those often have included requirements that the Taliban sweep has made dangerous or impossible  such as requiring Afghans to go to a third-country to apply for a U.S. visa, and produce paperwork showing their work with Americans.

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Associated Press reporters Josh Boak and Lolita C. Baldor contributed from Washington, James LaPorta from Boca Raton, Florida.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  Hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan, including many families with children, arrived at Ramstein Air Base from Qatar on Friday after a harrowing journey fleeing the Talibans takeover.

The first of three aircraft carrying the evacuees  two U.S. Air Force C-17s and a British commercial jet  flew over Kaiserslautern at around 7 p.m. on the approach to Ramsteins airfield.

Ramstein has the capacity to support up to 5,000 evacuees, and more are expected in the coming days, base officials said. The State Department will determine where the evacuees will go next, but most are expected to travel to the United States in the next few days once they are vetted and medically cleared, officials said.

Evacuees seem to be in good condition, said Brig. Gen. Josh Olson, the 86th Airlift Wing commander. They look exhausted. They look very tired and are traveling with very little, he said. But seeing the children and the families coming off with huge smiles, it warms your heart.

An Air Force imam, a Muslim chaplain assigned to Ramstein, was one of the first to greet evacuees, officials said.

He tells them they are on an Air Force base in Germany and that were going to take care of you, this is a safe place, said Lt. Col. Will Powell, an 86th Airlift Wing spokesman.

Airmen and volunteers from the Red Cross and the USO were on hand to deliver bottles of water to the evacuees as they stepped from a bus that picked them up on the flight line. Evacuees, most of whom were wearing face masks, received a medical screening due to coronavirus concerns, officials said.

The vetting process includes scanning their information against several databases to determine whether theyre friend or foe, Olson said. Keeping the base community secure as well as the evacuees safe is a top priority, he said.

Evacuees were to sleep on military cots set up in hangars and large tents erected on the flight line. Portable toilets and showers were also brought in.

More flights bringing evacuees were expected throughout the night and in the coming days, Olson said.

So far, most of the evacuees are Afghans, Olson said. The first flights to arrive Friday departed from Qatar but evacuees will be arriving from a myriad of places, Olson said.

The base also expects to receive American and German citizens who have evacuated Afghanistan, Olson said.

Right now were expecting about 5,000 but we will surge according to the needs (so) that we can help and support as many people as we can, he said.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Tens of thousands of people in Afghanistan waited nervously on Saturday to see whether the United States would deliver on President Joe Bidens new pledge to evacuate all Americans and all Afghans who aided the war effort. Meanwhile, the Taliban leader arrived in Kabul for talks with the group's leadership on forming a new government.

Time is running out ahead of Bidens Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops, and the president on Friday night did not commit to extending it. He faces growing criticism as videos depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport, and as vulnerable Afghans who fear the Taliban's retaliation send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

In a new security warning, the U.S. Embassy on Saturday told citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instructions from a U.S. government representative, citing potential security threats outside its gates. And yet crowds remained outside its concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Tens of thousands of translators and other Afghan wartime helpers, along with their close family members, are seeking evacuation after the Talibans shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan in a little over a weeks time. The fall of Kabul marked the final chapter of Americas longest war, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who negotiated the religious movements 2020 peace deal with the U.S., was in Kabul for meetings with the group's leadership, a Taliban official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media. Baradar's presence is significant because he has often held talks with former Afghan leaders such as ex-President Hamid Karzai.

Afghan officials familiar with talks held in the capital say the Taliban have said they will not make announcements on their government until the Aug. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal passes.

Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, tweeted that he and Karzai met Saturday with Talibans acting governor for Kabul, who assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of the city.

Evacuations continued, though some outgoing flights were far from full because of the airport chaos, Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges. A German flight on Friday night carried 172 evacuees, but two subsequent flights carried out just seven and eight people, respectively.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport. But on Saturday, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said the situation was getting worse, not better.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk, Paul Farthing told BBC radio. Youve all seen the scenes  it is not different today to any other time.

Farthing said he has been told by British authorities that a flight back to the U.K. has a seat for him, but not for the 25 staff from his animal welfare charity Nowzad and their families.

After a backlog at a transit facility in Qatar forced flights from the Kabul international airport to stop for several hours on Friday, the Gulf nation of Bahrain on Saturday announced it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, said it would host up to 5,000 Afghans prior to their departure to other countries.

On Friday, a defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment thats building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

Officials also confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. No one knows how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others. About 300 evacuees arrived Friday night from Qatar at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany, one transit point for people being taken to the U.S., the American military said.

We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, one Afghan man said upon arrival in Italy with 79 fellow citizens, speaking in a video distributed by that country's defense ministry.

But the growing question for many other Afghans is, where will they finally call home? Already, European leaders who fear a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis are signaling that fleeing Afghans who didnt help Western forces during the war should stay in neighboring countries instead. The desperate scenes of people clinging to aircraft taking off from Kabuls airport have only deepened Europes anxiety.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government, will offer full amnesty to those who worked for the U.S. and the Western-backed government and have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001. They also have said  without elaborating  that they will honor womens rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Talibans harsh rule in the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Today, some of my friends went to work at the court and the Taliban didn't let them into their offices. They showed their guns and said, Youre not eligible to work in this government if you worked in the past one,' one women's activist in Kabul told The Associated Press on Saturday. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

With a Turkish visa but no way to safely reach the airport, the activist described the gap between the Taliban's words and actions very alarming. She said she was holed up in the city with a colleague, eating food delivered by a friend.

The Taliban now operate in a very different Afghanistan, facing far closer scrutiny this time around as citizens are able to share developments on social media. Some fear retaliation, however, and are hurriedly wiping out their online presence.
HANOI, Vietnam (AP)  Vietnam's government said it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

The move comes as Vietnam, which weathered much the pandemic with very few cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 3,500 of those infections.

People must absolutely stay put, isolate from each other, from house to house, from community to community, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said during a meeting Friday with southern provinces hit by the outbreak.

The prime minister also called on migrant workers to stay in the city to avoid spreading the virus as the flee before further restrictions on movement come into effect.

Ho Chi Minh City has had strict coronavirus measures in place since June, including banning gatherings of more than two people in public and only allowing people to leave home for essential matters like buying food or going to work in certain permitted businesses. Under the new measures, people in high risk areas cannot leave home at all.

The city has set up over a dozen of temporary hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, but the high number of active cases means thousands of patients are not able to be hospitalized. According to the Health Ministry, some 19,000 patients with mild symptoms have been asked to stay at home using medical assistant from teams of mobile doctors in their communities.

In Hanoi, the capital, authorities on Friday extended the virus containment measures for another two weeks. People there are required to stay at home and are allowed to go shop for food three times a week using allocated coupons.

Vietnam managed to keep the infection rate relatively low up until April and until then had only recorded 35 deaths. Since August, it has reported average of more than 300 deaths daily.
Rockies shortstop Trevor Story is confused after not being traded before todays deadline, according to Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. I dont have really anything good to say about the situation and how it unfolded, Story says.

Story has been often mentioned as a logical trade candidate, given the fact that hes a pending free agent on a non-competitive club. Even here at MLBTR, Steve Adams placed Story 7th on a list of top trade candidates just a few days ago, noting that it was unlikely the club would hang onto him, though admitting there was a slight chance of the club hanging onto the slugger and making him a qualifying offer at years end. That appears to have been the thinking in the Colorado front office.

With what we were offered, we thought the (competitive balance) pick was better suited for us and we could have Trevor on our team for another two months, general manager Bill Schmidt said. The White Sox, Rays and Blue Jays apparently made offers that didnt match up to that draft pick, at least in the estimation of Schmidt and his team.

Perhaps the offer were somewhat dulled by Storys subpar season. His wRC+ of 84 is well below his marks over the past three years, which all ranged between 117 and 128. But given that his strikeout and walk rates are in line with previous years and his BABIP is way down, some teams surely could have believed that regression was due. Regardless, Story will remain a Rockie for two more months, with his seeming frustration with management not boding well for their chances at re-signing him in free agency.

Jon Gray, another impending free agent, also remains a member of the club after the deadline. Saunders notes that Gray wants to stay in Colorado and the club has begun preliminary talks about a new contract with him. It will be interesting to see if such talks are able to come to fruition. Gray is having an excellent season, with his current 3.67 ERA tied for a career-best, especially impressive in the thin Colorado air. Normally, it might be tough to get a player to sign an extension when hes so close to free agency and enjoying a solid platform year, although Gray has quite recently expressed interest in remaining in Colorado long term.

That desire comes despite the fact that the Rockies are at least 15 games behind each of the Giants, Dodgers and Padres. All three of those teams seem to have enough talent and resources to be well-positioned to continue playing at high levels into the future. With the already-struggling Rockies poised to lose a talent like Story, and perhaps Gray as well, its hard to envision them gaining so much ground on their competitors.
The Marlins are selecting Austin Pruitt back to the big league roster, relays Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Pruitt had been designated for assignment and passed through outright waivers earlier this month. Righty Nick Neidert was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville to clear an active roster spot, while the club transferred starter Cody Poteet from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list to open room on the 40-man roster.

Miami acquired Pruitt alongside Bryan de la Cruz in the trade that sent Yimi Garcia to the Astros just before the trade deadline. Pruitt made just one appearance for the Fish before being waived, but hes now back in the majors after a couple weeks in Jacksonville, where he made three scoreless relief appearances. If he sticks on the Marlins 40-man roster this time around, Pruitt can be controlled for the next few seasons via arbitration.

Pruitt worked as a swingman with the Rays between 2017-19, and Houston acquired him heading into the 2020 season as a potential option for the back of the rotation. Unfortunately, he missed all of 2020 and the first half of this season because of an elbow injury that eventually required surgery. His time as an Astro consisted of just 2 2/3 innings of relief, during which he allowed a pair of home runs. Houston designated him for assignment thereafter before including him in the Garcia deal.

Poteet has been out since June 28 due to a right knee sprain. Todays transfer only rules him out for sixty days from that date, so he could theoretically return by next week. The right-hander was recently shut down from his rehab assignment due to recurring inflammation in the joint, though, so its not clear when hell be healthy enough to make it back to the mound.
The Phillies announced theyve selected the contract of outfielder Jorge Bonifacio. Hes getting the start tonight in center field against the Padres. To open space on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia designated reliever Mauricio Llovera for assignment.

Bonifacio joined the organization on a minor league deal in May. Originally assigned to Double-A Reading, he posted a strong .251/.343/.538 line across 198 plate appearances, earning a bump up to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Bonifacio has been even more impressive at the minors top level, mashing at a .321/.432/.564 clip in 95 trips to the plate to earn his first big league call this year.

This marks the fifth consecutive year in which Bonifacio picks up some MLB playing time. A fairly well-regarded prospect during his days in the Royals system, the right-handed hitter broke into the majors in 2017 and spent that season as Kansas Citys primary right fielder. He hit a fine .255/.320/.432 over 113 games that year, but he was suspended for half the 2018 campaign after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Bonifacio picked up 270 plate appearances with the Royals down the stretch that season but failed to match his league average output from the year prior. After hitting just .225/.312/.360, he was mostly relegated to Triple-A in 2019. Bonfiacio only tallied 115 combined trips to the dish between Kansas City in 2019 and the Tigers last season.

Hes made it back to the majors and will apparently be an option for Philadelphia at all three spots on the grass. Tonights start in center will be just his second as a big leaguer, his first since his 2017 rookie season. Bonifacio has otherwise worked exclusively in the corner outfield.

Llovera was once one of the more promising young pitchers in the Philadelphia organization. At his prospect peak, he drew praise from evaluators for a mid-90s fastball and pair of solid off-speed pitches. Lloveras average fastball velocity has bounced back to 94.5 MPH this season after dipping last year, but hes had a difficult 2021 campaign from a results perspective.

Over six big league appearances, Llovera has been tagged for seven runs in 6 2/3 innings, allowing five homers in the process. Hes spent more time in Lehigh Valley, where he has a 4.60 mark across 29 1/3 frames. The 25-year-old has posted strikeout and walk rates marginally worse than league average (24% and 10.9%, respectively) with the IronPigs.

The Phils will place Llovera on waivers in the coming days. Hes still young and not far removed from being regarded as a potentially useful bullpen arm, so he could attract interest on the wire. Llovera still has one additional minor league option year remaining, so any claiming team could keep him in Triple-A through the end of 2022 if he sticks on the 40-man roster.
August 21, 2021

Afghanistan - The New 'Northern Alliance' Resistance Has Already Fallen Apart

Yesterday I explained why I assume that Britain is trying to incite a new 'Northern Alliance' insurgency against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

But as today evolved that project, just three days after it went public, is dead.

Yesterday the anti-Taliban Long War Journal claimed that the insurgents were already making progress:

The nascent resistance to the Taliban that has organized in Panjshir province has launched a counteroffensive against the Taliban and has taken control of four districts in two neighboring provinces. The Panjshir resistance force, which is flying the flag of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, took control of Dih Saleh, Andarab, and Puli Hisar districts in eastern Baghlan province, as well as Charikar in Parwan. The resistance is led by former Vice President and National Directorate of Security chief Amrullah Saleh [See FDDs Long War Journal report, After fall of Kabul, resistance to Taliban emerges in Panjshir]. Anti-Taliban fighters captured those [four] key districts and are threatening the Talibans control of the highway to the north, a source within the resistance told FDDs Long War Journal. They also claimed to take all of Andarab back.

The news from Afghanistan about that fight was murky and difficult to confirm. It seems that the insurgents shortly occupied one district center while there was inconclusive fighting around two others. About a dozen Taliban were said to be dead together with a number of insurgents. I would not trust any 'source within the resistance'. The Saleh/Massoud gang is already known for making implausible and exaggerated claims:

Just spoke with Ahmad Massoud in Panjshir. He says 000s of Afghan soldiers, special forces, and 47 pilots have taken refuge in the Panjshir valley since last week, bringing with them 000s of humvees, 4 helicopters. Calling for international support. Story soon @TheNationalNews

Still the LWJ authors were cautiously optimistic:

While the Panjshir resistances odds remain long, if it is able to open a lifeline to neighboring countries and receive international support, it stands a chance to not only divert and disrupt Taliban operations but create a groundswell of interest that could lead to a larger campaign with more sustainable momentum.

That a connection to a neighboring country would help the insurgents is, in my opinion, a misperception. Russia and China would come down hard on, for example Uzbekistan, if it would allow its border to be used to support the insurgency. Every neighbor country of Afghanistan now has an interest in a united Afghanistan at peace. That is why any insurgency against the Taliban will have no chance.

The Russian ambassador to Afghanistan agrees:

Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan praised the conduct of the Taliban on Friday in the days since its takeover, saying there was no alternative to the hardline Islamist group and resistance to it would fail.

...

Russia wants to ensure that the instability in Afghanistan does not spill over into Central Asia, part of the former Soviet Union it regards as its own backyard, and that the region does not become a launch pad for other extreme Islamist groups.

...

Speaking to Reuters from Kabul by Zoom, Zhirnov said the security situation in the capital was much better than it was before the Taliban took control of it and spoke optimistically about the future. "The mood in Kabul can be described as one of cautious hope," said Zhirnov. "There was a bad regime which disappeared and people are hopeful. They say it cant be worse so it should be better. But this is another test for the Taliban to pass. After they restore order, they should start improving the socio-economic situation," he said.

...

"We cant wave reality aside. They (the Taliban) are the de-facto authorities. There is no alternative to the Taliban in Afghanistan," said Zhirnov. The son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, one of the main leaders of Afghanistan's anti-Soviet resistance in the 1980s, has pledged to hold out against the Taliban from his stronghold in the Panjshir valley north of Kabul. Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has also said he is in Afghanistan and the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled. Zhirnov said Saleh's declaration violated the constitution and that Panjshir-based attempts to resist the Taliban were doomed. "They have no military prospects. There are not many people there. As far as we know they have 7,000 armed people. And they already have problems with fuel. They tried to fly a helicopter but they have no petrol and no supplies," he said.

The tribal elders in Panjshir valley agreed with the ambassador that further fighting would mean doom. A few hours ago Pajhwok News reported (machine translation):

Ahmad Shah Massoud's son gives Panjshir leaders a plan to resolve issues with Taliban KABUL (Pajhwok): Ahmad Masood, the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, has given a plan to the Panjsher elders to resolve issues with the Taliban, a source said on Sunday.

And therewith at least half of the the insurgency packed up and made peace.

Dr. Drexluddin Khan Spiveyzai Kayani (Drexy Baba) @RisboLensky - 10:58 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 Reports that Massoud Jr. agreed not to attack #Taliban forces in #Panjshir surrounding after Abdi-Karzai mediation (possibly Rabbani and other Massoud's gave a nod too). But I think that in province Jamiat is not the only group present

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Paktawal @Paktyaw4l - 11:12 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 There is disunity & verbal conflict between Amrullah Saleh factions & elders in Panjshir advising Massoud junior. #Panjshir

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 @QOMANDON - 12:14 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 Senior Taliban Commander Jalil Haqqani calls Ahmad Shah Massoud a martyr and hero, and announces that his son Ahmad Massoud gave bayah to the Taliban yesterday

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Will the Washington Post print another Ahmad Massoud op-ed in which he announces that?

Without the symbolic figure of Ahmad Shah Massoud's son as leader of a new 'Northern Alliance' the insurgency will have no chance to gain national or international support. He was the public relations front of the short campaign. But the elders of Panjshir valley told him to end the nonsense and so he did.

The intellectual fraudster Bernard Levy, who has jinxed any resistance he ever supported, will be quite disappointed.





While its over for Ahmad Massoud his pal Amrullah Saleh wants to continue.

Paktawal @Paktyaw4l - 13:36 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 Not fully confirmed, but #Panjshir surrenders, while Amrullah Salehs faction still preferring war & fighting.

Amrullah Saleh on his own has no chance at all. The CIA trained former head of the brutal Afghan intelligence agency is not known to have any genuine local base of support. The elders of Panjshir will not allow him to use their valley as his base. He'd better pack up his money and, like former president Ashraf Ghani, get his ass out of the country before someone takes personal revenge on him.

Apropos Ghani - this must hurt:

Sangar |   @paykhar - 1:58 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 Former president #Afghan Ashraf Ghani's brother, Hashmat Ghani met Khalilurahman Haqqani and pledged allegiance to the Taliban Amir Haibatullah Akhundzada. Now the former presidents own brother is officially part of the Taliban.

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And while I am at it here is one more on the 'bad, bad anti-women Taliban' campaign. Yes, there will be restrictions for women. But these are workable and not too different from those elsewhere.

Omid Sobhani @OmidSobhni - 10:38 UTC  Aug 21, 2021 #Taliban Statement on #Herat University, #Afghanistan

1. Female students can continue their studies in all-female classes, considering Islamic Hijab

2. All male & female staff of university can resume their works

3. Male students can come with their previous outfits (anything)

4. There will be a discussion on the curriculum of some subjects such as Law in the beginning of next semester.

5. An envoy of Emirate will be designated as director in each faculty. The rest of employees can continue their normal jobs.

Posted by b on August 21, 2021 at 15:54 UTC | Permalink

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MRT file photo

Nineteen of the 27 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the state of Texas reported drops in the average price of gas this week, according to AAA Texas. Neither Midland nor Odessa was among the 19.

Despite a drop in the price of oil, the average price of gasoline in Midland and Odessa remained the same compared to last week -- $3.01 in Odessa and $3.00 in Midland, according to the organization. The averages ranked as the second and third highest average in the state (behind only $3.07 in El Paso. The price in El Paso dropped 11 cents week over week.)
After two years in Houston as Her Majestys Consul General, Richard Hyde is taking the opportunity to see the Lone Star State.

His trip, which includes driving the length of the Texas-Mexico border and multiple cities, began in Midland and Odessa.

The aim is to drive all around Texas. I spend way too much time in the Triangle of Houston, Dallas and Austin/San Antonio, said Hyde as he sipped a latte at Brew Street while senior staff set up a pop-up consul featuring British food, drink and music at the University of Texas Permian Basin.

After leaving Midland and Odessa, he heads to El Paso, Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Van Horn then to Laredo, McAllen/Brownsville, Kingsville, where he will tour the King Ranch, Corpus Christi and end his trip with a brewery tour at Shiner.

These are important places we dont get to see, he continued.

Texas is three times the size of the United Kingdom, but the two share strong hydrocarbon-based economies, Hyde noted. The UK has embraced energy transition and the need to do more to address climate change, he said. The UK will be hosting the United Nations environmental conference COP26  the 26th annual Conference of the Parties  in Glasgow at the end of October.

What he found upon his arrival in West Texas, where the economy is so dependent on the energy industry, is that residents and local oil companies are also embracing energy transition and want to ensure theyre part of the solution, he said.

The frustration he has, and others share, is with talk about energy transition is some think its a zero-sum game of switching off fossil fuels one week and switching on renewables the next.

That is not the case, Hyde said. We dont want people in the Permian Basin to think their jobs are going to disappear. No ones talking about that. Were talking about doing what we need to do to protect the environment but at the same time oil and gas is going to be here for years to come.

Technology for renewables and zero-carbon energy is evolving rapidly, but its still a 20-to 30-year process, he added. That advancement is being driven not just by regulators and investors but consumers, Hyde noted.

People do think about what they buy now, what they wear, what they eat, what they drive, he observed. But they must understand that being carbon-free comes with a cost. And like some who are willing to pay more for organic foods, some consumers will be willing to pay more for low carbon or carbon-free energy and other will not, he said.

The UK and other European nations are taking aggressive steps to get to net-zero carbon, Hyde said. While the UK is working to disincentivize future oil and gas discoveries, he said the country is investing heavily in supporting the people in areas dependent on the oil and gas industry.

Were actually investing in supporting people in those places. Our version of the Permian Basin is Aberdeen and weve put a lot of money into equipping those people with skills that can be transferable, he said.

No one wants to go to school, incur student debt and not be reassured their jobs will be sustainable, he added.

Rather than denying energy transition is underway or hoping it wont happen, Hyde sees Permian Basin energy companies embracing the change, seeing business opportunities in the change.

The message I get from here is they came to the party late, its taken a bit longer, but they see business opportunities, he said.

Yes, he added, residents may be concerned about the impact of energy transition on their livelihoods, but he said West Texans have the ingenuity and technical skills to position themselves to embrace evolving energy technology and keep not only Texas but the Permian Basin the center of energy development.
Last fall the oil world woke to the surprising news that Midlands own Concho Resources was being acquired by ConocoPhillips.

That merger took place six months ago and all involved say the integration of the two companies is progressing successfully.

I spent my entire career building Lower 48 companies around four philosophies that I think matter most: great assets, high-performing teams, smart capital allocation and strong balance sheets. ConocoPhillips has the best of all four of these, and I believe it's only going to get better, Tim Leach, former Concho chairman and chief executive officer, who now serves as executive vice president at ConocoPhillips, told the Reporter-Telegram by email.

Post transaction synergies 30% reduction in drilling days driven by automation and technology

30% increase in efficiencies in frac stages, primarily due to twin-frac technology

10% improvement in production-per-foot

15% improvement in operating cost per BOE See More Collapse

The reason I bring this up is to say that my optimism since joining ConocoPhillips continues to increase. After only six months, I believe we've quickly established our Lower 48 business as an industry leader, he continued.

Jack Harper, former Concho president and now ConocoPhillips Permian president, told the Reporter-Telegram by email that looking to the future was the main motive for the two companies to merge.

This was a unique deal in that you had two strong companies that were both playing offense. Neither company was trying to fix something, but rather trying to create something that hadnt been created before. And thats a massive E&P company with scale and relevance that can face the challenges of our industry over the next several decades, he wrote.

Harper continued, When you have good acreage and good execution, you should expect good well results, and were fortunate to have leading well results in both the Delaware and the Midland Basins.

Agreed Leach, My excitement about the performance of the Lower 48 couldn't be higher. When you take the different levels of technology that we're applying to a broader set of really, really good assets, my expectation is that the efficiencies we're getting out of our business and the performance of our business would just continue.

According to ConocoPhillips update offered the end of June, expected synergies and cost savings are already exceeding expectations. The company said those synergies and cost savings are about $1 billion annually, double expectations since the deal was announced.

Under its updated 10-year plan, the company would produce 3.9 billion equivalent barrels with an average cost of supply of less than $30 per barrel and would drill approximately 6,800 wells with a fully burdened average cost in the low $30s for West Texas Intermediate.

While ConocoPhillips has a major presence in the core of all the major oil-rich basins in the Lower 48  Eagle Ford, Bakken and Permian  with an acreage position of more than 1.5 million net acres, the Permian is expected to generate $23 billion of the companys $70 billion in 10-year free cash flow.

The company offered an example of how the two companies adjusted to their new combination through implementation of a slim-hole drilling design. Through this implementation, rates of penetration have improved by 30 percent and drilling costs have been cut by $500,000. Right after the deal closed, permits on the acreage Concho brought to the deal were modified to include slim-hole design. On the very first well, spud-to-spud days were reduced 50 percent with a savings of more than $1 million over the Authorization for Expenditure.

The company is also beginning to fully leverage its Eagle Ford experience to expand its refrac program into the Permian, with plans to test refracs in the Midland and Delaware Basins later this year.

For the second quarter, ConocoPhillips reported production in its Lower 48 holdings averaged 794,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including 435,000 boed from the Permian, 227,000 boed from the Eagle Ford and 95,000 boed from the Bakken. ConocoPhillips has invested about $1.5 billion so far in the Lower 48 in the first half of the year and expects that investment rate to hold steady through the rest of the year.

Currently the company is running 15 rigs  11 in the Permian and four in the Eagle Ford and is running seven frac spreads, four in the Permian and three in the Eagle Ford. That activity level is expected to remain fairly consistent throughout the rest of the year.
The following events have been cancelled or changed because of the latest spike in COVID-19 in Midland and Odessa.

Cancelled

Summer Mummers - this weekends shows

Pink the Basin - its annual October luncheon.

Midland Countys upcoming jury trials

Permian Basin Petroleum Museum  August Family Science Night

Joint Mixer with the Midland and Odessa Chambers on Aug. 25

COM 2021 BIG Show fundraiser.

Changed

The Maverick Players Brothers, was set to open Friday at the VFW. It is now tentatively scheduled for Sept. 17.

The Midland Chambers Annual Meeting, scheduled for Sept. 14, will be fully virtual

WTX Women: Professional Womens Symposium scheduled for Sept. 1-2 was postponed. No date has been offered.

Maverick Players' performances of "Brothers" will be rescheduled. Dates will be determined.

Permian Basin Writers Workshop will be virtual this year instead of in person. The event will be Oct. 9-10 for the bargain of $99 to attend.

West Texas Radios Girls World Expo scheduled for Sept. 12 at the Horseshoe has been moved to Feb. 12 at the Horseshoe.

No longer on calendars

Joshua Trevino and Debbie Wuthnow - Texas Identity, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 23, Bush Convention Center.

Sean McConnell with Kyle Hutton, 8 p.m. Aug. 27, Bush Convention Center.

Ducks Unlimited Midland Chapter Annual Banquet, 6 p.m. Sept. 9, Bush Convention Center.

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To report more cancellations or changes, please send a message to sdoreen@hearstnp.com
LES CAYES, Haiti (AP)  Haitians left hungry and homeless by a devastating earthquake swarmed relief trucks and in some cases stole desperately needed goods Friday as leaders of the poor Caribbean nation struggled to coordinate aid and avoid a repeat of their chaotic response to a similar tragedy 11 years ago.

The attacks on relief shipments illustrate the rising frustration of those left homeless after the Aug. 14 magnitude 7.2 earthquake, which killed nearly 2,200 people, injured more than 12,000 and destroyed or damaged more than 100,000 homes.

I have been here since yesterday, not able to do anything, said 23-year-old Sophonie Numa, who waited outside an international aid distribution site in the small city of Camp-Perrin, located in the hard-hit southwestern Les Cayes region. I have other people waiting for me to come back with something.

Numa said her home was destroyed in the quake and that her sister broke her leg during the temblor.

The food would help me a lot with the kids and my sister, she said.

George Prosper was also in the large, anxious crowd awaiting aid.

I am a victim. I was removed from under the debris, the 80-year-old Prosper said. I don't feel well standing up right now. I can barely hold myself up.

In the small port city of Les Cayes, an AP photographer saw people stealing foam sleeping pads from a truck parked at a Red Cross compound, while others stole food that was slated for distribution, said Jean-Michel Saba, an official with the country's civil protection agency. Police managed to safely escort the food truck away, Saba said. He did not say how much was taken. People also stole tarps from a truck in a community outside Les Cayes.

Similar thefts appeared to take place in the small town of Vye Terre near Les Cayes, where a second AP photographer witnessed a group of men pulling large sacks from a half-opened container truck. People then grabbed the sacks and rushed off. One man who made away with a parcel of food was immediately surrounded by others who tried to grab it from him as people nearby screamed.

The frustration over the pace of aid has been rising for days and has been illustrated by the growing number of people crowding together at aid distribution sites. But Friday was the first time there was such widespread stealing.

Some of the trucks that were looted were part of the convoy of the United States-based nonprofit group Food For The Poor. The trucks were transporting cases of water, bags of rice and beans and cases of Vienna sausage.

Although this unfortunate situation took place, our drivers were able to remain safe and the trucks were not damaged spokeswoman Soraya Louis said in a statement. ... Our staff members in Haiti are working on assessing the damage and figuring out how to continue the task at hand in reaching even the furthest of the localities in need.

Complicating aid matters, officials began restricting access to the bridge connecting Les Cayes to the small, quake-impacted port city of Jeremie, meaning aid distribution had to be delivered there by boat or plane.

The quake wiped out many of the sources of food and income that the poor depend on for survival in Haiti, which is already struggling with the coronavirus, gang violence and the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Most of the devastation happened in Haiti's already impoverished southwestern region.

As of Wednesday, more than 300 people were estimated to still be missing, said Serge Chery, head of civil defense for the Southern Province, which includes the small port city of Les Cayes. In that community, a group of Mexican rescuers focused Friday night on a quake-damaged two-story home where equipment that allows them to detect sounds beneath the rubble caught noise.

Pressure for coordinated aid efforts mounted this week as more bodies were pulled from the rubble and the injured continued to arrive from remote areas in search of medical care.

International aid workers on the ground said hospitals in the areas worst hit by the quake are mostly incapacitated and that there is a desperate need for medical equipment.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Friday asked international governments and aid groups to funnel all of their donations through the country's civil protection agency, which will specify the needs of each town, each village and each remote area not yet attended.

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, on a two-day mission to Haiti, met with Henry on Thursday and also visited quake victims in the city of Les Cayes. She said Friday that she was particularly impressed by the work of Haiti's civil protection agency, and that the agency "must be empowered to lead a coordinated response.

Henry said earlier this week that his administration will work to not repeat history on the mismanagement and coordination of aid, a reference to the chaos that followed the countrys devastating 2010 earthquake, when the government was accused of not getting all of the money raised by donors to the people who needed it.

Mohammed said doing things differently this time will require investing in long-term development and supporting government leadership.

The Core Group, a coalition of key international diplomats from the United States and other nations that monitors Haiti, said in a statement Wednesday that its members are resolutely committed to working alongside national and local authorities to ensure that impacted people and areas receive adequate assistance as soon as possible.

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Associated Press writers Fernando Llano in Vye Terre, Haiti; Regina Garcia Cano in Mexico City; Edith Lederer at the United Nations; Alan Clendenning in Newbury, Vermont; and Lisa J. Adams Wagner in Evans, Georgia, contributed to this report.
ATLANTA (AP)  Stacey Abrams spent years telling donors that Democrats could win in Georgia if they would provide the money to build a statewide political operation. In 2020, Georgia finally delivered its 16 presidential electoral votes to a Democrat, Joe Biden, and sent two Democrats to the U.S. Senate.

Other Southern states are now trying to follow, and Georgia is eager to help.

The Georgia Democratic Party is combining forces with other state parties in the region for joint fundraising appeals, aiming to help those states make earlier-than-usual investments in voter registration and field organizing going into the 2022 midterms. Abrams' Fair Fight organization, which has raised more than $100 million since its inception after her 2018 loss in the Georgia governors race, is readying for another round of spending as well.

It's the latest example of Abrams' ripple effect on Democratic politics as she considers whether to run for Georgia governor again in 2022. Democrats pitch the investment in state parties  a relatively modest step, given the billions in political spending each cycle  as an important part of the larger effort to export Georgia's successes across Southern Sun Belt states that Republicans have dominated for decades.

Thats true from burgeoning battlegrounds such as Texas, where Democrats have reduced their deficits in recent statewide losses, to deeply Republican strongholds like Alabama, where swaths of Black voters and young, urban voters could at least dent Republican majorities in the Legislature.

If theres a way to partner with our friends in the South, then its a great opportunity for everybody, said Scott Hogan, executive director of the Georgia Democratic Party.

But party officials in the South agree that any future victories require a deliberate, long-term approach, and there's plenty of realism in a region where national Democrats once-ballyhooed 50-state strategy in the mid-2000s yielded few lasting shifts.

If Georgia had a 10-year rebuild, said the Alabama Democrats executive director, Wade Perry, then were in about year three.

Texas Democratic Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said the decade of work by Abrams and others in Georgia provides the blueprint.

Every state is different, Hinojosa said. Its not so much that Georgia is a step-by-step model, but they showed the impact that you can have with a significant campaign funded over a period of time.

Perrys and Hinojosas state parties recently sent joint fundraising pitches with Georgia Democrats, email solicitations to the parties' existing donor lists, splitting the proceeds. Separately, Georgia has joined several state parties -- in Arizona, North Carolina and Virginia -- in an ongoing joint fundraising agreement with multiple digital efforts partnering some or all of the states in the agreement.

For Texas and Alabama, specifically, its part of building party infrastructure early an election cycle. Both states, along with Georgia, are eying elections next year for governor, other statewide offices, the state legislature and the U.S. House. Georgia and Alabama also each has a U.S. Senate contest.

After a disappointing November, when President Donald Trump won Texas by more than 630,000 votes and Democrats failed to dent the GOPs legislative majorities, Hinojosas organization launched a $12.5 million voter registration campaign targeting rural Hispanics and young urban liberals.

We know $12 million wont cover the whole state, not even close, Hinojosa said. But drawing on one lesson from Georgia, he added: We have to have a targeted approach to do what we can execute in the time that we have.

Hinojosa said he has enough financial commitments to have begun hiring voter registration organizers.

Separately, the Texas party has created jobs for seven rural regional coordinators. Three of those are filled, Hinojosa said, bringing his total staff to about 30. Thats roughly where Texas was at the same point in 2019, a year before the presidential election, but well ahead of its 2017 pace, Hinojosa said.

Alabama has nine full-time staff members, Perry said, a high mark for an nonelection year. It comes after a decade of Democratic infighting that often left the state party unable to pay rent and utilities, much less hire field workers and organizers.

Party staff in every state are supported in part by monthly infusions of at least $12,500 from the national party. But the state leaders agreed that a sustainable, winning model requires state parties to cultivate their own donors and support voter outreach operations that are never completely dismantled after an election.

So much of our success over the past cycle is because of investment in specific areas of need, and the pace of that investment matters, Hogan said.

He noted that Georgia has had at least 25 employees through the early stages of this midterm cycle and will only grow. A year ahead of the 2018 governors race, the party had about a half-dozen workers in its Atlanta headquarters.

The fundraising teamwork is intended to help the state parties attract more long-term donors. The parties don't share their full donor databases with each other. Rather, each sends out the same fundraising pitch to its respective donor lists. Any donor who responds ends up on the lists of all participating parties going forward.

Hogan and his counterparts said it's not just Georgia bringing substantial donor lists to the table.

Texas was awash in small donors in 2018 when Democrat Beto ORourke made a serious challenge to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz but fell short. Alabama got its boost in 2017, when Democrat Doug Jones upset Republican Roy Moore in a Senate special election. Jones lost by a landslide in his bid for a full-term last November, but Perry said the state party is left with a list of past donors donors from all 50 states.

Beyond the organizing that early party hires do, theres an underappreciated benefit: leveraging what comes next.

High-profile candidates such as O'Rourke and Abrams, both of whom could run statewide again next year, draw considerably more money than state parties ever could. Likewise, Fair Fight's national fundraising footprint in 2022 will dwarf state parties.

But in each case, candidates for governor and outside groups such as Fair Fight can mean an injection of cash or other coordination with party staff. But only if the party has built an operation already.
The trial for a Meredosia man facing first-degree murder charges is expected to move forward in September after both sides were ordered Friday during a pre-trial status hearing to provide a list of evidence and potential witnesses.

Dustin A. Finlaw, 21, told the court he had a list of witnesses and evidence for which he would need subpoenas prior to a September jury trial.

States Attorney Gray Noll said both sides were ordered to furnish their lists to the court and each other by the end of Friday.

Noll said the state still is waiting on two pieces of evidence to be processed but could proceed without them, if necessary.

Some DNA evidence is being processed by the Illinois State Police crime lab, though Noll said he expects those results to be completed sometime next week.

The second piece of evidence is a cellphone extraction that is being completed by the FBI; there is no time frame for when that will be complete.

Finlaw is charged in the stabbing death of Robert L. Utter, 42, of Rushville, who was found dead May 24, 2018, in a car in Meredosia. Finlaw also is facing charges of aggravated assault on two police officers, resisting arrest and obstructing justice/destroying evidence.

During his previous hearing, Finlaw asked for a speedy trial, which would entitle him to have his case completed within 120 days.

The Illinois Supreme Court paused the speedy trial requirement because of the pandemic, though that pause is set to expire in October.

Noll said the pause has not impacted any Morgan County cases.

Every case, if the person is incarcerated, they are entitled to a speedy trial, whether they request it or not, Finlaw said. The state has 120 days to prosecute, unless the case is continued by request or with agreement by the defense. Currently, the state is on Day 15 of the speedy trial clock in this case.

If the defense is ready to proceed on Sept. 14, the clock will keep ticking and theyll have 105 days to conclude the case, barring any other continuations by the defense, Noll said.

The case has a pre-trial conference set for 9 a.m. Sept. 8 and is expected to go to a jury trial on Sept. 14.
Anxiety in the United States over COVID-19 is at its highest level since winter, a new poll shows, as the Delta variant rages, more states and school districts adopt mask and vaccination requirements and the nations hospitals once again fill to capacity.

The poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research also finds that majorities of American adults want vaccination mandates for those attending movies, sports, concerts and other crowded events; those traveling by airplane; and workers in hospitals, restaurants, stores and government offices.

The poll shows that 41% are extremely or very worried about themselves or their family becoming infected with the virus. That is up from 21% in June, and about the same as in January, during the countrys last major surge, when 43% were extremely or very worried.

I wouldnt have said this a couple of years ago, but Im not as confident as I was in Americas ability to take care of itself, said David Bowers, a 42-year-old business analyst.

Bowers and his wife, a public school teacher, got vaccinated early. But they fret once again about their daughters, ages 7 and 9, attending school in a state whose Republican governor, Doug Ducey, signed a law to block school districts from mandating masks, let alone vaccines.

A brief summer respite from COVID-19 fatigue included a family trip to New York.

COVID was pretty much out of mind, Bowers said. Now it feels like were going backward.

Close to 6 in 10 Americans say they favor requiring people to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel on an airplane or attend crowded public events. Only about a quarter of Americans oppose such measures.

Roughly 6 in 10 also support vaccine mandates for hospital or other health care workers, along with government employees, members of the military and workers who interact with the public, such as in restaurants and stores. Support is slightly lower for requiring vaccinations to go out to a bar or restaurant, though more are in favor than opposed, 51% to 28%.

Nearly 200 million people, or just over 60% of the U.S. population, had received at least one vaccine dose as of Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just over half of the population was fully vaccinated.

The poll suggests that despite increasing cases and greater concern about the virus, Americans have not stepped up their own precautionary behavior since June, though at least half still say they always or often wear a mask around other people, stay away from large groups and avoid nonessential travel.

Confidence in vaccines to withstand virus variants has not waned, either, as U.S. health officials this week announced plans to dispense booster shots to all Americans to shore up their protection. The doses could begin next month.
The COVID-19 Delta variant is making its way across Morgan County and the state, leaving medical professionals uneasy as intensive care units reach capacity and patients display more severe symptoms than they did a year ago.

We saw a big uptick in positivity starting in August, Passavant Area Hospital CEO Scott Boston said. Hospitalizations usually lag behind about a week or so, 10 days, from when that positivity rate goes up in the community. We saw that surge in the hospitals.

But as the Delta variant  a mutated form of the original virus with stronger spike proteins to attach itself to cells  spreads, Passavant is scrambling to find beds for patients, even those not being treated for COVID-19.

We dramatically increased our COVID admissions over the last couple of weeks, to the point where we actually had more COVID ICU patients than we had ICU beds, Boston said. Which was actually not something we saw in our first surge last fall.

The Delta variant is resulting in a sicker patient population requiring higher resources  more nursing staff, more respiratory staff, more lab work and radiology, he said.

While the total number of admitted COVID patients wasnt quite as high as it was last fall, the patients that were admitted are requiring a lot more services and resources to provide for their care, Boston said.

Because of the higher numbers, Passavant has created a satellite ICU in the space where post-operative patients normally would go to recover. Its created a domino effect that means Passavant has had to limit some elective procedures to free up the space.

An emergency room doctor recently was unable to find a hospital in the region with space to allow for patient transfers.

Because of the surge throughout the whole region  the state, honestly  we were calling multiple hospitals trying to arrange for transfers and they had no capacity, Boston said, adding that it also increases the wait time for anyone coming into the ER. We had one night where one of our newer ER doctors called over 40 different hospitals trying to arrange transfer, and there was no hospital available to accept a transfer.

None of the COVID-19 patients in Passavants ICU is vaccinated, Boston said.

Passavant ER nurse manager Rachel Moore has been working on the pandemics front lines for the past year and echoed Bostons observation that unvaccinated patients are dealing with the worst symptoms.

We are seeing some regret on the patients part that they chose not to be vaccinated, Moore said.

Moore and her staff also are seeing a significant difference in symptoms now compared to last year.

They are much sicker than they were with the last round of COVID, requiring lots of intervention, Moore said, noting shortness of breath as a major issue. I have personally taken care of several patients who describe this as brutal.

Morgan County Health Department administrator Dale Bainter said the Delta variants transmissibility is much higher than that of the original COVID-19 virus.

Were just seeing that in the sheer number of cases, Bainter said, noting that everyone was at a heightened awareness last year.

Morgan County saw nearly 100 more positive cases between July 1 and Tuesday, compared to the same time period last year, Bainter said, adding that theyre seeing the spread more in non-vaccinated people.

The age of people testing positive also is changing, he said.

Last year we had very few youth that were positive, Bainter said of those ages 14 or under. That number is significantly higher, more than double higher in our young people this year.

Youth gathering points, such as schools and sports, were shut down last summer.

The mitigation efforts placed last summer were really having a positive affect, Bainter said.

For every one person carrying COVID-19 now, upward of 10 people are being infected, Bainter and Boston said. That compares to only two or three people being infected for every one person with the original COVID-19 virus.

Weve tripled the number of people that theyre going to infect, Boston said.

Moore, Bainter and Boston agreed that getting vaccinated and being tested when symptoms arise are more important than ever.

Every day that we wait to vaccinate enough of the population for herd immunity runs the chance of that vaccine not being as effective, so, it truly is a race against time to vaccinate people as fast as possible, Bainter said.

The current surge also is straining the health departments contact tracing capabilities, Bainter said, noting that their call volume goes up daily.

The core of slowing the spread is that we do a lot of contact tracing, Bainter said.

Jacquie Barringer, director of nursing at Morgan County Health Department, said each one of those people that are contacted is a potential spread (risk) because theyre a potential vessel.

Everyone on Moores nursing staff is still showing up for work, but its taking a toll, especially after the past year, Moore said.

Were tired, were tired, she said. But I continue to be impressed every day I show up to work. People are taking on tasks that maybe they havent done this type of nursing in years.
WisconsinHistory.org

The next installment of the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalitions Looking for Lincoln Conversations series will consider Cordelia Harvey, a passionate Civil War soldiers advocate who convinced President Abraham Lincoln to establish northern hospitals for soldiers during the Civil War.

Her story will be told by actress and first-person historical interpreter Mary Kababik at 7 p.m. Wednesday on the coalitions YouTube channel and Facebook page. The program also will be recorded for later viewing.
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP)  A Missouri man is charged with first-degree murder and other counts in the death of an Illinois officer killed while trying to stop a car fleeing police, prosecutors said Friday.

Caleb Campbell, 22, of Florissant, Missouri, also was charged with reckless homicide, aggravated fleeing and attempt to elude a police officer, failure to report an accident involving personal injury or death, and failure to stop after an accident involving a death.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Reports of targeted killings in areas overrun by the Taliban mounted Friday, fueling fears that they will return Afghanistan to the repressive rule they imposed when they were last in power, even as they urged imams to push a message of unity at weekly prayers.

Terrified that the new rulers would commit such abuses and despairing for their country's future, thousands have raced to Kabul's airport, where chaotic scenes continued unabated. People seeking to escape struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and U.S. bureaucracy. Video images showed crowds gathered in the dark outside the barbed-wire topped walls. Occasionally someone shot a stream of gunfire into the air.

What appeared to be American troops stood in the distance. In one dramatic image, a U.S. Marine reached over the razor wire atop a barrier and plucked a baby by the arm from the crowd and pulled it up over the wall.

Reports of planes leaving at least partly empty underscored how difficult it still is for people to get into the airport. In an indication of the extent of the chaos, the Belgian foreign affairs ministry confirmed that one of its aircraft took off from Kabul without a single passenger because the people who were supposed to be on board got stuck outside the airport.

Also Friday, American officials confirmed to The Associated Press that U.S. military helicopters flew into Taliban-held Kabul to scoop up would-be evacuees, and President Joe Biden pledged to bring all Americans back from Afghanistan  and Afghans who aided the war effort, too.

We will get you home, Biden said from the White House.

The Taliban say they have become more moderate since they last ruled Afghanistan in the late 1990s and have pledged to restore security and forgive those who fought them in the 20 years since a U.S.-led invasion toppled them from power.

But many Afghans are skeptical, fearing that the Taliban will erase the gains, especially for women, achieved in the past two decades. Opposition to the takeover has included street protests  acts of defiance that Taliban fighters have violently suppressed.

An Amnesty International report provided more evidence Friday that undercut the Taliban's claims they have changed.

The rights group said that its researchers spoke to eyewitnesses in Ghazni province who recounted how the Taliban killed nine ethnic Hazara men in the village of Mundarakht from July 4 to July 6. It said six of the men were shot, and three were tortured to death. Hazaras are Shiite Muslims who were previously persecuted by the Taliban and who made major gains in education and social status in recent years.

Amnesty International warned that more killings may have gone unreported because the Taliban cut cellphone services in many areas they captured.

Separately, Reporters without Borders expressed alarm at the news that Taliban fighters killed a family member of an Afghan journalist working for Germany's Deutsche Welle on Wednesday. The broadcaster said fighters conducted house-to-house searches for their reporter, who had already relocated to Germany.

Meanwhile, a Norway-based private intelligence group that provides information to the United Nations said it obtained evidence that the Taliban have rounded up Afghans on a blacklist of people they believe worked in key roles with the previous Afghan administration or with U.S.-led forces.

In an email, the executive director of the RHIPTO Norwegian Center for Global Analyses said the organization knew about several threat letters sent to Afghans.

A report from the group that was obtained by the AP included one of the letters, but the AP could not independently verify the group's claims.

Its not clear whether the reports of abuses indicate that Taliban leaders are saying one thing but doing another or whether they simply do not have full control over their forces. The scale and speed of their takeover seems to have challenged the leaderships ability to control their fighters.

Under the Talibans previous rule, women were largely confined to their homes, television and music were banned, and public executions were held regularly.

Amid the uncertainty, thousands have tried to flee the country.

Mohammad Naim, who said he used to be an interpreter for U.S. forces, has been in the airport crowd for four days trying to escape. He said he put his children on the roof of a car on the first day to save them from being crushed by the mass of people. He saw other children killed who were unable to get out of the way.

He urged others not to come to the airport.

It is a very, very crazy situation right now, he said.

A widely seen video shared on social media showed some of the chaos when a U.S. Marine at the airport pulled a baby out of the crowd. A spokesman from the Marine Corps, Maj. Jim Stenger, confirmed that the Marine was a member of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and said the baby was "cared for by medical professionals. The child was later reunited with its father, and they are safe at the airport, Stenger said.

It was not clear when the incident happened.

The United States is struggling to pick up the pace of evacuations. American military planes paused flights from the airport for six to seven hours Friday due to a lack of places available to take evacuees, but they later resumed.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

Biden's pledge to bring home all Americans and to evacuate all Afghans who assisted the war effort represented a potentially vast expansion of the administrations commitments on the airlift so far. Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, and their close family members, are seeking evacuation.

European countries are also working to bring out their citizens and those who have worked with them. But Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said Friday that the country's military transport planes are leaving Kabul partly empty in the tumult.

Nobodys in control of the situation, Robles told Spanish public radio RNE.

Germany was sending two helicopters to Kabul to help bring small numbers of people from elsewhere in the city to the airport, officials said.

___

Akhgar reported from Istanbul, Santana from New Orleans. Associated Press writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Frank Jordans in Berlin, Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, David Rising in Bangkok and Rod McGurk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
Investing in cryptocurrency can be as easy as a few taps on your phone, and with crypto all over the news and coming up in conversations with friends, its tempting to dive right in. However, depending on your financial situation and appetite for investing risk, crypto might not be an appropriate investment for you right now  or ever.

I am the biggest crypto hippie youll talk to in a very long time, says Tyrone Ross, CEO of Onramp Invest, a cryptoasset platform for registered investment advisors . And yet, he cautions against it. I dont think the general public should be investing in crypto.

Picture your finances as an ice cream sundae, with crypto as the cherry on top. It makes up a small proportion of the overall sundae, and not everyone wants one. And before you fish that cherry out of the jar, you need to assemble the rest of your dessert. In non-ice-cream terms, that means creating a strong financial foundation and learning everything you can about crypto before you put any real money in.

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HAVE SAFEGUARDS

First and foremost, you need to prepare for those times when things dont go as planned.

Over the past year, workers who lost income because of the pandemic had to tap into savings, take on debt or enter into hardship programs to afford their bills. This time has been a stark reminder of the importance of having an emergency fund.

When youre young, you can feel like Superman or Superwoman, but when the bubble happens, you could easily be out of a job for nine to 12 months, says Theresa Morrison, a financial planner in Tucson, Arizona. Dont underestimate systemic shocks to the market.

Morrison recommends saving up six months of living expenses if youre single, or around three months if you share expenses with a working spouse or partner. But stashing away even a few hundred dollars can be helpful when youre faced with an unexpected expense . And if you have any high-interest debt, like credit card debt, paying this down can further strengthen your financial position.

Review your insurance coverage, too, because these policies can provide much-needed money during difficult times. Life insurance can be especially important if you have dependents.

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SAVE AND INVEST

Once you have money set aside for emergencies, begin thinking about your short-, medium- and long-term financial goals. Retirement is, of course, a big thing to save for, so contribute to retirement accounts (especially if you have access to a plan with an employer match). But set specific savings goals for other major life steps.

Most people want to travel every year, buy a house in 10 years, get married in 10 years. These things cost money, Morrison says. Put down how much itll cost in todays terms and figure out how much to save out of your paycheck every month. From my experience, that alone can be $1,000 a month.

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GET EDUCATED

Youve got the money and youre ready to jump on the crypto bandwagon, only you have no idea how someone even buys crypto. Or how it will fit into your overall financial plan. Or if its too risky for you.

Time out. Dont do anything with your money that you dont understand. Dedicate some time to learning everything you can about crypto. Understanding the mechanics is important, but so is learning what kind of investor you are, because that also affects the kinds of investments that would be a good fit for you.

Theres a process you have to go through to determine if this new asset class is right for you. Whats your plan? How old are you? What are your goals? How tech-savvy are you? Do you understand what it means to hold these assets and have them not be insured? If something happens to you, who in your family knows about this stuff to retrieve it? Ross says. People dont do the right due diligence before dumping money into something. I know thats not the sexy answer, but its the truth.

Once you have a grasp on how it all works, you can begin to think about allocating some of your excess cash (after you pay your bills and meet your monthly savings goals) toward crypto. But keep your investment totals small and manageable. Ross recommends investing up to $500 or so. This way, even if you lose it all, its an amount you specifically budgeted.

If you invest in crypto, think of it as dead money. Money youll never get back, says Danny Lee, a financial planner in Denver. At the end of the day, its going to be a speculative investment.
Silenced by COVID, mariachi Mass returns to Tucson cathedral View Photo

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP)  A blast of festive trumpet flourishes and guitarron bass breaks the solemn hush of Mass on a torrid August desert morning. Decked out in gold-embroidered suits, nine musicians pick, strum and trumpet the entrance hymn under tall stained-glass windows.

After more than a year of silence due to the pandemic, mariachis are back playing Sunday services at Tucsons St. Augustine Cathedral, where the colorful and sonorous tradition dates back a half-century and fuses Roman Catholicism with Mexican American pride.

For the hundreds of worshippers gathered in this Spanish colonial church, and other congregations across the Southwest, the unique sound of mariachi liturgy is more than just another version of choir. It evokes a borderlands identity where spirituality and folk music have blended for centuries.

Syncretism is the reality of this land, the ambos reality, said the Rev. Alan Valencia, the cathedrals rector, who grew up attending mariachi Mass in ambos Nogales, or both Nogales, as locals refer to the two cities of the same name straddling the U.S.-Mexican border about 60 miles (100 kilometers) to the south.

And thats what we see in these mariachi Masses, he added. Faith and culture come together and grow.

Mariachi forms the soundtrack to daily life here in the borderlands, accompanying everything from backyard barbecues and quinceanera coming-of-age parties to weddings and funerals.

Yet while mariachi is a popular genre at its core, musicians and parishioners alike say its emotional interplay between trumpet, violin, guitar, vihuela and guitarron is a natural complement to the holy rites of Mass.

The Mass itself is a reminder that you dont just have mariachis you tip at tableside in a cantina, said Alberto Ranjel, who has been playing at the cathedral since he was 9 and now leads the ensemble his father founded, Mariachi Tapatio. It is a representation of my culture.

Worshipper Leilani Gomez echoed that sentiment, saying, They bring to Mass culture and art, together with the presence of God. They make you feel the presence of God.

The first canon of mariachi Mass was composed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, after the Vatican encouraged the incorporation of regional musical traditions into services in the 1960s. Called the Misa Panamericana, or Pan-American Mass, it features a specific order of instrumental arrangements, sung prayers and hymns, according to Dan Sheehy, director and curator of the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

At that time in the United States, the Chicano civil rights movement was blossoming, and mariachi musicians morphed from folksy troubadours to cultural heroes, symbols of Mexican identity heightened here because of multiculturalism, Sheehy added.

Hundreds of mariachi school programs followed in the 1970s, when the music began to be written down instead of taught by lyrical training, said George Bejarano, who in 1973 started playing with the youth group Los Changuitos Feos, or the ugly little monkeys, and whose family has been in the borderlands since before there were borders. Also, female musicians began joining the traditionally male ensembles.

Mainstays of mariachi Mass include the joyful Pescador de Hombres, or fisher of men  the Spanish-speaking faithfuls equivalent to Amazing Grace for its popularity and ubiquity  and a thrilling rendition of Franz Schuberts 19th-century classic, Ave Maria.

During performances of the latter at the cathedral, Ranjel turns to face a painting of the Virgin of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico and the Americas, and intones the Latin version of the lyrics.

The prayer aspect of it is what Im respecting by singing it in Latin, he said.

Four ensembles take turns performing the 8 a.m. Spanish-language Mass at the cathedral in central Tucson, one Sunday apiece per month. All volunteers, they typically spend at least two hours a week in rehearsal and on Mass day rise before dawn to prepare their trajes de charro, elaborately festooned suits that originated in Mexico and are commonly worn by mariachi groups.

For musicians like Daniel Rodriguez, the leader of Mariachi Herencia de Cuco Del Cid, a 20-year fixture at the cathedral and also Most Holy Trinity Church in the citys northwest, performing is a way to give back to the community.

When you sing or theres music offered up to God, its like praying but its more powerful, Rodriguez said. For us to be a driving force through our music, to inspire people to come back and stay at Mass, thats really powerful.

On Sept. 18 Los Changuitos will feature at a special Mass honoring victims of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 2,500 people in Tucsons Pima County and silenced the mariachi services from spring 2020 until they resumed late last month.

On a recent Sunday, the show kept going even after Mass was over, with musicians serenading worshippers on the palm-lined patio outside the cathedral. Wearing face masks against the resurgent virus, people held up smartphones to record the sights and sounds of a shared heritage they had sorely missed.

They bring unity to the church. Its more spiritual, said Diana Pacheco, who has attended mariachi Mass since childhood. Without them, it was very empty-feeling for us here.

Victor Soltero, who has been worshipping at the cathedral for some 50 years, also rejoiced at their return.

It makes you happy, Soltero said, and what better way to come over and honor the good Lord than having some beautiful music that picks you up.

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Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By GIOVANNA DELLORTO

Associated Press
The Latest: India evacuates 168 people on flight from Kabul View Photo

NEW DELHI  An Indian official says an air force transport plane has left Kabul for New Delhi carrying 168 people on board.

Arindam Bagchi, the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, says the plane took off from Kabul on Sunday morning and the passengers include 107 Indian nationals. He didnt give the nationalities of 61 others evacuated from the Afghan capital.

Meanwhile, another group of 87 Indians who were evacuated from Kabul to Tajikistan on Saturday in an Indian air force plane are being flown to New Delhi on Sunday, Bagchi said in a tweet. Two Nepalese nationals also were evacuated on that flight.

India began evacuating its nationals last Sunday after the Taliban swept into Kabul.

The Press Trust of India news agency said around 400 Indians were believed to be stranded in Afghanistan. No official figure was available.

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WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is considering calling on U.S. commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they are evacuated from their country by military aircraft.

The U.S. Transportation Command says in a statement Saturday that the Pentagon has not approved or ordered any activation of commercial airlines as allowed under the Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, which adds to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense.

However, the Transportation Command said it had issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. The order was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

If called upon under the voluntary program, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginias Dulles International Airport to U.S. military bases.

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MOSCOW  The Russian ambassador in Kabul says the Taliban have asked his embassy to convey their offer of a deal to a remaining pro-government holdout in northern Afghanistan.

Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov said on Saturday that a senior member of the Talibans political leadership has asked Russia to tell fighters in the Panjshir Valley that the Taliban hope to reach a political agreement to settle the situation there.

The diplomat says the Taliban claim they dont want bloodshed in the region.

The Panjshir Valley north of Kabul, a stronghold of the Northern Alliance militias that were allied with the U.S. during the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, is the only area that hasnt fallen to the Taliban.

Afghan government figures who have sought refuge there as Kabul and the rest of the country fell to the Taliban include Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who asserted on Twitter that hes now the countrys rightful president, after President Ashraf Ghani fled to the United Arab Emirates.

Moscow, which fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan that ended with the Soviet troops withdrawal in 1989, has made a diplomatic comeback as a mediator during the past years, reaching out to various Afghan factions, including the Taliban.

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MORE ON THE CRISIS IN AFGHANISTAN:

 In Kabul, a fearful wait for US to deliver on evacuation vow

 Europe fears Afghan refugee crisis after Taliban takeover

 AP PHOTOS: Two decades of war, and daily life in Afghanistan

 Biden vows to evacuate all Americans  and Afghan helpers

 For US military leaders, Afghan news strikes personal chord

 Western groups desperate to save Afghan workers left behind

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 Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/afghanistan

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

WASHINGTON  The White House says President Joe Biden has been briefed by members of his national security team on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

Biden and his team met on Saturday in the White House Situation Room to discuss the security situation and counterterrorism operations, including against the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Evacuations and efforts to finalize agreements with third-party countries willing to serve as transit hubs for evacuees were also discussed.

Vice President Kamala Harris joined the meeting by secure video teleconference during her travels to Singapore. They were joined by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and National Intelligence Director Avril Haines, among others.

The White House said Biden canceled plans to travel Saturday to his Wilmington, Delaware, home.

The IS affiliate  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for several years, carrying out horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.

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MILAN  Italy on Saturday flew 211 Afghans out of Kabul, bringing to some 2,100 the number of Afghan workers at Italian missions and their families who have been safely evacuated from Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Of those, 1,100 have been brought to Italy. Italy launched Operation Aquila Omnia in June, and has deployed 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait, aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Of those who were evacuated earlier, 80, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID-19 quarantine.

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WASHINGTON  Pentagon says that about 3,800 civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan over the past day, amid widespread logistical challenges and backlogs at waystations in the Middle East and Europe.

Security threats slowed the progress of Americans and others through the gates at Kabul airport, as thousands desperately try to get on flights out of the country.

The Pentagon said that six U.S. military C-17 aircraft and 32 charter flights departed Kabul airport over the past 24 hours. The military planes carried just 1,600 of those people.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told Pentagon reporters on Saturday that of the 17,000 people evacuated since Aug. 15, just 2,500 have been Americans. U.S. officials have estimated there are as many as 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, but acknowledge they dont have solid numbers.

The evacuations have been hampered by screening and logistical strains at waystations such as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hit maximum capacity. U.S. officials said they have limited numbers of military and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol screeners at the transit points, and they are struggling to work through glitches in the vetting systems.

Taylor said that the Kabul airport remains open, and that Americans continue to be processed if they get to the gates.

He and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby declined to discuss security problems in any detail, but said the threat picture changes by the hour.

We know that were fighting against both time and space, Kirby said. Thats the race were in right now.

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WASHINGTON  A senior U.S. official said Saturday that potential threats by the Islamic State group against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to find new ways for evacuees to reach the Kabul airport.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizen not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative.

Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant, and said there have been no confirmed IS attacks or incidents as yet.

Lolita C. Baldor in Washington;

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BUCHAREST, Romania  A military aircraft carrying 15 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians who were initially evacuated from Kabul to Islamabad landed safely Saturday afternoon at an airbase at Bucharests Otopeni Airport.

The C-130 Hercules aircraft touched down at Base 90 around 1 p.m. The evacuees were greeted by Romanias foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu and defense minister Nicolae Ciuca.

I want to emphasize that you, the Romanian citizens, are at the center of our concerns and action, Aurescu said. Even if it were a single Romanian citizen, we would have done the same.

Aurescu called Afghanistan a place of extreme human despair and suffering, and said that authorities will continue to address waves of vulnerable groups, such as Afghan journalists whom we tried to evacuate yesterday.

On Friday, Romania said that the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens it had validated and contacted for evacuation to Romania could reach the Afghan capitals airport.

Romania has conducted three evacuation flights this week from Kabul airport, in total evacuating 23 people, including 16 Romanians. All but one of the evacuees, a U.S. citizen, were citizens of European Union countries. In recent days, another 30 Romanians have been evacuated on aircraft of partner states, officials said.

President Klaus Iohannis in a statement Saturday thanked the authorities involved in the successful coordination of the evacuations, which he said took place in extremely difficult security conditions.

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LONDON  A former Royal Marine turned charity director in Afghanistan has slammed British government claims that the situation in the war-torn country is stabilizing, warning that he and his staff would be risking their lives if they tried to get to the airport in Kabul.

Paul Farthing, better known as Pen, said he has been told by British authorities that he has a seat on a flight back to the U.K., but not for the 25 staff from his animal welfare charity Nowzad and their families.

Farthing told BBC radio that he is disgusted at the situation, and warned that the humanitarian crisis is now getting out of control.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk. he said. Youve all seen the scenes  it is not different today to any other time, it is just getting worse.

He said he is past angry and just completely numb at the incompetence of this operation.

As of Wednesday, Britain had managed to get out over 2,000 Afghans from the country, way more that the 300 or so U.K. nationals. On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport, a lot of them Afghan citizens to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honor.

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MADRID  The president of the European Commission has urged the international community to open arms for Afghan refugees.

Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks on Saturday when she and EU Council President Charles Michel visited a reception center for evacuees established by Spains government near Madrid.

This resettlement of vulnerable people is of utmost importance. It is our moral duty, Von der Leyen said. Offering legal and safe routes globally, organized by us, the international community, for those who need protection must be a priority of next weeks G7 meeting on the Afghanistan crisis, she added.

The EUs top officials toured the facility that Spain has set up at the Torrejon military airbase near Madrid along with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who said it has the capacity to hold 800 people.

Two planes sent by Spains government have already arrived at the air base. A first plane brought back five Spaniards and 48 Afghans who had worked for Spain and their families. A second flight arrived late on Friday night with 110 more Afghans. A third flight with another 110 passengers has left Kabul for Dubai, which Spain is using as a stop-off point before the evacuees are flown on to Madrid.

The air base is also receiving flights from the European Union External Action service with other evacuees from Afghanistan airlifted out of Kabul by other EU countries.

EU officials and those of member states like Spain, however, recognize that the main hurdle to getting people out of Afghanistan is helping them reach and gain access to the airport. Spain says that its flights have had empty seats.

Von der Leyen said EU delegation members are constantly at the airport to try and help. It is very difficult situation, it is changing by the minutes, but there is intense work being done to make the best of a very difficult situation.

The evacuees that reach Spains air base are expected to spend up to three days there before moving to welcome centers in other parts of Spain or continuing their journeys to other European countries.

Sanchez said that the response from other EU members has been positive and that part of those who have arrived have already left for other countries in the bloc.

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ISTANBUL  A Turkish Airlines flight carrying 160 evacuees from Kabul landed in Istanbul Saturday, Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The Turkish citizens and other nationals arrived after first taking a Turkish military flight from Kabul to Pakistani capital Islamabad, the news agency said. There was no further detail on the passengers identities but the report said 14 babies were among the passengers. Non-Turkish citizens are being quarantined in hotels under pandemic regulations.

Earlier, the news agency reported that 204 Turkish citizens had been brought from Kabul to Islamabad on two separate flights on Friday evening. It was unclear whether they had travelled on to Turkey. On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said 552 Turkish citizens had been flown out of Afghanistan.

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LONDON  Many people in west London with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan are seeking advice and information from a local organization set up to support Afghan and Central Asian refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, 52, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul, now that the Taliban are back in control of Afghanistan.

She is begging, Hamdam said. She says, Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment. I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999. He said his organization has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls in recent days from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the sudden and chaotic turn of events.

Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations, Nasimi said.

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BERLIN  Two small German military helicopters that were sent to Kabul in a move coordinated with the United States had been assembled and were ready for action on Saturday, German officials said.

The idea is for them to be used in Kabul if individual evacuees need to be picked up by helicopter and brought to the airport. But Germanys top military commander, Gen. Eberhard Zorn, said there is no concrete plan yet for their deployment.

Zorn said the situation remains difficult at the gates of the airport in the Afghan capital. The number of people German planes have taken out has varied.

A German flight arrived in Tashkent on Friday night with 172 evacuees on board, but two subsequent flights  also with an Airbus A400M  carried out only seven and eight people.

Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Germany so far has evacuated nearly 2,000 people. The situation is difficult, but with our capabilities and everything that comes up on the ground, we will keep on taking out as many as possible, she said.

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PARIS  Frances says it has evacuated over 570 people, including at least 407 Afghan citizens, from Kabul onboard its military aircraft since Monday.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry added that a fourth evacuation plane landed Friday evening in Paris, carrying 4 French citizens and 99 Afghans, mostly people who worked with the French government or French groups in Afghanistan.

The ministry said that state services and the French embassy, which has been moved to Kabul airport, remain fully mobilized to ensure new flights as soon as possible.

French president Emmanuel Macron promised Monday that France would not abandon Afghans who worked for the country and would also seek to protect journalists, artists, activists and others under threat after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan.

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WASHINGTON  The U.S. Air Force says the cargo plane packed with Afghan refugees whose photo was widely shared online actually carried even more people than originally thought  823  and marked a new passenger record for the aircraft.

The brief statement by the Air Mobility Command on Friday said the C-17 that departed the capital, Kabul, last Sunday had an initial count of 640 passengers, but that figure inadvertently left out 183 children sitting on peoples laps.

The statement said the correct count of 823 passengers is a record for the C-17. It took off as the Taliban swept into the city, prompting thousands of Afghans and foreigners to rush to the airport seeking flight out  with some reaching the tarmac.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  The Dutch defense ministry says that the first group of Afghans evacuated from Kabul on Dutch military transport planes has arrived at a barracks in the northern Netherlands that has been transformed into a temporary accommodation center.

The ministry said Friday that a group of 28 Afghans has been taken to the center in Zoutcamp, a small village come 180 kilometers (120 miles) north of Amsterdam.

Dutch authorities say they have so far managed five flights out of Kabul with nearly 300 passengers. It is not clear how many of them were Afghans.

The Dutch government is seeking to evacuate Afghan nationals and their families who worked for the countrys military during its deployment and for the embassy as well as staff at aid projects.

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MILAN  Italy says its military has evacuated nearly 1,000 Afghan citizens out of Kabul over the last five days.

The Defense Ministry said that two flights carrying 207 Afghans arrived Saturday in Rome from Kuwait, which Italy is using as a staging ground for the Kabul evacuations.

Italy has deployed more than 1,500 servicemen and women to operate an airbridge from Kabul to Kuwait aboard four C130J aircraft, and to ferry evacuees to safety in Italy aboard four KC767s.

Italy began what it has dubbed Operation Aquila Omnia in June, bringing to safety 1,532 Afghan citizens to date. Eighty, including 33 women, arrived on Saturday at a base in South Tyrol, northern Italy, for a 10-day COVID quarantine.

In a video distributed by the ministry, an Afghan man who was brought to the base thanked the Italian armed forces, who didnt leave us alone in Afghanistan. With all the difficulty, they brought us away. Speaking with his back to the camera, he said the journey took two days. We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, he said, expressing also hope that one day if Afghanistan becomes safe, we can return to our country.

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BUCHAREST, Romania  Romanias foreign ministry says that a military aircraft has evacuated 14 Romanian citizens and four Bulgarians from Kabul airport to Islamabad.

It said in a statement Friday evening that another Romanian citizen, a United Nations employee, could not reach Kabul airport because of security issues, adding that it will look to partner states to identify possible evacuation options.

Authorities said the evacuees were assisted on arrival by Romanian Embassy staff in Pakistan. It was Romanias third evacuation flight this week using a C-130 Hercules military aircraft.

The ministry also said that it has validated and contacted a number of Afghan citizens who collaborated with its troops during their mission in Afghanistan who have expressed a wish to be evacuated to Romania.

But the extremely difficult security situation around Kabul airport meant that none of the Afghan citizens could reach the airport. In their case, the ministry said. (We) will continue to act to identify evacuation options.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  The island kingdom of Bahrain has said it is allowing flights to make use of Bahrains transit facilities amid the evacuations of Afghanistan.

The kingdom made the announcement in a statement released early Saturday.

Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia, is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet.

The announcement comes as the U.S. faced issues Friday with its facilities at Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar filling up with those fleeing the Taliban takeover of the country.

The kingdom also said it is hoping that all parties will commit to stabilizing the internal situation and to protecting the lives of civilians and the rule of law.

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KABUL, Afghanistan  Senior U.S. military officials say that the processing of passengers inside the Kabul airport has begun, but that there is a considerable backlog of people waiting to fly to Qatar.

Gates to the Hamid Karzai International Airport were closed overnight due to overcrowding in the area, and processing began Saturday morning. It would be roughly 5 to 9 hours before the backlog clears and more people could be allowed in through the gates.

The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss ongoing military operations.

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WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Antony Blinken says 13 countries have thus far agreed to at least temporarily host at-risk Afghans evacuated from Afghanistan. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others, leaving Afghanistan.

Blinken said in a statement that potential Afghan refugees not already cleared for resettlement in the United States will be housed at facilities in Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda.

Transit countries include Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan, he said.

We deeply appreciate the support they have offered, and are proud to partner with them in our shared support of the Afghan people, Blinken said. We are encouraged by other countries that are also considering providing support. We have no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas and to fulfill our commitments to citizens of partner nations and at-risk Afghans.

The Associated Press
MOW Radiothon Check (Right to Left): KZSQ/Star 92.7 Morning Cafe DJ Mark Grauer, MOW Co-chair Stan Forrest, CEO Sierra Senior Providers, Inc. Kristi Conforti, MOW Co-chair Ron Patel, and SAF Executive Director Darrell Slocum View Photos

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne County residents once again pitched in to provide healthy meals to area seniors.

This morning, a Meals On Wheels (MOW) radiothon aired on Clarke Broadcastings Star 92.7 radio station with donations ranging from $20 to $500 from individuals. Morning Star Cafe DJ Mark Grauer shared, Its always such a blessing to be able to help our community and work with the great people at Meals On Wheels. Its what makes radio shine for me.

Sierra Senior Providers, Inc. CEO Kristi Conforti relayed that the total between sponsorships and donations so far is just around $144 thousand. And there is still time to donate until 5 p.m. today at the two Oak Valley Bank branches in the area or online by clicking here. Conforti detailed one unique aspect of the local MOW program, Were one of the few [MOWs] in the country that make and package and delivery a hot meal to our seniors. A lot of the other programs throughout the country go with a frozen food program.

Currently, the average number of MOW meals provided daily is about 225. Conforti says those would not be possible without the generosity of donors and sponsors like Chicken Ranch Casino that gave $10,000 and Sonora Area Foundation that contributed $25,000. She added, We want to say thank you to everybody who donated no matter how much. It all adds up and all goes toward feeding seniorsWe know that these are unprecedented times and how hard it is. Everybody is struggling and so we really appreciate all of those who dug deep and donated this year.
Merkels bloc steps up German election fight amid poll sag View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  Chancellor Angela Merkels would-be successor pledged Saturday to fight with everything that I can for victory in Germanys Sept. 26 election, as the long-time leaders center-right bloc kicked off its official campaign amid a worrying sag in its poll ratings.

Merkel joined Armin Laschet, a state governor and leader of her Christian Democratic Union party, to appeal to voters to extend the partys long run in the chancellery. Laschet is running to succeed Merkel after her 16 years in office.

They both spoke at a rally in Berlin, with only a small crowd because of coronavirus restrictions, as recent polls have shown support for the Union bloc slipping as low as 23%  leaving it only a few points ahead of the center-left Social Democrats and the environmentalist Greens.

The polls also have shown dismal personal popularity ratings for Laschet, even as Social Democratic rival Olaf Scholz  the vice chancellor in Merkels coalition government  has gained ground.

Merkel announced in 2018 that she wouldnt seek a fifth term as chancellor. The Union took 32.9% of the vote in the last election, in 2017. In its best result under Merkel, the bloc won 41.5% in 2013.

Laschet assailed left-wing rivals, arguing that they plan tax increases that would risk strangling the economy even as it recovers from the pandemic and questioning how reliable they are on foreign policy matters. He stressed the Unions law-and-order credentials and insisted that offering economic incentives rather than banning things is the best way to combat climate change without damaging industry.

We will fight  I will fight with everything that I can  so that this country is not taken over by ideologues, so that we have the opportunity to implement our ideas for this modern Germany, Laschet said. That is what we are fighting for. We will give everything we can, we will make the differences with the others clear. Who governs is fundamental. We want to govern.

Laschet is a centrist figure in Merkels mold but doesnt appear so far to have inspired voters or to have impressed people with his management of the severe floods that hit his state, North Rhine-Westphalia  Germanys most populous  last month.

While Laschet has declined comment on the recent poll ratings, his rival for the nomination to succeed Merkel as chancellor has shown signs of impatience with the Unions campaign. Laschet emerged victorious from a battle in April with Markus Soeder, the head of the CDUs Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union.

In a speech at Saturdays rally, Soeder stressed that a center-right win next month wasnt assured. He said the Union faces its most difficult campaign since 1998, when then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl  Merkels one-time mentor  lost power and the trend at the moment isnt heading steeply upward.

Lets be honest for a moment: its tight, and it will be very tight in the coming weeks, Soeder said. Everyone must understand today that everything is really at stake. This is not the question we philosophized about for months  with whom we might prefer to govern. It is not the question of how we govern, but possibly whether.

It is time finally to fight, said Soeder, the governor of Bavaria. I have no interest in opposition.

Soeder also told Laschet, You can rely on my support. Laschet recently faced speculation that he could relinquish the nomination to Soeder, an idea he has rejected.

Merkel, who noted that she has deliberately stayed out of campaigning since she gave up her partys leadership nearly three years ago, stepped up to offer Laschet a personal reference.

Laschet is a person and politician for whom the C in our partys name is not just any letter, but the compass for everything he did and does, she said. It was and is always important to him to put the individualin focus on the basis of our Christian credo, to build bridges between people.

In the 35 days that remain, it is worth fighting every hour for the CDU and CSU to be strong in the German parliament, for us tolead Germany into a good future, and of course, with Armin Laschet as our future chancellor, Merkel said.

By GEIR MOULSON

Associated Press
Biden vows to evacuate all Americans  and Afghan helpers View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden has pledged firmly to bring all Americans home from Afghanistan  and all Afghans who aided the war effort, too  as officials confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate.

Bidens promises came Friday as thousands more Americans and others seeking to escape the Taliban struggled to get past crushing crowds, Taliban airport checkpoints and sometimes-insurmountable U.S. bureaucracy.

We will get you home, Biden promised Americans who were still in Afghanistan days after the Taliban retook control of Kabul, ending a two-decade war.

The presidents comments, delivered at the White House, were intended to project purpose and stability at the conclusion of a week during which images from Afghanistan more often suggested chaos, especially at the airport.

His commitment to find a way out for Afghan allies vulnerable to Taliban attacks amounted to a potentially vast expansion of Washingtons promises, given the tens of thousands of translators and other helpers, and their close family members, seeking evacuation.

Were making the same commitment to Afghan wartime helpers as to U.S. citizens, Biden said, offering the prospect of assistance to Afghans who largely have been fighting individual battles to get the documents and passage into the airport that they need to leave. He called the Afghan allies equally important in the evacuations.

Meanwhile, Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had disconcerting news for the lawmakers he briefed Friday, confirming that Americans are among those who have been beaten by the Taliban at airport checkpoints.

Biden is facing continuing criticism as videos and news reports depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport.

I made the decision on the timing of the U.S. withdrawal, he said, his tone firm as he declared that it was going to lead to difficult scenes, no matter when. Former President Donald Trump had set the departure for May in negotiations with the Taliban, but Biden extended it.

Thousands of people remain to be evacuated ahead of Bidens Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops. Flights were stopped for several hours Friday because of a backup at a transit point for the refugees, a U.S. airbase in Qatar, but they resumed in the afternoon, including to Bahrain.

Still, potential evacuees faced continuing problems getting into the airport. The Belgian foreign ministry confirmed that one of its planes took off empty because the people who were supposed to be aboard couldnt get in.

A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment thats building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

Biden said 169 Americans had been brought to the airport from beyond its perimeter, but he provided no details. Later, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the 169 had gathered at the Baron Hotel near the airport and were flown across the airport perimeter to safety Thursday. He said they were transported by three U.S. military CH-47 helicopters.

Kirby said the helicopters took no hostile fire. He added that the Americans initially were going to walk the short distance from the hotel to an airport gate, but a crowd outside the gate changed the plan.

Separately, senior American military officials told The Associated Press that a U.S. helicopter picked up Afghans, mostly women and children, and ferried them to the airport Friday. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the Armys 82nd Airborne Division airlifted the Afghans from Camp Sullivan, near the Kabul airport. Those officials commented only on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

Kirby said he was not aware of any such Friday helicopter mission.

For those living in cities and provinces outside Kabul, CIA case officers, special operation forces and agents from the Defense Intelligence Agency on the ground are gathering some U.S. citizens and Afghans who worked for the U.S. at predetermined pick-up sites.

The officials would not detail where these airlift sites were for security reasons. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss ongoing operations.

In Washington, some veterans in Congress were calling on the Biden administration to extend a security perimeter beyond the Kabul airport so more Afghans could get through.

The lawmakers also said they want Biden to make clearer that the Aug. 31 deadline for withdrawing U.S. troops is not a firm one.

The deadline is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever, said Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., who served in Iraq and also worked in Afghanistan to help aid workers provide humanitarian relief.

With mobs of people outside the airport and Taliban fighters ringing its perimeter, the U.S. renewed its advisory to Americans and others that it could not guarantee safe passage for any of those desperately seeking seats on the planes inside. The Taliban are regularly firing into the air to try to control the crowds, sending men, women and children running.

The advisory captured some of the pandemonium, and what many Afghans and foreigners see as their life-and-death struggle to get inside. It said: We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open.

While Biden has previously blamed Afghans for the U.S. failure to get out more allies ahead of this months sudden Taliban takeover, U.S. officials told The AP that American diplomats had formally urged weeks ago that the administration ramp up evacuation efforts.

Biden said Friday he had gotten a wide variety of time estimates, though all were pessimistic about the Afghan government surviving.

He has said he was following the advice of Afghanistans U.S.-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, in not earlier expanding U.S. efforts to fly out translators and other endangered Afghans. Ghani fled the country last weekend as the Taliban seized the capital.

Biden has also said many at-risk Afghan allies had not wanted to leave the country. But refugee groups point to yearslong backlogs of applications from thousands of those Afghans for visas that would let them take refuge in the United States.

Afghans and the Americans trying to help them also say the administration has clung to visa requirements for would-be evacuees that involve more than a dozen steps, and can take years to complete. Those often have included requirements that the Taliban sweep has made dangerous or impossible  such as requiring Afghans to go to a third country to apply for a U.S. visa, and produce paperwork showing their work with Americans.

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LaPorta reported from Boca Raton, Florida. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Josh Boak, Lolita C. Baldor and Kevin Freking contributed from Washington.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, ROBERT BURNS, JAMES LAPORTA and ZEKE MILLER

Associated Press
MOSCOW (AP)  Russian police on Saturday detained several journalists who protested authorities' decision to label a top independent TV channel as a foreign agent.

The journalists held individual pickets outside the main headquarters of the country's top domestic security agency, the FSB, on Moscow's Lubyanka Square.

They held placards such as Journalism is not a crime and You are afraid of the truth to protest the Justice Ministry's move Friday to add the Dozhd (Rain) TV channel and the online investigative outlet Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories) to the list of foreign agents.

Those detained were handed summons to attend court hearings on charges of violating rules of holding pickets, an administrative offense that carries a fine up to $270.

Im against labelling the TV channel Dozhd as a 'foreign agent, said Farida Rustamova, a Dozhd journalist who picketed on Saturday. "I want to work and live freely in Russia. I want to have an opportunity to be a free journalist. I dont want my colleagues to be arrested, searched and labeled as an enemy of the people or agents.

Yulia Krasnikova, a journalist at Vazhnye Istorii, denounced the authorities' move as unconstitutional.

The fact that we dont want to write stories that other pro-government media do doesnt mean that we violate something and that we are some foreign agents, Krasnikova said. "Im here to protest it and to support my colleagues.

The Justice Ministry acted under a law that is used to designate as foreign agents non-governmental organizations and individuals who receive funding from abroad and engage in activities loosely described as political. The label implies closer government scrutiny and carries a strong pejorative connotation that could undermine the credibility of media outlets and hurt their advertising prospects.

Dozhd denounced the move as unfair and said it would appeal.

The TV channel has been sharply critical of Russian authorities crackdown on dissent and regularly carried live reports from opposition protests. It has extensively covered the poisoning and the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most high-profile critic, and the criminal cases launched against Navalny's allies.

Russian authorities have raised the pressure on the opposition and independent media ahead of the Sept. 19 parliamentary vote, which is widely seen as important part of Putin's efforts to cement his rule ahead of Russia's 2024 presidential election.
Holy Family Church in Nazareth will host a Labor Day Weekend Picnic and Parish Fundraiser on Sept. 5.

The event will include a parade, a roast beef dinner, games, prizes and other family-friendly activities.

This years parade theme is Spirit of St. Joseph. Its set to kick off the days activities at 10 a.m. The Bake Shoppe, adult raffle, adult bingo and cow patty bingo activities are set to start right after the parade. There will also be a livestock auction at 1:30 p.m.

The Roast Beef Dinner with all the trimmings will follow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $12 for adult plates and $6 for kids 10 years and younger.

Childrens games and water activities will start at noon.

The days games and activities are set to wrap at 4 p.m. just before a Hamburger Supper planned for 5-8 p.m. at Community Hall in Nazareth.

Wristbands to participate in the kids activities are $10 for those 8 years old and older and $5 for those 7 and under.

The day will also include a corn hole tournament and live music set to start after the cattle auction. Entry is $40 per teams of two.

The hamburger supper plates will be $10 for a drink, burger, chips and cookie or $5 for those who want just a burger.

All proceeds from the days events will go to Holy Family Catholic Church.
Aug. 11

A burglary was reported at the 500 block of N. Date Street on Aug. 11.

Fraud was reported at the 700 block of El Paso on Aug. 11. The victim reported a stolen debit card that was later used to purchase $457.51 worth of items.

Damaged property was reported at the 200 block of W. 7th Street on Aug. 11. A female suspect was caught damaging a statue in the front of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

Credit card fraud was reported at the 100 block of W. 9th Street. The reporting party said their bank notified them of a fraudulent $1,000 charge through a cash app.

Fraudulent use of credit cards was reported at the 100 block of W. 9th Street on Aug. 11. The reporting party was notified of fraudulent transactions on their bank account.

A crash was reported at the 800 block of N. Columbia Street on Aug. 11. One person was injured and taken to Covenant Health for treatment.

Police arrested two minors during a traffic stop on Aug. 11 at the 500 block of W. 13th Street for burglary of a habitation and theft of a firearm previously reported. The arrest report shows a total of three arrests related to the burglary but the report indicates only two of the kids were apprehended during the traffic stop. The three kids arrested include a 15-year-old, a 13-year-old and a 12-year-old. They were each charged with one count of burglary of a habitation, which is a felony.

Officers were called to the 1200 block of Vernon on Aug. 11 in reference to neglect of a child.

Shoplifting was reported at the 1500 block of N. I-27 on Aug. 11. A suspect attempted to steal a set of Pokemon cards and Nintendo Switch games but was detained by Walmarts Asset Protection Associates. The individual was detained until an officer arrived. The property was valued at $44.87. The suspect and issued a criminal trespass warning.

Another theft was reported at the 1500 block of N. I-27. A person took property from Walmart without paying and left the premises.

Identity theft was reported at the 100 block W. 9th Street on Aug. 11.

Aug. 12

Police arrested a 25-year-old man at the 2400 block of Dimmit Road on Aug. 12. The individual was first arrested and charged with public intoxication. A charge of resisting arrest was added because he resisted being placed in a patrol unit.

Britany Ann Cano, 19, was arrested on Aug. 12 for two active felony warrants out of Hale and Potter Counties. She was arrested at the 1200 block of W. 21st Street.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 1300 block of Jefferson Street on Aug. 12. Damaged property was reported.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported on Aug. 12 at the intersection of W. 24th and N. Columbia.

A crash was reported at the 3400 block of Olton Road on Aug. 12. An injury was reported and the individual was treated by EMS at the scene.

Police arrested two individuals on Aug. 12 at the 2100 block of W. 5th Street for multiple warrants. A 27-year-old man was charged with seven active misdemeanor warrants for assault, interfering with an emergency call, criminal mischief, failure to appear, defective tail light, no drivers license and failure to maintain financial responsibility. A 40-year-old woman was also charged with two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear and for possession of drug paraphernalia.

A crash was reported at the 1300 block of Smythe Street on Aug. 12. A person caused damage to the front door of a residence and to a window of a vehicle at the location.

Aug. 13

Damaged property was reported at the 700 block of Quincy Street on Aug. 13. A person damaged tires on six different vehicles.

Police responded to the 3200 block of Olton Road on Aug. 13 in reference to shots fired. No arrests were indicated.

Shoplifting was reported at the 1000 block of N. Columbia. Kamirae Lajo Chance, 45, was arrested and charged with theft of property valued at less than $2,500 with two or more previous convictions, which is a felony.

A 38-year-old man was arrested at the 1400 block of Yonkers on Aug. 13. Officers were initially dispatched to the location in refence to a disturbance and found the individual to have several active misdemeanor warrants for expired drivers license, speeding, driving with an invalid license and failure to appear.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 900 block of N. Columbia Street on Aug. 13.

Aug. 14

An assault was reported at the 3400 block of Olton Road on Aug. 14. Officers were dispatched in reference to a disturbance that resulted in an assault.

Police arrested a 44-year-old man at the 2800 block of Dimmitt Road on Aug. 14. According to the police report, a power washer was stolen from a local business and was later recovered. John Henry Mendez was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, which is a felony, and with theft of property.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 2800 block of W. 4th Street on Aug. 14. Someone struck a metal door causing it to bend.

Aug. 15

A burglary was reported at the 1200 block of Kokomo on Aug. 15. A person entered the residence through a window and took property while the homeowners were away.

A crash was reported at the 1000 block of S. Date Street on Aug. 15.

Police arrested 40-year-old Denise Gonzales at the 600 block of W. 11th Street after responding to the location in reference to an assault. Gonzales attacked a spouse with a knife during an argument in which the victim used a fan for defense. The victim was not injured and told police Gonzales grabbed a knife for attack  a statement later backed up by witnesses to the altercation. Gonzales was found to have the knife in hand. Gonzales is charged with an active warrants and with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which is a felony.

A crash was reported at the 1300 block of Navajo on Aug. 15.

Aug. 16

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 2500 block of W. 11th Street on Aug. 16.

Identity theft was reported at the 900 block of Utica on Aug. 16. The reporting party told officers a family member opened utility counts in her name without her permission. The bills went unpaid and were turned over to collections.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 4000 block of Olton Road on Aug. 16. The reporting party told officers their vehicle was purposely scratched in the Super 8 parking lot.

Police arrested 29-year-old Vincent Orona at the 700 block of Portland Street on Aug. 16 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, which is a felony.

A crash was reported at the 500 block of W. 5th Street on Aug. 16. Vehicle damage was reported.

Police arrested 40-year-old Consuela Castro on Aug. 16 at the 900 block of N. Columbia. Castro allegedly assaulted a man with a knife at the location.

A crash was reported at the 3400 block of Olton Road on Aug. 16. An injury was reported.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 3600 block of Olton Road on Aug. 16.

Vehicle damage was reported after a crash at the 1100 block of Milwaukee on Aug. 16.

Aug. 17

Harassment via electronic communication was reported at the 1600 block of Yonkers on Aug. 17.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 1300 block of Utica on Aug. 17.

A theft was reported at the 1000 block of W. 11th Street on Aug. 17. A known person stole a pair of prescription glasses.

Criminal mischief was reported at the 500 block of W. 21st Street where a suspect broke a car window.

A crash resulting in vehicle damage was reported at the 2800 block of Fresno Street on Aug. 17.

Police arrested 21-year-old Destiny Rose Leah Crosetti on Aug. 17 at the 600 block of W. 9th Street. While conducting a wellness check, officers smelled alcohol on Crosettis breath and found her to be a danger and placed her under arrest for public intoxication. She was transported to the Hale County Sheriffs Office where she allegedly introduced a prohibited substance into a correctional facility. Crosetti was charged with public intoxication and with prohibited substance/item in a correctional facility, which is a felony.

Police arrested 75-year-old Refugio Cervantes on Aug. 17 at the 2400 block of N. Columbia Street for public intoxication.

Officers responded to the 1100 block of N. I-27 on Aug. 17 in reference to a traffic problem. A vehicle was reported to be parked on the east frontage road just west of the entrance ramp to N. I-27 with no lights on. The vehicle was unoccupied and secure. The right rear tire was on a yellow stripe. It was removed from the roadway due to being a traffic hazard after no contact was able to be established with the registered owner.

Aug. 18

Credit card fraud was reported at the 2600 block of Joliet Street on Aug. 18. Victims reported their debit card was stolen and used in multiple transactions.

An aggravated assault was reported at the 800 block of N. Broadway on Aug. 18. Officers responded to an apartment at the location where a suspect punched the back of the head. The suspect allegedly punched with a closed fist and wore a ring. The victim sustained two lacerations but was uncooperative and refused medical assistance. No arrests were indicated.

A controlled substance was reported at the 500 block of W. 5th Street. A person was found to be in possession of marijuana.

Officers responded to the 2600 block of Dimmitt Road on Aug. 18 where an individual was arrested for public intoxication.
Peruvians commemorate their culture and country every year on July 28 in celebrating their countrys Independence day.

On July 28, 1821, Gen. Jose de San Martin liberated Peru and declared independence from Spain saying the famous words at Plaza Mayor de Lima:

Desde este momento el Peru es Libre e Independiente por la voluntad general de los pueblos y por la justicia de su causa que Dios defiende. VIVA LA PATRIA!, VIVA LA LIBERTAD!, VIVA LA INDEPENDENCIA!. said San Martin.

Local celebrations

Fabiola Giguere, Peruvian business owner of Achiq Designs in Cheshire, who came from Peru to the United States 31 years ago, said that although she doesnt live in Peru anymore, she still takes pride in her country and celebrates in her own way here in the United States.

I gather my family here and cook dinner which consists of Peruvian food, Giguere said. She says on days like these, where its family oriented, she starts to miss her family in Peru and she takes the time to reach out to them through phone and video calls.

For every country, their independence day is important, says Giguere. She is actively involved in the Peruvian community in Connecticut and loves to represent her culture by involving herself in the Peruvian American Association of New Haven.

Giovanni Morales, collaborator of the Peruvian American Association, says he will be celebrating the day at his home with his family which consists of his wife, son, and two daughters.

My daughters love to find recipes online and for independence day they will be making a Peruvian dish called Pollo a la Brasa, Morales said.

Celebrations in Peru

According to Morales, Peru celebrates their independence day in two days, called Fiestas Patrias, by hosting parades, parties, masses, and concerts.

On the night of the 27th, music can already be heard on the streets preparing for the celebration with the flag of Peru flying from every house and building.

On July 28, in Plaza De Armas, the president gives a speech where they address the people of Peru and gives them updates on how the country is doing, Morales said. This year, since an election was held in April, Pedro Castillo, the president-elect will be sworn in as President the same day.

That night, nearly every plaza will hold traditional dances, music, and serve all sorts of food, including popular street foods such as picarones, papas rellena, salchipapa, and the most popular, anticuchos, which is skewered and grilled cow heart.

The next day on July 29, its a day to honor the Peruvian Military and National Police.

All branches of the military come out to represent themselves and the national police is invited to march the parade, said Morales. The service branches that walk are the Peruvian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Joint Command.

The ceremonies are only held for those two days but locals can continue celebrating days after.

Celebration in Connecticut

On Sunday, August 1, the Peruvian American Association will be holding an event to celebrate Peruvian independence at the New Haven Green located at 250 Temple St. The event will also be held through Facebook Live on their page called Asociacion Peruana Americana de New Haven.

The nonprofit organization was founded in 2004 and every year around July 28th, the organization hosts an event regarding Peru independence.

The event will be held from 1 until around 3:30, said Juan Andrich, the President of the Peruvian American Association.

During the event, the Peruvian flag is raised and the mayor of New Haven is invited along with the Peruvian Counsel from Hartford and priests from local churches.

This is an event we celebrate greatly because our people love Peru, said Andrich. Its a fun event.

Kaitlyn Campos, president of the Peruvian Student Association at the University of Connecticut, attends the event regularly and says that the event is truly for Peruvians.They serve traditional foods and play traditional music from Peru to celebrate their culture.

We have cultural dances from Peru like Marinera and Saya, said Campos.

In addition, small ceremonies are held where the association recognizes and celebrates first-gen students who are Peruvian.

We have our own celebration, said Campos.
The San Antonio City Council approved up to $200,000 on Thursday, August 20, for the nonprofit Catholic Charities of San Antonio for immigrant assistance. The agenda item didn't just slide through, however. Instead it sparked a heated discussion between council members over COVID-19 safety and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

San Antonio has served nearly 30,000 migrants who have passed through San Antonio International Airport since April 2021, according to agenda documents. Most of the migrants are coming from the Rio Grande Valley, says assistant city manager Lori Houston. She adds that 300 to 500 migrants pass through the airport daily.

Houston notes the migrants that pass through the airport have submitted asylum applications and are offered a ride through airport via various nonprofits. She says that many of the people who arrive at the airport do have travel arrangements to leave. If any need to stay longer than 12 hours, she says the city will try and set up lodging.

The $200,000 allows Catholic Charities of San Antonio to provide migrants with travel assistance, including purchasing tickets, local transportation, hotel lodging, and resource coordination.

Councilman Clayton Perry asked Houston why migrants coming through the airport weren't being tested for COVID-19. Houston said that some people are being tested when picked up by nonprofits, but she couldn't give a percentage of those tested nor can the city mandate testing.

Perry then asked why the federal government doesn't step in and test. City Manager Erik Walsh said the city has expressed concern about the lack of not being able to mandate testing, but most of the migrants that come through leave within 12 hours.

Border Patrol is also still sending back a majority of migrants under Title 42, the Trump-era policy designed to curb COVID-19. The Biden Administration has not ended that policy.

"They're just going all over the place and we don't even know if they're positive," Perry said.

Councilwoman Terri Castillo disagreed with rhetoric characterizing migrants, immigrants, or refugees as "diseased or virus carriers," and called it dangerous.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Ana Sandoval said she questions if the concern in discussing this issue really has to do with the health of San Antonio, and would like to see that concern expressed across all aspects of protecting the community, including wearing masks.

"I believe that calling this item out for discussion, is calling it out because the people that are receiving these services are people of color and because they have a different national origin," Sandoval said.

Councilman John Courage said he believes questioning whether migrants are being tested are going to be misinterpreted as trying to instill fear that they are spreading the COVID-19.

He said the questions on testing were legitimate, but should have been addressed in a different setting.

Perry said that the city needs to reengage with the federal government and ask for more to be done to protect San Antonio.

"It has nothing to do about race and I too take great offense that we always play the race card on something like this," Perry said. "We need to make sure that we're protecting our community."
Science/Medicine

Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant is Associated with Higher Infectious Virus Loads Compared to the Alpha Variant in Vaccinated and Unvaccinated MedRxIv

The ID/PH Evidence-Based Medicine gatekeepers, driven by biased #DropletDogma groupthink, and sunk cost fallacy, smugly dismissed these studies. They threw rocks at the conclusions, and perpetually raised the bar of evidence to accept and mitigate Airborne Transmission. 2/13  C Pita (@CPita3) August 20, 2021

'British women have made 30,304 reports of changes to their periods after having received a Covid vaccine. I am one of them.'  Lara Prendergasthttps://t.co/I9EmDq6Q3B  The Spectator (@spectator) August 19, 2021

Fears of violent delta offshoot arise in Israel with 10 new cases of AY.3 reported i24 News. GM has been warning of this variant.

Israeli doctors find severe COVID-19 breakthrough cases mostly in older, sicker patients Reuters

Highly Vaccinated Israel Is Seeing A Dramatic Surge In New Cases NPR (David L)

India approves worlds first DNA Covid vaccine BBC

The eradication of COVID-19 is the only way to stop the pandemic WSWS. WSWS and our GM are on the same page.
Yves here. I cant imagine how parents who are on top of Covid will cope with the opening of school. Its a disgrace that efforts to protect students, teachers, and staff are coming down to masks, when in densely-seated classrooms, they wont be all that helpful even when they are required. The failure to do anything about improving ventilation is a scandal (and yes, there are cheap options, but apparently no one can be bothered).

As GM wrote a few days ago:

I was very puzzled by the whole Obama birthday party story  surely someone must have told them we have a problem and it is really really not a good idea to have such a large event for his and his guests own safety. They did it anyway, Maybe they have gotten their third shots already (but then the people you just had as patients probably would have too, and they clearly havent), maybe they thought they will catch all infections with rapid tests (as if that has a good record of keeping such events safe), who knows. But the fact that they went ahead with it speaks clearly that they are in denial about the situation. Its not like they had to do it as it faced major backlash as it is. This was not Trump feeling he has to show strength at all costs and thus leaving the hospital and giving speeches from the balcony of the White House while clearly gasping for air. Not at all, they could have just laid low, there was no external demand on them to have a huge party now. Another story showing the same phenomenon  apparently the Palo Alto school district is going ahead with classes as if the pandemic is over. Which has meant that the few people I know there who grasp the gravity of the situation are now in a real tough spot  cant pull the kids out of school, remote learning isnt properly set up this year, so what do you do? This is Palo Alto, its some of the most highly educated zip codes in the whole country, yet apparently most of the parents have drunk the kool-aid and believe that the pandemic is over and nothing bad can happen to their own kids (even though they arent even vaccinated). These are also supposedly data-oriented people yet most seem to think this is a problem only in the South and because of low vaccination rates. When in reality states like WA and OR are having huge spikes too right now. But I suspect following the statistics is not something one does once he has decided the problem is solved and its all over.

This story keeps up the narrative.its all about Bubbaland.

By Rae Ellen Bichell, a Colorado Correspondent for Kaiser Health news who was previously, she was a radio reporter for the Mountain West News Bureau, KUNC, and NPR. Originally published at Kaiser Health News

The child had just started kindergarten. Or, as her mother called it, Russian roulette. Thats because her school district in Grand Junction, Colorado, experienced one of the nations first delta-variant outbreaks last spring, and now school officials have loosened the rules meant to protect against covid-19.

The mother, Venessa, who asked not to be named in full for fear of repercussions for her family, is part of a group of parents, grandparents, medical professionals and community members who assembled in the past few weeks to push back.

The group calls itself S.O.S., which stands for Supporters for Open and Safe Schools, while nodding to the international signal for urgent help. Its made up of Republicans and Democrats, Christians and atheists, and its main request: Require masks.

Venessa said the concept is not complicated for her 5-year-old. She just puts it on, like her shoes.

But just two weeks into this school year, 30 classrooms already have reports of exposure to covid-positive students, district spokesperson Emily Shockley said. And three more classrooms were quarantined because theyd had at least three students in them test positive. Masks are still not universally required.

Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal indoor masking in schools regardless of vaccination status, schools across the country are not embracing mask requirements, including for students under 12 who arent yet eligible for protective vaccines.

Mesa County, where Venessa lives, was one of the places where the variant arrived before school let out for summer. A report published in early August by the CDC found that from late April through late June, as the delta variant spread there, schools were the most common setting for outbreaks aside from residential care facilities, even though masks were required in schools for students age 11 and older. Schools were bigger virus hubs than correctional facilities.

Susan Hassig, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Tulane University in New Orleans, views the report on Mesa County as a warning shot of whats to come, showing high spread of the variant among schoolchildren.

Prior assumptions that kids werent likely to get or spread the virus no longer apply, she said: Kids are back to their regular in-person activities, and with a highly transmissible variant circulating to boot. Weve got a lot more kids that are getting exposed, and with delta, a lot more kids getting infected, Hassig said this month. And now weve got full childrens hospitals here in Louisiana.

Politicians in eight states, including Texas and Florida, have prohibited mask mandates in public schools, but some school districts  including in big cities such as Dallas, Houston, Austin and Fort Lauderdale and small ones such as Paris, Texas  are rebelling against those orders and mandating masks anyway, despite the threat of fines.

The Biden administration has supported those local jurisdictions that have gone rogue, with offers to pay the salaries of Florida school board members going against their governor. The administration is also considering investigations into states and districts for potentially violating civil rights that guarantee access to education.

Were not going to sit by as governors try to block and intimidate educators from protecting our children, said President Joe Biden.

Dr. Jyoti Kapur, a pediatrician with Schoolhouse Pediatrics in Austin, Texas, and mother of two children under 12, was part of a group that persuaded the school district there to enact a mask mandate. Kapur said her kids are ecstatic about starting school again in person.

We want all the school superintendents and their boards of trustees to know everywhere in Texas  and in the country  that the experts are with you, said Kapur. Lets do our best. If it doesnt work, we will go down knowing we did our best to protect our children.P

In Louisiana, Hassig pointed to the nearly vertical case rates and hospitalization rates in her state as evidence of how seriously schools should take the virus this year.

As a grandmother, she wants her granddaughter to be able to attend second grade in person. As an epidemiologist, she worries about not just the immediate effects of the delta variant on hospitals and economies, but also the opportunity its spread gives to the emergence of new strains that may be even more contagious, or able to evade vaccines. To Hassig, masks are part of the toolkit that could assuage both fears.

What may have been sufficient to reduce widespread problems last spring is not necessarily going to work with delta, because delta is different, Hassig said. Be ready to take it up a notch.

However, the Mesa County Valley School District 51 is ratcheting measures down a notch  despite its experience last spring with outbreaks. Without a state mask mandate in place this school year, the decision was punted to county public health officials and individual school districts. And the school district in Mesa County is not requiring masks for students or staffers.

Venessa, the mom of the kindergartner, said she had assumed guidelines would be more stringent this school year than last because of the delta variants pervasiveness. Why not start with the horse on a lead rope? she said. Not just open the corral, let it run out, and then try to go catch it?

Federal guidelines around public transportation mean students do have to wear masks on school buses, but when they get to school, those masks can come off. According to Joel Sholtes, a member of the S.O.S. group and the father of a second grader, thats exactly whats happening since school started for his kid on Aug. 9.

Unmasked kids are telling our masked kids that they dont need to mask and should take them off. Some kids are because they dont want to stand out, said Sholtes, who, as a civil engineer, believes its as important for schools to hew to public health guidance as it is for him to hew to expert guidance on how to safely design a bridge.

Its not who can be loudest at a public meeting. Theres some things that we need expert opinion on, and we have to follow those, he said. Public health shouldnt be different.

Police escorted school board members to their cars after a public meeting Tuesday because they felt threatened by some parents who wanted more time to voice anti-mask and anti-vaccine concerns, according to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Brian Hill, the Mesa County districts assistant superintendent, said the school system is highly recommending indoor masking. He said he saw a mixture of masked and unmasked students in his rounds of campuses during the first week of class.

Well also support students and staff within our schools, with whatever decision they make around that, he said. Whether they make the decision to wear a mask or not, were going to support that in the campuses in a way that we dont want students to feel bullied or feel judged for the decision that theyre making.

Hill pointed to numbers from last school year showing that family members  and not school interactions  were the primary culprits in passing covid on to the 1,293 students who tested positive out of the districts 21,000 students.

Its a very tiny, tiny percentage that were traced back to any sort of in-school transmission, he said. So, we werent really seeing transmission in our schools. It was happening out in the community.

During the past school year, about 7% of those age 18 and under who tested positive for covid in the county had exposure through an institutional facility like a school or child care site, according to a district presentation.

As of late July, about two weeks before the school year started, fewer than 60% of school district staffers were fully vaccinated, and fewer than 23% of eligible students were fully vaccinated, the presentation said.

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis sent a letter to district superintendents imploring them to adopt strategies such as mask requirements, though he has avoided imposing a statewide order. Polis also recently announced that Colorado is offering weekly rapid testing  considered a useful screening tool when done frequently  to all schools in the state, and might even pay students between $5 and $25 to take the tests, though theyd need consent from a parent. Hill said its too early to say if his district will opt in.

Blythe Rusling taught fifth grade at one of about a dozen schools in Mesa County that had an outbreak last spring. That was back when students 11 and older were required to wear masks.

The kids might grouse a bit about wearing a mask, but at the end of the day they understood that it was something we could do to keep each other healthy, said Rusling, who is working as a reading interventionist this school year.

Now, though, she said, she noticed the tenor had changed among the adults. As staffers prepped for school, she said, she was one of the few to wear a mask. It almost feels like youre not the cool kid when youre wearing a mask, she said.

Still, two messages brightened her view of the future. They were from former students who had turned 12 and couldnt wait to tell her the news: Theyd gotten covid vaccines.
Yves here. One hates to say it, but of course Afghanistan Cassandras will continue to be marginal voices, the same way the very few economists who saw the financial crisis coming didnt get more recognition as a result either. What John Maynard Keynes said of bankers is true of most human enterprise:

A sound banker, alas, is not one who sees danger and avoids it, but one who, when he is ruined, is ruined in a conventional and orthodox way along with his fellows, so that no one can really blame him.

And boy, was conventional thinking full of bloodlust after 9/11. I was lucky not to have a TV then (the more you watched, the more unsettled you became) but I did wind up catching a fair bit of President Bushs speech at the National Cathedral, supposedly to commemorate the dead. It included a not terribly coded call to arms. Similarly, I went to the nearby Unitarian church the Sunday following 9/11 to hear the sermon, and was shocked at the warmongering.

By Medea Benjamin, cofounder of CODEPINK for Peace and author of several books, including< a href=https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/inside-iran-medea-benjamin/>Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Nicolas J. S. Davies, an independent journalist, a researcher with CODEPINK and the author of Blood On Our Hands: the American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq

Americas corporate media are ringing with recriminations over the humiliating U.S. military defeat in Afghanistan. But very little of the criticism goes to the root of the problem, which was the original decision to militarily invade and occupy Afghanistan in the first place.

That decision set in motion a cycle of violence and chaos that no subsequent U.S. policy or military strategy could resolve over the next 20 years, in Afghanistan, Iraq or any of the other countries swept up in Americas post-9/11 wars.

While Americans were reeling in shock at the images of airliners crashing into buildings on September 11, 2001, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld held a meeting in an intact part of the Pentagon. Undersecretary Cambones notes from that meeting spell out how quickly and blindly U.S. officials prepared to plunge our nation into graveyards of empire in Afghanistan, Iraq and beyond.

Cambone wrote that Rumsfeld wanted, best info fast. Judge whether good enough hit S.H. (Saddam Hussein) at same time  not only UBL (Usama Bin Laden) Go massive. Sweep it all up. Things related and not.

So within hours of these horrific crimes in the United States, the central question senior U.S. officials were asking was not how to investigate them and hold the perpetrators accountable, but how to use this Pearl Harbor moment to justify wars, regime changes and militarism on a global scale.

Three days later, Congress passed a bill authorizing the president to use military forceagainst those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons

In 2016, the Congressional Research Service reported that this Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) had been cited to justify 37 distinct military operations in 14 different countries and at sea. The vast majority of the people killed, maimed or displaced in these operations had nothing to do with the crimes of September 11. Successive administrations have repeatedly ignored the actual wording of the authorization, which only authorized the use of force against those involved in some way in the 9/11 attacks.

The only member of Congress who had the wisdom and courage to vote against the 2001 AUMF was Barbara Lee of Oakland. Lee compared it to the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin resolution and warned her colleagues that it would inevitably be used in the same expansive and illegitimate way. The final words of herfloor speech echo presciently through the 20-year-long spiral of violence, chaos and war crimes it unleashed, As we act, let us not become the evil we deplore.

In a meeting at Camp David that weekend, Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz argued forcefully for an attack on Iraq, even before Afghanistan. Bush insisted Afghanistan must come first, but privately promised Defense Policy Board chairman Richard Perle that Iraq would be their next target.

In the days after September 11, the U.S. corporate media followed the Bush administrations lead, and the public heard only rare, isolated voices questioning whether war was the correct response to the crimes committed.

But former Nuremberg war crimes prosecutor Ben Ferencz spoke to NPR( National Public Radio) a week after 9/11, and he explained that attacking Afghanistan was not only unwise and dangerous, but was not a legitimate response to these crimes. NPRs Katy Clark struggled to understand what he was saying:

Clark: do you think that the talk of retaliation is not a legitimate response to the death of 5,000 (sic) people? Ferencz: It is never a legitimate response to punish people who are not responsible for the wrong done. Clark: No one is saying were going to punish those who are not responsible. Ferencz: We must make a distinction between punishing the guilty and punishing others. If you simply retaliate en masse by bombing Afghanistan, let us say, or the Taliban, you will kill many people who dont believe in what has happened, who dont approve of what has happened. Clark: So you are saying that you see no appropriate role for the military in this. Ferencz: I wouldnt say there is no appropriate role, but the role should be consistent with our ideals. We shouldnt let them kill our principles at the same time they kill our people. And our principles are respect for the rule of law. Not charging in blindly and killing people because we are blinded by our tears and our rage.

The drumbeat of war pervaded the airwaves, twisting 9/11 into a powerful propaganda narrative to whip up the fear of terrorism and justify the march to war. But many Americans shared the reservations of Rep. Barbara Lee and Ben Ferencz, understanding enough of their countrys history to recognize that the 9/11 tragedy was being hijacked by the same military-industrial complex that produced the debacle in Vietnam and keeps reinventing itself generation after generation to support andprofit fromAmerican wars, coups and militarism.

On September 28, 2001, the Socialist Workerwebsite published statements by 15 writers and activists under the heading, Why we say no to war and hate. They included Noam Chomsky, the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan and me (Medea). Our statements took aim at the Bush administrations attacks on civil liberties at home and abroad, as well as its plans for war on Afghanistan.

The late academic and author Chalmers Johnson wrote that 9/11 was not an attack on the United States but an attack on U.S. foreign policy. Edward Herman predicted massive civilian casualties. Matt Rothschild, the editor of The Progressivemagazine, wrote that, For every innocent person Bush kills in this war, five or ten terrorists will arise. I (Medea) wrote that a military response will only create more of the hatred against the U.S. that created this terrorism in the first place.

Our analysis was correct and our predictions were prescient. We humbly submit that the media and politicians should start listening to the voices of peace and sanity instead of lying, delusional warmongers.

What leads to catastrophes like the U.S. war in Afghanistan is not the absence of convincing anti-war voices but that our political and media systems routinely marginalize and ignore voices like those of Barbara Lee, Ben Ferencz and ourselves.

That is not because we are wrong and the belligerent voices they listen to are right. They marginalize us precisely because we are right and they are wrong, and because serious, rational debates over war, peace and military spending would jeopardize some of the most powerful and corrupt vested interests that dominate and control U.S. politics on a bipartisan basis.

In every foreign policy crisis, the very existence of our militarys enormous destructive capacity and the myths our leaders promote to justify it converge in an orgy of self-serving interests and political pressures to stoke our fears and pretend that there are military solutions for them.

Losing the Vietnam War was a serious reality check on the limits of U.S. military power. As the junior officers who fought in Vietnam rose through the ranks to become Americas military leaders, they acted more cautiously and realistically for the next 20 years. But the end of the Cold War opened the door to an ambitious new generation of warmongers who were determined to capitalize on the U.S. post-Cold War power dividend.

Madeleine Albright spoke for this emerging new breed of war-hawks when she confronted General Colin Powell in 1992 with her question, Whats the point of having this superb military youre always talking about if we cant use it?

As Secretary of State in Clintons second term, Albright engineered th efirst of a series of illegal U.S. invasions to carve out an independent Kosovo from the splintered remains of Yugoslavia. When U.K. Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told her his government was having trouble with our lawyers over the illegality of the NATO war plan, Albright said they should just get new lawyers.

In the 1990s, the neocons and liberal interventionists dismissed and marginalized the idea that non-military, non-coercive approaches can more effectively resolve foreign policy problems without the horrors of war or deadly sanctions. This bipartisan war lobby then exploited the 9/11 attacks to consolidate and expand their control of U.S. foreign policy.

But after spending trillions of dollars and killing millions of people, the abysmal record of U.S. war-making since World War II remains a tragic litany of failure and defeat, even on its own terms. The only wars the United States has won since 1945 have been limited wars to recover small neo-colonial outposts in Grenada, Panama and Kuwait.

Every time the United States has expanded its military ambitions to attack or invade larger or more independent countries, the results have been universally catastrophic.

So our countrys absurd investment of 66% of discretionary federal spending in destructive weapons, and recruiting and training young Americans to use them, does not make us safer but only encourages our leaders to unleash pointless violence and chaos on our neighbors around the world.

Most of our neighbors have grasped by now that these forces and the dysfunctional U.S. political system that keeps them at its disposal pose a serious threat to peace and to their own aspirations fordemocracy. Few people in other countries want any part ofAmericas wars, or its revived Cold War against China and Russia, and these trends are most pronounced among Americas long-time allies in Europe and in its traditional backyard in Canada and Latin America.

On October 19, 2001, Donaldumsfeld addressed B-2 bomber crews at Whiteman AFB in Missouri as they prepared to take off across the world to inflict misdirected vengeance on the long-suffering people of Afghanistan. He told them, We have two choices. Either we change the way we live, or we must change the way they live. We choose the latter. And you are the ones who will help achieve that goal.

Now that dropping over 80,000 bombs and missiles on the people of Afghanistan for 20 years has failed to change the way they live, apart from killing hundreds of thousands of them and destroying their homes, we must instead, as Rumsfeld said, change the way we live.

We should start by finally listening to Barbara Lee. First, we should pass her bill to repeal the two post-9/11 AUMFs that launched our 20-year fiasco in Afghanistan and other wars in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

Then we should pass her bill to redirect $350 billionper year from the U.S. military budget (roughly a 50% cut) to increase our diplomatic capacity and for domestic programs that will keep our Nation and our people safer.

Finally reining in Americas out-of-control militarism would be a wise and appropriate response to its epic defeat in Afghanistan, before the same corrupt interests drag us into even more dangerous wars against more formidable enemies than the Taliban.
(Natural News) A chemical manufacturer in Michigan nearly poisoned a small town after mistakenly sending it drums filled with sulfuric acid.

The New Baltimore Water Plant, the main water treatment facility for the small town of 14,000 people, routinely adds chemicals to the water supply. The plant does this under the mistaken belief that these chemicals  including fluoride  promote better health. (Related: Is your areas water supply prone to fluoride hacking?)

To this end, New Baltimore has a contract with Detroit-based company PVS Nolwood Chemicals to supply it with blue 55-gallon drums filled with chemicals to mix into the water. It provides chemicals to at least nine other municipal water treatment stations in the state.

On July 11, the New Baltimore water treatment plant received its regular order of several drums filled with chemicals. The labels said these drums were filled with hydrofluosilicic acid. This is a chemical commonly used to fluoridate drinking water, and many erroneously believe ingesting it prevents tooth decay.

But the four drums actually contained 93 percent sulfuric acid, a corrosive and toxic chemical commonly found in fertilizers, drain cleaners, detergents, batteries and antifreeze. Sulfuric acid is not safe to drink.

New Baltimore Water Plant Superintendent Chris Hiltunen said an employee was pumping what he believed to be hydrofluosilicic acid from a drum into a storage tank. This tank feeds into the towns water supply.

But before the water could be fed into the wider water network, a chemical reaction occurred. As soon as he turned that pump on to transfer the chemical into the day tank, there was a pretty substantial reaction, created some heat, some mist, said Hiltunen.

The employee immediately stopped and told his superiors. The plant was shut down immediately to prevent the chemical from getting into the water supply.

It was the most aggressive thing I had ever seen chemical-wise, said Hiltunen.

PVS Nolwood quickly punished for mislabeling incident

After the plant was shut down, Hiltunen contacted the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to report the situation. The EGLE is also responsible for overseeing chemical companies like PVS Nolwood.

EGLE immediately released a statement announcing that PVS Nolwood is no longer authorized to supply municipal water treatment facilities with chemicals.

To notify water systems that feed treatment chemicals, that they are no longer authorized under the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act to order and add chemicals from PVS Nolwood Chemicals, Inc, said EGLE. Therefore, please make arrangements to secure chemicals from alternative suppliers.

This incident is an important reminder for water suppliers to review their standard operating procedures for chemical delivery and releases, added EGLE.

EGLE further pointed out that this was a serious incident and PVS Nolwoods mislabeling of the sulfuric acid drums put the plant operators and the citys water supply at risk.

Hiltunen said PVS Nolwoods error damaged the plants storage tank and pump. It will cost the city about $10,000 to replace. He received a $1,200 invoice from PVS Nolwood for the mislabeled chemicals.

I just sent it right back to them, he said.

Soon after EGLE made its announcement, NSF International, a global nonprofit that establishes standards for chemicals that may be added to drinking water, stripped PVS Nolwood of its certification.

Certification for all products is withdrawn due to PVS Nolwoods failure to comply with NSF certification requirements, including unauthorized use of the NSF mark and applying the NSF mark to non-certified product(s), wrote the nonprofit. PVS Nolwood labeled a product as hydrofluosilicic acid and applied the NSF mark to the product packaging when the product was in fact sulfuric acid.

New Baltimore Mayor John Dupray said he immediately ordered the city to cancel its contract with PVS Nolwood as soon as he found out about the incident.

We will no longer be a customer of theirs, he said. I was surprised and very concerned. It should be a concern to everyone how this mistake happened so easily with products being mislabeled. There should be better safety precautions.

In a statement, PVS Nolwood claimed this was a solitary incident and that it is not indicative of anything systemic in the company.

Fortunately, as the New Baltimore operator began to add the contents of the first drum he realized there was a problem and stopped, wrote the company. The water supply was never contaminated and the incident was managed, and cleaned up without further incident.

PVS accounted for all the drums involved in the incident and the company says it is certain there are no other mislabeled drums at our site or any other customer site.

Before Dupray severed all ties with PVS Nolwood, the company supplied the town with chemicals for at least 25 years. Instead of rethinking whether or not it should put dangerous chemicals into the water supply, it is instead looking for a new supplier.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Fox2Detroit.com

MLive.com
(Natural News) Responding to concerns from employees in both the public and private sector about workplace requirements regarding COVID-19 vaccines and a desire to express their religious objections to such requirements, The Rutherford Institute has issued guidance and an in-depth fact sheet and model letter for those seeking a religious exemption to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the workplace.

(Article republished from Rutherford.org)

For good or bad, COVID-19 has changed the way we navigate the world and the way in which we the people exercise our rights. As a result, we find ourselves grappling with issues that touch on deep-seated moral, political, religious and personal questions for which there may be no clear-cut answers, said constitutional attorney John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. One thing is clear, however: while the courts may defer to the governments brand of Nanny State authoritarianism, we still have rights. The government may try to abridge those rights, it may refuse to recognize them, it may even attempt to nullify them, but it cannot erase them.

Daily, growing numbers of public and private employers are requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and using the threat of termination to force acceptance of the vaccine. Unfortunately, legal protections in this area are limited. While the Americans with Disabilities Act protects those who can prove they have medical conditions that make receiving a vaccination dangerous, employees must be able to prove they have a sensitivity to vaccines. The requirement established by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that employers provide religious accommodations may be invoked by employees who have sincere religious beliefs against receiving vaccinations. But an employers duty of accommodation is not absolute, and if it can show that accommodating the workers objections to vaccinations will interfere with its operations or workplace safety, the employee may face the choice between keeping her job or violating her religious beliefs.

Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on religion. Title VII further defines religion broadly to include not only beliefs, but also religious practices and observances. As a result, the federal employment discrimination law forbids discharging an employee because the employee chooses to engage in certain conduct, or not engage in certain conduct, that is a part of the employees religious beliefs and practices, and holds that someone cannot be discriminated against by their employer based on their religion unless the employer cannot reasonably accommodate an employees religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employers business. Although there have been very few cases that have dealt specifically with Title VIIs ban on employment discrimination based on religion in the context of religious objections to vaccines mandated by the employer, it appears established that if an employee holds sincerely-held religious beliefs in opposition to receiving a vaccination, an employer that has a rule requiring that vaccination must reasonably accommodate the employees beliefs. For an employee who objects to an employers vaccine requirement, the first step is to give notice to the employer of the religious objection to receiving the vaccine. To this end, The Rutherford Institute has provided a model letter for use in requesting a religious exemption from a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the workplace.

The Rutherford Institute, a nonprofit civil liberties organization, provides legal assistance at no charge to individuals whose constitutional rights have been threatened or violated and educates the public on a wide spectrum of issues affecting their freedoms.

Read more at: Rutherford.org and HealthFreedom.news.
(Natural News) An internal cable signed by 23 American diplomats in Afghanistan last month warned Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the potential fall of Kabul to the Taliban forces soon after the U.S. troops withdrew from the country.

The classified cable dated July 13 is the clearest evidence yet that the Biden administration had been warned by its own officials on the ground that the Talibans advance was imminent and that Afghanistans military may be unable to stop it.

Sent via the confidential dissent channel of the Department of State (DOS), the cable warned of rapid territorial gains by the Taliban and the subsequent collapse of Afghan security forces, and offered recommendations on ways to mitigate the crisis and speed up an evacuation.

The cable was sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of Policy Planning Salman Ahmed. Blinken received the cable and reviewed it shortly after receipt, according to a person familiar with the exchange.

DOS spokesman Ned Price declined to address the cable, but told the Wall Street Journal that Blinken reads every dissent and reviews every reply. Hes made clear that he welcomes and encourages use of the dissent channel, and is committed to its revitalization. We value constructive internal dissent, Price said.

Government actions validate existence of classified cable

The signatories of the dissent channel cable urged the DOS to begin registering and collecting personal data in advance for all Afghans who qualify for special immigrant visas while there was still six weeks left before the Aug. 31 troop withdrawal deadline. They also urged the administration to begin evacuation flights no later than Aug. 1.

On July 14, a day after the cable was sent, the White House announced Operation Allies Refuge to support the relocation of interested and eligible Afghan nationals and their immediate families who supported the U.S. government for the special immigrant visas. Evacuations have been complicated by the Taliban takeover of Kabul on Sunday, Aug. 15.

Some 18,000 Afghans have applied for the U.S. Special Immigrant Visa program, but they remained on the ground in Afghanistan with their families. About half of them were outside Kabul in areas already under Taliban control. Efforts to get them to the Kabul airport have grown more difficult by the day.

Several other actions that have since been taken by the administration were consistent with some of the requests and recommendations in the cable, the person familiar with the cable exchange said.

Last week, the administration cited rapid military gains by the Taliban in downsizing its embassy in Kabul and sending about 3,000 troops to aid in the evacuation of U.S. staff. Embassy staffers who werent being evacuated from the country were transferred to a makeshift office at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, with increasing U.S. troop presence.

The Biden administration has been criticized for not doing enough to get Americans and Afghan allies out of the country until after the Taliban takeover was well underway. (Related: Violence continues in Afghanistan as thousands of American civilians await evacuation while Biden fiddles.)

The dissent channel is a formal mechanism of the DOS that allows foreign service officers to raise concerns about current policy. It was established during the Vietnam War as a result of concerns that contrary views were being ignored.

Written dissents are supposed to be circulated among senior officials at the agency and the authors are supposed to be protected against retaliation. They are intended to remain confidential.

Biden underestimated the Taliban

The existence of the confidential cable adds another angle to an expanding debate involving the White House, Pentagon and intelligence services over what U.S. officials understood about assessments of Afghanistans stability.

In July, President Joe Biden said that a collapse of the government and a Taliban takeover were highly unlikely, pointing to the large numbers of Afghan National Security Force members, their U.S. training and modern equipment, including an air force.

The administration disputed the notion that the confidential cable warned of the early fall of Afghanistan. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, has said that a speedy demise of the U.S.-supported government and army was unanticipated.

There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated a collapse of this army and this government in 11 days, Milley said at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

Follow NationalSecurity.news for more news related to the U.S. military and the intelligence community.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

Reuters.com

News.Yahoo.com
(Natural News) For months Americans with an IQ above mid-double-digits knew that neither President Donald Trump nor any of his allies including Roger Stone and Alex Jones worked to incite the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol Building, but according to a report this week, that is now an official finding of the FBI.

Citing four current and former law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigations, Reuters reported exclusively that the FBI has found scant evidence that the incident was the result of an organized plot to overturn the presidential election result, according to four current and former law enforcement officials.

Ninety to ninety-five percent of these are one-off cases, a former senior law enforcement official told the newswire. Then you have five percent, maybe, of these militia groups that were more closely organized. But there was no grand scheme with Roger Stone and Alex Jones and all of these people to storm the Capitol and take hostages.

Federal authorities have arrested more than 570 people who allegedly participated in the Capitol breach (keep in mind that tens of thousands of people were in D.C. that day to hear Trump speak), but at this point, the bureau does not believe there was a massive, universal plot to disrupt the Capitol, take congressional hostages, take over the government, or anything even remotely close to that. The violence was not centrally coordinated by far-right groups or prominent supporters of then-President Donald Trump, Reuters reported.

That said, the investigation has found that some individuals did plot to break into the Capitol who belonged to right-leaning groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. But federal investigators say that these were small-time, low-key efforts and that most of the actual planning took place the day of the breach, indicating, again, that there was no long-term operation to take down the government.

They alleged that one Proud Boy leader recruited members and urged them to stockpile bulletproof vests and other military-style equipment in the weeks before the attack and on Jan. 6 sent members forward with a plan to split into groups and make multiple entries to the Capitol, Reuters reported.

But so far prosecutors have steered clear of more serious, politically-loaded charges that the sources said had been initially discussed by prosecutors, such as seditious conspiracy or racketeering.

This, after months of Democrat accusations that Trump was some rebel commander and sedition mastermind who directed legions of armies to do his bidding.

But do you know what the FBIs findings smack of (and you can bet this story was leaked on purpose)? An effort to cover up FBI involvement in staging what was obviously a false flag attack.

Recall that shortly after the incident, a trained observer who is an expert in spotting such observations, J. Michael Waller, who was at the Capitol that day, wrote about what he saw in a piece for The Federalist a week after the breach:

Plainclothes militants . Militant, aggressive men in Donald Trump and MAGA gear at a front police line at the base of the temporary presidential inaugural platform;

. Militant, aggressive men in Donald Trump and MAGA gear at a front police line at the base of the temporary presidential inaugural platform; Agents-provocateurs . Scattered groups of men exhorting the marchers to gather closely and tightly toward the center of the outside of the Capitol building and prevent them from leaving;

. Scattered groups of men exhorting the marchers to gather closely and tightly toward the center of the outside of the Capitol building and prevent them from leaving; Fake Trump protesters . A few young men wearing Trump or MAGA hats backwards and who did not fit in with the rest of the crowd in terms of their actions and demeanor, whom I presumed to be Antifa or other leftist agitators; and

. A few young men wearing Trump or MAGA hats backwards and who did not fit in with the rest of the crowd in terms of their actions and demeanor, whom I presumed to be Antifa or other leftist agitators; and Disciplined, uniformed column of attackers. A column of organized, disciplined men, wearing similar but not identical camouflage uniforms and black gear, some with helmets and GoPro cameras or wearing subdued Punisher skull patches.

You dont go to a rally dressed like this. These people were there specifically to stage an attack on the Capitol so that Trump would be blamed  and its very likely the FBI was involved, as Tucker Carlson of Fox News has speculated.

Nothing the FBI says or concludes can be believed.

Sources include:

USNews.com

NaturalNews.com

TheFederalist.com
(Natural News) Digital health passports are no longer the stuff of conspiracy theories, they are here, with New York City, Los Angeles and several other major cities handing themselves over as the American testing grounds for global technocrats.

(Article republished from LeoHohmann.com)

If businesses actually comply with the demand that people be separated like cattle and treated differently based on their willingness to submit to a certain medical treatment, then God help us. These digital passports will quickly spread to other cities and towns across America. Everyone will be required to show your digital papers before entering a place of business to buy or sell.

Its already happening across Europe, which is always a little ahead of America in the race to eliminate freedom.

Ive explained in previous articles the significance of digital passports, who is promoting them and what type of society the powers behind this technology wish to create.

Many of those articles left me mentally exhausted and research weary.

But if those were penned from the head, this ones from the heart.

I decided I could not live with myself if I didnt put out a no holds barred assessment of the diabolical nature of what is now overtaking the earth.

Truth is, a color revolution was successfully orchestrated in the United Sates in November and December of last year. This opened the door for global power elites who hate America and everything it stands for to make their final desperate move for total control over humanity. Their goal is global governance over a drastically reduced world population and after decades of working toward this end they feel now is the time to make their decisive chess move. A checkmate for all time.

Could they have overplayed their hand? I hope so.

But its also possible they may be too far invested to walk things back. Because the evil ones have removed their masks and boldly called for such obviously totalitarian measures, such as forced masking and forced injections of every man, woman and child, they have awakened a great number within the sleeping masses.

What they have planned is global technocracy, a system of dictatorship by experts, which include scientists, engineers and bureaucrats like Dr. Anthony Fauci. Picture the regimes of Hitler, Stalin and Mao augmented by the powers of artificial intelligence, computer algorithms, facial-recognition software and gene-editing programs. Now you are staring into the face of a modern-day technocracy.

While many have woken up to the threat, there are still far too many sleeping. To the delight of the global predators of technocracy, these sleep walkers remain stuck in the mire of the worn-out Democrat vs. Republican paradigm.

Theyre still looking over the horizon to 2022 and 2024, anticipating the arrival of their long-awaited saviors. They completely overlook the importance of now.

They do not understand that what occurred on Nov. 3 and Jan. 6 was designed as a coup, a permanent transfer of power away from the people and into the hands of a relative few powerful elites.

The only way to reverse this power transfer will be by the sheer force of aggressive human action. Im not talking about violence. I am talking about a mass resistance of millions standing up and saying no to health passports and no to dehumanizing masks. Even the vaccinated who care about freedom should refuse to darken the door of any business asking to see a health passport.

No politician is going to ride to our rescue in 2022 or 2024. No court is going to step in and right the wrongs. No police agency is going to haul out the guilty parties in handcuffs.

Its too late for that. We must do this ourselves, people. Now.

Our GOP politicians are for the most part cowards. They dont see the urgency of the moment, and even if they did they would be too afraid to do anything about it.

A few will speak up and say the right things from time to time, but if words do not translate into actions, if they arent giving direction to the awakened masses, telling them when and how to resist, what good are they?

Showing up for a Trump rally and going home is not productive. Merely casting votes is no longer productive unless we first take back what was stolen.

If anyone doubts the total fecklessness of the Republican Party, all they need to do is look at what went down this week. No less than 19 GOP senators crossed over and voted with Chuck Schumer and the Democrats to pass a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that has nothing to do with infrastructure.

Think about that.

Nearly 40 percent of our GOP senators voted with Democrats for a bill loaded with poison pills meant to collapse whats left of our capitalist economy and usher in the green new deal, Chinese-style smart cities and total digital surveillance.

On deck is an amnesty bill granting legal status to more than 30 million illegal migrants and sending the message to future migrants that if you come, you will be granted a path to full U.S. citizenship, no questions asked.

This 19-vote cross over disproves the argument that we lost the Senate in January because conservative voters in Georgia failed to turn out for two GOP senators in a special election. The truth is we lost the Senate the day GOP senators voted to support globalist bootlicker Mitch McConnell as their leader. In the House we have the equally inept globalist ally Kevin McCarthy.

What about the Supreme Court and its six Republican-appointed justices? Can they be trusted? Remember this is the esteemed body that refused to even look at the evidence suggesting massive voter fraud in the 2020 election, citing the laughable excuse that no one, not a single American, had legal standing to bring such a case before them. How dare they even try!

The laws and the Constitution are not going to save us because those in charge of applying them lack the courage to stand up to the coup plotters.

The police are not going to save us. In the end, they will follow orders.

The military? The signs havent exactly inspired confidence.

The coup that occurred in late 2020 and early 2021 could still be reversed but it wont happen by the ballot box  not when we have an outside third-party private vendor hiding behind its proprietary software in control of elections in all 50 states. These private vendors are not accountable to we the people, they dont answer to us, and as long as they are in charge of vote tabulation, nothing will change.

This systemic, technology-based vote fraud is not limited to presidential elections. Cyber experts at Mike Lindells cyber security symposium, held this week in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said that in the 2018 race for Kentucky governor, votes were flipped from Republican Matt Bevin to Democrat Andy Beshear, enough to hand Beshear a razor-thin margin of victory.

Nor is this just an American problem. Electronic voting machines are used worldwide and controlled by a handful of well-connected global corporations.

The successful color revolution in the U.S. triggered a broader global power play that is now in progress. Once-free nations are falling to totalitarianism under the guise of protecting public health.

This may well mark the end of the age of individual nation states and individual rights, moving into a new age of technocratic globalism, where everyone is expected to fall in line for the benefit of the global collective good. Problem is, those defining the terms of what is morally right and good are the same crowd thats repeatedly said saving the planet requires depopulation and less individual freedom.

Former Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger typified the elitists attitude toward those of us who refuse their masks, their medicines and their social distancing.

No. Screw your freedom, Schwarzenegger, the son of a Nazi police officer, said to the non-maskers and anti-vaxxers in a recent video interview. If you dont put on a mask and inject the mandated serum, Youre a schmuck, he said.

In the above video, Schwarzenegger unknowingly described the modern-day technocracy, where politicians no longer matter. All power and authority has been ceded to experts to rule over the ignorant masses who cant be trusted to make decisions for their own lives.

When the new digital currency is rolled out, I believe that will mark the point of no return for nations that join the new monetary system. The pressure to do so will be intense, just as the pressure is intense on individuals to give up sovereignty over their own bodies.

This is a spiritual war between good and evil.

The initial targets will be traditionally minded Christians and Jews. But make no mistake, this evil system will demand everyones allegiance.

Why? Because at its core it acts as a cult demanding obedience.

Naziism was very similar to todays technocracy in this regard.

In his 2008 book Rise of the Fourth Reich, author Jim Marrs highlighted the spiritual underpinnings of Hitlers Third Reich. Marrs writes:

Even Hitler acknowledged that Nazi ideology ventured into the spiritual realm, when he stated Anyone who interprets National Socialism merely as a political movement knows almost nothing about it. It is more than religion; it is the determination to create a new man.

The same inspiration that gave rise to the Third Reich is now fueling the Fourth Reich.

This is a battle, unique in history, for who owns our bodies. Your body. My body. Everyones body.

The globalist mantra of build it back better applies not only to economies and social structures but also to humanity itself.

These elites truly believe they can deconstruct what it means to be human and rebuild it better. They hate God and so they detest the humanity God created in His image. They hate the idea of nations because God ordained the nations. They wish to destroy God-given human instincts like protecting the innocence of children, respect for human life, the nuclear family, compassion for the elderly, etc., and replace them with their satanically inspired values.

The digital health passports are the linchpin to the creation of a new beast system of total information domination, where everything you do is tracked and traced and evaluated for its conformity to the global rules. The passports will eventually be connected to the banking system and a new digital currency that will replace cash. You buck the rules, you lose access to your money.

Anyone who refuses to live as a digital slave by putting the tracking app on their phone that converts them to a walking QR code, will find themselves targeted for persecution.

The stakes couldnt be bigger.

Everything else going on in the world right now is mere noise meant to divert your attention from the real catastrophe being wrought upon mankind. We are in the middle of a mass deconstruction project with the goal being the creation of humanity 2.0 and the reinstitution of slavery. Digital slavery.

Dont be fooled. These injections are anti-God and anti-human, and the pressure being brought to bear on all humanity to accept these shots as a new and continuous part of their lives is unprecedented. This pressure is undeniably coming from the top down, starting at the apex of an evil network that includes the Rockefeller Foundation, the Gates Foundation and his GAVI Global Alliance, the Soros foundations, the Vatican, the World Economic Forum, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations, among others. From there it filters down to the major corporations.

This Luciferian cartel of global predators believe they can exploit Covid to reset the entire world system, killing off any resisters and conditioning the ones who were already inclined toward obedience to become their digital serfs.

The objective is to turn us against each other and provoke a civil war. We must resist their provocations. The globalists, with no love of any country and a hatred for God, are the enemy. Resist them. Refuse to buy their products, go to their theme parks, dont watch their Netflix movies or go to their major sporting events, dont ride on their airplanes when its possible to drive, dont put money in their big banks and use cash whenever possible.

And most importantly, say no to the needle. It will not advance your health in any way, not your physical, mental or emotional health.

These injections are meant to keep you sick and dependent for the rest of your life on future Big Pharma products, replacing your natural God-given immune system with their synthetic and totally inferior counterfeit immune system. Get it? Your protection and your very existence depends on them. Do you really want that for your life, your childrens lives?

Read more at: LeoHohmann.com
(Natural News) Pope Francis recently endorsed the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines without even mentioning that they are abortion-tainted, experimental and can cause deadly side effects. He called getting the vaccine an act of love.

On Wednesday, the spiritual leader of the worlds 1.2 billion Catholics joined the U.S.-based Its Up to You initiative. This initiative produced a series of ads together with the Ad Council featuring public figures urging everybody in the world to get vaccinated against COVID-19. These figures talk about how this is supposedly the only way for the coronavirus pandemic to end.

In Pope Francis video message, he praised the work of multinational pharmaceutical corporations in producing the COVID-19 vaccines. He also talked about wanting the vaccine to be available to everybody.

Thanks to Gods grace and to the work of many, we now have vaccines to protect us from COVID-19, he said. They bring hope to end the pandemic, but only if they are available to all and if we collaborate with one another.

Getting the vaccines that are authorized by the respective authorities is an act of love, he said. And helping the majority of people to do so, is an act of love. Love for oneself, love for our families and friends, and love for all peoples.

He continued by talking about how love is somehow both social and political. He said this kind of love can manifest itself through small, individual gestures  like getting vaccinated  with the goal of transforming society. (Related: Pope Francis calls for a New World Order inhabited by fully vaccinated slaves.)

Getting vaccinated is a simple yet profound way to care for one another, especially the most vulnerable, he said.

I pray to God that each one of us can make his or her own small gesture of love, he concluded. No matter how small, love is always grand. Small gestures for a better future. God bless you. Thank you.

Pope Francis was joined in his pro-COVID-19 vaccine advertisement by six other cardinals and archbishops from North and South America. Jose Gomez, the archbishop of Los Angeles, also participated in the advertisement.

The terrible coronavirus pandemic has caused illness, death and suffering across the entire world, said Gomez. May God grant us the grace to face it with the strength of faith, ensuring that vaccines are available for all, so that we can all get immunized.

Gomez and the five other cardinals and archbishops called for everyone to get the abortion-tainted COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible.

Pope Francis absolutist behavior to vaccines not observed with the Ten Commandments

As Pope Francis broadcast his absolutist approach to getting the COVID-19 vaccines, he recently made it clear that he does not hold the Ten Commandments to the same absolutist standard.

On Wednesday, Aug. 18, Pope Francis held a General Audience at the Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome. In his address, he gave a short lecture on a part of the Bible. This lecture ended with him admitting that he does not observe the Commandments as absolute. He said:

How do I live? In the fear that if I do not do this, I will go to hell? Or do I live with that hope too, with that joy of the gratuitousness of salvation in Jesus Christ? It is a good question. And also the second: do I disregard the Commandments? No. I observe them, but not as absolutes, because I know that it is Jesus Christ who justifies me.

There is no contradiction in the loving Christ and in obeying the Commandments, wrote John-Henry Westen, editor of Canadian Catholic news website LifeSite News.

Westen even reached out for comment to Athanasius Schneider, a Catholic bishop and a leading critic of Pope Francis. Schneider said the popes statement contradicts the teaching of the Catholic Church and much more closely resembles the teachings of Martin Luther.

So many of his statements over the years have caused massive confusion and contradicted the faith, it is no wonder the faithful need to pray for his conversion, wrote Westen.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

CBSNews.com

VaticanNews.va

Vatican.va
(Natural News) Reports coming in from Afghanistan state that the Taliban is carrying out a door-to-door manhunt for people who worked for the United States, its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies and for the previous Afghan government.

This report adds to the growing evidence that the Islamic fundamentalist group is growing increasingly more repressive. (Related: CNN tries once again to convince viewers not to believe their eyes  as correspondent downplays Afghans chanting Death to America! behind her.)

The evidence of the systematic manhunt of former Afghan employees and Western collaborators comes from the RHIPTO Norwegian Center for Global Analyses. RHIPTO is a nonprofit that provides intelligence and other forms of analytical support to the United Nations.

They have lists of individuals and even within the very first hours of moving into Kabul, they began a search of former government employees  especially in intelligence services and the special forces units, said Christian Nellemann, director of RHIPTO.

RHIPTOs assessment report of the situation in Afghanistan was submitted to the U.N. It strongly suggests that the Taliban has a blacklist of people it wants to round up in Kabul, the Afghan capital, as well as in other major cities like Jalalabad and Herat.

Taliban are intensifying the hunt-down of all individuals and collaborators with the former regime, and if unsuccessful, target and arrest the families and punish them according to their own interpretation of Sharia law, read RHIPTOs report. Particularly at risk are individuals in central positions in military, police and investigative units.

In addition to conducting a door-to-door sweep of Kabul and other major cities, RHIPTOs threat assessment also strongly suggests that the Taliban is screening people at checkpoints all over Kabul. These checkpoints are preventing people from entering the Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabuls only airport. This airport is currently being operated by NATO forces.

The rounding up of U.S. and NATO collaborators and former members and employees of the Afghan government and its security forces could lead to mass executions. It could also uncover the vast intelligence networks the U.S. and its allies established in Afghanistan.

So this could undermine a number of our Western intelligence services, said Nellermann. He added that it is likely that those targeted by the Taliban will be tortured and possibly even executed.

This will further jeopardize western intelligence services, their networks, methods and ability to counter both the Taliban, ISIS and other terrorist threats ahead.

Taliban claimed to grant general amnesty for all Afghans

The reports of the Talibans organized manhunt for former collaborators of the U.S. and other forces cast doubt on the Islamic fundamentalist groups previous claim that it has granted a general amnesty in the wake of its takeover.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan with full dignity and honesty has announced a complete amnesty for all Afghanistan, especially those who were with the opposition or supported the occupiers for years and recently, said Enamullah Samangani, a member of the Talibans cultural commission, on Afghan state television.

Later that day, during a press conference, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued a statement reassuring the international community that any Afghan that worked for the previous government or for the U.S. and other international forces will be treated fairly.

We will pardon all those who became masters against jihad, this special pardon is because we do not want war again, and to let war be repeated and the elements of the war remain, said Mujahid. We are assuring the safety of all those who have worked with the United States and allied forces, whether as interpreters or any other field that they worked with them.

Despite the evidence proving their assurances false, the Taliban have continued calling on all Afghans to come together and unite under the new regime. The Islamic fundamentalist group has even called on imams  worship leaders in mosques  to persuade people to stay in Afghanistan.

Learn more about the fall of Afghanistan and the Talibans takeover of the country by reading the latest articles at Collapse.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NBCNews.com
(Natural News) As you probably know, the alphabet mafia is on a crusade to destroy biological sex. Anyone who refers to humans as either male or female depending on their anatomy is now a bigot, including female rape victims who would prefer to not have mentally ill cross-dressing men invade female rape crisis centers.

It is all fun and games when the gender dysphoria Olympics are confined to the cesspool of TikTok, but now that the trans crusaders are demanding that biological men be allowed to play womens sports, shower in the womens locker room, and cohabitate with women at female rape crisis centers, some even on the left are beginning to cry foul.

There is no safety in forcing women who were raped by men to have to live with mentally deranged men who think they are women. The same is true for men who want to pretend that they are women and camp alongside the Girl Scouts.

And just to be clear, the reverse is unacceptable as well. Women pretending to be men have no right to invade male spaces, no matter how triggered they become. Getting a buzzcut and removing ones breasts no more makes a woman a man than putting on a dress and makeup while wearing high heels makes a man a woman.

Even so, the Cult of LGBTQ is demanding that reality be completely thrown out the window and exchanged with whatever the craziest of the crazies feel is true about themselves  even when it puts others in danger.

Rape Crisis Scotland now run by a mentally deranged man who thinks hes a woman

For at least the past several years, rape crisis centers have been under attack by the transgenders. They claim it is unfair for biological men who think they are women to not be allowed to admit themselves there alongside actual hurting women who were abused by men.

The trans lobby has been so aggressively hammering home its errant beliefs about gender that Canadas oldest rape crisis center was actually stripped of its funding for refusing to accept trans women, meaning men pretending to be women.

The situation is even worse in Scotland, where trans activists have successfully conquered Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS), which operates some 17 different centers for women all across the country.

In fact, RCS is now run by a mentally deranged transgender called Mridul Wadhwa, a biological man who thinks he is a woman. Wadhwa is the current chief executive of RCS, and he also hosts a podcast in which he says that women who prefer female-only spaces basically need to get over themselves.

Sexual violence happens to bigoted people as well, Wadhwa callously stated during an episode of his podcast, referring to female rape victims who would rather not be housed alongside men while in pain and suffering.

And so, you know, it is not a discerning crime. But these spaces are also for you. But if you bring unacceptable beliefs that are discriminatory in nature, we will begin to work with you on your journey of recovery from trauma. But please also expect to be challenged on your prejudices.

As for women who are traumatized at the sight of male genitalia following a rape, Wadhwa says that they should reframe their trauma and learn to rethink [their] relationship with prejudice  meaning female rape victims are simply bigots if they can no longer stand the sight of male anatomy.

Such insanity is the new tolerance, coming to an LGBTQ-accepting community near you.

To keep up with the latest mental derangement coming from the Cult of LGBTQ, be sure to check out Gender.news.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Weighing in with their view of last week's controversy are the seven members of the Mahomet-Seymour school board: Max McComb, Jeremy Henrichs, Ken Keefe, Meghan Hennesy, Justin Lamb, Sunny McMurry and Colleen Schultz.
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Ahead of the semesters start on Monday, Robert Jones sat down with The News-Gazettes Ethan Simmons to talk all things UI: new traditions, diversity initiatives and how hes handling COVID-19 conversations, with vaccines in tow and cases increasing around the country.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Additional healthcare provision, access to COVID-19 vaccinations and funding for housing will be provided to support Afghans coming to the UK via the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme.

Councils in England, Scotland and Wales will have access to a share of 5 million to help them provide the necessary housing and support to Afghans who have worked for this country in Afghanistan, but who now face threats of persecution or worse.

The Afghan LES (Locally Employed Staff) Housing Costs Fund will provide a top up to help councils meet the costs of renting properties for those that need it, including larger homes for families. This will help give councils the security to make a firm offer of support to take people into their communities and help them build a new life.

So far the UK has secured the evacuation of 1,615 people since Saturday, including 399 British Nationals and their dependants, 320 embassy staff, and 402 Afghan nationals under ARAP. The UK is doubling the amount of humanitarian aid to the region, up to 286 million with immediate effect, and our new bespoke resettlement scheme will be one of the most generous in British history, set to relocate up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans.

As President of the G7 the UK is working to unite the international community behind a clear plan for dealing with this regime and we are asking our international partners to match our commitments and work with us to offer a lifeline to Afghanistan's most vulnerable people.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:

Our immediate focus is to evacuate the Afghans who risked their lives supporting us over the past twenty years and to whom we owe so much. We are proud to bring them to the UK, and this additional support will help make sure that those arriving from Afghanistan receive the housing and healthcare that they need as they start to build a new life here. We will do everything we can in the days, weeks and months ahead to protect the most vulnerable, which is why we're doubling our humanitarian aid to the region and setting up a new bespoke resettlement scheme to give up to 20,000 of those most in need of refuge here in the UK."

Additional healthcare provision has also been put in place. All those who have fled Afghanistan are also being offered the COVID-19 vaccine on arrival, if they haven't received one already, and will be issued with a vaccine card.

New vaccination points will also be set up at each managed quarantine hotel and those arriving will be invited to get their jab after they have received a negative Day 2 PCR test. Enhanced healthcare support to Afghan refugees will also include:

Doubling our medical provision to ensure everyone can access medical support 24/7;

Providing rapid access to support for mental well-being in the wake of experiencing trauma;

Reuniting family members who arrive on different flights where possible;

Allowing people to stay in large family groups in quarantine for comfort and support;

Providing regular information check-ins with local services to prepare refugees for resettlement with additional translators to support engagement with the services being provided;

Providing toys to keep children entertained; and

Giving appropriate clothes for people who may have left Afghanistan with very little.

This is on top of the robust health and wellbeing support already in place at managed quarantine hotels. As part of existing support, those entering quarantine hotels from Afghanistan will also have access to:

Medical support to ensure all evacuees undergo a health check;

24/7 on-site medical team;

Care links to local care providers where needed;

Access to both female and male health professionals; and

Daily health and wellbeing checks, either through doctors safely visiting hotel rooms or through a guest telephone calling system, with all call handlers speaking both Pushto and Dari.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:

In response to this unfolding tragedy, we are committed to ensuring those who are being resettled here in the UK under our Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy have our full support. As Health Secretary, my focus is on the health and wellbeing of families from the moment they touch down in the UK. I was very pleased today to be able to meet one such family who arrived recently and learn from their experience of the healthcare we have provided so far. We are boosting our health and wellbeing services to evacuees during their 10 day quarantine. This includes giving everyone a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, if they have not already received one, doubling our medical provision to ensure everyone can access support round the clock and reuniting families who arrive on different flights where we can."

Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick said:

There is already an enormous effort underway to support those arriving from Afghanistan with close to a third of councils already stepping up to support new arrivals. However, we urgently need more offers of support to welcome Afghan families who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the UK, serving our troops and our country so bravely in recent years. With this extra support in place, I'm calling on all councils who have not yet come forward, to contact us with a firm offer of support to help our Afghan friends and their families as they build a new life in safety here."

The ARAP scheme launched on 01 April 2021. Under the scheme, any current or former Locally Employed Staff who worked in Afghanistan for the UK Embassy assessed to be at serious risk of threat to life are offered priority relocation to the UK regardless of their employment status, rank or role, or length of time served.

Thanks to the efforts of over a quarter of councils across the UK and vital delivery partners, hundreds of Afghan nationals who have worked alongside British forces and diplomats in Afghanistan have already been welcomed by councils across the country.

This work is happening at pace and, with many more Afghan families set to arrive, there is still more to do to ensure we are supporting new arrivals as best we can.

Earlier this week, the government set out its ambition for the new Afghanistan Citizens' Resettlement Scheme - a new plan to resettle 5,000 Afghan nationals in its first year, with priority given to those most in need due to the current crisis - including women and girls, and religious and other minorities, who are most at risk of human rights abuses and dehumanising treatment.

This resettlement scheme will be kept under further review for future years, with up to a total of 20,000 people potentially eligible in the long-term. The ambition to provide protection to thousands of people fleeing Afghanistan and the complex picture on the ground means there will be significant challenges in delivering the scheme, but the government is committed to doing all it can for those who need our support and is working at great speed to address these obstacles.
Given the Taliban's hostility to vaccinations, WHO and medical experts fear a rapid and uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 in Afghanistan will await the formation of a new government led by the 'Islamic Scholars'.

The WHO recorded 152,411 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 7,047 deaths in Afghanistan between 3 January and 19 August. On 15 August, the Taliban took over the Afghan capital of Kabul, signifying the collapse of the government of President Ashraf Ghani.

"As the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate rapidly, WHO is extremely concerned over the unfolding safety and humanitarian needs in the country, including risk of disease outbreaks and rise in COVID-19 transmission," said a 17 August WHO update.

"Disruptions at [the] airport are delaying urgently needed essential health supplies. Crowding at health facilities and IDP (internally displaced people) camps, due to rising conflict in the country will limit implementation of infection prevention protocols, increasing the risk of COVID-19 transmission and outbreaks of other diseases," WHO said in the update.

According to WHO, the country of 40 million people had administered a total of 1,872,268 vaccine doses by 14 August. At least 70 per cent of the population needs to be vaccinated to effectively curb the COVID-19 virus, according to epidemiologists.

In areas where people have fled to seek safety and shelter, including Kabul and other large cities, field reports indicated that there are increasing cases of diarrhoea, malnutrition, high blood pressure, COVID-19-like symptoms and reproductive health complications, said WHO.

Shahid Meezan, a UN consultant who has spent several years in Afghanistan and is now based in Dhaka, says much depends on decisions by local commanders in particular areas. "For example, in East Afghanistan's Paktia district, the Taliban has put up notices warning against vaccinations and discouraged health teams," he tells SciDev.Net.

"If the vaccination process is stopped, COVID-19 will be difficult to control in Afghanistan," says Musa Joya, a lecturer in medical physics at the Kabul University of Medical Sciences but currently pursuing a doctorate at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.

"The people do not trust the medical system and avoid going to hospitals, and the country's medical system is not able to provide oxygen and other medications which need to be imported," Joya says. "Besides, most Afghans do not believe in coronavirus mortality prevention by vaccination. They expose themselves to the virus and leave the rest to providence.

"These two factors of no vaccination and no self-protection will surely result in disaster," says Joya.

Carl Latkin, vice chair, Department of Health, Behavior and Society at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Maryland, US, says he is pessimistic about Afghanistan's medical ability to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, given the need for medical expertise, money and supply chains.

"COVID-19 can spread quickly and add more pain and misery to a highly volatile and distressing situation," says Latkin. "The current chaos will likely lead to the most vulnerable having few resources to prevent and treat COVID-19."

"However, one unintended consequence of people staying home due to fear of the Taliban might be great social distancing and hence reducing the spread of COVID-19," Latkin adds.

Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says it is certain that the deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan will directly impact the ability to get COVID-19 vaccines into the population.

There have been concerns in the past regarding the fact that the Taliban has opposed polio vaccination and indeed Afghanistan is one area where wild polio virus still circulates." Amesh Adalja, Senior Scholar, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security

Taliban-imposed bans on vaccination have been blamed by the National Emergency Action Plan (NEAP) for the failure to eradicate polio in Afghanistan. The country remains among the last refuges of the wild poliovirus. In 2020, 56 cases of the disease caused by the wild poliovirus were reported in Afghanistan.

The vaccination ban was imposed on all areas held by the Taliban in 2020 while critical areas in the South Region had been deprived of immunisation for nearly three years affecting around 1 million children, and leading to a significant drop in population immunity and heightening the risk of further intensification and geographical spread of the wild poliovirus, the NEAP document said.

According to the document, more than 3 million children are currently inaccessible with the risk worsened by the COVID-19 disruptions in health delivery and there was "immense need to intensify neutral negotiations" with the Taliban.

Latkin recommends Involving the Taliban in the vaccine distribution process as "that may lead them to see the benefits and that vaccines are not a threat."

"Ideally, community health workers should be from the community and known by the community," says Latkin. "However, it remains to be seen if the Taliban will trust the complex and interdependent structure necessary to disseminate vaccines.

"What may make the difference is that the Taliban is now seeking international assistance as well as wider recognition in the world, and this means they will need to cooperate on issues like vaccination," says Meezan.

During their last stint in power from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban were recognised only by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
New drugs are intended to help stop viral zoonoses - infections that jump from animals to humans. To study suitable inhibitors, Prof. Dr Christian Klein from the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) of Heidelberg University is receiving funding in the amount of 450,000 euros from the Volkswagen Foundation. The project is focussed on flavi- and coronaviruses, which cause infectious diseases such as Zika, dengue, West Nile Fever, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The goal is to identify drugs to fight these pathogens and perform preclinical studies. To that end, the Heidelberg researcher and his team are working with a partner company in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Heidelberg scientists' approach is based on new findings about so-called protease inhibitors, molecules that inhibit the activity of viral enzymes in the cell. These enzymes, known as proteases, ensure the processing of long protein chains - the "viral polyprotein" - that contain the components which form new viruses and thereby enable viral replication. Suitable inhibitors can specifically inhibit this process. In some cases, protease inhibitors are already used in antiviral therapy, making a vital contribution to the treatment of HIV infections, for example.

"Building on our previous work on the medicinal chemistry of dengue, we want to expand the search for active ingredients that act at the point of virus reproduction to heretofore less studied pathogens like the MERS coronavirus and the West Nile virus, but also to SARS-CoV-2," explains Christian Klein, who heads the research group for Medicinal Chemistry at the IPMB. Promising substances with clinical translational potential are to be further developed for application together with a Dutch pharmaceutical company.

According to the researcher, a key component of the research lies in studying the processes involved in viral reproduction in their natural environment within cells. To this end, reporter gene assays are used. These are intracellular model systems that allow the researchers to study the effects of substances at the targeted site of action. "These cell-based assay systems have already made an essential contribution to the discovery and optimisation of new classes of substances from our laboratory that are currently in preclinical development," reports Prof. Klein. With the in-vitro test systems developed by his research team, extensive compound libraries can be searched for new drugs against flavi- and coronaviruses. They will then be chemically optimised and tested for their antiviral effect.

Through the development of additional protease inhibitors, the Heidelberg researcher expects to gain special advantages in the fight against existing and novel viral threats.

We are hoping for a higher broad effect than can be achieved with highly specialized vaccines designed for a single pathogen. In the future, we have to expect that flavi- or coronaviruses from animals such as camels, bats, horses, birds, and monkeys will pass to humans. In the event of an outbreak, protease inhibitors can complement the rapidly available arsenal of medications." Christian Klein

The Heidelberg project, entitled "Preclinical development of antiviral protease inhibitors targeting flavi- and coronaviruses", is receiving the funding under the auspices of the special call for proposals set up in response to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, "Viral Zoonoses - Innovative Approaches to Drug Development". Through this funding initiative, the Volkswagen Foundation supports application-oriented research projects aiming to develop innovative drugs to fight viral pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and other viral zoonoses. To be eligible for funding, a European company must have already expressed a potential translational interest at the time of application. The work at Heidelberg University is supported as one of twelve research projects. The overall funding amount is approximately seven million euros.
A novel artificial intelligence blood testing technology developed by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center was found to detect over 90% of lung cancers in samples from nearly 800 individuals with and without cancer.

The test approach, called DELFI (DNA evaluation of fragments for early interception), spots unique patterns in the fragmentation of DNA shed from cancer cells circulating in the bloodstream. Applying this technology to blood samples taken from 796 individuals in Denmark, the Netherlands and the U.S., investigators found that the DELFI approach accurately distinguished between patients with and without lung cancer.

Combining the test with analysis of clinical risk factors, a protein biomarker, and followed by computed tomography imaging, DELFI helped detect 94% of patients with cancer across stages and subtypes. This included 91% of patients with earlier or less invasive stage I/II cancers and 96% of patients with more advanced stage III/IV cancers. These results will be published in the August 20 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death, claiming almost 2 million lives worldwide each year. However, fewer than 6% of Americans at risk for lung cancers undergo recommended low-dose computed tomography screening, despite projections that tens of thousands of deaths could be avoided, and even fewer are screened worldwide, explains senior study author Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of oncology and do-director of the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics Program at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. This is due to a variety of reasons, including concerns of potential harm from investigation of false positive imaging results, radiation exposure or worries about complications from invasive procedures.

It is clear that there is an urgent, unmet clinical need for development of alternative, noninvasive approaches to improve cancer screening for high-risk individuals and, ultimately, the general population. We believe that a blood test, or 'liquid biopsy,' for lung cancer could be a good way to enhance screening efforts, because it would be easy to do, broadly accessible and cost-effective." Dimitrios Mathios, lead author, postdoctoral fellow, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

The DELFI technology uses a blood test to indirectly measure the way DNA is packaged inside the nucleus of a cell by studying the size and amount of cell-free DNA present in the circulation from different regions across the genome. Healthy cells package DNA like a well-organized suitcase, in which different regions of the genome are placed carefully in various compartments. The nuclei of cancer cells, by contrast, are like more disorganized suitcases, with items from across the genome thrown in haphazardly. When cancer cells die, they release DNA in a chaotic manner into the bloodstream. DELFI helps identify the presence of cancer using machine learning, a type of artificial intelligence, to examine millions of cell-free DNA fragments for abnormal patterns, including the size and amount of DNA in different genomic regions. This approach provides a view of cell-free DNA referred to as the "fragmentome." The DELFI approach only requires low-coverage sequencing of the genome, enabling this technology to be cost-effective in a screening setting, the researchers say.

For the study, investigators from Johns Hopkins, working with researchers in Denmark and the Netherlands, first performed genome sequencing of cell-free DNA in blood samples from 365 individuals participating in a seven-year Danish study called LUCAS. The majority of participants were at high risk for lung cancer and had smoking-related symptoms such as cough or difficulty breathing. The DELFI approach found that patients who were later determined to have cancer had widespread variation in their fragmentome profiles, while patients found not to have cancer had consistent fragmentome profiles. Subsequently, researchers validated the DELFI technology using a different population of 385 individuals without cancer and 46 individuals with cancer. Overall, the approach detected over 90% of patients with lung cancer, including those with early and advanced stages, and with different subtypes. "DNA fragmentation patterns provide a remarkable fingerprint for early detection of cancer that we believe could be the basis of a widely available liquid biopsy test for patients with lung cancer," says author Rob Scharpf, Ph.D., associate professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

A first-of-a-kind national clinical trial called DELFI-L101, sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University spin-out Delfi Diagnostics, is evaluating a test based on the DELFI technology in 1,700 participants in the U.S., including healthy participants, individuals with lung cancers and individuals with other cancers. The group would like to further study DELFI in other types of cancers.
Rice University faculty members led by bioengineer Gang Bao have been awarded a $4 million grant by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to establish the Genetic Design and Engineering Center (GDEC).

Rice's first CPRIT Core Facility will provide a one-stop shop for Houston's Texas Medical Center, of which the university is a member, and other institutions that require custom DNA constructs but have neither the expertise nor the facilities to design and validate them.

Bao said Rice already has the expertise, and the grant will allow the facility to be established at the BioScience Research Collaborative (BRC). He expects space will be configured for the GDEC over the next few months while equipment is ordered and staff are hired.

Bao has recruited high-profile researchers to GDEC's executive committee, including Rice bioengineers Jeffrey Tabor, Caleb Bashor and Isaac Hilton and bioscientist Caroline Ajo-Franklin, and Cassian Yee, a professor in the Department of Melanoma and Medical Oncology and director of solid tumor therapy at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Tabor and Bashor will serve as associate directors of the GDEC.

Their intention is to dramatically accelerate the pace, scale and impact of cancer research through access to state-of-the-art tools for the design, construction and optimization of the DNA constructs at the heart of developing innovative approaches to treat disease. DNA constructs are artificial segments of genetic code used to modify the properties of living cells and tissues.

"Many cutting-edge technologies like synthetic biology and genome engineering start with designing DNA constructs, and the design, testing and optimization require a core facility," said Bao, chair of Rice's Department of Bioengineering and a renowned researcher in biomolecular engineering who will direct the center.

"We can go to commercial entities for these services, but they're usually costly and time-consuming, and cannot do a lot of the engineering we need as quickly as we need it," he said. "We have a lot of projects here at Rice and in collaboration with TMC that having a core facility will make much easier."

"This is what the many of the folks at TMC are excited about," Bashor added. "They're world-class when it comes to developing cancer therapies, but we excel at designing with DNA. The hope is that working with us will let them develop enhanced therapies at a faster rate.

"They can also leverage the understanding of how to design with DNA that folks like Jeff and I have developed in our labs," he said. "That expertise that is often not present in a clinical or translational environment."

Pretty much any bioscience or bioengineering researcher who deals with cells or molecules may use this core at Rice. I think it will touch many and establish a lot of new links between Rice and the TMC." Jeffrey Tabor, Rice Bioengineer

While many researchers are able to perform basic genome engineering through CRISPR/Cas9 and modern cloning, among other techniques, few are able to do so at the scale required for the most advanced types of cutting-edge biomedical research. The Rice team say GDEC will feature automated, high-throughput molecular cloning to enable transformative, large-scale experimental projects that would not be possible for individual labs.

Bao said the five-year grant supports not only equipment and personnel but also a seed-grant fund to enable new projects. He said there will be a fee-for-service component, as well as large collaborative projects that produce data that can be used to apply for additional grants.

He noted the presence of GDEC will also help recruit talented faculty for Rice's synthetic biology initiative and its highly respected Systems, Synthetic Biology and Physical Biology program.

"The GDEC core is precisely the kind of initiative Rice envisioned when it built the BRC," said Provost Reginald DesRoches. "This will firmly establish Rice as a hub for collaborators at the Texas Medical Center and beyond who need cutting-edge DNA design to address many challenges, especially defeating cancer."

The award was one of two to Rice in the announcement this week, the other for $250,000 to Omid Veiseh, an assistant professor of bioengineering and CPRIT Scholar who joined the university in 2016, to support his research into cytokine factories for the treatment of mesothelioma.

The grants are among 62 awarded by CPRIT this week for more than $142 million. CPRIT noted the grants -- part of $2.9 billion already awarded by the taxpayer-funded institute -- will "expand access to clinical trials, incubate innovative cancer research, support the state's emerging biotechnology industry, provided needed cancer screenings for underserved Texans and recruit outstanding cancer researchers."

Bao is the Foyt Family Professor of Bioengineering and a professor of chemistry, mechanical engineering and materials science and nanoengineering. Bashor is an assistant professor of bioengineering and biosciences. Tabor is an associate professor of bioengineering. Hilton is an assistant professor of bioengineering and of biosciences. Ajo-Franklin is a professor of biosciences.
With a new school year three weeks away and cases of COVID-19 on the rise again, vaccination rates in the households of school-age children will play an important role in how school districts weigh their options for returning to the classroom.

A new University of Michigan survey finds that only about one-third (34%) of Detroit adults living with children between the ages of 12 and 17 report that they have either gotten their child/children vaccinated or are likely to get their child/children vaccinated against COVID-19.

When asked about the likelihood of getting younger children vaccinated once they are eligible, just over 1 in 10 adults (13%) living in households with children under age 12 say they are comfortable having their kids vaccinated once they are eligible.

The discomfort that many adults feel toward vaccinating the children in their household is also evident in their willingness to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves. Adults living in Detroit households with children are about half as likely (38%) as adults living in Detroit households without children (70%) to report that they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Equally notable is the large share of adults living with children in Detroit that have no intention of getting vaccinated. Adults living in households with children are about twice as likely (31%) to say they are unlikely to get vaccinated, relative to adults without children in their household (16%).

Since 2016, U-Ms Detroit Metro Area Communities Study has been conducting a state-of-the art, panel survey of a representative sample of Detroit households. This study stands apart from many others in that participants are randomly selected from a list of validated Detroit addresses, permitted to take the survey online or over the phone with a live interviewer, and compensated for their participation. Final responses are weighted to reflect the citys demographics. This allows DMACS to reach and reflect the voices of populations that are often hard to reach and therefore not included in other data on public preferences.

This DMACS survey gives us new information about just how vulnerable the environments of school-aged children are to COVID-19. The degree of vaccine hesitancy we are seeing among households with children in Detroit has serious implications for public health officials and educators as they consider how to safely return students and staff to the classroom. Jeffrey Morenoff, one of the faculty research leads for DMACS, professor of public policy and sociology, and research professor at U-Ms Institute for Social Research

Many states and school districts have already begun debating whether they will add COVID-19 vaccines to the list of vaccinations that students are required to have prior to enrollment.

According to U-Ms DMACS survey, 56% of Detroit adults support requiring vaccines for students to attend K-12 schools in person, once they are eligible. Twenty-four percent of Detroit adults oppose requiring COVID-19 vaccines for K-12 school enrollment, and 19% remain unsure. These levels of support are similar to those expressed for vaccine requirements in other public activities, including attending large events, flying on an airplane, using public transit, attending school (college or K-12) in person, and working outside the home.

The support for vaccine requirements is largely driven by Detroiters who have already gotten vaccinated. Detroiters who have gotten at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are twice as likely to be in favor of vaccine mandates as unvaccinated residents. For example, while 74% of vaccinated Detroiters support requiring proof of vaccination to attend a K-12 school in person, just 33% of unvaccinated residents support such a requirement.

While adults living in Detroit households with children are significantly less likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine for themselves or their children, the reasons behind the decision not to vaccinate are similar to those of households without children. Both groups listed concerns about the safety (78%) and side effects (78%) of the vaccine as a reason behind their choice.

This latest wave of the survey was open from June 2 to July 9, 2021, and captures the views of 1,898 residents. It was conducted in collaboration with, and supported by, Michigan CEAL: Communities Conquering COVID, a transdisciplinary partnership of researchers and community leaders that aims to include marginalized communities in COVID-19 research and prevention in order to reduce health inequities across Michigan, funded by the National Institutes of Health (1OT2HL156812).
The UK Government has today (Friday 20 August) opened a new walk-through coronavirus testing centrer in Glasgow.

The test centre located at the Centre of Executive Education Building, within Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road (G4 0BA), is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history. In Scotland, this comprises of eight drive through sites, 54 walk-through sites, 42 mobile units, plus the Glasgow Lighthouse Lab which is working round the clock to process samples.

In Scotland, the UK Government is providing all COVID testing and test processing outside of the NHS.

PCR tests must be booked in advance at: NHS Inform or by calling 119. People should only book at test if they have coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new and continuous cough, or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste) or have been instructed to do so by a clinician or NHS contact tracer.

Lateral flow test kits are also now available for pick up without an appointment at local walk-in or drive-through test sites from 8am - 8pm each day. Tests can also be ordered online or by phone by calling 119. For more information and to order a test kit online, go to: Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested in Scotland - gov.scot

Health Minister, Lord Bethell, said:

We have built the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history to ensure that everyone can get tested for covid-19 regularly. As a result, the UK is now a testing juggernaut, performing more tests than any comparable European country, which is helping to break chains of transmission, save lives and detect variants of concern. New walk-in sites like this one make it even easier to get a test no matter where you live. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, I urge you to book a test today and follow the advice of NHS Test and Trace if you are contacted, to protect others and stop the spread of the virus."

UK Government Minister for Scotland, Iain Stewart said:

The UK Government continues to provide the bulk of testing in Scotland, a programme which is vital to our recovery from this pandemic. Alongside the roll-out of UK Government-funded vaccines, testing is helping us to manage the virus, slow down the rate of transmission and protect communities. This new walk-through facility in Glasgow is the latest in our extensive network of testing centres supporting people in all parts of the UK."

Simon Venn, Mitie Chief Government & Strategy Officer, said:
(Newser)  Reeves Wiedeman has spent years trying to unravel a literary-world mystery, and his lengthy recap of his digging for New York Magazine is confounding at times. As is the mystery. In simplest terms, for the past four years someone has been using somewhat sophisticated measures to try to steal book manuscripts before their release. What's unclear is who, and more perplexingly, to what end. Wiedeman explains the thief registers fake domains and email addresses that parrot real ones (think wylieaqency.com instead of wylieagency.com) belonging to real people in the industry. The lingo is correct (think "MS" for manuscript), the tone is familiar, and the industry knowledge is high. For instance, Wiedeman shares a 2017 attempt to get a copy of the fifth book in Stieg Larssons "Millennium" series.

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The Swedish publisher had taken some extreme measures to safeguard it, including sending it to foreign publishers using an encrypted-email service with passwords shared over the phone. Catherine Mork and Linda Altrov Berg were the ones sending it out, and they got an email purportedly from the book's Italian-edition editor asking that the link be resent. It was really the thief, and "only a few dozen people in the world knew the book was being shared with foreign publishers and that Mork and Altrov Berg controlled access to it," writes Wiedeman. The thief did manage to get sent many manuscripts, if not that one, but he didn't then pirate them or demand a ransom. It seemed a "crime of which the primary consequence was annoyance. ... Whoever they were... they cared enough to keep at it for years, devoting countless hours to sending endless emailsall seemingly for nothing." (Read the full story for much more on the deception and the clues Wiedeman parsed through.)
(Newser)  A heat indexmeaning how hot it feelsof 103 can cause heat stroke. In a piece for Fast Company, Kristin Toussaint explains that a 2014 study out of Texas found the heat index in Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facilities could hit 149 degrees. "Theyre built with cement and metal, so basically, those are the same things you build an oven out of," Amite Dominick, the head of Texas Prisons Community Advocates, tells Toussaint. "Theyre literally baking in there." Though Toussaint zeroes in on Texas, her point is broader: America's prisons in general have a problem with heata problem that will only continue to worsen as temperatures rise, and one that impacts not just inmates but also the Americans who staff the facilities.

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As she puts it, "As heat gets more extreme, prison facilities across the country are underprepared for this threat, leaving an already vulnerable community even more exposed to the dangerous effects of climate change." For instance, about 20% of TDCJ facilities have no air-conditioning in the housing area. It gets so bad that Dominick says inmates will clog and overflow their toilets so they can lie down and cool themselves in the water. As for what's to be done, getting the funding approved for air-conditioning is an obvious answer, but there are others, like remodeling facilities to allow for passive cooling (like transforming the roof into a green roof) and detailing maximum allowable temperatures in private prison contracts. Others say reducing our prison population would be a huge step, as fewer bodies mean less heat is generated. But as one 2015 paper on the problem noted, "the hour is already late." (Read the full article for much more.)
(Newser)  Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration signaled that it hoped to offer full approval for Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine by Labor Day, an unofficial deadline that now looks like it's been expedited. A senior federal official tells CNN that such an FDA OK is "imminent," while another source mentions it may happen sometime next week. A Biden administration official gets even more specific, noting full approval could come "as early as Monday." Sources "familiar with the agency's planning" back that up to the New York Times, telling the outlet that the FDA is making a hard push to reach that Monday deadline, with regulators sifting through "a substantial amount of paperwork" and negotiating with Pfizer.

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Per Politico, the Pfizer vaccine would be the first to receive full licensure from the federal government, "a milestone in the nation's year-and-a-half pandemic battle," which now includes fighting the more contagious delta variant. Up till this point, the Pfizer vaccine has been under an emergency use authorization, or EUA. Health officials are hoping that full approval will nudge those who've been hesitant to get vaccinated. In recent surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation, about 30% of people who remain unvaxxed said they'd be more inclined to get vaccinated if the vaccine had full FDA approval rather than just an EUA.

Full approval would open the door for Pfizer to request a quick green light from the FDA to start administering a third booster shot. It would also clear the path for further vaccine mandates, especially within hospitals and colleges. Earlier this month, the Pentagon announced that all members of the US military would have to be vaccinated by Sept. 15 or after full FDA approvalwhichever date came first. Regulators are still going over data on giving a full OK to Moderna's vaccine, a process the Times notes should take "at least several weeks." (Read more Pfizer stories.)
(Newser)  Guards usually dont have to watch for people breaking into a jail, so its maybe only a little surprising that they didnt notice the man climbing over two fences then scrambling up to a second floor door. An alarm went off in the Maple Street Correctional Center in Redwood City, CA, and a correctional officer went to check it out, SFGate reports. The source of the ruckus was Moises Dona Robles, 35, who was more than a little confused and under the influence of meth and alcohol.

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He was sitting in a lobby inside the facility. The officer who saw him did a double takeRobles was wearing street clothes in an area reserved for inmates. Robles told police he was fleeing a man with a gun, the San Mateo Daily Journal reports. He admitted to being under the influence, and also had other peoples credit cards with him. He pleaded not guilty to some misdemeanor charges on Wednesday. Its not the first time someone has made an arrest incredibly convenient for police. In 2014, a man broke into a police station in Vermont, and a woman in Pittsburgh trying to steal a car chose a cop car with the cops still in it in. (Read more dumb criminals stories.)
(Newser)  The University of Virginia has disenrolled students who havent proved theyve gotten vaccinated and havent responded to repeated messages reminding them to get the shot. There were 238 students on the roll for fall, but only 49 had actually registered for classes, the Virginian-Pilot reports. Some of the unvaccinated students did check in--the school in Charlottesville, VA, has 335 students with medical or religious waivers and 184 who werent able to get vaccinated over the summer but will as soon as they get back to campus. Its a big schoolmore than 96% of the 18,000 undergrad and 9,000 grad students got the shot, CNN reports.

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Other nearby schools, like the College of William and Mary, have vaccine requirements, too. The high vaccination rate on campus and moderate coronavirus infection rate in Charlottesville means students can return to in-person classes. Unvaccinated students will have to mask up indoors and out, though. Not all schools are going to be able to host classes in-person; Rice University is online only for the first two weeks of the semester due to the infection rate in Houston, the Washington Post reports. (Read more COVID-19 stories.)
(Newser)  An Oregon school superintendent is telling parents they can get their children out of wearing masks by citing federal disability law. A pastor at a California megachurch is offering religious exemptions for anyone morally conflicted over vaccine requirements. And Louisiana's attorney general has posted sample letters on his office's Facebook page for those seeking to get around the governor's mask rules. Across the US, religious figures, doctors, public officials, and other community leaders are trying to help people circumvent COVID-19 precautions, per the AP. While proponents of these workarounds say they're looking out for children's health and parents' rights, others say such stratagems are dishonest and irresponsible and could undermine efforts to beat back the highly contagious delta variant. Mask and vaccine requirements vary from state to state but often permit exemptions for certain medical conditions or religious or philosophical objections.

The superintendent: In Oregon, Superintendent Marc Thielman of the rural Alsea School District told parents they can sidestep the governor's school mask requirement by applying for an accommodation for their children under federal disabilities law. Thielman, says he's not anti-mask but is sensitive to parents' concerns that face coverings can cause anxiety and headaches in children. But Laurie VanderPloeg of the Council for Exceptional Children cautions that kids can't go maskless simply because they asked. Instead, she says, school districts have to go through a formal process to establish whether a child does, in fact, have a particular mental or physical disability that would warrant an exception to the mask rule.

In Oregon, Superintendent Marc Thielman of the rural Alsea School District told parents they can sidestep the governor's school mask requirement by applying for an accommodation for their children under federal disabilities law. Thielman, says he's not anti-mask but is sensitive to parents' concerns that face coverings can cause anxiety and headaches in children. But Laurie VanderPloeg of the Council for Exceptional Children cautions that kids can't go maskless simply because they asked. Instead, she says, school districts have to go through a formal process to establish whether a child does, in fact, have a particular mental or physical disability that would warrant an exception to the mask rule. The pastor: Pastor Greg Fairrington of Destiny Church in Rocklin, Calif., has issued at least 3,000 religious exemptions to people with objections to the vaccine, which is becoming mandatory in an increasing number of places in the state. He said in a statement that his church has received thousands of calls from doctors, nurses, teachers, and first responders terrified of losing their jobs because they don't want to get vaccinated. "We are not anti-vaccine," he said. "At the same time, we believe in the freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. The vaccine poses a morally compromising situation for many people of faith."

Pastor Greg Fairrington of Destiny Church in Rocklin, Calif., has issued at least 3,000 religious exemptions to people with objections to the vaccine, which is becoming mandatory in an increasing number of places in the state. He said in a statement that his church has received thousands of calls from doctors, nurses, teachers, and first responders terrified of losing their jobs because they don't want to get vaccinated. "We are not anti-vaccine," he said. "At the same time, we believe in the freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. The vaccine poses a morally compromising situation for many people of faith." The AG: Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry posted sample letters that would allow parents to seek a philosophical or religious exemption from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' mask rule at schoolsor from a vaccine requirement, if enacted. Edwards accuses the attorney general of creating confusion and defends his policy on face coverings. "By adopting these measuresand ignoring those that are unwilling to acknowledge the current crisiswe can keep our kids in school this year and keep them safe," the governor said.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry posted sample letters that would allow parents to seek a philosophical or religious exemption from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' mask rule at schoolsor from a vaccine requirement, if enacted. Edwards accuses the attorney general of creating confusion and defends his policy on face coverings. "By adopting these measuresand ignoring those that are unwilling to acknowledge the current crisiswe can keep our kids in school this year and keep them safe," the governor said. Warnings from health officials: Experts such as Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of California-San Francisco, warned that such stratagems will sow confusion about masks and vaccinations. The virus is "looking for fractures in the system," he said, "and we have plenty of fractures in the system."

(Read more face masks stories.)
(Newser)  Down to his last few days in office, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has applied for New York retirement benefits. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will become governor on Tuesday, and Cuomo's benefits will kick in Sept. 1, the Hill reports. He announced his resignation earlier this month after an investigation found that he had sexually harassed women. His annual retirement pay is estimated at up to $50,000, per Rochester First. That's for life, unless the legislature changes the constitution or he's convicted of a felony. There's no mechanism for taking retirement pay away because someone's been accused of something, or even for impeachment or removal, per Forbes, because those aren't crimes. Cuomo's state salary is $225,000, which is at the top end for governors nationwide. His benefits are based on his 15 years of state employment4 as attorney general, then 11 as governor.

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The biggest chunk of Cuomo's income lately has come from his three books, per Yahoo Finance, which took a look at the outgoing governor's financial health. The second, in 2014, sold only about 4,000 copies but brought him $650,000. His book published last year, "American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic," sold fewer than 50,000 copies. But Cuomo was paid a $4 million advance, then another $1 million, which he sent half of to charity. There's no real estate known to be in his name. Cuomo doesn't say much about how he spends his money, per Yahoo Finance, but he does have a 1968 Pontiac GTO with a "1" license plate. Depending on condition, the car could be worth $27,000 to $60,000. (Read more Andrew Cuomo stories.)
(Newser)  The Kentucky governor's efforts to aggressively combat COVID-19 suffered a landmark legal defeat Saturday as the state's high court cleared the way for new laws to rein in his emergency powers. The state Supreme Court ordered a lower court to dissolve an injunction that temporarily blocked the Republican-backed laws strictly limiting Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's emergency powers, the AP reports. The ruling revolved around a constitutional showdown between Beshear and the GOP-led legislature over the scope of the governor's executive authority in emergencies. The case stems from measures passed by the legislature this year to curb those emergency powers in response to Beshear's aggressive handling of the coronavirus crisis. The governor immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the measures after his vetoes of the bills were overridden.

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Noting that the "legislation was lawfully passed," the Supreme Court said Saturday that it didn't find legal support for the governor's claims that the measures impaired his ability to carry out his constitutional duties. GOP lawmakers said the new laws were meant to check what they viewed as Beshear's overreach; the governor maintained the steps to limit activity during the pandemic have saved lives. He lifted most of his restrictions in June. But with COVID-19 cases spiking due to the delta variant, Beshear signed a recent executive order imposing an indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools, child care and pre-kindergarten programs across Kentucky. One of the contested laws limits executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers. Last year, the same court upheld the governor's authority to issue coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses and individuals. The legislature responded by passing the new laws this year.

(Read more coronavirus stories.)
(Newser)  As refugees from Afghanistan begin arriving in the US, Americans are offering to take them in. Jacqueline Buzas of Refugee Services of Texas said the organization has never seen a response like this, the Washington Post reports. "We have people calling to say, 'I have an extra bedroom.' Or, 'I'm retired and have this extra house," Buzas said. "People understand the human aspects of this, having to flee this life-or-death situation. And they just open the door." Her organization is among more than a dozen in Texas that resettle refugees. Buzas said it's making plans for the arrival in the next few weeks of more than 300 Afghans from Fort Lee in Virginia.

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Gov. Ralph Northam tweeted that he'd met some of the thousands of refugees at Fort Lee, per Yahoo News. Northam said he's told the federal government that "we're ready and willing to take thousands more." Gov. Doug Ducey released a statement saying Arizona will help refugees who helped the US in Afghanistan. Organizations in Utah preparing for an influx asked for volunteers, per KSL, noting that the situation is moving more quickly than they expected but adding, "We are always ready to resettle refugees in any moment." Agencies elsewhere said they've had as little as 24 hours' notice that refugees were arriving. They're required to have furnished apartments ready when the families arrive.

The application process for Special Immigrant Visas already was cumbersome and slow, said an official at the International Refugee Assistance Project. "Then Kabul fell and things got worse." She said clients have been killed in Afghanistan while waiting for visas. Phuong Tran Nguyen, a California State University history professor, likens the current situation to the US withdrawal from Vietnam, per Vox. "There was a sense that we had a moral obligation to help people out after failing them during the Cold War," said Phuong Tran Nguyen. "I think this is what were seeing right now, this same parallel." The US accepted more than 100,000 Vietnamese refugees. Karen Musalo writes in the Los Angeles Times that the US "could easily justify taking in 150,000" refugees now. (Read more refugees stories.)
(Newser)  Israeli gunfire on Saturday wounded 24 Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head, health officials said. An Israeli police officer was critically wounded by Palestinian gunfire during the clashes along Gaza's border with Israel, the AP reports. The violence erupted after hundreds of Palestinians took part in a demonstration Saturday organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers to draw attention to a stifling Israeli blockade of the territory. The demonstration grew violent after dozens of people approached the fortified border fence and threw rocks and explosives toward Israeli soldiers from behind a black smoke screen spewing from burning tires. The Israeli military said that hundreds of demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and attempted to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. It said troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters.

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A member of the paramilitary border police was reported to be hospitalized in grave condition after being shot. Amateur video from the Palestinian side showed a protester running up to the concrete barrier and firing a pistol into a hole used by an Israeli sniper. In Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said 24 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. Two of them, including the 13-year-old, were in critical condition. The violent confrontations were reminiscent of the weekly border demonstrations organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers in 2018 and 2019 to draw attention to Israel's stifling blockade over the tiny seaside territory. Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars and countless skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election. The most recent war, in May, ended in an inconclusive cease-fire after 11 days of fighting.

(Read more Israel and Palestinians stories.)
Concrete forms cover the most recently poured sections of the Blue Lake Dam expansion in Sitka, Alaska, Dec. 31, 2013. The $150 million project to raise the dam height 83 feet to increase power capacity is progressing ahead of schedule, according to Sitka's electric utility director. With recent heavy rains the lake level is to the height of the spillway.
The rise of counterfeit vaccination cards comes as businesses and employers across the U.S. have mandated individuals to show proof of vaccination to work, dine-in and attend events. Metro Creative
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 72F. Winds light and variable..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low 49F. Winds light and variable.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Kingdom of Bahrain greatly values the work of friends such as Germany in providing support and hope to the Middle East.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani underlined Bahrains appreciation for Germanys active and constructive role in the Middle East during a joint press conference held with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, yesterday.

The event was held following formal discussions by both countries delegations on ways to boost cooperation between the two countries in the political, economic and investment fields.

Minister Al Zayani extended his appreciation to Germany for hosting the Berlin 1 and 2 conferences on Libya, renewing the call for the international community to back the transitional government in Libya, for all foreign fighters and mercenaries to leave brotherly Libya.

He reiterated Bahrains support to the international efforts exerted to create the right conditions for the scheduled election on 24 December.

Dr Al Zayani highlighted the importance of the stability of Tunisia to the entire Mediterranean and Middle East region, and to Europes southern border, expressing hope that friends in Europe will stand with President Kais Saied and the people of Tunisia in fighting corruption, ending the political deadlock, and ensuring the country can move forward towards prosperity, stability and good governance.

The Minister said that both Bahrain and Germany are committed to fighting terrorism and extremism and protecting international shipping lanes.

Minister Maas expressed his pride and appreciation for the bilateral relations between Bahrain and Germany. He praised the role played by the Kingdom in achieving peace in the Middle East and lauded the signing of the declaration supporting peace, and appointing a Bahraini Ambassador to the State of Israel.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain will soon establish an embassy in Tel Aviv, Anadolu Agency yesterday quoted a top Israeli official as saying. The report quoting Hassan Kaabia, the Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said, Soon, Bahrain will open an embassy in Tel Aviv, and Morocco will raise the level of representation from a liaison office to an embassy. He also told the agency that they are to sign similar agreements with other Arab countries.

Kaabia also claimed that an important part of his countrys agreements with Bahrain and the UAE rests on relations between the peoples. Were talking about a new model, which differs even from peace with Jordan and Egypt, as in a large part it focuses on relations between peoples, not just governments, he said.

There, however, is no official confirmation from Bahrain on opening its embassy in Tel Aviv. Bahrain, in June this year, appointed its first ambassador to Israel. Bahrain and Israel normalised ties following a deal signed last year in September.

The other Arab states to join the accords were the United Arab Emirates, Sudan and Morocco. Bahrain also named Khaled Yousef al-Jalahmah as envoy to the State of Israel.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain Jurists Society, an organisation with consultative status at the United Nations, yesterday denounced Qatar for preventing the service of lawyers to the members of the Al-Murra tribe. Qatar should stop discriminating between its citizens and provide those they have detained their rightful access to lawyers, said the Society.

The Society observed that Qatar had silenced and arrested them without providing any constitutional rights and contradicting international human rights law.

Reports had said that the kingdom is stripping the semi-nomadic Al-Murra tribes of their citizenships and their rights. Surprisingly, political rights are only for citizens in Qatar and banning Al Murra tribe represents an implicit withdrawal of their citizenship, the Society said.

The Jurists Society also said it is shocking and startling to know that the arrests were for peaceful demands to restore their rights.
BETHEL  Bethel is booming.

The towns population saw the largest percentage increase in number of residents over the past 10 years of all towns in the Danbury area, according to new census data.

The population grew from 18,584 to 20,358  a 9.5 percent increase that outpaces Danburys 7 percent growth.

The growth is really organic. We arent out there offering incentives, said First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker.

One of the reasons Bethel may be growing is because it is an affordable and desirable town located close to bigger metropolitan areas, Knickerbocker said. He added Bethel tends to get new residents when there is corporate development and growth in places like New York City, Westchester County, and other nearby cities.

They kind of go hand in hand, he said.

Families and individuals who work in bigger cities often seek affordable, commutable places to live, and Bethel offers those things.

Even with its continued growth, Knickerbocker said Bethel has attracted residents by maintaining the same feel its always had.

Bethels historic charm is still the same. Its a beautiful community [that] has a very strong community feel, he said.

It comes as no surprise then, that as more people move to Bethel, the demand for housing has increased.

Bethel building official Chris Baldwin said his department has had so many inquiries and applications that theyve switched to new software to streamline their work and bring the process online.

Baldwin said there has been a huge increase in the number of residential buildings and houses going up. There has been some commercial development, as well.

In the four years that Baldwin has worked in Bethel, he said the increase in construction and permits has been steady, but so far this year, they have more than 800 applications. In a normal year, they get about 800 to 1,000.

Mostly, the department is seeing a lot of single-family homes, and Baldwin said most of the homes are sold before theyre built.

I was talking with one builder and he said [the buyer] barely reviewed the plans and looked at it and just told them to start building, he said.

Affordable-housing complexes have arrived in the past decade, despite disapproval from residents.

Residents have fought the development of affordable housing complexes filed under the states 8-30g housing statute, which allows developers to bypass zoning laws as long as a specific percentage of the building is categorized as affordable housing. In June, residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of the towns purchase of a parcel of land owned by a developer who planned to build an affordable-housing complex there.

Bethel embraced the affordable-housing concept a long time ago and has strictly followed those rules and has actually gone above and beyond to make housing more affordable and be attractive to young families, Knickerbocker said.

He said along with the official 8-30g housing units, others in the area are not categorized as such but still fall within the same price range.

More kids in town

More families buying homes generally means children.

Bethel was one of the few towns to see growth in its under-18 age group over the past decade, going from 4,376 school-age kids to 4,457. Even at just a 1.9 percent increase, the increasing number of children makes Bethel an outlier.

Knickerbocker pointed to the school system.

Factor number one is we have great schools, he said.

Every August since his November 2009 election, Knickerbocker has watched from his office as new families register their kids for school. Hell stop and chat with them, asking them where theyre moving from and what brought them to Bethel.

Invariably, they say that they heard the schools were great here. I hear that constantly, he said. It speaks well of our town that it has cared about education to the point that it does.

Knickerbocker served on the Bethel Board of Education from 1999 to 2009, with seven years as its chairman, the town website states.

A town resembling America

Bethels multiracial population increased in the past decade.

Resident numbers rose from 1.5 percent to 5.5 percent of the total population, more than quadrupling counts from the previous census. With this increase came a 5.2 percentage point increase in Hispanic residents, 1.1 percentage point increase in Black residents and 1.5 percentage point increase in Asian residents.

This increased diversity is not unique to Bethel, Knickerbocker said, but rather reflects the entire country.

Indeed, the United States as a whole is becoming increasingly diverse. U.S. residents identifying as multiracial increased from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020.

That is the nature of our nation, he said. It has always been, since its founding, a nation of immigrants. And [it]continues to be that.

While there are some who resist continued development, or who may see population growth as a negative, Knickerbocker said growth is essential for a towns survival.

If your town is not attractive to people, especially families, basically youre trailing off into the sunset. Youre becoming a retirement community, he said. Of all the problems a town can have, growing is the least of your problems.

While growth means possibly adjusting services, schools, and infrastructure to meet demand, Knickerbocker said Bethel is well situated. With Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools having been renovated, the town doesnt need new school buildings, and classes will not be overcrowded, Knickerbocker said.

We can handle the growth that is coming our way, he said.
DANBURY  Police say they may make more arrests more than a week after a shooting sent the Danbury Fair Mall into lock down.

A spokesman for the department said Friday is a possibility of more arrests in connection with the incident.

City police have already charged a 14-year-old boy alleged to be the gunman. His identity has not been released due to his age.

The Danbury resident was charged with first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, risk of injury to a minor and breach of peace. Danbury police said Friday they do not anticipate additional charges for the 14-year-old.

The incident began last Wednesday, Aug. 11 when police said two groups got into an argument outside of the Macys entrance inside the mall.

During the confrontation, the 14-year-old boy drew a handgun and fired a single shot, striking a 15-year-old girl in the upper chest. Police initially reported the girls age as 16, and said they did not believe she was part of either group, but later said she was a member of one of the groups involved in the dispute. Investigators have said theyre still looking into whether she was the intended target.

The gunshot sent shoppers and employees running inside the mall, with some barricading themselves in the back rooms of stores.

Danbury police said authorities were notified of the shooting around 7 p.m.

Law enforcement agencies from around the region descended on the mall, sealing off the entrances while heavily-armed police cleared the building.

Around an hour later, police determined the shooter had fled and began leading people out.

Danbury police said the 14-year-old boy turned himself in on Monday, after they obtained a warrant for his arrest just days after the shooting.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Former Alaska state Rep. Les Gara on Friday announced plans to run for governor.

The Anchorage Democrat joins Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, and former Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, who have previously announced their intentions to run. Libertarian William Billy Toien, who unsuccessfully ran in 2018, is the only official candidate listed so far with the state Division of Elections.

In a statement, Gara cited as concerns state infrastructure needs, Alaska's education and university systems and getting a fair share for the state's oil.

Gara served in the state House from January 2003 to January 2019.

He did not immediately announce a running mate for next year's election. Under a new system approved by voters last year, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor will run as a ticket in the primary, with the top four vote-getting tickets advancing to the general election. The general election will feature ranked-choice voting.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Stressed with too little staff and too many patients in an unrelenting COVID-19 resurgence, some hospitals in Louisiana are pressing insurance companies to ease up on requirements that can slow the transfer of recuperating patients to other facilities.

At issue are Medicare Advantage plans that supplement government-funded Medicare coverage. These insurance policies require extensive reviews and sometimes consultations with other doctors before transfers to inpatient facilities providing skilled nursing care, rehabilitation or long-term care.

Some of these patients are clearly ready to be moved to a non-hospital setting, but the bureaucracy has them stuck in badly needed beds, said Dr. Leslie Dean, of the Willis-Knighton system in northwest Louisiana.

Its almost impossible for them to move these people along in a timely manner right now because of these delays with some of these insurance plans, unfortunately, she said.

The delays are critical as COVID-19 numbers grow, but the issue doesn't just involve coronavirus patients. The paperwork also can slow transfers of Medicare Advantage-covered patients recuperating from a stroke, a heart attack or some other illness or injury that will need post-hospital attention.

Theres this crunch for beds, particularly in the South. And it just doesnt help to have this administrative burden, Dr. John Heaton, of the New Orleans-based LCMC system said Wednesday.

Hospitals and insurer conflicts over the approval of expensive procedures or transfers to possibly more costly settings long predate the pandemic, but they've taken on new urgency as Louisiana suffers through its fourth coronavirus surge. Statewide hospitalizations have set records almost daily through most of August, and doctors say the bureaucratic requirements contribute to long waits in emergency rooms.

Just yesterday, I had five or six patients waiting for beds at post-acute care facilities all waiting for authorization from an insurance company, Jason Lindsey, case management director at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond, said Thursday. The emergency department "didn't have one minute yesterday where we didn't have somebody waiting on a bed, he added.

Heaton said these insurers need to allow hospitals to unilaterally move out patients who are ready for post-hospital care, and receive approval retroactively.

Some insurers are easing up on at least some of their requirements.

The Louisiana Hospital Association released a statement by Humana on Wednesday suspending prior authorization requirements through Sept. 3 for transfers to skilled nursing facilities, long-term care facilities, inpatient rehab and home health care. Another Medicare Advantage insurer, People's Health, did the same for skilled nursing care and long-term acute care, but its announcement made no mention of rehabilitation facilities.

Nationally, many insurers temporarily suspended their prior authorization requirements at the start of the pandemic. In Louisiana, the Department of Insurance issued an emergency rule restricting the use of prior authorization policies that could bog down transfers.

But a department spokesperson and the Louisiana Hospital Association said regulation of the Medicare plans falls to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The hospital association has asked Louisianas congressional delegation to urge the agency to require that the prior authorization practices be waived.

On Friday, the agency issued a memo that stopped short of requiring a waiver of the practices, although it strongly encourages Medicare Advantage Organizations ... to waive or relax" the requirements.

At Willis Knighton, meanwhile, the need for beds has been so serious that the hospital has at times made transfers without waiting for insurer approval. We've had to even move patients  go ahead and just move them  and try to get the qualification on the back end," said Dean. "Because, we're just out of beds."
Recognizing the need to unleash the power of innovation to find solutions to our various challenges faced by mankind, Shri Naidu stressed that our economic development agenda needs to be socially and economically more inclusive, regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable.

While addressing the scientists and engineers of Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) Bengaluru, Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu said that indigenous products will play a key role in leapfrogging India as an aerospace and defence powerhouse in the coming years on Friday.

M. Naidu emphasized the need to develop cutting-edge technologies indigenously to make India self-reliant in defence technology and emerge as an export hub of modern military hardware.

While noting Indias capability to manufacture state-of-the-art missiles, satellites and space vehicles, he said, the paradox remains that we are still among the largest arms importers in the world. He called for changing this situation by quickening the pace of indigenous development of critical technologies.

Drawing attention to multiple security challenges faced by the country due to a highly complex geopolitical environment, the Vice President lauded the security forces for their exemplary courage and professionalism. It is our duty to ensure that our armed forces are fully equipped to handle any challenge and repel any security threat firmly, he said.

The Vice President said that India wants friendly relations with all its neighbours but some countries are funding and supporting terrorism against India and some harbour expansionist tendencies. Therefore, security and safety of our borders are very important for the peace and prosperity of the nation, he added. Stressing that India has never been expansionist in its outlook, Naidu said that our approach is of peaceful coexistence and to deter the forces of terror and disruption. India wants to become strong for the progress and development of its people, he said.

Referring to several policy initiatives by the Government to promote indigenization and self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Naidu underlined the need to involve private partners in defence projects for fruitful results. We will have to depend on strategic partnerships, technology sharing and teamwork to ensure that we build competitive products which are comparable with the best from across the globe, he said.

He said that measures such as an increase in the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit for the defence sector, the decision to set up two defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and notification of two positive indigenization lists by the Ministry of Defence offer a great opportunity to the Indian defence industry.

Praising the involvement of a large number of Indian companies with the HAL in the recently concluded deal for 83 Tejas fighter jets by the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Vice President said that such projects have the potential to transform the Indian aerospace manufacturing ecosystem into a vibrant Atmanirbhar-self-sustaining one.

Noting that the innovation process in the Aerospace industry involves high levels of risk and costly investments, he opined that this process can be accelerated through active collaboration between the industry and researchers. Emphasizing the need to attract the brightest minds in R&D in the aerospace and defence sectors, Shri Naidu called for creating a synergy between academia and industry for developing an Aerospace Hub. This would promote innovation and address the issue of skills shortage in this key sector, he said.

Earlier in the day, the Vice President visited HALs LCA Tejas manufacturing facility and expressed his appreciation to scientists and engineers of ADA and HAL for building this state-of-the-art modern fighter aircraft. He expressed confidence that the 4+ generation aircraft would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force.

The Vice President was equally impressed by the HALs helicopter facility which showcased indigenously developed Advanced Light Helicopter, Dhruv, Light Combat Helicopter and a Light Utility Helicopter that will replace Cheetah/Chetak helicopters.

The Vice President lauded the stellar contribution of HAL and DRDO laboratories to national security and expressed confidence that with designing of more potent aircraft like the LCA Mk2, Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Twin-Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF), the country would no longer have to be dependent on foreign nations to meet its fighter aircraft needs.

Stating that HALs growth has been synonymous with the growth of the Aeronautical industry in India, he reiterated that self-reliance in defence and aerospace technology was important to create a Samarth Aur Saksham Bharat (Able and capable India). He said that he felt proud and reassured of the capabilities of Indian researchers after visiting this visit HAL facilities.

Drawing attention to impending digitization of manufacturing, he said that it would bring profound changes in the aerospace sector and exhorted HAL to brace up and adapt to Industry 4.0. He also underlined the importance of ensuring customer satisfaction for HAL to emerge as a global player in the aviation space.

Recognizing the need to unleash the power of innovation to find solutions to our various challenges faced by mankind, Shri Naidu stressed that our economic development agenda needs to be socially and economically more inclusive, regionally balanced and environmentally sustainable.

Governor of Karnataka, ThaawarchandGehlot, HAL Chairman, R.Madhavan and senior officials and scientists from HAL and ADA were present on the occasion.
Both leaders had a useful exchange of views on Afghanistan. Al Thani is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during his stopover in Doha.

Both leaders had a useful exchange of views on Afghanistan. Al Thani is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Qatar.

Met Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani @MBA_AlThani_DPM & FM Qatar during my stopover in Doha. Had useful exchange of views on Afghanistan, tweeted Jaishankar.

Jaishankar was in New York to chair high-level meetings in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Under Indias August presidency, Jaishankar chaired high-level meetings at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The first event on Wednesday was an Open Debate on Protecting the Protectors: Technology and Peacekeeping while the second event on August 19, was a briefing on Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts.

This meeting comes as the Taliban on Sunday took control of Kabul and placed themselves in the presidential palace in Kabul.

Meanwhile, the world is closely watching the unfolding situation in Afghanistan as the countries have scrambled to evacuate their citizens from Afghanistan in an attempt to secure their people.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that the presence of al Qaeda is not significant enough to merit a threat to our homeland as it used to be 20 years ago.

The United States on Friday acknowledged the presence of al Qaeda in Afghanistan amid its large-scale evacuation from the war-torn country.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that the presence of al Qaeda is not significant enough to merit a threat to our homeland as it used to be 20 years ago.

Experts have raised concerns that Afghanistan might again become a breeding ground for terrorism with the Taliban taking control of the country.

We know that al Qaeda is a presence as well as ISIS in Afghanistan and weve talked about that for quite some time, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said during a press briefing.

Kirby said they do not believe the number of al Qaeda terrorists in the country is exorbitantly high but we dont have an exact figure for you. He said their intelligence gathering ability in Afghanistan isnt what it used to be.

Pentagon press secretarys remarks came shortly after, US President Joe Biden, What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point, with al Qaeda gone?

Defending Bidens remarks, Kirby said what we believe is that there isnt a presence that is significant enough to merit a threat to our homeland as there was back on 9/11, 20 years ago.

As per the US-Taliban deal signed in Doha last year, the Taliban vowed to cut ties to al Qaeda.

Last month, the United Nations had warned that the threat from terror groups such as Daesh and Al-Qaeda is expanding in many places in Afghanistan and said the security situation remains fragile with uncertainty surrounding the peace process and a risk of further deterioration.

During the presser, Kirby also provided few details on 169 Americans who were brought to the Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Some of our troops, in a short amount of time, we were able to go out of the airport (in Kabul) and retrieve 169 people who were close to the perimeter of the airport, he said and added that It wasnt a rescue so much as assisting them getting onto the field.
NEW HAVEN  In an uncertain time in his youth, the Rev. Wayne McCraes local leaders served as guide stones for helping him to find a path toward a brighter future.

On Saturday, McCrae, joining with officials and residents, sought to extend that hand to the wide community , urging residents, particularly young people, to consider the paths walked by local luminaries and politicians and work toward peace and stability.

The day began with the formulation of a new exhibition of shoes at City Hall, set to feature the footwear of a number of local politicians and leaders, including U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3; U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Mayor Justin Elicker, former Mayor Toni Harp, the Rev. Boise Kimber, state Sen. Martin Looney, Bishop William Philpot, Fire Chief John Alston and Acting Police Chief Renee Dominguez and Fair Haven pioneer Celestino Cordova.

McCrae said he was inspired to do the exhibit by a visit to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, which features the imprints of Kings shoes, and those of other civil rights leaders.

It just stayed with me, said McCrae. In leadership, theres a journey everyone takes.

He placed shoes of his aunt, Mildred Miley, into the exhibit during Saturdays ceremonies.

He said Miley, founder and president of MakeLa, Inc., had touched many lives during her own, raising money for scholarships for city youth. She was also a guiding light for him, he said, in a difficult time.

I was out there in the streets, and the positive influence  she constantly told me that you can do better, that you dont have to be out there, said McCrae. And I thank God that I took heed and listened.

The importance of guiding young people toward stable lives and averting violence, McCrae said, is not political  its about humanity. In the current political climate, he said its important to remain neutral and help young people stay the course.

Officials, praising McCrae for his efforts, spoke of the damaging impact of gun violence on the lives of city residents, and the importance of offering opportunities to young people, particularly considering the anxiety and strife of the pandemic.

Elicker said he had two pairs of shoes  one brown, one black. On days without tragedy, he wears the brown ones; on the others, he wears black, as he attends funerals and wakes. He placed the black ones in a display case Saturday  a symbol of the pain residents continue to suffer.

States Attorney Patrick Griffin and Blumenthal noted the importance of improving efforts to prevent and deter gun violence, instead of focusing on prosecution and incarceration.

Gun violence is not just a local or New Haven issue. Its, in fact, really a national scourge; its really a national disgrace, said Griffin. When individuals are hit and injured, their lives are altered forever.

Violence has been aggravated during the coronavirus pandemic, Blumenthal said, as people deal with anxiety and isolation, struggling with substance use disorder.

In addition to changes in laws  he noted the idea of banning ghost guns, among other initiatives  people need to strive to band together in faith and belief in their fellow man, he said.

Although policing has a role, gun violence is fundamentally an issue of community spirit, he said. The goal has to be to intercede in someones life before they pull a trigger, setting unalterable consequence in motion.

Were really talking about a cycle that repeats itself. Young people learn by example, (learn) leadership by example, said Blumenthal. Right now, young people are learning a lot of the wrong lessons.

Harp also stressed the communitys role in changing the impact of gun violence on the world. She said she had learned over her decades in the field that democracy happens at the local level, government, in turn, provides the tools to allow them to keep themselves safe.

If the people want there to be peace, there will be peace. And, you know, its really important for people to understand that they have that power, said Harp. We come together, as families, as community, for one major thing  to keep ourselves safe. (When we) dont do that, (its) because we dont feel empowered enough to come together, to set the standards, to use the tools that we have to insist upon safety.

Weve been talking about the same things for the past 30 or 40 years. Weve been talking about kids dying in our streets. Weve been talking about families that cant feed their own; weve been talking about people who dont have good jobs, said Harp. Well, at the point that the community believes it is entitled to those things (and) will work together on behalf of those things, we will make more progress.... What we really have now is a crisis of the heart.

Harp, noting, with humor in her voice, that she was the first woman to serve as mayor in New Haven, offered a pair of pink shoes for the exhibit.

Dominguez praised McCrae for his passion in creating the exhibit  he had driven the process along with his immediate energy and belief, she said. The department was working to slow the pace of violence in the city, but needs aid, she said.

Alston spoke of the importance of impressing that progress has been made upon young people  he grew up watching fire hoses turned on protesters in the Civil Rights movement, he noted, and now commands firefighters.

After remarks were offered, the spirit of the event shifted outside, as McCraes Upright Ministries and the Peoples Coalition of Connecticut, represented by former Hamden councilman Henry Candido, held a rally, titled Peace Starts Within on the Green.

McCrae invited Elicker to let loose white doves on the Green as a tribute to gun violence victims and their families; he did so, then offered brief remarks, noting the impending hurricane.

Weve got a hurricane coming, but weve had a hurricane in our city for many, many, many years, facing a lot of economic challenges, facing a lot of challenges around gun violence, and facing, in many ways, a challenge about people not feeling hope, said Elicker, noting the issues had only intensified during the pandemic.

Leaders, he said, care for their neighbors, help others, provide a safe haven and support people that are struggling the most.

The real hope that I think we see today in this type of event, and the path forward in our community, is to bring people together more, said Elicker. (So) that, in New Haven, we can truly be a city where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A day after facing allegations that he emotionally mistreated a former fiancee, Republican Larry Elder scheduled two weekend rallies and showed no outward signs of altering the course of his campaign in the California recall election that could remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom from office.

The longtime talk radio host who could be the state's first Black governor is scheduled to gather with supporters in Newport Beach on Saturday and Clovis, in the Central Valley, on Sunday. Both are places receptive to his conservative message; Newport Beach is a longtime Republican stronghold, and Clovis is in the district of Republican U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes.

Elder tweeted Thursday that he was more energized than ever to fix this state and described claims of improper behavior in his former relationship with Alexandra Datig as salacious allegations.

Datigs allegations surfaced at a time when there seem to be few hard rules about personal conduct and consequence for politicians and public officials. How Elder maneuvers through the wave of unwelcome headlines will test his front-runner status.

It wasnt immediately clear what impact the Datig's assertions might have on the contest. On Thursday night, hours after the story broke, three of Elder's Republican rivals debated and the issue never came up. Newsom hasnt mentioned it, though his campaign has called Datigs statements serious allegations.

Later Friday, Republican candidate Kevin Faulconer  who was silent on the issue in Thursday's televised debate  said in a statement that Elder should withdraw from the race, calling him unfit to serve. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Elder gave no indication he was considering leaving the contest and said Democrats were panicked that California can elect a conservative governor."

Voters ultimately will pass judgment on Elder in the Sept. 14 election. Mail-in balloting already has begun.

I think strong conservatives are most likely to dismiss these sorts of charges as false, and as driven by opponents of Elder who want to take him down. This is a highly partisan issue, Menlo College political scientist Melissa Michelson said.

Overall, these allegations are unlikely to have much of an impact. Despite the victories of the #MeToo movement, voters do not seem inclined to punish politicians based on these sorts of claims, she added in an email.

In recent decades, California voters have turned a mostly indifferent eye to sexual indiscretions by politicians, including Newsom, who while mayor of San Francisco had an affair with his then-appointments secretary, who at the time was married to his campaign manager. The issue came up only fleetingly in his 2018 run for governor.

Just days before Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor in a 2003 recall election, the Los Angeles Times reported six women, some of whom worked with him on movie sets, said he groped them. Initially, his campaign denied he engaged in improper conduct but shortly afterward Schwarzenegger apologized while disputing some of the allegations.

Kim Nalder, a professor of political science at California State University, Sacramento, said the allegations against Elder have the potential to change some voters minds, especially those who are just tuning in and didnt know much about Elder. But its unlikely to sway many voters who already have settled on Elder.

The type of folks who likely back him are Trump voters, they arent dissuaded by accusations of sexual impropriety or mistreatment of women, she said.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, a 2005 recording of Donald Trump surfaced in which he bragged about kissing, groping and trying to have sex with various women. The taped conversation surfaced roughly a month before the election in which he defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump also had a long history of making lewd comments toward and about women.

Sean Walsh, a lawyer and Republican who was Schwarzeneggers press secretary during the 2003 recall, said he doubted Elder would suffer much fallout. He said if voters are motivated enough to fire Newsom they are more than willing to be forgiving of certain indiscretions in candidates who want to replace him.

Walsh said the public can be especially lenient of celebrities such as Schwarzenegger, and Elder can claim a measure of Hollywood sparkle from his many years on talk radio and appearances on Fox News.

Whatever that Teflon thing is that comes with celebrity, hes got some of it, Walsh said.

California voters are being asked whether Newsom should leave office and who should replace him. If a majority vote for the recall, then the replacement will be whoever gets the most votes among 46 candidates. A winner could emerge with 25% support or less. Schwarzenegger won with 48.6% of the vote in 2003.

Datig, in documents and an interview with The Associated Press, sketched a portrait of a strained 18-month romantic relationship in which Elder was overly controlling and routinely used medicinal marijuana to excess. She claims Elder showed her a gun during a heated 2015 argument; Elder denies he ever brandished a gun at anyone. She said she never reported the incident to police and moved out after they agreed on a financial settlement.

Elder did not specifically address the claim about marijuana use in questions submitted to his campaign by AP.

Datig, 51 and a longtime Los Angeles resident who has been active on political causes, supports one of Elders Republican rivals, Faulconer, a former San Diego mayor. She endorsed Faulconer on her blog on Aug. 5, then emailed his campaigns press account to let them know about her backing and to express great concern over Larry Elders character and treatment of her, Faulconer campaign spokesman John Burke said Friday.

Faulconer said Friday he has never spoken to Datig and called her allegations disturbing and said they need to be investigated. Asked if Datigs outreach factored in Faulconers decision to criticize Elders record on women, which he began doing Tuesday, the former mayor didn't answer directly and reverted to his criticism about Elders statements about women in the workplace.

Rob Stutzman, who was communications director for Schwarzenegger during the 2003 recall, said he doesnt see the allegations against Elder as similar to Schwarzenegger. These involve a domestic dispute and a gun allegedly was involved.

Stutzman said some voters were skeptical of the Schwarzenegger allegations because they came so close to Election Day.

I think people thought it was late, people thought a lot of the stories were uncorroborated, theres vendettas in Hollywood, he said.

___

Ronayne reported from Sacramento.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP)  It's one of the stranger, lesser-known aspects of U.S. health care  the striking, milky-blue blood of horseshoe crabs is a critical component of tests to ensure injectable medications such as coronavirus vaccines aren't contaminated.

To obtain it, harvesters bring many thousands of the creatures to laboratories to be bled each year, and then return them to the sea  a practice that has drawn criticism from conservationists because some don't survive the process.

The blood, which is blue due to its copper content, is coveted for proteins used to create the LAL test, a process used to screen medical products for bacteria. Synthetic alternatives aren't widely accepted by the health care industry and haven't been approved federally, leaving the crabs as the only domestic source of this key ingredient.

Many of these crabs are harvested along the coast of South Carolina, where Gov. Henry McMaster promoted the niche industry as key to the development of a domestic medical supply chain, while also noting that environmental concerns should be explored.

We dont want to have to depend on foreign countries for a lot of reasons, including national security, so its good to see this company thriving in the United States," McMaster told The Associated Press. He spoke this month during a visit to Charles River Laboratories at its Charleston facilities, to which AP was granted rare access. We want to do everything we can to onshore all of these critical operations.

Horseshoe crabs  aquatic arthropods shaped like helmets with long tails  are more akin to scorpions than crabs, and older than dinosaurs. They've been scurrying along the brackish floors of coastal waters for hundreds of millions of years. Their eggs are considered a primary fat source for more than a dozen species of migratory shore birds, according to South Carolina's Department of Natural Resources.

Their value to avoiding infection emerged after scientists researching their immune response injected bacteria into horseshoe crabs in the 1950s. They ultimately developed the LAL test, and the technique has been used since the 1970s to keep medical materials and supplies free of bacteria.

Their biomedical use has been on the rise, with 464,482 crabs brought to biomedical facilities in 2018, according to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

In South Carolina, thats done only by Charles River, a Massachusetts-based company that tests 55% of the worlds injectables and medical devices  like IV bags, dialysis solutions and even surgical cleaning wipes, according to company officials.

We are almost the last line of defense before these drugs leave the manufacturing area and make it to a patient, senior vice president Foster Jordan told McMaster. If it touches your blood, its been tested by LAL. And, more than likely, its been tested by us.

Charles River employs local fishermen to harvest the crabs by hand, a process governed by wildlife officials that can only happen during a small annual window, when the creatures come ashore to spawn.

Contractors bring them to the companys bleeding facilities, then return them to the waters from which they came. During a year, Jordan said his harvesters can bring in 100,000 to 150,000 horseshoe crabs, and still can't satisfy the growing demand.

We need more, though, Jordan told McMaster, adding that his company is working with the state to open up more harvesting areas. The population's steady. ... We need access to more beaches, to get more crabs."

The practice is not without its critics, some of whom have argued that bleeding the crabs and hauling them back and forth is harmful. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 10% to 15% of harvested crabs die during the process.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature listed the species overall as vulnerable," noting decreasing numbers as of a 2016 assessment. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission listed 2019 stock as good in the Southeast, but poor in areas around New York.

Conservationists sued last year, accusing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of shirking its duty to protect areas including South Carolina's Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge by allowing horseshoe crab harvesting. They argued that taking out the crabs affects other species in the protected area. A federal judge temporarily halted the harvest, but was reversed following Charles River's appeal.

The environmental groups asked to withdraw their complaint this month after federal officials imposed a permitting process for any commercial activity in the refuge, including horseshoe harvesting, beginning Aug. 15. Even if such permits are denied, Jordan told McMaster that only 20% of its harvest came from the refuge, with most coming from further down the South Carolina coast.

There is a synthetic alternative to the horseshoe crab blood, but it hasnt been widely accepted in the U.S., and meanwhile, Charles Rivers international competitors are making synthetics and also pressing for U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, which Jordan said could hamper domestic efforts like his own.

My mission is to make sure that any competitor that comes into the United States, from China or any of these other producers, has to go through the same regulatory process that we had to go through, to make sure that its safe, Jordan said. If all these synthetics start coming in from other countries, were going to lose the protection that weve had for all these years, and the safety, and the control of the drug supply.

We want to have as much stuff made here as we can, McMaster said in response.

As for the environmental concerns, the governor said maintaining a healthy balance between scientific demands and the state's ecosystems, which bolster a significant portion of South Carolina's tourism economy, is paramount.

Its like a house of cards. You pull out one part, and the rest of it will fall, McMaster said. So I think we have to be very careful, and be sure that any company, any business, any activity, whether its commercial or otherwise, meets whatever requirements are there to protect the species  birds, horseshoe crabs, any sort of life.

___

Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.
Mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus in four more Connecticut towns, meaning the illness has been detected in a total of 16 towns so far this season.

Since Aug. 9, four towns  Newington, Ridgefield, West Haven, and Westport  were added to the West Nile-positive list, said John Shepard, assistant scientist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

The illness seems particularly common in mosquitoes in Fairfield and New Haven counties, and in greater Hartford, said Dr. Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the station.

Typically, these regions are the focal areas for West Nile virus activity in the state and that pattern is developing this year, too, Armstrong said.

He said the mosquito that transmits West Nile virus is most concentrated in urban and suburban environments. The larvae develop in stagnant water that collects in storm drains, catch basins, clogged rain gutters and containers such discarded tires, buckets and bird baths.

Other towns where mosquitoes have been spotted already include Milford and Bridgeport.

West Nile has become the main cause of mosquito-borne illness in this region since it was first introduced into the New York City area in 1999. Last season, West Nile was detected in 143 mosquito pools from 21 towns in Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven counties and there were eight confirmed human cases of West Nile infection statewide.

There have been no human cases confirmed yet, but Armstrong said its never too early for people to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

The number of West Nile virus positive mosquitoes remains high, which is to be expected at this time of year, he said. Now is the time to take precautions against mosquito bites and includes such measures as covering up with long-sleeved shirts, pants, and shoes and socks, applying an EPA-approved insect repellent, and minimizing time outdoors when mosquitoes are most active.

Armstrong said the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active between dusk and dawn.

In Westport, Mark Cooper, director of health for the Westport Weston Health District said the discovery of West Nile-positive mosquitoes in town isnt unexpected.

West Nile comes to Connecticut every year, he said. There have been towns around us with positive mosquitoes for a couple weeks. We want to encourage people to go outside because of COVID  just be aware of the mosquitoes and West Nile.
NEW HAVEN - Mayor Justin Elicker Saturday advised some residents to evacuate low-lying areas of the city , as Hurricane Henri drew near.

Were expecting a significant storm. It was going to the east of us, then it was going to the west of us, said Elicker. Now its going straight toward us.

At a press briefing, Elicker said the city was now expecting three for five feet of storm surge, tropical storm-force winds of 50 to 70 miles per hour and four to six inches of rain, an increase from what was predicted yesterday afternoon.

Late Mayor Elicker said he would knock doors and talk with neighbors in the lower East Shore / Morris Cove Area beginning at 6:30 p.m. He will be joined by NHPD and NHFD who will have load speaker messages for residents.

Henri strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane Saturday morning and continued to take aim at Connecticut, staying on course for an expected direct hit on Sunday morning.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for parts of Connecticut with storm surge along the coast expected to reach up to 3-5 feet. Henri did not shift off course through the night, continuing on the western swing that puts the state in its direct path.

On behalf of the city, Elicker recommended that East Shore residents south of Myron Street, residents of Haven Street and John Murphy Drive in Fair Haven, and residents of South Water Street in City Point evacuate their homes before the storm or by 5 a.m. Sunday.

Were concerned about flooding in those areas. In certain areas, it will be difficult for our emergency crews to access if people are experiencing an emergency at that time, sad Elicker.

Elicker said Saturday that he signed a Declaration of Civil Preparedness Emergency for the City of New Haven.

Henri nears CT: Live updates as tropical storm approaches

He said this would allow the city to be eligible for federal support in the event its made available. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal vouched for the federal governments assistance, saying the Connecticut delegation would go to work on the issue immediately.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency had already begun moving people and supplies into the area, Blumenthal said.

The feds will help, said Blumenthal.

Blumenthal also vouched for the seriousness of the impending weather event.

This may not be a perfect storm, but its going to be close to one. The alarm bells should be ringing loudly, said Blumenthal. This storm is going to pack a powerful punch.

The timing of the storm will play a significant role on its impact in the city, Elicker said. If it strikes at high tide, expected at midnight and noon Sunday, more flooding would result, he said.

Emergency Management Director Rick Fontana advised residents of the seriousness of the impending storm, saying the city had not dealt with its like for decades.

We have not seen anything of this magnitude for many years, said Fontana. This is a dangerous storm.

The city is opening a shelter for residents at Career Regional High School at 7 p.m., along with areas of refuge at Nathan Hale, Jepson and King / Robinson schools, Elicker said.

City staffers had been out striving to help residents experiencing homelessness ahead of the storm, he said.

Fontana said the storm required an all hands on effort from city staff, noting that the emergency operations center would be open 24 hours per day during the weather event.

Residents with storm-related issues can call the center at 203-946-8221, he said. Those with emergencies should call 911.

Both Fontana and Elicker asked residents to be patient during and after the storm; the city is expecting a lot of power outages, Elicker said, which will be prioritized and worked through.

No area of the state is expected to escape impact. Initial projections were that Henri would affect New Haven and east the most, but the storm's western shift puts residents in and around Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Danbury in its path.

The National Weather Service issued a hurricane warning for Northern Middlesex, Northern New Haven and Northern New London counties. A storm surge and hurricane warning are in effect for southern Middlesex, southern New Haven and southern New London counties.

Check back for updates.
NEW HAVEN  By all appearances it was like any other military funeral last Saturday on the south lawn of Beaverdale Memorial Park.

There were the six members of the Honor Guard detail from the U.S. Army, the ceremonial folding of the American flag, the rifle volley, the playing of Taps. There were the Connecticut Patriot Guard Riders standing at solemn attention in the sweltering August heat, the family clad in black seated before the gravestone.

The difference was as simple and unadorned  and quietly extraordinary  as the dates carved into that gravestone: 1918 - 1944. Sgt. John E. Hurlburt, a Madison native, was being laid to rest 77 years after he perished in battle.

Hurlburt, who grew up on Opening Hill Road, was killed in 1944 on the island of Saipan in the south Pacific. He was 8,000 miles from home. It was the most devastating attack by the Japanese during the war, historians agree. His entire regiment was wiped out. He never had a chance. He was 26.

His remains were not known to have been recovered. His name was recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

Then, in the past three years, came a letter, and a phone call, and a visit, from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency to Kathleen Esposito, Hurlburts niece and next of kin. Thanks to advances in forensic techniques, and a process that involved dental and anthropological analysis, as well as DNA samples, the CSI-like DPAA had identified her uncles remains.

As unusual as the service seemed, there were notes of the familiar for Johnnie, as he was known to everyone in North Madison.

A rendition of When Johnny Comes Home resounded through the quiet park.

My mother used to sing that song when she talked about Johnnie, and she talked about him a lot, and all of us kids would chime in, and the Army was kind enough to have it played at the service, Esposito said.

John Dahlberg, 88, who knew Hurlburt as a boy in North Madison, lay a rose on Hurlburts casket.

That meant the world, he said later. Johnnie was a hero.

There were other unexpected reunions among the funeral party, of cousins long separated, of childhood friends not seen in decades.

Johnnie brought us all together, Esposito said later, as she and other family members visited the grave of her mother, Doris, which was not far away.

Esposito expressed her gratitude to the Army for all the years and the work they invested to make this homecoming possible.

It means so much to my family and myself to have my uncle back home and I know if my mother and her siblings were alive today, it would be the celebration of the century, she said.
The United States has cautioned Americans in Afghanistan against going close to the Kabul airport in the capital. The travel warning...

The United States has cautioned Americans in Afghanistan against going close to the Kabul airport in the capital.

The travel warning issued on Saturday by the US embassy raised the alarm of a security threat.

Citizens have been asked to wait for individual instructions from a US government representative.

Thousands are trying to flee since the Taliban reassumed power. Civil authority was dethroned after years of a fierce fight with Afghan and international forces.

President Joe Biden admitted he could not predict the outcome of one of the most difficult airlifts in history.

A United Nations (UN) document had revealed that the Taliban is hunting people who assisted the United States and NATO forces.

The Norwegian Center for Global Analyses, a body that provides intel to UN agencies, said the targets are foreign security personnel and Afghans in military, police and intelligence units.

Afghan Air Force pilots, translators and teachers remain trapped in Afghanistan.

Those who had worked with the U.S. military said they would be killed if the Taliban found them.

ABC News obtained footage where they cried out to international human rights attorney Kim Motley.

Why have the American soldiers forgotten about us after everything we did? The sacrifices we did, why are they leaving us behind? said Abdul, who worked as an interpreter for the U.S.

I dont want to be killed by the Taliban. They are going to cut our heads off if they find my location. Please help.

Khalil, who had worked with U.S. special forces, confirmed that the Taliban is trying to uncover them.

They told me that anywhere I should go, they will find me and kill me. I ask the Americans, Please help us.

A Taliban official told Reuters that the chaos at the airport was not their fault. The West could have had a better plan to evacuate, he said.
Ken Nnamani, former senate president, says he is ashamed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) has underachieved in Enugu state. Nna...

Ken Nnamani, former senate president, says he is ashamed that the All Progressive Congress (APC) has underachieved in Enugu state.





Nnamani is a member of the APC national caretaker committee representing the south-east zone.

He spoke on Saturday in Enugu during the sitting of the APC ward congress appeal committee.

The former senate president said the Enugu chapter of the APC needs to be rejigged so as to stand the chance of winning future elections.





The party is growing in the state but its success depends on winning elections. People were afraid of the leadership, he said.

I feel ashamed of being in a party that does not win elections. That is why we want to rejig the party to bring in leaders who will not use it for business.

However, we are beginning to see a new horizon and determined to do something differently with the new leadership we now have.





Nnamani defected to the APC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2017.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the governor of Enugu, was elected on the platform of the PDP in 2015 and was re-elected for a second term in office in 2019.
Yoruba nation freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, has disclosed that he will seek asylum in Benin Republic and France when he leaves prison. ...

Yoruba nation freedom fighter, Sunday Igboho, has disclosed that he will seek asylum in Benin Republic and France when he leaves prison.

This was disclosed by one of his lawyers, Olusegun Falola.

Falola also disclosed that Igboho would not return to Nigeria until the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office.

The counsel said his clients continued stay in Benin Republic is a blessing in disguise.

Igbohos arrest shows he was cheated, because he didnt commit any criminal offence. He is under Benin Republics protection.

Nigeria did not show up in court or bring up evidence against Igboho. So there are no criminal charges against him. When he leaves prison, hell demand asylum from other countries including France, and they will be ready to receive him.

So hell return back to Nigeria when the administration that is against him leaves office.

The judges asked him if he had land in Cotonou and he responded that he has a land in Seme. So, there is still danger ahead. Igbohos asylum in Cotonou is for him to stay in the country and do his businesses in the country and also travel to Germany to either live there or to travel to and fro. Hell use Benin as his new home until Buharis tenure is over just for his own safety, Nation quoted Falola as saying.

About a month ago, Igboho was arrested in Cotonou while trying to travel to Germany.

This was after the freedom fighter fled Nigeria after he was declared wanted by the Department of State Services, DSS.

DSS declared Igboho wanted after an invasion of his house, and weapons were discovered during the raid.

While Igboho is currently standing trial in Cotonou, the Nigerian government is yet to level any charges against the agitator.
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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is seeking to ban school mask mandates. A judge on Thursday denied a request to throw out a lawsuit challenging a mask ban. Joe Raedle/Getty Images/TNS
Tulane University, New Orleans' largest private employer, said Friday it will raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour on Oct. 1.

The university's lowest-paid employees currently make $10.82 per hour. The increase will make Tulane's minimum wage more than double the federal and state minimum of $7.25, a rate that has not been adjusted since 2009.

A university spokesperson said nearly 500 of the university's 5,600 employees would benefit from the pay boost.

"As an academic leader in the nation and New Orleans largest private employer, its our responsibility to review and improve compensation packages to attract, hire, develop and retain the most talented professionals in the widest array of fields," Tulane University President Michael A. Fitts said in a statement. "Tulanes staff is absolutely essential to every success we have experienced as an institution, especially during these challenging times."

Tulane's announcement comes at time when efforts to increase the minimum wage in New Orleans have been in the news.

After taking office in 2018, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued across-the-board raises of 10% for City Hall workers, and later increased the employee minimum wage to $11.21 per hour.

And earlier this week, New Orleans City Council members and the firefighters union voiced support for a proposal that would set a $15-per-hour minimum wage for New Orleans city employees. Cantrell's proposal would add around $10 million a year to the public payroll.

The proposal came on the heels of the council-imposed a $15 minimum wage for city contractors in July.

Tulane also said it will give "special consideration" when renewing contracts or hiring service providers to companies who pay their employees at least $15 an hour or who "have a documented plan within a reasonable timeframe to achieve that rate," the university's news release said.

Also on Oct. 1, the university will raise the minimum hourly wage for student workers from $7.25 per hour to $10 per hour.

"By raising our minimum wage, Tulane University will help support broad-based income growth within our community and provide a foundation for greater equity and economic well-being for our staff and their families," said Patrick Norton, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Tulane. "I cant imagine a staff more deserving of this increase in compensation."

New Orleans city employees move a step closer to $15 minimum wage A $15-per-hour minimum wage for New Orleans city employees moved closer to reality on Thursday, as City Council members and the firefighters 

Adam Norris, a spokesperson for the University of New Orleans, said that the university's lowest-paid employees are paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, but that "very few workers" make that amount, mostly intermittent workers at the university's Lakefront Arena. A spokesperson from Loyola University did not immediately respond to inquiries about employee wages.

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly described the relationship between Tulane's new minimum wage and the state and federal minimum wage.
KABUL, Afghanistan  Potential Islamic State threats against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to develop new ways to get evacuees to the airport in Kabul, a senior U.S. official said Saturday, adding a new complication to the already chaotic efforts to get people out of the country after its swift fall to the Taliban.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative. Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant, and said there have been no confirmed attacks as yet.

Time is running out ahead of Bidens Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops, and the president on Friday night did not commit to extending it. He faces growing criticism as videos depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport, and as vulnerable Afghans who fear the Talibans retaliation send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

Crowds remain outside the Kabul airports concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Biden says he stands 'squarely behind' Afghanistan decision WASHINGTON (AP)  Striking a defiant tone, President Joe Biden said Monday that he stands squarely behind his decision to withdraw U.S. forc

Tens of thousands of translators and other Afghan wartime helpers, along with their close family members, are seeking evacuation after the Talibans shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan in a little over a weeks time. The fall of Kabul marked the final chapter of Americas longest war, which began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who negotiated the religious movements 2020 peace deal with the U.S., was in Kabul for meetings with the groups leadership, a Taliban official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media. Baradars presence is significant because he has often held talks with former Afghan leaders such as ex-President Hamid Karzai.

Afghan officials familiar with talks held in the capital say the Taliban have said they will not make announcements on their government until the Aug. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal passes.

Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, tweeted that he and Karzai met Saturday with Talibans acting governor for Kabul, who assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of the city.

Evacuations continued, though some outgoing flights were far from full because of the airport chaos, Taliban checkpoints and bureaucratic challenges. A German flight on Friday night carried 172 evacuees, but two subsequent flights carried out just seven and eight people, respectively.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport. But on Saturday, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said the situation was getting worse, not better.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk, Paul Farthing told BBC radio. Youve all seen the scenes  it is not different today to any other time.

Farthing said he has been told by British authorities that a flight back to the U.K. has a seat for him, but not for the 25 staff from his animal welfare charity Nowzad and their families.

After a backlog at a transit facility in Qatar forced flights from the Kabul international airport to stop for several hours on Friday, the Gulf nation of Bahrain on Saturday announced it was allowing flights to use its transit facilities for the evacuation. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, said it would host up to 5,000 Afghans prior to their departure to other countries.

On Friday, a defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes, guarded by a temporary U.S. military deployment thats building to 6,000 troops. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

Officials also confirmed that U.S. military helicopters flew beyond the Kabul airport to scoop up 169 Americans seeking to evacuate. No one knows how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, but estimates have ranged as high as 15,000.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others. About 300 evacuees arrived Friday night from Qatar at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany, one transit point for people being taken to the U.S., the American military said.

We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, one Afghan man said upon arrival in Italy with 79 fellow citizens, speaking in a video distributed by that countrys defense ministry.

But the growing question for many other Afghans is, where will they finally call home? Already, European leaders who fear a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis are signaling that fleeing Afghans who didnt help Western forces during the war should stay in neighboring countries instead. The desperate scenes of people clinging to aircraft taking off from Kabuls airport have only deepened Europes anxiety.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government, will offer full amnesty to those who worked for the U.S. and the Western-backed government and have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001. They also have said  without elaborating  that they will honor womens rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Talibans harsh rule in the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Today, some of my friends went to work at the court and the Taliban didnt let them into their offices. They showed their guns and said, Youre not eligible to work in this government if you worked in the past one, one womens activist in Kabul told The Associated Press on Saturday. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

With a Turkish visa but no way to safely reach the airport, the activist described the gap between the Talibans words and actions very alarming. She said she was holed up in the city with a colleague, eating food delivered by a friend.

The Taliban now operate in a very different Afghanistan, facing far closer scrutiny this time around as citizens are able to share developments on social media. Some fear retaliation, however, and are hurriedly wiping out their online presence.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul, Gannon from Islamabad, and Baldor from Washington. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy; Matt Lee in Washington; and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
The Siegel Group, a Las Vegas-based operator of budget motels and long-stay lodgings, said Friday that it bought a Motel 6 and a Studio 6 in New Orleans East and plans to rebrand them as Siegel Select New Orleans.

The two hotels are located at 12330 I-10 Service Road in New Orleans East and have 248 units between them.

The acquisition brings the number of Siegel Suites locations in Louisiana to five.

Siegel operates other lodgings in Bossier City and Alexandria under its Siegel Select brand and in Baton Rouge as HomeTowne Studios.
The COVID rush has officially subsided for area animal shelters, and the need for pet adoptions has reached a tipping point.

What was once a booming demand for pets during lockdowns and community restrictions has slowly faded as families return to schools, offices and travel destinations.

Animal shelters across the state are at max capacity, said Susie Kaznowitz, of the Northshore Humane Society in Covington, and the summer slump is being felt as shelter space wanes and some animals face the threat of euthanasia.

Although Northshore is a no-kill shelter  making it a haven for homeless cats and dogs  other more traditional facilities sometimes are forced to resort to euthanasia when they reach maximum capacity, when they have no more space for animals and can find nowhere safe for them to go.

All the municipal shelters are banging down our door for help, said Kaznowitz, director of operations for NHS. And its shelters from all over the state, not just our parish. I think everyone is at a slow point right now.

Kaznowitz said NHS has about 200 animals under its care currently, many of which are fostered out. Its physical shelter can hold around 80 dogs and 50 to 60 cats. The no-kill shelter frequently takes in animals from municipal shelters to help reduce the burden in those facilities and keep those animals away from the potential threat of euthanasia. It works with shelters across the state, but has close ties with the St. Tammany, Iberia and St. Mary parish animal shelters in particular.

In St. Mary, the situation is dire as adoptions have fallen off and a huge influx of animals have come in over the summer, said Joy Sanders, volunteer rescue coordinator for the shelter. The St. Mary facility has space for up to 80 dogs, but there is not enough staffing to maintain that, she said. True capacity is about 60 dogs, said Sanders, and the shelter currently has around 55.

Its been awful, she said, noting the shelter has obtained about 15 dogs a week all summer. The average is 20 dogs a month. Fifteen a week is impossible to keep up with. The numbers have been really high this summer, and for cats as well.

When the shelter reaches this point, talks of euthanasia begin, she said.

In St. Tammany Parish, the local shelter in Lacombe has taken in 2,192 animals so far this year, according to posted statistics from animal services. However, 713 of those animals have since been adopted out. Hundreds more have been transferred to other facilities.

The most recent figures from July show that the shelter took in 396 animals that month. Of those, 171 were adopted out, 105 were transferred, 26 were returned to their owners and 50 cats were trapped, neutered and released. The shelter euthanized five animals.

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Director Rob Bremer said the shelter has actually made leaps and bounds this year with adoptions, despite talks of a slump. In 2020, the St. Tammany Animal Services shelter only adopted out 466 pets, so the jump this year was quite noticeable. Bremer said the department has revamped its operations, utilizing social media to advertise available pets, coordinating rescue transports and reopening volunteer programs that allow the dogs to socialize with humans and become more approachable.

Still, because the facility is an open admission shelter, space issues are always of concern. Currently, the shelters biggest need is to adopt or foster out cats, said Bremer. There are currently 158 cats in need of adoption at the facility.

But this is where organizations like the Humane Society can step in, said Kaznowitz.

To address the ongoing need for space across the state, NHS is hosting a two-day adoption event locally on Aug. 27-28. The group has joined NBCs national Clear the Shelter campaign and will waive fees for all adoptable cats and dogs at the event. It will take place at the NHS facility in Covington, and about 100 animals will be ready and waiting for a forever home. Food trucks, animal-related vendors, and activities will also be on site. Kaznowitz said the event comes at the perfect time as shelters continue to struggle with capacity issues.

The more animals NHS can adopt out, the more space it will have to take in other animals crowding municipal shelters.

"As a no-kill shelter that does not euthanize for space, finding loving homes for our current residents is the only way we can save more lives," said Alexandra Coogan, NHS Director of Operations.

Its always a perfect time to adopt a pet, said Kaznowitz, but not having to pay a fee makes the deal even sweeter. New owners will still need to buy a months worth of preventive medicine for the animal and tags. For those who are hesitant to commit to a pet, there are also sleepover programs available where you can take home a pet for a trial run.

Whatever youre ready for, we have. Whatever fits best for your family, well match you with the right dog or cat, said Kaznowitz.

But once you get your pet, make sure to confine it and make sure its microchipped in case it accidentally ends up in a shelter, added Bremer.

Shelters are for homeless animals, not for ones with loving homes already, he said. I also encourage everyone out there to consider fostering an animal even if only for a brief while, it will make a huge difference in that animals life.
As government restrictions aimed at slowing a dangerous fourth surge of coronavirus cases returned in New Orleans, so too did complaints about local businesses not following the rules, according to city 311 call data.

Calls to 311, the city's non-emergency help line, are up significantly since June, when only two people logged complaints about COVID-19 safety violations. At that time, coronavirus transmission, case counts and positivity rates had been low for more than three months, according to the City of New Orleans Health Department, with fewer than 50 new cases per day and a positivity rate of less than 1%.

The mask mandate had been lifted, and restaurants, bars and retail businesses operated at 100% capacity.

Louisiana COVID numbers: 51 more deaths reported as ventilator use soars The Louisiana Department of Health reported 3,013 hospitalizations and 51 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Thursday.

But as COVID cases multiplied due to the highly transmissible delta variant, restrictions returned. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a mask mandate July 30, and Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide mask requirement Aug. 2.

Then last week, Cantrell issued a new edict requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter bars, restaurants and other indoor venues.

Businesses that don't comply are subject to shutdown. And concerned residents have started calling 311 to report those that are breaking the rules.

The city doesn't distinguish between types of 311 complaints  everything from large gatherings to mask noncompliance is grouped under a "COVID-19 Business Non-Compliance" category  but there have been 82 complaints since Monday, when the new vaccine requirement took effect.

July saw 26 complaints, in all. August complaints so far total 162, which is still far below a pandemic peak of 1,227 calls in July 2020.

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The increased call volumes in July 2020 and August 2021 coincide with surging cases and tightened restrictions. In July 2020, Mayor LaToya Cantrell introduced modified phase 2 restrictions to combat the second wave of the coronavirus in New Orleans. At the time, New Orleans had the nations fourth-highest rate of new cases per capita, and cases were rising in every parish statewide.

Since March 20, 2020, when 311 logged its first call for business non-compliance with COVID-19 protocols, 6,012 people have called to report large gatherings, masklessness and other failures by local businesses to comply with the citys safety protocols.

One in 10 COVID-19 noncompliance complaints  607 of 6,012 total  was tied to French Quarter businesses. The rest of the bulk of violations were reported in the CBD (492 calls), Mid-City (475 calls), Central City (274 calls) and Gert Town (212 calls). Big-box retailers and restaurants garnered the most reports.

After a July 2020 peak, reports had been on a mostly steady downswing until creeping upwards this month.

New Orleans is experiencing its fourth and most severe COVID-19 surge. At 112 new cases per day per 100,000 residents, Louisiana is among the worst outbreak sites in the world.

Residents can report COVID-19 safety violations by calling 311 or online at nola311.org.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams office said this week that it settled a defense attorneys defamation lawsuit against one of its former prosecutors for $15,000.

The office agreed to cut a check to attorney and political consultant Ike Spears over a 2018 courtroom showdown he had with prosecutor Iain Dover. Their confrontation involved Dover calling Spears a liar and Spears responding with a physical gesture. The office also issued a statement that said that Dovers unprofessional behavior wouldnt be tolerated under the Williams administration.

Dover was hired by previous District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro and left before Williams took office in January.

Spears and Dover faced off in a minor domestic violence case in 2018. Spears said his clients accuser had previously been convicted of filing a false police report, prompting Dover to shoot back that he was a "liar."

Louisiana Supreme Court reprimands politico and defense attorney Ike Spears The Louisiana Supreme Court on Monday formally reprimanded New Orleans political consultant and criminal defense attorney Ike Spears for a cou

"I will punch the (expletive) out of you if you call me a liar again," Spears said. He also made a gesture, which a court reporter described as a raised fist. Spears later said it was merely a flex.

Neither man behaved appropriately in the exchange, according to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which reprimanded them both.

But Spears continued the feud in August 2019 by filing a defamation suit against Dover in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. He said Dover threatened his professional reputation by using the "L-word" against him in open court.

The defamation lawsuit produced a flurry of action in recent weeks: Dover substituted his own lawyers for the private ones previously retained by the District Attorneys Office, and Spears won a pre-trial victory in June. Judge Sidney Cates IV found that Dover did not qualify for the absolute legal shield usually given to prosecutors.

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The instant case does not involve an allegation of malicious prosecution by a criminal defendant against the Assistant District Attorney, but rather defamation claims arising from personal conduct and actions towards another attorney in a courtroom, Cates said.

Dovers attorney, Mark Montiel, said he was preparing to appeal that ruling when he got word that the District Attorneys Office had stepped in to settle the case.

The settlement came about because the office agreed to apologize for Dover, Spears attorney Kea Sherman said. The money was lagniappe on top of his former employers acknowledgement that he acted irresponsibly," she said.

We decided to pay it because Dover was in court as an ADA at the time, a Williams spokesman said. We believed that our financial exposure was mitigated by settling the case  and recognizing the harm to Mr. Spears was proper.

Still, Dover didnt have to admit to breaking any laws as part of the settlement.

I think its odd, frankly, that the DAs Office and Ike are selling this as a victory, Montiel said. Theres one person that hasnt paid a dime, has admitted no guilt and was willing to proceed forward.

Separately, Dover was one of the prosecutors originally named as a defendant in a wide-ranging 2017 civil rights lawsuit over the offices use of fake subpoenas and material witness warrants during the Cannizzaro era.

+2 Mandeville sex crime victim's objection to plea deal was never revealed, judge says A Mandeville woman who was coerced into performing oral sex on her boss as an underage high school student was shocked last month when 22nd Ju

Williams last month settled the remaining claims in that case to the tune of $120,000, his office said Thursday. The full details of the settlement, including nonfinancial terms, have yet to be released.

The parties are still working out all final details and there will be a statement with the full terms of the agreement that will be made available to the public at that time, a DA spokesman said.
A Lower 9th Ward man who legitimately withdrew $300 from a New Orleans bank then returned with a gun to steal $52,000 has been sentenced to more than 8 years in prison.

Bank robberies typically involve a crook discreetly passing a holdup note to a teller and slipping out with much less money, sometimes without displaying a dangerous weapon. The June 25, 2020, heist at the Chase Bank branch at 1425 N. Broad St. was unusual not only for the amount stolen but also because the robber pointed a revolver at an employee.

The FBI made quick work of the case, however, arresting Jimmie Powell within 24 hours.

Bank employees were immediately suspicious that afternoon when a man entered, "walked around the lobby several times, touched his waistband repeatedly, was sweating and had bloodshot eyes," according to a statement signed by Powell and the prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Bucher. A teller asked if he was OK. He said yes, stared at the teller for about a minute, approached another teller and withdrew $300 - providing identification with his full name and address in the Holy Cross neighborhood.

As he left, Powell saw another employee refilling the ATM machine inside the bank and told her, "Give me some of that," according to a sworn affidavit from FBI agent Arthur Morgan Sr. No, the employee said, pushing away his hand. He left.

Soon he returned with a gun, pointed it at the employee and her ordered her to "lay it down." The employee stepped back. Powell took four trays of cash totaling more than $52,000 and pedaled away on a bicycle.

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With witness statements and video recordings in hand, FBI agents visited Powell's home and those of other relatives. Three relatives identified Powell from the surveillance images.

The next morning, Powell turned up at the FBI office in New Orleans, wearing the same shoes and pants from the robbery. He confessed, explaining "he was going through stressful situations."

He pleaded guilty May 13. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon sentenced him to 8 years, 3 months in prison. Fallon, whom President Bill Clinton nominated to the bench, also ordered Powell to pay $52,000 restitution.

What happened to the stolen money? Powell told investigators he hid it as his sister's house without her knowledge.

FBI agents returned to her house and received permission "to search for the ATM trays in the children's room closet," according to the statement signed by the prosecutor. "However, the trays of U.S. currency were not there."
A new experimental program in New Orleans aims to improve emergency response for people having a mental health crisis and to free up police officers to address crime.

The alternative dispatch pilot program gives 911 dispatchers the option to bring a mental health counselor into the loop on emergency calls to help the caller.

Help, not handcuffs: New Orleans looks for a better way to respond to mental-health crises on its streets The City of New Orleans is looking into how it can keep interactions between police and people with mental-health issues from ending in death,

The concept is simple, Health Director Jennifer Avegno said. When your house is on fire, you call 911 and get the Fire Department. When there is a violent incident, you get our fine New Orleans Police Department. If youre having a heart attack, you want [Emergency Medical Services].

"What we dont have, and where the emergency system falls apart, is when its an emergency outside those specific types.

Now when someone calls 911, the Metropolitan Human Services District can be brought onto the call to help determine the response.

+12 New Orleans cops try help instead of handcuffs for downtown's 'frequent flyers' New Orleans police Officer Shontrell Johnson surveyed the boisterous party along Bourbon Street shortly before midnight on a crisp fall night.

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The program is still in its pilot stage but could expand throughout Louisiana. In a recent week, dispatchers received 38 calls that were redirected to a trained mental health counselor.

Deploying our other agencies simply does not meet the needs of that person or their family, Avegno said, and in some cases can actually make things worse.

New Orleans officials hope the program will better serve the community and let the police focus on stopping violent crime. However, police officers will still be trained in crisis intervention.

+2 New specialty court aims to help the mentally ill get treatment The 22nd Judicial District Court recently launched a specialty court called Assistive Outpatient Treatment Court, which aims to help people st

We remain committed to this training, Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said. We are excited. We will continue to work with our public safety partners.
Rumours about new Pixel smartphones have centred on the Pixel 5a 5G and the Pixel 6 series in recent months, with the Pixel 5a 5G launching earlier this week. However, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Google has a foldable Pixel smartphone in development too.

Unfortunately, 91Mobiles and @heyitsyogesh are now reporting that Google has delayed its foldable Pixel project, albeit without giving any reasons. References to a foldable Pixel appeared in Android 12 Beta 1, with the device referred to by its codename 'Passport' and its model number 'GPQ72'.

Additionally, Android 12 Beta 4 revealed that the device has an Exynos Modem 5123, the same modem found in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Samsung first used the Exynos Modem 5123 in the Exynos 990, so expect 5G connectivity and Wi-Fi 6 support. If Passport has the same modem as the Pixel 6 series, it should follow that they also share an SoC.

Google has already confirmed that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will be the first devices with Tensor, a in-house chipset that the company created in collaboration with Samsung. As we have discussed previously, Tensor and the Exynos 2100 may well have comparable CPU performance, which is no bad thing.

Google has distinguished Tensor from the Exynos 2100 in other areas though, such as with AI and machine learning (ML) via mobile Tensor Processing Units (TPU). So far, Google has teased that Tensor will improve camera performance by combinin data from multiple sensor simultaneously.

While Samsung Display is thought to have supplied Google with 7.6-inch panels for the Pixel Fold, 91Mobiles and @heyitsyogesh state that there is no launch timeline for the device, currently. Google may reveal a snippet of the Pixel Fold at its Pixel 6 series launch event though, which is slated for this autumn.

Purchase the Google Pixel 5 on Amazon
Wave-Powered SeaRAY Preps for Hawaii Trial

SeaRAYs Clean Energy and Real-Time Data Could Soon Power Offshore Industries

Aug. 20, 2021

The ocean is a deserta power desert.

Offshore industries, like marine research, fish farming, and mineral mining, often rely on big ships with large crews. Without clean energy to power these vessels, each trip out to sea and back to shore is not only expensive but also carbon intensive. You cannot charge that ship by plugging it into the ocean.

Or maybe you can.

NREL researchers Rebecca Fao, Mark Murphy, Casey Nichols, Andrew Simms, and Ismael Mendoza, along with C-Power CEO Reenst Lesemann, are pictured in front of the SeaRAY autonomous offshore power system at NRELs Flatirons Campus. Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL

An autonomous, wave-powered, renewable energy devicecalled the SeaRAY autonomous offshore power system (AOPS)could power offshore work and help protect our oceans and climate, too. The SeaRAY AOPS not only makes and stores clean, carbon-free energy, but it also shares data with the offshore vehicles it powers. Designed by C-Power, the SeaRAY AOPS could provide clean energy for offshore activities, including aquaculture (like offshore fish farms), mining, oceanographic research, military missions, methane leak monitoring at underwater oil and gas wells, or even desalination for remote communities and natural disaster recovery.

Anything you can think of, said Andrew Simms, a research technician at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), SeaRAY can power offshore.

The global ocean economy is expected to double from $1.5 trillion to $3 trillion by 2030. Powering this economy with renewable energy is critical to protect these vast and vulnerable waters, which house about a million species, 17% of the worlds food supply, and 70% of its oxygen.

To prove the SeaRAY AOPS can help power this so-called blue economy, C-Power partnered with NREL and the U.S. Department of Energy Water Power Technologies Office to prep the device for its first open ocean trial.

NREL has a critical role in this project," said Reenst Lesemann, C-Powers chief executive officer. "Theyre not only helping provide the brains of the AOPS but also helping with testing and debugging the system before we get into the water.

Andrew Simms helped build this field data acquisition system (known as MODAQ), which uses clean energy from ocean waves to collect and store data in the cloud. Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL

To make sure the SeaRAY AOPS is ready for a six-month oceanic trial at the U.S. Navy Wave Energy Test Site in Hawaii, NREL researchers are simulating rolling ocean movements at the laboratorys Flatirons Campus in Colorado. With NRELs novel field data collection and control system, called Modular Ocean Data Acquisition (MODAQ), the team will check that SeaRAY AOPS can operate as intended while rocking with ocean waves.

Were treating this like a satellite, Simms said. Before we deploy, everything must be right to achieve successful power generation in Hawaii and elsewhere. We need to walk before we run.

The SeaRAY AOPS can be smaller or larger to meet specific needs, generating between 100 watts and 20 kilowattsenough energy to power anything from a seafloor data-gathering system to a medium-sized subsea vehicle or surface vessel. On the oceans surface, a wave energy converter captures and transforms wave motion into electricity, which is then stored on the SeaRAY and in a seafloor battery. At the same time, the SeaRAY collects, stores, and delivers data both from and to the device it powers and between the SeaRAY and its handlers on land.

You can think about an AOPS as a charging station, a data server, and a cell tower out in the ocean, Lesemann said.

In Hawaii, project partners, including Saaba world leader in electric underwater roboticsthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and BioSonics , will pair the SeaRAY AOPS with their electronics, which collect data on methane and carbon levels, fish activity, and more. Normally, autonomous underwater vehicles like Saabs need power from a topside ship that emits about 7,000 cars worth of carbon dioxide per year; the SeaRAY can prevent those emissions.

Casey Nichols, an NREL water power engineer, validates the devices hardiness using the Modular Ocean Data Acquisition System. Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL

With Saab, Lesemann said, were looking to show that you can avoid that carbon dioxide production and, at the same time, reduce costs and operational complexity while enabling autonomous operations that are not possible today.

To send all that data back to those partners in real time, the SeaRAY AOPS needed a brain: MODAQ. Originally designed to standardize and increase the quality and breadth of field data collection, the first MODAQ could do basic data acquisition and condition monitoring (meaning that it kept track of how a wave energy device performed). SeaRAYs fortified MODAQ is yet another acronym: a supervisory control and data acquisition, or SCADA, system. Now, the tool not only collects field data, but it also sends information to the cloud and connects to the web so customers can watch a live SeaRAY performance, receive data on how a device is functioning, or even control those functions from a desk halfway around the world.

Our ultimate goal, Simms said, is to provide a fast, reliable, and robust data acquisition and control system that can upload, process, and display data to a client in near-real time.

That is no easy feat. SeaRAY has about 70 sensors that collect massive amounts of data. To handle all that information, the team expanded their system, making it the largest, most complex MODAQ yet. Normally, that kind of development takes four years. The NREL team did it in one.

But before MODAQ goes underwater with SeaRAY, the team must protect it from a corrosive and violent ocean.

Out at sea, salt can decay exposed machinery, crashing waves can damage cables, and the conductive saltwater can cause something called galvanic corrosion; when two different metals are submerged in a conductive solution, one can deteriorate at a different rate than the other. Everything needs to be splash-proof and saltwater-rated, said Mark Murphy, an NREL research technician. And, to thwart galvanic corrosion, he continued, we had to make sure we werent mixing and matching metals in the water.

Open-ocean testing presents another challenge: constant, sometimes violent motion. To make sure the SeaRAY AOPS runs well even in turbulence, the NREL team attached it to a dynamometer, a machine typically used to test wind turbine generators. To put SeaRAY through the motions of the ocean, the NREL engineers designed an entirely new test riga hydraulic dynamometerthat better simulates rocking waves and currents. A hydraulic dynamometer, which uses fluids to power a motor and rock the SeaRAY, can switch direction much faster than an electric motor, which spins at great speeds but is not as nimble.

With a hydraulic motor, theres not nearly as much inertia, and you can change direction, said Scott Lambert, a mechanical engineer at NREL who designed the new hydraulic dynamometer from scratch. Thats important when you want to change direction constantly to simulate waves.

The Modular Ocean Data Acquisition systems fortified data collection system will process, clean, and display data from about 70 different sensors aboard the SeaRAY. Here, water power research technicians Mark Murphy and Andrew Simms prepare the device for more rigorous checks. Photo by Vern Slocum, NREL

SeaRAYs wave energy converter uses two floats, one on each side, that roll with ocean waves and connect to a power-take-off systema mechanical machine that transforms that motion into energy. That system then runs a generator. And that generator connects to batteries on the seafloor, a storage system that NREL Research Engineer Ismael Mendoza will also test out before the sea trial. The first time the storage system and SeaRAY meet is in the ocean, Mendoza said.

This fall, the SeaRAY team will pack their device into a standard shipping container and send it to Hawaii. There, a small boat will tow the technology to its ocean test site. This easy transport is purposeful; C-Power made sure its wave-powered device could be transported anywhere in the world with few logistical barriers and with minimal cost, crew, and carbon emissions.

Once the open ocean field test is complete, the MODAQ system will provide the C-Power team with data to further improve the SeaRAY device and make it even smaller, lighter, more efficient, and more adaptable for a wider range of applications.

I think we did a good job, Simms said. Were about to find out.

For more information on NRELs MODAQ system, visit the Open-Water Testing Support web page. For more information on NRELs dynamometer capabilities, visit the Dynamometers Facilities page.
The scene, captured by bank security cameras, lasts less than a minute, but it is a chilling instance of a mundane weekend errand suddenly becoming a bloody, life-or-death struggle.

A man at an A.T.M. in Lower Manhattan does not notice when another man with a hatchet in his right hand enters the bank lobby behind him, the footage shows. Seconds later, the second man swings the blade violently at the back of the A.T.M. users leg.

The man being attacked tries to protect himself with his backpack, then grabs at his attacker in a desperate bid to disarm him. The man with the hatchet lands several blows, eventually drawing blood. Then, with his victim out of the frame, he smashes several A.T.M. screens, drops the hatchet and walks away.

On Wednesday, the police arrested Aaron Garcia of Yonkers, N.Y., as the suspect in the attack, charging him with attempted murder and assault. After being taken into custody late Tuesday, Mr. Garcia, 37, was taken to Bellevue Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation, the police said. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer.
In the title poem, Honey, I Love, Ms. Greenfield described a girl who loves simple things like her own laughter, a car ride to a church picnic, the warmth of her mothers arm while her mother is sewing, and time with extended family.

My cousin comes to visit and you know hes from the South

Cause every word he says just kind of slides out of his mouth

I like the way he whistles and I like the way he walks

But honey, let me tell you that I LOVE the way he talks

I love the way my cousin talks

Phoebe Yeh, vice president and co-publisher of Crown Books, who edited six of Ms. Greenfields books at HarperCollins, said, Eloise loved being around children and writing for children, and was so sensitive to how they feel about their new siblings or sometimes about having a bad day.

Eloise Glynn Little was born in Parmele, about 90 miles east of Raleigh, on May 17, 1929, to Weston and Lessie (Jones) Little, who both worked for the federal government. She and her mother would collaborate 50 years later on a book, Childtimes: A Three-Generation Memoir.

Eloise was such a frequent reader of books from her local library that she got a part-time job there after graduating from high school. Early on, she wanted to teach, so she enrolled in Miner Teachers College (ultimately to be absorbed by the University of the District of Columbia), but left during her junior year because of her shyness and discomfort at being the center of students attention.

For the next 20 years or so she held various jobs, including one as a clerk-typist at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In the 1960s, she wrote poems and short stories, but she met with a lot of rejection. One poem, To a Violin, was published in 1962 in The Hartford Times in Connecticut (it closed in 1976), and some of her stories were accepted by Negro Digest (later Black World).
A California law that ensures many gig workers are considered independent contractors, while affording them some limited benefits, is unconstitutional and unenforceable, a California Superior Court judge ruled Friday evening.

The decision is not likely to immediately affect the new law and is certain to face appeals from Uber and other so-called gig economy companies. It reopened the debate about whether drivers for ride-hailing services and delivery couriers are employees who deserve full benefits, or independent contractors who are responsible for their own businesses and benefits.

Last years Proposition 22, a ballot initiative backed by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and other gig economy platforms, carved out a third classification for workers, granting gig workers limited benefits while preventing them from being considered employees of the tech giants. The initiative was approved in November with more than 58 percent of the vote.

But drivers and the Service Employees International Union filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law. The group argued that Prop. 22 was unconstitutional because it limited the State Legislatures ability to allow workers to organize and have access to workers compensation.
A former Huntsville, Ala., police officer who fatally shot a suicidal man was sentenced on Friday to 25 years in prison, capping a trial in which he was strongly supported by city officials who spent $125,000 in public money on his legal defense.

The former officer, William Darby, 28, resigned from the force only last month, two months after he had been convicted of murdering Jeffrey Parker. Mr. Parker had called 911 on April 3, 2018, to report that he was suicidal, and he was holding a gun to his head when the police arrived, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the evidence showed that the first officer on the scene, Genisha Pegues, had been trying to help Mr. Parker, 49, when Mr. Darby showed up. Mr. Darby, who had been on the force for about 18 months, shot Mr. Parker 11 seconds after entering his house, according to Martin Weinberg, a lawyer who represents Mr. Parkers family.

City leaders had maintained that Mr. Darby was justified in using deadly force, and he was cleared of wrongdoing by a police review board before he was indicted on a murder charge in August 2018 and then convicted on May 7.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and utility officials asked residents to conserve water Friday to preserve the citys supply of liquid oxygen, which is being used to treat a surging number of Covid-19 patients.

During a Friday afternoon news conference, Linda Ferrone of the Orlando Utilities Commission asked residents to refrain from using excess water and to be prepared to do so for at least several weeks.

A Delta variant-driven surge has made Florida one of the nations worst-hit states, with new cases recently topping their winter peak. Hospitalizations in Orange County, where Orlando is, are up 58 percent over the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database. Deaths in the Orlando area have overwhelmed crematoriums, which are running out of room to store bodies, local media reported.
In Germany, the chairman of Parliaments Foreign Relations Committee called the withdrawal a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration and said it did fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West. Armin Laschet, the head of Chancellor Angela Merkels conservative party and a candidate in the election to succeed her, called it the biggest debacle that NATO had ever seen. Ms. Merkel also criticized it privately, according to German news media reports.

In Britain, the pullout has raised doubts among some officials about the reliability of the United States as an ally. Tom Tugendhat, a Conservative member of Parliament and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, characterized it the biggest foreign policy disaster since the 1956 Suez crisis, saying that we need to think again about how we handle friends, who matters and how we defend our interests.

Latvias defense minister, Artis Pabriks, said that the withdrawal caused chaos and showed that the West was weaker globally.

What Mr. Biden said

What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with Al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as, as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did.

False. Al Qaedas presence in Afghanistan has certainly been reduced since the United States invaded, but Mr. Biden is wrong to say that the terrorist group is no longer in the country.
Beyond repeating that the buck stops with me, however, Mr. Biden conceded no mistakes of his own and again deflected the harsh reviews by focusing on his desire to end the war rather than directly addressing what many consider the botched execution of that decision.

There will be plenty of time to criticize and second-guess when this operation is over, Mr. Biden said. But now, now, Im focused on getting this job done.

As he has all week, Mr. Biden made assertions seemingly at odds with reality. His description of a smoother evacuation contrasted with the continuing confusion at the Kabul airport, where flights were halted for hours on Friday until they resumed late in the day. His claim that there was no question of our credibility with NATO allies belied the deep frustration in European capitals. And while Mr. Biden hailed the degree of precision of the operation, he could not say how many Americans were still in danger.

Those comments came after other suspect statements earlier in the week. A month after he said it was highly unlikely the Taliban would take over Afghanistan and there was no circumstance that would lead to a chaotic, Saigon-like exit, Mr. Biden told George Stephanopoulos of ABC News this week that chaos was in fact always inevitable. While multiple reports indicated that military leaders argued to keep a small force in Afghanistan rather than pull out entirely, Mr. Biden insisted that no one said that to me that I can recall.

At points, the president has evinced little sense of the human toll as the Taliban swept back to power. Asked about pictures of fleeing Afghans packed into planes and some even falling to their death after trying to sneak aboard, Mr. Biden interrupted. That was four days ago, five days ago, he said, when in fact it was two days earlier and hardly made less horrific by the passage of a couple of sunsets.

While largely disavowing any errors, Mr. Biden instead has pointed the finger at his predecessor Donald J. Trump, the now-deposed Afghan government, the vanishing Afghan security forces and even Afghan civilians who he said resisted being evacuated earlier. He has avoided blaming the Taliban, presumably to avoid antagonizing them while executing the evacuation.
WASHINGTON  President Biden on Friday nominated R. Nicholas Burns, a veteran Foreign Service officer and a former ambassador to NATO, as ambassador to China and Rahm Emanuel, the former mayor of Chicago and former President Barack Obamas first chief of staff, as ambassador to Japan.

Mr. Biden settled on both nominees months ago, people involved in the process said. But the official announcement was delayed in part because the United States needs the host countries to sign off on such selections before proceeding.

The nominations were announced on Friday afternoon, hours after Mr. Biden delivered remarks on the chaos in Afghanistan, the biggest foreign policy crisis of his presidency to date.

Mr. Burns is poised to fill a diplomatic vacuum as an increasingly ideological conflict between China and the United States has led to worsening relations. In March, an extraordinarily tense meeting in Anchorage between top Chinese and American diplomats devolved into public renunciations.
The order stating that the Biden administration must reinstate the Trump policy that forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were considered in the United States came from Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

He and Judge Tipton were both appointed by President Donald J. Trump. Of the three judges on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals who rejected the administrations request to stop the Remain in Mexico ruling on Thursday, two were Trump appointees; the third was appointed by President George W. Bush.

In their appeal to the Supreme Court, government lawyers said reinstating the asylum policy on Saturday would be near-impossible and would cause irreparable harm. Critics said it would place asylum seekers in dangerous congregate settings at a time when the highly contagious Delta variant was fueling a surge in coronavirus cases.

It was not immediately clear what exactly would have been set into motion on Saturday as a result of the order, or whether Mexico would permit the reinstatement of the program.

The program was litigated during the Trump administration as well.

You will likely see, with future Biden administration policies, that those opposed will use the courts to stunt further progress, which just amplifies the importance of congressional action, Mr. Wong said.

The latest example is the effort to stop the administration from prioritizing which undocumented immigrants to arrest.

In February, the Biden administration issued its temporary arrest priorities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a stark change from the Trump administrations policy of arresting undocumented immigrants for any immigration violation. The Biden team ordered ICE officers to prioritize arresting undocumented people who pose national security and public safety risks, as well as those who recently crossed the border illegally. The Obama administration set similar enforcement priorities.
Gary B. Nash, a historian who became a reluctant national celebrity in the mid-1990s when his work on a set of national history standards made him a target for Rush Limbaugh, Lynne Cheney and other prominent conservatives, died on July 29 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

His wife, Cynthia Shelton, said the cause was colon cancer.

Dr. Nash had already retired from his position as a highly regarded scholar of early American history at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1994 when his university-backed organization, the National Center for History in the Schools, released a draft of its National Standards for United States History, a guide for elementary and high school teachers.

Drawing on the latest academic scholarship, he and his team urged teachers to move beyond the rote memorization of dates and famous names. The standards de-emphasized the conventional great man approach to history, Dr. Nash told The Chicago Tribune in 1994, in favor of giving students a slightly different view of themselves as history makers, even if they are not going to become senators or presidents of a corporation.

Though the project originated in the administration of George H.W. Bush, it immediately drew fire from conservatives. On his television show, Mr. Limbaugh said that the 271-page report should be flushed down the toilet, underlining his point by tearing pages out of a history book. Other commentators called Dr. Nash and his team Nazis and history thieves.
Cyndy OBrien, an emergency room nurse at Ocean Springs Hospital on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, could not believe her eyes as she arrived for work. There were people sprawled out in their cars gasping for air as three ambulances with gravely ill patients idled in the parking lot. Just inside the front doors, a crush of anxious people jostled to get the attention of an overwhelmed triage nurse.

Its like a war zone, said Ms. OBrien, who is the patient care coordinator at Singing River, a small health system near the Alabama border that includes Ocean Springs. We are just barraged with patients and have nowhere to put them.

The bottleneck, however, has little to do with a lack of space. Nearly 30 percent of Singing Rivers 500 beds are empty. With 169 unfilled nursing positions, administrators must keep the beds empty.

Nursing shortages have long vexed hospitals. But in the year and a half since its ferocious debut in the United States, the coronavirus pandemic has stretched the nations nurses as never before, testing their skills and stamina as desperately ill patients with a poorly understood malady flooded emergency rooms. They remained steadfast amid a calamitous shortage of personal protective equipment; spurred by a sense of duty, they flocked from across the country to the newest hot zones, sometimes working as volunteers. More than 1,200 of them have died from the virus.
The plot of the first film is as follows: Years ago, the parents of Elm Street came together to kill Krueger, a local child murderer who had been released from prison on a technicality. Seeking revenge, those parents burned him alive. Years later, the ghost of Krueger returns to terrorize the teenage children of those parents, attacking them in their dreams. When they die in the dream, they die in real life. One teenager, Nancy Thompson (played by Heather Langenkamp), realizes what is happening and works with her friends to stop Krueger, eventually succeeding but not before he kills almost everyone she knows.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a tense thriller with gruesome violence. Krueger, played by Robert Englund, is genuinely terrifying, a demonic figure who strikes without remorse. The deaths are as disturbing as they are scary, and theres an underlying theme of teen impotence  of seeing the danger in the world, but lacking the power to do anything about it, especially in the face of adults who do not trust or believe you. You can also, in the second film, find a good deal of queer subtext as well as an allegory (of sorts) for the experience of the closet.

Few of these themes carry through to the rest of the series. Instead, Krueger becomes the main attraction, a horror Looney Tune with his own catchphrases. In the third film, he emerges through a television to attack one character, punctuating the kill with Welcome to prime time! (followed by an expletive). In the fifth film, he turns one characters dream into a comic book and kills him by tearing him  now a two-dimensional drawing  to pieces. And in the sixth film, he plays one victim as a video game, controlling him with something that looks like a Nintendo Power Glove controller and killing him once he gets a high score. Its all very silly.

But if there was anything that stood out to me after watching all seven movies, it is how within the universe of the films, the adult characters went from concern and terror over the brutal and mysterious deaths of their children to virtual indifference. When a young woman is killed at the start of the first film, it becomes a town crisis, reason to mobilize every available resource to find the killer. By the sixth film  Freddys Dead: The Final Nightmare  adult authorities literally forget the names of kids killed by Krueger. In the second movie of the series, Krueger comes into the real world, attacking a pool party and laying waste to a whole group of teens. No one seems to notice. In the fourth movie, he kills four or five teenagers before we get an on-screen funeral, much less any acknowledgment from adult characters that a single school has lost this many pupils to who knows what.

It feels cynical to say, but if there is anything about these movies that isnt dated  if theres anything thats relevant  it is this indifference. The adults of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise just dont seem to care that much that kids are dying; and in the same way, we live in a society that cant seem to muster the energy to protect kids from needless death and suffering, whether from gun violence or a deadly pandemic.
I recall the comment attributed to a captured Taliban fighter from a number of years ago: You Americans have the watches, but we have the time. Sadly that view proved accurate  the Taliban outlasted us and our impatience. After the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan at the hands of U.S.-trained and armed mujahedeen in 1989, training that was facilitated by Pakistan, we decided we were done. We could see the Afghan civil war coming  the only thing holding the disparate Afghan groups together was a common enemy. But that was not our problem  we were leaving. On the way out, we stopped helping Pakistan in a key way: We ended security and economic assistance because of its nuclear weapons program, something wed exempted before. So Pakistan, in its own narrative, went from being the most allied of allies to the most sanctioned of adversaries. That is why Pakistan threw its support to the Taliban when they started gaining ground in the 1990s: It could end a dangerous conflict along Pakistans own unstable borders.

And that is why a decade later after 9/11, Pakistan welcomed the return of the United States  and U.S. assistance. It would work with us against Al Qaeda. But we soon learned that the Taliban were a sticky matter. I was ambassador to Pakistan from 2004 to 2007. I pushed Pakistani officials repeatedly on the need to deny the Taliban safe havens. The answer I got back over time went like this: We know you. We know you dont have patience for the long fight. We know the day will come when you just get tired and go home  its what you do. But we arent going anywhere  this is where we live. So if you think we are going to turn the Taliban into a mortal enemy, you are completely crazy.

We have again validated their skepticism.

The Washington Post notes that as the Taliban swept across neighboring Afghanistan, some Pakistanis saw it as a reason to celebrate. Yet I doubt there are many high fives being exchanged in Islamabad today. The American disaster in Afghanistan that Mr. Bidens impatience brought about is not a disaster just for us. It has also been a huge boost for the Taliban, whose narrative now is that the believers, clad in the armor of the one true faith, have vanquished the infidels. That is resonating around the world, and certainly next door in Pakistan where the T.T.P.  the Pakistani Taliban, which seeks the overthrow of their government  has certainly been emboldened, as have Kashmiri militant groups created by Pakistan but that threaten Pakistan itself as well as India. Mr. Bidens strategic impatience has given a huge boost to militant Islam everywhere.

We need to be engaged with Pakistan on ways to assess and deal with this enhanced threat. The prospect of violent destabilization of a country with about 210 million people and nuclear weapons is not a pretty one. The same is true in Iran. Its always good to see the Great Satan take a kick in the face, and its worth a little gloating, but the Islamic Republic and the Talibans Islamic Emirate almost went to war in 1998. A region is worried, and it is right to be so.

It was not only the current president showing impatience. President Donald Trump announced that peace talks would convene in Qatar between the United States and the Taliban. But those took place without the Afghan government. We had caved on a longstanding Taliban condition. We therefore delegitimized the government we had pledged to support. The Taliban did eventually allow government representatives into the room, but the talks went nowhere. As that painful process unfolded, we added injury to insult, forcing the Kabul government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners.

That didnt matter to Mr. Trump. He was done with patience and just wanted out, whatever the consequences. He reached an agreement with the Taliban for that complete withdrawal, but left office before he could execute it.

Enter Mr. Biden. To my shock, he embraced Mr. Trumps Afghanistan policy. We have betrayed our promises to interpreters, women and children, and others who are now trapped in an Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban. I fear many will lose their lives because of Mr. Bidens impatience. We had their backs. Until Mr. Biden decided we didnt. They will pay for it.
This summer, the city is flooded with returning residents whose companies are beginning to call them back to the office. Theyre competing for apartments with newcomers arriving for school and work. And, as pandemic leases begin to expire, tenants such as yourself are also re-entering the market as landlords hike rents back up to prepandemic levels.

In July 2021, the market rate for a two-bedroom in the East Village was $3,690 a month, according to StreetEasy. So chances are, your landlord will hold firm on that new price. The landlord can raise the rent on a market-rate apartment to that amount, but if it goes up by more than 5 percent, you must be given notice: 30 days for tenants who have lived in an apartment for less than a year with a lease shorter than 12 months; 60 days for tenants who have lived in their apartment for one to two years; and 90 days for tenants who have lived there for more than two years. If you were not provided with sufficient notice, inform the landlord to buy yourself more time.

Ultimately, youre either going to have to pay more for this apartment or look for a cheaper one. You have a few options. If you want to stay in the neighborhood, consider looking at three- or four-bedroom apartments and taking on more roommates to lower your costs. If you want to keep your rent about what youre paying now, consider neighborhoods like Astoria, Bushwick or Inwood, where you could get a two-bedroom apartment for the same or even less than what youre paying now.

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.
A doctor drawing up doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a pop-up vaccine clinic in New Mexico.

Credit... Paul Ratje for The New York Times
Ah, yes, those nerves. After more than a year of pandemic restrictions, a lot of people, including me, were more than ready for a heavy dose of outrageous beauty. I have seen the two-hour film four times since it arrived in mid-May.

Its vicarious, Mr. Goldstein said, trying to explain why a 50-year-old French film starring actors who were largely unknown in America has been such a hit. Its a vacation in the south of France that a lot of people cant take. Theres also the incredible magnetism and chemistry of the two stars, who were real-life lovers.

The film is classified as a psychological thriller, but to first-time viewers, very little happens until the very end. Can you believe theres another hour of this? I overheard one older woman marvel to her friend near the halfway mark.

A Bigger Splash, the marvelous 2015 remake starring Ralph Fiennes and Tilda Swinton, which Americans may be more familiar with, maintains the broad strokes of the plot, but, as the title suggests, it is much splashier. In that version, the drowning is an accidental crime of passion, far from the cold, calculating murder of La Piscine; the dialogue is faster, the cuts sharper, the music louder.

Watching it now, having done a deep dive (ahem) into the original, made me acutely aware it was the very absence of action, the unapologetic decadence, that kept pulling me back to the theater. This is not a film interested in passing judgment on la belle vie.

Even as I became more sensitive to the subtleties of the films dialogue (the first swim really takes it out of you, says Marianne, when Penelope returns from the beach having lost her virginity to Jean-Paul), I remained more interested in simply watching beautiful people do very little. Tomorrow I will take a long siesta, Marianne declares, lying on a couch in her bathing suit after a day by the pool. Yes, please.
Barbara Kannapell, a world-renowned deaf activist who made it her lifes work to empower deaf and hard-of-hearing people with a sense of identity and an appreciation for their own distinct culture, and who advanced the idea that American Sign Language was a legitimate, foundational language, died on Aug. 11 in Washington. She was 83.

The cause was complications of hip surgery, her wife, Mary Eileen Paul, said.

As the daughter of deaf parents who was born deaf herself, Dr. Kannapell grew up in a supportive home environment, with American Sign Language an integral part of her development. A.S.L. is one of more than 300 signed languages in the world, with its own grammar and syntax, and it has given millions of deaf people in the United States a fully accessible language from their earliest days.

Although Dr. Kannapell was comfortable with A.S.L., her hearing paternal grandmother insisted she attend a so-called oral school, in which children are not allowed to sign and are forced to try to speak.

Throughout her early schooling, Dr. Kannapell felt the sting of what is now known as audism  rejection of people who are deaf. At one school, she wrote in a 2011 open letter, the principal tried to make her say United States. When she was unable to do so, the principal slapped her face. At another, students who could speak were rewarded.
At the tip of a barrier island running along the southern shore of the Hamptons, restaurant staff piled outdoor tables and chairs into the basement on Saturday as sport fishing boats and yachts were being brought out of soon-to-be-surging water.

Christine Oakland-Hill, the owner of Oaklands Restaurant & Marina, was among those preparing for the worst as Hurricane Henri approached the Hamptons, the upscale vacation destination on the eastern side of Long Island. Its quite emotional  this is our livelihood, she said.

When Hurricanes Sandy and Irene battered the area about a decade ago, the road to the restaurant was impassable for days. That made Ms. Oakland-Hill worried about losing business in the peak of tourist season, as Labor Day approaches.

This is kind of it. We have 10 weeks to make it, she said.

After days of watching Henris path shift, the Hamptons have emerged as a likely recipient of the storms strongest blow when it makes landfall on Sunday.
But even then, many longtime residents of the region were skeptical that the storm would be too disruptive.

Were New Englanders  we can handle it, said Ms. Dolloff, 40, who remembers waking up to a floating bed in her Lowell, Mass., home when Hurricane Gloria  the last hurricane to make landfall on Long Island  swept through in 1985.

Gloria was a Category 1 storm when it hit Long Island, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate, bringing down thousands of trees and leaving 1.5 million homes without power.

Six years later, Hurricane Bob tore its way up the East Coast, making landfall as a Category 2 storm that left millions affected by downed trees, power outages and flooding. More than a dozen people died in each storm.

Bill Shore, a longtime resident of Newport, R.I., remembers the terror he felt during Bob. After driving to New Jersey to secure a boat, he frantically drove back to save his house.

Limbs were coming down, he said, but I made it back without getting clobbered.

Mr. Shore, however, said he was not too worried about Henri. He has a generator at home and planned to keep his 30-foot sailboat in the water, although he was thinking about renting a chain saw to tidy up after the storm.

In Bostons Seaport District, which was built on the mud flats and salt marshes along Boston Harbor in the decades after Bob, bars and restaurants like Harpoon, Legal Sea Foods and Yankee Lobster had not made plans to close for Henri. Farther east, in the Cape Cod community of Buzzards Bay, boats were being removed from the marina, but little was being done to secure gas grills or deck chairs.
A week later, on July 2, Mr. Biden, in an ebullient mood, gathered a small group of reporters to celebrate new jobs numbers that he said showed that his economic recovery plan was working. But all the questions he received were about news from Afghanistan that the United States had abandoned Bagram Air Base, with little to no notice to the Afghans.

Its a rational drawdown with our allies, he insisted, so theres nothing unusual about it.

But as the questions persisted, on Afghanistan rather than the economy, he grew visibly annoyed. He recalled Mr. Ghanis visit and said, I think they have the capacity to be able to sustain the government, though he added that there would have to be negotiations with the Taliban.

Then, for the first time, he was pressed on what the administration would do to save Kabul if it came under direct attack. I want to talk about happy things, man, he said. He insisted there was a plan.

We have worked out an over-the-horizon capacity, he said, meaning the administration had contingency plans should things go badly. But the Afghans are going to have to be able to do it themselves with the Air Force they have, which were helping them maintain, he said. But by then, most of the U.S. contractors who helped keep the Afghan planes flying had been withdrawn from Bagram along with the troops. Military and intelligence officials acknowledge they were worried that the Afghans would not be able to stay in the air.

By July 8, nearly all American forces were out of Afghanistan as the Taliban continued their surge across the country. In a speech that day from the White House defending his decision to leave, Mr. Biden was in a bind trying to express skepticism about the abilities of the Afghan forces while being careful not to undermine their government. Afterward, he angrily responded to a reporters comparison to Vietnam by insisting that theres going to be no circumstance where you see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan. It is not at all comparable.

But five days later, nearly two dozen American diplomats, all in the Kabul embassy, sent a memo directly to Mr. Blinken through the State Departments dissent channel. The cable, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, urged that evacuation flights for Afghans begin in two weeks and that the administration move faster to register them for visas.

The next day, in a move already underway, the White House named a stepped-up effort Operation Allies Refuge.
Today, the C.B.C. has swelling ranks and a president who has said he owes his election to Black Democrats. There is a strong chance that when Speaker Nancy Pelosi eventually steps down, her successor will be a member of the group. At the same time, the new lawmakers and their supporters are challenging the group with a simple question: Whom should the Congressional Black Caucus be for?

The groups leadership and political action committee have typically focused on supporting Black incumbents and their congressional allies in re-election efforts. But other members, especially progressive ones, call for a more combative activist streak, like Ms. Bushs, that challenges the Democratic Party in the name of Black people. Moderate members in swing districts, who reject progressive litmus tests like defunding police departments or supporting a Green New Deal, say the caucus is behind on the nuts and bolts of modern campaigning and remains too pessimistic about Black candidates chances in predominantly white districts.

Many new C.B.C. members, even those whose aides discussed their frustration in private, declined to comment on the record for this article. The leadership of the caucus, including the current chair, Representative Joyce Beatty of Ohio, also did not respond to requests for comment.

Miti Sathe, a founder of Square One Politics, a political firm used by Ms. Underwood and other successful Black candidates including Representative Lucy McBath, a Georgia Democrat, said she had often wondered why the caucus was not a greater ally on the campaign trail.

She recounted how Ms. Underwood, a former C.B.C. intern who was the only Black candidate in her race, did not receive the caucuss initial endorsement.

In Ms. Underwoods race, we tried many times to have conversations with them, to get their support and to get their fund-raising lists, and they declined, Ms. Sathe said.
Tropical Storm Henri Weakens As It Moves Inland The storm has cut power to more than 135,000 customers from New Jersey to Maine. Officials urged tourists to leave beach towns as storm surges threatened eastern Long Island and southern New England. Follow live updates on Hurricane Ida here.

Emergency declarations are issued for Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York as Henri weakens. Video Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in southwestern Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon. Heavy rainfall ahead of the storms landing caused street flooding in New York and New Jersey. Credit Credit... Brian Snyder/Reuters After making landfall in southwestern Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon, Tropical Storm Henri moved slowly northwest across the region and then weakened into a tropical depression, still bringing heavy rain and 40-mile-an-hour winds. At its peak on Sunday afternoon, the storm left more than 140,000 customers without power from New Jersey to Maine, though service has since been restored to some of those. And while heavy rain and strong winds were expected to continue through Monday, the National Hurricane Center said late Sunday afternoon that it had lifted all tropical storm warnings. The storm was expected to slow and weaken further before lingering near the Connecticut-New York border on Sunday night, the hurricane center said. About three-quarters of the homes in coastal Washington County, R.I., where more than 125,000 people live, were already without power when the storm made landfall there at 12:15 p.m. local time. In a briefing at the White House on Sunday afternoon, President Biden said he had approved emergency declarations for Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York. While New Englanders are used to dealing with some tough weather, this storm has the potential for widespread consequences across the region with significant flooding and power outages that could affect hundreds of thousands of people, Mr. Biden said. Were doing everything we can now to help those states prepare, respond and recover. Mr. Biden added that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was already in position in the region and prepared to help with recovery efforts. Rainfall ahead of the storms landing  a record 4.45 inches fell in Central Park in New York City on Saturday  crippled railroad service on Long Island and in southern New England and forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights on Sunday at the airports serving New York City. Widespread roadway flooding was reported in New York and New Jersey. Firefighters in Newark, N.J., rescued 86 people, including 16 children, after significant flooding submerged numerous vehicles in several areas across the city, according to a statement from Brian OHara, the director of Newarks Department of Public Safety. After slowing down on Sunday night, the heart of the storm is expected to move east and northeast across Connecticut and southern Massachusetts on Monday, then continue across southern Vermont, New Hampshire and Southern Maine before heading out to sea again. Map: Tracking Henris Path A map showing the storms route as it made landfall on the East Coast of the United States. Forecasts had called for storm surges of up to five feet in some parts of the region. But as of Sunday afternoon, all of the storm surge warnings had been lifted, according to the hurricane center, though there was still the possibility of some localized surges. Through Monday, three to six inches of rain were expected in New England, southeast New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania and Long Island and other parts of New York, the hurricane center said. Some pockets could receive up to 12 inches. Mihir Zaveri and Eduardo Medina contributed reporting.

Rhode Island sees widespread power outages and flooding. A cyclist rode through a flooded street as Tropical Storm Henri approached South Kingston, R.I., on Sunday. Credit... Brian Snyder/Reuters Tropical Storm Henri cut the power to much of coastal Rhode Island as it made landfall on Sunday, downing utility lines and severing service to more than 80,000 homes, according to the utility National Grid. In Washington County, home to more than 125,000 people, three-quarters of homes already lacked power as of 12:15 p.m. Eastern time when the storm landed at the town of Westerly. On Sunday afternoon, state authorities reopened the Newport Pell Bridge, the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge and the Mount Hope Bridge, after they had been closed for several hours because of high winds. A ban on motorcycles and tractor-trailers from roadways until further notice remained in place. Im asking you, Rhode Island, to stay home until this storm passes, Gov. Dan McKee said in a morning news conference. If you venture out, you are not only putting your own life at risk, you are endangering our first responders. Providences hurricane barrier was closed Sunday morning, as were vehicle gates designed to keep traffic from roads near the Providence River. It is the first time the vehicle gates have been closed for a storm since Sandy in 2012, according to Clara Decerbo, director of the Providence Emergency Management Agency. The areas near Providences waterfront were quiet Sunday morning except for some joggers, sightseers and a few people fishing. James Ales and Meghan Sharp came out to see the hurricane barrier, whose gates had shut for the first time since theyd moved to Providence two years ago. They had already prepared for the storm, buying batteries and groceries, and shifting things around in their basement, which floods even in slight rain. A man fishing on the Providence River, who offered only his first name, Mike, said he planned to stay there until my wife calls me and says, Get home. Colleen Cronin , Ellen Barry and

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Where will Tropical Storm Henri go next? Tropical Storm Henri, which made landfall shortly after noon on Sunday in southwestern Rhode Island, is expected to continue inland through Monday before heading back east and out to sea. Heres a look at the storms path: At 12:15 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, Tropical Storm Henri, which was downgraded from a hurricane earlier that morning, made landfall near Westerly, R.I., about 40 miles southwest of Providence.

By the afternoon, the eye of the storm was about five miles north of Westerly and moving northwest at about 9 m.p.h., bringing with it the threat of heavy rains and strong winds.

As it moves further inland throughout Sunday afternoon, the storm is expected to weaken and decrease in speed. On Sunday night, it could stall near the border between Connecticut and New York, according to the National Hurricane Center.

On Monday, Henri is expected to head east or northeast across northern Connecticut and southern Massachusetts. Its also expected to weaken further, from a tropical storm to a tropical depression.

By Tuesday, forecasts predict that whats left of Henri could cross the gulf of Maine and Nova Scotia.

Cuomo declares state of emergency in New York ahead of his last day in office. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in June. Mr. Cuomo held a press conference on Sunday to discuss Tropical Storm Henri. Credit... Mary Altaffer/Associated Press In one of his final acts as governor, Andrew M. Cuomo said at a news conference on Sunday that he had declared a state of emergency in New York as Tropical Storm Henri threatened to bring heavy rainfall across the state. Mr. Cuomo is expected to resign on Monday night, after an investigation by the state attorney general found that he had sexually harassed 11 women. But even as the state deployed National Guard troops, generators and excavators in preparation for the storm, his replacement, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is set to be sworn in on Tuesday morning, was noticeably absent from Sundays news conference. Ms. Hochul has been briefed by the governors office on the progress of the storm, two administration officials said, but her team had to request a direct briefing. Ms. Hochul also participated in a call about the storm with Mr. Cuomo and the White House  at the White Houses invitation, not the Cuomo administrations, a Hochul administration official said. Mr. Cuomos office declined to comment on the nature of the storm briefings. As he was preparing to move out of the Executive Mansion, Ms. Hochul was preparing to move in. After speaking with Southampton officials on Saturday, she had been planning to attend fund-raisers on Long Island on Sunday, an administration official said. With the storm bearing down, she canceled the fund-raisers and returned to Buffalo on Saturday night to pack up for her move. Asked why Ms. Hochul was not present at the news conference, Mr. Cuomo said that she had been briefed and that he was in constant communication with her. He said that effects of the storm were expected to be over by Monday evening and that state officials dont expect any real significant damage post the event. Nothing on the scale of Superstorm Sandy, for example, he said. Mr. Cuomo said he had asked emergency management officials who were thinking of stepping down when he resigns to stay on until the storms effects pass. My team and I are continuing to closely monitor #Henri.



The storm has weakened slightly, but that does not mean the risk is gone.



Storm surge, heavy rain and flooding (including inland flooding) remain serious threats.



New Yorkers, please monitor updates & stay safe.  Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) August 22, 2021 Henri, downgraded from a hurricane but still packing 60-mile-an-hour winds, made landfall near Westerly, R.I., early Sunday afternoon. Still, storm surges of two to four feet were possible on Sunday along the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound coasts, from Queens in New York City to the tip of Long Island, the National Hurricane Center said. The emergency declaration meant that the state could use federal funds to prepare. Mr. Cuomo said that rainfall leading into Sunday had already saturated the ground, and that forecasts showed around four to five more inches of rain falling through Monday in the Catskills, Westchester County and Suffolk County. Mr. Cuomo compared the forecasts to the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, which hit within days of each other in 2011. You have hills, you have creeks, the water comes running down those hills, hits what was a creek and turns it into a ravaging river, he said. I have seen towns float away. A flash flood warning was issued late Sunday afternoon for parts of Manhattan and the Bronx, as well as parts of Westchester, Rockland and Orange Counties, the National Weather Service said. The warning, which also included much of northern New Jersey, would be in effect until 8:45 p.m., the Weather Service said. Mr. Cuomo said about 500 National Guard troops and 1,000 state police had been deployed around the state in preparation for Henri. Bulldozers were moving sand around the South Shore of Long Island to guard against storm surge. Dana Rubinstein contributed reporting.

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New Bedford, Mass., closes its hurricane barrier against a storm for the first time since 2012. The New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, shown here in an open position, was sealed on Sunday ahead of Tropical Storm Henri. Credit... Tony Luong for The New York Times Against gathering winds, the 400-ton steel doors connecting the hurricane barrier in New Bedford, Mass., groaned into place Sunday morning, sealing off the regions largest fishing port as southern New England braced for the impending storm. The New Bedford Hurricane Barrier hadnt closed because of a storm since Sandy in 2012. Those able to make it inside were packed tight, wooden sailboats and lavish yachts jammed beside the rusted fishing vessels more typical of this industrial harbor, bobbing in the nervous swells. Those still at sea were expected to find another port. Once its closed, its closed, said Justin Poulsen, director of the New Bedford Port Authority. You cant underestimate this kind of storm. The last vessel to enter the harbor, 22 minutes before the barrier closed, was the Eagle Eye II, a New Bedford swordfish vessel, according to M.L. Baron, who runs a weather website out of neighboring Fairhaven. Tropical Storm Henri was expected to hit New Bedford late Sunday morning or early afternoon. The New Bedford Port Authority announced that it was at capacity by midday Saturday. Vessels hailing from New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts were stacked six deep along the docks. Many had cut their trips short. You want to be protected when nature turns ugly, said Walter Ramos, 59, who powered his 55-foot sloop, Beneteau, from the exposed port in Dartmouth to New Bedford. John Alvernaz, 55, a deckhand on the William Lee, a roughly 75-foot scalloper out of New Bedford, said their crew was about 100 miles offshore Friday afternoon when they felt the winds pick up. They had caught about a quarter of their 18,000 pound quota when the captain made the call to steam back to port. A storm like this, we werent going to take a chance, he said. Nearby, a local shipyard was busy hauling out a double-decker yacht flagged from Newport, R.I. Further down the port, vacationers in bathing suits and carrying luggage streamed off the Seastreak ferry from Marthas Vineyard, an island about 15 miles southeast. Hotels in New Bedford were packed as tight as the docks. Weddings that had booked rooms through the weekend were canceled, and fishermen, yacht owners and power-company employees have taken their place. Were New Englanders. This is what we do, said a clerk at the New Bedford Harbor Hotel. We buckle down and get through it. Mr. Baron, who was on the sea wall on Sunday morning, recalled the sound of sirens, barely audible through the wind, as the gates closed for Hurricane Bob 30 years ago. At least three fishing boats were locked out, forced to weather the storm outside the barrier. They were angry, he said. But they rode it out  bow to the wind and full throttle.

As Henri approached, memories of Hurricane Bob came rushing back. Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives spoke with residents of Mattapoisett, Mass., after Hurricane Bob caused widespread damage there in August 1991. Credit... Stephen Rose/Associated Press Thirty years ago this week, M.L. Baron stocked his van with provisions  deviled ham and two 30-packs of Coors Light  fired up his shoe-box-size cellphone, parked beside the New Bedford, Mass., waterfront and waited for Hurricane Bob. Mr. Baron, who was broadcasting that day on an AM radio station, went out before dawn so his bosses couldnt tell him to stay home. As the winds picked up, the tourists and thrill-seekers thinned out and then disappeared entirely, he recalled. The next thing I know, Im looking out, I go, Jesus, Im all alone. Im saying to myself, how bad is this going to get? said Mr. Baron, who operates a weather station in Fairhaven, Mass. I say, Well, I made my choice when I got up at 3 in the morning. Peering through the windshield, he could see road signs flopping back and forth, making an unearthly twanging sound; the van began to shake as if there were a crowd around it, trying to tip it over. The wind grew so loud, Mr. Baron said, that he could no longer hear the sounds of crashing debris, and the scene outside was blotted out by bands of rain. Its almost like a paradox; all you can hear is the wind, he said. You might as well be in a cocoon. Hurricane Bob, in 1991, remains the last hurricane to make landfall in New England. Memories of it rushed back on Sunday, as Henri approached the region as a hurricane before being downgraded to a tropical storm. Bob caused $680 million in damage, knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of households, caused the deaths of more than a dozen people, and altered the coastline of Cape Cod. Cleanup was a weekslong process. Boats that washed as far as a mile inland had to be hoisted up with helicopters and ferried back and splashed into to the water. There was a strange, sweet smell of splintered trees and foliage baking in the sun. Hordes of yellow jackets and hornets had been driven from their nests. They circulated, angry and stinging. The winds had ripped apart houses in Mattapoisett, a town on Buzzards Bay, and Mr. Baron remembers coming across peoples possessions scattered in unlikely places as he drove around after the storm. I had a carved teddy bear the size of a refrigerator in the middle of Causeway Road, bureaus, an actual toilet, he said. Among those recalling Bob was Jeff Tiedemann, who was born on the day it tore its way up the coast. His mother likes to describe the winds rattling the car windows as her husband drove her to the hospital as she was in the early stages of labor. Mr. Tiedemann had planned to celebrate his 30th birthday in a house on Cape Cod with 14 friends, but scaled back his plans when he learned about Tropical Storm Henri. He will instead stay at home in his two-bedroom apartment in Wallingford, Connecticut, with his roommate. He expects to dine by candlelight. It feels kind of surreal, he said. I usually dont even check the weather. But these storms seem to have their eye on me. Mr. Baron, who is now semiretired, said he would monitor Henri from his home on West Island, near New Bedford, from a room that he has fitted with so much equipment that he calls it the crystal palace. There will be no beer. (I grew up a long time ago, he said.) But he was looking forward to that stretch of hours or days when everyones attention was trained on one thing: the immense power of nature. Youd be surprised what you forget when theres a hurricane overhead, he said. Ellen Barry and

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In low-lying Boston, storms bring fears of flooded subways. Subway riders entered an MBTA train in Boston in 2020. Credit... Kayana Szymczak for The New York Times It is a new, foreboding normal in low-lying cities coming to grips with climate change: As Tropical Storm Henri approached the New England coast, crews of workers in Boston installed metal posts and aluminum planks around the entrance of the Aquarium subway station to keep floodwaters from cascading down from street level. The city was jolted in 2018 when freezing runoff from a winter storm gushed down the stations stairs and forced the Blue Line to close. Flood control has become a focus for Bostons subway system, which weaves through tidal flats and marshlands and a mile-long underwater tunnel to connect outlying neighborhoods to downtown. A study published this month in the journal Transportation Research called climate change an existential threat to public transit in Boston: Given the expected rate of rising sea waters, an extremely strong storm  one with a 1 percent chance of occurring in a given year  would completely inundate the Blue Line and much of the Red and Orange Line. A storm of that magnitude in 2070, the researchers found, would flood nearly the whole network, with only 9 percent of passenger trips remaining unaffected. In the more severe scenarios, I was frankly surprised at how much of the system was affected, said Michael Martello, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher and lead author on the report, which was funded by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. On Sunday morning, with the storms core projected to move into central Massachusetts, it appeared Boston would see high winds but be spared the heaviest rains, receiving one or two inches. Flooding subways are a visible reminder of the vulnerability of cities to rising sea levels; in July, Tropical Storm Elsa sent floodwaters cascading down subways in northern Manhattan and the Bronx. The same month, a catastrophic flood inundated the subway in Zhengzhou, in central China, leading to the deaths of 12 people, and incredulous commuters in London shared photographs of flooding in the Tube. Boston, a peninsula enlarged by vast stretches of man-made landfill in the 19th century, is particularly vulnerable to rising waters, activists say. Our built environment was built for rainfall patterns of the past, certainly not for what we are seeing now or for what is coming, said Emily Norton, the executive director of the Charles River Watershed Association, who noted that many of the citys prestigious medical centers sit atop former wetlands. If Sandy had hit Boston during high tide, we would have looked like Katrina, Ms. Norton said. Boston is very, very vulnerable, and were not acting like it. Ellen Barry and

Hamptons residents are relieved to have dodged a bullet. Rain falls in Montauk as Tropical Storm Henri approaches. Credit... Ed Jones/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images The Hamptons, the group of seaside resort towns on Long Islands South Fork, had braced for a walloping by a Category 1 hurricane over the weekend. But by Sunday morning the weather system, called Henri, had been downgraded to a tropical storm. Joe Scollan, a plumbing contractor, stood outside his home in Montauk in steady, not sopping, rain, buffeted by wind that was far less than the gale that had been expected. We dodged a bullet, said Mr. Scollan, 59. The days leading up to the storm had been a frenzy of preparation, in a stretch of sandy land where mega mansions sit on dunes at high risk of erosion, and where saltwater has flooded homes and wiped away roads in past storms. In Southampton, the police department had added overnight staff, and the town had readied an emergency shelter to take in possible storm victims, said Jay Schneiderman, the supervisor of the Town of Southampton. Earlier in the week, East Hampton Towns public works crews dumped truckloads of sand at beach access points to prevent flooding at high tide. Peter Van Scoyoc, the East Hampton Town supervisor, closed beaches and bays to swimmers on Sunday. We spent a furious 24 hours preparing for the hurricane, Mr. Schneiderman said, getting equipment staged, and storm drains cleared, and chain saws sharpened, and generators topped off and working. But he did not mind that by Sunday afternoon little had been put to use. We prepared for a hurricane, he said. We are happy it was a lesser storm. Nevertheless, the Hamptons seemed largely emptied out of the summer hordes that typically would be packing the restaurants and beaches on this peak vacation weekend. Few were out, and many weekend visitors appeared to have left, packing the highways and Jitney buses on Saturday night. At the Montauk Marine Basin, Ace Auteri, 68, a commercial fisherman, was dockside, making sure his two boats  the Polar Bear and the Misty Rose  were secure. He and his first mate, John Schoen, planned to stay beside their fishing vessels until the storm petered away, riding it out, Mr. Auteri said. They had been at their posts since 5 a.m. Thats getting up late for us, he said. In East Hampton Village, Joe Kastrati, 43, a co-owner of Fierros Pizza, said he was pleasantly surprised to wake up Sunday morning to find he could open for business. There was even an upside, he added: With most shops boarded up, on Sunday his pizza parlor was practically the only game in town. On Shelter Island, milk had been cleared out from the shelves at the local supermarket, according to Kathryn Klenawicus, a resident who said her phone had been buzzing all weekend with messages from neighbors checking in on one another. Shelter Islanders, they are tough, they kind of have that Puritan Yankee mentality to lifes challenges, Ms. Klenawicus said Saturday. On Sunday, she emailed a reporter an update on the weather conditions from her home on the island: This storm is a nothingburger. Mr. Schneiderman, the Southampton supervisor, said that the towns emphasis on preparedness was not an overreaction. Locals still speak of a 1938 Category 3 hurricane that devastated the area, flattening Montauk Village so badly that the entire downtown was relocated further South on the peninsula, to avoid future noreasters. If anything, this is a good exercise in preparedness, Mr. Schneiderman said. Correction : Aug. 23, 2021 An earlier version of this article misstated the strength of a storm that devastated the Hamptons region of Long Island in 1938. It was a Category 3 hurricane when it made landfall, not a Category 1. Sarah Maslin Nir and

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Central Park sets a rainfall record. People carried umbrellas in lower Manhattan on Sunday morning as the city prepared for Tropical Storm Henri. Credit... Karsten Moran for The New York Times In the dark hours as Henri churned in the Atlantic below Eastern Long Island and New England, New York City was deluged by historic rainfall. In Central Park, 1.94 inches of rain fell between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday, the most in a single hour at that location since record keeping began in the 19th century, according to the National Weather Service. The 4.45 inches that fell in Central Park on Saturday was also an overall record for Aug. 21, the service said. Around the city and across northern New Jersey and southern Connecticut, three to six inches of rain fell overnight. The storm crippled parts of the regions mass transit system. As of 9 a.m. Sunday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority had suspended train service on five of seven Metro-North Railroad lines and had partly suspended service on Long Island Rail Roads Montauk and Ronkonkoma lines. Portions of the New York City subway on the 1 and 3 lines were suspended because of flooding, though service has since resumed. The three airports serving New York City also experienced the effects of the storm, as more than 20 percent of flights were canceled at La Guardia and Newark airports on Sunday and more than 10 percent were canceled at Kennedy Airport, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates them. Social media was inundated with images of roadways turned to rivers with cars pushing through them, washed nearly to their headlights. Flooding in NYC, NJ ahead of Henri leaves drivers stranded, some rescued by boat https://t.co/4zViyWzVg7 pic.twitter.com/iB7wzN3TKd  Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) August 22, 2021 The National Weather Service reported overnight flash floods in Crown Heights, Bay Ridge, Battery Park, Harlem and on the Throggs Neck Bridge, as well as around Long Island and New Jersey. Late Saturday night, a few hundred hardy attendees of the ill-fated Homecoming Concert in Central Park sheltered in a backstage tent hoping for an acoustic performance on a makeshift stage from rock stars who had yet to perform. After hinting at the possibility around 10 p.m., a poncho-clad Mayor Bill de Blasio returned 20 minutes later and said, we have to ask everybody to go home because the rain keeps coming. The fans who had come to hear songs from their favorite records exited into record rainfall.

About 250 people were evacuated from nursing homes in Connecticut. A Connecticut State Trooper spoke with a resident in East Haven on Saturday. Shoreline residents in several coastal towns were urged to evacuate. Credit... Michelle Mcloughlin/Reuters State officials in Connecticut said on Sunday that about 250 people had been evacuated from nursing homes near the shoreline as Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in neighboring Rhode Island. Four nursing homes  in Old Saybrook, Mystic, Guilford and West Haven, all operated by Apple Rehab  were evacuated, Paul Mounds, chief of staff to Gov. Ned Lamont, said at a news conference on Sunday afternoon. All of those individuals were temporarily moved to other nursing facilities, Mr. Mounds said. The news of the evacuations was announced as officials in Connecticut expressed relief that the impact from Henri could have been far worse. As the storm moved eastward earlier on Sunday, its landfall trajectory shifting toward Rhode Island, it appeared that Connecticut would likely dodge hurricane-force winds, said Nelson Vaz, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in New York. But that did not mean that Connecticut would entirely escape disruptions and damage from the storm. Heavy rain and flash flooding could compound the effect of strong winds, particularly in the western and central parts of the state, and could contribute to downed trees and power outages, forecasters and officials said. Wind gusts in southeastern Connecticut could reach between 60 miles per hour and 70 m.p.h., while in the southwestern part of the state they would likely be between 30 m.p.h. and 40 m.p.h. Those winds will diminish through Sunday evening, Mr. Vaz said. The winds will still pose problems in terms of tree damage and line damage but likely not as bad as we feared, he said. The storms center was expected to cut northwest across Connecticut and Western Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon before turning to the northeast across southern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading out to sea again. Rising water in the Housatonic and Connecticut Rivers may contribute to flooding, Mr. Vaz said. The storm surge from Long Island Sound will likely top out at between two and four feet, he said. Officials in several coastal communities, including East Haven, Madison, Groton and Branford, issued evacuation orders for shoreline residents. Shelters opened for evacuees along the coast on Saturday and Sunday. In Branford, town officials ordered the evacuation by 7 a.m. Sunday of a few thousand households near the shoreline, along the Branford River and in low-lying areas. The evacuation order was issued on Saturday, when the storm scenarios were much more dire, said Thomas Mahoney, the fire chief and emergency management director for Branford. Residents were told that they would be endangering their lives if they failed to leave their homes before Henri made landfall, and that emergency crews would not be able to get to them at the height of the storm. A shelter was opened in the high school, with pandemic precautions, including temperature checks and masks, Chief Mahoney said. But no one stayed overnight in the shelter on Saturday. Theyre hardy New Englanders, and its very hard to get them to leave, Chief Mahoney said. Branfords evacuation order will expire after the storm passes. Chief Mahoney said he hoped that the worst of the storm would be over by 6 p.m. on Sunday, and perhaps people can return home later Sunday night. Religious services were canceled in dozens of municipalities across the state, along with concerts and other events planned for the waning days of summer, WTNH reported. Kristin Hussey and

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Power companies are bringing in extra help to deal with outages. Utility workers repairing power lines after Hurricane Michael swept through Panama City, Fla., in 2018. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York Times As Henri made landfall in Rhode Island on Sunday, reports indicated about 135,000 customers were without power from New Jersey to Maine. Heres how power companies are dealing with the storm: The utility PSEG Long Island said more than 1,200 contractors and additional crews have been brought in to help prepare for the storm. But it warned customers that outages could last seven to 10 days  or up to two weeks if the forecast worsens.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said that power companies in other regions of New York State that could be heavily affected by the storm, including National Grid and Con Edison, had also called in private contractors and additional personnel to help restore power. I have told them clearly, he said on Saturday, this is what we pay the power companies to do, to be ready for storms.

In New Jersey , the states largest utility, Public Service Electric & Gas, told customers to prepare for possible debris and fallen power lines but did not project an estimate for potential power losses.

National Grid, the main electricity provider in Rhode Island , reported more than 80,000 customers had lost power in the state as of noon on Sunday, with more than 51,000 in Washington County.

Gov. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts warned that Henri could cause at least 100,000 residents  and possibly up to 300,000  to lose power.

The utility Eversource, which provides power to about 1.2 million customers in Connecticut, said that at least half of them could be without power for several days after the hurricane. More than 19,000 customers had lost power as of noon on Sunday. Troy Closson and

How to prepare before, during and after a hurricane. Covering the windows at Salty's Clam Shack in Westerly, R.I., in preparation for the arrival of Henri. Credit... CJ Gunther/EPA, via Shutterstock Henri was downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday, but it was still expected to bring heavy rain, potential flooding and a dangerous storm surge. Heres how to prepare for a hurricane or tropical storm: Before the storm Ahead of a storm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends signing up for local weather alerts and learning evacuation routes. In the event of a power loss, the National Weather Service suggests having a battery-operated radio for news updates. The Red Cross suggests preparing an emergency kit with the following items: water (enough for one gallon per person per day), nonperishable food, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a multipurpose tool, hand sanitizer or sanitation wipes, important personal documents, blankets and maps of the area. FEMA also recommends preparing a go bag with essential items, such as medications, and securing important documents, such as financial, medical, school and legal records. During the storm During a storm, FEMA suggests staying away from windows in the event of high winds, and seeking shelter on the lowest level of a home in an interior room, such as a closet. If there is flooding, FEMA says people should seek higher ground. In the event of flooding, the National Weather Service says those driving should never drive through flooded roadways. Two feet of flowing water is enough to float a vehicle. Residents should heed guidance from local officials, and promptly follow any evacuation orders. After the storm Once a storm has passed, the authorities still urge drivers to avoid flooded roadways. Anyone who evacuated should wait to return until local officials say it is safe to do so. Residents in an area affected by a storm should also avoid drinking tap water unless local officials say it is safe to use.

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Heres why you need bottled water during a hurricane or tropical storm. Emergency preparedness officials recommend storing a gallon of water per person per day in case an intense storm damages the water system. Credit... Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA, via Shutterstock Having an ample supply of clean water is a top priority during extreme weather systems such as Tropical Storm Henri. But why? You dont know what is necessarily going to happen due to the storms impact, said Stefanie Arcangelo, an American Red Cross spokeswoman. The storm could impact the public water system. Often during or immediately after a storm, a boil water advisory will be issued, meaning there could be contaminants in the water that could make it unsafe to drink, she said. Thats why the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency recommend that people store a gallon of water per person per day just in case a storm damages the water system or knocks out electricity, which could prevent people from boiling water. The average person drinks about half a gallon of water, but people will also need water for food preparation and hygiene, FEMA said. To prepare the safest and most reliable emergency supply of water, it is recommended that you purchase commercially bottled water, FEMA said. Keep bottled water in its original container, and do not open it until you need to use it. If people dont want to buy water in plastic bottles, they can put regular tap water in clean, tightly sealed containers or bottles, FEMA said. If water supplies run low, drink the amount needed that day and then try to find more the next day, the agency advises, adding that reducing activity and staying cool can minimize the amount of water the body needs.
It was the end of a decades-long American military engagement overseas, and thousands of U.S. allies were clamoring to board the last planes leaving for, they hoped, eventual resettlement in the United States. Their capital had fallen. Deadly reprisals for those who stayed behind were almost certain.

It was 1975, the tumultuous backdrop was Southeast Asia, and Washington largely opened Americas doors, letting in some 300,000 refugees from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia over the next four years. Joseph R. Biden Jr., then a young senator from Delaware, co-sponsored landmark legislation that won unanimous passage in the Senate and was signed into law in 1980, divorcing refugee admissions from U.S. foreign policy and generally expanding the number allowed into the country each year.

Now, as similar scenes of chaos and desperation unfold in Kabul with the conclusion of Americas 20-year war in Afghanistan, most analysts say there is little chance the country will repeat the extensive refugee resettlement effort that accompanied the end of the war in Vietnam.
Stanley Aronowitz, a blue-collar organizer, university professor and prolific author who argued that electoral politics had failed American labor and that unions needed to adopt militant strategies to pursue a broad social agenda, died on Aug. 16 at his home in Manhattan. He was 88.

The cause was complications of a stroke, his daughter Kim OConnell said.

Professor Aronowitz, a social theorist who taught at the City University of New Yorks Graduate Center, called himself a working-class intellectual. He maintained that direct action was a more potent weapon for workers than collective bargaining or conventional politics.

Weve been relying for so long on politicians to solve problems, he told the magazine In These Times in 2014, that the union membership no longer really relies on its own power.

Direct action, political education and cultural politics are the right ways to go, he said in an interview with The Brooklyn Rail, a cultural journal, in 2012.
In the small, underfunded world of womens charities, Times Up was an outlier. Its founders included Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey; Ms. Tchen, its leader since 2019, had been Michelle Obamas chief of staff. The organizations connections, and $24 million GoFundMe campaign, were its selling point. But some of the groups power players  including Roberta Kaplan, who stepped down this month as chairwoman in the Cuomo fallout  became entangled in questions about conflicts of interest.

Ms. Kaplan, a lawyer whose firm represents a top Cuomo aide accused of trying to discredit an alleged victim, was more involved in the administrations response than previously reported, according to her and others. She provided names of potential defense lawyers for the governor, discussed with an aide what a key Times Up statement would say and shared it with his office before it became public.

The group underestimated how difficult it would be to work with politicians and corporations without coming up against something thats going to stain you, Tarana Burke, the founder of #MeToo and a member of Times Ups extended board, said in an interview.

Times Up helped deliver legislative victories in New York, strengthening anti-harassment provisions and lengthening the statute of limitations for rape; prodded Hollywood to hire more female directors and executives; and urged corporations like McDonalds to improve their policies. Its most significant achievement may be the Times Up Legal Defense Fund, a separate arm that connects people with workplace misconduct claims, especially low-income women, to lawyers and media strategists.

Jay Ellwanger, a Texas lawyer who has represented multiple women through the fund, said it allowed a woman who doesnt have the quote-unquote power and connections to feel that she can fight for herself and for others. Since 2018, it has referred over 4,800 people to lawyers and funded 256 cases.

But at the main organization, current and former staff members said in interviews, priorities seemed to shift quickly. As the effort to combat harassment expanded to equal pay initiatives and other targets, some believed that Times Up lacked a clear road map to its policy goals. And, they said, staff members focus was often scattered as they were drawn into ancillary issues, the promotion of board members pet projects or public relations campaigns on unrelated topics.
TANGIER, Morocco  For more than a half-century, a Moorish-style house in the old city of Tangier considered one of Moroccos cultural gems drew musicians and other artists from around the world seeking to learn about the Sufi music and rituals of the descendants of slaves in the country.

But the one-of-a-kind center for traditional Gnawa music was abandoned early this year because it was in danger of collapse, and long delays to restore it as part of a government rehabilitation plan for this city on Moroccos northern coast put its future in peril.

The battle to save Dar Gnawa, or the Gnawa House, has shed light on just how precious and precarious traditional talents are in the North African kingdom.
The enormity of the quake damage pales in comparison to the one that hit densely populated Port-au-Prince in 2010, flattening much of the city. Approximately 250,000 people were killed.

But many charities remain haunted by aid problems after the 2010 quake, particularly the lack of coordination among providers and the desire by many well-meaning Americans and others to help without realizing what assistance was most needed. Few long-term investments were made in new sanitation systems and other infrastructure needs. Many survivors moved from their homes into makeshift tent cities because that was the only way to qualify for benefits.

You cant do a humanitarian response and ignore the long-term underlying issues in the country, Ms. McIlreavy said.

Jonathan M. Katz, an author and former Associated Press correspondent who covered the 2010 quake, wrote in a book that the response had illustrated Haitis entrenched cycle of dependence.

Donations toward immediate relief will bring doctors and rescuers when people are still pinned under concrete, stranded by floodwaters, or fleeing the firestorm, he wrote in the book, The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster.

While that is important, he wrote, it is the time between emergencies, when the heaviest lifting has to be done.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  The commander in charge of guarding the Haitian presidents home quickly became a suspect in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last month when his security team inexplicably melted away, enabling hit men to enter the residence with little resistance and kill the president in his own bedroom.

But current and former officials say that the commander, Dimitri Herard, was already a suspect in a separate case that the United States Drug Enforcement Administration has pursued for years: the disappearance of hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds of cocaine and heroin that were whisked away by corrupt officials only hours before law enforcement agents showed up to seize them.

Now, some international officials assisting with the investigation into the presidents assassination say they are examining whether those criminal networks help explain the killing. Haitian officials, including the countrys prime minister, have acknowledged that the official explanation presented in the days after the assassination  that Mr. Moise was gunned down in an elaborate plot to seize political office  does not entirely add up, and that the true motive behind the murder has not been uncovered.

Haiti is a major transit point for drugs heading to the United States, and American and United Nations officials say the trade flourishes through an array of politicians, businesspeople and members of law enforcement who abuse their power. Now, current and former officials say that Mr. Herard has long been a focal point of the investigation into one of the biggest drug trafficking cases the D.E.A. has ever pursued in Haiti.
The interpreter, whose identity was shielded like others in this article for safety concerns, said he had given up trying to secure a flight after a harrowing and ultimately futile attempt to force his way past Taliban gunmen and unruly mobs at the airport the day before. He has been spending his time calling and texting American soldiers and officers in the United States who are struggling to find ways to rescue him and his family.

Im losing hope, he said by telephone. I think maybe I will have to accept the consequences.

Another former interpreter for the U.S. military was also in hiding in Kabul Saturday. He, too, said he had abandoned any hope of getting a flight for him, his wife and young son after two terrifying forays to the airport.

Ive lost hope, he said. Ive lost trust in the U.S. government, which keeps saying, We will evacuate our allies.

Evacuation is impossible, he added.

Afghans who have been crowding airport gates tend to panic every time tear gas is released or shots are fired into the air to disperse the crowds, the former interpreter said.

Your child could get trampled, he said. If the U.S. gives me the entire universe after I lose a child, it is worthless.

To cope with the expected flood of Afghan refugees, the Biden administration wants to enlist commercial airlines to ferry those arriving in Gulf states from Kabul to transport them to countries willing to offer them resettlement.
August 14, we began this evacuation operation, which really is exactly one week ago today. Since then, we have rapidly deployed thousands of troops into Afghanistan. Our footprint continues today to stand at approximately 5,800 troops on the ground, continuing to provide and secure the Kabul airport to allow for evacuation operations. The airport remains secure. U.S. military personnel currently oversee flight operations. Both U.S. military contracted aircraft as well as foreign aircraft continue to operate within Kabul airport. Additionally, the U.S. military has maintained the gate security at major gates and supported our State Department colleagues in the processing of individuals [inaudible] to prepare for evacuation flights out of Afghanistan. We are continuing to process people throughout the last 24 hours. The commanders are metering how many people come in and out of the gate to ensure the safe and ability to screen applicants as they come on to [inaudible]. Reporter: It was a security alert that came out of the embassy this morning, it says, because of potential security threats outside the gates at Kabul airport, were advising US citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and avoid airport gates at this time, unless you receive a specific call to come there. So can you explain what is this threat? What youre seeing out of our State Department colleagues, I think, is a prudent notification to make sure that whatever movement there is to the gates from outside the airport is done as safely as possible. And you have seen the images over the last 24 to 48 hours yourself of the situation outside the perimeter of the airport. And it changes, it changes almost by the hour and it changes in locations around the airport. Its very, very fluid and dynamic.
A homeland security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence accused the Trump administration of distorting the truth about Afghan refugees, writing on Twitter that the former president and Stephen Miller, his top immigration adviser, sought to prevent the refugees from entering the United States.

In an interview, Olivia Troye recalled sitting in meetings where Mr. Miller demanded restrictions on refugees, including those from Afghanistan and Iraq. She said the reductions in the refugee program during the Trump years hollowed out the governments ability to bring the interpreters and others to the United States.

Now we are in this crisis and they are saying Trump would have evacuated them, Ms. Troye said. But he didnt in four years. You dont get to play revisionist history here. There are people who know what the situation is.

President Donald J. Trump and his allies have repeatedly claimed in recent days that his administration would have handled a withdrawal from Afghanistan better than President Biden, whom he criticized for failing to evacuate Americans and Afghans who worked with the United States. Top conservative commentators, including Ben Domenech, have tweeted in support of Mr. Trump.
The Taliban faced the first armed challenge to their rule as former Afghan soldiers, aided by villagers, drove the militants out of three districts in the mountains north of Kabul, according to former Afghan officials.

The fighting took place in remote valleys on Friday, and details of the clashes were still trickling out. But video posted on social media showed fighters and civilians tearing down the white flag of the Taliban and raising the red, green and black Afghan national flag. In a tweet, the former acting defense minister, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, called the fighters popular resistance forces,

The resistance he wrote, is still alive.

How long it could survive is another question. Afghan troops were said to have retreated to the area last week as the countrys government and military collapsed around them, and the United States appeared to have little appetite for anything that could anger the Taliban, whose goodwill the evacuation operations at Kabuls airport is now largely dependent upon.

The fighting was reportedly set off by the Taliban conducting house-to-house searches, an ironic twist in a war during which Afghan anger at American searches helped swell the ranks of the militants. Former Afghan officials said the clashes appeared to have been led by a local police chief who knew he was not long for his post under Taliban rule.
The Taliban appeared closer to forming a government nearly a week after seizing the capital as one of their leaders, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, arrived in Kabul to begin talks with former President Hamid Karzai and other politicians.

The negotiations are going on right now, said Ahmadullah Waseq, deputy of the Talibans cultural affairs committee, who confirmed Mr. Baradars arrival in the capital.

For now, he said, Taliban officials are largely talking among themselves in preparation for the negotiations.

Then we will talk with other parties to form an inclusive government acceptable to all Afghans, Mr. Waseq added. It is not clear when will we have a new government, but we are trying to announce it as soon as we can.
The Pentagon is moving toward compelling major American airlines to help transport tens of thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan, as the military struggles to meet the demand from Afghans seeking to leave Kabul, the capital, after the Taliban took control.

Military officials are poised to activate the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, or CRAF, created in 1952 in the wake of the Berlin Airlift, to provide several commercial airliners to bolster the American military operation to evacuate Afghans arriving at bases in the Middle East, Defense Department officials said on Saturday.

If the first stage of the activation is approved, nearly 20 airliners would join the more than 150 military cargo planes now involved in the evacuation efforts, military officials said. The potential use of civilian airliners was previously reported by The Wall Street Journal. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin must give final approval to the plan.

Civilian planes would not fly into or out of Kabul, where a rapidly deteriorating security situation has hampered evacuation flights. Instead, commercial airline pilots and crews would help transport thousands of Afghans who are arriving at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
SEOUL  The South Korean marine unit had a reputation for leaving nothing breathing behind when they passed through hostile territory, not even a pig suckling its litter.

After the unit swept through Phong Nhi and Phong Nhut, villages in central Vietnam, on Feb. 12, 1968, scores of bodies were found, all unarmed civilians, most of them children and women, shot or stabbed with bayonets.

This old man came out of a hiding hole, his hands held up, recalled Ryu Jin-seong, a former marine attached to the unit who was 22 at the time. He kept begging for life, apparently thinking he would be killed when he was taken away.

In a fit of rage, a sergeant swore and emptied his clip on the man, Mr. Ryu said.

The tragedy of the Vietnam War  echoing loudly this week during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan  continues to haunt those victims who witnessed and survived the two decades of bloodshed.
It was 8 a.m. and the sleepy Afghan sergeant stood at what he called the front line, one month before the city of Kunduz fell to the Taliban. An unspoken agreement protected both sides. There would be no shooting.

That was the nature of the strange war the Afghans just fought, and lost, with the Taliban.

President Biden and his advisers say the Afghan militarys total collapse proved its unworthiness, vindicating the American pullout. But the extraordinary melting away of government and army, and the bloodless transition in most places so far, point to something more fundamental.

The war the Americans thought they were fighting against the Taliban was not the war their Afghan allies were fighting. That made the American war, like other such neocolonialist adventures, most likely doomed from the start.

Recent history shows it is foolish for Western powers to fight wars in other peoples lands, despite the temptations. Homegrown insurgencies, though seemingly outmatched in money, technology, arms, air power and the rest, are often better motivated, have a constant stream of new recruits, and often draw sustenance from just over the border.
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There have been eight named storms so far this hurricane season. Meteorologists have been closely tracking the paths of three this week. What are their names?
A team of paranormal investigators believe they have captured a ghost on camera in an Offaly castle.

A group from Paranormal Supernatural Investigation Ireland travelled to Clonony Castle near Cloghan in recent days for an investigation.

Afterwards, they posted on social media to say a "black mass" had been captured on the ground floor of the castle on Thursday night, August 12.

This was the picture they shared of the alleged ghostly figure.

"Out of ten pictures, this image is in only one photo," the group said referring to the black mass.

"This area was very active for our SLS camera. A shadow person, also known as a shadow figure, shadow being, or black mass, is the perception of a patch of shadow as a living, humanoid figure, and interpreted as the presence of a spirit or other entity."

The investigators claim the black mass to the left of the chair is a ghost and that the pink mass in the picture is a portal to the spirit world.

"Directly behind this wall [in the photograph above] there was a sentry guard room. It's all sealed up nowadays but it's still there if that makes any sense. We feel today it's a portal. Upon further examination of some more pictures, we now think that there is more than just one portal. It now seems this the only truly genuine Tudor Castle in Ireland has a few more.

Who knows what other secrets this Castle holds?"

You can watch the Paranormal Supernatural Investigation teams experience in Clonony Castle last week below:

Clonony Castle was built in the 1490s by the Coghlan Clan butwas seized by Henry VIII during the war of dominion by England. He ceded it to Thomas Boleyn, making him the Earl of Ormond.

This also made his daughter, the ill-fated Ann Boleyn, a countess and marriageable by a king. When Henry tired of Ann and the Boleyns fell from grace, two ladies, Mary and Elizabeth, were sent back to Clonony and remained for the rest of their lives. Their tombstone lays beneath a tree in the castle bawn.

It's also claimed the castle is haunted by a medieval soldier whose figure has reportedly been seen in full armour on the castle's parapet.
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On Tuesday, Nov. 9, Midland's Open Door will host its annual fundraiser, Dine on the Door, chaired by Michael and Claudia Goad.

Midlands Open Doors annual fundraiser, Dine on the Door, will take place at The H Hotel on Tuesday, Nov. 9, showcasing the ministrys impact on behalf of the homeless, hungry and hurting in Midland County.

This year, guests and sponsors are invited to join the Open Door at two in-person timeslots: a luncheon at 12 p.m. or a dinner at 6 p.m. A live virtual option for viewing the evening program will also be available via the Open Doors Facebook page.

This community combination of food and friendship will lead into an online presentation including a testimonial from this years Dine on the Door honorary chairs, Michael and Claudia Goad.

The Goads moved to Midland in January of 2018, relocating from South Bend, Indiana where they lived since 2014. Prior to that they spent 21 years in Grand Rapids. The Goads moved to Midland when Michael was offered the position of chief financial officer at Dow Chemical Employees Credit Union. Michael now serves as the chief executive officer.

As I got to know the town, I heard about the Open Door, Michael said. That was the first thing I gave to.

Within just a few weeks of moving to Midland, Michael stopped by the Open Door and dropped off a donation. He paired it with a heartfelt note, encouraging the staff and volunteers of the Open Door to keep up the good work of caring for their neighbors in need.

Theres a realization that any of us in a given moment can be in that situation, Claudia said. Life can give you troubles: one day youre up, and then just like that, youre down. Were privileged to be on the upside of the situation where we can give, but you never know what can happen. I have been on both sides of the spectrum myself, so I can be more sensitive to that fact.

When the Goads lived in South Bend and Grand Rapids, they supported their community by giving their time and treasure to social services that served the homeless. They even volunteered during meal service one year on Thanksgiving Day, and now that theyve lived in Midland for several years, the Goads appreciate the way that the Open Door uses volunteers throughout their programs and services.

I like the set-up and the approach at the Open Door because it does have teams of volunteers involved, Michael said. Its not just funded and run automatically. Volunteers who come and serve get the benefit of working and serving as part of the ministry.

Part of the appeal of volunteering at the Open Door for Claudia was the ability to connect with other people in Midland who are going through hard times.

Theres a gentleman at Meijer  Ive seen him for a while now, Claudia said. I met him at the [soup] kitchen, and there was a connection. I knew that he was trying very hard to get on his feet and keep on going. One day he told me, Im about to get my apartment! And I have a job at Meijer! And then one day, I saw him. I said, I know you! He had the biggest grin. It was cool, to see that transition.

You think of Midland initially as a very successful, commercial and professional city, but quietly there are a lot of people struggling, Michael said.

In 2020, Midlands Open Door saw a 48% increase in food needs due to the pandemic and flooding. In addition, on average, more than 250 men, women and children make their way to the Open Door each year in need of temporary shelter. Having a safe space available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is important for neighbors who are struggling with basic needs.

We have found that Midland is a very giving and generous community in numerous ways, Michael said. This is just a typical example of what you find in Midland, where theres this clear sense of service to the community.

Although there are other organizations in Midland dedicated to serving lower-income individuals, the Goads are proud to champion the work accomplished by Midlands Open Door as a testament to the community and the ties that bind this city together not just as people, but as neighbors.

This isnt just a hobby, Michael said. This is a real, true need, and you all are filling the gap.

No matter the day, week or month of the year, the needs of the homeless, hungry and hurting in Midland County remain. The Goads would like to encourage supporters of Open Door to safely re-engage with the Midland community by sponsoring or attending the Dine on the Door event on Nov. 9. All of the funds raised at the event will go directly toward funding Open Doors programs and services for the upcoming year.

Tickets for the event are priced at $50 each. To sign up as a table sponsor, purchase a ticket or to make a donation, please visit midlandopendoor.org or call the Open Door office at 989-835-2291.

If you like instant gratification, this is the place to see it at work, Claudia said. If all you can give is one day a month or four hours, youll be blessed. You think youre blessing others? Youll be triple blessed. I receive more than I give every time I come here.

Midlands Open Door operates the only soup kitchen in Midland County, providing over 71,000 meals in 2020. In addition, its shelters provide almost 12,000 nights of shelter annually. To learn more about Midlands Open Door or volunteer opportunities, visit midlandopendoor.org or contact the office at 989-835-2291.
TULUM, Mexico (AP)  Hurricane Grace rapidly strengthened into a major Category 3 storm Friday night as it bore down on a second landfall in Mexico, this time taking aim at the Gulf coast after crashing through the country's main tourist strip.

The storm had lost punch as it zipped across the Yucatan Peninsula, but it emerged late Thursday over the relatively warm Gulf of Mexico and began gaining energy.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Grace had maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) late Friday. It was centered about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Tuxpan and heading west at 10 mph (17 kph).

The storm headed toward a coastal region of small fishing towns and beach resorts in the state of Veracruz, then was forecast to move over a mountain range toward the heart of the country and the greater Mexico City region.

The National Meteorological Service of Mexico predicted Grace would make landfall late Friday or early Saturday between the Veracruz state towns of Tecolutla and Nautla.

By afternoon, Grace was causing strong winds, high waves and rain in the Veracruz communities of Tuxpan, Poza Rica, Xalapa and Veracruz city as well as in coastal towns in the states of Tabasco and Tamaulipas, the agency said.

Some fishermen pulled their boats out of the water and carried them inside harbors to prevent damage, while merchants boarded up the windows of their businesses.

Forecasters said it could drop 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain, with more in a few isolated areas  bringing the threat of flash floods, mudslide and urban flooding.

Authorities expect the central states and the Mexican capital to receive the impact as a tropical storm, with strong gusts and intermittent rains during the weekend.

The Mexican government urged people to remain on alert.

Heriberto Montes Ortiz, the head of the General Technical Sub-Directorate of Mexico's National Water Commission, said Grace could cause rivers and streams to swell as well as flooding in low-lying areas, landslides and damage to roads and highways.

The agency was monitoring rivers, dams and communities expected to see heavy rain, particularly in the states of Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.

The hurricane hit early Thursday near Tulum, a resort town famed for its Mayan ruins. Some families passed harrowing hours sheltering from cracking trees and flying debris.

As the storm approached, Carlos Gonzalez grabbed his 1 1/2-year-old son and ran from his home with his wife to a school-turned-shelter, using his cellphone light to find his way through darkened streets.

The only thing I have left is what I'm wearing, the 35-year-old construction worker said. I knew my house wasn't going to stand it because it's made of cardboard. When the wind came I was really scared and decided to leave.

There were no reports of deaths, but many streets were blocked by fallen limbs and trees that pulled down power lines, leaving thousands in the dark Thursday.

Most businesses remained closed, but the few that opened saw long lines of people waiting to buy tortillas and other food.

Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquin said the storm had knocked out power to some 84,000 customers in Cancun and 65,000 in Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Puerto Aventura and Tulum. But he said there were no reported deaths.

__

Associated Press journalist Dan Christian Rojas in Cancun contributed to this report.
PHOENIX (AP)  An endangered Mexican gray wolf that was roaming near Flagstaff has been captured and relocated to an area near the Arizona-New Mexico border.

The wolf had ventured into housing developments, raising concern from state wildlife officials that it might be intentionally or accidentally shot, or struck by a vehicle, said Jim deVos, the Mexican wolf coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

We believe that the wolf was in jeopardy, he told the Arizona Republic. Now hell be back in an area with females, finding a female partner, forming a pack and contributing to the recovery. Thats what our goal was.

The wolf was captured earlier this month in the Coconino National Forest and has rejoined other wolves that are part of a recovery program centered in a forested area spanning parts of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. North America's rarest subspecies of gray wolf, the Mexican gray wolf was listed as endangered in 1976 after being pushed to the brink of extinction.

The population has grown since the first wolves were released in 1998 as part of the reintroduction program. The latest annual census found about 186 Mexican wolves in the wild in New Mexico and Arizona, a 14% increase over the previous census.

The latest quarterly report released this week shows several of the wolves have died this year.

Environmental groups had been hoping the wolf captured in Flagstaff could stay, even if it was beyond the northern boundary of the designated recovery zone. The groups have been referring to the animal as Anubis," a name chosen by students in a contest not associated with government agencies.

The groups said the wolf fed on elk carcasses, stayed away from livestock and didn't exhibit any signs of danger.

I'm disappointed to hear that Anubis was captured, said Emily Renn, executive director of the Flagstaff-based Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project. Most people chose to live surrounded by the national forest for a reason, because they love the seclusion and are willing to coexist with wild nature.

Arizona wildlife officials said the wolf had crossed Interstate 40 at least three times, and the agency received reports that it had been spotted by people six times. Under a 2017 recovery plan, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is required to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to capture and release any wolf that ventures north of the highway.

Federal officials are currently rewriting the regulations in response to lawsuits filed by conservation groups.
LONDON (AP)  For people with family members trying to get out of Afghanistan, recent days have brought a frantic mix of fear and frustration.

In west London, many relatives are doing what they can: seeking advice and information from the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association. The organization was set up to support refugees 20 years ago, the same year a U.S.-led international force drove the Taliban from power after the 9/11 attacks.

Shah Hamdam, a 52-year-old who arrived in the U.K. in 1998 via Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan when the Taliban were in control of the country, said he would do anything to get his sister, a television journalist, out of Kabul.

She is begging," Hamdam said. "She says, Find a solution, find a way for me to get out of this situation at the moment. I try, I try, I knock every door to find a way to bring her over if possible.

Hamdam hasn't seen his sister since 2013 when he returned to Afghanistan for their mother's funeral.

I love her so much and I will do anything to bring her back with her family," the father of four said.

With the U.S. still planning to have all its troops withdrawn from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, there's a mad scramble to get out  and a corresponding sense of dread among Afghan families already abroad. Crowds of people clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children on Saturday were outside the gates of the international airport in Kabul, blocked by coils of razor wire.

The relatives of those who don't make it out on a flight will be hoping that the Taliban prove true to their word and do not target those who assisted Western troops over the past 20 years.

Nilufar Nasrti, 47, is worried about her family because some members worked for the Afghan government. They are afraid to sleep at night, she said.

Dangerous," Nasrti said from London. If the Taliban come into the house, they will kill you.

Like other nations, Britain is trying to evacuate Afghan allies as well as its own citizens from Afghanistan, but with the U.S.-imposed deadline hovering into view, it's a race against time. In addition to the 4,000 or so U.K. citizens, there are thought to be around 5,000 Afghan allies, such as translators and drivers, who are earmarked for a seat on a plane.

As of Wednesday, Britain had managed to get out over 2,000 Afghans and 300 or so U.K. citizens. Since then, Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the U.K. government has evacuated around 1,000 people a day, a lot of them Afghan citizens to whom we owe debts of gratitude and honor.

The British government has also announced a refugee settlement program that would allow up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans, primarily women and children, to seek sanctuary in the U.K. in the next few years, including 5,000 this year. The total for this year is in addition to the Afghan allies who Britain is trying to evacuate now.

Critics argue the plan is not bold enough and does not come close to matching Britains share of the responsibility for Afghan workers.

Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi, founder and director of the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association, is one of those who thinks Britain should be more ambitious. He said his group has received hundreds of emotional telephone calls from people in Afghanistan, including vacationing British Afghans caught up in the chaotic turn of events.

Those people will face a serious humiliation, persecution and torture by the Taliban just because they were working with Western organizations," Nasimi said.

He knows exactly what they are experiencing since he left Afghanistan with his young family when the Taliban were in charge in 1999.

For Qadria Saeedi, a 38-year-old outreach worker who has helped Afghan women settle in the U.K., the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban conjures up particularly awful memories. She remembers the horrors of life under the Taliban's first incarnation in the 1990s before she left the country at 19.

"Im fully stressed right now," said Saeedi, who is particularly worried about her brother and sister in Afghanistan. "Because it is really hard when I remember their faces (of Taliban fighters) and the way they dress up. Its really scary, its horrible.

Saeedi had promised her father that she would go and visit him in Afghanistan this year.

Unfortunately, I dont think I will see him again, she said.

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Follow all AP stories on developments in Afghanistan at https://apnews.com/hub/Afghanistan.
Our business, Lifestyle Garment Care (formerly Roth Cleaners), is permanently closing Friday, Aug. 27. It's hard to imagine that any industry was hit harder by the impact of COVID than the dry cleaning industry (restaurants and daycare are close). When people began working from home instead of the office, the need for the services we offer, and the skill sets we possess, fell off a cliff. We've brained-stormed over the past 14 months with some of the brightest industry minds in the country and have been unable to come up with any sustainable strategies. Final closing details can be found on the Lifestyle Garment Care Facebook page.

Roth Cleaners opened right before the stock market crash in 1929 and survived the Depression. Synthetic fibers killed a third of the industry in the 60's. Casual wear trends caused the number of cleaners in Michigan to drop from 1,472 in 1994 to 614 in 2016. Not a good trend even before COVID. My dad purchased Roth Cleaners in 1977. Through the mid-80's Dad and I worked 60+ hour weeks and we lived on very little income, always re-investing. Yet, we were happy. We loved what we did, constantly pursued being the best drycleaner in the state, and developed a father/son relationship few in our society get a chance to experience. I learned that there are things in life that are worth far more than money. My parents also taught me about the roles faith, trusted relationships and giving back needed to play in my life. In 1985 I left the business to pursue a different career and came back in 1992 to buy the business from my dad.
Photo: (Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Delta variant surge among the unvaccinated has some parents anxious that they have resorted to faking their kids' age to get COVID-19 vaccine under 12 years old, reports stated.

A mom in Phoenix tried to slip her 10-year-old daughter into their local pharmacy's vaccination rollout to get a Pfizer vaccine despite its approval only for children 12 years and older. The mother told USA Today that her daughter is immunocompromised and believes that having her vaccinated will keep her safe. She also had her 14-year-old daughter get the jab.

"After my daughters, my concern is me," the mom said. "If they get it and pass it on and I'm hospitalized or dead, my kids are in trouble."

The mother is a single parent who works as a financial advisor. She said that she's an ethical person, but her daughter's lack of mask mandate has made her consider breaking the rules.

Read Also: Oklahoma School Board Member Says Sorry for Saying Kids Will' Murder Each Other' Without Face Masks

According to Dr. Sean O'Leary of the Children's Hospital in Colorado, parents' anxiety is understandable considering the breakthrough cases and the Delta variant surge. However, going outside the line by faking their kids' age is not a justifiable act.

Safety for the Patients

O'Leary, also part of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), said that vaccine safety is the number one consideration for any patient. For now, experts like him believe that the risks will outweigh the benefits if the COVID-19 vaccine under 12 years old is administered because it has yet to receive a green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

However, the AAP has recently written to acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock to emphasize the urgency of authorizing COVID-19 vaccine under 12 years old. The AAP said that the FDA must work aggressively for the approval as the Delta variant has "created a new and pressing risk" for the unvaccinated younger population.

Some pediatricians said that they had parents asking for vaccines. However, without approval, they had to turn down the requests. According to the experts, more studies are needed for children under 12 as they require "unique dose" and "unique timing" in between shots.

The clinical trials currently undertaken by Pfizer and Moderna will provide the data and recommendation, but those have not yet been released to the public. Pfizer, however, expects to have its data ready for the FDA by September, while Modern expects a fall or early winter release.

Per FDA standards, the pharmaceutical companies will also have to provide follow-up data covering four to six months to ascertain the vaccine's safety. In clinical trials for adults, the FDA requested a two-month follow-up data as adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are expected to appear within a month or two after the vaccination. However, in children's cases, the FDA required a longer timeline mainly to appease the parents' anxieties.

Parents Prefer Mask Mandates

A recent survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 58 percent of parents whose kids are between 12 to 17 years old said they don't believe schools should have a vaccine mandate. Instead, 62 percent said that schools must require everyone to wear a mask.

Of this survey, 41 percent of the parents of kids above 12 years old said that their children had been vaccinated. However, 88 percent of the parents admitted that they are concerned about the long-term effects of the vaccination, while 79 percent said that they are worried about the more severe side effects of the vaccine on their kids. Meanwhile, 12 percent of the parents said that their children openly wanted the jab.

Related Article: Parents Nervous and Worried As School Resumes Amid Delta Variant Surge in the U.S
Photo: (Photo : PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images)

A mother based in Salt Lake City, Utah, has a massively popular TikTok video where she showed that she leaks breast milk from her armpit. Lindsay White has two kids between the ages of 9 and 4, and she is due to give birth to a third baby in October, which partly explains why she's beginning to lactate.

However, nearly five million viewers of her Tiktok video have been amazed that she could express breast milk from her right armpit. She explained to her viewers that she started noticing a huge lump on her pits and was surprised when something came out when she tried to squeeze the lump.

White asked her doctor if she has a third nipple, but she was told that this isn't unusual for some pregnant and lactating mothers. Her doctor then discussed the Tail of Spence, roughly a part of the body's anatomy that extends the breast tissues into the axilla (armpits).

Read Also: Mastitis Complications: Prevention Tips Shared as Lauren Burnham Suffers Infection

What is a Tail of Spence?

Priscila Medina, a board-certified lactation consultant, told Buzzfeed News that breast milk could be squeezed from the armpits because the milk glands work similarly to sweat glands. Both run on the same line of tissues that goes from the armpit to the groin.

The Tail of Spence, which was named after Scotland surgeon James Spence, covers the upper lateral quadrant of the body with the breast and the armpits. For pregnant moms, the tissues in the Tail of Spence could facilitate swollen and leaky "milk pits" and breasts, especially when they start producing milk in the second or third trimester of their pregnancy.

In the majority of the cases, mothers won't know that they have leaky milk pits until then. However, in White's case, her doctor said that she was "lucky" to have milk squirting out of her armpits because other moms tend to develop clogged ducts, which could lead to mastitis.

White did say that she experienced leaky milk pits with her first two kids, but they weren't as large as the one she developed for her third pregnancy. She admitted, however, that the swelling can be painful, and this is her biggest gripe about her whole experience.

Medina said that, as with typical breast engorgement, expressing the milk will usually prevent the pain. Frequently massaging the sore spot may also provide relief, alongside a doctor-prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. When White starts breastfeeding her newborn, Medina expects that the armpit leaks will go away.

A Case in Portugal

Meanwhile, doctors in Portugal have recently encountered a mother who had leaky milk pits a few days after she gave birth. They diagnosed her condition as polymastia, which means that she has an accessory or supernumerary breast tissue, also known as a third nipple. It is a more complicated case than developing a milk line in the armpits, as in White's case.

According to studies, only two to six percent of women around the world may have polymastia, and it could be detected during routine breast cancer screenings. Experts say that this happens because of hormonal changes in the body.

Surprisingly, however, even men can develop supernumerary breast tissue, especially if it runs in the family. These may appear like moles, freckles, or even a dimple if it doesn't look like a regular nipple.

Related Article: Baby Formula Recall: 76,000 Units Flagged for Iron Insufficiency
Photo: (Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Popular kids' chain store Toys 'R' Us is making a comeback in 2022 after securing a partnership with Macy's equally popular department store.

In a shop-in-shop arrangement to revitalize the toy company, Toys 'R' Us plans to open at 400 Macy's Department Stores. It has begun selling its inventory at Macy's website after new owner WHP Global bought the toy company from Tru Kids Inc. in March 2021.

According to WHP Global's statement, Toys 'R' Us will be revived as a global network with a digital platform after Tru Kids Inc.'s failed attempt. In 2019, the company bought Toys 'R' Us in a liquidation sale with plans to build at least 12 standalone outlets in the U.S. However, Tru Kids Inc. was only able to open two stores in Texas and New Jersey, which also shut down in January 2021 due to the pandemic.

Read Also: Baby Formula Recall: 76,000 Units Flagged for Iron Insufficiency

The Millennial Moms Market

Macy's partnership with Toys 'R' Us has been seen as a good move as it tries to compete with other department store giants like Walmart, Kohl's, and Target, which have their shop-in-shop arrangements. Most recently, Target has partnered with Apple (gadgets) and Ulta (makeup) to open the shop-in-shop concept at a dozen outlets, while Kohl's plans to open Sephora (makeup) stores across 70 stores in the U.S. Target had the iconic toy shop on its website for a short period, but its arrangement with Tru Kids Inc. fizzled in 2020.

However, Macy CEO Jeff Gennette said that having Toys 'R' Us will make the department store more appealing to millennial mothers. Based on their studies, when young moms come to their stores to shop for toys, they make additional purchases of higher-margin items.

Macy also said that their toys department sales had grown exponentially in the pandemic year because parents are looking for different toys to keep their children entertained during the lockdown. Since introducing Toys 'R' Us at its online shop, Macy also saw a 20 percent uptick in new online customers.

History of Toys 'R' Us

Charles Lazarus opened Toys 'R' Us more than 70 years ago and expanded with over 1,000 stores to become the only toy store chain nationwide. The company also branched to baby items and children's clothes with Babies 'R' Us and Kids 'R' Us.

Soon, the company license and franchised over 600 stores in 29 countries like Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Spain, and the United Kingdom. It also had a partnership with Amazon.com at the height of its online popularity in the early 2000s.

Lazarus, a Washington, D.C. native, developed his entrepreneurial skills at his father's bike shop, selling baby furniture after the war. Amid the baby boom during the period, Lazarus' customers also asked if he had kids' toys, so he started stocking the shop's inventory with stuffed animals and rattles.

His father's bike shop was changed to Children's Supermart and was quite successful that Lazarus was able to open another shop in Maryland in 1957, which he named Toys 'R' Us. A few years down the road, Lazarus sold his profitable business to Interstate Stores Inc., a department store company, but he continued to run the toys' division. In the 1970s, Lazarus took over as the president and CEO of Interstate Stores Inc., which became Toys 'R' Us Inc.

By the 1980s, Toys 'R' Us became the go-to store for kids' toys all over the U.S. and continued to dominate this market until the new millennium. In 2018, just as his famous company went into liquidation, Lazarus died at the age of 94.

Related Article: 'Surprise' Stimulus Check Payment of $8,000 Due for Families With Kids Under 13
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Bill Maher, one of the most conceited TV personalities alive today, lashed out at Apple on Friday's show. According to Maher, "Apple should admit that the problem with their phones isnt just what people store on them. Its that they make people into assh*les. No other device has ever commanded our attention the way a smart phone does."

Maher reeled off a litany of smartphone-related drawbacks, from transfixed users staying awake far too late at night to children being exposed to a world of pornography to people obsessing over the perfect selfie rather than taking in a beautiful view.

"Phones make people live fake live. Its more important to get a picture of you having a good time than actually having a good time." More importantly Maher added: "Phones make people bullies. Angrier. More vitriolic. More racist online than they would ever dream of being if they had to say those things to someones face. The phone made us passive-aggressive to our friends and hyper-aggressive to total strangers. Even texting is too confrontational now for most people, he said. We dont engage with our friends. We just walk awayjust ghost them."

Yes Mr. Maher, before Apple introduces their new iPhone 13 at an event in September, Apple's CEO will finally admit publicly that they're sorry for turning over a billion people into giant assh*les. Ha! What a nutcase.

Maher even went one step further. We're supposed to believe that Maher is against child pornography but his personal privacy is far more important. I mean, why help defend children from being abused, kidnapped, raped and killed for thrills and profit?. Why would anyone want to help kids, Bill?

Maher used his "New Rules" segment on Real Time to decry Apples announcement that it would soon scan users phones for child pornography. Maher repeatedly said that he was against pedophilia [ha!], but also against invasion of privacy. Yet at the end of the day, invasion of privacy is all that mattered to Maher.

Fake News: Apple is scanning photos in iCloud, not iPhones. This was clarified in a WSJ interview earlier this month. A clip from that interview is presented below. The full video could be viewed here

Deadline's report lastly noted that Maher called Apples move a "blatant constitutional breach."

In the big picture, one has to keep in mind that in 2020 an amended anti-child porn bill passed by the U.S. Senate committee that allows federal and state claims against internet companies if they host child pornography. It would appear that Apple is attempting to comply with Senate's ruling.

San Francisco Dr. charged with Possessing Child Porn on iCloud

It's being reported today that Apple's CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) has caught its first predator amid the controversy surrounding the system. Federal authorities reported that a doctor from San Francisco had been charged with possessing child pornography. The doctor is said to have stored the explicit images in his iCloud account.

On Aug. 19, the US Department of Justice announced that the 58-year-old doctor, Andrew Mollick, had 2,000 sexually exploitative images and videos of minors stored in his iCloud account.

According to healthgrades, Mollick is an oncology specialist affiliated with several Bay Area medical facilities. He is also an associate professor at UCSF School of Medicine.

Two thumbs up for Apple for having the courage to take a stand against the child pornography industry. This particular case goes to show how even a highly respectful doctor could be caught up in this depraved behavior that supports a sick industry worldwide.

In 2019, the NY Times posted a report titled "The Internet is Overrun With Images of Child Sexual Abuse. What Went Wrong?" The report notes that "The images are horrific. Children, some just 3 or 4 years old, being sexually abused and in some cases tortured.

Pictures of child sexual abuse have long been produced and shared to satisfy twisted adult obsessions. But it has never been like this: Technology companies reported a record 45 million online photos and videos of the abuse in 2018. Yet the explosion in detected content has kept growing  exponentially."

At the end of the day, Apple may be successful assisting the government catch individuals who buy and store child pornography in iCloud, like they did with Dr. Mollick. However, over time, these sick individuals will simply restrict their child pornography to their iPhones and iPads and just not upload their photo library to iCloud. So the controversy over this matter as it stands today is completely overblown.

Our cover graphic is from a Canadian report on Child Pornography on the internet. The Canadian Government wants to go much further. They're proposing legislation to amend the Criminal Code to make the refusal to provide a password or encryption code upon judicial order a criminal offence. The Canadian Government is aiming to search an individual's smartphone, not just cloud accounts if suspected of being involved with child porn or storing it on a phone. Other countries won't be far behind on this issue.
Toyota is to slash worldwide vehicle production by 40% in September because of the global microchip shortage.



The world's biggest carmaker had planned to make almost 900,000 cars next month, but has now reduced that to 540,000 vehicles.



Volkswagen, the world's second-biggest car producer, has warned it may also be forced to cut output further.



The Covid pandemic boosted demand for appliances that use chips, such as phones, TVs and games consoles.



On Thursday, German firm Volkswagen, which cut output earlier in the year, told Reuters: "We currently expect supply of chips in the third quarter to be very volatile and tight.



"We can't rule out further changes to production."



Toyota's other rivals, including General Motors, Ford, Nissan, Daimler, BMW and Renault, have already scaled back production in the face of the global chip shortage.



Until now, Toyota had managed to avoid doing the same, with the exception of extending summer shutdowns by a week in France the Czech Republic and Turkey.



New cars often include dozens of microchips but Toyota benefited from having built a larger stockpile of chips - also called semiconductors - as part of a revamp to its business continuity plan, developed in the wake of the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami a decade ago.



The decision to reduce output now has been precipitated by the resurgence of coronavirus cases across Asia hitting supplies.



The company will make some cuts in August at its plants in Japan and elsewhere.



The bulk of the cuts - 360,000 - will come in September and affect factories in Asia and the US.



In the UK, Toyota has a car plant at Burnaston, in Derbyshire, and an engine plant on Deeside. In a statement, it said: "Toyota is going to great lengths to minimise the impact of the semi-conductor supply shortage that is globally impacting the automotive industry.



"In terms of our UK production operations, we are currently operating as planned at both plants."

The aim for Toyota as a whole is to make up for any lost volume by the end of 2021.

Source: BBC









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Member of Parliament(MP) for Anyaa-Sowutuom constituency, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi has called for early negotiations between the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and government to avoid any industrial action by the doctors.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has given the government up to September 30, 2021 to settle outstanding arrears to its members or face a strike action.



In a communique issued after a National Executive Council meeting, the Association says the strike will begin from October 1, 2021 with the suspension of Outpatient-services and October 15th will be for the complete withdrawal of all their services if their demands are not met.



Withdrawal of all in-patient services will begin the following week (effective Friday 8th October 2021) if all the issues are still not completely resolved, the communique read.



General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Justice Yankson, also in an interview with Citi FM, added that the doctors have been more than magnanimous enough and the government should be able to honour its commitment".



Speaking on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Dr. Adomako Kissi advised the government to hold talks with the doctors and address their issues before the deadline for the strike.



"The dialogue must start early before October 15th because any life we lose is irreplaceable . . . the cost of one life far outweighs any amount of money in this world."





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday launched an academic journal for the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College GAFCSC) to be a channel for communicating academic knowledge locally and internationally.



The journal, known as "The African Journal of Defence, Security and Strategy" was compiled and edited by the College and is the first-ever academic journal developed by a military college in the West African sub-region.



It would help in broadening the scope of academic frontiers of the military to meet the dynamics in security and intelligence-related issues.



Vice President Bawumia, who was the Special Guest at the 2021 joint graduation of Senior Staff Course 42 and Master of Science Degree in Defence and International Politics of GAFCSC in Accra, officially launched the Journal to climax the ceremony.



The Vice President acknowledged the immeasurable contribution of the College to existing knowledge and scholarship since its inception in 1963, not just in the field of defence and security but to the general Public Service practices.



He believed the journal would contribute towards addressing evolving and contemporary African challenges.



He lauded the College's plan to introduce Philosophy Programme in Defense and International Politics and a Masters' Programme in Security Studies.



In all, 81 students graduated, comprising 59 military officers and 22 allied students from some sister countries including Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo, Benin and Sierra Leone.



Seventy-two (72) out of the 81 graduates received Past Staff Course 42 Master of Science in Defence and International Politics and the rest were awarded Master of Science Degree in Defence and International Politics after undergoing 11-month intensive training.



Some of the graduates were civilians from the various public and private institutions including the Electoral Commission, Ministry of Information, Electricity Company of Ghana, the Chronicle News Paper, Asaase Radio and the Ghana Education Service.



Vice President Bawumia observed that terrorism and piracy was a major security threat in Africa and required collaboration among respective African countries to fight and eliminate it.



Dr Bawumia said the security and peace of the sub-region and Africa as a whole rested on their shoulders and urged them to work collaboratively to sustain the peace and stability of the continent.



Dr Bawumia urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the College and exhibit the military traits of discipline and punctuality and remain focused and be agents of change in their respective institutions and society as a whole.







Source: GNA









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Kingsair Travel and Tours has hosted survivors of the United States' 1921 Tulsa race massacre.



The two African-American survivors of the century-old Tulsa Race Massacre recently visited Ghana with their grandchildren to connect with their motherland.



Viola Fletcher, aged 107, known as Mother Fletcher, and her brother Hughes Van Ellis, 100, known as Uncle Red, are from the district of Greenwood in the Oklahoma city of Tulsa.



In 1921, a mob of armed white folks carried out the massacre against Blacks.



The visit of the two survivors to Ghana was aimed at helping them to replace the 100 years of bad memories with knowledge of positive developments in their "motherland".



Their trip to Ghana was organized by H.E Dr Erieka Bennett Founder, Head of Mission Diaspora African Forum.



Kingsair Travel & Tours was responsible for handling the entire logistics for their visit



CEO and MD of Kingdom Exim Group of Companies, Dr James Rajamani and Dr Immanuel Rajamani, had the privilege to meet and extend their best wishes and some Souvenirs to Mother Fletcher, Uncle Redd and their entourage at La Palm Beach Resort.



Persons who attended the event expressed that it was indeed a great pleasure for them to have met Mother Viola Fletcher and Uncle Redd.



Mother Viola Fletcher and Uncle Redd are believed to be the Oldest Living 1921 Tulsa Oklahoma, USA Massacre Survivor.



History of the Tulsa Massacre



On May 31, 1921, a group of Black men went to the Tulsa courthouse to defend a young African-American man accused of assaulting a white woman. They found themselves facing a mob of hundreds of furious white people.



Tensions spiked and shots were fired, and the African Americans retreated to their neighbourhood, Greenwood.



The next day, at dawn, white men looted and burned the neighbourhood, at the time so prosperous it was called Black Wall Street.



In 2001, a commission created to study the tragedy concluded that Tulsa authorities themselves had armed some of the white rioters.



Historians say that as many as 300 African American residents lost their lives, and nearly 10,000 people were left homeless in the 1921 incident that drew the white against the black.



About Kingsair travel and tour



KingsAir travel and tour is a subsidiary of Kingdom Exim Group of Companies, a leading agro-based conglomerate.



About Kingdom Exim Group



The Kingdom Exim Group has been in existence since 2008, operating mainly in the Bono, Bono East, Ahafo, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, and Savannah Region.



As a leading agro-based company, the Group liaises with farmers of tree crops such as Raw cashew Nuts shea-nut, soya bean, maize, among others.



CSR



Over the years, the Group has undertaken a number of corporate social responsibility initiatives  drilling boreholes, providing materials for farmers, and providing food during the Covid 19 in the Tema Metropolis, supporting the Tema Regional police with PPEs, barricades, hand sanitisers, liquid soap, support to Tema East Constituency during the Covid-19 pandemic, donation made at the Techiman North District Assembly during the Covid-19 pandemic, donation made to the Queen Mother's in areas of the Eastern Region during the Covid 19 pandemic etc.



Awards



The works of the Kingdom Exim Group have widely gained recognition, helping the group to win several awards  both locally and internationally.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Armed robbers have shot and killed a teacher at Derma, a tomato-growing community in the Tano South Municipality of the Ahafo Region.



The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered the robbers stormed the Derma town on the eve of Friday, August 20, 2021, attacked and robbed a mobile money merchant of GHC200,000.



In the process, Fareed Adu Gyamfi, a tutor at the Derma Senior High School was shot at close range and he died later at the Derma Health Health Centre.



Another basic school teacher was also shot and he is said to be in critical condition at the health centre.



The two teachers, GNA learnt were doing mobile money transactions when the robbers attacked the vendor.

Source: GNA









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Former President John Mahama has urged government to allow the new Special Prosecutor to work without interference.

Government, he said, must also ensure that the Office is given all the support to undertake its work.



The new Special Prosecutor, Kissi Adjabeng, was sworn into office earlier this month. His appointment follows the resignation of Martin Amidu, who accused and described the President as the Mother Serpent of corruption.



Responding to a question during an engagement with journalists in Tamale on Thursday, Mr. Mahama recounted the complaints of the previous Special Prosecutor that prevented him from doing his job effectively and expressed the hope that the new one will get the needed cooperation.



The first Special Prosecutor did not get the kind of cooperation he needed to be able to do the work that he had been given. We heard him complain about funding of the office, in terms of logistics and finance to recruit the kind of personnel that he needed to do the job, the former President said.



We also heard many complaints where the executive and the political establishment had attempted to interfere in his job. The beauty of the Special Prosecutor is the independence of the office and his ability to investigate corruption notwithstanding whose ox is gored. When you take that independence away, it robs the office of its usefulness, he stressed, adding we hope that those things will be corrected under this new Special Prosecutor.



Mr. Mahama maintains that what will determine whether Mr. Agyabeng will be successful or not will depend on how he is able to investigate and prosecute corruption cases that have come up within the last 5 years involving appointees of the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia government.



I hope that he will move that expertise and brilliance into the job of investigating corruption across board the fact that this particular President and government appointed you, are you going to be able to cut through that and be able to go into investigating acts of corruption that are taking place, not only under the government but with people who are very close to the centre of power? That will determine whether he is successful or not he concluded.



Former President Mahama is in the third of a scheduled 16-Region tour to thank Ghanaians for the support given him and the NDC, and voting for him and the NDCs parliamentary candidates in the December 2020 elections.





Source: starrfmonline.com









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This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. Public Safety Canada says it has approved a request for help from the Northwest Territories as the territory deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NIAID-RML via AP
ALEXANDRIA, Va.  In late 2018, a behemoth fuel facility at the Savannah River Site was axed. Its cancellation, enabled by a court ruling and promises of saving billions of dollars, marooned more than a decade of work and vexed a clutch of South Carolina politicians.

What remained was a shell: a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility that was partially built and would eventually be secured and preserved, like an insect suspended in amber.

In the years that followed, the federal government began seriously pursuing a nuclear weapons mission  the crafting of warhead components known as plutonium pits  using the MOX skeleton as a springboard. That effort continues today, and at a clip some have likened to the Cold War or the Manhattan Project, the odyssey that birthed the nuclear age.

But where MOX failed, the Palmetto State pit factory will not, according Michael Thompson, a National Nuclear Security Administration executive. While bilateral friction and higher-level policy choices hamstrung the reactor fuel project, its a different matter when it comes to the plutonium cores and the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility, Thompson argued earlier this month.

The one thing I would say to the people in and around the community is  MOX was an international agreement with the Russians that, essentially, they didnt want to agree to over time, and we didnt, for different reasons, Thompson said, pivoting to pits: This is an internal, U.S. military requirement driven by the Strategic Command commander saying, We need this product. And to me, thats the big difference.

The Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility was a child of the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement, a U.S.-Russia plutonium disposal pact now in purgatory. (Russian President Vladimir Putin years ago announced Moscow was suspending its implementation of the PMDA. A 2020 arms control report published by the State Department noted neither the U.S. nor Russia had violated the agreement.) MOX was, as Thompson summarized, an international treaty driver. Pit production isnt.

We bring with us to the table, and start the discussion with, the military requirement that has not changed in many years, the NNSA executive said at the Nuclear Deterrence Summit. And it wont change.

Federal law mandates the fabrication of 80 plutonium cores by 2030  a deadline that will be blown past, according to the best available information. The planned Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site will likely come to fruition years after 2030, and a second pit production site, at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, cant close the gap.

Even with a potential surge in production at Los Alamos, there remains uncertainty about that capability, especially with their history of outages, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, told the Aiken Standard earlier this year. I plan on continuing frequent dialogue with both NNSA officials and military leadership to address the best strategy to mitigate this risk.

Wilsons district includes the Savannah River Site and all of Aiken County. The senior House Armed Services Committee member in March pushed President Joe Biden to prioritize long-overdue investments required for the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration.

We are at a critical juncture to ensure that DOD and NNSA nuclear programs are maintained and executed on time, reads the letter Wilson and other lawmakers signed. Our nations security and the security of our allies and partners depend on it.

Once manufactured, the sought-after pits are bound for the nations massive  but aging  nuclear arsenal. That sort of inward responsibility, upgrading the nations prized atomic sword and shield, is the key differentiator, Thompson suggested this month. Because the pit quota is a military requirement, and because it has not changed, he said, we are pulling out all the stops, if you will, and coming up with all viable options to satisfy it.

Were not throwing in the towel, but we are realistic, Thompson said. Our current planning suggests that we wont make 2030, but were going to do everything we can to get 50 pits a year at Savannah River in the early 30s.

The U.S. has lacked the means to manufacture plutonium pits in significant volumes since the raid, and subsequent razing, of the Rocky Flats Plant in Colorado. The famine has amplified the pressure now being shouldered; Adm. Charles Richard, the leader of U.S. Strategic Command, in April told Congress that failing to jumpstart pit production risks catastrophic failures given an infrastructure incapable of responding in a timely manner.

Bottom line, Richard testified, re-establishing plutonium pit production is a must do and is foundational to stockpile modernization.
Moncks Corner, SC (29461)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable.
One of Charleston's top-rated restaurants has temporarily shut down, citing an inability to hire enough staff in a high-profile example of the labor shortage plaguing the hospitality industry.

Charleston Grill, the signature fine-dining restaurant in the lobby of Belmond Charleston Place, is closed through the month of August. The stated reason was "an ongoing shortage of highly trained and experienced staff," according to a statement from the downtown hotel's management.

"Despite our strong desire to continue with our service, we cannot compromise on the quality that our valuable guests have come to expect from us," Belmond Charleston Place said in the statement.

All diners whose reservations were affected have been contacted.

A webpage for the restaurant, which bills it as "one of the most esteemed" in the city, warns visitors of the temporary closure. A reopening date will be announced "in due course."

Charleston Grill is expected to reopen Sept. 1, a spokesperson confirmed. The restaurant is typically open Wednesday to Sunday.

Aug. 1 was the last day the restaurant had meal service.

Much like the large hotel and retail complex it's housed in, Charleston Grill is a high-end mainstay of the downtown visitor scene. It's one of a handful of restaurants in the city with a AAA Four Diamond rating and a Forbes Four Star Award.

Charleston Place, which at 434 rooms is by far the largest on the peninsula, is in the process of changing hands. It's currently owned by France-based LVMH Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, which bought the entire Belmond portfolio of hospitality properties in 2019.

In June, the luxury conglomerate said that "as part of the company's long-term strategy," it was looking into selling Charleston Place.

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On Aug. 5, Beemok Capital, which invests the personal fortune of local philanthropist and business owner Ben Navarro, said it had struck a deal to purchase it for an undisclosed amount and make it the flagship asset of its recently formed hospitality division.

The transaction has not closed, and Belmond is still managing the hotel and its dining and retail venues.

Like dozens of other hospitality ventures that closed due to safety concerns, Charleston Grill shut down earlier on in the COVID-19 pandemic starting last March. The closure lasted several months, until October.

When the restaurant reopened, it did so without longtime general manager Mickey Bakst, who'd announced the month prior that he was retiring. He'd been with the restaurant since 2004, and his work there and throughout the community earned him the reputation of being Charleston's "unofficial mayor."

Bakst had told The Post and Courier at the time that the ways COVID-19 would change his job had prompted the decision to leave. Having to practice social distancing instead of greeting customers with hugs didn't feel right.

I couldnt see ending my career doing it that way," Bakst had said.

This latest shutdown indicates that, while diners are back, the staffing issues plaguing Charleston hotels and restaurants haven't let up.

Demand at hotels and restaurants this summer has been strong  as strong or even stronger, in some cases than it was pre-pandemic  but the inability to hire enough staff has held some businesses back. Some hotels have opted to limit occupancy and charge more per room because they're short-staffed, while restaurants have limited hours or modified menus.

Charleston Grill isn't alone in closing the doors because of a lack of staff. Last week, Columbias Lizards Thicket restaurant temporarily shut down one location and moved the staff to other sites in the local chain. In June, a North Charleston pizzeria called it quits permanently due to staffing shortcomings.

Charleston Place's statement included the assurance that Charleston Grill's closure is temporary.
Air Force Capt. Gary Jaffe watched on TV as the Taliban captured Kabul and thousands of refugees poured into the grounds of Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Unlike many Americans watching the turmoil unfold, Jaffe had walked those streets in combat boots, trained those Afghan soldiers how to use U.S. weapons and lost fellow servicemen who wanted to make Afghanistan a better place.

The Citadel graduate had spent multiple tours in the region, training the Afghan Army. He was heartbroken to see Kabul collapse.

"I'm disappointed," Jaffe said. "We wanted it more than they did. It didn't surprise me, but I didn't think it would be so quick."

Since his last tour in 2008, Jaffe hoped his work training the country's soldiers to fight the Taliban would have stuck. But, after seeing the swift fall of many of the region's cities in quick succession this month, he wished the Afghan forces would have had or found the will to fight back.

South Carolinas presence in Afghanistan had stretched into two decades. In total, 41 service members from the Palmetto State died in Afghanistan since U.S. boots first touched the ground in 2001, not long after the 9/11 terror attacks that sent them there, according to a review of data from Military Times and iCasualties.org.

Additionally, five graduates from The Citadel who didnt originally hail from the Palmetto State perished serving in the Afghan region.

Capt. Daniel G. McCollum, a Marine, was the first South Carolinian to die during Americas operations in Afghanistan, according to casualty data. The 29-year-old Richland County native was flying in a KC-130 Hercules air tanker on Jan. 9, 2002, when it grazed a mountain peak and caught fire. The aircraft plummeted into a mountainside in southwest Pakistan.

The first South Carolinian to die in combat in Afghanistan was 30-year-old Army Staff Sgt. Tony B. Olaes, a Walhalla resident who served as a Special Forces combat medic.

He died Sept. 20, 2004, when his patrol vehicle was ambushed by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades in Shkin, on the Pakistani border on the very eastern edge of the country. Olaes was the first combat casualty from Oconee County since the U.S. invaded Panama in 1989.

As many Afghanistan veterans reflect on those who didn't make it, the Pentagon issued a list of mental health resources and hotlines for those grappling with the images of the collapse.

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"You are not alone," the Pentagon said in a statement. "Remember that what is happening now does not minimize or negate the experiences of all who served overseas. Countless service members answered the call of duty and did what was asked of them. Service is never for naught."

Retired Army Gen. William Grimsley, secretary of the S.C. Department of Veterans Affairs, said there are many support systems for former service members trying to make sense of what their participation meant.

"There are enormous resources out for people who are frustrated and upset at what is happening," Grimsley said. "These are natural emotions. These men and women have spent their time on a worthy cause."

Danny Cruz, a former S.C. Army National Guard helicopter pilot who saw three deployments to Afghanistan, was glad to hear President Joe Biden promised to remove American forces from Afghanistan.

But, now, after seeing news clips of evacuees running towards C-17s and the Taliban brazenly using U.S. military equipment, Cruz just wishes political and military leaders would have made that call sooner.

"I don't know how to put it into words," Cruz said. "I'm not shocked that it happen so quickly, but it hurts that it took us this long to realize our mission was done and over with."

Cruz doesn't think America's time in Afghanistan was worthless. Far from it. He said he was proud the U.S. was able to provide some humanitarian good to the Afghan people. He is happy that women and children could get a better education in their country when the military oversaw their safety.

And even though he lost friends in the Middle East, he knows their sacrifice was worth it.

For all the veterans trying to make sense of what the fall of Afghanistan means, Jaffe said they need to look back at why they joined up in the first place. For him, it all comes back to service.

"I'd tell veterans this: What you did matters," Jaffe said. "And what we're going to do tomorrow matters. It's always mattered."
Charleston County lost a larger number of Black residents during the past decade than any other county in South Carolina, despite an overall jump in population growth.

And no South Carolina city lost more Black residents than Charleston, the largest city in the state.

In most of the state's other fast-growing cities and counties, every racial and ethnic group had a larger population in 2020 than in 2010. Among the exceptions were coastal Charleston and Beaufort counties, where the Black population declined, and Richland County, where the White population fell.

Fast-growing cities Charleston, Columbia, Mount Pleasant and Greenville, all saw their Black populations decline.

The reasons are myriad. Rents and home prices have soared in Charleston, sending some people in search of more affordable housing in Berkeley or Dorchester counties. It's a trend similar to what's been playing out on the Charleston peninsula, where the population went from being almost two-thirds Black in 1980 to nearly two-thirds White in 2010.

Herman Whitney, 71, is among a shrinking number of African Americans still living on the Charleston peninsula. He grew up on Dewey Street on the West Side, which once had 22 Black-owned homes, he said. Now, there are two.

Whitneys father owned a general store that anchored the corner of Ashley Avenue and Line Street well before the Crosstown carved an enormous gash through this predominantly Black neighborhood, contributing to its economic decline.

Whitney's Saveway was one of many essential small businesses that operated in this upper part of the peninsula where African Americans had established a thriving community during the period of legalized segregation. The area included many retailers, service providers, professional offices and private clubs, such as Mr. B's on Ashley Avenue.

Richard Whitney, an accomplished butcher, had opened the store at the beginning of 1951, and his sisters helped operate it. They sold meats and fresh produce among other items, often on credit, collecting monthly payments from their customers.

"We grew up in that store," Herman Whitney said. Young Herman made deliveries, hauling kerosene tanks to neighbors. "We were a very viable asset to the community."

Millicent Brown and her friends would take their dilapidated books inherited from White schools to the grocery to have Mr. Whitney cover them with butchers paper, obscuring the damage and ink stains and scribble. Then they would draw designs on the newly papered covers to personalize the books and pretend they were worth something.

Johns Island and parts of James Island were considered remote in those days, and their populations consisted mostly of Black people, many of whom could trace their ancestry back generations. On these large islands along the coast, Gullah-Geechee communities coalesced and anchored themselves.

During the 1960s, the decade when schools were desegregated in Charleston, the city saw big demographic shifts as more than half of the White population left the peninsula. Many relocated to the expanding suburbs of West Ashley and James Island, and the city expanded its boundaries to follow them.

The peninsula's Black population hit a 100-year high in the 1960 census and has been falling ever since. After 1960, the peninsula's Black population began a 60-year decline, which accelerated after the 1980 census when the White population on the peninsula began rising, coinciding with the growth of the College of Charleston.

South Carolina's growth has for decades been driven by people moving in from other states, with more affluent White people leading the charge. Most of the growth went to metropolitan and coastal areas, and in many of those areas, the Black population has been falling.

Herman Whitney's grandfather purchased his house in the 1920s for $750. Today, it's worth more than $500,000. Whitney often receives cash offers from people seeking to flip the house on the real estate market, he said. Some recently renovated homes in the area have sold for as much as $900,000, Whitney added. But he has no intention to put his house on the market.

"Aside from the sentimental feeling I have for the house, Id rather my kids get it, and do what they want to do," he said.

Demographic shifts

Charleston County's Black population dropped by 11,700 from 2010 to 2020, and the city of Charleston accounted for a large part of that, with the city's Black population falling by nearly 5,000. Much of the rest happened in unincorporated Charleston County, which includes about half of West Ashley, a large part of Johns Island and much of the county's southern end.

The city of Charleston was roughly an equal mix of Black and White residents 60 years ago. That changed as the city expanded its boundaries and tens of thousands of residents moved in.

In just the last decade, according to the 2020 census, the city gained more than 26,000 non-Hispanic White residents, nearly 3,400 Hispanic residents, and more than 3,600 multi-racial residents for a total population of 150,000. But amid that growth the Black population dropped.

The population change has been especially striking on the peninsula, Johns Island and James Island, according to an analysis of earlier census data by the city.

On Johns Island between 2010 and 2018, Black households declined by 31 percent while White households increased by 64 percent. On the Charleston peninsula, which has seen an explosion of new hotels and apartment buildings, Black households declined by 22 percent from 2010 to 2018 while White households increased by 4 percent during that period.

That trajectory has continued since 2018, as newly released census figures show.

In Charleston County as a whole, the White population has increased from 62 percent in 2000 to nearly 65 percent today. In just the past 10 years, the countys total population has increased by 58,000, to 408,000, driven by an increase of 46,000 Whites, 10,400 Hispanics and 9,100 people of two or more races.

Census statistics on race aren't quite precise because 2020 was only the second time that people could identify themselves as being more than one race, and more than a quarter of South Carolina's population gain over the decade came from non-Hispanic people claiming two or more races. Ethnically Hispanic people can self-identify as Black, White or other races.

In the 2020 Census, South Carolina's multi-racial population grew by more than 125,000, but the overwhelming majority of the state's 5,118,425 residents in 2020  87 percent  reported on the census that they were White or Black, non-Hispanic and not multi-racial.

Still the dominant group

College of Charleston sociology professor Von Bakanic said Charleston in 1940, which then consisted only of the peninsula, was the most integrated city in the U.S., according to a neighborhood study done at the time.

That was because White people owned the house at the street front, and Black people  who often worked as domestic servants  lived in quarters behind the house, she noted. Today, we have affluent White people moving into the center to be close to jobs and shopping, and because properties are more prestigious. Some, she added, are real estate investors seeking to make a profit by renting to tenants, including thousands of college students, or by making upgrades and then immediately selling the property.

Nationally, the population of Whites is in decline, but White people remain the dominant group, even when in some places they are in the numerical minority, she said.

Whitney said his experience confirms this notion.

"White people always decide what happens economically, and always profit," he said.

Most counties throughout the U.S. have become more diverse, and several metro areas  Sacramento, New Orleans, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and Orlando  now have majority non-White populations, according to a New York Times analysis. The non-Hispanic White population nationwide dropped by 5 million during the past decade, its first-ever decline, census data shows.

South Carolina is an outlier. Statewide, it gained 117,000 Hispanics and 216,000 Whites, while losing 11,000 Blacks. These numbers likely are a result of an influx of retirees, as well as students and business professionals. Economic stagnation in rural counties, many of which have large Black populations, also has influenced demographic changes.

During the past decade, Dorchester County gained 25,000 residents  including nearly 10,000 Whites, 4,800 Hispanics, and 3,400 Blacks  and now has a population of 161,500.

Berkeley County gained 52,000 people  including 24,300 Whites, 9,600 Hispanics and 7,800 Blacks  reaching a population of 230,000.

Worth noting is Richland County, which saw changes that were nearly the antithesis of Charleston County. It gained 31,500 residents overall  7,500 Hispanics and 13,600 Blacks  but lost 1,600 Whites. Its total population now is 416,000.

'Change has to happen'

Carolyn Wright-Porcher, 71, lived on Ashton Street until she left for college in 1967. After a career in social work pursued mostly in the Northeast, Wright-Porcher returned to Charleston in 2014 when her father Benjamin Bone Wright died. She moved into one of the family properties on Ashley Avenue at the corner of Noonan Street.

If my fathers house wasnt here, there would be no place for me to live downtown, she said. I could not afford to live downtown."

Shes no stranger to gentrification. Wright-Porcher witnessed lots of it in Harlem, the South Bronx and Brooklyn. Neighborhood improvement generally is welcomed by anyone; its the underlying economic forces pushing people away that bother her most, she said.

I know change has to happen, but it seems to happen without regard for culture and history.

When she was a child in Charleston, she walked with her family every Sunday to church nearby.

More coverage To read more stories in the series about growth and development, go to postandcourier.com/boomandbalance.

Charleston is losing its historic footprint, Wright-Porcher said. Black churches have had to move out of the city because the black congregants have had to move out of the city.

A few Black residents remain in her part of the neighborhood, but most now are White.

Charleston was built by enslaved people, and we lived on this peninsula for hundreds of years, Wright-Porcher said.

Now it has all changed.

Where are the Black people?
A family of Afghan refugees that left ahead of the Taliban's return to power recently took up residence in South Carolina while another family is in the U.S. and will resettle here shortly.

Each is considered the first of many more families and individuals expected in the weeks ahead as tens of thousands of Afghanistan men, women and children attempt to flee in the wake of the country's collapse.

Bedrija Jazic, director of Refugee and Immigrant Services for Lutheran Services Carolinas, which is one of two nonprofits primarily involved in refugee resettlements in the state, said a family of six arrived in the Columbia area a week or two ago.

A separate family of five that recently arrived is at Fort Lee in Virginia going through processing, including for medical needs and COVID-19 screenings, ahead of being resettled in South Carolina, she added.

They will move to Columbia in the next few weeks before arriving at their final destination in the Charleston area.

The families were accepted under the federal government's decade-old Afghan SIV Program, or special immigration visa, which is aimed at helping Afghans who assisted the U.S. military and diplomatic mission over the past 20 years, including as interpreters on the battlefield or in other U.S. programs.

In most cases, the final settlement destination for the refugees is geared to be near a family member or a friend already in the U.S., or to be near a co-worker or someone who may have had a similar job or experience and likewise is here already.

The families' application processes were already in the pipeline ahead of the Taliban's escalated summer moves to reclaim the country in a campaign that was punctuated days ago by the quick capture of major cities before the capital city of Kabul fell a week ago.

Under normal conditions, the process from start to finish can take as long as 13 months and includes filling out multiple forms and getting letters of support and recommendations.

For the refugees it's like "they are coming to a totally new world," Jazic said of their arrival in the United States.

The Greenville office of the state's other major refugee assistance group, World Relief Upstate in SC, could not immediately be reached Aug. 20.

In Afghanistan, tens of thousands of people remain hoping to be evacuated ahead of the Aug. 31 U.S. deadline to withdraw its troops from the country, although the pace had picked up overnight, The Associated Press reported. A defense official said about 5,700 people, including about 250 Americans, were flown out of Kabul aboard 16 C-17 transport planes. On each of the previous two days, about 2,000 people were airlifted.

U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo jets from Joint Base Charleston are involved in the evacuation.

President Joe Biden said Aug. 20 that to date U.S. forces have evacuated 13,000 people since Aug. 14.

This would not be the first time foreign nationals fleeing conflict have been resettled into South Carolina. Among those delivered to the state in recent years by the state Department of Social Services are: Afghan, Belarusian, Burundi, Bhutanese, Burmese, Congolese, Eritrean, Guatemalan, Honduran, Iraqi, Kenya, Moldovan, Somali, Nepali, Rwandan, Salvadoran, Syrian and Ukrainian.

Charleston previously had an Afghan resettlement office that opened in 2016, closing two years later in 2018 as applications dropped off. Jazic said because of recent events in the country and the mass attempts at trying to get out, an application with the State Department will be filed next month to reopen that office, with a target date of Oct 1.

The haphazard nature of the evacuation has drawn strong criticism of the Biden administration from South Carolina political leaders.

"If we leave any Americans behind, or if we leave thousands of Afghans who fought bravely alongside us behind, President Joe Biden deserves to be impeached for a High Crime and Misdemeanor of Dereliction of Duty," U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on Twitter Aug. 20.
North Augusta City Council voted unanimously to pass a resolution directing city staff to file an application request to rezone parts of Georgia Avenue.

Known as the Seven Gables and Flythe properties, located between Butler Avenue and Observatory Avenue, these tracts of land were purchased by the city with the Capital Project Sales Tax on which to build public safety buildings.

Through the ups and downs of debating and voting on the use of this property, City Administrator Jim Clifford walked the council through their findings from concerned citizens and research and recommended the Georgia Avenue site as the new public safety headquarters location.

Mayor Briton Williams also emphasized that staff approached council about this project and gave Clifford a to-do list with the tasks including meeting with nonprofits, citizen input and checking out new locations.

Ive used this analogy as a mailman delivers the mail, but he cant make us read, Williams said. This councils commitment from day one  and we have been faithful to this and that  is to give you, as a citizen, options and formats to voice your concerns to us over the last three and a half months on all city business.

Our commitment is to give you the chance to share with us, Williams continued. That is what we have tried to do during this whole process, and I believe compared to last time we have done it the right way and we are listening to your ideas. We are glad you are sharing the good and bad of how you are feeling.

Other site ideas, such as the community center off of E. Buena Vista and the MEDAC building near the North Augusta Municipal Center, were deemed unfit by staff. This was due to a distaste in renting the public safety building in the MEDAC building and the potentially steep price tag associated with refurbishing already-existing buildings.

Council also received alternative proposals from citizen Dave Leverett that included green spaces, the buildings closer to Georgia Avenue and a courtroom that also functions as a theater.

Council, after hearing from constituents and discussing this project for years, said it wants to move on.

I think we can sit for hours and hours and say why this and why not, Council member Pat Carpenter said. ... We have got to move on as a city. We have got to get this built and like I said, in my book, both of them should have been on that property

Council member Kevin Toole agreed, even changing his position from previous discussion about the site.

This isnt where I wanted the public safety station to go, Toole said. I was pretty clear on that back when we were initially having this discussion, but Im also sick of talking about it and I know that is not a reason to pick a side and go with it. But we have been talking about this for six years and it's hard for me to look public safety officers in the eyes and tell them that we are going to continue to look at other sites and think about other sites."

North Augusta resident Dylan Miller agreed with the financial decision to move the public headquarters to Georgia Avenue.

If the property was bought in 2016, how much longer are you guys going to wait? Miller said. ... but I think for what these guys do and the fact that they are out there protecting us and things like that, they deserve better than that.

Neighbors along Observatory Avenue were polled by resident Mike Hitchler and were on board with the project, with hopes that a buffer and historically accurate facades were in the plans.

The next steps include bringing designs to the planning commission as early as September. From there, residents will be able to speak publicly on the project during city meetings in October.

Other business

 The annexation of 14.3 acres near Edgefield Road off of Exit 5 was unanimously approved. The newly annexed land will be the home of a QuikTrip gas station and convenience store.

 The annexation off of Carriage lane for approximately .5 acres was approved unanimously. Mayor Briton Williams recused himself during this vote.

 The river event deadline is at the end of the month. To submit an idea, visit the city's website.

 The Trash Bash at the Border challenge will be held Sept. 18. This challenge between North Augusta and Augusta is the first ever event to help clean the Savannah River. More information can be found online.

 Council member Eric Presnell encouraged the North Augusta community to get vaccinated after sharing that he had COVID-19 and pneumonia. Anyone that is listening that hasn't gotten the vaccine, please do. I have changed my mind on this thing and once I am able I will go get it, Presnell said. It was the worst sickness I have ever dealt with  and I am a healthy guy  and when I hear somebody I knew, the same age as me, has passed away, it makes you think ... I was out for three weeks and it turned into pneumonia.
Six months after she was suddenly and mysteriously fired, we still have no idea whether Mary Poole did a good or bad job as director of the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. We have no idea what to make of the after-the-fact explanation  which she disputes  that she mishandled a sexual harassment claim against a subordinate.

The questions only multiplied after Ms. Poole filed a lawsuit in June that brought to light a five-page script that four of the commissioners wrote for an open board meeting, an executive session and after the board returned to open session. (a. Commissioner Thomas The question is if this has been kept from the commission, what else has been kept from the commission, by whom and for how long? b. Commissioner Malphrus Why were these things not disclosed to the commission? c. Commissioner Rawlinson It disturbs me greatly that every month this commission seems to be faced with something that's a serious problem.)

Its hard to believe that this was executed by adults in charge of running a state agency that serves South Carolinians with autism, brain and spinal injuries and other intellectual disabilities  and not a plot dreamed up by a bunch of 8-year-old boys who finally got their secret decoder rings in the mail and are trying them out for the first time.

But dont get distracted by the bizarre nature of the firing. That script, complete with alternate lines in case Ms. Poole and the out-of-the-loop board members didnt play their roles as expected, was circulated in a series of email exchanges among the four, who constitute a majority on the board. And that, Circuit Judge Lawton McIntosh ruled Wednesday, violated the state Freedom of Information Act, which prohibits most secret meetings.

As a result, Judge McIntosh declared that Ms. Poole was still director of the agency. And although she wasnt allowed to return to work assuming the board acted promptly to fire her legally  as it did in a special meeting the next day  she was entitled to back pay and benefits for the six months since her illegal firing, along with attorneys fees. The Post and Couriers Seanna Adcox reports that her pay alone would be nearly $90,000.

Its not a lot of money for an agency with an $800 million budget, but its welcome news nonetheless.

Were not celebrating because a state agency is going to have to squander tax dollars paying someone not to work  particularly since the board was perfectly within its rights to fire her, if only its members had been content to obey state law rather than skulking around in secret, plotting out junior-detective schemes.

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Were celebrating because apparently the only way state and local agencies are going to get the message that, yes, South Carolina's open-meetings law really does apply to them is if they have to pay for it.

Efforts to put sharper teeth into the Freedom of Information Act have fallen on deaf ears in a Legislature that has no problems with secret government as long as its decisions comply with lawmakers will. So governing boards  city and county councils, school boards, commissions that run too many state agencies  violate it on a routine basis.

The result is that school boards defy state anti-mask laws without giving the public a clue how they came to that decision, and county councils grant obscene parting gifts to employees without giving the public a clue that the give-away was orchestrated by the recipient, and state agencies suddenly fire a director without giving anyone a clue why she was let go.

Its worth noting that governments consistently lose in court when someone sues them for violating the law. The problem  and this isnt the sort of thing we would normally consider a problem  is that since lawsuits cost money and don't come with a cash payoff for citizens and advocacy groups, government doesn't get sued often enough.

We hope Judge McIntoshs order will give more people the incentive to file lawsuits challenging actions that are plotted out in illegal secret meetings, and encourage public bodies to stop skirting our open-meeting law in the first place.
There can be no question that the men and women who serve the Mount Pleasant community as police officers, firefighters and medical personnel have been undervalued for years.

Mount Pleasant is not on the bottom rung when it comes to tax valuations.

As a nurse, resident and taxpayer, I am shamed by the low value that Mount Pleasant Town Council seems to place on these brave first responders.

At the Aug. 10 Town Council meeting, advocates for firefighters and police officers asked for an increase in the $12 an hour wage, citing issues including low morale, a high turnover rate and staffing shortages.

I stand with these first responders who are calling for an equitable salary.

DONNA SMITH

Farm Quarter Road

Mount Pleasant

Beware bank charges

After reading a recent column by reporter David Slade about overcharges at the grocery store, I would like to remind people that many companies have more hidden charges and errors than you might think.

One of the banks I have an account with is now charging customers $5 for a paper statement in the mail, including senior citizens, who were not charged before.

They have it listed as Neg Balance Transfer on customer statements.

Thats what I call deceptive. I think $5 is excessive. Customers should complain.

I also received a letter from a bank where I have a savings account.

The letter says if I do not make a deposit or contact them within a few days, they will send my money to the state of South Carolina.

Since I was a child, I have had a savings account with the bank, which has been sold more than once until, most recently, it is owned by the corporation that sent me the letter.

This is very unfair and could cause people to suffer a large loss as they might not be able to get their money back from the state. The elderly are at risk. This is a bad policy.

You cant be complacent these days, so verify all your bills.

CLYDE SHOKES JR.

Banbury Court

Charleston

History repeats itself

I was in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968 when the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong clandestinely infiltrated cities and villages in South Vietnam.

Most notably the cities of Saigon and Hue were full of enemy forces, weapons and munitions for a surprise nationwide offensive to begin with the Tet celebration in late January 1968.

They were partially successful in that they actually captured and held Hue City until driven out.

While in control, they inflicted mass executions of the citys residents as well as foreign inhabitants.

This surprise attack resulted in a military defeat for the Viet Cong, but it resulted in the beginnings of a loss of will in the United States government leading toward a gradual drawdown and ultimately total withdrawal from Vietnam.

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Fast forward to 2021 in Afghanistan.

After an announced withdrawal of American military forces, followed by shutting down American military bases and the beginning of an apparently unplanned and uncoordinated rapid withdrawal, Taliban insurgent forces clandestinely infiltrated numerous provincial capitals, including Kabul, the nations capital.

The Taliban captured all of its objectives, including simply walking into the seat of national government.

This time, there is no one to drive them out.

Roman legions occupied far-flung outposts on mostly sedate occupation duty, but this changed when the Huns arrived.

Romes forces trembled and withdrew toward home. Gradually, the empire would fade away.

These examples show that history does repeat itself.

RALPH STONEY BATES

Retired Marine Corps major

Andover Way

Mount Pleasant

Convert car to electric

President Joe Biden is pushing a rapid conversion to electric vehicles in this country.

This presents a golden opportunity to lead by example.

For him to show his commitment to this endeavor, he should convert his 67 Corvette to all-electric drive. There are many companies equipped to do this task.

DENNIS ZABAWA

Pine Cone Court

Ladson

Trust science, doctors

I understand that everyone has the right to choose to receive the vaccination or not.

What I dont understand is the people who decide not to get the vaccination because they dont trust the science or the doctors who promote the value of vaccinations.

Now, a great majority of people hospitalized with COVID-19 are the unvaccinated who didnt trust the science.

Ironically, they now trust the science and the doctors to save their lives.

Dont listen to politicians or your neighbors about vaccinations. Listen to the science and the doctors. You know, the experts who save your life when you cant breathe.

CHRIS ADOLFI

Carriage Ride Lane

Summerville
The board of a Mount Pleasant charter school needs to undergo training, ensure its contracts follow conflict-of-interest policies and stop paying employees out of a company that provided visas to Chinese investors, according to its sponsoring school district.

Those are among the steps Oceanside Collegiate Academy must take to get back in good standing and avoid potential closure, outlined in a "corrective action plan" sent to the school's board Aug. 20 by its sponsor, the Charter Institute at Erskine.

The interim plan will be followed by a more comprehensive one later, Superintendent Cameron Runyan said. His staff is still reviewing the school board's Aug. 16 response to questions involving $1.8 million in spending by Oceanside's for-profit management firm between 2015 and 2020.

That response said all but $31,100 Pinnacle voluntarily reimbursed was justified, and the matter should be resolved.

The board can't review the charter institute's plan until its Aug. 24 meeting, said board member Kira Perdue, noting state law doesn't allow members to meet privately without notice. The discussion will occur during a closed-door part of the already scheduled meeting, she said.

If Oceanside's board disagrees with the plan, it can request a hearing before the institute's board.

Runyan contends the Aug. 16 letter confirms the school board let Oceanside's management company, Pinnacle Charter Academies, improperly run things, rather than the school board controlling its contract with the Florida firm.

He pointed to explanations in the letter that the board "has been informed by Pinnacle" and the board "has recently learned" as proof the board had no knowledge of the issues prior to the institute's inquiry.

"These repeated statements demonstrate the unquestioned reliance the OCA board improperly and dangerously has granted its management company," Runyan wrote in his own letter Aug. 20.

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The corrective plan's 13 requirements include cooperating with any state or federal investigation into a company Pinnacle created to raise money to construct the building for another charter high school it runs in South Carolina: Gray Collegiate Academy in West Columbia.

Questions about Gray Collegiate Academy LP have been referred to federal authorities by both the charter institute and the state inspector general.

The company is potentially abusing an immigration program, called EB-5, that awards visas to foreign investors who create or preserve 10 American jobs, Inspector General Brian Lamkin wrote to Gov. Henry McMaster last month following his limited review of Pinnacle and the three high schools it manages.

The company was created in 2014 to fund the building for Pinnacle's first school, Gray Collegiate. It collected $500,000 each from four Chinese investors, which meant the school had to keep 40 full-time employees for a certain length of time for the investors and their families to receive their green cards, according to Oceanside's explanation attached to its Aug. 16 response.

However, Gray fell short of that threshold by 10 employees. So the payroll for 10 Oceanside teachers was transferred to the limited partnership in January 2019. That required money for their wages, benefits, and taxes to be wire transferred to Gray LP every two weeks, costing between $17.50 and $77.50 in wire transfer fees each time, according to the attachment.

Nothing changed with the amount the employees were paid, and "Pinnacle did not benefit in any way with this payroll change," the attachment read. "In fact, it creates more work for (CFO) Mike Miller since he has to review and create wire transfers each pay period to fund the Oceanside employee payroll paid through Gray LP."

According to the board, the Oceanside and Gray principals approved of the transfer, as did Oceanside's auditing firm.

But the charter institute said that arrangement must end within 60 days, and the 10 employees need to be paid by Oceanside, as required by its operating charter, Runyan wrote.

Other requirements in the interim plan include board training that emphasizes oversight of for-profit management companies, as well as other virtual training with the institute.

The board is supposed to post the corrective plan on its website by Aug. 23, a day before the meeting when it will be discussed.
Charleston Democrat Joe Cunningham will drop the first ad of South Carolina's gubernatorial race cycle by taking aim at GOP incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Governor, instead of fighting this virus with science and facts," Cunningham said in the video first shared with The Post and Courier Aug 21. "You're keeping it alive with conspiracy theories and politics."

The ad will air on cable TV and online starting Monday. While Cunningham's campaign wouldn't disclose the price tag, a spokesman said it was a five-figure ad buy.

McMaster has said the choice to wear masks and get vaccinated should come down to a parent's choice and personal responsibility.

Were not going to shut our state down as other states did, McMaster said in an Aug. 9 press conference. Mandating masks is not the answer. Personal responsibility is the answer. Common sense is the answer. We have an abundance of both in South Carolina.

Cunningham has been a McMaster critic on a variety of issues since the former congressman declared he was running for governor in April.

"Respectfully, step up and do your job," Cunningham says at the end of the ad. "Or step aside for someone who will."

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South Carolinas public health agency recommended Aug. 20 that all schools require masks indoors and urged the Legislature to return for a special session to allow that to happen. The state reported 4,000 new COVID-19 cases Friday.

Cunningham was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2018, making history by flipping South Carolinas coastal 1st Congressional District seat from four decades of Republican control. His tenure in Washington was short-lived.

In 2020, now-U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Charleston, carried the district by 1 percentage point, a margin of 5,000 votes.

Alongside Cunningham on the Democratic side, state Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Columbia, and activist Gary Votour, are also seeking the party's 2022 nomination.

In recent fundraising reports, McMaster had $1.7 million cash-on-hand to Cunninghams $437,000.

S.C. Republican Party Chairman Drew McKissick issued a response to the ad Aug. 23, saying McMaster should be credited for not closing the economy during the crisis and his support for keeping masking decisions in the hands of parents of school children.

"Parents have all the information they need about vaccines and masks to combat COVID-19 and make decisions for themselves and their children," he said. "Like a typical Democrat, Joe wants to focus on mandates instead of personal choice."

This has been updated to include a response from the S.C. Republican Party.
When Jason and Jennifer Schall pack their fishing gear and head to the water, there's a good chance they'll be making a record catch.

That certainly turned out to be the case when they left their Summerville home in late May and began a long drive to Texas to hook up with their friend and guide Bubba Bedre in hopes of landing trophy alligator gar from the Trinity River.

To judge the trip successful would be a major understatement as they now have more than a dozen record catches pending with either the International Game Fish Association or National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, including what could be the heaviest freshwater fish caught by a female angler in the world.

On the last fishing day of their trip (June 12), in the last hour of their fishing time, a monster alligator gar picked up a bait on the smallest outfit they were fishing. It was Jennifer's turn on the rod, and she patiently waited for the fish to work the bait further down its toothy mouth before setting the hook. The battle was on and the monster gave them an indication of its size by tail-walking.

After a 25-minute battle, she managed to get the fish to the side of the boat where Bubba and Jason put a lasso around the head and secured the fish. It was too large to bring into the boat so they headed to shore where they put the fish in a sling, hung it from IGFA-certified scales and got the weight  132 pounds, 6 ounces. It will be a 50-pound women's line class record if approved. And that seems only a formality since the Schalls are well-versed in IGFA protocols and IGFA has posted information about Jennifer's catch on its website.

Jason holds both the men's 16-pound line class record for alligator gar with a 120-pound, 4-ounce catch in 2018 and a fly fishing record with a 13-pound, 4-ounce catch on 2-pound tippet from 2016.

The Schalls, both 47, are a fishing couple. They have known each other since they were 12 and classmates in Summerville before going their separate ways. They reconnected and will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary in October. And not surprisingly, one of their first dates was a fishing trip.

Between the IGFA and National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, Jason has caught nearly 100 record fish and has landed approximately 700 unique species of fish on rod and reel. Including the catches submitted from this particular trip, Jennifer will have 16 world records. She has submitted a paddlefish record caught in Oklahoma from this trip to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

They are members of the Cabelas pro team and conduct fishing seminars at various Cabelas and Basspro locations. They also are certified S.C. Department of Natural Resources fishing instructors and enjoy working with youngsters at fishing clinics.

"Jason is an excellent angler and has gone after this particular fish before for world records but I never have," Jennifer said. "We have been wanting to do a trip to Texas for a long time and finally were able to plan one for this past spring."

Jennifer, who works as a quality manager for a local Navy defense contractor, was unable to fish every day because of work. But she was able to go out for evening trips and on weekends. Jason does product testing for numerous fishing tackle manufacturers.

"It was a good fight. I always play the fish like we're using the lightest line possible. You just play it real careful. I just played it calm and steady. When she would get to the boat and be spooked, we'd do it all over again. It was exciting when we got to shore and got all her measurements and got her well-rested and revived. We made sure she swam off OK," Jennifer said.

Jason explained that they used some rods that are normally used for big catfish and size 80 Okuma bait feeder spinning reels, although this one was caught using an Okuma 65 reel. They spool all their reels with IGFA-class line. He said several times during Jennifer's fight the giant alligator gar would peel off enough line that they could see the knot that attached the line to the reel spool.

"It made for a lot of fun because of the excitement of wondering if you were going to lose all your line," he said.

They used a 9/0 J-hook (an IGFA requirement) with a wire leader of 2 to 3 feet, a barrel swivel, a bead above the swivel to protect a sliding cork from bumping up against it and no weight. The purpose of the sliding cork is to indicate in which direction the fish is moving. For bait they used 12- to 15-inch carp which they caught earlier in the day, cutting the bait in half or thirds depending upon the size of the carp.

Jason said the Trinity River is normally a lighter chocolate color and is pretty slow moving. But they had some record rainfall and the river was above flood stage and some of the pastures and farmland along the river's shoreline was under water, which may have benefited them since they were away from some of the obstructions in the main river channel. They fished in 10 to 15 feet of water.

"When you think about how many people fish all over the world, and how long world records have been maintained for fish, it is really amazing to think that just now, a little woman from Summerville has potentially caught the largest freshwater fish ever recorded in history by a female angler. I'm really excited for her," Jason said.

"We spent two weeks chasing after these prehistoric monsters nearly every day, and wouldn't you know that Jennifer caught her record fish near the end of the very last day. Call it saving the best for last, or hard work finally paying off, or just fate, but it was so much fun to witness."

Carolina Kingfish Classic

Extra Kristi took top honors in the Carolina Kingfish Classic fished out of Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina, landing a 42.7-pound king mackerel. Momma's Money finished second with a 41.6-pound catch and Liqrbox as third with a 38.2-pound catch. Teacher's Pet Too was fourth with a 36.4-pound king mackerel which also won the single outboard category. Mas Pescado finished fifth with a 35.9-pound catch.

America's Boating Club

America's Boating Club Charleston will hold boating safety classes Sept. 11, Oct. 2 and Nov. 6 at 1376 Orange Grove Road, Charleston. The classes begin at 9 a.m. and ends around 4 p.m. Successful participants earn the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Boater Education Card. The cost is $25 for adults and youth 12-18 are free. Call 843-312-2876 or email lynes@tds.net.
ULMER  Angel Brabham didnt follow local government much, not until late 2019 when she began helping her mom keep the books at the familys fourth-generation farm.

One seemingly random day, sitting in her office beneath a sign that read "God made a farmer," she opened the mail. A reassessment notice stared back, one of thousands landing in mailboxes across rural Allendale County.

It took a minute to grasp. In all, her family's properties had received a roughly 32 percent hike. One parcel skyrocketed 194 percent.

Was she missing something? It wasnt like Allendale's property values were soaring. A rural expanse of 9,000 people on the Georgia border, its population had dwindled in recent years, a third of its residents cast into a well of poverty. The median household income hovered around $27,000.

The phone at Connelly Farms soon jangled with calls from other hit-hard farmers.

Despite their shock, they couldn't open the local paper to see what was going on. As the county's population had waned, so went its newspapers. The Citizen-Leader shuttered in 2014, and The Allendale Sun stopped printing the following year.

Allendale County had become the state's first true "news desert."

As local newspapers shrink and shutter, so go the journalistic watchdogs who once informed communities about their public officials' actions. And where the sunshine of accountability dims, wrongdoing flourishes. The Post and Courier's year-long investigation Uncovered has found many instances of government misconduct across South Carolina.

But into any void, something rises. In the absence of robust newspapers, a different kind of watchdog is increasingly stepping up: the gadfly. Like journalists, these citizen watchdogs attend government meetings, request public records and demand answers from public officials.

Unlike journalists, their goal isnt always objectivity. Or fairness. They operate in varying tones of outrage.

Some come armed with self-interest or vendettas, others as strident partisans. Many don't employ restraint or measure. More than a few fixate on single issues. God help you if they get your email address.

Most, like Brabham, just want to improve their communities.

She wasn't born a gadfly. Her metamorphosis began when she tried to appeal the reassessments and found the county didn't have an appeals board in place. She couldn't find its budget online. No meeting minutes either. And when she called the state to get Allendale County's annual financial audit, she discovered it was almost two years overdue.

Frustrated, she attended a budget workshop. It quickly became clear that nobody on council knew how much money the county had on hand. Even the treasurer couldn't say.

Brabham left stunned. A former school guidance counselor, she was no accountant. But none of that sounded good.

She was about to discover just how bad things had become without the watchdogs watching.

Dean of gadflies

The notion of a gadfly has existed for more than 2,000 years. The Greek philosopher Socrates described himself as one, referencing the tenacious insect (think horsefly) that bites the hindquarters of a much larger beast. With piercing questions, he challenged the people of his native Athens to snap from their intellectual apathy.

I rouse you. I persuade you. I upbraid you. I never stop lighting on each one of you, everywhere, all day long, Socrates said, according to his student Plato. In fact, Socrates irritated Athenians enough that a jury sentenced him to death, likely by drinking poison hemlock.

As millennia passed, the term stuck.

If South Carolina ever had a dean of gadflies, it was Edward Ned Sloan Jr. He died in 2020 after devoting a long retirement to prying public records loose and forcing public officials to adhere to their own laws.

Sloan wore a gold gadfly pin on his lapel when his lawsuits made it to the state Supreme Court. Former Chief Justice Jean Toal called him the courts favorite gadfly.

He loved it.

Over several decades, Sloan filed more than 100 lawsuits against public officials and entities  including then-Gov. Mark Sanford, Friends of the Hunley, Clemson University and the state Legislature. Unlike most citizens, and even many newspapers today, he had the financial means to do so.

A Citadel graduate and engineer, he had run his familys road-paving business, then sold it when he retired. From his home in Greenville, hed also watched local newspapers struggle.

He knew that his kind of lawsuits were taking on an increased importance in the absence of investigative journalism," Sloans longtime attorney, Jim Carpenter, said. "He decried the absence of real local reporters in local newspapers.

Sloan stepped up, spending $3 million to $4 million of his own money over the years to haul public officials to court. In 2005, he also created the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation, a non-partisan group dedicated to ensuring that South Carolina governments and agencies act in strict compliance with the state Constitution and laws, its website says.

A common tactic among public agencies is to obstruct Freedom of Information Act requests, gambling that the average citizen or cash-strapped news outlet wont take them to court to force compliance.

Sloan basked in doing just that.

He focused on open records cases and tapped his familiarity with government contracts to bring lawsuits  and won roughly a third of them, Carpenter said.

Along the way, Sloan received dozens of rulings awarding him attorneys fees, so many that he strung together color copies of the checks and hung them in his office. One was for more than $100,000.

Yet he also wanted to set precedents, such as establishing the right for someone to bring a lawsuit, especially in cases regarding the open records law.

Then more people could follow the path he blazed, Carpenter said.

And they have.

Small town wrath

Back in Allendale, the more Brabham dug, the more horrified she became.

As Allendale's newspapers vanished, three of its public officials were jailed on embezzlement charges. The state took over its schools  twice. Locals began to crack that their public officials only left office in handcuffs or a casket.

But it didnt have to stay that way. This idea motivated Brabham like little else.

She began attending public meetings, along with a few other residents  but rarely a journalist. When she couldn't get answers about the county's sloppy finances, she typed up a formal Freedom of Information Act request. She wanted to see the countys most recent bank statements and records for credit cards provided to officials.

County officials didn't respond. Maybe, she thought, the law is only for journalists to use. (In fact, it is for everyone.)

Frustrated, she dashed off emails to state officials: senators, the treasurer, comptroller, attorney general, Gov. Henry McMaster  anyone with ties to state oversight or Allendale County. Brabham begged for help.

In a neighboring county, she also noticed a noisy gadfly named Walt Inabinet posting on the Facebook group Concerned Citizens of Bamberg County. A retired journalist and economic development official, he regularly fired off pointed rants railing about perceived mismanagement of county affairs by those in charge.

Brabham copied the idea, if not the tone, in fall 2020. On Concerned Citizens of Allendale County, she posted agendas, recapped meetings and politely called out public officials. More than 800 people soon followed it.

At first, many were afraid to speak up with her. Nobody wanted to hear their loved ones named as part of the problem. And in such a small community, enemies are hard to shake.

When she attended council meetings, peppering members with questions, they seemed more annoyed than openly hostile. But as they too realized the depths of their problems, most said publicly that they welcomed the renewed attention. Once, when she was 10 minutes late to a meeting, the sheriff's deputy working at the door told her that council members had just been asking where she was.

Instead, rancor flowed from outside the council chambers. When Brabham raised an ethical question about one council members employment ties to the county, a man on the Facebook page called it a bunch of bull (expletive)" and warned her to "leave this matter alone.

She carried a firearm more often and looked over her shoulder.

Research shows that fear of this kind of pushback keeps people from stepping up as watchdogs. A study by Rutgers University professors found that focus group participants followed the news but had almost no interest in jumping into the fray.

"The potential risks ... outweigh the benefits of making their concerns more public," the study's authors wrote.

That didn't stop Brabham. When Allendale County finally submitted its long-overdue audit, she posted it on the Facebook group. People needed to know the shameful state of the countys finances, especially the many "material weaknesses" that auditors cited.

Inabinet, the gadfly from neighboring Bamberg, commented on the post  and not in the gracious tone Brabham carefully adopted.

The State Treasurer's Office ought to come down on the County like a ton of bricks AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE ACCEPTED THIS REPORT AS A STATE-MANDATED AUDIT! Allendale County folks should be shocked by the lack of financial controls and accountability...and I do mean shocked! he wrote.

Brabham felt vindicated.

More locals openly applauded her efforts. They asked questions, including how to get involved.

Although Brabham didnt know it, her state senators also were listening. Noting emails from concerned residents, Brad Hutto and Margie Bright Matthews wrote a formal letter to the governor seeking help in Allendale.

They labeled it urgent request.

Persistence required

Brabham didn't know it, but across South Carolina, the gadflies were multiplying. In a neighboring county, a trio of women with no connection to government felt a similar calling.

Susan Kearse Clayton grew up in Bamberg County but moved away to attend college in Georgia, then worked as a web developer and graphic designer in the Atlanta area. When she returned to Bamberg in 2015, she couldnt believe the state of her hometown.

Struggling with soaring unemployment, high taxes and persistent poverty, the county had lost about 20 percent of its population since 1980. Many of the downtown storefronts in the county seat were crumbling, empty or boarded up.

I came back to a ghost town," she said.

She wanted to get involved but felt county officials had little interest in hearing from folks footing the tax bill. She wasn't alone.

Miriam Beard, a former Philadelphia-area child abuse investigator, had moved to Bamberg to care for her ailing father. She cared deeply about the area given that her family's lineage stretched back to before slavery's end.

Deanna Miller-Berry, a community and political activist, had arrived from Dorchester County. She soon raised alarms about environmental issues, including the lack of clean drinking water in the town of Denmark.

The three women, with others, began to pool their skills and learn all they could about the countys government  a task made more difficult when Bambergs hometown newspaper, the Advertizer-Herald, folded last year.

Since 2004, the nation has lost a quarter of its newspapers. Thats 70 dailies and more than 2,000 non-dailies. With them went about half the journalists who traffic in the printed word, according to Vanishing Newspapers, a research project at the University of North Carolina.

Most of those bygone newspapers covered smaller, more isolated and struggling communities, particularly across the South. Places like Allendale and Bamberg.

So the three women did what journalists would have done. They scoured audits, haunted meetings, and questioned how and why things were done.

They also re-invigorated the Concerned Citizens of Bamberg County, which recently launched a petition drive to force a do-over of the county budget adopted in June. The group contends that council didnt follow state law in approving the $27.5 million spending plan and that some members didnt even know what they were voting on  claims county officials strongly deny.

Those local leaders haven't made it easy, Miller-Berry said. But like journalists, most gadflies carry stock in persistence.

She pledged, We are not going to stop until we get to the bottom of whats going on.

State of affairs

Back in Allendale, a week after the state senators sent their urgent request to the governor, the County Council met.

One councilman noted that they had run into a scary predicament: The county almost didnt have enough money on hand to pay employees. Officials had dipped into the county's capital reserve fund to meet payroll, and to pay $400,000 in IRS penalties, Treasurer Gerzell Chaney told them.

Members complained that Chaney hadn't given them revenue reports  not ever. They had no idea how much money the county had at any one time, and they had little power to discipline her, given she was elected to office.

Since 2014, six years, we still havent got a balanced account, Councilman Rick Gooding said. That's my concern.

Soon, Chairwoman Theresa Taylors voice rose: Do a forensic audit. Do a forensic audit! Do a forensic audit!

Brabham watched in shock.

When the public comment time arrived, she stood to speak. Shaken, she thanked the council. Then she presented a petition asking them to livestream or record their meetings for residents who could not attend them.

People needed to see what was going on.

'Lots of places to dig'

When Fordham University journalism professor Beth Knobel began researching newspaper accountability coverage, she knew the prevailing wisdom: Newspapers were operating with smaller staffs, often under severe financial stress, so the watchdog role was getting cast to the boneyard.

Actually, all my research suggests the opposite, she told The Post and Courier. Local newspapers are more committed than ever to serving the watchdog role.

She had examined coverage in nine newspapers and found there was more digging than ever before.

So the issue wasnt interest. It was capacity.

Thats one reason the line between journalist and gadfly has thinned in recent years. As newsrooms shrink, some news organizations are seeking help from the general public to fulfill their watchdog duties.

Some train gadflies to gather information, although that cannot replace a reporters' more in-depth understanding of things like journalism ethics and libel law.

In Chicago, the nonprofit journalism lab City Bureau is training hundreds of citizens to attend public meetings. These attendees then post their findings on platforms like Twitter and the nonprofit's web app, Documenters.org.

The Documenters project has spread from Chicago to Detroit to Cleveland  with more cities coming. (A co-founder told The Post and Courier that they've received interest from Atlanta and North Carolina, but so far not South Carolina.)

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism has launched a page that trains gadflies with Watchdog 101 workshops and primers on everything from using the states open records law to backgrounding people. It is modeled after an initiative in Maine.

Citizen journalists add a new layer, Knobel said. Newspapers only have so many people to dig. And there are lots of places to dig.

Doing the homework

One place in need of digging is the small town of Chester, tucked off Interstate 77 between Columbia and Charlotte.

Nettie Archie grew up there, then moved away after graduating high school in 1963. The textile town was on the rise with railroads, a bus station and a busy downtown. But when she moved back 20 years later, she found her hometown in decay. Growth that once seemed destined for Chester instead headed 20 miles northeast to Rock Hill.

Her research pointed to a key reason: government corruption and incompetence.

Going back 25, 30 years ago, corruption has always been here, Archie said. It was on a smaller scale. But now, its just all over the place. It seems as though people feel they can get away with more.

In recent years alone, Chesters county sheriff was convicted of public corruption and abusing his power. Its supervisor was indicted on charges of selling meth out of his county vehicle. And a county judge was suspended for failing to recuse herself from cases brought by her husband  the aforementioned sheriff.

Archie, a 76-year-old businesswoman, decided to dedicate her life to calling out wrongdoing. Her brand of polite-but-stern activism has made an impact in this town of 5,300.

In the mid-1990s, she landed on the front page of The Chester News and Reporter when she stood up at a County Council meeting and asked detailed questions about the budget they were about to pass. When embarrassed council members couldnt answer her questions, they postponed the vote and restarted the budget process.

They looked so bad, Archie said with a laugh.

Like gadflies across the state, she badgered local councils to make their meetings more accessible to the public, such as holding them at times when everyday citizens can attend.

In 2018, she challenged the legality of Chester City Councils chaotic vote to hire a new city administrator. That same year, she flagged neighbors complaints that the city had caused a vermin infestation by turning its Public Works department into a temporary trash dump. At Archies request, a Charlotte news station flew a helicopter to photograph the piles of waste.

She also linked up with another local activist, Jeremy Clark, to form Chester Citizens for Ethical Government, a watchdog group that seeks to expose government wrongdoing.

A month later, the group filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Chester City Councilman William King from office, arguing his status as a convicted felon should have barred him from seeking election in the first place. A judge tossed the councilman from his post.

In 2020, she helped lead the successful campaign to defeat the school boards $116.5 million bond referendum, contending the district hadnt laid out clear plans for the money.

But not everyone likes the groups tactics. Local officials call it a band of bullies who weaponize rumors to harass public officials.

I grew up respecting her, Chester City Councilwoman Angela Douglas said. But once she connected with some organizations in Chester, I saw a change in her behavior. I saw an aggressiveness.

Archie denied being a bully.

When I call them out on something, trust me, Ive done the homework, she said. No, Im not being vindictive. Youre just not doing the job youve been elected for.

Moving forward, Archie issued a warning: she will be monitoring how city leaders spend the $2 million in coronavirus relief funding they are set to receive from the American Rescue Plan.

Shining light

Back in Allendale County, Brabham exhaled when council members finally hired a forensic auditor.

When the auditor's report arrived in late June, the council scheduled an emergency meeting. Wearing a hot pink T-shirt that read love more, Brabham left the family farm and steered her white Lincoln to the courthouse, anxious. Dark clouds clustered in the sky.

In the meeting room, she sat in back near a camera livestreaming it for residents everywhere to watch. For once, Brabham didnt plan to speak.

A reporter from the Barnwell newspaper was sitting in front of her. The reporter turned around to ask, Are you the woman who runs the Facebook page?

When a council clerk walked around handing out copies of the audit, a half-dozen people in the audience reached for copies.

Ronald Burkett, whose firm conducted the audit, soon began by explaining that a general ledger is the most fundamental of accounting tools  but the county didnt even have that. What they did have makes absolutely no sense, he said.

Burkett outlined the county's lack of invoices, missing payroll records, bonuses the county clerk paid to employees but didn't report on payroll or W-2s, the sheriff taking out cash withdrawals without explanation of the money's use. Records were hard to find or flat-out missing. The rural county had 45 bank accounts, some taken out in individuals' names.

The records were in a mess, he said.

Burkett noted that accounting procedures cant stop people from trying to steal money  but they can make sure someone detects it. Allendale County lacked those basic checks and balances.

In a strange way, as she listened, Brabham felt a burden lift. The county had a new treasurer, and the council members and administrator were voicing eagerness to fix the problems. And at least now the public knew what was going on.

When she stepped outside, her head still spun. Allendale's problems were huge, and so much work remained. But as she drove home, she noticed that the storm had cleared, and sunshine lit the road ahead.

Glenn Smith contributed reporting from Charleston, and Avery Wilks from Columbia.
Taliban leaders claim to have moderated their conduct, if not their beliefs, since they last ruled most of Afghanistan. The Biden administration would like to take them at their word, since thousands of Americans are now at the mercy of the terrorist group. But views of the Taliban being expressed in other countries are not so sanguine.

Take Germany, which had a vastly smaller footprint in Afghanistan than we did. The German government is sounding an alarm about Taliban atrocities directed against Afghans who worked for the German press:

Taliban fighters hunting a journalist for Germanys public broadcaster have shot dead a member of his family and severely injured another. Deutsche Welle (DW) said that the Taliban had been conducting a house-to-house search to find the journalist, who was now working in Germany. It said other members of the family were able to escape at the last moment and were now on the run. Separately, the German government said today that a German civilian had been wounded by gunfire on his way to Kabul airport.

***

Peter Limbourg, director general of DW, said: The killing of a close relative of one of our editors by the Taliban yesterday is inconceivably tragic, and testifies to the acute danger in which all our employees and their families in Afghanistan find themselves. It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organised searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces. We are running out of time.

American reporters thought it was an outrageous infringement of their privileged status when President Trump responded aggressively to their attacks on him, rather than suffering in silence. It remains to be seen whether they will be concerned about the actual murder of journalists in another country. More:

[S]ome Afghan journalists have complained of having been beaten and their homes raided since the Taliban seized the capital Kabul on Sunday. DW said that the Taliban had raided the homes of at least three of its journalists among others. It said Nematullah Hemat of the private television station Ghargasht TV was believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban, and Toofan Omar, the head of the private radio station Paktia Ghag Radio, was shot dead by Taliban fighters. Two men, also presumably Taliban, shot and killed the translator Amdadullah Hamdard, a frequent contributor to Germanys Die Zeit newspaper, on August 2 in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, DW said. The German Journalists Association (DJV) issued a statement calling on the international community not to stand idly by while the relatives of journalists and charity workers were murdered in Afghanistan. According to reports received by the DJV, family members of journalists who no longer live in the country are currently being systematically hunted down in Kabul and other cities, the DJV said. In one case, the father was shot dead in front of his family. Afghan journalists living in Germany are begged by their families not to publish anything, lest the Taliban be led to the relatives. Similar scenes seem to be playing out in the non-governmental sector.

Joe Biden has callously dismissed concerns about the Afghans who translated for American forces or otherwise cooperated with the U.S. The Germans are not so cavalier:

It is not enough to have a few rescue flights take off from Kabul airport, which no Afghan family can reach at the moment, said Frank Uberall, the chairman of DJV. The governments of the western states that have been present in Afghanistan have a duty not to hand over their most loyal supporters in the country to the revenge of the Islamists. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said on Monday that Germany may need to evacuate as many as 10,000 people from Afghanistan, including 2,500 Afghan support staff as well as human rights activists, lawyers and others whom the government sees at risk.

And the German presence was only a small fraction of ours. Still, their military has been deployed in the aftermath of the Biden debacle:

The German defence ministry said the German military, the Bundeswehr, was stepping up its presence with the dispatch of two helicopters to Kabul. The aim is to transport people in need of protection from their place of residence in Kabul to the airport, the ministry tweeted on Friday. The helicopters are to be used by special forces of the KSK, Germanys version of the SAS, media reports said.

Are we dealing with a kinder, gentler version of the Taliban? Clearly not. After 20 years, however, we are dealing with a more media-savvy version. I think the Taliban will allow American citizens and other Westerners to make their way to the Kabul airport, to the extent that the organization has control over its fighters, rather than taking hundreds or thousands of hostages, which it could easily do. But why? The Taliban has won the war, and once the Western press departs it will have carte blanche to do whatever it wants to its fellow Afghans.

There are two potential reasons to take hostages. The first is to humiliate America, but our humiliation is already complete with the Talibans victory and the resulting chaos which has been broadcast world-wide. The second is to ransom the hostages for money. But it makes much more sense for the Taliban to bargain in advance with the Biden administration, which it has over a barrel, to extract billions of dollars in exchange for not blocking Americans from getting to the airport.

Has that happened? I dont know, your guess is as good as mine. But Obama paid off the Iranian mullahs, and I would be very surprised if, years from now, we dont learn that Biden has paid off the Taliban. The same old Taliban, as we will see for years to come, to the extent that anyone pays attention.
Caroline Glicks column about the Afghanistan debacle is worth reading in full. I want to focus this post on Glicks discussion of Joe Bidens attempt to place the blame for the fiasco on (1) Donald Trump and (2) the Afghans.

Of Trump, Glick writes:

Bidens accusation that the Trump administration is responsible for the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is wrong on several counts. As former president Donald Trump and his secretary of state Mike Pompeo explained on Sunday and Monday, the agreement Trump reached with the Taliban was conditions based. Since the Taliban breached the conditions, there is little reason to believe that Trump would have implemented the troop pullout.

Glick bolsters her view of what Trump would have done by pinpointing a major difference between the former president and the current one  a difference I flagged here. Biden doesnt listen. He forms his views in knee-jerk fashion and, and with a self-confidence that is wholly unjustified, clings to them no matter what hes told.

Trump may share the former trait, but hes willing to listen and moderate:

In a conversation with Israel Hayom, a former senior Trump administration official noted. . .that unlike Biden, Trump was willing to listen to argument, and change his positions to align them with the situation on the ground when necessary. After Trump ordered the removal of all U.S. forces from Syria in 2018, several people from both inside and outside the administration warned him that a full withdrawal would be dangerous. So he changed his plans. He withdrew most of the U.S. forces but left a few hundred in key locations and gave them the wherewithal to secure U.S. goals in the country. By the same token, the official argued, Trump would likely have kept a residual force in Afghanistan. Indeed, that was the only force that remained in Afghanistan. And just as a skeletal U.S. footprint in Syria suffices to secure U.S. interests in the country, so the 2,500 non-combatant U.S. forces Biden removed from the country were able to work with Afghan and NATO forces to keep Afghanistan stable and keep the Taliban at bay.

(Emphasis added)

The last point is key. Our mission in Afghanistan wasnt doomed from the start. It wasnt doomed in 2020. It was doomed only once Joe Biden became president.

(To be clear, I dont contend that Afghanistan was stable in any strong sense. Had we remained, there would have been ups and downs, and certainly no guarantee that we could have kept the Taliban at bay indefinitely with only 2,500 troops and virtually no American deaths. But we kept it at bay for more than five years while sustaining only about 15 deaths per year on average. So we knew how to preserve the stalemate without much loss of American life.)

Glick goes on to demolish Bidens lazy claim that the Afghans were unwilling to defend their country.

Over the past 20 years, 2,448 U.S. servicemen and women were killed in Afghanistan. Over the same period, 69,000 Afghan forces died defending their country from the Taliban. [Bidens] statement amounted to malicious slander.

Unfortunately, malicious slander is right up there with blame shifting and plagiarism in the playbook of this dreadful man.

Glick continues:

One of the main functions of the U.S. forces and contractors Biden removed was to serve as military air traffic controllers for Afghan forces. Their departure meant the Afghan military lost its close air support. And since the U.S. built the Afghan military as its mini-me, like the U.S. forces, Afghan forces were dependent on close air support to conduct land operations. In other words, Biden is more responsible than anyone else for the Afghans post-American collapse. If he expected them to fight, he shouldnt have left them dependent on U.S. traffic controllers which he withdrew without coordination or warning of any kind.

But Biden refuses to accept that responsibility. Worse, he keeps saying the buck stops here, even as he tries to pass it off  to Trump, to the Afghans, to the intelligence community.

Disgusting, but entirely in character.
Lets review the timeline of the last 10 days or so. President Biden set off for vacation at Camp David just as Afghanistan started collapsing. Initially he resisted returning to Washington, but the gravity of the situation eventually compelled him to make a short statement at the White House, after which he returned to Camp David (without taking any questions), presumably to finish his vacation.

To be sure, presidents are never fully on vacation. Ronald Reagan always did several hours of presidential work every day when he was out at his California ranch, albeit at a reduced schedule. He was at his ranch, incidentally, when the news came that the Soviet Union had shot down Korean Air flight #007 on August 31, 1983 (in fact he was first notified on the phone while out on a horseback ride), and he immediately cut short his planned stay at the ranch and returned to Washington, even though there was not much he could do after the fact. The Afghan crisis is still ongoing; youd think something of this magnitude, with thousands of Americans in danger, would be sufficient reason to return to the White House.

Finally President Biden submitted to an interview with George Stephanopoulos that went disastrously, and then . . . he headed to his Delaware home, where he remains at present. Why not back to Camp David?

I have a theory: one thing we know about treating people suffering cognitive decline is that familiar surroundings help them cope. Is this the reason for hunkering down at his Delaware home?

Yesterday I heard some startling numbers: at this point in his first year in office, President Trump had given more than 50 interviews to the media. At this same point in 2009, Obama had given more than 100 media interviews. Biden up to this point: Eight. This is not normal, even with the excuse of COVID. Its even more noteworthy in a person who has been as famously loquacious as Biden in his 49 years in Washington.

Something is seriously wrong here, and while there is some vigorous media criticism of Biden over the Afghan disaster, the media is committing its usual malpractice and pro-Dem bias in not making a bigger fuss about the inaccessibility of the president, not to mention pressing legitimate questions about his mental capacities.

UPDATE: Biden has cancelled his visit to his Delaware home this weekend (postponed is the official word). The same questions about his capacities still apply.
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With kidnapping and cattle rustling now a fact of their daily lives, rural communities in Katsina are fleeing their homes to the towns for temporary reprieve from banditry. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation reveals that villagers in many parts of the Northwest state now run to the towns before dusk and return in the morning to their ancestral homes for a few hours of work on their farms or to trade.

The bandits attack not only in the night, but villagers say when they attack a community at night, they do not just steal cattle and people.

In Tsauwa, Wurma, Batsari, residents have darker memories of deaths and arson from such attacks.

On the night of Thursday, August 12, this reporter was heading back to Katsina from Dutsin Ma town alongside some friends when they arrived Daram village at 7:42 p.m. They were confronted by sights of residents scampering out of their homes to spend the night in Kurfi, about seven kilometres away.

They said their village would be attacked that night.

Everyone has left, an elderly woman who simply gave her name as Turai, said. Our husbands are hiding in the bush but they are sending us to Kurfi. We will go and spend the night there and wait for their message.

Daram shares boundaries with Sauyawa and Tamu, all in Kurfi Local Government Area of Katsina State. The two latter communities recently suffered attacks with heavy casualties. These three communities and others in Kurfi share boundaries with Batsari and Safana, two local government areas where bandits are very active. Their closeness to Batsari and Safana exposes them to attacks by the bandits suspected to be living in Rugu forest.

Our communities have become ghost villages, Nasiba, one of those who fled Daram, said. Even yesterday, they attacked Sauyawa and rustled many cattle. It was only after they left that the police came.

Bandits have been attacking rural communities, kidnapping people for ransom and rustling cattle for many years in the North-western part of Nigeria with Katsina State one of the worst-hit.

What started as farmers-herders clashes snowballed into cattle rustling before access to small arms emboldened the criminals to start raiding villages. Factors like mass poverty, illiteracy and a porous border with Niger Republic have complicated security issues for both the government and the people.

As a result, many residents of the 10 frontline local government areas in Katsina State are afraid to sleep in their own homes.

Men to the bush, women to towns

Assibi, another elderly woman fleeing to Kurfi, said her husband told her to leave Daram because they expected an attack that night.

They have attacked our neighbours, Sauyawa, Tamu and then Yar Randa on three consecutive nights, Assibi, who like others only gave her first name, said. Our husbands said it was the lake between our village and Yar Randa that saved us because it rained on Tuesday and the bandits could not cross the lake with their motorcycles that night.

Daram residents have cattle and other domestic animals, they have mud silos and local traders, all incentives for bandits to visit the community. The villagers said every night attack leaves blood and death in its trail.

Assibi said the men in the village would spend the night on top of trees in the bush, far away from their houses, to avoid the attacks.

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We are leaving our husbands and sons behind and trekking to Kurfi because they do unimaginable things to us women, Maryam, a married teenager, said. One of her two children was strapped to her back and the other clutching to her hand as they trekked. The one she held could not be older than six years but he is already used to trekking the seven kilometres between Daram and Kurfi.

Were tackling the situation

When contacted on the dire security situation in the states rural communities, the Special Adviser to Governor Masari on Security Affairs, Ibrahim Katsina, said the state government was tackling it with a holistic approach.

We understand the situation on ground and we are solving it with conflict resolution mechanisms. We are using the three-tier security committee to tackle the situation. The whole state will have a new look. By involving the traditional rulers and local government officials, we are taking security management to the people at the local level.

We are talking of ending banditry in the long run. Farmers that have been running away from their farms will go back to farming, people running away from their homes will also go back. We only need cooperation from the people as the security agencies are working round the clock to ensure it is resolved.

On her part, the head of Local Government Administration in Kurfi, Umma Mahuta, said the state government provides essentials for the displaced persons.

We are doing our best to help them but we also ensure they are protected when there is fear of impending attacks. I am always in contact with security agencies in the area, especially the police.

A police officer at the Kurfi division later told this reporter that the feared attack eventually did not happen that night of August 12.

When you notified me of the issue, I reached out to the appropriate officers and officers were sent there with an APC vehicle to the village. Our men slept there and some of the residents were also taken back to their homes, the official said asking not to be named as he had no authorisation to speak to journalists.
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Following the rising spate of insecurity in Jos and its environs, the management of the University of Jos has suspended all academic activities in the institution till further notice.

Monday Danjem, the Registrar of the university, unveiled this development in a statement on Friday in Jos.

According to Danjem, the decision to suspend academic activities and shut hostels arrived at the end of the meeting between management and the Committee of Deans, Directors and Provost of the institution on Friday, August 20.

The insecurity in Jos, which led to the imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew has affected the academic activities and forced the university to suspend its second-semester examinations for the 2019/2020 academic session.

Students of the university continued to experience attacks from hoodlums, a situation that has led to the death of some of our students.

Consequently, the management of the university, after an emergency meeting with the Committee of Deans, Directors and Provost on Friday, ordered the suspension of all academic activities in the university until further notice.

Management has also directed the closure of all students hostels until further notice. The decision, which is in the best interest and for the safety of our students, is subject to ratification by the Senate of the University, Mr Danjem said.

The registrar advised students to vacate all hostels and go back home and other safer abodes until the security situation in Jos improves.

He appealed to security agencies to beef up security at the various students locations to enable them to vacate to their destinations safely.

Students are also advised to use safe means of transportation to their respective safer destinations.

We wish to passionately appeal that a joint patrol team of armed soldiers and other law enforcement agencies should beef up security and ensure that students are adequately protected as they vacate their various hostels to safer destinations, he appealed.

He said that management would give adequate notice of resumption when normalcy is fully restored in Jos and environs.

Mr Danjem thanked the government of the state and security agencies for ensuring the safety of the majority of students of the university even as attacks on innocent people persist in Jos.

He called on the students to be law-abiding and desist from activities that would put them in trouble.

Some students of the university have been killed and others injured in the current insecurity that has bedevilled Jos since the killing of over 20 travellers last week.

(NAN)
Public schools in Nigeria are facing new security challenges such as the mass abduction of students by bandits in parts of the country.

In Lagos State, PREMIUM TIMES observed internal and external threats to schools during an investigative tour. But the state government said it is planning to set up a special apparatus to provide protection.

For some public schools in the state, it is the absence of perimeter fencing, security gates and trained security personnel, but for others it is the flooding of classrooms and leaky roofs.

At St. Patricks Primary School, Iragbo/Iragon, Badagry, pupils and teachers said their school has not been fenced in the over nine decades it has existed.

On a cold Monday morning in July, pupils walked in twos and threes into the school premises. Chit-chatting and playing, the children strolled into the only primary school in the community.

Located in the centre of Iragbo, a 16-classroom building is the only structure in the school, with the pupils, about 700, tightly packed in the classrooms.

There were no security fencing or gate and there was no guard or security officer present as this reporter headed straight to the school block.

The school sits on about three acres of land surrounded by an open field of farmlands. It is the only public primary school in Javie, Iragon, and Iragbo, the three communities in Badagry which share the facility.

Since its establishment on March 12, 1925, the school has experienced little development  save for the construction of the 16-classroom block by the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration two years ago.

Snakes can come in. Fulanis bring cows into the school to eat up the crops in the school farm but the teachers cannot do anything to them because they dont want them to cause any harm, Thomas Yemanise, the Baale of Iragbo, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Yemanise said the communities had written several letters to the government to fence the 96-year-old school but received no response.

Ancient School without security

St Patrick Primary School was established in 1925 by Roman Catholic missionaries who ran it until 1955 when the Lagos State government took it over.

Speaking with this reporter in his palace, Mr Yemanise said he attended the primary school in the late 1970s.

The insecurity in Nigeria today is not something to joke with. Even people are not assured of security in their houses not to talk of a school that has no fence, no gate.

We wrote several letters to the government to fence the school but nothing to show. The government should help us and save our childrens lives, he said.

The community leader said the school has guards but they only sit under the mango trees, leaving strangers to enter and head straight to the classrooms.

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Badagry is where development started from, where (Western) education started from  all the schools are supposed to be okay, he added.

Encroachment, security threats

The teachers said the school is exposed to trespassers due to the absence of a security fence.

Okadas (commercial motorcycles) pass through the school when the children are playing around during their break time. Different people enter and no one can stop them, one of the teachers, Felicia Iyanda, said.

We have been writing for the fencing of the school. You know, normally what the government used to do, they want the community to join hands with it to do the fence.

We have been writing letters and they have been coming to survey the land but they have not done it, Mrs Iyanda said.

Ruth Fiyakola, a parent, said children are well taught at the school, but she is not comfortable with the security situation.

I like the school a lot. We are asking the government to help us fence it because the children walk out of the school anyhow and things are happening a lot, she said in Yoruba.

In May 2020, a windstorm destroyed the schools building and many other buildings in the community.

Although the school was renovated two months after the incident, the government still did nothing about the security fence.

Nigeria and insecurity in schools

Many schools have been attacked by armed groups who abduct students and teachers en masse for ransom, especially in the northern parts of Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how bandits abducted 136 pupils of Saliu Tanko Islamic school in Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on May 30.

About two weeks later, 102 students of the Government College (FGC), Yauri in Kebbi State were kidnapped.

Some students and teachers were killed by armed groups, while others, especially males, were converted to child soldiers. Young girls were raped and turned into sex slaves by the outlaws.

Lagos State witnessed such an incident in 2017 in the Epe area of the state and security experts, educationists, and non-governmental organisations have been calling for improved security in schools in the state.

Lagos governments efforts

In March 2020, Governor Sanwo-Olu introduced the Security Improvement Programme (SIP) in public schools.

The governor also inaugurated the Special Committee for Rehabilitation of Public Schools (SCRPRS), headed by Hakeem Smith, as the driver of the projects.

Crucial to the mandate of SCRPS is the improvement in schools infrastructure and security, especially in the model colleges and the boarding schools.

We are taking the issue of security seriously in our public schools. That is why watchtowers, floodlights, security fences, and panic alarm systems have been introduced as part of secondary school projects to keep the teachers and the pupils secured, Mr Smith said.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited some of the public schools selected for the project, our reporter saw security personnel at the gates quizzing unfamiliar faces.

You cannot just go into the school. Even if you want to see the principal, you must bring a letter or call the principal who will now say I can bring you to his office, a security officer at Oriwu College, Ikorodu said.

Our reporter visited selected schools that are beneficiaries of the first phase of the SIP. She observed that security facilities were provide.

Some model colleges visited include Badagry Junior Grammar School, Badagry; Oriwu College, Ikorodu, and Lagos State Civil Service Model College, lgbogbo, Ikorodu.

Watchtowers, elevated security fencing, barbed wires, panic alarm systems, fire extinguishers, and floodlights have been provided in those schools.

Officers of the police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have also been deployed to protect students, staff, and their facilities in the schools.

On the state of St. Patricks Primary School in Badagry, Wahab Olawale, the Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) said only a few schools remain without security fencing and other security apparatuses in the state.

You will see a few of such and the state government is working assiduously to address issues like that. Investment in education is continuous and as such we must continue to renew all our infrastructure.

The safe learning environment initiative of the government is very much hinged on what is going on around us, security is everybodys business, Mr Olawale said.

The LASUBEB boss further said pupils and teachers were being trained on environmental and situational awareness saying they are the first people responsible for their own security.

There are pockets of violence here and there and Lagos is not an exemption. As a proactive and anticipatory government, there are several measures put in place in terms of security.

The strategy is there to monitor all the schools based on division. The police have been able to divide Lagos into strategic arrangements where they monitor each school within each domain to ensure maximum efficiency, Mr Olawale said.

The official added that teachers and students were being sensitised on different approaches to use when there is a security breach.

Internal security risks

Although the Lagos State Government has taken steps to fortify security in selected schools, students are still exposed to risks such as flooding.

Odogunyan Junior Secondary School in the Ikorodu area of the state has been shut down due to flooding.

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the school, there were no students and the school was immersed in floodwater.#

An official of the school who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak, said the students were relocated to different schools pending the resolution of the flood problem.

This place is not a school for now, only a few of us are here because of government properties that are here. Since morning, we cannot come in because of the rain, he said, referring to a downpour on Friday morning.

Olanrewaju Olalekan, a resident of the area, said the newest building in the school was damaged by flood and was gradually sinking.

Whenever there is rain, no school for that day because the students cannot enter the school. The students have been dispersed to different schools, but many of them are suffering from the issue of transportation, he said.

The flood here is really bad and is affecting the entire community. At times, when flood water enters the school during school time, it will be very hard for students to leave the school. My friends and I rescue the children most of the time, another resident said.

Funmilola Olalekan, a parent, said he has lived in the area for over 20 years. He said the flood issue started only 10 years ago when a gas pipeline was constructed in the area and the drainages became clogged.

If those two drainages are not cleared, the school cannot be conducive for learning. The flood entering the school is too much, sometimes during rainfall, the flood rises above knee level.

Flood almost carried away two students at a time when the students fell into a ditch covered by water. I was the one that shouted for help before they rescued the children, she said.

Aside from constant flooding of their hostels during the rainy season, boarding students of Badagry Junior Grammar School also complain of leaky roofs and poor flood prevention, among others.

PREMIUM TIMES obtained pictures of students battling floods and draining water from their hostels during the school period.

It is always a serious issue, especially when the rain is heavy. During the last rain, the students rushed back to the hostels and were draining water to prevent damage to their properties, a teacher who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak, said.

He lamented the deplorable state of the schools hostels and said they deserve the governments attention.

Solutions

Aloy Ejiogu, a retired professor of education from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, said Nigeria needs to quickly improve security in schools. He said there are security policies but they are no longer implemented.

There must be strict regulations and laws. Government officials and inspectors of education must rise to the occasion to ensure that schools do not operate unless they have got the requisite things, Mr Ejiogu, a former commissioner for education in Imo State, said.

When you talk about security, it is not only just the armed bandits. Even internal security. There are schools that in this rainy season, you cannot enter. On a rainy day, the school is closed because the entire place is water-logged, flooded. Some of them have leaky roofs, health-wise, the students are not safe, Mr Ejiogu said.

To ensure safety and security in schools, Mr Ejiogu said there must be a proper feasibility study on locations of schools, safety, accessibility, and other security apparatuses.

When you talk of security infrastructure, all schools must be fenced and there must be a provision of adequate lighting. Well-trained security men and women should also be in schools, most of the people we have there are old people. When you leave a 75-year-old man at the gate as a security man with a little stick, what is his job there?

The professor said the government should formulate policies around security in schools and implement them and also expose students to self-defence skills.

Another expert, Segun Awonusi, said self-awareness is key to security and this must be taught in all schools.

On security, it has always been a three-pronged approach. First is how fences or walls are deterrents and help to protect the sanctity of school lands and do not allow security breaches where outsiders attack students.

Nigeria has gotten to a stage where security experts must be invited to sensitise students and teachers on tips to use in the event of sudden attacks, to escape without being hurt, he said.

Mr Awonusi said security officers should be posted to schools, the way bursars, counsellors, and other professionals are deployed to schools.

On floods in schools, Mr Awonusi said the government must prevent them to make schools safe for learning.

He said despite that climate change makes flooding unpredictable, the government should explore all options to de-flood schools.

PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, but there was no response from them as of the time of this report.

Government conscious of problems  Commissioner*

However, Folashade Adefisayo, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, said her ministry was aware of PREMIUM TIMES findings and is working to resolve them.

The first thing is that we are conscious of them and what we are doing is systematic, going round the state, she said.

Mrs Adefisayo said the state is trying to spread its impact to 1,700 schools across the six districts of the state.

The problem we are facing is that of funding and the sheer number of schools that we have to deal with, along with the fact that we are responsible for secondary schools. We have about 1,700 of them that we are managing, she said.

On the state of Odogunyan Junior Grammar school, the commissioner said the issue is complex and the ministry is collaborating with other ministries for solutions.

The problem with Odogunyan (Junior Grammar School) is massive because Odogunyan was built at a collection point of water. That means that down that street, everything coming from the street is heading to Odogunyan compound.

Eventually, after a while, the mud and the water flow undermined the foundations of the building and we had to declare them unusable and got the children out of there.

We will do Odogunyan Junior School. We are working on it and I am sure within a year, the school will be done. We have been there, we have agreed on what to do, but it is a very big one, because of the terrain. It is quite a complex issue and it is being handled by two or three ministries because we have to do the drainage, the road and all that, those are the issues contributing to the flood, she said.

The commissioner said the state government had just commissioned about 1000 projects across the state out of about 1,700 public schools in the state.

On the absence of a fence at St. Patricks Primary School, Mrs Adefisayo said the state was doing its best to intervene in conditions of primary schools, even though they are under the purview of the local governments and SUBEB.

What we are doing in Lagos State is that we keep on intervening, even though constitutionally, the state is responsible for secondary education. We cannot allow that to hold us back, so, we are intervening, she said.

Mrs Adefisayo added that the ministry is also working with the police to ensure safety in schools and is planning to set up a special security apparatus within schools.

(This report was facilitated by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its Regulators Monitoring Programme).
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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,(NSCDC), Kaduna State Command on Friday completed the training of its first 54 female armed squad.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 54 personnel will be deployed to protect critical national assets and ensure success of safe school programmes.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was the reviewing officer at the Passing Out Parade (POP), held at the parade ground of Correctional Service Staff Collage, Kaduna.

The minister was represented by Abdullahi Salihu, an Assistant Director at the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Service Board.

Me Aregbesola said that the selection of the officers was vigorous, describing them as the best.

He said the creation of NSCDC Armed Women Squad by the Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, was to fight insurgency and protect schools, aside other responsibilities.

The minister congratulated the graduands and urged them to contribute their quota in the fight against banditry and other vices in Kaduna.

Among the NSCDC, you are now elites; there mustnt be doubts, compromise, bribery; you must be upright, he said.

He thanked the Nigerian Correctional Services for allowing them to use their facilities, manpower and expertise.

NAN reports that awards were given to those who distinguished themselves during the training

(NAN)
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The police in Lagos say they have rescued an eight-year-old from two suspected kidnappers.

Adekunle Ajisebutu, the police spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to the police, the victim, Daniel Chukwudi, was kidnapped on July 11, following a planned abduction by a trusted neighbour and another suspect.

The arrested suspects are Desmond Ikechukwu and Egwuonwu Gift, aged 21 and 34 respectively.

Following the kidnap of the minor, the suspects allegedly reached out to the parents and demanded a N2.5 million ransom, the police said.

The Lagos State Police Command has again arrested two male suspects, Desmond Ikechukwu Okafor (21) and Egwuonwu Gift Iyke (34) who conspired together and kidnapped an 8-year-old child, Daniel Chukwudi, on 11th July, 2021.

The kidnap was planned and executed by the victims neighbour, Desmond Okechukwu Okorafor who, using his unhindered access to the family, lured the victim from his parents home at Aboru, Ipaja, and adopted (abducted) him to Ajangbadi area of Lagos where he was kept in custody for six days before he was rescued.

Twenty -four hours after the evil act, the suspects reached out to the victims parents and demanded 2.5m Naira ransom as a condition for his release from captivity or else he would be killed, the statement reads in part.

Mr Ajisebutu said the parents of the victim reported the incident and operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau began investigation which led to the arrest of the two suspects, and rescue of the victim.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Hakeem Odumosu, directed that the suspects should be charged to court, adding that kidnappers and other criminal elements would not be allowed to operate in the state.
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The meeting between the striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and other key parties within the nations medical profession, as well as and representatives of the Nigerian government, is to continue on Saturday.

The warring parties had returned to the negotiation table on Friday after earlier efforts collapsed, even as the governments ploy to seek a court order nullifying the strike also failed to yield positive results.

But the meeting on Friday was also inconclusive, according to the President of NARD, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi.

Mr Okhuaihesuyi, who disclosed this on the phone to a PREMIUM TIMES reporter on Saturday morning, said the failure of some concerned government representatives caused the deadlock.

He, however, said his union was committed to addressing the areas of conflict as soon as possible for the sake of innocent Nigerians, who may have suffered in one way or the other since the strike started.

He said the negotiation would resume on Saturday with the hope that all contradictions are resolved once and for all.

We deliberated on some of the issues but there was no headway yet largely because some key stakeholders were not in attendance.

We will continue the meeting by 11 a.m today (Saturday). Hopefully, we will reach a resolution to move the health sector forward, he said.

This newspaper had reported on Friday how the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, and the association of Nigerian doctors in the Academics, and NARD members were being engaged on the doctors strike and other issues affecting the nations health sector.

The minister of labour and empowerment, Chris Ngige, had hinted of the meeting Thursday evening after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari to brief him on the challenges within the countrys health sector.

He said the meeting was at the instance of the Medical Elders Council Forum, which he noted, was concerned about the crisis in the sector.
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A hit and run driver on Saturday narrowly escaped death from an irate mob at the Kugbo mechanic village, Abuja, after he reportedly hit and injured four persons along the Nyanya-Mararaba highway.

PREMIUM TIMES is yet to verify reported casualties. But a reporter on ground was told by some witnesses that the driver, suspected to be drunk, hit many pedestrians along the highway.

He killed some, before ramming into another vehicle, which hurtled into a gully along the ever-busy highway, witnesses said.

They said the driver, after seeing the destruction he caused with his Toyota Camry (Muscle) car, drove at high speed into the mechanic village as he tried to escape from angry commercial motorcyclists and car owners who tried to apprehend him.

He then ran into a mob, which had already been alerted about the accident. They immediately pulled him out of the car and assaulted him.

The reporter sighted a riotous mob assaulting the suspect from afar, even as some tried to stop the group of mostly youth from extrajudicial actions.

Witnesses said the suspect, who behaved like a uniformed military or paramilitary personnel did not look remorseful and this angered the mob who beat him up and blocked his car at the village entrance.

Military personnel stationed across the highway later rescued the suspect and handed him over to some policemen from the Karu division.

He killed many people and was trying to escape into the market when we caught him, a witness said. He would have been killed by many of this armed youth who were ready to spill blood.

However, another said the suspect only injured four persons including my brother whom I hope survives. I also pray they do not sweep the matter under the carpet because we saw him showing the soldiers an ID card. I think that is why they saved him from the angry crowd.

As of the time of filing the report, a team led by a plainclothes policewoman was already at the scene to evacuate the badly damaged car.

The officer was also seen thanking the crowd for allowing the police to handle the matter.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has mourned the passing of the former sole administrator of Ekiti State, Adetunji Olurin.

Mr Olurin, 77, a retired army brigadier-general, died on Saturday morning in Lagos.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message signed by his chief press secretary, Gboyega Akosile, described the late general as a committed officer and elder statesman who served his country passionately.

The governor also praised Mr Olurins contribution to governance in Oyo and Ekiti states during his tenure as military governor and sole administrator in the two states respectively.

He also commiserated with Governor Dapo Abiodun and the people of Ogun State, especially the indigenes of Ilaro on the demise of their son.

He was a committed military officer. He fought along with several other patriots tirelessly for a united Nigeria as well as ECOMOG during his days in the Nigerian Army, Mr Sanwo-Olu said.

He also made lots of positive impact and contributions to governance during his lifetime, first as a military governor of Oyo State between September 1985 and July 1988 and later as sole administrator of Ekiti State between October 19, 2006, and April 27, 2007.

I pray that God will grant Brigadier-General Adetunji Olurin (rtd) eternal rest and give the immediate family, friends, Nigerian army, and the people of Ilaro and Ogun State the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Makinde mourns

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State described Mr Olurins death as painful.

The governor, in a statement Taiwo Adisa, his chief press secretary, condoled the people of Oyo State over the demise of one of the past administrators who shaped the state.

I learnt of the death of former Military Administrator of Oyo State, Gen. Tunji Idowu Olurin.

It is a sunset for another great man and one of the first set of leaders that providence gave to Oyo State at its earliest stage.

Through the efforts and contributions of Gen. Olurin and other leaders, the foundation for the shaping of the pacesetter state, which has become a first among equals, was successfully laid.

Gen. Olurins death at this time, when his wealth of experience in leadership can be of immense help to the current crop of leaders, is painful.

I commiserate with the entire Olurin Family of Ilaro and the Government and people of Ogun State.

I pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss, Mr Makinde said.

In Ekiti, Governor Kayode Fayemi said the late general was a selfless statesman, a courageous soldier, and an altruistic patriot who served his country diligently during his lifetime.

Mr Fayemi, in a condolence message signed by his chief press secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described Mr Olurins demise as a great loss, not only to his state of Ogun, but to Ekiti, and Nigeria as a whole.

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Mr Fayemi said the deceased discharged his duties as the sole administrator of Ekiti State with a great measure of fairness and firmness.

The governor said that Mr Olurin left some legacies he would be remembered for in the annals of Ekiti.

Mr Fayemi said that although the late Olurin was a soldier, he was a man of the people who was very much concerned about their welfare and was ever ready to solve problems brought to his attention.

The governor noted that Mr Olurin brought his humane nature and professionalism to bear during his tenure as the military governor of the old Oyo State.

This, he also replicated while on peace-keeping assignment as the Field Commander of ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia,Fayemi added.

Mr Fayemi said the history of how a lasting peace was achieved in the then war-torn Liberia would not be completed without a worthy mention and glowing chapters written on the sterling contributions of the late Olurin.

He said that he was sad that Mr Olurins demise came just a few weeks after the death of a distinguished daughter of Ekiti, Abike Sonoiki, who served during the emergency rule as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

The governor prayed God to grant the family and associates of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss, urging them to be consoled by the legacies of service, selflessness, and excellence he left behind.
Kawthar Salahudeen stole the show earlier this month when she won the coveted Purvez Bilimoria Global Award for Legal Excellence, becoming the second Nigerian student to do so.

Initiated by Rohan Bilimoria and his brother, Karan Bilimoria, in memory of their late father in 2019, the award rewards winners with annual prize money of AUD5,000 (about N1.5 million).

Rohan Bilimoria, who announced this years winner last week, said Ms Salahudeen, 24, saw off competition from over 65 law students around the world to pick the prize.

Ms Salahudeens triumph means she repeated the feat achieved by her compatriot, Evaristus Okechukwu, who won the global award last year. Both are final year law students at the University of Ibadan.

A rights advocate who runs a barbershop, Ms Salahudeen is an alumnus of the Walter Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative, while Mr Okechukwu has had internship stints in the legal and financial industry, including with the Bank of America, which he will be joining next year as a full-time analyst.

The two students spoke in this interview with PREMIUM TIMES Yusuf Akinpelu about winning the award, their plans after graduation and on Nigerias educational sector and the judiciary.

PT: How does it feel to win the 2021 Purvez Bilimoria Global Award for legal excellence? Does either of you have a hand in each others triumph?

Kawthar: Most people would reply that it feels like a dream come true, but for me it is more of a step in the direction to finally live my dream. I have had so many things planned out for myself ranging from how to secure my law school fee, how I am going to empower and train young girls and women in marginalised settings with a hard skill, with respect to financial independence. There was a lot in my head and winning this award is just that one spin that turns the table around.

Purvez Bilimoria Award creates a platform that celebrates excellence across borders. It aims to identify unique talent and award genuine contribution to societal development. It feels like, for once, I am being heard and what I do generally matters. It was my first time applying and I won it.

With respect to whether either of us has a hand in each others triumph, I would say Eva stretched his hand forward as a mountain guide. He was a motivation and nothing more or less.

Evaristus: For me, winning the award in 2020 was a surprising and exhilarating opportunity and confidence booster mostly because of the processes and activities leading up to the win. I will explain.

In June 2019, I was searching and scouting for global opportunities and scholarships (using hashtags basically) on LinkedIn when I saw a post made some days back about the scholarship by Rohan Bilimoria. That was the very first edition of the award. I sent Rohan a connection request and asked if a law student from Nigeria could apply, he responded in the affirmative and that was the cue I needed. I got to the final stages but I did not win. In 2020, I tried again and I won the award.

Winning the award boosted my confidence and I felt I could conquer the world. It is safe to say the award formed the foundation for other global wins I have had since then.

PT: Where do you go from here? Is there something we should look forward to with the prize money you got?

Kawthar: I love surprises, so I will keep some things hidden. But for now, I will be training 30 young girls in the age range of 15 to 20 for the rest of the year with the hard skill of barbing. As you know, I am a barber and I operate a barbershop.

Furthermore, with the funds, I will sign them off with starter kits, create employment as part of my contribution to national development and my movement to further create a league of financially independent millennials.

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PT: What would you say you did right that earned you both this award? Someone may be out there willing to throw their hats in the ring.

Kawthar: I have been asked this question many times by interested applicants. I would say you should tell your story the way it is. Nothing superfluous. You are not asked to write 1000 words for peanuts. You are required to submit a two minutes or less video, so how hard can that be? I cant categorically say this is what they want but I know the elements in my entry  candour, impact, and ingenuity.

Talking of ingenuity, I was scouting for what different things I could do to be ahead of others. I got the idea of pitching in the second person singular which I have never seen before. I asked my friends and senior colleagues if doing a pitch in a second person singular made sense and they all had reservations about it, more like they felt it was not good enough and it would look bizarre.

But I guess that was the difference for me.

Look, it may or may not be these things but I can bet that they can sense when your person does not match your story and most importantly own your story.

Lastly, get yourself a good camera, nice background, be audible and be creative  my tuppence on this.

Evaristus: I have also been asked this question many times by a lot of applicants. My response has always been the same.

I saw my entry as a two-minute elevator pitch and I handled it as such. I tried to sell myself to the organisers, literally.

My advice would be, ensure the video is of good quality. Speak in a clear and balanced manner, make every sentence count and yes, smile.

A little ingenuity wont hurt too. So think up something that could make your video stand out. Mine was using captions and subtitles.

PT: Nigerias educational system has often been criticised for lacking dynamism, yet it keeps producing persons like both of you? What are we likely doing right?

Kawthar: I will get a bit personal here. The truth is when Nigeria happens to you, when you are a subject in a less-reflective Nigerian State, you will just grow to be dynamic. The educational system pushes you to be twice as hard, more creative and that is reflective of the performance of Nigerians home and abroad. You can tell if you are a product of the University of Ibadan.

What can we do better? A lot can be done. We have experts and good teachers and lecturers in Nigeria but are they willing to teach? Yes, when the pay is good and encouraging. So lets start from better funding then we will harness the best in these people.

Like I would say in Yoruba (inu dundun lo n mori wu wa  happiness breeds enthusiasm to work). Funding is a big problem which also is a major cause of incessant strike and infrastructural decay; to complete eradication of the commercialisation and privatisation of the sector.

Lastly, our educational system is good but it can be the best. We shouldnt all together sacrifice our educational system on a platter of nothingness because this is the wheel that will take us into the greater good future.

Evaristus: The amazing results and wins by Nigerian students especially students from University of Ibadan can be attributed to two factors.

First, grit. Being a Nigerian alone comes with a certain courage and resolve to succeed against all odds. The average Nigerian youth is super-determined and hardworking. I feel this gives us a natural advantage over our peers from other parts of the globe.

Second, the academic institution, University of Ibadan, enjoys a pride of place as not just the premier university but the best university in Nigeria according to The Times Rankings. This also translates into very stringent admission policies as it admits students solely on merit and was recently recognised by JAMB as the best transparent university on admission.

I believe those two factors contribute in no small measure. Thank you.

PT: What would you say is the fate of the Judiciary at a time it is battling for autonomy?

Kawthar: I would say honestly their fight for autonomy is long overdue. Suffice to say that the autonomy of the Legislature and Judiciary is critical to the sustenance of the countrys democratic process.

PT: Evaristus, you are moving into finance. Is that bye to law?

Evaristus: Interesting question. The answer is yes and no. Yes, because after a successful summer internship with a global investment bank this summer, I secured a full-time role which I would be starting next year in London.

No, because, even if I dont end up practicing law, I am and will always be a lawyer at heart as I always see situations where I will have to bring my legal skills to bear even in finance. From legal internships to private equity and now to investment banking, my legal skills have stood me out as an exceptional candidate and I am not about to stop now.

PT: Kawthar, you are still a student and you have been an unrelenting advocate for peoples rights? How have you been keeping up?

Kawthar: It is never a smooth path to tread so you can all imagine the long story without me telling it. But I want to directly be in a position where I can change peoples lives in multitude, not just calling and clamouring, protesting wrongs, upholding rights and you know time isnt on our side any longer. The last few years have witnessed incessant muddling and trampling of all we know as basic rights.

Suffice to say that I am lucky I have not been gunned down by a man in uniform or kidnapped for ransom by some bandits (laughs).

PT: Imagine you became the education minister, what would you change?

Kawthar: First, completely overhaul a system that is so archaic in its curriculum to inculcate new trends that are geared towards national development.

Secondly, create a blueprint that addresses the needs of the nation with a 20-year plan through education.

Thirdly, students can work and study especially when it comes to internships which I think should be paid and comfortable. Create a work and study plan that is favourable.

Fourthly, work on eradicating completely commercialisation and privatisation of the education system.

Lastly, have a trust fund that serves diverse purposes of funding research, funding competitions abroad and others.

Evaristus: Work with the government and private sector to institute paid internships and industrial training for all university students.
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This is and should be the time for decisive leadership that would present a profound national vision and sincerely show the entire nation a clear path to the NEW NIGERIA. This country at this point deserves nothing less than a sincere, generous, bold, visionary, large-hearted, courageous and competent leader, whose dream is nothing short of a first-world societal order and national development or transformational ideal.

Nigeria really needs to think deeper and bigger about its citizens  and the society as a whole  beyond what we currently have or have had these past years and decades as a country. With the kind of unprecedented social problems and the various symptoms of psychological dysfunctions experienced mostly by our youths across Nigeria today, weve got to really rethink our socio-political or socio-cultural standards and ideology and expand our imagination in terms of how our society should be organised, governed, or instituted. With the imprints of our checkered colonial history and the impact of the centuries-long transatlantic slave trade on our collective psyche as a race, Nigerians/Africans have faced too much psychological harassments and hence unconscious self-loathing (inflicted by the Wests shrewd geopolitics and systemic imperialism) to allow ourselves continue along this path of economic and social self-enervation, going forward.

The truth is, even from the very richest person or the ones occupying the highest social strata, at different levels of our society today, to the very common person on our streets, we are all essentially poor the poverty of lacking a truly inspired, charitable, generous, liberal and progressive spirit. From Dangote, Nigeria and Africas richest person, to the very powerful political, military, traditional or religious elites and all leaders of this country, down to the man at the last rung of society, it is safe to say we are all essentially poor as a collection of people. It seems that what we have all rather mastered over these years, as a nation and people, is the zero-sum model of leadership, management, or governance. Instead of focusing on increasing society for all and expanding our collective capacity to produce, innovate, disrupt, empower and maximally prosper, we have rather perfected the art of skimming our way through, doing our best to restrict real fundamental growth, both nationally and subnationally. Of course, what you have today is an organism whose growth potential has been forcefully gagged or stifled, and the natural outbursts is these diverse unprecedented social ills and the socioeconomic or socio-political disharmonies and stress we now experience as a country.

How else is Dangote not considered poor, when in 2013 as Africas richest person with a net worth of $16.1 billion and ranked 43rd richest person in the world according to Forbes, he was far ahead of Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg, who had a fortune of $13.3 billion and was ranked 66th in the world? (Someone like Elon Musk did not even make the first 300th in that list, having just made the billionaire status with a net worth of just $2 billion the previous year). Today, however, while Dangote still remains Nigeria/Africas richest person under a severely shrunken economy, he now has receded down to the 195th position on the global list, with a net worth now down to $11 billion; Mark Zuckerberg, in comparison, now holds a net worth that has skyrocketed many times over to $97 billion, as at this writing, and is now the 5th richest person in the world. Elon Musk, on the other hand, whose meteor-like ascension is simply phenomenal to say the least, is now the 4th richest person in the world, with a net worth in excess of $165 billion. Talk about the miracle of an organisation or nation committed to radical growth, continuous research, development (R&D) and innovation!

About Dangote, therefore, the way his net worth has generally plummeted over the years during this period, and the fact that he still remains atop as Africas richest person with no seeming competition from anyone in sight within the country or continent, if this is then not an indication or evidence of a societys general underderperformance and socioeconomic decline, then what else is? Nigerias economy under Obasanjogrew at an annual average of 7 percent in his eight years in office as president. Late President YarAduas three-year stay saw the economy also grow at an average of 7 per cent annually, with Jonathan administration witnessing a 6 per cent average annual growth in his five-year administration. For the last five years, however, our economy has greatly shrunken, today recording an average growth rate of 0.7 per cent within the designated period. With our obviously enormous and unprecedented potentials, in human and natural resource endowments, these numbers and economic condition is rather disgraceful and reprehensible. We should recall Chinas 10 per cent double digits consistent annual growth between 1979 and 2018 (for four decades!), which was a result of its holistic cultural reforms and economic restructuring of 1978!

I mean, fellow Nigerians, weve got to be serious about our national life as a people. Is it not a shame, a crying shame at that, that in the entire country, even in the prominent and most high-end parts of the biggest cities of this country, we cant boast of even fiveto six hours of steady, uninterrupted power supply per day? I mean, this is almost a century and two score years since the first steam-generated power station was opened in the Holborn Viaduct by Thomas Edison in 1882, to supply electricity to street lamps and several close private dwellings in London; over 137 years since the first house was lit by electricity later that year by the Edison Illuminating Company at Appleton, Wisconsin, in the United States. With all the evolution in energy technology and the various alternative sources, the world has since mainstreamed public power supply as a basic household, industrial, commercial or municipal utility for all towns and cities across countries. It is sad that after all these years, we are still struggling with less than 5000MW of available power to the entire country, since the British built the first electric utility company in Nigeria in 1929. With just about 60 per cent of the national population electrified, at least 16 million Nigerian households are still without access to electricity today.

In that new Nigeria, we must, as most of the developed countries of the world are currently doing, begin to value our economic and societal development much beyond just GDP numbers, to the broader goals of truly uplifting the happiness levels, wellbeing and social or living standards of all our citizens as a collective. We have to actively embrace and benchmark our economic wellbeing by the many other alternative economic development indicators

As another national elections come up in 2023, please it is not time to rehash our popular mediocre economic plans and lifeless manifestoes of Agenda 2023, Five-point Agenda, and the rest. Weve got to really show true depth and uncommon commitment in coming forward with the BOLDEST NATIONAL DREAM and very inspired STRATEGIC VISIONARY FRAMEWORKS, to put this country and its people on a sure path to real global-level growth, radical development and/or cutting-edge advancement in all societal sectors in the years and decades to come. We have got to be much prouder of ourselves and our individual citizens to give this nation and its occupants the very best that we all truly deserve. No more mediocrity and mediocre standards; no more of this cut-throat zero-sum competition and the quest to dominate one another. No more politics of control, selfishness and parochialism in our projections in all sectors of our society. Its time for powerful GROWTH; growth and all-round societal progress that caters to all and for all. Its time, indeed, for a NEW NIGERIA!!

In that new Nigeria, we must, as most of the developed countries of the world are currently doing, begin to value our economic and societal development much beyond just GDP numbers, to the broader goals of truly uplifting the happiness levels, wellbeing and social or living standards of all our citizens as a collective. We have to actively embrace and benchmark our economic wellbeing by the many other alternative economic development indicators like the Human Development Index, Genuine Progress Indicator, Happy Planet Index, etc, and match this with concrete policy targets and yearly deliverables.

We should recall that in 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 65/309 Happiness: Towards a Holistic Definition of Development, where member countries were invited to measure the happiness levels of their people and to use the data to guide public policy, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals targets. On April 1, 2012, the World Happiness Report was first released as a foundational text to UNs high-level meeting, Wellbeing and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm. It outlined the state of the worlds happiness and wellbeing in different member countries and drew international attention to this priority economic or societal development measure. Since 2016, this Report has been issued annually on the 20th of March to coincide with the UNs International Day of Happiness and to further give all countries available data and relevant information to pursue this objective of increasing the standard of living, social wellbeing and happiness levels of their people as an important metric of their economic development.

With the release of this Reports, there has been a race of nations on this regard, with countries like the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, China and the rest of the developed world consistently striving for a place at the top ten or top twenty of the lists. Levels of GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom to make life choices and lack of corruption feed into the overall score and ranking of countries. It is however the Nordic countries of north-western Europe which have consistently made the top ten positions on these lists. The 2020 edition was released in March this year, with Finland emerging for the fourth straight year as the happiest and most socially stable country in the world. She is followed by Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden as second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth in that order. Rather ambitious by its nature, also, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which ranked 21st this year, up seven places from its ranking in 2016, has set a goal to take the worlds happiest country position by 2031 and it is using a scientific approach to actively measure citizens happiness and social wellbeing in the country. Under the endorsement of its exceptionally visionary and bold leader, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE, happiness falls under its Smart Dubai 2021 initiative.

Weve got to kill this widened inequality, this zero-sum leadership and governance paradigm. Weve got to kill the paradigm of poor road networks and public utilities across our country; poor institutionalisation, mediocre public education and institutional standards. Weve got to kill this political culture of selfishness and class struggle, kill low living standards in all its colourations

The reason the Nordic countries have been doing so well in these rankings, as the Reports highlight, is not surprising. These countries have well-structured policies, institutionalised social support systems and first-class infrastructures, put in place by their governments to provide opportunity for the finest socioeconomic living experience for their citizens. High quality healthcare services (in most cases free), high quality free public education, a well institutionalised social welfare system to support out-of-work youths and the elderly, including family counselling, stable, functional and high-quality infrastructure and public utilities, are a few highlights the Report captured as being responsible for the Nordic countries lead in this important economic development measure. Interestingly, on the flipside, the Report also looked at countries where people are most unhappy and socially uncertain. Of course, apart from Afghanistan (a country torn apart by war and destruction), many of the most unhappy countries in the list have been sub-Saharan African countries, for which Nigeria is a part, with Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Rwanda, Lesotho, etc, leading on that front. I am making a case today, that fellow Nigerians, we have to change this trajectory and narrative going forward!

Weve got to think more about expanding the social and economic depth and breadth of our society and its systems. We have to think more of our citizens and their welfare and wellbeing, the family units, including all the causes of dysfunctions and psychological imbalances or pressures that we have seen being unleashed on the country today in the form of the different insecurity issues, and the crime and other social misbehaviours of our young people. It is always easy to dodge these deep and underlying questions and causes; to just pass the buck and slam the youths and young people for their social dysfunction. But it is time we own up to the challenges we have created and get more personal as a government or societys leadership, to critically address the psychological health, wellbeing and social development of our citizens as a collective. With at least 10.5 million kids out of school today, over 42.5 per cent youth unemployment, poor public school systems and learning environments, a poor teaching culture, low remuneration and motivation for our teachers; with national poverty levels at 43 per cent (89 million; 2020 figures), life expectancy at the global lowest in 55 years and the child mortality rate at about the highest in the world  at 117 deaths per 1000, we must indeed own up to the problems we have created over these years and embrace the courage to change this REALITY forthwith.

Perhaps it is time to think of creating our own Ministry of Happiness, Citizens Empowerment and Social Wellbeing and engage or partner with the finest experts in psychology, leadership and human development, faith, economics, management, sociology, technology, surveys an dadta analytics, etc, to come up with the most robust and comprehensive plans and result-oriented frameworks to offer real care, guidance, counselling and support, especially to the vulnerable citizens and family units amongst us. Weve got to kill this widened inequality, this zero-sum leadership and governance paradigm. Weve got to kill the paradigm of poor road networks and public utilities across our country; poor institutionalisation, mediocre public education and institutional standards. Weve got to kill this political culture of selfishness and class struggle, kill low living standards in all its colourations, kill the era of irregular power supply (we should have nothing less than 24 hours constant power supply, like that obtained everywhere else in the world) once and for all in this country.

This is and should be the time for decisive leadership that would present a profound national vision and sincerely show the entire nation a clear path to the NEW NIGERIA. This country at this point deserves nothing less than a sincere, generous, bold, visionary, large-hearted, courageous and competent leader, whose dream is nothing short of a first-world societal order and national development or transformational ideal. That is what this nation deserves. And the time is now!

Austine Edim is the CEO of APNET Consult Ltd.
Again, West Africa not only offers an insight into the danger that ungoverned spaces around the corner can pose to the security of other countries in the neighbourhood, with the effect of the collapse of Libya reverberating with dire consequences around the region, as terrorists ravage parts of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria. But West Africa also offers hope or direction in terms of properly situating the challenge as a regional threat

Beyond the prevailing narrative that has largely reduced the Afghanistan situation to one of a Taliban takeover and the end of civilisation in the country, are salient issues that make finding a lasting solution to the Afghanistan conundrum so difficult. Therein are lessons for other countries, especially Nigeria. And also for those genuinely invested in a resolution of the Afghanistan situation, by considering the way that Nigeria and her neighbours have handled their own challenges.

The Afghanistan story is simple, yet complicated, in the sense that it is a puzzle that remains unresolved by external forces, even with decades of ceaseless battle, and the investment of enormous human and material resources. America, after 20 years and expending an estimated $2 trillion in prosecuting a war  even though part of that sum also went to Iraq, has beaten a retreat, in what many see as an admission of defeat. It is left with counting costs, funded with credit which, with interest factored in, is estimated to rise up to $6.5 trillion by 2050. What a huge price to pay.

Beyond that is the human cost incurred in prosecuting the war. Records put American service members killed in Afghanistan, through April this year, at 2,448; U.S. contractors  3,846; and Afghan national military and police  66,000. Other allied service members, including those from other NATO member states lost 1,144 people; Afghan civilians  47,245; the Taliban and other opposition fighters  51,191; aid workers  444; and Journalists  72.

While America initially went into Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks, to take out al-Qaeda and the Taliban leadership, which had offered it safe haven, a task accomplished militarily within a few months, she would get detained by the objective of remodelling the country by exporting democracy there, introducing a different way of life and rebuilding institutions, so that it would become impossible for the Taliban and other militants to make a comeback or retake control of government.

America then invested huge resources in rebuilding the infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, democratic institutions, the judiciary, and security services; also in rebuilding and equipping the army, spending about $90 billion; retraining the police force; pushing a new economic agenda, including reforms of the Central Bank. This massive effort at nation re-building apparently did not succeed in changing the ingrained culture of the people nor did it stand in the way of a massive rollback by the Taliban forces, leading America to reluctantly accept failure and negotiating with the same forces, under President Trump, for a tactical withdrawal from the country.

Perhaps things might have been different if the Afghanistan problem had been approached differently, recognising the peculiarities of the country and the interplay of forces, which made the Talibanisation of the problem rather simplistic and reductionist. If anything, the Taliban are as much a part of Afghanistan as anyone else, with some measure of support, especially from the Pashtun base. They have a stake in the state, like others, even if they assume that they have earned a right to leadership it on account of decades of relentless battle.

But beyond the internal dynamics, the treacherous terrain that makes a military conquest by external forces difficult, is the regional dimension to the Afghanistan conundrum, which I believe is fundamental, and I see as relevant, both as a source of lesson to Nigeria, and one which can also benefit from Nigerias approach to tackling regional conflicts, even if each has its own peculiarities.

Without doubt, the Afghanistan problem is as much as internally propelled as it is externally induced. It is caught up in a web of forces with deep-rooted regional and international dimensions, that a dismissal its situation as simply an Afghan problem is an indulgence in illusion. It is a problem with global ramifications, as ungoverned or malgoverned spaces constitute a threat to everywhere else.

Afghanistan is completely landlocked, with borders to the East and the South by Pakistan (including those areas of Kashmir administered by Pakistan but claimed by India), to the West by Iran, and to the North by the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. It also has a short border with Xinjiang, China.

While it does not have a direct border with Russia, the country has deep ties with the region, and through its invasion and years of war with the country, this makes it a formidable and interested actor in Afghanistan. There is also Turkey, just as there is the bit player, Kyrgyzstan, in the mix. There is also Saudi Arabia. Obviously, Pakistan is the most significant actor, with many of the militants finding a safe haven there, as there is virtually no distinction between parts of that country and parts of Afghanistan.

Not only are its borders in many parts long and porous, Afghanistan is tied to its southern neighbours on the account of ethnicity, culture, history, politics and language.

Beyond the complicated regional configuration, there is America caught up in the web, starting with its covert operations in support of the Taliban to undermine the Soviets, then getting sucked in by the desire to transform a country with a complicated history into its own image. Yet, there is China, just around the corner, uncomfortable with the U.S. presence or base close to its border. At the centre of it all is this landlocked, battle-hardened land, for some reason targeted as a huge prize by empire builders, yet refusing to go down to external interests.

Without doubt, the Afghanistan problem is as much as internally propelled as it is externally induced. It is caught up in a web of forces with deep-rooted regional and international dimensions, that a dismissal its situation as simply an Afghan problem is an indulgence in illusion. It is a problem with global ramifications, as ungoverned or malgoverned spaces constitute a threat to everywhere else.

But the Afghan problem is one that is best fixed within a regional framework. Any solution that does not take into consideration the complicated regional dimensions cannot truly work. Indeed, it is difficult to fix Afghanistan without fixing Pakistan. But how do you fix Pakistan without taking India and the rivalry between the two into consideration? Where do you put China and Russia in the equation? Where do you place the countries of Central Asia?

Nigeria and West Africa showed the world in 1990 how to resolve internal insurrection with potentials for escalation into a regional crisis or throwing up ungoverned spaces that might eventually impact immediate neighbours and other parts of the world negatively.

Ungoverned spaces are as much a threat to the immediate neighbourhood as it is to other parts of the world. A concerted effort across board is in the interest of every international actor, especially the West, which sees what is going on as some sort of clash of civilisations.

Of course, the decision by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to set up the West African peacekeeping force to intervene in Liberia, was initially not well received outside the region, especially as it lacked precedence and did not have a proper legal foundation. But with what was achieved in Liberia, Sierra Leone and other places, in comparison to what eventually played out in Rwanda, Somalia and even Libya, many authorities, including the United Nations, have come to appreciate the place of such regional forces in managing conflicts, bringing to bear their relative knowledge of cultures, temperaments and terrains in the better management of crisis.

Perhaps things might have turned out differently if America had done the initial heavy lifting in Afghanistan, leaving the task of specifying and rebuilding to a regional force, while rendering support from behind, just as they did, to a minimal extent, with ECOMOG.

Of course, no two situations are the same. In any case, there was no such regional framework in place there. It is also a difficult one to put together, given the disparate and conflicting interests in the region. Yet, there is no other way, but the regional approach, with the West African model as a possible guide.

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Unfortunately, all the actors are overtaken by their interests, history and fractious relationships to be able to clearly see the danger posed by the narrow pursuit of their selfish agenda.

Again, West Africa not only offers an insight into the danger that ungoverned spaces around the corner can pose to the security of other countries in the neighbourhood, with the effect of the collapse of Libya reverberating with dire consequences around the region, as terrorists ravage parts of Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria. But West Africa also offers hope or direction in terms of properly situating the challenge as a regional threat, then doing everything to pull together as a regional bloc to drive the solution. That is what Nigeria has done through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) set up by the Lake Chad basin states  Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria  to pool resources against terrorists.

Of course, the situation is not quite the same, even if it might have slightly been similar. The opportunity might have already been lost and the conditions for that level of cooperation might not be there. Yet, there is no substitution for a regional framework, with support and resources from the G7 towards addressing these challenges.

Ungoverned spaces are as much a threat to the immediate neighbourhood as it is to other parts of the world. A concerted effort across board is in the interest of every international actor, especially the West, which sees what is going on as some sort of clash of civilisations.

Simbo Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian Communications Consultancy and publisher of Africa Enterprise. Twitter: @simboolorunfemi
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Ultimately, our success in Nigeria is going to be dependent entirely on the Nigerian woman. President Buhari has a powerful opportunity in the remaining period of his second term in office to leave a mark that will position Nigeria beyond the ethnic polarisation and competition that toxic masculinity has given to Nigeria. He has the opportunity to balance the aggression in the public domain. He can make Nigeria whole and healthy by empowering women.

The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan is a global milestone. It is a prototype of counter-terrorism, as defined by the West, and its efficacy, and also brings into sharper focus the role of women and the effects of the exclusion of women in any society, especially those whose economic evolution is still emergent.

In the same week, the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria published an article in the Financial Times, as if in recognition of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. He wrote about the dependence on or the request for the West to intervene on behalf of Africans, especially across the Sahel, as we fight the Salafist fundamentalists using the force of arms to try and take over different countries, and leaving trails of the mass murder of cross-sections of our societies. Even whilst during a resurgence in the ability of the Nigerian military to curtail the power of both ISWAP and Boko Haram elements combined, it seemed ominous. Especially as he highlighted the profound demographic change across our country.

As reports of mass surrender by some members of these terrorists forces in Nigeria increase, the president, quite eloquently, casts in sharp relief the fact that military victory itself is not victory, because there is a demographic shift across the Sahel and especially in Nigeria, meaning that, fundamentally, a lot of young people who have not been engaged economically or in the process of nationhood, are gun fodder for these kinds of extremist forces. And, no matter what is done militarily, if nothing is done to support the creation of jobs, the engagement of these young people in productive work, everything else will be a failure.

It is a major point that the president has put forward, but it overlooks something very fundamental, an omission that is very egregious, which is also apparent in the Taliban takeover. That is the role of women  49.3 per cent of the Nigerian population and 48.7 per cent of that of Afghans. Any society that is incapable of creating a climate for the girl-child to grow into her own self-ownership, into her own humanity, to participate and contribute effectively in society, will fail its posterity, if not its immediate challenges. And, as such, the world is a failed place because whether you are in the West, in the South, the East or the North, what is clear is that women play marginal roles, in comparison to what they can play if society was more just and committed to the humanity of all, rather than misogyny.

We have, through various means, created a climate in which a woman is subject to a systematic form of oppression. And these are not just emotive words. These are very rational, considered reflections. In the U.S.A that often offers itself up as an example of what the world should aspire to, underage girls are still legally married off, from the age of about 15, or maybe even younger in some states. They are also under different kinds of control from the American version of Taliban orientation, on abortion and such like. So, it is very clear that the U.S.A is not an example of the empowerment and the engagement of women. We see a lot better in the Scandinavian countries. And even there, we still know that the ability of women is considered somewhat lesser than those of men.

For men, part of the things that kill us at a tender age is the toxic masculinity that barely appreciates the contribution of women and rarely recognises the interdependence of the genders in the production of a healthy family, healthy community and a better world. In order to build the Nigeria that we want, we should start to work on making sure that a girl-child has the same educational foundation as a boy-child.

These issues come into sharp demand in a developing country like Nigeria, where misogyny is almost synonymous with all the cultures that we brought out of our colonial experience. It is very clear in the North that women are married off at a very tender age. A girl-child suffers a lot of abuse. She is not given as much education as is possible, and she is not given as much value as she ought to be given. It is not a lot better in traditional societies of the South. It would be quite a lie to say that because it is obvious in the North, the subtler things happening in the South, including underage marriage, including a rape culture, are non-existent.

Primarily, the issue still comes back to a fundamental understanding of what is a healthy, effective and prosperous society, that has very little to do with materialism and more to do with the genuine well-being of the people; the ability to live fully in the best of themselves? To have a society where the tides lift all boats together. And what is clear, not just from Malcolm X but from all other intelligent and articulate people, is that to train a woman is to train a community. To train a man is to train an individual. In fact, in development work, what is clear is that when you invest in women, you fully invest in the family. When you invest in men, you only marginally invest in the family.

So, the roles and capacities of an entire society are highly dependent on what you do with the girl-child. We cannot continue and we must not continue to bring up our daughters to become wives only. We have to create a society that appreciates them, that understands them, that propagates what they contribute. I am not advocating the kind of competition that becomes a total annihilation of each other. What I am talking about is trying to get the best of our diversity to bring forth the best for our world.

For men, part of the things that kill us at a tender age is the toxic masculinity that barely appreciates the contribution of women and rarely recognises the interdependence of the genders in the production of a healthy family, healthy community and a better world. In order to build the Nigeria that we want, we should start to work on making sure that a girl-child has the same educational foundation as a boy-child. We must make sure that she has viable options. We must make sure that she has the capacity, whether she is married or not, to provide for herself and those that depend on her. We have to also make sure that she has the opportunity to exercise the kind of leadership that she can bring to bear on the challenges of our society. In that way, we are able to use the broad spectrum of the skills, knowledge and attitudes of all our people to create a better society. Our ancestors say no one claps successfully with one hand.

A genuine push for the next two years for the Nigerian girl and women in all areas will not only transform Nigeria but also will humanise his considerable achievements on infrastructure and accountability, along with the emergent victory in the war against insurgency. A Buhari transformation of the place of Nigerian Women will be a legacy fitting for his great contribution to building the foundation of a nation fit for purpose.

In essence, we must come to where Nelson Mandela suggested to us, that the future of the world is African and she is a woman. It is very clear that until we do that, until we are able to harness that, we cannot imagine ourselves being the nation of our dreams. We cannot imagine ourselves being the economic powerhouse of Africa that makes a significant impact on the well-being of all our people. We cannot have domestic violence, we cannot have rape, at the levels that they are, and then see a society making progress. We cannot have paedophilia at the level that it is. We cannot have the kinds of human trafficking in women that we have and think that we are a good society or that we are an effective society. We cant have 50 per cent of our population only perform marginally and think we will be a success.

On global indicators and rankings on gender, in 2019 Nigeria was 128th in the world and 27th in Africa. Compared to the top four countries, Nigeria only outperformed as number one on economic participation, showing the industry of Nigerian women. On education, for example, South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana have education at 90 per cent levels and Nigeria is far behind at 80 per cent. On political empowerment, Nigeria is ranked 146th, with only 6 per cent representation in the federal House of Representatives and the same 6 per cent in the Senate.

Ultimately, our success in Nigeria is going to be dependent entirely on the Nigerian woman. President Buhari has a powerful opportunity in the remaining period of his second term in office to leave a mark that will position Nigeria beyond the ethnic polarisation and competition that toxic masculinity has given to Nigeria. He has the opportunity to balance the aggression in the public domain. He can make Nigeria whole and healthy by empowering women. What is clear to us who are his genuine, avid supporters is that in the next two years, he must do something that cements his legacy, not just in terms of infrastructure, but also intervention with people.

What will determine that, what will give him a special place in Nigerian history is his prioritising and lionising the issue of the Nigerian woman to become a critical factor that defines his administration. A genuine push for the next two years for the Nigerian girl and women in all areas will not only transform Nigeria but also will humanise his considerable achievements on infrastructure and accountability, along with the emergent victory in the war against insurgency. A Buhari transformation of the place of Nigerian Women will be a legacy fitting for his great contribution to building the foundation of a nation fit for purpose.

Adewale Ajadi, a lawyer, creative consultant and leadership expert, is author of Omoluwabi 2.0: A Code of Transformation in 21st Century Nigeria.
Perpetually at conflict with India, Pakistans Afghan frontier is of strategic military importance, and both the Pakistani army and intelligence agency, ISI, are readily willing to leverage on that. An Afghan government closely aligned with Karachi will not only provide Pakistan with a base to pursue its territorial interests in Kashmir and ensure greater security against India, but also provide the former with stronger political and economic links to Central Asia.

Its hard to imagine that barely three weeks ago, most of Afghanistan was under the control of the Columbia University trained President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani. Following the withdrawal of the U.S. military troops, province after province, the countrys military defence crumbled like a pack of cards and by Sunday, August 15, Taliban fighters were seen sitting in the Presidential palace in Kabul and reciting the Koran, as the embattled president fled his country. Indias former ambassador to Kabul, Gautam Mukhopadhaya, described the Taliban takeover as a Pakistani invasion with an Afghan face. He was not totally wrong.

As the war against the Soviet backed communist government in Afghanistan raged on between December 1979 and February 1989, Pakistan, her neighbour in the eastern and southern borders, had a mix of concerns and aspirations of her own. First, the influx of Afghan refugees into the country since the early eighties had resulted in the increased incidence of drug trafficking, organised crime, terrorism, as well as an upstick in sectarian violence.

Perpetually at conflict with India, Pakistans Afghan frontier is of strategic military importance, and both the Pakistani army and intelligence agency, ISI, are readily willing to leverage on that. An Afghan government closely aligned with Karachi will not only provide Pakistan with a base to pursue its territorial interests in Kashmir and ensure greater security against India, but also provide the former with stronger political and economic links to Central Asia. But there is more to it and that has to do with the nuclear-armed countrys own internal struggles as a nation.

Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, constituting about half of the countrys 33 million population and the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan, after the Punjabis. Pashtun nationalism, long considered a threat to Pakistanis corporate existence, sought to carve out an independent Pashtun state from Pakistani and Afghan territories.

The Pashtunistan movement picked up steam in the early 1970s and this was around the time that Baloch nationalists managed to form a government in Balochistan, and therefore the Pashtun issue was starting to look like an existential threat to the nation. It was at that stage that Pakistan started courting Islamists in Afghanistan.

Pakistans first move was to pitch tent with Gulbuddin Hikmatyars Hezb-e-Islami, a Pashtun-dominated group that espoused an Islamist, rather than nationalist, agenda during the Soviet-Afghan War. Hikmatyars failure to defeat the Afghan government forces under the command of Defence Minister, Ahmad Shah Massoud, however, dealt a serious blow to Pakistans Afghan policy and left her Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) searching for a new partner. Then came in the Talibans.

In September 1994, Mullah Mohammad Omar, an Afghan mujahid commander in the war against Soviet occupation and an influential cleric, with a group of 50 Islamic students comprising mostly ethnic Pashtuns, founded a movement in his hometown of Kandahar. They refereed to themselves as the Talibans, which in their native Pashto language means means students or seekers.

With the reversal of Americas policy towards the Taliban in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, Pakistan started to play a role that could only be described as the equivalent of a double agent. She claimed to aid the United States in its war on terror, raking in billions of dollars in aid, even as the political leadership of the Taliban camped in the Balochistan capital of Quetta and both South and North Waziristan regularly churned out scores of hardened Taliban fighters.

Mullah Omar was unhappy that even after the ouster of the Soviet-backed communist government, secular laws continued to rule the land in Afghanistan. He pledged to rid Afghanistan of warlords and criminals and establish an Islamic Emirate that will enforce a strict adherence to Sharia law.

For Pakistan, it was comforting to know that the Deoband school to which the Taliban belong, are ideologically opposed to dividing Islam on the basis of national boundaries. This means that Pashtun nationalists in Pakistan will have no backing from the Talibans in Afghanistan, and as such was seen as an effective strategy to counter ethnic nationalism and solve the nations Pashtun problem. Within a few months, thousands of students from religious schools known as madrasas signed up and would later become a very strong and commited fighting force.

Of all the foreign powers involved in the formation and providing operational support for the Talibans, nothing compares in scope to Pakistans activities, which are expansive. They offered logistic support and training for Taliban fighters and provided them a safe haven. They helped the group plan and execute major military operations, while private-sector actors, especially in the Pashtun-dominated ethnic areas, provide financial assistance to the Taliban.

Human Rights Watch sources reported that as far back as April and May of 2001, a convoy of trucks, most times numbering up to thirty, with some carrying shells, RPGs, tank rounds and artillery shells, were seen crossing the Pakistan border for delivery to Afghanistan daily. The Siamese twins of the Pakistani army and the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) were largely responsible for transforming a ragtag army of Islamic students called the Taliban, into an effective fighting force.

In an effort to support the anti-Soviet insurgency in the 1980s, Americas Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), covertly provided millions in aid to the Talibans and helped develop and publish the movements literatures in local languages. Most of those American dollars were channelled through the Pakistan Intelligence Agency, ISI. Such was the intricate web of relationships that existed between the Taliban, Pakistan and the United States prior to the 9/11 terror attack on America.

With the reversal of Americas policy towards the Taliban in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, Pakistan started to play a role that could only be described as the equivalent of a double agent. She claimed to aid the United States in its war on terror, raking in billions of dollars in aid, even as the political leadership of the Taliban camped in the Balochistan capital of Quetta and both South and North Waziristan regularly churned out scores of hardened Taliban fighters. The U.S. was well aware of the existence of these safe havens within Pakistan but needed Pakistan to prosecute the war in Afghanistan and so couldnt punish her for the sabotage. There were also many other instances of the U.S. administrations assistance to Pakistan to actively undermine its effort. Take for instance, the issue of the Kunduz airlift of November 2001.

When the capture of Kunduz, the largest city in northeastern Afghanistan, by the U.S. and United Front troops became imminent, President Pervez Musharraf requested and got permission from President Bush to evacuate thousands of top commanders and regular fighters of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agents and military personnel, as well as volunteers. Musharraf feared that the killing of Pakistanis in Kunduz could lead to unrest and instability in his country. If the move sounded counterintuitive to the U.S. effort, it was because it was. For those who believe in and often talk about the US military-industrial complex, there was no other way to spin it around. Or how else can one explain that a country that heavily Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda to fight a vicious enemy, would provide that same enemy an easy escape route.

It is curiously perplexing to note that Afghan government officials were never invited during the talk with the Talibans. This may be due to the mistrust of U.S. administrations by successive Afghan governments, dating back to the time of President Hamid Kharzai. All U.S. presidents, from Bush to Obama and now Biden, questioned the Afghan leaders commitment to form an inclusive government not bedeviled by nepotism and large scale corruption.

An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 battle-hardened Taliban and al Qeida fighters were allegedly evacuated using a Parkistan Air Force cargo aircraft to their bases in Chitral and Gilgit in the Pakistan-administered Kashmirs Northern areas. This was dubbed by the American press as the Airlift of Evil. The justification for the operation was that Pakistan had many military and intelligence officers fighting with the Taliban, and feared for their safety after Kunduz fell. As expected, this was a contentious political issue in the United States and with Americas NATO allies but, of course, the Bush administration denied that such ever happened.

As the war lasted from year to year, it became clear that any meaningful attempt at peace was untenable without the Taliban at the table. Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who until then was serving jail term in a Pakistani prison since 2010, was released at the request of the Trump administration and tipped to lead the Taliban side of the talks in 2018. The Doha Peace deal, signed in February 2020, promised that the U.S. and its NATO allies would withdraw all their troops in 14 months, if the Taliban upheld its promises, including not allowing al-Qaeda or other militants to operate in areas it controlled.

A prior attempt by Mullah Barada to engage former President Karzais government through a back channel in the past, was frustrated by Pakistan. Pakistani authorities made it clear to the Talibans that they wanted to be at the drivers seat of any deal to be made.

It is curiously perplexing to note that Afghan government officials were never invited during the talk with the Talibans. This may be due to the mistrust of U.S. administrations by successive Afghan governments, dating back to the time of President Hamid Kharzai. All U.S. presidents, from Bush to Obama and now Biden, questioned the Afghan leaders commitment to form an inclusive government not bedeviled by nepotism and large scale corruption. On March 24, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul released a statement that read; The United States is not abandoning our partnership with Afghanistan, nor our commitment to support the Afghan security forces, but reviewing the scope of our cooperation given the irresponsible actions of Afghan leaders.

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Perhaps the former Indian ambassadors words captured the mood of the ousted president and his Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and explains one of the reason they didnt feel the need to fight. But that would be a lousy excuse that ignores every other daunting challenges that confronted the deposed political leadership. One would have expected the Afghan military to mount even a modicum of resistance but instead, the Talibans cruised in victory, all the way to Kabul. This was after the United States wasted twenty years and spent a whopping $89 billion to train and equip the force. As we have come to learn, President Ghanis government was fighting many demons simultaneously.

Factors ranging from weak, ineffectual and purposeless leadership, that made commanders and troops loose faith in Kabul, have all been adduced to explain why Afghan soldiers collapsed so quickly in the face of the Taliban advance. Corruption was reported to have become so rampant to the extent that it affected the compensation of soldiers and invariably their morale. Unlike the Talibans who are united by a militant Islamist ideology, the Afghan army was mostly populated by those whose motivation were to have a job, rather than a commitment to serve and protect their country. The return of the Talibans is unfortunate, to say the least, but ultimately, every nation including Afghanistan, gets the kind of leadership it deserves.

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com
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It is not just that the West failed to learn basic lessons in the Afghan case, but that in two decades when they were overlords, they did not understand the basic culture of the Afghan people, including the role of the elders council and mass meetings. Their understanding and brand of democracy precludes the local culture and traditions. These are lessons it appears the powerful countries have not learnt.

Afghanistan is in chaos. There are videos of Afghans clinging to aircraft taking off and dropping to the earth. The dominant media blames the Taliban takeover for the chaos. Thats not the true story. The chaos has more to do with the Western forces of occupation suddenly fleeing and abandoning the country after a 20-year misadventure, and their puppet government and armed forces collapsing like a pack of cards.

The mere announcement of the name, Taliban, led to the fleeing of the Western-backed Afghanistan armed forces from city after city, and on Sunday, August 15, they melted away when the Taliban announced their presence at the gates of Kabul. So, in a sense, the Taliban was racing to restore some form of law and order.

Afghanistan, relatively, was a liberal, peaceful and development-oriented country before the advent of the Western-packaged Mujahedeen, which included the recruitment of foreign fighters and financiers like Osama bin Laden. It was a monarchy until 1973 when King Zahir Shah was overthrown by Mohammed Daoud Khan, who in turn was removed by radical Afghans on April 28, 1978, in what was called the Saur Revolution.

The revolution introduced land reforms by redistributing a lot of lands among the populace, especially the landless. It carried out mass literacy campaigns and insisted on the country being secular, not Islamic. It championed the liberation of women from religious and traditional practices. Clarifying its position on women, the government in a May 28, 1978 editorial in the New Kabul Times declared: Privileges which women, by right, must have are equal education, job security, health services, and free time to rear a healthy generation for building the future of the country  Educating and enlightening women is now the subject of close government attention.

The most famous act of the pre-Mujahedeen government was encapsulating the fundamental rights of Afghans in its Fundamental Principles of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. This guaranteed Afghans the fundamental right to demonstration, peaceful assembly, fair trial and freedom of expression. Government, while safeguarding state, cooperative and private property rights, insisted that they must not be based on the exploitation of the populace.

To them, the best way to mobilise youths in Afghanistan and the Muslim world to enlist in the Mujahedeen army was to claim that the Afghan government was atheist, which is why it insisted on a secular state. They sold the dummy that it was the duty of Muslims all over the world to carry out a jihad against a godless government in a country populated by Muslims.

So, why did the U.S. and its allies raise an army of Islamic fundamentalists, with a base in Pakistan, to overthrow that development-minded Afghan government? Simple. It was the Cold War era and the West, which characterised the Afghan government as communist, feared that the Soviet influence was expanding, so there was the need to curb it.

To them, the best way to mobilise youths in Afghanistan and the Muslim world to enlist in the Mujahedeen army was to claim that the Afghan government was atheist, which is why it insisted on a secular state. They sold the dummy that it was the duty of Muslims all over the world to carry out a jihad against a godless government in a country populated by Muslims.

America had a ready puppet in General Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan, who had in 1977 declared martial law and needed both funds and American backing to stay in power. Zia provided the base for the Mujahedeen to train and attack Afghanistan. In 1980, President Jimmy Carter through the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) spent about $100 million in shipping arms to the Mujahedeen, while his successor, President Ronald Reagan, increased this to $700 million annually.

American official, Thomas Thornton, in a memo to Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Carters National Security Adviser, said of the Mujahedeen fighters that America was propping up: They tend to be a pretty ugly bunch. I shudder to think of the human rights problems we would face if they came to power. But he was ignored.

The Soviet Union, which intervened militarily to defend the Afghan government, was defeated by the insurgents and forced to withdraw in February 1989. That led to the collapse of the Afghan government. What followed were seven years of lawlessness until 1996 when the Taliban (students) led by their teacher, Mullah Mohammed Omar, restored order. That remained for five years before the West invaded the country in 2001, leading to civil war, the infiltration of the Islamic State, and the anarchy we are witnessing today.

The chaos it has created was avoidable, if only it had sincere objectives and was clear-headed. In trying to rationalise its defeat in Afghanistan, it claims that it was actually victorious because its reason for invading Afghanistan was to rout the al-Qaeda from the country. Actually, that objective was met over a decade ago, and the killing of al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, on May 2, 2011

After the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. became an enraged giant who, without much thought, planning or strategy, went trampling into Afghanistan, only to get stuck in the mud. Many of its allies, who accompanied America, began an early extrication of themselves, having realised their myopia. But the U.S. persisted in its poor sight.

The chaos it has created was avoidable, if only it had sincere objectives and was clear-headed. In trying to rationalise its defeat in Afghanistan, it claims that it was actually victorious because its reason for invading Afghanistan was to rout the al-Qaeda from the country. Actually, that objective was met over a decade ago, and the killing of al-Qaeda leader, Osama Bin Laden, on May 2, 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was the crowning. So, why did America stay another 10 years in Afghanistan?

A rather childish rationalisation for what is a clear defeat. When the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban, realising the approaching Western forces were like a tsunami, abandoned the city low grounds and climbed into the rural areas. They avoided conventional battles, adopting guerrilla warfare. Perhaps, if Iraq under Saddam Hussein had resorted to this basic tactic, the country might have been spared the nightmare it has been subjected to, following its invasion by Britain and America under the pretext that the country had nuclear weapons, which it was about to unleash on humanity.

In the last weeks of this war, the Afghans displayed smartness: Why destroy their country, like was done to Syria in the name of a manufactured civil war? Why devastate their country, like Yemen, or destroy its basic infrastructure like it happened in Libya? So, in region after region, city after city, the inhabitants, led by the elders, met, discussed the situation, and rather than allow fighting, told the Western-backed Afghan government to withdraw its troops and officials, instructed the local pro-government militia to switch sides, and invited the Taliban forces to enter their cities. This is why in five days ending last Saturday, the Taliban took over seven cities, including Khandar, its birth place and second largest city. On Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani left the country, indicating surrender, and the Taliban strolled into Kabul.

It is not just that the West failed to learn basic lessons in the Afghan case, but that in two decades when they were overlords, they did not understand the basic culture of the Afghan people, including the role of the elders council and mass meetings. Their understanding and brand of democracy precludes the local culture and traditions. These are lessons it appears the powerful countries have not learnt.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated all Itsekiris, home and abroad, on the coronation of Prince Tsola Emiko as the 21st Olu of Warri on Aug. 21.

The president, in a congratulatory message issued by his Spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Friday in Abuja, saluted the kingdom for overcoming the issues that arose after the initial appointment of the Olu-designate.

He pleaded that any other outstanding matter be amicably resolved in the interest of peace and tranquility in the kingdom.

Mr Buhari, while acknowledging the peaceful disposition of Itsekiris to peace in the Niger Delta zone and the country in general, urged Olu Emiko to use his gift and intellect to serve his people.

He expressed the hope that the new epoch would consolidate on the peace, progress and prosperity of all members of the kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Oba of Benin, Omo NOba NEdo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, has enjoined Itsekiri king makers to strictly adhere to their tradition and customs during the coronation of the new Olu Emiko.

He spoke late Thursday when the Uwangue of Warri, Gabriel Awala, led a delegation to his palace in Benin to formally inform him of the coronation of the new Olu, scheduled for Saturday.

Oba Ewuare II said that the adequate observance of ancient traditions and customs of the land would preserve the cultural heritage of the Itsekiri nation.

He assured the delegation of his support for the Olu-designate, insisting that the cultural and traditional ties between Warri and Benin kingdoms would be strengthened.

The Benin monarch promised that a high-powered delegation would be sent from his palace to the coronation of the new Olu Emiko.

Earlier, Mr Awala informed the Benin monarch that they had come to formally inform him of the crowning of the new Olu.

He described the relationship between Warri and Benin as cordial and that the Benin monarch would continue to be a father to all.

NAN reports that history has it that it was a prince from the Benin palace that became the first Olu of Warri.
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An American based Non-Government Organisation, Alli Foundation, has provided free school uniforms and text books for students in 27 public primary and secondary schools in Ogun State.

The students were presented with the uniforms and text books, which was the pilot project of the organisation, in the presence of their parents and teachers. They were selected from schools in Abeokuta North Local Government area of the state.

The Nigeria Coordinator, Ganiyat Agboola, said the gesture was part of the social responsibilities of the organisation, adding that it would be a continuous exercise. She added that the foundation has been sponsoring some children through primary, secondary and tertiary education.

This is our pilot project starting from Abeokuta North Local Government, and we have identified students from 27 schools as first set of the beneficiaries, and we are still going to spread the tentacles of our activities to other parts of the country as being done in the U.K and U.S, she said.

She said the Abeokuta-born founder of the organisation, Kehinde Alli, resolved to embark on the project having also been a victim of poverty which, he noted, can affect academic excellence of indigent students

Ms Agboola disclosed that the foundation has a warehouse in producing large number of school uniforms so that enough would be provided for the beneficiaries across the country. She also noted that the programme was to ensure that pupils and students have access to quality materials to boost their education.

Ms Agboola, a former deputy governorship candidate in Ogun State, said the organisations philanthropic activities, which have spanned over ten years, would continue with more scholarships for indigent students.

The Chairman of the occasion, Samson Popoola, in his remarks, commended the foundation for the laudable projects. He challenged other NGOs and philanthropists to emulate the gestures and be alive to their roles in social responsibilities.

Mr Popoola, who is the chairman of Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Ogun State Chapter, pointed out that the donations would go a long way to cushion the effects of purchasing new school materials by parents and afford the beneficiaries of new set of uniforms during the next session.

ALSO READ: Another Chibok schoolgirl regains freedom in Borno

He, however, encouraged the students to show commitment to their education and avoid all social vices that may derail them for better future. He added that while studying, they should also show interest in entrepreneurship training, pointing out that the era of clamouring for white collar jobs is gone.

Some of the parents, teachers, and students ,while responding to the donations, expressed appreciation to the foundation, adding that the gestures were a relief for both parents and students.
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The police in Ogun State say they shot dead two suspected bandits in the early hours of Saturday at Onigaari area, Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement released on Saturday.

Mr Oyeyemi said the police encountered the suspects while searching for kidnappers terrorising the area and engaged them in a gun duel, in which two suspected bandits were killed.

In furtherance to bush combing operation in search of kidnappers terrorizing different parts of Ogun state, men of Ogun state police command in the early hours of Saturday 21st of August 2021, engaged suspected kidnappers in gun duel at Bere forest in Onigaari area along Lagos-Ibadan Express way.

Mr Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the command had earlier received an information that AK47- bearing hoodlums, numbering about six were sighted in the forest, possibly waiting for the appropriate time to strike.

He said following the information, the commissioner of police, Edward Awolowo, deployed the commands tactical teams, coordinated by Olusola Oniyiku, the DPO of Owode Egba division to the forest in search of the hoodlums.

While the combing was going on, the hoodlums (bandits) on sighting the policemen, opened fire on them, and gun battle ensued between them.

At the end of the encounter, one of the bandits was shot dead on the spot, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries.

Searching the forest further, one of the bandits with bullets wound was arrested in the bush but gave up the ghost few minutes after, Mr Oyeyemi said.

He added that the police recovered two AK 47 rifles with breech numbers 1983NF1040 and 1987-3-CA-1212 with five rounds of ammunition from the suspects.

The latest riffle recovery makes it four AK 47 riffles recovered by the command within the period of two weeks, Mr Oyeyemi said.

The police said they also recovered sachets of tramadol and assorted charms from the suspects.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, Mr Awolowo, has ordered for massive manhunt for the remaining members of the gang.

The police boss also appealed to members of the public, especially hospital not to hesitate to inform the police if anyone with gunshot injuries is seen in their area, the statement reads further.

The police called on residents of Ogun state to provide credible information at their disposal to the police command.
Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

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Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers.

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Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers:

Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for the In Vitro Toxicology Testing Products and Services market. The report also aids buyers with relevant In Vitro Toxicology Testing Products and Services pricing levels, pros, and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfil their category objectives.

For more insights on buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers, www.spendedge.com/report/in-vitro-toxicology-testing-products-and-services-market-procurement-research-report

Key Drivers and Trends Fueling Market Growth:

The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers.

Price forecasts are beneficial in purchase planning, especially when supplemented by the constant monitoring of price influencing factors. During the forecast period, the market expects a change of 2.00%-4.00%.

Identify favorable opportunities in In Vitro Toxicology Testing Products and Services TCO (total cost of ownership).

Expected changes in price forecast and factors driving the current and future price changes.

Identify pricing models that offer the most rewarding opportunities.

Some of the top In Vitro Toxicology Testing Products and Services suppliers listed in this report:

This In Vitro Toxicology Testing Products and Services procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

General Electric Co.

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Merck KGaA

Abbott Laboratories

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Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

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The cosmeceuticals market will witness Positive impact during the forecast period owing to the widespread growth of the COVID-19 pandemic. As per Technavio's pandemic-focused market research, market growth is likely to Increase as compared to 2020.

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Related Report on Consumer Staples Industries:

Cosmetic Preservatives Market by Product, Application, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The cosmetic preservatives market has the potential to grow by USD 109.85 million during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 5.25%. To get extensive research insights: Download Our Exclusive Sample Report

Herbal Cosmetics Market by Product and Geography - Global Forecast and Analysis: The global herbal cosmetics market size will grow by USD 33.07 billion during 2019-2023. This market report provides a detailed analysis of the market by product (skin care, hair care, and body care) and geography (APAC, Europe, MEA, North America, and South America). To get extensive research insights: Download Our Exclusive Sample Report of the Latest Version

Top 3 Cosmeceuticals Market Players

Amway Corp.

Amway Corp. operates its business under segments- Nutrition, Beauty, Home, and Energy and Spot. The company offers wide range of cosmeceuticals products through brands such as ARTISTRY, ARTISTRY Intensive Skincare, ARTISTRY Hydra-V, and SATINIQUE.

Beiersdorf AG

Beiersdorf AG operates its business under segments- Consumer and Tesa. The company offers wide range of cosmeceuticals products through brands atrix, Eucerin, Florena, HIDROFUGAL, La Prairie, Labello, NIVEA, and SLEK.

Burberry Group Plc

Burberry Group Plc operates its business under segments- Retail/wholesale and Licensing. The company offers wide range of cosmeceuticals products through brand Coty.

If you purchase a report that is updated in the next 60 days, we will send you the new edition and data extract FREE! Get report snapshot here to get detailed market share analysis of market participants during COVID-19 lockdown: https://www.technavio.com/report/cosmeceuticals-market-industry-analysis

Cosmeceuticals Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Cosmeceuticals market is segmented as below:

Product

Skincare Cosmeceuticals



Haircare Cosmeceuticals



Oral Care Cosmeceuticals



Make-up Cosmeceuticals



Other Cosmeceuticals

Distribution Channel

Offline



Online

Geography

North America



Europe



APAC



South America



MEA

The cosmeceuticals market is driven by the growing premium BPC products industry. In addition, other factors such as demand for health and wellness and innovative ingredients and technologies that can benefit the health and appearance of skin are expected to trigger the cosmeceuticals market toward witnessing a CAGR of over 5.55% during the forecast period.

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Has 69 royalties/streams

Greatest exposure to silver of any publicly-listed royalty company

Industry leading growth

What does:

( ) (NYSEAMERICAN:MTA) aims to leverage exposure to gold and silver by acquiring royalties and streams to build value.

Having a royalty means a company has the right to receive a percentage of mineral production from a mining operation, while streaming is the acquisition of all or a portion of a mine's production for both an upfront payment and a fixed price - or fixed percentage - per ounce of metal delivered.

Metalla is at an early stage of its growth but is rapidly expanding. Significantly, the group's business strategy is to acquire third-party royalties on assets of the major miners with strong operational experience and balance sheets.

In just a few years, the group has deployed over C$110 million of capital on assets that span the globe. The firm says it has completed more deals than its peers since its inception in 2016.

Significantly, it has also listed in New York, on the NYSE American exchange, to widen its US investor base and improve its access to capital.

How is it doing:

Metalla Royalty has made good progress and continues to expand in 2021.

In June, the company revealed that it has bought an existing 1.35% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on part of the Cote gold project in Ontario, where construction of a US$1.3 billion mine started late last year. Cote is owned by Canadian mining major ( ) ( ) and Fortune 500 trading giant Sumitomo and the royalty was bought for C$7.5 million in cash from arm's length sellers.

The project is set to become one of Canada's largest gold mines with expected annual output of 493,000 ounces and total cash costs of US$600 per ounce in the first five years. Cote currently boasts a 7.2 million ounce (Moz) reserve, a measured and indicated resource of 10.2Moz and an inferred resource of 3.8Moz.

Metalla's new royalty covers a portion of the northern and north-eastern part of the Cote pit but also all of the Gosselin-Young-Shannon gold project (Gosselin).

And on August 16, the group reported results for the second quarter to end-June 2021, noting it was one of its most active period for acquisitions.

In the first six months of this year and subsequently, Metalla said it closed six new acquisitions, bringing its total portfolio to 69 precious metal assets.

In the three months to June 30, Metalla generated an operating cash margin of US$1,770 per attributable gold-equivalent ounce (GEO) from its Wharf, Joaquin, and COSE royalties, along with the New Luika Gold Mine stream held by Silverback Ltd, and the Higginsville derivative royalty asset in Australia, and other interests.

Revenue from the company's assets for the quarter was US$0.7 million, while the net loss was US$2.7 million, and adjusted loss before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was US$0.5 million.

The second quarter also saw the group convert C$5 million outstanding on its Beedie Capital amended loan facility at C$9.90 per share for a total of 505,050 common shares and completed a draw down for a further C$5 million from the facility with a conversion price of C$14.30 per share.

On the financing front, on May 17, Metalla said it had entered a new equity distribution agreement with a syndicate of agents for a new at-the-market (ATM) equity program. The company said the distribution deal will replace its previous arrangement and will allow the company to distribute up to US$35 million, or the equivalent in Canadian dollars, of common shares in the group under the New ATM Program.

The company said proceeds of the sales will be used to finance the future purchase of streams and royalties by the company and for general working capital purposes.

In the boardroom, in April, Metalla Royalty said it had appointed Douglas Silver to its board as an independent director effective immediately. Silver co-founded International Royalty Corporation, which he helped build into the world's fourth-largest precious metals royalty company before being sold to Royal Gold Inc for C$749 million in 2010.

In March, the company announced that it had acquired a 0.5% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on a portion of Barrick Golds Alturas-Del Carmen project in Argentina for C$1.6 million in cash from Coin Hodl Inc.

As well, it purchased a 0.45% NSR covering Agnico Eagles Amalgamated Kirkland property and Kirkland Lake Gold's North AK Property in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, for C$0.7 million in cash from private third parties.

Also in March, the company revealed a further boost to its portfolio with the acquisition of a further accretive royalty on a large development project in Brazil, namely the CentroGold project, which covers over 2 million ounces of gold.

The deal is on an existing 1% to 2% net smelter return royalty (NSR) on OZ Minerals' CentroGold project from Jaguar Mining for up to US$18 million. A recent pre-feasibility study on the asset outlined a seven-year life of mine with output in the first two years expected to average between 190,000 and 210,000 ounces of gold a year, with around 1.1 million ounces (Moz) in the first six years.

The announcement came hot on the heels of news that it had acquired a new royalty (0.76% gross value royalty interest) on the Tocantinzinho project owned by Eldorado Gold via a royalty transfer agreement with Sailfish Royalty Corp for US$9 million in cash

What the broker says:

In a note to clients in May this year, Roth Capital Partners analysts upgraded their rating for Metalla to Buy from Neutral, while increasing their price target to $11.40 from $10.00.

Our valuation is based on an expectation that the shares should trade at 2.3x net asset value (NAV), which is appropriate given the strong history of adding value through accretive transactions over the past four years, the analysts said.

They noted that Metalla announced four transactions in late 1Q, 2021, adding two new counterparties and one new jurisdiction, Brazil, while further diversifying its royalty portfolio.

In Brazil, Tocantinzinho is a fully permitted, high-grade open-pit gold deposit with expected mine life of 10 years. Metalla estimates its Tocantinzinho royalty will generate $2.3 million in revenue annually over the first eight years of mine life and sees exploration potential of the main orebody and surrounding area as prospective, given that drilling has not gone deeper than 400 metres.

The company also acquired a 1% to 2% net smelter royalty (NSR) on the CentroGold project, which it called one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Brazil, with an estimated life of mine production of 1.1 million ounces that could begin operations as soon as 2023 or 2024. Metalla anticipates the mine could produce US$4 million of cash flow annually over the first six years of operation.

As well, the company recently acquired a 0.5% NSR on a portion of Barrick Gold's Alturas-Del Carmen gold-silver project in Argentina, part of an 8.9 million, 1.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold inferred resource. The analysts said the resource has similar characteristics to Barricks operating Veladero mine in Argentina. Barrick has indicated it will seek a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on the project in 2021.

And, they also noted that Metalla acquired a 0.45% NSR on Agnico Eagle Mines Amalgamated Kirkland and North AK Property in Ontario for C$0.7 million in cash. The analysts said the AK property, along with Upper Beaver and Upper Canada deposits, host a potential 180,000 to 240,000 ounce yearly gold operation. Agnico guided spending of US$14 million during 2021 for 52,200 metres of drilling at the Kirkland Lake project.

The Roth Capital analysts noted that their NAV estimate is based on expectations of $1,700 per ounce gold price and $21 per ounce silver price from 2024 onward.

Inflection points:

More royalty acquisitions

Gold and silver price moves

Projects coming online

What the boss says:

"The second quarter of 2021 represented another meaningful step in the continued growth of Metalla, with the acquisition of the 1.35% royalty on the Cote-Gosselin project, which is anticipated to become one of Canada's largest producing mines," said Brett Heath, CEO of Metalla in a statement accompanying the group's most recent results to June 30.

"We look forward to more accretive transactions in the second half of the year, building upon what has been one of the most active years for Metalla on the acquisition front."

Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com
Manila, Aug 21 : Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte thanked China for supporting the fight against Covid-19 after a batch of Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines donated by the Chinese government arrived in Manila on Friday.

"My deepest gratitude goes to China for the various Covid-19 assistance extended in the past, including the donation of vital medical supplies and equipment and the provision to the technical support of Covid-19 response," Duterte said in a speech at the virtual ceremony welcoming the vaccines.

"These initiatives are indeed a testament of the goodwill of the Chinese government and the deep, strong relations between the Philippines and China," he added.

Duterte said the additional Sinopharm doses would boost the Philippines' efforts to ramp up its vaccination rollout, the Xinhua news agency reported.

"We are receiving these life-saving vaccines with much gratitude and high hopes as we continue our fight against the Covid-19," Duterte added.

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian vowed to continue to help the Philippines fight the Covid-19.

"This difficult time highlights our friendship and partnership between our two nations and two peoples," Huang said, adding that China is "committed to continuing this cooperation with the Philippines and providing more vaccines to help defeat the virus and revitalize the economy." China was the first to deliver coronavirus vaccines to the Philippines. It donated the first batch of CoronaVac to Manila on February 28, allowing the country to kick off its vaccination drive on March 1. As of Friday, China has been the biggest supplier of Covid-19 vaccines to the Philippines.

The Philippines now has over 1.8 million confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 31,198 deaths. On Friday, it recorded 17,231 new Covid-19 infections, the highest ever daily tally since the outbreak began in January last year.

The Philippines has administered over 29 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, with nearly 13 million people having been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 so far. The government aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people this year.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Tunis, Aug 21 : Tunisian Health Ministry on Friday reported 3,127 new Covid-19 cases, raising the total tally in the North African country to 635,455.

The death toll from the virus rose by 18 to 22,394 in Tunisia, while the total number of recoveries reached 587,780, the ministry said in a statement.

A total of 2,446,616 lab tests have been carried out in Tunisia so far, according to the ministry.

Since the start of the national vaccination campaign on March 13, a total of 1,926,311 Tunisians have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The total number of people registered on the electronic vaccination platform Evax amounted to 5,317,240.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Kabul, Aug 21 : As the situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain following the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country on August 15, the international community has warned against potential humanitarian challenges and expressed a willingness to help the country establish peace and stability.

In a phone conversation with the UK's First Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Thursday, Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that after more than 40 years of war, the Afghan people yearn for stability and do not want another war or more chaos, reports Xinhua news agency.

It also shows that governance imposed from the outside has not been supported by the Afghan people, and lacks a social foundation, Wang said, adding that relying on military intervention to solve regional hotspot issues will lead nowhere.

Raab agreed that the international community should sum up experience and lessons from Afghanistan, saying that the country should not become an epicentre of terrorism once again.

The international community should cooperate on the issue of Afghan refugees, Raab said, noting that the UK has announced that it will take in 20,000 Afghan refugees and is ready to increase humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in support of the UN in helping the neighbouring countries of Afghanistan accept refugees.

Also on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone conversations with French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Putin and Macron noted the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians and addressing pressing humanitarian challenges.

They expressed a willingness to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan through cooperation, including efforts within the framework of the UN Security Council and the G20.

During the talks between Putin and Draghi, both sides underlined the significance of preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring the safety of the Afghan people.

Putin and Draghi stressed the need to further counter the spread of terrorist ideology and deal with the drug threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The leaders called for consolidating international efforts to help establish peace and stability in the country.

As chaos continues at the Kabul airport amid the hasty withdrawal of US-led military troops, the G7 on Thursday sought to secure close cooperation in personnel evacuation and the resettlement of refugees.

The Foreign Ministers of the G7 as well as the high representative of the European Union met online and "spoke about the gravity of the situation and the significant loss of life and internal displacement in Afghanistan over recent days".

The G7 will continue efforts to evacuate vulnerable persons from Kabul airport, the ministers concurred during Thursday's meeting, which set the stage for a virtual meeting of G7 leaders on Afghanistan early next week.

At the same time, the blame game has intensified in Washington as the White House is scrambling to contain the fallout of a humiliating end to the 20-year war in Afghanistan and Republicans are sparing no efforts to exploit President Joe Biden's handling of the messy withdrawal from Kabul.

Since the US troops started to pull out of Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has been advancing quickly on the battlefield.

During the past two weeks, the group has captured most of Afghanistan's territories.

After the takeover of the capital city, the Taliban said it intends to form an inclusive government and does not want to have any internal or external enemies.
Srinagar, Aug 21 : An encounter started between terrorists and security forces in a forest area in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.

"The encounter is taking place in the upper reaches of forest area of Nagbaeran Tral, Awantipora. Police and the army are on the job," the police said.

The firefight erupted after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where terrorists were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire.
Washington, Aug 21 : US President Joe Biden intends to nominate Nicholas Burns, a Harvard professor and veteran diplomat, to serve as the American Ambassador to China, the White House said.

Burns, 65, currently is an international relations professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Xinhua news agency quoted the White House as saying on Friday.

He previously held senior positions in both Democratic and Republican administrations in his 27 years of government service and capped his career by serving as under secretary of state for political affairs from 2005 to 2008, the third-ranking official in the State Department.

He was US Ambassador to NATO from 2001 to 2005, and before that he served as State Department spokesman and envoy to Greece.

He also worked for National Security Council at the White House under then presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, according to the State Department.

Biden also picked Rahm Emanuel, a former Chicago Mayor and White House Chief of Staff under former President Barack Obama, as Ambassador to Japan.

Unlike Burns, Emanuel is not a career diplomat.

A former Congressman from Illinois, Emanuel has close ties to several of the top figures in the Biden White House, including the current White House chief of staff, Ron Klain.

Both nominations require Senate confirmation.
Washington, Aug 21 : US President Joe Biden has once again defended his administration's handling of the troops withdrawal from Afghanistan, denying America's allies questioning the country's credibility over the ongoing chaotic evacuation.

"This is one of the largest, most difficult air lifts in history, and the only country in the world capable of projecting this much power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the United States of America," Biden, who has been widely criticised on the botched pullout, said in a televised speech from the White House on Friday.

Biden said he has "seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world".

"And all our allies have agreed with that, every one of them knew and agreed with the decision I made to end - jointly end - our involvement in Afghanistan," said Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan standing behind him.

"Let's put this thing in perspective here. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al Qaeda gone? We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did," he said.

Calling the past week "heartbreaking", the President said the US has made "significant progress" and evacuated from Afghanistan over 18,000 people since July and 13,000 since August 14.

He pledged to use the full force of the US military to complete the withdrawal and bring Americans and their Afghan allies who assisted the United States in the 20-year conflict to safety.

Nearly 6,000 troops are on the ground, providing runway security, and standing guard around the airport to assist civilian departure, said Biden, acknowledging the evacuation mission is "dangerous." "We will get you home. Make no mistake, this evacuation mission is dangerous and involves risks to our armed forces. And it's being conducted under difficult circumstances. I cannot promise what the final outcome will be," he said.

This is Biden's second press conference at the White House since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul last weekend.

The world was shocked to see scenes of chaotic evacuation at the Kabul airport.

In his speech on Monday, Biden said Kabul's fall to the Taliban came much sooner than Washington had anticipated.

While saying he bears responsibility for the unfolding crisis in Afghanistan, Biden has also cast blame on top Afghan leaders, Afghan forces and his predecessor Donald Trump.

In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Biden said he believed the withdrawal could not have been executed without chaos ensuing and he was open to extending the August 31 deadline for a total withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Taliban took over Afghanistan just two weeks before the US was planning to complete its withdrawal of troops from the war-torn country.
London, Aug 21 : UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that his country will work with the Taliban "if necessary", as the group has regained control of Afghanistan.

"What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary, will go on," Johnson told reporters here on Friday.

He said the situation at the Kabul airport, where thousands of Afghans gathered in hopes of boarding an evacuation flight, was getting "slightly better" and he saw "stabilisation".

The UK has been able to evacuate about 2,000 people, including British nationals and Afghans who worked with Britain, since Thursday, the Prime Minister said.

Earlier this week, the Home Office introduced a "bespoke" resettlement plan, promising to take in up to 20,000 Afghans "in the long-term", with some 5,000 being in the first year.

The plan was considered far from enough to deal with the Afghan crisis by British lawmakers who met for an emergency Parliament session on Wednesday.

Leaders of the G7 will meet online early next week to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the rift between Washington and its European allies seemed to have widened over the former's hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, French daily Le Monde said "Europeans were trapped in hasty American withdrawal".

The UK's Secretary of Defence Ben Wallace said last week that the US decision to pull its military forces out of Afghanistan was a "mistake".
Cairo, Aug 21 : The Panamanian-flagged and Japanese-owned ship Ever Given has crossed the Suez Canal for the first time since it blocked the vital waterway for six days in March, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said in a statement.

"The 400-metre, 220,000-ton container ship that was docked at the UK port of Felixstowe, has returned to Port Said on Thursday night," said the statement issued on FRiday.

"Accompanied by two tug boats and most professional guides, all security measures were taken to ensure the safe crossing of the ship," Xinhua news agency quoted the SCA as further saying.

The ship ran aground in Egypt's Suez Canal and jammed global shipping traffic for nearly a week until it was refloated on March 29 by a fleet of Egyptian tugboats and diggers.

The ship was seized for more than three months until the SAC and ship owner reached a deal in July allowing the vessel to leave Egyptian waters.
Tel Aviv, Aug 21 : Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection is expanding the use of drones in an effort to fight more effectively against environmental offenders.

The cameras on drones make capturing environmental offenses in real-time much easier as the video footage in high resolution of wrongdoings can serve as substantial evidence in court, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

Moreover, the Ministry's Green Police even has drones with specialised cameras able to record videos at night using infrared or thermal vision.

For each operation, Green Police drone operators adjust the machines for specific conditions. For example, sea missions require drones that can fly in high winds, while in open fields, quiet drones with a long-distance lens can do a better job.

As the main enforcement and deterrence arm of the ministry, the Green Police has the power to conduct investigations, hand out fines and sanctions, and monitor polluters such as vehicles.

Eyal Yaffe, chief of the unmanned aerial vehicle department at Green Police, said that currently "most Green Police cases have drone footage that is very helpful in the court, by making the cases unambiguous".

Green Police inspectors are monitoring and enforcing environmental laws, regulations, and decrees with a focus on illegal dumping, sewage, air quality, hazardous materials, and construction waste.

Several times a month, the environmental ministry sends press releases about catching another illegal dumper. Usually, it is a general contractor that prefers to save money by skipping the cost of a legal landfill.

In one of the recent operations in mid-July, Yaffe and his team worked undercover for about a month next to the farmland where criminals were dumping construction waste illegally.

Yaniv Green, a senior inspector of Green Police, said that criminals were collecting waste from different construction sites during the daytime and then driving to an unauthorised landfill in agricultural lands without permission or any appropriate infrastructure.

Trucks full of construction waste were dumping their loads during nights in complete darkness to avoid any possible surveillance, but what they did not take into account were the drones with night-vision video cameras.

Nir Shorashi, an inspector of Green Police, told Xinhua that "criminals are not aware of our work with drones" because they are invisible and quiet, hence the chance of being noticed is slim.

The drones' cameras capture in high-resolution the faces of environmental criminals and license plates of their vehicles. "Drones can go as far as 500 meters without being detected", said Yaffe.

The environmental criminals that were entering the fenced illegal landfill site next to the central Israeli city of Rishon Lezion while driving without lights were documented meticulously from the air.

After gathering all the needed evidence, police forces ambushed the illegal site and arrested the offenders.

"Drones are a game-changer. Previously we needed to sneak inside those kinds of places and risk our lives. Today we can sit kilometres away from the crime scene and produce incriminating evidence just with drones," stressed Shorashi.

"In the past, we needed to hide on the ground or find vantage points on hills and use cameras, night vision, or even binoculars," said Green.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection stated that it was the first ministry in Israel to set up a drone unit, and its name is Squadron 11.

"We started with the first footage operation in 2017," noted Yaffe.

In 2020, Squadron 11 dealt with some 700 incidents in all parts of the country, gathering intelligence, overseeing the removal of asbestos roofs, and identifying illegal operations and other environmental hazards in various areas, the Ministry stated.

The groundbreaking ability of drones is to fly above dangerous places and provide a crucial real-time picture of what is going on and enable the Green Police to enforce law anywhere and anytime.

"A picture is worth a thousand words, and we say now also, a drone is worth a thousand supervisors," Yaffe told Xinhua.

Currently, Green Police has about 10 drones in its possession.

"We intend to purchase about 35 additional drones with different equipment including hyperspectral and multispectral cameras to detect, shoot and monitor soil, water, and air pollution," Yaffe noted.
Chandigarh, Aug 21 : In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police in a joint operation with the Border Security Force on Saturday seized 40 kg heroin along the international border with Pakistan in Amritsar district, officials said.

The seizure was made in the Ramdas sector, around 300 km from Chandigarh.

"Proud of SSP Amritsar (Rural), Gulneet Khurana and his team for recovery of over 40 kg heroin from Ramdas sector of Indo-Pak border around 3 am today morning," Director General of Police Dinkar Gupta said in a tweet.

He said the operation was conducted on specific inputs generated by Amritsar Police.

Punjab shares a 553-km long international border, with a barbed wire fence, with Pakistan.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : With 34,457 new Covid-19 cases detected in the last 24 hrs, India on Saturday marked a 5.7 per cent marginal decline in the infection count since a day earlier, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

In the same duration, 375 new fatalities were also reported, pushing the death toll to 4,33,964, said the Covid bulletin released by the Ministry.

The sustained and collaborative efforts by the Centre and the states/UTs continue the trend as less than 50,000 daily caseloads are being reported for 55 consecutive days now.

India's recovery rate currently stands at 97.54 per cent, the highest since March 2020.

However, the active caseload also registered a decline of 2,265 in the past 24 hrs, and cumulatively stands at 3,61,340, the lowest in last 151 days.

The active caseload constitute 1.12 per cent of total cases, the lowest since March 2020, as per the bulletin.

According to Health Ministry data, a total of 36,347 patients were discharged from the hospitals and health centres in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cured to 3,15,97,982.

The Weekly Positivity Rate remains below 3 per cent for the last 57 days and currently stands at 1.98 per cent.

The daily positivity rate continues to remain below 3 per cent for 26 straight days and currently stands at 2.00 per cent.

With the administration of 36,36,043 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's Cvod-19 vaccination coverage has surpassed the cumulative figure of 57.61 crore.

The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 17,21,205 tests being conducted.

India has so far conducted over 50,45,76,158 cumulative tests.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mumbai, Aug 21 : Actress Kangana Ranaut has started shooting for her next "Tejas" and gave her own spin to the line "How's the josh? high sir" from the film "Uri: The Surgical Strike" by saying "Josh is soaring high".

Kangana posted a picture on Instagram on Saturday morning. In the image, she is sporting the Indian Air Force uniform.

Alongside the image, she wrote: "To my next mission #Tejas Starting today a Josh is soaring high thanks to my fabulous team @sarveshmewara @rsvpmovies." In her upcoming film "Tejas" Kangana plays a fighter pilot.

The Indian Air Force was the first of the country's defence forces to induct women into combat roles in 2016. The film takes inspiration from the landmark event.

"Tejas" is directed by debutant Sarvesh Mewara. The film will be RSVP's second film which pays a tribute to the Indian military after the immensely successful film "Uri: The Surgical Strike" which was released in January 2019.
Tel Aviv, Aug 21 : Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has received the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine, his office said.

Thus, 49-year-old Bennett received the shot at the Meir Medical Centre on Friday, from where called on the Israeli public to get vaccinated, reports Xinhua news agency.

"If everyone gets vaccinated, we can avoid a fourth nationwide lockdown," the prime minister said.

"We are at the peak of the battle, and together we can win".

Earlier on Friday, the Health Ministry lowered the eligibility age for the third dose of the vaccine from 50 to 40, following the recent sharp increase in Covid-19 morbidity in the country.

According to the Ministry's decision, teachers, healthcare workers and pregnant women of all ages can also receive the third dose from now on.

Bennett said he expects the third dose to be opened to all residents later for those who received the second dose at least five or six months earlier.

So far, nearly 1.27 million people in Israel have been vaccinated with the third dose.

Meanwhile, 5.88 million have already received the first shot, and nearly 5.44 million the second one.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, Aug 21 : The number of students who opted for Tamil as the medium to write the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) this year has increased by 16 per cent from the previous year.

The exam is scheduled to be held on September 12.

In the 2020 NEET, 17,101 students had chosen Tamil as the medium to write the test; while in 2021, 19,867 students had opted for the language.

The figures were released by the National Testing Agency that conducts NEET examinations.

"The number of students opting for Tamil in NEET has increased due to the reservation for government school students. The state has announced a quota for them and most of these students prefer to appear in Tamil," Satheesh Balaji, a career consultant told IANS.

However, the overall applications from Tamil Nadu for the test has fallen by 7 per cent.

In 2020, there were 1,21,617 applicants for NEET from the state, while it has fallen to 1,12,889 students in 2021.

In 2019 before the pandemic, the number of NEET applicants from Tamil Nadu was around 1.4 lakh.

Another carrier consultant Mohammed Aneesh told IANS: "Most of the parents are opting for Engineering as the cost is less and getting a job is much easier.

"Another factor is the increase in cut off mark to 580 for getting admissions to government colleges and the third factor is lack of physical classes and tuition classes." It may be recalled that the opposition AIADMK had locked horns with ruling DMK over its 'poll promise' of scrapping NEET in Tamil Nadu, saying that the DMK made false electoral promises in order to come to power.
Colombo, Aug 21 : A 10-day nationwide quarantine curfew has been imposed in Sri Lanka in order to prevent the further spread of Covid-19, the country's Army Commander General Shavendra Silva announced.

Silva, also Head of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of Covid-19, told Xinhua news agency that the curfew came into effect from 10 p.m. Friday and will be lifted at 4 a.m. on August 30.

However, essential services such as those in agriculture, apparel, construction workers, and pharmacies can continue to operate, he said.

Silva said vaccination centres will remain open and priority will be given to those above 60 years old who are yet to be vaccinated.

"Mobile teams will operate during these 10 days and we will ensure that all those above 60 are vaccinated as a large number of deaths from the virus have been among this age group," Silva said.

Sri Lanka is facing a rapid rise in Covid-19 infections with 377,973 cases detected since March last year.

The current active patient count was over 47,000, statistics from the Health Ministry showed.

Altogether 6,790 deaths have been reported from the virus.

Health workers said the rise in infections in recent weeks was from the Delta variant with capital Colombo being the epicentre of the variant spread.

Hospitals have been filled with patients, while crematoriums are also working round the clock to cremate the dead.

Health workers have warned that the situation may reach its peak in two weeks and have urged people to stay indoors as much as possible.
New Delhi, Aug 21: Aided by traffickers, Afghan youth are already beginning to trickle into eastern Turkey. Rescued by NATO countries, other Afghans have begun landing on European soil following the Taliban takeover of Kabul this Sunday.

With a huge Afghan migration issue staring at Europe in the face, the countries are tightening their belts. Austria has already said that it would prefer to have deportation centres in Afghanistan's neighbourhood. It has also suggested providing aid close to Afghanistan to stem a possible flood of refugees.

The country's Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told journalists earlier this week that the country would aim at keeping a majority of the Afghan people close to their region.

Austria is home to around 44,000 Afghans and is not ready to accept more migrants.

It is not alone in hardening its position over absorbing more refugees from strife-torn Muslim countries. Most European countries, and that includes Turkey, are taking a stand over not accepting more refugees after the deluge of 2015 in the aftermath of the Syrian and Iraqi crisis.

In fact, even in benign countries that had advocated an open-door policy towards migrants and were lenient in providing asylum, the thought process is revolving towards supporting the migrants in Afghanistan's neighbourhood.

Greece, which also harbours 40,000 Afghans does not want to accommodate more likely migrants from the landlocked country. Athens, which shares a boundary with Turkey-- a stepping stone for migrants who seek Europe as the final destination-- has said that Turkey is a safe place for Afghan refugees to stay.

Athens, in fact, wants to deport some of the Afghans to Turkey.

The south-eastern country has seen violence on its borders last year when migrants attempted to cross over from Turkey. On the other hand, Greece has also seen rioting after right wing people protested against increased migration.

With the Afghan conflict taking a turn for the worse earlier this week, the European Union held an emergency meeting to discuss the possible flow of land migration of Afghan people. Many European countries made it clear that they are not in a mood to accept more refugees other than the ones they were working with in Afghanistan.

Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President for a Stronger Europe in the World, summed up European fears when he said that the member states do not want a "wide-scale migratory move towards Europe".

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Srinagar, Aug 21 : Three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists have been killed in an ongoing encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.

The encounter is underway in a forest area at Nagbaeran Tral.

Army said as a follow up to Operation Hangalmarg, Victor Force, it has been conducting search operations in the upper reaches of Nagaberan and Dacchigam Forests since August 17.

"Contact was established with terrorists at 6.45 a.m. on August 21. Three terrorists were neutralised in a swift operation," the army said.

"Two AK 47s, one SLR and other warlike stores have been recovered from them. Identity of the terrorists is being ascertained." It is pertinent to note that Saifullah alias Lamboo, involved in Pulwama attack, was also neutralised in the same area on July 31.

"The operation once again highlights that security forces remain committed to countering the threat to the Kashmiri citizens through relentless operations, to be able to create a secure environment in the Kashmir Valley," the army said.
Vijayawada, Aug 21 : The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has issued orders to suspend GV Srikumar, son of former Amalapuram Lok Sabha member GV Harsha Kumar.

The move came on Friday after Srikumar had recently protested Twitter's blocking of Rahul Gandhi's account.

Srikumar had fried a quail bird, and mailed it to the Twitter office in Mumbai.

Apart from uploading images of the protest on social media platforms, Srikumar had also informed the party.

However, apparently unhappy over his actions, the party has taken action against him.

The suspension order issued by APCC disciplinary committee chairman L. Eswara Rao, stated that Srikumar primary membership has been suspended with immediate effect, as per the special directives of AICC communication department.

The order notes that Sriraj's actions have tarnished the Congress party's image.

Sriraj has not commented on the developments.

Twitter has in the meanwhile reactivated the accounts of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.
San Francisco, Aug 21 : Amid the news of a new Pixel smartphone, tech giant Google has indicated that its current flagship, Pixel 5, will be discontinued alongside the Pixel 4a 5G.

According to The Verge, both are currently listed on Google's online store as sold out, and remaining stock at other retailers likely won't last long.

"With our current forecasts, we expect Google Store in the US to sell out of Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 in the coming weeks following the launch of Pixel 5a (5G)," a company spokesperson told the tech website.

"These products will continue to be available through some partners while supplies last," the spokesperson added.

According to the report, it is not too surprising that the 4a 5G is being discontinued given that the 5A 5G looks to be a fairly direct successor.

However, it is a little unusual to see the Pixel 5 discontinued well in advance of the Pixel 6's arrival this fall.

Recently, Google announced that it has developed its custom-built chip to power the next generation of Pixel 6 smartphones that will arrive in the market later this year.

Called Tensor, the AI-enabled System on a Chip (SoC) has been developed specifically for Pixel phones.
Ankara, Aug 21 : The death toll from Turkey's flash floods along the Black Sea coast has increased to 81, the country's disaster agency said.

Seventy people died as a result of floods in Kastamonu province. Another 10 people died in Sinop and one in Bartin, Xinhua news agency quoted the Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) as saying on Friday.

Rescue and relief efforts are continuing as some 30 people that are still reportedly missing in the flood-hit areas.

Torrential rains on August 11 caused flooding that demolished homes, collapsed bridges, swept away cars and cut power supplies in the region.
Johannesburg, Aug 21 : South Africa registered 10,006 rape cases between April and June this year, according to official statistics.

"This is an increase of 4,201 cases, amounting to a 72.4 per cent increase, compared to the skewed previous reporting period," Xinhua news agency quoted Police Minister Bheki Cele as saying on Friday.

He said that comparing the two periods would leave the statistics distorted because of the hard lockdown in 2020, which severely restricted freedoms and movement, resulting in less crime.

According to the statistics, if the latest figures are compared with the same period in 2019, there has been a 2.8 per cent increase in raping.

Cele told the media that a sample of 5,439 rape cases showed that 3,766 of the incidents happened at the home of the victim or the home of the rapist, while 487 cases were domestic violence-related.

The statistics revealed the Inanda police station in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by Delft in the Western Cape and Lusikisiki station in the Eastern Cape registering the highest number of rape cases in the country.

Between April and June, 5,760 people were killed during the same period.

This represented a 66.2 per cent increase in murder compared with the same period in 2020, or 6.7 per cent if compared with the first quarter in 2019.

Cele said more than 2,500 people were killed in public spaces including open fields, parking areas, and abandoned buildings.

More than 1,300 killings took place at the home of the victim.

Gender expert Lisa Vetten said the figures revealed an increase in violent crimes.

She said while the police could do a lot of work to prevent serial rapes, preventing rapes in homes was more complicated.

She said issues with DNA forensic laboratories must be sorted out.

"It's really worrying that there's been an increase in violent crimes," she told Xinhua.

Commenting on the stats, Javu Baloyi, spokesperson at the Commission for Gender Equality told Xinhua that the crime report was horrifying.

"These are alarming, we were hoping that the numbers would go down," he said, adding that the police should "prioritise" gender-based violence.
Mexico City, Aug 21 : The Mexican government has sent a second shipment of aid to Haiti with 20 tonnes of food and medicine to help with recovery efforts after the Caribbean island was struck by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on August 14, the National Coordinator of Civil Protection Laura Velazquez said here.

Supplies are being transported in three aircraft, the official said during a press conference on Friday, in addition to the 19 tonnes of relief aid Mexico sent at the beginning of the week, reports Xinhua news agency.

Velazquez said that the Secretariat of the Navy could send a ship to Haiti next weekend loaded with 120 tonnes of aid such as food, tents, masks, face shields and other supplies.

The earthquake left severe damage and at least 2,189 people dead in Haiti, according to the Caribbean island's Civil Protection Agency.
Tokyo, Aug 21 : "We Have Wings" has been announced as the concept of the Tokyo Paralympic Games opening ceremony to be held on August 24.

The Tokyo 2020 organising committee also said in a statement on Saturday that the concept of the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games is "Harmonious Cacophony".

As announced in July, the overall concept behind all four ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games is "Moving Forward" and the concept of the Olympic Games opening ceremony is "United by Emotion," which is also the slogan of the Olympics, and the concept of the Olympic Games closing ceremony is "Worlds We Share." The Tokyo Paralympic Games will run from August 24 to September 5, reports Xinhua.

Meanwhile, the organisers have said that Afghanistan will not send athletes to the Paralympic Games.

Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, said that he has been aware of the information that Afghanistan is "unable to take part in the Paralympic Games." Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani left the country, while the Taliban ordered its members to enter the capital of Kabul.

"Currently, a situation exists in Afghanistan. That situation is the reason for their inability to come to Japan," he said. "We regret that they are not able to come, for the Afghanistan athletes, officials and stakeholders. I hope they are spending their time safely in their own country," said Muto.
Mumbai, Aug 21 : British actor of Indian descent Dev Patel has spilled the beans about his character in the film "The Green Knight" which is slated to release on August 27.

Directed by David Lowery, "The Green Knight" is based on the epic 14th century poem about a young man in King Arthur's court who embarks on an unforgettable journey of self-discovery.

The Oscar nominated actor stars as Sir Gawain, who has to battle ghouls, ogres, thieves and crooks on his path to evolution.

Dev said: "Gawain is sort of this spoiled brat, and I told David before I signed on that if we're going to go on this extraordinary journey with him, amid sparse dialogue and many instances of questionable behaviour, there has to be something that makes you root for him through this adversity." The "Lion" star feels that the script has a shrewd and timely take on masculinity, a fact that drew him more towards the project.

"Gawain is entitled and drenched in privilege but becomes humbled over the course of the movie by the smart women around him," he added.

The script's core idea really got him excited.

"This young man sets out across this harsh terrain, and it's a trial by nature in so many ways. He comes across life and all its ferocity, scavengers, a damsel in distress, a beautiful woman who tempts him, and you realise how naive he is as a young man, despite or perhaps because of his privileged origins." The film also features Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton among others.

PVR Pictures is set to release "The Green Knight" in Indian theatres on August 27.
Kabul, Aug 21 : Taliban officials in Afghanistan's Herat province have ordered the government and private universities that girls will no longer be allowed to sit in the same classes with boys, Khaama News reported.

In a three-hour meeting between university lecturers, owners of private institutions, and the Taliban officials, the latter said that there is no alternative and justification for continuing co-education and must be ended.

Afghanistan has a mixed system of both co-education and separate classes with schools functioning separate classes while co-education is applied both in government and private universities and institutes around the country.

Lecturers in Herat province have reasoned that the government universities and institutes can manage separate classes but because of the limited number of female students in private institutions, the latter cannot afford to create separate classrooms.

Mullah Farid, head of higher education of Afghanistan Islamic Emirate who was representing the Taliban in the meeting in Herat has said that co-education should be ended because the system is the root of all evils in society.

Farid as an alternative suggested that female lecturers or elderly male ones who are virtuous are allowed to teach female students and for the co-education, there is neither an alternative nor any justification to be continued.

Lecturers in Herat said, since private institutions cannot afford separate classes, thousands of girls may remain deprived of higher education.

There are reportedly around 40,000 students and 2,000 lecturers in private and government universities and institutions in the province.
New Delhi , Aug 21 : Afghanistans military has laid down its weapons, and the Taliban have wasted little time in collecting them, raising concerns about how easily troves of US-made arms, military aircraft and armoured vehicles have fallen into enemy hands and the new capabilities they bring, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Scores of videos have emerged of Taliban fighters rejoicing near abandoned American helicopters, carrying US-supplied M24 sniper rifles and M18 assault weapons, stacking other small arms and materiel in unending piles and driving Humvees and other US-made military trucks.

The Taliban have seized airplanes, tanks and artillery from Afghan outposts and from evacuating US personnel, revealing one of the heavier costs of a troop withdrawal amid a collapse of Afghanistan's government and army.

"We obviously don't want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interests, or the interests of the Afghan people," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing this week.

The US sent nearly 600,000 small arms, 76,000 vehicles and 208 airplanes to Afghanistan's military and police from 2003 to 2016, according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office report, one of the few such compilations.

The most recent quarterly report of the US-led military coalition documented deliveries of 174 Humvees, nearly three million rounds of ammunition, and nearly 100,000 2.75-inch rockets during the period.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : Communities can play a key role in utilising the healthcare resources judiciously and tackle the future waves of the Covid-19 pandemic, said Saurabh Varshney, Executive Director and CEO at AIIMS Deoghar.

Responding to how India has dealt with the Covid pandemic so far, Varshney told IANS: "The world has not witnessed a pandemic of this magnitude since 1918's Spanish Flu. And it's not just our country, but the world has been reeling under it for the past 20 months. And even developed nations are finding it difficult to deal with it.

"India has faced the pandemic very bravely till now. Any pandemic, especially the viral, which is cyclic in nature. We had the first wave, which started somewhere in the first half of 2020; the second wave in May this year; and we may have a future wave in certain regions." Meanwhile, talking about AIIMS Deoghar, he said: "Our institution caters to the people of Jharkhand as well as some parts of Bihar. We ramped up our diagnostic facilities in a very short period. Now, we have a testing lab at our institute and a good number of RT-PCR centres across the state.

"Besides, the government has also relaxed the testing policies, which allows anyone who has any symptom can voluntarily get tested. Now that we are testing people early, we are having an early observation and early isolation that is helping in breaking the chain of the infection." Categorising the Covid patients based on symptoms into mild, moderate and severe, Varshney said that around 80 to 90 per cent of patients are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

About 10 per cent of patients require critical care observation, but most of these patients respond well to the oxygen support. Out of these only 10 per cent of persons required a ventilator.

"During the second wave, there was a panic situation, and anyone who was tested Covid positive was trying to get admitted in hospital, which led to a shortage of beds; and due to this, the people who actually required hospitalisation could not get the bed. To manage such a situation effectively, we need to utilize the resources judiciously," he asserted.

AIIMS Deoghar has started a Covid tele-consultation facility, where doctors are available 24A7 for patients, he added.

Further, responding to a question on India's preparation for the possible third wave of the pandemic, he said that there is no clear indication for a future surge.

However, the government of India has been augmenting the resources across the country, be it oxygen beds, ventilators, trained nursing officers or trained auxiliary staff.

"Preventing future waves is possible if people can contribute their part in the best possible way. The three most important measures- physical distancing, hand-washing and wearing masks, can prevent the spread of the virus," he suggested.

Talking about vaccination, he said it helps to reduce the severity of the disease.

The government has begun vaccination for all above 18 years of age. If those eligible take the vaccine, when their turn comes, it will help in containing the spread of the disease.

On a question over schools' reopening in some states, arshney suggested: "We need to teach students about the Covid appropriate behaviour. Schools can divide a class into smaller batches for social distancing. They should avoid organising any community functions at the school for the initial months and all school staff should be vaccinated."

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Bengaluru, Aug 21 : The Karnataka police have shot Avinash alias Rebel, a rowdy in the leg in the wee hours of Saturday in Bengaluru. Avinash had publicly assaulted an elderly man in front of his wife in full public view. The video has gone viral and has shocked the city dwellers.

The investigation of the case was taken up by the Sanjaynagar police and a team led by inspector Balaraj had gone to arrest Avinash on Saturday morning.

Avinash attacked police constable Santhosh when he was asked to surrender. Inspector Balaraj opened fire on Avinash and shot him in the leg.

Avinash had attacked the elderly man last month in broad daylight after taking supari or contract. The attack was so brutal that elderly man was hospitalized. After the police took up investigations of the case, Avinash disappeared for 22 days.

The police got a clue about him this morning and an operation was launched to nab him. Wounded Avinash has been treated at a hospital and will be sent to Parappana Agrahara Central prison.

According to police, the man who was attacked by him was having an affair with a lady and started troubling her daughter. The daughter had shared this information with her friend. Her friend had approached Avinash for help. After taking supari, Avinash had attacked the elderly man with his associates, the sources in the police said.

Including murder and attempt to murder Avinash has five serious criminal cases lodged against him. Further investigation is on.
Kabul, Aug 21 : Afghan women are being shipped into neighbouring countries in coffins and used as sex slaves, according to a former judge.

Najla Ayoubi, who lives in the US after "fleeing for my life" from the Taliban, said she has heard horrific examples of violence against women since the militants took control of her homeland on August 15, reports metro.co.uk.

She said one woman was "put on fire because she was accused of bad cooking for Taliban fighters" in the north of the country.

Other young women are being forced into marriage and sexually abused.

The lawyer told Sky News: "They are forcing people to give them food and cook them food. Also there are so many young women in the past few weeks being shipped into neighbouring countries in coffins to be used as sex slaves.

"They also force families to marry their young daughters to Taliban fighters. I don't see where is the promise that they think women should be going to work, when we are seeing all of these atrocities." The Taliban have said they will respect women's rights and allow them to work and be educated.

She said there was "no way to believe" assurances that the Taliban wanted to form inclusive government, saying she knew of one female TV anchor who was told to go home.

She said many women's activists are now hiding and in fear of their lives and their loved ones lives, but there is "no way out of the situation".

The situation is looking increasingly desperate as more reports emerge of human rights atrocities, particularly against women.

Just days ago a woman was said to have been gunned down in the street for not wearing a burqa.

Some women are so desperate they were filmed trying to pass their babies over barbed wire at Kabul airport, where foreign troops are evacuating their citizens and local allies.
Kadapa : , Aug 21 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is investigating the murder of former minister Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, has offered a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information in this regard. A poster released on Saturday, stated that persons providing concrete and credible information, will be rewarded Rs five lakh.

CBI officials stated that confidentiality will be maintained and identity of such people, will be protected. People having information, can contact the officials either by phone, email, or in person, the notice said.

The CBI has been investigating the case for almost a year now, and has questioned several suspects multiple times till now.

Uncle to Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Vivekananda Reddy was found murdered at his residence in Kadapa on March 15, 2019, a few days before the election.

The 68-year-old leader was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him. He was killed hours before he was to launch YSR Congress Party's election campaign in Kadapa.

Though three Special Investigation Teams (SITs) conducted the probe they failed to solve the mystery. Later, the CBI took up the case on the directions of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
Patna, Aug 21 : Political killings continue in Bihar ahead of the panchayat elections as the husband of a village panchayat head was gunned down on Saturday in Patna's outskirts in Maner sub-town, a police official said.

The deceased has been identified as Raj Kumar Shah, the husband of Asha Devi, who is the village head of Bankh panchayat. Shah had visited a Lord Shiva temple for performing puja in Narhanwa village on the last day of Shravan. While returning to his native village in Kanhauli, some miscreants surrounded him.

"They asked Shah to stop his bike near his native village in Kanhauli. As soon as he stopped the bike, one of the miscreants shot him, killing him on the spot," said Santosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Danapur sub-division, who reached the spot for investigation.

Following the incident, the accused fled from the spot while firing in the air.

As news of the killing spread a large number of villagers assembled at the crime site. They blocked the Patna-Arrah main road for an hour but left after assurances were given by the police that the accused would be arrested soon.

Police said the motive for the murder was not clear yet. Police officials said Shah had a strong vote bank in Bankh panchayat and his wife was likely to win the upcoming panchayat election. This could be the reason behind his murder.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : Moments after Afghanistan local media reported that 150 people including several Indians have been captured by the Taliban, the Congress on Saturday described the situation there as most alarming and hoped that the Narendra Modi government takes note now and and act decisively to safely bring back all Indian citizens.

In a tweet, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, "This is most distressing and alarming. This was exactly the reason why Congress urged upon Modi government to evacuate all Indians and not abdicate its responsibility. Hope Modi government takes note now and act decisively to safely bring back all our citizens." His remarks came soon after Afghanistan local media reported that the Taliban has captured over 150 people, mostly Indians, from Kabul airport earlier on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, over 85 Indian nationals were evacuated from Afghanistan by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J transport plane early this morning from Kabul airport.

The Taliban captured power in Afghanistan last Sunday and are now in the process to establish a government there.
Kabul, Aug 21 : A Taliban official has denied reports that foreign nationals were kidnapped near the Kabul airport, where big crowds still exist amid US-led evacuation efforts, local media reported on Saturday.

"The report about kidnapping is a rumor. The Taliban members are helping all foreign nationals to get access to the airport. We are determined to provide safe passage to all foreigners to get to the airport," Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesperson, told local media Eitlalatroz.

He said Taliban forces were escorting about 150 Indian citizens to safely enter the airport, reports Xinhua news agency.

Following the Taliban's takeover of the Afghan capital on August 15, thousands of Afghans have flooded to Kabul airport to leave the country.

The evacuation flights were continuing as three flights took off on Saturday morning, resident Farhad Mohammadi said.

About 5,000 US troops have been deployed in Kabul airport to help with the airlift process.

At least 12 people have been killed in gun shootings and stampedes in the airport since the capital city's fall.

The situation in Afghanistan remains uncertain after the Taliban's swift takeover of most parts of the country.
Chittoor : , Aug 21 (IANS) A gang of seven people who stole two-wheelers has been arrested at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday.

Police arrested V. Manigandan (24), M. Dhamodhiran (26), S. Mohammed (19), K. Vedachalam (23), C. Nishanth Kumar (20), S. Manigandan (20) and K. Rathnaiah (26).

Barring Ratnaiah, all others hail from Vellore in Tamil Nadu.

"Considering regular two-wheeler thefts of late, teams of policemen went after the thieves on receiving a tip-off," said a police official.

Ten two-wheelers were seized from the gang, out of which seven belonged to Chittoor town 1 police station limits.

Likewise, Chittoor town police also managed to nab a thief for burgling into a house recently and decamping with money.

One Syed Hameed has been arrested in this case.

Police confiscated an amount of Rs 45,000 from Hameed (21), who ekes out a living selling fruits.

"Earlier, there were two cases booked on him (Hameed) in Chittoor 2 town police station," the official added.
Patna, Aug 21 : Political killings continue in Bihar ahead of the panchayat elections as three persons, who were husbands of village panchayat heads, were killed in separate incidents on Saturday.

In the first incident, Raj Kumar Shah, husband of Asha Devi who is the village head of Bankh panchayat, was gunned down on Patna's outskirts in Maner sub-town.

Shah had visited a Lord Shiva temple for performing puja in Narhanwa village on the last day of Shravan. While returning to his native village in Kanhauli, some miscreants surrounded him.

"They asked Shah to stop his bike near Kanhauli. As soon as he stopped the bike, one of the miscreants shot at him, killing him on the spot," said Santosh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Danapur sub-division, who reached the spot for investigation.

Following the incident, the accused fled from the spot.

As news of the killing spread, a large number of villagers assembled at the crime site. They blocked the Patna-Arrah main road for an hour but left after assurances by the police that the accused would be arrested soon.

In another incident in Bihta in Patna district, unidentified assailants shot dead Pintu Saw, the husband of the village head of Painal panchayat.

"As per the statement of eyewitnesses, the attackers came on two bikes and fired indiscriminately at Saw who was on his way to Bihta. The deceased received multiple gunshot injuries and died on the spot," said an investigating officer of Bihta police station.

In the third incident in Rohtas's Lewda village under Nokha police station, a body with stab wounds was found near a canal.

The deceased was identified as Ajay Kumar Singh, husband of the Sarpanch of Lewda village panchayat.

As per the statement of the deceased's family members, Ajay went to his friend's house for a birthday party on Friday evening but did not return in the night. His body with stab wounds was found near a canal, said Rajesh Kumar, SHO of Nokha police station.

"The reasons for the killings are yet to be ascertained. However with panchayat elections around the corner, political motives cannot be ruled out," offcials said.
Srinagar, Aug 21 : The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday said the security forces are ready to face any threat, adding only those authorised can speak on the Taliban emergence in Afghanistan and its probable impact.

Addressing a joint press conference with the GOC of army's Victor Force after three JeM terrorists were killed in a joint operation on Saturday in the forest area of Tral tehsil, Vijay Kumar, IGP (Kashmir) said: "As far as Taliban is concerned, I will not talk and those who are authorised to speak will talk about it.

"If any militant comes here, my job is to collect information and launch operation along with the army to neutralise the threat. Any future challenge, we will handle in professional manner. We are completely alert".

He sought public participation in maintaining peace and tranquility, "If any element, any militant, suicide bomber etc plans anything, we will look for information from locals.

"If any incident happens, the locals will be affected as tourists will fear visiting here. Whose economy will get affected? It will be of the locals and as such I will ask locals to share information.

"Police and security forces will continue to work hard and foil attempts made by motivating the youth. We will continue to be in touch with parents and continue to work hard to foil any such attempt." Talking about any highly sophisticated weapons having come into the hands of the terrorists, he said, "There are no reports about such weapons in hinterland. Last time a pika gun was recovered from an encounter site. If such weapons are in forest area, we are activating information gathering. We are alert. Also counter infiltration grid has been activated." Giving details about Saturday's gunfight, he said three militants were killed.

He said that one among the militants was Wakeel Shah who was involved in the killing of BJP leader, Rakesh Pandita in Tral on June 2 this year.

He said that militants after killing civilians and politicians take refuge in forests.

"We are gathering information to track them down not only in the hinterland, but also in the forests", he added.
Chennai, Aug 21 : Former Union Minister and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader, Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged the Tamil Nadu government to bring a revised law banning online gaming.

In a series of tweets, Ramadoss said the state government must bring a law banning online gaming during the current Assembly session.

Soon after the ban on online gaming was lifted in the state, there has been a spate of advertisements luring people towards online gaming, he added.

Within 16 days of lifting the ban, one person has committed suicide in Villupuram district after losing thousands of rupees, the PMK leader said.

Earlier in August, the Madras High Court struck down the law brought in by the previous AIADMK government banning online gaming in the state. The law also had provisions for fine and jail term for the violators.

Finding youngsters getting cheated and committing suicide as well as to protect innocent citizens, the AIADMK government brought the law by amending the Tamil Nadu Gaming Act, 1930, (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1930), Chennai City Police Act, 1888 (Tamil Nadu Act III of 1988) and Tamil Nadu District Police Act, 1859 (Tamil Nadu Act XXIV of 1859).

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court in July last year had suggested that the then AIADMK government enact suitable laws to regulate the online gaming industry.

Soon after the court's order lifting the ban, Tamil Nadu Law Minister S. Reghupathy said the DMK government will again come out with a proper law banning online games like Rummy.

Reghupathy said public interest is paramount so following due procedures and specifying valid reasons, the DMK government will come out with a law banning online games.
Jaipur, Aug 21 : An Ahmedabad-based trader donated a gold 'Paduka' (sandal) and gold glass weighing 287.5 gram along with silver utensils at the renowned Krishna Temple 'Sanwaliyaji' situated in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh-Udaipur Highway.

Ganeshlal Kabra, the trader, has been organising 'bhandara' each year at the temple. However, due to the Covid pandemic he was unable to organise the gathering.

Now, when active cases reached 'minimum' in the state, Kabra donated the gold paduka and glass.

He also gifted silver utensils weighing 262 gram.
Patna, Aug 21 : Stepping up the attack on his younger brother Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav has alleged that the former has left the people of Bihar at a time when floods have ravaged several parts of the state and gone to Delhi.

Such allegations were earlier levelled by the ruling party, but now the sibling rivalry between the two warring brothers has given a new agenda to the leaders of Bihar's NDA.

Tejashwi Yadav went to Delhi to discuss party matters with national president Lalu Prasad and the ongoing turmoil in the RJD, which started after a series of statements by Tej Pratap Yadav against the party's state president Jagadanand Singh.

"Tejashwi Yadav left the people of Bihar to struggle in the flood and went to Delhi. He was brainwashed by his advisor Sanjay Yadav on whose advice Tejashwi is working. Sanjay Yadav who hails from Haryana is constructing a mall in Delhi. Every member and leader of RJD knows about him," Tej Pratap said.

Tej Pratap also likened several RJD leaders to the characters of the Mahabharata. He claimed that he himself is Krishna of the party. He has also given the name Arjun to Tejashwi Yadav.

Interestingly, Tej Pratap is calling Jagadanand Singh Shishupal, and Sanjay Yadav as Duryodhan.

"Just like Krishna was abused by Shishupal in the Mahabharata, similarly I am a victim of Jagadanand's abusive words. People also know how Duryodhan was killed. It was Krishna who gave tips to attack on the thighs of Duryodhan," Tej Pratap said.

Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav on Friday had said that Tej Pratap Yadav is his elder brother but he has to follow the discipline of the party. "Our parents taught us to respect elders," Tejashwi said.

Reacting to this, Tej Pratap said that the parents of Jagadanand Singh did not give such advice to him. Hence, he is humiliating poor leaders of RJD.

He added that many leaders say that party chief Lalu Prasad is watching every development in the party.

"If it is true, why is Lalu Prasad not differentiating who is right and who is wrong. If he is worried about the party, why is he not taking action against the wrongdoers. I will go to Delhi and meet him. It is time to take action by Lalu Prasad himself," Tej Pratap said.

Sources have said that Tejashwi Yadav is very miffed with his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav. Tejashwi said he was building the image of the party and Tej Pratap is dragging it into the mud. Tejashwi is demanding strict action against Tej Pratap Yadav.
Hyderabad, Aug 21 : Actor Ravi Teja on Saturday sent birthday greetings to his co-star Dimple Hayathi, with whom he will soon be seen in the Telugu film "Khiladi".

Ravi took to social media where he shared a new poster of the upcoming film, which had "Happy birthday to Dimple Hayathi" written on it.

The film's director Ramesh Varma also wished Dimple on Twitter, saying: "Happy Birthday Gorgeous @DimpleHayathi, You've brought extra energy to #Khiladi & I wish you a lot of success in your career." The filmmaker also shared that the film's first track will be released on Sunday.

"Khiladi" will see Ravi play a cop, doing some high octane action.

The details of the film's theatrical release have not been shared yet.
Chennai, Aug 21 : Hesitancy and fear about Covid-19 vaccination are still prevalent among the people of Tamil Nadu, and the statistics provided by the state public health department on the number of vaccines administered on pregnant woman seems to be a key indicator.

The public health department in a release on Saturday shared the figures. As of August 16, out of 7,08,342 pregnant women in the state, only 2,58,994 were administered vaccines. This would roughly make around 37 per cent of the pregnant women.

Doctors are of the opinion that the reduced number of vaccination among pregnant women is due to hesitancy among the excepting mothers and their families as well as fear "if the vaccine would do any damage to the fetus".

Dr. Rajani Varrier, a Gynecologist in Madurai, told IANS: "The pregnant mothers are at high risk as they frequent hospitals for check-ups and the possibility of getting infected is high. In most cases, families are using delaying tactics from the antenatal mothers taking the jab as there is a fear that this would damage the overall health of the mother as well as inflict some damage to the fetus which is totally wrong." "This is a totally wrong misconception and even after sustained and systematic campaigns conducted by the government, the awareness seems to be low and more awareness programmes are the only measure to overcome this obstacle which I am sure the state health department would do in the days to come," the senior doctor added.

Dr. MS Hemalatha, additional health officer of Chennai City corporation also said that the doctors and paramedics of the corporation have been motivating the expecting mothers to administer the jab whenever they show up at the community health centres or urban health centres.

"We call upon all our staff including nurses to make these pregnant women aware of the need to vaccinate them and in most cases they return back stating that they would consult the family and come back," she said.

However, Chennai Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology (IOG)provided a better picture.

Even as the average number of vaccines is less in Chennai compared to the state average, the IOG data revealed that all the pregnant women who approached the hospital were vaccinated.

Dr S. Vijaya, Director, IOG said that the hospital conducted proper counselling among expecting mothers and this led to a 100 per cent inoculation.

She said that after the jab, the hospital had followed up with each pregnant woman and found that they did not have any health issues.

Kerala Health Minister Ma Subramanian was, however, optimistic that the volume of pregnant women getting inoculated would increase in the days to come.

Speaking to IANS, the health minister said: "We have conducted proper awareness and will conduct more awareness programmes among the families on the positive aspects of vaccination among pregnant women. I am certain that the figures would improve in the days to come and people are largely cooperating on the vaccination drive of the government."
Chandigarh, Aug 21 : In an intelligence-led operation, Punjab Police on Saturday foiled a major drug smuggling bid by Pakistan-based smugglers by seizing 39 packets of heroin, weighing 40.81 kg, in Amritsar district.

The value of the seized narcotics is about Rs 200 crore in the international market.

The operation was supported by the Border Security Force (BSF) as it was carried out in the border area under its control.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said, following an input that Nirmal Singh, alias Sonu Mayer, was attempting to smuggle heroin through the Indo-Pak Border, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar (Rural) Gulneet Singh Khurana shared inputs with the BSF.

In the meanwhile, a police team comprising DSP Gurinderpal Singh and DSP Ajnala Vipan Kumar also reached the spot to work with the BSF for nabbing the drug smugglers and seizing the heroin.

The DGP said the joint teams of Punjab Police and the BSF seized the heroin, besides recovering 180 grams of opium and two plastic pipes (made in Pakistan). The police have also impounded a motor cycle and a Scooty belonging to the smugglers.

"The police have launched a manhunt to arrest Sonu, who is also wanted by the police in the case of one kg heroin recovery in 2020," said SSP Khurana.

Sharing the modus operandi, he said the smugglers used Pakistan made plastic pipes to get the heroin across the border fence in the shape of neatly tied packets of the contraband.
Srinagar, Aug 21 : A top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist commander Wakeel Ahmad Shah was among three terrorists killed in an encounter between terrorists and the security forces in a forest area at Nagbaeran Tral in South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Saturday.

Police said on a specific input generated by Awantipora Police regarding presence of a group of JeM terrorists in the upper reaches of forest area of Nagaberan Dhoka area of Tral, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and Army in the said area.

During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the joint search party, which was retaliated leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter three terrorists of proscribed terror outfit JeM were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.

One of the killed terrorists has been identified as Wakeel Ahmad Shah, resident of Bagandar, Tral. However, the identification of other two killed terrorists is being ascertained.

Police said as per its records, the slain terrorist Wakeel Shah was a categorized terrorist and figured among the list of most wanted terrorists operating in the Valley. He was instrumental in planning and executing terror attacks on security establishments and civilian killings, of which several terror crime cases have already been registered against him.

"He executed a series of attacks on Police/Security Forces and resorted to brutal killings of civilians branding them as Police/security forces informers. He was involved in the killing of Municipal Chairman, Tral and BJP leader Rakesh Pandita at Tral Payeen, Shabir Ahmad Bhat resident of Noorabad Tral, Mohd Ayoub Ahanger, resident of Tral Payeen, Shakeela Begum, resident of Dar Ganie Gund, SPO Fayaz Ahmad, his wife Raja Begum and daughter Rafia Jan at Hariparigam," police said.

"Moreover, Wakeel Shah was also involved in a series of firing/grenade lobbing attacks on Police/Security Forces including firing on Security Forces during CASO (cordon and search operations) at Brenthal, grenade lobbing at bus stand Tral on 18/10/2020. Besides, Case FIR No 101/2020 of PS Tral pertaining to recovery of narcotics and explosives at Tral Payeen was also registered against him." Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes. In this connection, Police has registered a case and further investigation is in progress.
Gadag : , Aug 21 (IANS) A. Narayanaswamy, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, suffered major embarrassment after he mistakenly visited an on-duty soldier's residence. The Minister had intended to visit a dead soldier's home and pay tribute during the recent Jan Aashirwad Yatra taken out by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state.

The programme was organised by the local BJP unit.

Narayanaswamy drove straight to the house of Ravi Kattimani, an Indian Army soldier serving at the border in Jammu & Kashmir, along with local BJP MP Shivakumar Udasi and Karnataka Public Works Department Minister C.C. Patil. He extended his condolences and offered a job to the on-duty soldier's wife on Thursday evening.

The Union Minister, who visited the house of Ravi Kattimani, asked his wife when she got married. The wife said they were married two months ago. Without knowing that her husband is on duty in Kashmir, Narayanaswamy offered her a job thinking that she had lost her husband recently.

The Minister was taken aback after the soldier's wife replied that she won't go to work as her husband doesn't like it. The shocked family members called up Ravi Kattimani and heaved a sigh of relief when he answered their call.

Narayanaswamy was supposed to visit the house of Basavaraj Hiremath, a soldier who died alighting from a train in Pune on duty last year. He was joining his contingent after holidays.

Both soldiers' houses are located near each other. However, BJP workers waiting near Basavaraj Hiremath's residence came running to the other house and apologized to the on-duty soldier's family.

An upset Narayanaswamy left the place without visiting the dead soldier's residence. The family of Ravi Kattimani blamed local BJP leaders for the confusion.
Mumbai, Aug 21 : With most people likely to celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan with their near and dear ones on Sunday, actor Ritvik Sahore is feeling a little left out.

Owing to his hectic schedule, the actor won't be able to go home to meet his family this time. Ritvik, who hails from Mumbai, is currently shooting in Chandigarh with YouTuber Harsh Beniwal.

The actor has been garnering praise for his performance in the television show "Indori Ishq".

"Every year, we celebrate Raksha Bandhan in a grand way. The entire family gets together and there is love and laughter all around us," Ritvik tells IANS.

"We have a lot of fun together, relish our favourite cuisines and remember our good old childhood memories and how we have come together through good and bad times. I will miss all that fun this year as I'm shooting far away from home," he adds.

The actor will also be seen in the sci-thriller "Escaype Live", which will release soon.
Guwahati, Aug 21 : Amid talks of the presence of Taliban sympathisers in India after the insurgent group recently took control of Afghanistan, Assam Police have arrested at least 14 persons for putting up Taliban related social media posts, officials said on Saturday.

Assam's Special Director General of Police, G.P. Singh, tweeted: "Police have arrested 14 persons for social media posts regarding Taliban activities that have attracted provisions of law of the land. People are advised to be careful in posts/likes etc. on social media platforms to avoid penal action." A senior police officer in Guwahati said that 14 people belonging to 10 districts were arrested after they were tracked by the cyber cell of Assam Police, which keeps constant vigil on social media networks.

"At least 17 social media profiles were noticed making various posts related to the Taliban. These posts made comments supporting the coup in Afghanistan or the activities of the Islamist militant group. The posts were put up during the past two weeks," the official told the media, requesting not to be named.

The police said the posts were put up by 14 people from 10 districts of Assam, while three other profiles belonged to residents of Assam who are presently settled in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Mumbai.

The 14 people, aged between 23 and 65 years, were arrested from Darrang, Kamrup (Rural), Cachar, Hailakandi, Karimganj, Barpeta, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara and Hojai districts.

According to the officer, the arrested persons include one MBBS student from Hailakandi studying in the Tezpur Medical College, and two Muslim religious leaders.

The police also said that they are trying to gather more inputs about the three persons who are settled outside Assam, and would forward their details to the Intelligence Bureau once they have them.

While the state had earlier seen people sympathising with Pakistan, it did not see much support for the Taliban till now, at least not publicly.
Chennai, Aug 21 : The United States Consulate General, Chennai commemorated 'Madras Week' by enhancing cultural understanding and appreciation between sister cities -- Chennai and San Antonio, through a virtual tour of the two cities.

Story teller Akila Raman led the historic Chennai landmarks tour for officials from San Antonio, the Rotary Clubs of San Antonio and Madras East, students, and history enthusiasts in Chennai.

From the San Antonio side, Director of San Antonio World Heritage Office, Colleen Swain shared San Antonio's cultural heritage and festivals, plus notable landmarks such as the Alamo.

Consul General of the United States in Chennai, Judith Ravin said: "The virtual presentation on historic landmarks of San Antonio and Chennai is a gateway within the framework of their collaborative and robust San Antonio-Chennai Sister City relationship." Colleen Swain, Director of San Antonio World Heritage Office said: "Both Chennai and San Antonio are members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network -- Chennai for its music and San Antonio for its gastronomy. Yet, our similarities go beyond how both cities have stayed true to our history and heritage; both are thriving tourist destinations and top-ranked cities to live in." Steven Schauer, Director of San Antonio River Authority added: "San Antonio and Chennai share a special affinity for their waterways. As stewards of the 385 km-long San Antonio river, we promote nature-based solutions to filter excess rainwater to reduce flooding and improve water quality. We also inspire residents of all ages to take action towards sustainability, and we provide for recreational use and public art opportunities along its course. I look forward to learning about how Chennai and San Antonio might cooperate in the future." Commissioner of Greater Chennai Corporation Gagandeep Singh Bedi, IAS, also took part in the event and lauded the initiative.

It was at a White House conference in 1956, the then President of the United States of America, Dwight D. Eisenhower launched Sister Cities International, a people-to-people initiative founded on the belief that creating bonds between peoples around the world promotes peace, goodwill, understanding, and prosperity through citizen diplomacy.

Sister Cities International, now the world's largest citizen diplomacy network works to create a more peaceful and prosperous future through community-led global relations. The Chennai-San Antonio Sister City agreement was signed on February 27, 2008, and laid the foundation for significant economic and cultural exchange in areas such as commerce, health, education, and technology.

Even though the Chennai-San Antonio Sister City initiative is an official partnership between the governments of the two cities, the strength and vitality of a long-term association rests in the hands of citizen volunteers, participants, and partnerships.
Belagavi, Aug 21 : Former minister and Congress leader Vinay Kulkarni, who obtained bail in a murder case, was released from Hindalaga Central Prison on Saturday and was given a hero's welcome by thousands of supporters.

However, the police slapped a case on Vinay Kulkarni and 300 others for violating Covid guidelines.

As soon as he stepped out of prison, thousands of followers cheered him and vied with one another to put garlands and offer sweets to Kulkarni, flouting the Covid-19 guidelines.

Later, he was taken in an open jeep procession from Hindalaga jail to Ganesha temple. Throughout the way, his supporters were cheering and clicking selfies on their mobiles.

Congress MLA Lakshmi Hebbalkar welcomed Kulkarni by putting a tilak on his forehead and tying a Rakhi on him. Sources said she had ordered a special gold Rakhi for him.

"Vinay Kulkarni is like my elder brother. I am here as his sister. We share a special bond. I will support him to come out of this problem," she said.

Kulkarni said he had been granted bail by the Supreme Court. "I was confident of coming out as innocent. I have faith in the judiciary. I also have the blessings of religious seers and people of the constituency. I am a different politician. Rich and poor are with me. People have supported me and my family throughout and I am grateful to them." As many as 3,000 people gathered breaking all restrictions of weekend curfew in Belagavi. The temple was specially opened for him to perform puja.

He went to Naganur Rudrakshi Math and sought the blessings of the seer.

Kulkarni was accused of conspiring in the murder of BJP Zilla Panchayat member Yogesh Gowda in 2016.

He was a cabinet minister in the Siddaramaiah led Congress government. Though his name came up, no action was initiated against him.

The BJP made it an issue and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa vowed at election rallies that he would send Vinay Kulkarni to jail if the BJP was voted to power.

Later, the case was handed over to the CBI and Kulkarni was arrested. He spent more than 9 months in jail and finally obtained bail from the Supreme Court and the People Representatives Special Court in Bengaluru.

Belagavi Rural police have filed a suo moto case against Vinay Kulkarni and 300 others for violating Covid guidelines after his release from prison. They also charged him and others with violating the weekend curfew.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : The Congress on Saturday slammed the Narendra Modi government over the reports of misappropriation of Rs 935 crore of funds of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) saying it reflects on the real intentions of the BJP and the government as it allowed and tacitly participated in the misappropriation of crores of tax-payers money which was meant for the poor.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "MGNREGA was introduced by the UPA Government to eradicate poverty from India, and the current regime through the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) referred to MGNREGA as a living monument to the failures of the Congress." He said that MGNREGA became a life saver for the poor and marginalised during the first and the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Khera said that MGNREGA has come back to haunt the BJP government led by Narendra Modi today. "An expose in the media which accessed publicly available information through the Management Information System (MIS) of the Rural Development Ministry, reveals that Rs 935 crore were misappropriated in MGNREGA schemes over the last four years under the very nose of the Modi government," the Congress leader said.

His remarks came a day after media reported that in the last four years Social Audit Units (SAU) under Rural Development Departments (RDD) across India have found financial misappropriation of Rs 935 crore under various schemes of the MGNREGA.

It also claimed that only about Rs 12.5 crore of this amount which is 1.34 per cent, has been recovered so far.

Khera said, "These numbers aren't the numbers of any private agency or media channel, rather it is an outcome of the audits done by the SAU under the Rural Development Department of the Ministry of Rural Development." He said that the SAU carried out audits in 2.65 lakh gram panchayats across all states and union territories of India at least once between 2017-18 and 2020-21.

"The most significant finding by the SAU during their audits was that the primary type of misappropriation in most cases was financial misappropriation which includes and is not limited to bribery, payments to non-existent persons, to vendors at inflated procurement prices etc," he said.

The Congress leader said this is significant, because this Act is a welfare scheme meant to ensure the welfare of the poor. "The very fact that misappropriations have been happening is a testament to the lack of accountability and due diligence by the Modi government. So much so, that the state with the highest misappropriation between 2017-18 and 2020-21 was the state of Tamil Nadu ruled by the ally of the Modi government, AIADMK," he said.

He said that Tamil Nadu saw a misappropriation of Rs 245 crore. The state of Bihar also ruled by the BJP and JD(U) is among the top states with misappropriation to the tune of Rs 12.34 crore. Jharkhand which was ruled by the BJP as well during the audit timeline, saw misappropriation to the tune of Rs 51.29 crore.

He further said that before the government goes on the blame states, due diligence and ensuring audit was their responsibility and theirs only. "The fact that the government has been sleeping over it and has facilitated such large scale misappropriation even more so in the middle of a pandemic where MGNREGA could have been utilised to neutralise the reverse migration phenomenon and resulting economic distress and unemployment, that money went into financial misappropriation as explained earlier," he said.

He also slammed the government for withdrawing the four per cent quota for differently abled persons in police forces and said, "This Government isn't just anti-poor, this government is anti-people." "Unless, you can fund the electoral coffers of the BJP, the government would not bother about you," Khera said further.

He also demanded that the government withdraw the notification that scrapped the 4 per cent quota for differently abled persons in police forces and undo this inhuman wrong.
A delegation of stranded Afghan students met Savitribai Phule Pune University VC Dr. N. R. Karmalkar along with SARHAD head Sanjay Nahar where ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe assured them all help Image Source: IANS News

A delegation of stranded Afghan students met Savitribai Phule Pune University VC Dr. N. R. Karmalkar along with SARHAD head Sanjay Nahar where ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe assured them all help Image Source: IANS News

A delegation of stranded Afghan students met Savitribai Phule Pune University VC Dr. N. R. Karmalkar along with SARHAD head Sanjay Nahar where ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe assured them all help Image Source: IANS News

Pune, Aug 21 : The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) have assured to extend all help to Afghan students stranded in India or Afghanistan which is currently facing a political crisis, officials said here on Saturday.

SPPU Vice-Chancellor N.R. Karmalkar announced a special helpline (020-25621938), in addition to NGO Sarhad's WhatsApp helpline (0-8007066900) for Afghan students across Maharashtra.

NGO Sarhad's President Sanjay Nahar along with a group of Afghan students met N.R. Karmalkar, who discussed their issues with ICCR President Vinay Sahasrabuddhe.

The ICCR Head spoke on concall with the V-C and a few of the Afghan students' representatives, and spelt out the various measures the Central government is taking to ensure no student misses an academic year.

"All efforts are underway to help those students who have taken admission in Indian universities or have submitted passports for India visas in Afghanistan. The officials concerned in the Ministry of External Affairs are in touch with the authorities concerned at all levels," Nahar told IANS after the meeting.

The Indian government has said it will help not only those students coming here through ICCR scholarships but also others wanting to pursue academics in the country through self-finance modes.

Sarhad has announced its readiness to 'adopt' 1,000 stranded students by bearing all their lodging, boarding, fees and other expenses till the situation in Afghanistan normalises.

Even the SPPU authorities have decided to chip in by offering all help, including accommodation facilities to the students, according to Nahar.

At a meeting on Friday, the V-C and Pro V-C, N. S. Umrani had readily agreed to help all past and present students while Management Council member Sanjay Pandey would take up the issue with the Union Minister for External Affairs, S. Jaishankar.

On its part, Sarhad has started coordination efforts with various Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim organisations and educational institutions to help them out in the humanitarian efforts.

An estimated 11,000 Afghan students, including nearly 35 per cent women, study in colleges and universities across India with the largest chunk of nearly 5,000 in Maharashtra, according to Umrani.

They include nearly 3,000 in Pune, 700 in Mumbai and the rest scattered in other cities, though the ICCR data shows less than 2,500 students here on government scholarships.

A majority of the students in the state, including nearly 600 girls, with self-finance face common problems of expired or soon-to-lapse Indian visas, no contacts with families back in Afghanistan as banking and diplomatic channels are shut, due rentals and money for food, college fees or other routine expenses.
Kabul, Aug 21 : Tens of members of armed uprising groups attacked the Pol-e-Hesar district of northern Baghlan province in Afghanistan and cleared them of the Taliban.

Ever since the Taliban toppled all but Panjsher province on August 15, the fighters were engaged in their first armed conflict which erupted between them and the people's uprising.

Local residents claim two other districts -- Deh Salah and Qasaan -- have also been taken back from the Taliban, Afghan media reported.

Former acting minister of defense, Bismillah Muhammadi who is now living in Panjsher province wrote on his Twitter handle that the people's uprising has recaptured pol-e-Hesar, Bano, and Deh Salah districts of Baghlan province.

Local residents have also claimed to have killed 40 Taliban fighters and wounded 15 more, however, the Taliban have not commented on the conflict yet.

Defiant first vice President Amrullah Saleh and son of Slain Ahamad Shah Masoud have pledged to resist the Taliban and said they will never surrender to them. They said that resistance two will be commenced from Panjsher province and have asked foreign members of ANDSF to join them in the cause.

It comes as the Taliban are grabbing control of entire Afghanistan including the Afghan capital but are yet to fill the political vacuum now after six days.
New York, Aug 21 : New York City is all set to see the largest post-Covid live event, 'We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert', at the iconic Great Lawn of Central Park.

The concert, whose performers' list reads like the who's who of international music, will start at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Saturday (2:30 a.m. IST on Sunday). It is being reported that an estimated 60,000 people will attend the show, making it most probably the largest post-Covid live concert.

It marks the culmination of the NYC Homecoming Week, a citywide celebration of the Big Apple's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The star-studded concert features mega artistes such as rock icons Bruce Springsteen ('The Boss', who's from neighbouring New Jersey) and Eric Clapton, Queens-natives Paul Simon and LL Cool J, and Brooklyn's very own Barry Manilow, Patti Smith and Jennifer Hudson, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and 'The Tonight Show' host, Jimmy Fallon, among others.

The concert, which will be broadcast live globally (including in India) by CNN, is being produced by music industry veteran and native New Yorker Clive Davis and Live Nation. All attendees have to show proof of Covid-19 vaccinations to be able to attend the concert.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Pune, Aug 21 : In a rare development, the chiefs of Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force simultaneously paid a two-day visit to their alma mater, the prestigious National Defence Academy (NDA) here.

The trio, old batchmates who had completed their course in 1991 from the first NDA (erstwhile Joint Services Wing) course, spent Friday and Saturday at the sprawling institution in Khadakwasla, 30 years after they had embarked on their respective professional journeys.

The three distinguished alumni are: General M.M. Naravane, Admiral Karambir Singh and Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, all highly-decorated officers holding the top posts since 2019.

Speaking on behalf of the three services chiefs, Admiral Karambir Singh exhorted the current cadets to imbibe the basic tenets of modern military leadership, and dwelt upon the emerging trends of modern warfare.

Turning out in full uniform, the trio also reviewed the ongoing training of cadets at the NDA and went around to view the available training and administrative infrastructure there.

The three services chiefs paid homage at the 'Hut of Remembrance', which commemorates the sacrifices of ex-NDA officers of the armed forces who laid their lives for the country.

They also visited their parent squadrons -- 'Hunter' (Admiral Singh), and 'Lima' (Gen Naravane and Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria) -- and interacted with the cadets of their respective squadrons.

Later, the NDA staff and faculty had an interaction with the three services chiefs, which was a rare and unique occasion, said the officials.

"Their visit to the Academy has provided unmatched inspiration and sense of pride to all the cadets and would further catalyse them to strive for excellence in their military careers and reinforce the spirit camaraderie and jointmanship among the three services," said an official.

The idea of establishing a Joint Training Academy for training officers of the three defence services was conceived by a committee led by the then Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchintek, in 1945.

By January 1949, the academy started functioning at its interim location in Dehradun, even as the foundation stone for the NDA was laid by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on October 6, 1949, and it was inaugurated in January 1955 -- making it the world's first tri-services training institution.

In its nearly seven-decade-long glorious history, the NDA has produced the first Chief of Defence Staff, 13 Generals, 11 Admirals and nine Air Chief Marshals.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of targeting AAP leaders using his power.

Sisodia's remarks came during a brief digital press conference on Saturday, in which he said, "We have learned from reliable sources that Prime Minister Modi has shared a list 15 names with Delhi Police, CBI and ED and asked them to conduct raids and file fake FIRs against those on the list and ruin their career before the next elections." He claimed that Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has promised to get the job done. "Rakesh Asthana is Modiji's brahmastra. He has promised that come what may, he will get the job done. You can send the CBI and the ED, we will welcome them," he said.

He claimed most of the names in the list belong to the AAP.

Sisodia said there had been previous instances where AAP leaders were 'targeted' but nothing came out of it.

"I want to ask BJP, what did you get in the earlier raids? There are 12 cases against Satyendar Jain. The CBI has raided my house and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office. Police raided CM's house and even entered his bedroom. What came out of those raids?" he questioned.

He alleged that fake cases were registered against 21 AAP MLAs and the courts scolded the police for filing such cases. "The Centre got the Shunglu Committee to scrutinise 450 files of our government but what came out of it. We have full faith in ourselves," Sisodia claimed.

He further claimed that the BJP is worried because AAP is gaining popularity in other states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and had even won 27 seats in the municipal corporation polls in Gujarat.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal echoed similar sentiments and said nothing had come out of the earlier raids or fake cases. "Do politics for votes, win public trust. So many false cases were made against us. Nothing found. Want to do more false cases, want to do raid? You are welcome."
Amritsar, Aug 21 : Expressing concern over illegal weapons and drugs being pushed into the Indian territory from across the border, Congress leader and Member of Parliament Manish Tewari on Saturday demanded that the Central government must install anti-drone technologies to stop smuggling of such items into Punjab.

Tewari said he has already written a letter to the Union Home Minister in this regard.

Addressing the media here, Tewari said the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has given strength to the divisive forces working in the neighbouring Pakistan and it could be harmful for the interests of the Indian border states, particularly Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress leader said that ISI is continuously working to sabotage peace in India and everyone could see the smuggling of drugs and weapons into the Indian territory using drones.

"Though our forces, which are on high alert, have successfully foiled many such bids, there are doubts that some of them may be successful in achieving targets," he added.

He also lauded the efforts of the Punjab government in successfully tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and saving the state's economy, despite the 'non-responsive' attitude of the Central government.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has denied that Sikhs living in Afghanistan have been kidnapped by the Taliban even as the security situation in the war-torn country has further deteriorated.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chairman Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, "All our families are safe inside the Gurdwara, although there was some movement yesterday. Around 300 people are absolutely safe." "Nothing happened to anyone. About 150 Sikhs are not in the Gurdwara premises, they are at different places. The people who have stayed inside and around the Gurdwara are absolutely safe. I am in constant touch with them," he said.

After the Taliban occupied Afghanistan, minority communities living there are very fearful and are pleading for help.

Hundreds of people are waiting at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to leave the country.

The pictures coming from Afghanistan are very disturbing and have left people across the country deeply worried. Afghan citizens living in Delhi are also constantly seeking help from the Government of India.
New Delhi, Aug 22: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been experiencing a reversal of fortunes in the past, is in celebratory mood, thanks to the stunning victories of its twin-the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan on Sunday by taking control of Kabul.

For TTP it's a double celebration time. First, the "elder" brother is back in power, and second, the Taliban freed all TTP terrorists including a deputy of the group from Afghan prisons. And in a recently released video by the militant group, the TTP chief is shown welcoming his former deputy chief Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, who was released after the fall of Kabul.

Heavily armed, more than 4000 militants of TTP travelled in a convoy of cars and on bikes to arrive at one of the group's hideouts in Pakistan.

Pledging allegiance to the Afghan Taliban, TTP's leaders are seen threatening Pakistan & promising to establish Khulafat system and Sharia in Pakistan. Maulvi Faqir Muhammad urges unity, shows allegiance to Taliban "Islamic Emirate," and says Taliban want a similar Islamic system in Pakistan.

Muhammad was captured by the Afghan government in 2013. He previously led the TTP in Pakistan's Bajaur district for years. Prior to his capture, US intelligence had identified Faqir as a key facilitator for al-Qaeda as the TTP has been closely affiliated with the dreaded international terror group as well.

The TTP and Taliban are intrinsically linked, with one Pakistani army chief reportedly calling them "two faces of the same coin." Though gloating over Taliban's come back to power with their support, Pakistani security agencies are now worried with this new development. The TTP's main objectives included "implementing Sharia law, fighting US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and engaging in jihad against the Pakistani Army." Pakistan's military establishment is worried, and it is reflected in the statements of the Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan's ministers who are under tremendous pressure from their "iron brother" China after the increasing attacks on CPEC projects and its Chinese workers.

"Pakistan will face security concerns with a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, mainly from an emboldened and resurgent Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)", says a Pakistani analyst.

Pakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid says that Pakistan has taken the Afghan Taliban on board over the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issue, hoping that Afghanistan's soil will not be used against Pakistan.

"Previously, Pakistan was supporting the US due to which the TTP and the Taliban were on the same page. That is not the case now," Rashid told Geo TV.

The Pakistan's foreign office admitted that release of thousands of TTP militants by the Afghan Taliban and their re-grouping in Pakistan is a major security threat. The outgoing spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, without divulging any details, said that the Pakistani government is following up with the top leaders of the Taliban.

"Pakistan has been taking up the issue of use of Afghan soil by the TTP for terrorist activities inside Pakistan with the previous Afghan government and would continue raising the issue with the coming government in Kabul as well to ensure that the TTP is not provided any space in Afghanistan to operate against Pakistan." But the TTP chief is confident that the Taliban will not take on this group. After all, more than 6000 TTP fighters have been fighting along with the Afghan Taliban.

The TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud was among the first to pledge to reinstate his bayat (allegiance) to the Taliban Chief Hibatullah Akhundzada.

"Our relations with the Afghan Taliban are based on brotherhood, sympathy, and Islamic principles," Mehsud clarified that he is not using Afghan soil for attacking the Pakistani army.

"We don't need Afghanistan's soil to protect ourselves from Pakistan Army's attacks. We are still fighting with the Pakistan Army from our own soil. We are hoping to take control of the tribal region and make it an independent area," Mehsud said in a recent interview. Mehsud made it clear about the ultimate goal - the TTP wants to establish Greater Afghanistan, which includes tribal areas of Pakistan as well.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
New Delhi, Aug 21: Talibans presidential hopeful Mullah Baradar after arriving in Afghanistan met Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu on Thursday. The same day Baradar had another visitor - Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief operational commander Mufti Abdul Rauf Azhar.

Rauf Azhar is the younger brother of the dreaded militant Masood Azhar, founder of the JeM.

The JeM commander came to congratulate to the leaders of a fellow Sunni terrorist group for conquering Kabul and pledge allegiance. According to a report by the Hindustan Times, JeM's operational commander Mufti Abdul Rauf Azhar also met the chief of the Taliban's military wing and founder of the Taliban, Mullah Omar's son Mullah Mohammad Yakub.

According to intelligence reports, during his stay in Pakistan after the Taliban's rout, Yakub was trained in JeM military camps. JeM supremo Azhar Masood was a close "friend" of his father Mullah Omar.

Rauf Azhar had planned the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in1999 to get Masood released from an Indian prison. The hijacking of the plane to Kandahar had taken place during the earlier Taliban regime in Afghanistan. In fact, Rauf had made the hijacking plan with the Taliban.

Azhar Masood and two other militants were then released in Kandahar for the safe return of the plane and its passengers.

Once Masood Azhar was handed over to the hijackers, they fled to Pakistani territory and Later Maulana Azhar Masood formed a terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Thousands of fighters of the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba have played a major role in the Taliban's fight to take over Afghanistan. The JeM chief Maulana Azhar Masood was first among the Pakistan based terror organisations to congratulate the Taliban for the 'spectacular victory".

According to ANI, Azhar Masood says that he is very happy over the Taliban's "victory", and the collapsing of the "US-backed Afghanistan government".

In his write-up titled "Manzil ki Taraf" (towards the destination) on August 16, the JeM founder thanked God for the success of "Mujahideen" in Afghanistan.

Mullah Baradar's other meeting was with the Chinese envoy Wang Yu. According to the daily, the Chinese envoy and Baradar talked about Chinese help in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Wang Yu also has been trying to sell the advantages of the Belt Road Initiative (BRI) and to "exploit" Afghan trillion dollar worth reserves of minerals including lithium and copper in the name of reconstruction.

Another issue of major concern to the Chinese was about the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Uyghur Muslim rebel group of China. According to a UN report, hundreds of ETIM militants under the leadership of Haji Furqan, fought along with the Taliban.

During his visit to Beijing last month, Baradar was told by the Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in clear terms that the Taliban would have to make a clean break with all terrorist organizations including the ETIM. The Chinese minister also said the Taliban would not provide a safe haven to Uyghur fighters who could destabilize Central Asia or harm Chinese interests in the region or at home.

ETIM also has close ties with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al-Qaeda and other militant groups who have been fighting along with the Taliban across Afghanistan.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mohammad Qureshi is likely to be the first foreign leader to visit Kabul after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. According to sources, Qureshi's visit is going to happen in a day or two. It's also said that he will be accompanied by the ISI chief on this day-long visit.

One of the main agenda of the visit will be the embolden Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who has close relations with the Taliban. After the takeover of Kabul, The Taliban had released all TTP prisoners including dreaded commanders from Afghan prisons and now they have re-grouped in Pakistan.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative
Quetta, Aug 21 : The Majeed Brigade, an elite unit of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack in Pakistan's port city of Gwadar in which Chinese nationals were targeted on Friday.

The Chinese nationals working on the under-construction East-Bay Expressway were returning to their camp when their vehicle was hit by the blast, Dawn reported.

The targeting took place along the coastal road near a fishermen's colony.

"A young boy ran out of the colony once the convoy reached there to target Chinese vehicles," a statement by Pakistan Interior Ministry said.

Soldiers of Pakistan army in plainclothes rushed to intercept the boy, who immediately exploded himself, about 15-20 metres from the convoy, it said.

The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Saturday "strongly condemned" the suicide attack, asking Pakistan "to take practical and effective measures" to prevent recurrence of such incidents in the future.

The statement pointed out that the security situation in Pakistan has been severe of late as "there have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in casualties of several Chinese citizens".

The embassy reminded the Chinese citizens in Pakistan to be "vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections".

China is heavily involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea as part of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure project.

There have been other attacks targeting Chinese nationals in the country in recent weeks.

Late last month, a Chinese engineer who had recently arrived in Karachi was shot at and wounded in a moving car by gunmen riding a motorcycle in the city's SITE area, where he was supposed to repair imported machinery. The banned Balochistan Liberation Front had claimed responsibility for that attack.

On July 14, a bus carrying Chinese workers in the Dasu area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Upper Kohistan district fell into a ravine after an explosion, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals. The blast also left 28 others injured.

After initially suggesting that the incident was an accident, the government had said earlier this month that a suicide bomber had attacked the bus which was carrying Chinese workers to the under-construction Dasu dam.
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 21 : Kerala celebrated a quiet Onam for the second consecutive year amid the pandemic with people mostly confined to their homes on the day of 'Thiruvonam'.

The biggest festival of the state which usually sees people engaged in various games was celebrated without any fanfare. However, with the shops and establishments open and flowers flooding the markets and temples also open, the basic requirements of the festival were met.

President Ram Nath Kovind , Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan were among a galaxy of leaders who wished the people.

President Kovind in his tweet message from his official handle said, "Onam greetings to all our fellow citizens. This festival is a celebration of the new harvest. It highlights the tireless work of our farmers. It is an occasion to express gratitude to mother nature. I wish progress and prosperity to all fellow citizens." Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Onam is a festival associated with positivity, vibrancy, brotherhood, and harmony. I pray for everyone's good health and well-being." Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan also wished the people of the state. In a message the Governor said, "The celebrations of Onam rekindle the legacy of life equality, oneness, and prosperity, filling minds and homes with the celestial joy of festivity. I sincerely wish that the melody, beauty and sparkle of Onam spread across the globe as Kerala's unique message of love, equality and harmony." Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan while wishing the people of the state said, "Every year Onam grants people the hope and energy to overcome life's hurdles and difficulties. Let this Onam, too, fill us with renewed hope and unite us. Let us uphold the values of equality, peace, and fraternity and move forward together for a brighter future. Wishing Thiruvonam Day greetings to everyone." Onam, according to belief, is the return of King Mahabali to the state who as a ruler had ensured that everyone lived in peace and harmony. Gods or rather Deva's envious of his popularity sought the help of Lord Vishnu to banish him into the netherworld. However, before going down, Mahabali secured a boon from Lord Vishnu that he be allowed to visit his subjects every year on Thiruvonam Day which this year falls on August 21.

Keralites across the globe celebrate the 'Thiruvonam' star on the Malayalam month of 'Chingam' as Onam. They lay floral carpets in front of their homes, eat a primarily vegetarian lunch with many varieties on a banana leaf and wear new clothes.

The business year of Kerala revolves around Onam with the maximum advertisement revenue being generated during Onam days. Almost all shops including textiles, jewellery, utensils, vegetables and fruit do brisk business during Onam.
Bengaluru, Aug 21 : The Taliban have attacked Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, a part of Indian Army contingent in Afghanistan while they were leaving the country. The soldier who has returned from the war torn country has shared his horrific experience with his family members.

Shaila K. Neelagar, aunt of Ravi Neelagar, a soldier attached to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) who returned safely to India from Afghanistan five days ago, has shared some of the information given by Ravi to them on Taliban's attack on Indian soldiers.

"Ravi told us that, when 200 of them were being evacuated from Afghanistan, their contingent was attacked by Taliban terrorists. When soldiers were boarding the flight, the Taliban tried to prevent them. They even snatched their luggage," she said.

Ravi was very sad that he lost all his belongings but family comforted him by saying his safe return is everything that matters to them. "He is in quarantine and will come back home after 20 days for holidays," she said.

Ravi was discharging duties in Afghanistan for 2 years.

Meanwhile, the family of Tanveen, a resident of Sandur in Bellary, staying in Afghanistan with Afghan husband Syed Jalal has been rescued successfully and they are returning safely from Afghanistan.

Abdul Sattar, father of Tanveen said that the Indian embassy has confirmed their return. Tanveen met Syed Jalal while studying engineering and got married in 2018. They are reaching New Delhi on Saturday or Sunday.

Teressa Crasta, a nun from Mangaluru has sent a voice message to her colleagues that she is safely returning from Afghanistan. Teressa had gone to Afghanistan through an Italian NGO and she was in charge of an institute for mentally challenged children.

She has told colleagues in the Sister of Charity Institute that an Italian NGO has made arrangements for her departure from Afghanistan. As of now her journey to India has been postponed as there is chaos at Kabul airport and entry is restricted.

She has also said in the audio that she has already registered with the Indian Embassy and they are arranging for her safe return.
Patna, Aug 21 : Anju Devi, the president of Patna district council has levelled serious allegations against IAS officer Suharsh Bhagat for his alleged involvement in Rs 7.25 crore scam during his tenure in the department.

Bhagat is son-in-law of union steel minister R.C.P. Singh.

Anju Devi's statement came after she was reportedly terminated from the post of Patna district council president. Anju Devi however said that she has not received a letter of termination officially from the Panchayati Raj department.

"I have informed each and every senior official including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Panchayati Raj Minister Samrat Chaudhary about the wrongdoings by Bhagat for the last few years. I have also presented the proof of misappropriation of Rs 7.25 crore by him but no one has taken action against him," Anju Devi said.

"I am being punished by the Nitish Kumar government for objecting to the wrongdoings of Suharsh Bhagat. He was chief executive officer of Patna district council last year and he had called the meeting of district council on February 4, 2020 and managed to pass some projects. In the name of those projects, he allegedly misappropriated Rs 7.25 crore," Anju Devi alleged.

"I had submitted point wise replies to the department, Panchayati Raj minister, senior officials and chief minister but no one paid attention to it. R.C.P. Singh is considered number 2 in JD(U) after Nitish Kumar and started penalizing me. All senior officers of the department created hurdles for me," she said.

As per an official of Panchayati Raj department, Samrat Chaudhary sacked Anju Devi on August 19, 2021. He alleged that Anju Devi kept important files of some projects. She was not taking any meeting for different development projects having an estimated cost Rs 17.20 crore sanctioned by the finance department.

The Panchayati Raj department has also issued notice to her and she replied on August 16. Anju Devi called for the meeting on August 17 wherein projects were not discussed due to chaos created by council members.

Anju Devi sat on Dharna after the incident. She was terminated on August 19.
Chennai, Aug 21 : The Tamil Nadu Medical Students Association (TNMSA) has written to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin seeking his intervention in bringing back the body of a student who died in the Philippines where he was studying medicine.

A. Aswin (22), who hailed from Sirkazhi, passed away on August 10, but due to the Covid-induced restrictions and lack of funds, his body is still in the Philippines.

Aswin was a medical student at the Lyceum-Northwestern University in the Philippines. Having completed his final year MBBS, Aswin was about to join medical clerkship, which is equivalent to house surgency in India.

Before beginning clerkship, students are required to take six vaccines that are precautionary in nature. Aswin, according to the medical students here, had taken two vaccines -- the MMR vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella and the Hepatitis B vaccine. He took both the vaccines on August 9, a day before he died, according to his friends.

Aswin and his friends had taken the vaccines together. When his friends knocked his door the next day, he didn't answwer. They then broke open the door, only to find him lying dead.

According to his friends there, the doctors said that Aswin was hypersensitivity to vaccines.

Covid-19 restrictions and lack of funds had led to the delay in conducting an autopsy, embalm of the body, and intitiation of proceedings to transport the body to India.

The medical students here said that Aswin's friends have crowdfunded Rs 7 lakh to pay for the necessary expenses, as his family could not afford the cost. Aswin's father ran a small shop which was closed due to the lockdown.

The students were informed on Friday that Aswin's body, which is lying at the cargo complex of Manila international airport, may be sent to Chennai on Monday.
Lucknow, Aug 21 : Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and ex-Governor of Rajasthan, Kalyan Singh, was at one point in time the tallest leader of the BJP in the Hindi heartland.

Born on January 5, 1935 in Aligarh, Kalyan Singh belonged to a family of farmers and was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) since his early years.

He grew up to become a teacher and then joined politics. He contested his first election in 1967 on a Jan Sangh ticket and reached the state Assembly. He won nine state elections and first became a minister in 1977.

The 89-year-old leader was a doyen of the BJP who had played a key role in the Ayodhya movement.

The OBC face of the BJP, Singh was also the first BJP Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (from June 1991 to December 1992).

In his brief first tenure, he left his mark as an able administrator and an efficient leader who owned the entire responsibility of the Babri Masjid demolition, instead of putting the blame on the bureaucracy.

He commanded immense respect from his colleagues and even the thought of a replacement for him was considered nothing short of blasphemy in the BJP at that time.

The moment he stood up in the state Assembly, opposition leaders sat down. His speeches were heard with rapt silence as disruptions were not the order of the day till then.

The Kalyan Singh government went down on the day the Babri Masjid was demolished, but Singh rose as the tallest Hindu leader when he emerged from the Tihar jail, flashing a victory sign, after serving a one-day sentence for failing to prevent the demolition.

Apart from being a champion of Hindutva, Singh was also recognised as an unparalleled OBC leader.

Politics in early 90s oscillated between 'kamandal' (Hindutva) and 'mandal' (reservation) and Singh suited perfectly on both issues.

Singh, as a politician, was not known to compromise for short-term gains.

He strongly disapproved of the BJP supporting a Mayawati government in UP, shortly after the infamous state guest house incident of 1995.

However, since the decision was taken at the highest level in the BJP at that time, Singh did not oppose it, though he never made an effort to make his displeasure clear.

In 1997 again, when the BJP forged an alliance with Mayawati and based the alliance on the now famous rotational basis for the chief minister's post, Singh was upset.

Six months later, when Mayawati handed over the chief minister's post to Singh but pulled out of the coalition, leaving the BJP in a minority, it was Singh's determination to cobble a majority for his government that helped him survive the crucial test in the Assembly - a test that led to violence and splits in the BSP and the Congress.

The government was saved, Mayawati was devastated even as the politics of coalition and compulsion began in full force in UP.

However, Singh's second tenure as Chief Minister that began in September 1997 was marked by political upheavals.

The coalition partners -- the now defunct Loktantrik Congress and the Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party -- had slipped into the bargaining mode.

Within the BJP, there were rumblings and the voices of dissent started gradually getting louder. With a host of controversies and his deteriorating relationship with the the BJP's central leadership, Singh finally quit the party in 1999.

He then formed his own Rashtriya Kranti Party and struck a friendship with Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He may not have gained politically from the alliance, but his exit did ensure that the BJP took almost a decade-and-a-half to return to power in Uttar Pradesh.

Singh, fondly referred to as 'Babuji' in the political circles, remained popular among the BJP workers even after he quit the party twice -- once again in 2009.

Even when he was out of the BJP, senior party leaders continued to visit 'Babuji' in the darkness of the night while party workers went to his Mall Avenue residence in the day.

His birthday celebrations on January 5 used to bring leaders from all the political parties together.

Singh was appointed as the Governor of Rajasthan in 2014.

His elder son Rajvir Singh is an MP while his grandson Sandeep Singh is a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.

Singh retired from his gubernatorial assignment in 2019 and had been leading a quiet, retired life in Lucknow though the steady stream of visitors at his Mall Avenue residence continued unabated.

His demise has created a vacuum in UP politics -- one that will not be filled soon. For lakhs of party workers, Babuji passing away will remain a personal loss.
New Delhi, Aug 21 : Generations to come will remain forever grateful to Kalyan Singh for his contributions towards India's cultural regeneration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after the demise of the BJP stalwart and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on Saturday night.

Singh (89) passed away due to sepsis and multi-organ failure in Lucknow on Saturday night. A two-term Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Singh had also served as the Governor of Rajasthan from 2014-2019.

Soon after his demise, Modi in series of tweets said, "I am saddened beyond words. Kalyan Singh Ji... statesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader and great human. He leaves behind an indelible contribution towards the development of Uttar Pradesh. Spoke to his son Shri Rajveer Singh and expressed condolences. Om Shanti." The Prime Minister said that Kalyan Singh gave voice to crores of people belonging to the marginalised sections of the society.

"He made numerous efforts towards the empowerment of farmers, youngsters and women," Modi tweeted.

He also said that Singh was firmly rooted in Indian values and took pride in the nation's centuries old traditions.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that Kalyan Singh was not only a stalwart of Indian politics, he also left an indelible mark on the country and society with his personality and creativity.

His long political life was devoted to the service of the masses. He was the most popular Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath Singh said.

Home Minister Amit Shah said that Kalyan Singh as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh delivered a government free from fear and crime and believed in good governance.

Shah also said that he was an excellent role model for the governments to come by making unprecedented reforms in the field of education.

Shah said that it is rare to find a great personality like Kalyan Singh -- "a nationalist who lives in the hearts of the people".

Singh, while holding various constitutional posts, made a unique contribution to the progress of the country by connecting the farmers, poor and deprived sections with the mainstream of development, the Home Minister said.
Bengaluru, Aug 21 : Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday urged the parents to send their wards to schools which are scheduled to reopen from Monday.

"The state government has taken care to ensure the safety of the children in order to encourage them to come to schools," he stated.

Talking to reporters on Saturday, the CM said that the state government has issued directions to reopen schools, both state-run and private.

"The schools will reopen from Monday. Along with Primary and Secondary Education Minister B.C. Nagesh, I will visit the schools in Bengaluru to ensure that everything is alright," he said.

Students should start the process of learning, which was hampered all these days due to the pandemic, he said.

"Parents should get vaccinated and monitor their children once they are back from schools. We intend to bring children back to school," the CM said.

Revenue Minister R. Ashok has also appealed to the parents to send their children to schools without any hesitation.
New Delhi, Aug 22 : Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday reviewed the preparations of the Union Territories (UTs) for the celebration of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' during the period ending on August 15, 2023.

During the meeting, Bhalla stressed on the uniqueness of the events, linkage with freedom struggle, freedom fighters, and underlined that all the events must have extensive involvement of the public at large.

He also asked the UT administrations to give the programmes a concrete shape for inclusion in the Union Home Ministry's calendar of events.

The chief secretaries and advisors to the UT administrations shared details of a week-long programme drawn around the theme of India's freedom struggle while highlighting the culture, tradition and heritage of their respective UTs.

'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' is the government's initiative to mark 75 years of India's Independence.
Amaravati, Aug 22 : The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday set up a helpdesk to reach out to the workers from the state held up in war-torn Afghanistan, an official said.

Rekha Rani, Special Commissioner of Labour, said the state government took this decision to rescue the people from the state who are in distress in Afghanistan, which has been taken over by the Taliban.

As part of the helpdesk, Rani shared four numbers: 0866-2436314, 7780339884, 9492555089 and 8977925653.

"The workers or their relatives can directly call and inform their full particulars, if any, and utilise the above services to bring back the people to their native place safely," she said.
Dhaka, Aug 22 : Nineteen years after an attack on Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's convoy at Satkhira on August 30, 2002, the police have arrested a fugitive who was convicted of the crime.

Arifur Rahman Ranju, a fugitive offender who was convicted for attacking Sheikh Hasina's convoy in a 2002, was apprehended by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) from the Hazaribagh area in Dhaka on Friday.

The former leader of Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection with the case.

A.K.M. Hafiz Akhter, Additional Commissioner of DMP, confirmed the matter with IANS on Saturday.

Ranju, a leader of the Kalaroa Government College unit of Chhatra Dal at the time, was sentenced to 10 years in prison in the case, he said.

On August 30, 2002, Awami League chief Hasina, the then leader of the opposition, went to the Satkhira Central Hospital to visit the wife of a freedom fighter who had been raped.

Hasina's motorcade was attacked in front of the Kalaroa Upazila BNP office while she was on her way back to Dhaka. Aside from the bomb attack and vandalism of cars, gunshots were also fired targeting Hasina.

Central leaders of the Awami League accompanying Hasina along with local activists and journalists were all injured in the attack.

Moslem Uddin, the then general secretary of the Kolaroa Awami League, had filed a case with the Kalaroa police station, but the police had denied the filing of any case against the ruling party member.

He then filed the case with the Satkhira judicial magistrate's court in this connection, accusing the then BNP MP Habibul Islam Habib.

The court then ordered the Kolaroa police to investigate the matter. But the police submitted a report on December 25, 2003, claiming that the accusations cited in the case were not true.

Challenging the report, the plaintiff filed a no-confidence petition, which was dismissed by the court. Later, the plaintiff filed a revision petition with the high court.

On July 28, 2013, the Supreme Court passed an order directing the police to reconsider the case and conduct a fresh investigation into the matter.

In a follow-up to the order, the chief judicial magistrate's court in Satkhira ordered the Kalaroa police to take action against those who attacked Hasina's convoy.

The police subsequently pressed formal charges against 50 people, including Habib, following an investigation.
Ballary : , Aug 22 (IANS) Giving clear indication that all is not well with the government headed by the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, minister for Tourism Anand Singh kept himself away from Bommai's visit to Ballary.

Bommai on his to the Vijayapur district, stopped at Toranagal Jindal Airstrip in Ballary. Though he was there for 30 minutes, the minister for Tourism Anand miffed with portfolio allocation did not turn up to welcome Bommai, though he was in the town.

Anand Singh meanwhile attended private meetings in the city. He is demanding a change of his portfolio and has not been using the official vehicle. He threatened that he won't participate in the independence day celebrations.

Bommai and Minister for Revenue R. Ashok managed to convince him after holding a private meeting for more than 2 hours.

Though he appeared to have softened his stand at that point, Anand Singh again became adamant with his demand. The sources say that he is even ready to tender resignation.

Meanwhile, the high command has toughened its stand on those who are placing demands and challenging the party.

Though former minister C.P.Yogeshwar, M.P. Renukacharya and others camped in New Delhi for three days, no top leader met them. Bommai stated that it is not mandatory for anyone to attend his functions. When he visited Mysuru, former minister S. Ramdas did not turn up to welcome him and even made his displeasure evident.

Bommai is likely to take up a New Delhi visit in the coming week and high command is expected to take a call on the matter.
Mechanic standing in front of a car

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Gaspar Insurance Named to Inc. 5000 List for the 4th Year

Inc. magazine revealed that Gaspar Insurance Services has once again made its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000 list.

We are honored to make Inc. magazines coveted list of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. for the fourth time, said Tim Gaspar, Founder and CEO at Gaspar Insurance Services. Im proud of the 13-year-old organization my team and I built together, and how we managed to survive the pandemic recession and found a way to stay on top.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Gaspar Insurance Services

Founded in 2008, Gaspar Insurance Services is a leading full-service insurance agency specializing in protecting individuals and businesses of all sizes. Headquartered in Woodland Hills, California with branches in Simi Valley, California, Kingman, Arizona, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Gaspar offers a wide range of insurance solutions to clients nationwide. Gaspars independent agents work with over 246 A-rated carriers to provide the best possible protection, including personal, commercial, and life and health. The Gaspar Team aims to build personal relationships with clients while delivering world-class service. http://www.gasparinsurance.com

Find us on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkeIn | Instagram

Contact:

Joe Janolo

Director of Marketing and Communications

Gaspar Insurance Services, Inc.

23161 Ventura Blvd., Suite 100

Woodland Hills, CA 91364

P: 818.302.3060 ext. 249

E: joe.janolo@gasparinsurance.com

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.
iSafeBoxes Rental, a private safe deposit box rental company, is pleased to announce its grand opening on Sunday, August 22, 2021, at 11 am!

A local entrepreneurs response to the increased need of the community and changing policy of the banks. Located in the hi-tech suburbs of the Washington metropolitan area, iSafe has found its roots in Ashburn, VA, and is ready to welcome customers through its doors. A local entrepreneur Vinnayk Kaarikar and Sheetal Walvekar of Ashburn in Loudoun County Virginia, embarked on a new enterprise iSafeBoxes Rental, which provides a convenient alternative to the traditional Safe Deposit Vaults provided by the banks. With the managing members combining over 40 years of experience in retail and IT, they have implemented the latest technology, which includes iris & facial scan and digital photo recognition, throughout the entire facility. Realizing the increased need of Safe Deposit Boxes to the community, they obtained a new building facility at Ashburn, VA. Conversion of a commercial office space to meet the security standards of iSafeBoxes Rental took almost a year. And now it is ready for its intended use of safe storage of valuables. They provide extended hours including weekends and safe access for the convenience of the customers.

To mark this special occasion, iSafes grand opening will include the Ashburn District Supervisor, Michael Turner, and Virginia House of Delegates, David Reed. Staff members will be happily providing tours of the facility, assisting in safe deposit box registration, and answering any questions. As a grand opening special, all new customers that book a safe deposit box will receive six months free of rent (based on a one year contract). iSafe will also be holding a raffle with the following prizes:

Grand prize: One year free of rent

Runner up 1: 10x10 box

Runner up 2: 5x10 box

Runner up 3: 3x10 box

Due to current COVID conditions, we are taking all precautions and masks will be required.

Light snacks and drinks will be served. We are looking forward to welcoming the community!

With seven convenient safe deposit box sizes and several tenure plans, there is a storage option that can be tailored to your needs! Secure the items that are the most valuable to you and your family in a private safe deposit box.

iSafe takes pride in providing 24/7 concierge emergency services that allow their customers to access their safe deposit box whenever they need to, including closed business hours and holidays.

You are welcome to join us at the formal opening of iSafeBoxes Rental on Sunday, August 22, 2021 from 11 am to 1 pm.

Look forward to see you!

20609 Gordon Park Sq Unit 110 Ashburn, VA 20147

(571) 399-9399

ashburn@isafeboxesrental.com

https://isafeboxesrental.com/
MiaPrep provides every student with an individualized Learning Path that adjusts to that student's unique learning style and speed.

Miaplaza Inc. is excited to announce the launch of MiaPrep, their latest online learning platform aimed at providing personalized, rigorous, engaging, and adaptive online learning to students at the high school levels. MiaPrep provides every student with an individualized Learning Path that adjusts to that student's unique learning style and speed.

MiaPrep encourages learning by focusing on engagement. High-interest content is provided across a range of academic levels and in a variety of forms, including educational videos, concept practice, and quizzes/assessments. MiaPrep also features an engaging community in which students will be able to give and receive feedback from others, write for an online literary magazine, learn to run their own business using the sites business simulation, and have their own videos judged by professional judges.

"For years parents have asked for a high school version of our engaging K-8 online learning site, Miacademy. With MiaPrep we now have a strong new offering for high school students that compares favorably with traditional online learning programs," says Dr. Johannes Ziegler, founder of Miaplaza Inc.

Some of the specific features added to MiaPrep to empower this adaptive learning include:



engaging teaching videos paired with concept practice

grade levels that can be adjusted for each subject individually

support for parents and teachers

immediate feedback for students

MiaPrep also has some features in place for special needs learners:

a distraction-free environment

questions and answers can be read aloud for students with reading difficulties

option to choose between phonological or whole word reading

ample time to answer questions in games with clear auditory feedback

The MiaPrep platform also provides robust tools for parents & teachers to use alongside their high school students. Every student membership comes with a free parent account that allows parents to choose individual learning levels for their students and monitor their activities and progress. Parents are also able to assign specific educational lessons, track academic progress, and print customizable reports.

Consultation for MiaPrep development was provided by Gabriella Volpe, B.Ed., an expert in special needs education. Ms. Volpe says of the site, With MiaPrep, [students] learn at their own pace as they are challenged daily in core subjects like math and language arts, but also in other subjects like geography/history, music & arts, science, and foreign languages. The site monitors your [student]s progress and selects the next learning challenge based on the results.

MiaPrep offers trial memberships to allow students and parents to sample the site. Membership plans are available as monthly subscriptions (pay per month) or as annual (12-month) and lifetime memberships.

About Miaplaza Inc.

Miaplaza, Inc. offers the K-8th grade learn-and-play websites Miacademy, Always Icecream, and Clever Dragons. The company has been developing learning websites for 14 years and has served hundreds of thousands of users.
Inc. magazine today revealed that Reveneer is No. 2187 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segmentits independent small businesses. Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

Its an extreme honor to be recognized again on the Inc. 5000 List for our growth, said Zach Ingalls, Sr. Sales Development Director at Reveneer. Despite the many ups and downs of this past year, our team persevered and our business thrived. We maintained our focus on delivering success for our customers and, now more than ever, our team is ready to tackle anything thrown our way.

Not only have the companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but this years list also proved especially resilient and flexible given 2020s unprecedented challenges. Among the 5,000, the average median three-year growth rate soared to 543 percent, and median revenue reached $11.1 million. Together, those companies added more than 610,000 jobs over the past three years.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. The top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc., which will be available on newsstands on August 20.

The 2021 Inc. 5000 list feels like one of the most important rosters of companies ever compiled, says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. Building one of the fastest-growing companies in America in any year is a remarkable achievement. Building one in the crisis weve lived through is just plain amazing. This kind of accomplishment comes with hard work, smart pivots, great leadership, and the help of a whole lot of people.

About Reveneer

Reveneer is a fast-growth sales enablement services company that delivers exceptional inside sales results to solve our customers sales challenges. We bring together thoughtfully built and rigorously trained teams, data driven insights and our tech-enabled sales engine to kindle conversations, generate quality pipeline and drive revenue for our customers with unmatched speed and efficiency.

To learn more, visit us at reveneer.io

More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000

Methodology

Companies on the 2021 Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2017 to 2020. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2020. (Since then, some on the list may have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Growth rates used to determine company rankings were calculated to three decimal places. There was one tie on this years Inc. 5000. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including web sites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Vision Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

For more information on the Inc. 5000 Vision Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/.
WesternU College of Dental Medicine administrators and faculty Hubert Chan, DDS, Brent Fung, DDS, Steven Friedrichsen, DDS, Joori Kim Cho, DMD, Mark Mintline, DDS, and Alexander Lee, DMD. "We look forward to honoring WREBs trust in the College by creating a living legacy of service through the quality graduates who will be selected for the scholarships," said WesternU College of Dental Medicine Dean Steven Friedrichsen, DDS.

Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (CDM) received a $1 million gift from the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) to fund scholarships and carry on WREBs legacy of helping students.

The gift will fund a perpetual endowment that will provide partial scholarships for two third-year and two fourth-year CDM students from one of nine pioneering WREB states.

We have always been impressed and thankful for CDMs commitment to WREB, and the students as well. The relationship we have between WREB and WesternU has always been phenomenal, said Dr. Rob Lauf, President of WREB. We want to make a difference as best we can in dental students lives to help ease the financial burden of their dental education.

On behalf of the entire WesternU family, I am delighted to express our deepest gratitude to WREB for this generous gift to our CDM students, said Dr. Sylvia Manning, Interim President of WesternU. This kind of support helps us make a difference in the quality of health care for our communities.

The Commission on Dental Competency Assessment and the Western Regional Examining Board, the two leading dental competency assessment organizations in the United States, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on June 15, 2021 outlining their intention to combine into one organization to further serve the oral health professions. The new entity will be known as CDCA-WREB. Together, the merged entity will administer the ADEX exams which are accepted in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico as the basis for initial licensure for dentists and dental hygienists. The existing Boards of Directors of CDCA and WREB will combine to provide governance oversight to the combined entity with equal representation from both Boards.

With the upcoming merger, the WREB Board of Directors wanted to honor the legacy of WREB providing licensing exams in the western United States. The board considered schools that have been especially supportive in many ways, said WREB CEO Beth Cole. WREB identified WesternU and Texas A&M College of Dentistry as the recipients of gifts to create endowed scholarships to support dental students and dental hygiene students.

College of Dental Medicine Dean Steven Friedrichsens relationship with Beth Cole and key WREB leaders extends back to his time working at Idaho State University and Creighton University Medical Center School of Dentistry. CDM faculty, including Assistant Professor Mark Mintline, DDS, Associate Dean for Patient Care and Clinical Education Brent Fung, DDS, Professor Alexander Lee, DMD, Associate Dean for Integration of Technology, Curriculum and Learning Environments Hubert Chan, DDS, and Assistant Professor Joori Kim Cho, DMD, have served on WREB committees and the Dental Exam Review Board, and have field tested many exam innovations that WREB subsequently implemented. Dean Friedrichsen credits the WesternU faculty and staff with deepening the productive relationship between WREB and the College.

It has been both enjoyable and productive to work collaboratively with Beth, the other dental professionals and the WREB team for more than three decades, Dr. Friedrichsen said. I was personally speechless when Beth informed me of WREBs plans to select the College of Dental Medicine to be one of the dental schools entrusted to ensure their legacy. We look forward to honoring WREBs trust in the College by creating a living legacy of service through the quality graduates who will be selected for the scholarships.

Dr. David Low is widely considered the father of WREB. Along with high academic standards, students who receive the CDM scholarship will embody Dr. Lows characteristics: professionalism, innovation, compassion, and approaching work with a sense of humor, Cole said.

Were just really excited about the opportunity to have a legacy, and to make a substantial difference in the ability of students to achieve their desire to become a dentist, Cole said.
Thomas Wolfe famously wrote, You cant go back home to your family, back home to your childhood. Unless, that is, youre Calvin Crosby and your home is The Kings English Bookshop. A quarter-century after Crosby, 55, left his native Utah for California, he quit his job as executive director of the California Independent Booksellers Alliance and returned to become co-owner, as of July 1, of the Salt Lake City literary icon. There was so much that still had to be done with CALIBA, but this store is so special, so much a part of me, Crosby explained. The opportunity could not be passed up.

Crosby, who is of Cherokee descent, recalled his first visit to The Kings English when he was a teenager. Everybody was so nice, he said. Growing up dark at that time, you were often followed, or people would be like, Can I help you? But I was allowed to browse. I was allowed to read a few pages. People were gracious: they talked books with me, they recommended books to me. It was a magical place.

Even when Crosby worked at Books Inc. and Book Passage in the Bay Area before joining NCIBA, the regional booksellers association that evolved into CALIBA, The Kings English pulled at him. He said that he made it a priority to visit there every time he returned to home to see his family.

Anne Holman, who has worked at The Kings English for 21 years and has been co-owner since 2014 with cofounder Betsy Burton, noted that she and Burton had been discussing a succession plan for a long time. Burton, who opened the full-service general bookstore in 1977 with Ann Berman, the first of several business partners, was ready to retire after guiding the store through a difficult pandemic year that involved pivoting toward online orders and contactless curbside pickups.

We were really unsure how to handle finding Betsys successor, Holman said. It needed to be somebody whom we felt honored the tradition of the bookstore and everything we had created.

Burton also wanted her successor to be someone who appreciates fiction and poetrytwo categories for which the bookstore is renowned. She recalled that Oren Teicher, former executive director of the American Booksellers Association, suggested she call Crosby for advice, because he knows a lot of people.

Teicher recently told PW that hed hoped Crosby would take the bait. As much as he liked his job at CALIBA, Teicher explained, I knew that Calvin always wanted to return to his bookselling roots. Given his Utah connections, I thought it made perfect sense for them to talk.

Burton said, I didnt think hed make me an offer when I called. It was like a fairy tale, it happened so quickly. Regarding Crosbys literary preferences, she added, He understands. He loves fiction, though he has a more modern sensibility than I do.

Holman and Crosby dont envision any significant changes to the business model of the storetheir emphasis is more on broadening its reach and strengthening the stores impact on the greater community. Their aspirations include making The Kings English more accessible to BIPOC and underserved populations, as well as welcoming the many people moving to the region in recent years. They also want to, Holman said, add new and interesting things for the future in order to keep growing and moving forward.

One of the first orders of business is reaching out to schools in communities in need surrounding Salt Lake City, including in a Navajo reservation east of the city. To this end, The Kings English is in the process of obtaining a bookmobile. If we can just bring books to those kids in those schools, Holman said, we can partner with publishers and companies that are local.

Crosby and Holman also plan to expand The Kings Englishs approximately 2,000-sq.-ft. retail area in creative ways. On Sundays, they invite local artisans and other makerswith an emphasis on BIPOC, gay, and women entrepreneursto set up displays on the stores 300-sq.-ft. patio. Holman said the pop-ups include an eight-year-old who makes great jewelry, painters, potters, and a new queer bookseller, who just signed the lease on a physical location. Future patio pop-ups will feature Indigenous makers, flower sellers, and food trucks.

Holman said Crosby came at a good time, noting that most booksellers are making big changes as a result of Covid-19. We worked really hard during the pandemic, Holman explained. We were tired. This is a good time to get our breath back, start something new.
At the end of 2020, the Hachette Book Group was the fourth-largest trade publisher in the country, with estimated annual sales of roughly $700 million. When the acquisition of Simon & Schusterthe third-largest trade publisherby #1 trade publisher Penguin Random House is finally completed, HBG will move into the third spot.

Last week, HBG took a major step to ensure that it will assume S&Ss position as the largest trade publisher behind PRH and HarperCollins, with its agreement to acquire Workman Publishing for $240 million. One of few remaining independent publishers of its size, Workman had sales of $134 million last year, and its addition will get HBG revenue over the $800 million level.

HBG CEO Michael Pietsch noted that the Workman deal was HBGs sixth, and largest, acquisition in eight years. Similar to the previous five, the Workman purchase adds more nonfiction and backlist titles to what had once been a heavily frontlist-fiction-oriented publisher. The five earlier purchases added about 9,000 titles to HBG, and the Workman deal will bring 3,500 more, which are part of a highly profitable Workman backlist. Pietsch praised the depth and quality of the Workman catalog.

Workman CEO Dan Reynolds, who will continue to oversee the company under HBG, said that at some Workman imprints, 70%80% of revenue is generated by its backlist. He added that Workmans strategy has always been to develop a list in which one-third of the titles per season translate into ongoing backlist sales, and in some cases become franchises.

Indeed, Workman has created some of publishings best-known and bestselling brands, including the What to Expect and Brain Quest series, as well as Page-a-Day calendars. One of its rapidly growing new brands is its Atlas Obscura line of books and products, with a new entry, Gastro Obscura, due out October 12.

Pietsch called Workman a brilliant publisher, the most creative in the industry, noting that it pioneered the method of combining images and information to create popular books.

Workman Publishing currently has about 300 employees in offices in New York City; Chapel Hill, N.C.; North Adams, Mass.; and Portland, Ore. Its imprints are Workman, Algonquin, Algonquin Young Readers, Artisan, Storey Publishing, and Timber Press. The purchase is expected to be completed before the end of September, and at that point Workman will become HBGs eighth publishing group. Carolan Workmanwho has been heading the publisher since the death of her husband, company founder Peter Workman, in 2013will retire following the completion of the deal.

Reynolds said finding a new owner for Workman, which launched in 1968, had been in the works for a few years and involved discussions with more than a dozen parties. Reynolds added that Carolan Workmans #1 priority in finding a new home for the company, even over price, was the security of our employees, and we have found that with Hachette. They understand what makes us tick.

Pietsch said given that most of Workmans most popular books and products have been developed in-house, HBG would be crazy to interfere with the company. They have a unique culture, he explained.

Workman will bring more to HBG than just its backlist. With its unique approach to publishing, Workman has maintained it own sales force and has sold its line far beyond bookstores. Both Reynolds and Pietsch said that they see a big opportunity in reaching gift stores and other specialty markets with a broader list from the combined companies. Another practical reason for the deal, Reynolds noted, is to relieve some of the financial pressure of investing in new products and maintaining an infrastructure. Freed from those concerns, Workman can devote its full attention to developing new products.
Bible readership is up, according to the latest State of the Bible report, which is based on research by the American Bible Society in collaboration with Barna. It shows that more than 181 million Americans opened a Bible in the past year. This number has risen over 7% from 2020, and religion publishers are taking notice. Several houses in the category are working quickly to offer new translations and fresh perspectives of the ancient texts.

Amy Simpson, associate Bible publisher at Tyndale, cites Covid-19 for shifts in Bible sales. Although ministry Bible purchases dropped dramatically, people around the country have responded to the challenges and uncertainties by turning to the Bible, Simpson says, adding that Bible sales have increased markedly at Tyndale over the past 18 months. As a result, the publisher is expanding its line of New Living Translation Bibles, including its Filament-enabled Bibles. These come in a variety of trim sizes, covers, and styles that work with the complimentary Filament app. The digitally enhanced print Bibles have seen strong sales since they were released in August 2020, the publisher says.

In response to the outstanding reception to our Filament-enabled text Bibles, we are expanding our lineup as quickly as we can, says Blaine Smith, Bibles publisher for Tyndale. Filament editions simply redefined the text Bible category, offering users of all ages Bibles that provide an elegant print reading experience with the depth of a whole library of extra-biblical content, including videos, study/commentary content, reading plans, and a wide range of devotionals.

Among the forthcoming Filament Enabled Editions from Tyndale are the NLT Compact Bible (Sept.), NLT Large Print Premium Value Thinline Bible (Nov.), NLT Wide Margin Bible (Mar. 2022), NLT Compact Giant Print Bible (Apr. 2022), NLT Compact Super Giant Print Bible (Apr. 2022), and the KJV Large Print Premium Value Thinline Bible (May 2022).

Crossway also had its best sales year for Bibles in the fiscal year ended May 2021, according to Daniel Bush, executive v-p of sales.

Don Jones, Crossway chief publishing officer and Bible publisher, says that Bible publishing has taken on a deepened sense of urgency. He adds, The difficulty of this past year has awakened us all to the instability of life in a broken world. This has led many to turn to the Scriptures to find comfort and hope.

Zondervan, which has published the full New International Version (NIV) Bible since 1978, is also growing its popular line, offering three new editions: NIV Radiant Virtues Bible: A Beautiful Word Collection (Sept.) focuses on the three virtues in 1 Corinthians 13faith, hope, and love; NIV Heritage Bible, Passaggio Setting (Oct.) features single-column text for prose and double-column text for poetry; and NIV, Thompson Chain-Reference Bible (May 2022) provides thousands of references in the margins, covering over 8,000 topics within the Bible.

Additional forthcoming Bibles of note include the following:

 ESV Psalms, Photography Edition (Crossway, Mar. 2022), which pairs the English standard version of the Psalms with original photography of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

 First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament by Terry M. Wildman (IVP, out now), which features the Bible written in the tradition of Native storytellers oral cultures.

 NET (New English Translation) Young Women Love God Greatly: Holy Bible (Thomas Nelson, Mar. 2022), which includes profiles of biblical and historical women, testimonies from women around the world, and letters from seasoned women of faith intended to help readers engage with Scripture, according to the publisher.

 The One Year Pray for the Persecuted Bible NLT (Tyndale, Nov.), which lays out a reading structure of 15 minutes per day for reading Scripture, alongside daily prayers for, and information about, Christians around the world who are suffering because of their beliefs.Emma Wenner
Britains Simon Beckett topped Germanys fiction bestseller list in late July with the mystery The Lost. More than 10 million copies of Becketts books have been sold, according to his literary agency, Curtis Brown, and hes especially popular in Germany, where the translation of The Lost was published two months before the U.K. edition. German comedian Hape Kerkeling topped the nonfiction list with Paws Off the Table, about the infinite happiness of living with cats. His 2009 memoir, Im Off Then, was published by Simon & Schuster in the U.S.

Esther Verhoefs new thriller, The Night Shift, about a traumatized veterinarian who is forced to operate on a human, was #1 on the combined bestseller list in the Netherlands at the end of July. Her books are published in English by Quercus. In the second spot is Im Going to Live, an autobiographical debut novel by 23-year-old Dutch Turkish author Lale Gul, about a young womans upbringing as a strict Muslim in Amsterdam.

In Spain, Maria Duenass Sira, the long-awaited sequel to 2009s The Time in Between (a million copy bestseller in English, according to its publisher Atria), topped the fiction list in late July. In the second spot is the latest mystery in Maria Orunas Hidden Haven series, set on the Cantabrian coast of Spain. The nonfiction list is led by The Humor of My Life, a memoir by Paz Padilla about the death of her mother and her husband.
When: Friday, October 8, 2021, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Where: Online,

Book now

Hosted by the Institute for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (IHSS) and the Centre for Law and Society in a Global Context (CLSGC) at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

Euro-American feminism has a complex history of both contesting and colluding with empire. Feminist efforts to liberate women not only often omitted racialized and colonized people but even cemented their marginalization. Whether the motivation was to protect white women from black men or to save Indian women from widow immolation, these imperial ties have often been eclipsed in the standard narration of feminist history as three or four waves that celebrate the struggles of feminists in Europe and North America. In law, the relationship between feminism and governance has come under scrutiny through the concept of governance feminism. 'Governance feminism' was coined by feminist scholars at Harvard University and describes how feminists began to walk the halls of power in the 1990s as diplomats, lawyers and NGO advocates using law and institutional access to achieve feminist gains (Halley et al., 2018). Its starting point is the turn of American feminists to criminal and social control visions of law in the 1990s and it follows this development from the international to the local. Yet, in doing so, 'governance feminism' arguably forecloses a much broader geographical and historical exploration of feminisms entanglement with empire and colonialism. It also risks reproducing Euro-America as the site of theory production and feminist political struggle while relegating the Global South to a site of mere theory application and political imitation. The workshop explores Halley et al.s concept of governance feminism, and the postcolonial and TWAIL (Third World Approaches to International Law) critique, but also raises broader questions about feminist engagements with state institutions and colonial projects, and their alternatives, including more radical feminist futures based on indigenous conceptualizations of life, politics and justice or experiments with feminist community beyond the nation-state and the capitalist economy.

This event has been organized by Leila Ullrich (Law), Sydney Calkin (Geography) and Claire English (Business & Management) and is generously supported through an early career network grant by the Institute for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (IHSS). It is co-hosted by IHSS and the Centre for Law and Society in a Global Context (CLSGC).

Speakers

Prof. Vasuki Nesiah (NYU), Prof. Ratna Kapur (QMUL), Prof. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian (QMUL), Dilar Dirik (Oxford), and Silvana Tapia Tapia (Universidad del Azuay)

Biographies of Speakers

Ratna Kapur is a Professor of International Law at Queen Mary University of London. She is also a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Human Rights and Global Studies, Symbiosis School of Law, Pune, India and a Senior Core Faculty, with the Institute of Global Law and Policy Institute, Harvard Law School. Professor Kapur has taught and published extensively on issues of human rights, with a particular focus on gender, and the rights of sexual and religious minority. She brings a critical theoretical approach to her courses and scholarship that draw on the tradition of Third World Approaches to Human Rights (TWAIL), feminist legal theory and Postcolonial theory. Her most recent book is Gender, Alterity and Human Rights: Freedom in a Fishbowl (2018) where she interrogates human rights as a project of freedom through a critical evaluation and analysis of scholarship and advocacy on LGBT rights, campaigns against violence against women, and gender equality interventions in the context of the Islamic veil bans in Europe. She provocatively argues in favor of exploring non-liberal approaches to freedom and futurity of human rights within such a proposal.

Vasuki Nesiah is a Professor of Practice at NYU with a focus on public international law. Her main areas of research include the law and politics of international human rights and humanitarianism, with a particular focus on transitional justice. She has published widely on the history and politics of human rights, humanitarianism, international criminal law, international feminisms and colonial legal history. These continue to be areas of research and writing but the primary focus of her current research is reparations. A volume which she co-edited with Luis Eslava and Michael Fakhri, Bandung, Global History and International Law: Critical Pasts and Pending Futures was published by Cambridge University Press in 2018. This work reflects her continued interest in critical approaches to international law that find their intellectual and political home in the global south and in the grappling with decolonization. She is one of the founding members of the Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) and has continued as an active participant in this global network of scholars for over two decades.

Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian is Chair in Global Law at Queen Mary University of London and the Lawrence D. Biele Chair in Law at the Faculty of Law-Institute of Criminology and the School of Social Work and Public Welfare at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research focuses on trauma, state crimes and criminology, surveillance, gender violence, law and society, and genocide studies. She has authored numerous books, including Militarization and Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones in the Middle East: The Palestinian Case Study (2010) and Security Theology, Surveillance and the Politics of Fear (Cambridge University Press, 2015). She recently published a book examining Palestinian childhood, entitled Incarcerated Childhood and the Politics of Unchilding, and an edited volume, Understanding Campus-Community Partnerships in Conflict Zones. Currently, she is co-editing a book on Islam and gender-based violence.

Dilar Dirik is the Joyce Pearce Junior Research Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, a post held in conjunction with the Refugee Studies Centre. She holds a BA in History and Political Science with a minor in Philosophy and an MA in International Studies. Dilar studied for her PhD in Sociology at the University of Cambridge. Building on her past work on revolutionary women's struggles, freedom concepts and radical democracy in Kurdistan, her research at the RSC focuses on two timely issues around displacement in the Middle East region. Her first project considers layers of statelessness and self-determination by focusing on autonomously-run refugee camps in the majority Kurdish regions of Iraq and Syria and the different ways in which they relate to local self-declared self-governing institutions. What can we learn about democracy beyond the nation-state by looking at alternative practices of self-determination that challenge dominant international structures? Secondly, Dilar researches womens quests for justice in the aftermath of the violence inflicted by the so-called Islamic State group. In general, she is interested in investigating the intersections between state/statelessness, knowledge, and power from feminist, revolutionary and non-state/indigenous perspectives.

Silvana Tapia Tapia is Assistant Professor and Research Coordinator at the Faculty of Legal Sciences, Universidad del Azuay. She has a PhD in Socio-Legal Studies from the University of Kent, United Kingdom, a master's in criminal law, a specialist certificate in teaching for higher education, and a bachelors in Law from Universidad del Azuay, Ecuador. In 2019 she was awarded a vanguard scholar fellowship by the University of Birmingham, and in 2021 she was awarded a Leverhulme Early Career Fellowship to conduct a comparative study of the European and Inter-American human rights systems in relation to violence against women and penal expansion. Her work uses qualitative sociological and anthropological methods to understand and question the role of criminal law in people's lives, particularly survivors of gender-based violence. She is part of anti-carceral collectives such as Alianza Contra las Prisiones (Ecuador). She has published in internationally renowned academic journals such as Feminist Theory, Social and Legal Studies, and Feminist Legal Studies. She is a member of the Ecuadorian Network of Women Scientists, the Ecuadorian Network of Women Researchers in Social Sciences, the Law and Society Association (USA) and the Socio-Legal Studies Association (UK).

**Please note this is an online event and that all registrants will be sent joining details on the day.
President Biden walked into the East Room of the White House with backup. Four high-ranking administration officials, masked and standing six feet apart, flanked him as he tried to restore calm, assuring the nation that any American still in Afghanistan could eventually get out as that country descends further into chaos.

Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. They were all there. None said a word, instead staring straight ahead, motionless or swaying slightly from side to side.

Let me be clear: Any American who wants to come home, we will get you home, Biden said as he read from a teleprompter. I cannot promise what the final outcome will be, or that it will be without the risk of loss.

While the president did his best to project calm and control, the assertions and promises he made were immediately questioned by witnesses on the ground, lawmakers in Congress, and even members of his own administration.

All eyes remain on the airport in Kabul, the last remaining exit since the Afghan government folded and its military evaporated. Sullivan told RealClearPolitics earlier this week that the U.S. government is committed to providing safe passage out of the country for American citizensso long as they can make it to the airfield: We have asked them all to come to the airport to get on flights and take them home.

U.S. personnel who have left or are trying to leave report that the commute to the Karzai airport isnt easy. Instead, they face a harrowing journey as they navigate a daunting gauntlet of checkpoints set up by the Taliban. Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee told RCP on Wednesday that his office remains in contact with Americans near the airfield who are trying to figure out when they run for it.

Biden tried to paint a much calmer picture of that exodus Friday, telling reporters that we have no indication that they haven't been able to get in Kabul through the airport, citing an agreement with the Taliban. The president insisted that Americans were receiving safe passage through the checkpoints.

Minutes later he was contradicted by the man who stood just feet away from him. Defense Secretary Austin told lawmakers in a call first reported by Politico and later confirmed by Fox News something else entirely. Were also aware some people, including Americans, have been harassed and even beaten by the Taliban, Austin conceded. The violence, he added, was unacceptable and the administration has registered its complaints with the Taliban.

Complicating things further for Biden was the fact that multiple networks have correspondents in Afghanistan who contradicted his assertions in real-time.

Anyone who says that any American can get in here is... said Clarissa Ward of CNN, trailing off for a moment, I mean, technically, its possible, but its extremely difficult and it is dangerous. Ian Pannell of ABC News, who is also still on the ground in Kabul, gave a similar account. Biden says he has not seen intelligence indicating that Americans are unable to get to the airport. Does that square with Pannells reporting? I mean, just totally not, the foreign correspondent said.

Americans arent the only ones in a hurry to leave, and Biden said Friday that Afghan allies would not be left behind. Will he commit to evacuating those Afghans who assisted in the war effort? he was asked. Yes, the president said, we're making the same commitment.

That promise is being put to the test. Before Bidens remarks, one Senate Republican told RCP about an Afghan who had helped the Americans and who has a green card allowing him access to the United States. He is at risk of being hunted by the Taliban; he made the dangerous journey to the airport and couldnt get in due to the chaos and lack of control by U.S. military, the senator said.

Lawmakers are already calling on the president to extend the perimeter outside the airport to make it easier for those trying to evacuate, but Biden wouldnt commit to that on Friday. There will be judgments made on the ground by the military commanders at the moment, he said. And I cannot second-guess each of those judgments to be made. Biden added that while he didnt rule the possibility, such an operation is likely to draw an awful lot of unintended consequences.

If the president is having any second thoughts, it wasnt evident. If anything, he doubled down on the need to withdraw from the country. What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point with al-Qaeda gone? he said. We went to Afghanistan for the express purpose of getting rid of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan as well as, as well as getting Osama bin Laden, and we did.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby was sheepish but matter-of-fact later when reporters pushed him to correct the commander-in-chief. We know that al-Qaeda is a presence, as well as ISIS, in Afghanistan, he said.

Biden also seemed totally unaware of how the withdrawal was playing on the world stage. I have seen no question of our credibility from our allies around the world, he said, even as condemnation was being heard around the world.

I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration, Norbert Rottgen, chairman of the German Bundestags foreign relations committee, said earlier this week. This does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West.

That sentiment was echoed in the British Houses of Parliament with members there condemning the chaotic withdrawal as catastrophic and shameful. Some of the most blistering criticism came from Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. It is nations that make war. Nations endure, mobilize, and muster, he said in a floor speech. Nations determine and have patience. We have demonstrated, sadly, that we in the West, the United Kingdom, does not.

According to a White House official, approximately 3,000 people have been evacuated from the Karzai airport as of Friday, of which 350 were U.S. citizens. Weve evacuated approximately 9,000 people since Aug. 14, the official said. Since the end of July, weve evacuated approximately 14,000. As the airlift continues, Biden invoked a higher power: I would ask every American to join me in praying for the women and men risking their lives on the ground in the service of our nation.

Biden called off his weekend plans in order to monitor the situation. Officials announced that rather than returning to Delaware as planned, the president will remain at the White House until at least Saturday. Harris, meanwhile, set off on a tour of Southeast Asia to reassure allies of U.S. commitments to that region.

Though the vice president remained silent at the presidents side, the date was significant for the two of them. One year ago today, Biden and Harris accepted their partys nomination as standard-bearers. Moments before the president spoke, the Democratic National Convention sent out an email. It was a fundraising pitch to commemorate the occasion.

Open this email to take a look at our progress thus far, it read. The message, mostly boilerplate talking points next to splashy pictures of Biden and Harris in the White House, plugged Democratic majorities in Congress and the presidents agenda to Build Back Better. It did not highlight his foreign policy.

Susan Crabtree contributed to this report.
Oscar-winning actress and human-rights activist has shared in her first Instagram post a letter from a teenage girl in Afghanistan.

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"Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely. So I've come on Instagram to share their stories and the voices of those across the globe who are fighting for their basic human rights," Jolie wrote alongside an image of the letter and a photo of women wearing burkas.

"I was on the border of Afghanistan two weeks before 9/11, where I met Afghan refugees who had fled the Taliban," added the actress, who is a special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency. "This was twenty years ago. It is sickening to watch Afghans being displaced yet again out of the fear and uncertainty that has gripped their country. To spend so much time and money, to have blood shed and lives lost only to come to this, is a failure almost impossible to understand. Watching for decades how Afghan refugees - some of the most capable people in the world - are treated like a burden is also sickening. Knowing that if they had the tools and respect, how much they would do for themselves. And meeting so many women and girls who not only wanted an education, but fought for it. Like others who are committed, I will not turn away. I will continue to look for ways to help. And I hope you'll join me."

Jolie's post has gotten more than 2 million "likes" since it was posted on Friday.

The letter the actress shared has the name and other identifying markers blacked out in an attempt to protect the author.

In the note, the girl explained how before the Taliban seized control of the country, women and girls had rights and were permitted to go to school and work.

"But when they come, we are all afraid of them, and we think all our dreams are gone," the girl said.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said Saturday that Americans should stay away from the Kabul airport due to "potential security threats outside the gates," showing an increasingly desperate effort to escape the Taliban.
Eugene Levy announced on Twitter that the Schitt's Creek: The Farewell tour has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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Eugene Levy and his son, Dan Levy, co-starred in the Emmy-winning sitcom, which ran for six seasons.

They had scheduled visits to several North American towns to talk to fans about the show, but the tour was postponed because of the pandemic.

The duo decided to cancel the engagements due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases.

"We're so sorry to be missing you, and we will continue to try to find a way to see you in the future," the elder Levy said in a statement.

Tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase.

The Levys' co-stars Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy can now be seen in the Syfy series, SurrealEstate, while Emily Hampshire stars in Epix's Chapelwaite and Annie Murphy is the lead in Kevin Can [Expletive] Himself.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

A few showers early becoming a steady rain for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Rain becoming heavy at times overnight. Low 56F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. Localized flooding is expected.
MILFORD  The local band, Gunn Street Revival (and Friends), will perform at a fundraising concert on the lawn of the Plymouth Building, First UCC Milford, at 7 p.m. Aug. 27. The rain date is Aug. 28.

Gunn Street Revival features Pat Monahan on keyboards, guitar, and vocals and Mark Lindsey on guitars, guitar synth, and vocals. They will be supported that night by the rhythm section of Mike Krajewski on bass and Dick Furanna on percussion. Musical sets will include some of the great music from the 60s through the 90s by artists like the Beatles, James Taylor, Elton John, Billy Joel and the Eagles, to name a few. All of the musicians are friends and former classmates of the old Milford High School and have performed in the same musical circles for many years, just recently augmenting the already successful duo of Pat and Mark with additional instrumentation.

Refreshments will be available for sale. Bring lawn chairs. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children, visit https://bit.ly/GunnStreetReviv or call the First Church office at 203-877-4277.

Beneficiaries include a pet therapy organization and the Milford Animal Shelter. Parking is available in the First UCC Parking Lot, 46 West Main Street.

Temple Beth Sholom sets High Holiday services

HAMDEN  In observance of the 5782 High Holidays, Temple Beth Sholom, 1809 Whitney Avenue, Hamden is conducting in-person and virtual services at the following times:

Rosh Hashanah - 1st Night Monday, Sept. 6, 8:15 p.m.

Rosh Hashanah - 1st Day Tuesday, Sept. 7, 9 a.m.

Rosh Hashanah - 2nd Night Wednesday, Sept. 8 6:45 p.m.

Rosh Hashanah - 2nd Day Wednesday, Sept. 8 9 a.m.

Kol Nidre Wednesday, Sept. 15 6 p.m.

Yom Kippur Morning Thursday, Sept. 16 9 a.m.

Yom Kippur Mincha/Yizkor/Neilah Thursday, Sept. 16 4:30 p.m.

All services will be live online on the templs YouTube channel. For more information, please visit www.tbshamden.com or call the Temple Beth Sholom office at 203-288-7748.

Additionally, Temple Beth Sholom offers daily morning and evening minyans, and Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat services. All services are in-person and on Zoom. Details can be found on tbshamden.com/worship

Congregation Mishkan Israel to hold open house

HAMDEN  Congregation Mishkan Israel, 785 Ridge Rd, Hamden, is holding a free open house at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 29, with a story walk with the PJ Library, a tour of the building and other activities. Bring your own picnic and a blanket.

To learn more, visit www.cmihamden.org/

For more information, call the office at 203-288-3877. For pastoral emergencies, call Rabbi Immerman directly on at 203-584-7396.

BNai Israel school registering students

SOUTHBURY  Bnai Israel Religious School will welcome students back in-person this fall to its Southbury campus. The school is accepting new student registrations. Grades 1, 2, and 3 meet on Sunday mornings. Grades 4 through 7 meet on Sunday mornings and Tuesdays after school. Confirmation students in Grades 8 and 9 meet one per month on Sundays for Judaic field trips and teen-focused activities.

To encourage family engagement, BIRS offers monthly Family Shabbat Services from 6-6:30 p.m. on the second Friday evening each month. Rabbi Eric Polokoff and Linda Goodman, Director of Sacred Music, lead this child-friendly musical service and invite children in attendance to help lead prayers and songs. BIRS students also enjoy child-friendly holiday celebrations and activities throughout the year.

Bnai Israel, located at 444 Main Street North in Southbury, is a progressive Reform congregation, affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism. and serves member families from throughout the region, including Southbury, Woodbury, Brookfield, Bethel, Danbury, Roxbury, Waterbury, Middlebury, Watertown, Oxford, Newtown, Sandy Hook, and Litchfield. We welcome interfaith and diverse families. For more information, or to register for the fall, contact Abby Peklo, Education Director, at educator@bnaiisraelsouthbury.org or 203-267-3396. To learn more about Bnai Israel, visit www.bnaiisraelsouthbury.org.

Congregation BNai Jacob schedules services, events

WOODBRIDGE  Congregation Bnai Jacob, 75 Rimmon Road, Woodbridge, announces the following services and programs. If you dont know how to Zoom, visit https://www.bnaijacob.org/ or call 203-389-2111. We are Zooming and live for Shabbat evening and morning services.

Aug 21, 9 a.m. Bread and Torah in the chapel and on Zoom

10 a.m., Shabbat services in the tent, on Zoom and live stream. Guest Cantor Elise Barber.

Aug. 28, Selichot 8:20 p.m. Havdalah, 8:30 Showing of film, 9:45 Discussion and Dessert, 10 p.m. Selichot service

Weekday morning Minyans at 7:45 a.m. in the Chapel and on Zoom.

Evening Minyans at 6 p.m. Sat.-Thursday. 6:30 p.m. on Friday Shabbat evening.

Rosh Hashanah Honey Drive. Order honey for the congregation and your loved ones.

Big read: A Letter in the Scroll. Understanding our Jewish identity.

We hope to be able to hold High Holiday services in the Sanctuary, but will make definite decision by Aug. 23. Check the synagogue website for High Holiday details.

The Big Read for Rosh Hashanah: A Letter In The Scroll.

New Haven JCC announces Lender 5K Bagel Run

NEW HAVEN  The 10th Annual Murray Lender 5K Bagel Run sponsored by Titan Energy will be held Sept. 19 at the New Haven Jewish Community Center.

The day kicks off at 8:45 a.m. with a Kids Fun Run. Young runners will make an uphill dash with Benny, the famous Bagel-man mascot. The JCC is also offering free babysitting services during all races. The 5K race starts at 9:30 a.m. on a USATF Certified Course. In addition, the JCC will host a 2-mile Family Fitness Walk that is suitable for strollers and great for parent-child runs.

A Bagel Run block party extravaganza will be held following the race, featuring a DJ, breakfast bagels from Katz Deli and Olmo Bagelery of New Haven and goodies handmade by our own JCC members and staff, and the crowd favorite, Skalrz family apple cake.

At 10:30 a.m. the celebration continues as the JCC awards participants with medals made from real bagels. Register in advance at jccnh.org/registration-bagel-run for $25 and receive a free T-shirt, or register on the day of the race for $30 (no guarantee of shirt or shirt size). The Kids Fun Run is free. To become a sponsor, visit www.jccnh.org/bagelrunsponsor. For more information, visit jccnh.org/bagel-run or contact Race Director Jessica Scott at JessicaS@jccnh.org or 203-287-2424 EXT 266.

Northford Congregational holding outdoor tag sale

Northford Congregational Church, 4 Old Post Road, Norththford, is holding an outdoor tag sale on the lawn to benefit the church, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 11.

A limited number of spaces are available for $20 paid in advance (non-refundable). Setup begins at 8 a.m. Bring your own table and chairs. Contact Aloha at 203-484-0794 for information and to reserve a space.
In a key development, the German Air Force has evacuated another 172 people from Kabul to Uzbekistan. In view of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, Germany, in partnership with the USA and other countries, is carrying out this evacuation operation. "Last night, an Airbus A-400 of the German Air Force delivered another group of evacuees from the war-torn country. After dropping them off in Uzbekistan, the flight would return to Germany," said an airport official who was present during the rescue operation.

Germany evacuateds another 172 people from Kabul to Uzbekistan

After the Taliban captured Kabul, Uzbekistan has been serving as a significant location for people leaving Afghanistan. Earlier, the Transport Ministry of Uzbekistan told the media that Tashkent loaned its aircraft to Germany for evacuation at the request of the German embassy in Uzbekistan. Tashkent has emerged as an intermediate evacuation point for Afghan people amid the ongoing mayhem. Meanwhile, Germany is also evacuating its nationals from the violence-torn country. Since the rescue operation began, more than 1100 people have been transferred to Uzbekistan's capital and more people will be evacuated soon.

Why are people leaving Afghanistan?

The Taliban breached the gates of Kabul and hijacked the nation, declaring itself as the new ruler of the country. The collapse of the Afghan government and Taliban's takeover has forced people to flee.Taliban's authority in Afghanistan has instilled massive fear among the people, which is why they are leaving their properties and homeland. In this operation, many countries, including the USA, Germany, the UK, and Australia, are helping people who are leaving Afghanistan. As assistance in the hour of need, these countries are evacuating their respective citizens as well as Afghan nationals from the violence-torn country.

Afghanistan's current situation

After the Taliban's siege on Kabul, currently, the terrorist organization is facing massive resistance and backlash from the people of Afghanistan. As per the reports, the Taliban, although sitting in the capital of the country, are not accepted by the Afghan people. It must be noted that the Taliban at the moment is powerful but the resistance of civilians across different parts is creating problems for them.

(With ANI Inputs)

Image: AP
Scores of more Afghan nationals arrived in Pakistan on Friday through a land crossing in Chaman amid uncertain situation in Afghanistan, Pakistani officials and witnesses said.

No large scale migration has been witnessed so far, however, since last Sunday when the Taliban took over the capital, Kabul.

Afghan families coming from various parts of Afghanistan say they decided to leave the country because of uncertain security situation, and they might go back if normalcy returns to their country.

Pakistan opened the two border crossings in Chaman, in the southwest and Torkham in the northwest, earlier this week to evacuate people stranded in Afghanistan.

On Friday, an Afghan national said he travelled all the way from Zabul province to Chaman in Pakistan as he needed a medical treatment.

"In my country, Afghanistan, due to the chaotic situation, no doctors are available in my area. All the institutions and hospital are not working," he said.

The Taliban swept into Afghanistan's capital Sunday after the government collapsed and the embattled president joined an exodus of his fellow citizens and foreigners, signaling the end of a costly two-decade U.S. campaign to remake the country.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Bangladesh Muktijoddha Manch protested in front of the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka in memory of people who lost their lives in the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack. Marking 17 years of the incident, people expressed their anger against Pakistans inability to deliver justice to those who lost their lives in the 2004 attack in Dhaka; the attack was targeted at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Bangladesh Muktijoddha Manch is a platform of descendants of freedom fighters comprised of mostly Chhatra League members.

As per media reports, the Bangladesh High Court is expected to begin hearings on the death referrals and appeals of the convicts in the two cases registered over the grenade attack on an Awami League demonstration in Dhaka on August 21, 2004, that claimed the lives of 24 people.

2004 Dhaka grenade attack

On 21 August 2004, 24 people lost their lives, and more than 300 got injured in Dhaka in a grenade attack perpetrated by the Pakistani conspirators. The attack took place at an anti-terrorism rally organised by Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue. The attacks targeted Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, who was the opposition leader back then; the attack was carried out at 5.22 PM after Sheikh Hasina had finished addressing a crowd of 20,000 people from the back of a truck. Hasina was injured in the attack. The conspirators have used hand grenades in the attack. Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League, was condemning blasts against the party's workers in Sylhet at a public meeting on Bangabandhu Avenue during her address when the grenade attack occurred.

A gathering of 20,000 people attended the demonstration. As Hasina ended her address, 13 grenades were fired into the audience from neighbouring buildings' rooftops, killing at least 16 people on the spot, with the death toll rising to 24 later. More than 500 people were injured as a result of the explosion. Hasina's bodyguard, Mahbubur Rahman, was killed, as was Awami League Women's Affairs Secretary Ivy Rahman, who died from her injuries three days later.

Image Credit: ANI
Diplomats and Indonesian citizens who were successfully evacuated from Afghanistan reached Jakarta early Saturday. The arrival of dozens of evacuees was welcomed by the Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Indonesian National Armed Forces Commander Hadi Tjahjanto at Halim airbase in the capital. Marsudi said the plan had initially involved a civilian plane before the rapidly situation in Kabul conditions meant a military aircraft was used.

"This evacuation plan was carefully designed and prepared for several days in a careful and low-key manner," she said during a press conference at the airbase.

The Indonesian Air Force plane left Halim airbase on August 18, before waiting on standby in Islamabad for a landing opportunity in the Afghan capital. The aircraft managed to leave Kabul on August 20 with 26 diplomats, Indonesian citizens, Filipinos, and two local Afghan citizens working at the Indonesian Embassy on board. "It is not the first time to help bring foreigners on an evacuation mission. This is a human obligation that must be done," said Marsudi.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The disease outbreaks have ravaged the world throughout the history of human civilisation. Several endemics, epidemics and pandemics have occurred in the past, which left a lasting impact on humankind. There have been times when pandemics changed the course of history, whereas, on several occasions, they threatened to end the entire civilizations. However, the Coronavirus pandemic proved to be the most devastating medical disaster taking the lives of millions of people across the world. Besides Covid-19, medical disasters like Spanish flu, Antonine plague, Cocoliztli epidemic, Ebola virus, HIV AIDS also have wreaked havoc in the past in different parts of the world. Among such disaster which continues to find its mention even today is the Bubonic plague also known as the Black Death. This 14th-century pandemic travelled from Asia to Europe, reportedly wiping out over half of Europe's population.

Buboes changed the course of Europe's history

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the bubonic plague was caused by a strain of the bacteria called Yersinia pestis and was spread by fleas on infected rodents. Its symptoms included fever, headaches, vomiting, and swollen and painful lymph nodes, also known as "buboes." It is said that the plague changed the course of Europe's history. With so many deaths, the bodies of victims were buried in mass graves. The disease was held responsible for the Plague of Justinian, which had originated in the Eastern Roman Empire in the 6th century CE, later affecting China, Mongolia and India.

How did the pandemic end?

As people of that era considered the Black Death as a kind of divine punishment for sins against God, physicians of that time began with superstitious treatments that were dangerous and unsanitary. Those practices include burning aromatic herbs and bathing in rosewater or vinegar. Apart from this, bloodletting and boil-lancing were performed on patients. However, later some sense prevailed among the medical experts of those days as superstitious treatments failed to yield any result. They understood that the disease was spreading through proximity, and then the concept of quarantine was introduced. The people were placed into strict quarantine of 30-40 days which stopped the spread of the virus. This is how the word quarantine was coined by the Western world. The term has become very common since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, and its practice is being proved much helpful in arresting the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

Image Credit: Pixabay/Representative
As the Philippines facing an acute shortage of healthcare workers amid the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, on August 21, Saturday, ordered the health and budget ministries to immediately release pending payments for the staff involved in the treatment and vaccination. This recent order from the President came after repeated mass resignation and strike warnings by health care unions. According to the Philippines' Department of Health (DOH), the country has reported 16,694 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, the second-highest one-day tally since the outbreak in January last year. DOH said that the coronavirus variants, including the more virulent Delta, are driving the country's new wave of virus transmission. Other factors contributing to the virus spread include non-compliance with safety protocols, slow contact tracing and detection.

Government cites "budget issues" for non-payment

As the cases are mounting tremendously with each passing day, the health workers have been submitting their resignations since the pandemic hit the country last year. According to local media reports, the government has failed to clear the dues of health care workers, citing "budget issues". The statement demotivated the medical staff, who are working tirelessly by risking their lives amid the covid pandemic, resulted in the mass resignation of nursing staff. According to a report of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi), it is estimated that around 40 per cent of private hospital nurses resigned last year. After the delta variant hit the country this year, many nursing staff tendered their resignation.

Subsequently, on Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Department of Budget and Management to clear all the dues of the healthcare workers within ten days to avoid further mismanagement reports. It is worth mentioning that the government has been facing huge criticism for using more than $1 billion in COVID-19 spending, including non-payment of medical workers' benefits. Despite months of varying degrees of lockdown that started in March last year, the Philippines still grapples with surging infections. The Philippine capital reimposed a two-week hard lockdown for the second time this year, beginning on August 6, to curb the Delta surge.

Image Credit: ANI/AP
Oscar Maurtua was sworn in as Peru's new foreign minister on Friday. He succeeds Hector Bejar, who resigned just weeks after getting the job because of the contentious remarks he made before taking over the role. Maurtua previously served as foreign minister under centrist President Alejandro Toledo in the early 2000s, and will now work for Pedro Castillo, a former elementary school teacher, in his far-left administration. Maurtua has also held the positions of Peruvian ambassador in Canada and Thailand.

Maurtua's appointment is important for Castillo's political future

Castillo's political destiny is dependent on his appointment, as his Cabinet comes up for confirmation by the opposition-controlled Congress before the end of the month. During a ceremony at the government headquarters that was shown on state television, he was sworn in without further government remark.

Hector Bejar resigned under duress because the comments he made before joining the ministership surfaced in recent days. Last year, he claimed that the US Central Intelligence Agency played a role in the formation of the Maoist rebel group Shining Path.

Diplomatic history of Oscar Maurtua

Maurtua began working as an administrative employee in the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Relations in 1965. In 1966, he served as the secretary to Dr Fernando Shcwalb Lopez-Aldana and was President Fernando Belaunde Terry's personal representative at the Andean Community of Nations' founding meeting of Heads of State.

He was the first student to enter Peru's Diplomatic Academy in 1967, graduating with a degree in International Relations. After supporting the concept "The Permanent Sovereignty of the State over its Wealth and Natural Resources," he joined the Diplomatic Service in 1969.

In 1970, he was named secretary at the US Embassy, and in 1976, he was chosen as the President of the Association of Commercial Counselors in Washington, DC. In 1977, he was named the Head of the Foreign Ministry's Department of International Economic Policy, and in 1979, he was named the Director of Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the General Directorate of Planning.

He was appointed as Counselor of the Peruvian Embassy in Belgium and before the European Economic Community in 1980. During the presidency of Fernando Belaunde Terry, he served as Secretary-General of the Presidency of the Republic from 1980 to 1985.

Image- @CancilleriaPeru/Twitter
Given the rising COVID-19 cases in the country, the Sri Lankan Government has announced a 10-day nationwide lockdown on Friday, August 20. The President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, while addressing the nation, warned the people about the consequences they might face if a lockdown is prolonged. He urged his countrymen to follow COVID appropriate measures and also highlighted the damage that a nationwide lockdown would cause to the country.

While addressing the nation on Friday, President Rajapaksa highlighted the situation of COVID across the country, and said, "At this crucial juncture, everyone should take the country forward strategically by acknowledging the gravity of the situation," reported PTI.

Sri Lankan government imposes 10-day nationwide lockdown

Earlier, President Rajapaksa had denied the request to impose a lockdown when the COVID-19 cases had overwhelmed the hospitals in the country. He argued that imposing a lockdown would weaken the economy of the country and the island nation may face a grave situation. However, he was forced to implement a nationwide shutdown as the death toll once again surged.

The arrival of the third wave of COVID-19 left the government with no choice other than lockdown. The government has observed that the majority of deaths are of unvaccinated people over the age of 60. Notably, this is the first time since mid-June that the country has re-imposed a nationwide shutdown. Meanwhile, out of the 21 million population, five million people have received both jabs of the COVID vaccine. During his address to the nation, Rajapaksa said, "All these efforts were made because I wanted to vaccinate all the people of our country. As a result of this effort, the country is now receiving a large number of vaccines."

"At present, about 98 per cent of people above the age of 30 have been vaccinated, while 43 per cent have been given both doses. By August 31, more than 81 per cent of the population will receive the second dose. By September 10, 100 per cent of the population will receive both doses, "Rajapaksa asserted.

COVID situation in Sri Lanka

The COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka are at a spike. The official data reveals that in the last 24 hours, as many as 195 people have died, toll fatality tallied to 6,985. While the country recorded 3,839 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of infected people stands at 381,812.

(IMAGE: PTI/ TWITTER/REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

(With PTI Inputs)
As the Taliban takes complete control over Afghanistan, the way common people of the war-torn nation are struggling to live peacefully in their own country is more disappointing than shocking. At the time, when the world is standing in solidarity with Afghanistan, an American fashion website, Inspireclion.com, have added a design, which shows two people falling to their death from a US Air Force jet.

American website mocks at Kabul's tragedy

According to The New York Post, the American website has also given a detailed description of what the design is all about so that the buyers don't miss out on the latest news about people plummeting to their death. "This sweatshirt is made of premium quality cotton for a great quality soft feel and comfortable retail fit. Our soft textile flex print gives a really high finish to any striking design," the description read.

Terrifying Kabul video captures two men falling from a plane

Earlier on August 16, a shocking clip had surfaced from the chaos and carnage at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport, when several people in Afghanistan fell from an already flying plane after having clung to it during its takeoff has been caught on camera.

In the clip, it becomes evident that desperate Afghans were clinging to the undercarriage and landing gear of the C-17 Globemaster when they fell from mid-air due to the huge G-force and wind speed as the plane took off and rose quickly to the skies.

"Locals near Kabul airport claim that three young men who were holding themselves tightly onto the tires of a plane fell on top of people's houses. One of the locals confirmed this and said that the fall of these people made a loud and terrifying noise," tweeted Asvaka News Agency.

Taliban take over Afghanistan

As US troops retreated after 20 years from war-ravaged Afghanistan, the Taliban launched an offensive taking over cities like Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah, gradually encircling the government in Kabul. Kandahar and Herat fell on Thursday, forcing government officials and their entourage to flee to the airport to escape the city by air, Mazar-e-Sharif fell on Friday, August 14 while Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah on Saturday, August 15, thereby strengthening the Taliban's stronghold.

The long-standing war in Afghanistan reached a watershed moment on Sunday when the Taliban insurgents closed in on Afghanistan's capital Kabul, entered the city and took over the presidential palace, forcing President Ashraf Ghani to join fellow citizens and foreigners in leaving the country.

Image: inspireclion.com & Republicworld.com
An Exocet MM40 missile is fired from the KD Lekir during the Taming Sari exercise by the Malaysian Navy, Aug.12, 2021.

Malaysias successful test-fire of three live anti-ship missiles last week clearly shows it is prepared to deal with intrusions into its South China Sea territory, analysts said on Friday.

The Malaysian Navys Taming Sari exercise was noteworthy, as it was conducted following the intrusion of 16 Chinese military planes into Malaysias maritime airspace over the disputed South China Sea in May, said Lai Yew Meng, a regional security analyst.

There is indeed a need to visibly demonstrate, via exercises like the Taming Sari, Malaysia's capabilities and national will to defend its sovereignty, Lai, with Universiti Malaysia Sabah, told BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.

This is especially significant following the [Chinese military planes'] overflight that ostensibly almost encroached on Malaysian air space at the end of May. Observers suggest that was a possible attempt by the Chinese military to test Malaysia's combat readiness and operational capabilities.

The six-day exercise, which ended Aug. 12, was the first warfare drill since the COVID-19 pandemic began early last year. Malaysia held similar drills in 2019 and 2014.

During the exercise, the Malaysian Navys submarine, KD Tun Razak, successfully launched one Exocet SM39 anti-ship missile, while two other ships, KD Lekiu and KD Lekir, launched one Exocet MM40 guided missile each.

Both the anti-ship missiles are made by French defense manufacturer MBDA Systems. The MM40 Exocet can hit a target as far as 35 miles, while SM39 Exocet can reach 22 miles.

The drill included nine ships, five Fast Combat Boats, a submarine, two Super Lynx helicopters, four Royal Malaysian Air Force F/A-18D Hornet fighter jets and two assets belonging to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

More than 1,000 members of Malaysias security forces participated in the exercise.

Malaysia is no pushover

Security analyst Lai said the exercise sends a strong signal, especially to Beijing, which claims almost all of the disputed South China Sea.

A successful exercise would send a clear message across to other SCS claimants, including China, that Malaysia is no pushover, and nor is it unprepared to use force, if absolutely necessary, to rebuke imminent external threats, despite the obvious power asymmetry vis-a-vis the likes of China, Lai said.

The analyst was referring to the May 31 incursion by Chinese military aircraft, which flew to as close as 60 nautical miles from Kuala Lumpur-administered Beting Patinggi Ali  also known as Luconia Shoals  which Beijing, too, claims as part of its territories in the maritime region.

The incursion prompted Malaysia to scramble Hawk 20 combat jets from its Labuan airbase after the Chinese aircraft failed to respond to local air traffic controllers.

Chinese coast guard ships have since early June also been putting pressure on and harassing new Malaysian oil and gas projects in the South China Sea off Sarawak state on Borneo Island, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, a U.S.-based think-tank researching ship-tracking data said in a report last month.

This is at least the third time since last spring that the CCG has harassed Malaysian energy exploration, AMTI, a subsidiary of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said in the report titled Contest at Kasawari: Another Malaysian Gas Project Faces Pressure.

It demonstrates again Beijings persistence in challenging its neighbors oil and gas activities within their own exclusive economic zones. And the air patrol, which was likely not a coincidence, suggests Beijings willingness to engage in parallel escalation to pressure other claimants to back down, the report said, referring to Chinese planes' incursion.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including waters within the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone as well.

Earlier this month, Malaysia also participated in the annual multilateral exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) with the United States and 20 other countries.

Lai said that such multilateral military and naval exercises are an essential feature in Malaysias hedging policy." This strategy is meant to strengthen the countrys limited defense capabilities  via partnerships with traditional defense partners  against security threats and challenges amid geopolitical uncertainties in the region, he said.

Apart from being a deterrence to potential Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, such multilateral exercises involving the U.S. would certainly provide an additional sense of reassurance to regional states regarding Washingtons credibility as a security partner and regional security provider, Lai said.

Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service.
A woman who fled the North more than 10 years ago was dragged away from her Chinese husband and their child.

A spate of arrests of North Korean wives of Chinese menraids seizing long-time residents in front of their familieshas the put the refugee community in northeastern China on edge, sources in China told RFA.

The latest in periodic crackdowns on North Koreans living illegally in China has seen arrests and threatened deportations in Liaoning and Jilin, the two provinces on Chinas side of their 840-mile (1,350 km) shared border, the sources said.

Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans fled to China to escape a mid-1990s famine, with about 30,000 making their way to South Korea. As many as 60,000 North Koreans remain China, despite having no legal status, and some have married Chinese nationals.

After a long period of time in which the North Korean spouses of Chinese nationals were treated leniently, despite Beijings commitment with Pyongyang to repatriate all illegal North Koreans found within its borders, police are now actively arresting them.

Police officers suddenly stormed the house of a North Korean woman in her late 30s, arrested her and took her to prison, a Chinese citizen of Korean descent from Tonghua city in Jilin province told RFAs Korean Service.

After she escaped from North Korea, she got married and has been living in Tonghua for 10 years. She has a small child. Everyone in the neighborhood knew she was a refugee, but she was never reported or arrested, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The source said police took the woman away in late July on human trafficking charges.

She was well known for providing food and clothing to North Koreans who had just crossed over the border. She helped provide them with shelter and jobs, said the source.

She is a kind-hearted person who helps everyone in the neighborhood, not only refugees, so the neighbors are very saddened by the news of her arrest, the source said.

Trafficking of newly escaped North Korean women in China is a deep-rooted industry as traffickers capitalize on their desperation.

A 2018 report by the Seoul-based Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice (KICJ) estimated that 80 percent of female North Korean refugees in China are entrapped in a form of trafficking- commercial sex, forced labor, and forced marriages.

But China has often laid human trafficking charges on aid workers or others who help North Korean refugees, and people in the Tonghua community did not believe that the human trafficking charge should apply to the North Korean woman or her husband, the Jilin province source said.

She escaped a hard life in North Korea and she supported other North Korean refugees both physically and emotionally while they were in such a difficult situation, the source said.

She has a nine-year-old child with her Chinese husband, and the child cries every day looking for mom. The neighbors are all petitioning the police to release her, saying that it is so sad to see the child crying, the source said.

The arrest was one of two in Tonghua last month involving married North Korean women who had escaped to China a long time ago, according to the source.

Neighbors are strongly criticizing the inhumane treatment of the public security agents, saying, What will happen to the child if they arrest the mother and ruin a family that is living well? the source said.

Another Chinese citizen of Korean descent from Shenyang, in Liaoning province, confirmed to RFA that the crackdown on North Korean refugees was in effect there as well.

It is making the North Koreans tremble with anxiety. Since early July, the public security agents have been raiding their residences, or going to their workplaces to arrest them, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely.

In mid-July, a close friend, an ethnic Korean like myself, called me urgently at night to ask for my help, saying he was unable to reach his girlfriend, a North Korean refugee, who works at a restaurant near Shenyang Station, said the second source.

Four days later, I was told that the refugee had been receiving treatment at a hospital in the prison for the past three days. She had difficulty breathing and was going into shock while she was being arrested at the restaurant, the second source said.

While in prison, the woman was able to borrow a mobile phone to secretly call her boyfriend to avoid police detection, according to the second source.

She said that there were more than 10 North Korean women imprisoned in addition to herself. Just before hanging up, she told my friend it would be difficult to come back if they send her back to North Korea, the second source said.

My friend has been living every day in tears for over a month, added the source.

News of the crackdown in Shenyang is spreading among the refugee community, and even long-timers and their families are afraid, according to the second source.

In the past, even if the police knew that there were North Korean refugees living in an area, they did not arrest them unless they started causing problems. Now they are actively searching for them and arresting them, so all the North Korean refugees are terrified.

RFA contacted the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. for comment but the embassy did not respond.

Beijing claims it must return North Koreans found to be illegally within Chinese territory under two agreements it has signed with Pyongyang, the 1960 PRC-DPRK Escaped Criminals Reciprocal Extradition Treaty and the 1986 Mutual Cooperation Protocol for the Work of Maintaining National Security and Social Order and the Border Areas.

Rights groups, however, say that forced repatriation is a violation of Chinas responsibility to protect the escapees under the UN Refugee Convention.

RFA reported last month that China forcibly repatriated 50 North Korean refugees, the first repatriations since the border was closed at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Jan. 2020. The North Koreans were loaded onto buses in the Chinese border city of Dandong and taken across the Yalu River to the North Korean city of Sinuiju.

According to the Department of States 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report, there are up to 30,000 unregistered children of North Korean women and Chinese men. The report noted that the children are stateless and vulnerable to exploitation.

Reported by Jeong Yon Park for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Nearly seven months after Myanmars junta seized power in a coup detat and amid a new outbreak of the coronavirus, the countrys banking sector is in shambles and cash is in short supply, leaving account holders fearful about the security of their savings.

Public confidence in the government and banking sector was shattered on Feb. 1, when Myanmars military took control of the country and began a campaign of violent repression that has led to at least 1,007 civilian deaths and 5,759 arrests.

Lines now form daily for withdrawals, which have been capped at 300,000 kyats (U.S. $180) per day from A.T.M.s and 200,000 kyats (U.S. $120) per week from savings accounts to help prevent a run on the banks.

Meanwhile, the countrys healthcare system is now at the brink of collapse due to a poorly managed response to a third wave of COVID-19 that has killed nearly 8,400 people in the past month alone.

Amid the political and health crises, the kyat is depreciating while commodity prices are rising, leaving people struggling to make ends meet. New restrictions on banking have made cash transfers even more difficult and rumors abound that the junta plans to withdraw 5,000 and 10,000 kyat (U.S. $3 and $6) currency notes from circulation and that private lenders may go belly up.

Lin Htet Aung, a resident of Myanmars largest city Yangon, told RFAs Myanmar Service that he is terrified that his savings will disappear due to the instability of private banks.

In recent months, as COVID cases have risen, people have needed cash for hospital payments and other expenses like oxygen tanks, but its been nearly impossible to get cash out of A.T.M.s, he said.

Its infuriating. Many people are now unemployed, and they are relying on the money they have deposited in the banks. Now they are afraid of losing their savings. Everyone, including me, is worried about the situation.

Even with caps on withdrawals, some people have been forced to wait for months to access their money.

An official at Kanbawza Bank No. 1 in the Rakhine state capital Sittwe recently told RFA on condition of anonymity that his bank only gives out cash to up to 20 people per day and said the waitlist for withdrawals is full until November.

Many people are instead turning to moneychangers, who haunt the sidewalks around banks, providing cash up front for hefty fees.

A senior official at a private bank in Yangon who declined to be named said the Central Banks restrictions had eroded public confidence in the banks.

It has become very difficult to rebuild trust between the people and the banks because no one can withdraw their own money, he said.

The banks dont care about customers anymore and you can no longer make withdrawals at A.T.M.s. So, people have lost a lot of confidence in the banks. They mistrust the Central Bank, which controls the private banks.

The bank official added that although the central bank still allows mobile payments, it will be impossible to rebuild public trust for as long as cash withdrawals are hampered.

Additionally, he said, private banks have been forced to send daily reports of transactions to the Central Bank, in what is seen as a bid by the junta to block funding to entities that oppose its rule. He said the regime is more concerned with its own survival and has little interest in keeping private banks afloat or improving cash flow.

Political exploitation

Myanmar is home to four state-owned banks, 27 private domestic banks and branch offices for 20 foreign banks.

Article 7 of the Central Bank of Myanmar Law, enacted in July 2013, allows the Central Bank to freely exercise its mandate in the performance of its responsibilities in order to achieve its main objectives and objectives.

However, observers say the junta has been politically exploiting the law since at least Feb. 4, when it directly appointed two deputy governors to the Central Bank.

Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a political and human rights researcher, said the Central Bank now appears to be following the orders of the junta without any independent decision-making procedures.

When we were under [the prior] military rule [from 1962-2011], the monetary policy and all the related systems were controlled by the military leader, he said. The exchange rate had been redesigned only recently to become a truly independent central bank management system connected to the world market.

At the moment, I dont think the Central Bank is allowed independent decision-making power. They must make policies based on orders from the upper echelon when it comes to making necessary decisions. It is clear that they have to get permission before they can make any decision.

Dr Sai Kyi Zin Soe said it was clear that the central bank had begun controlling the money circulation after the military decided to restrict the flow of money to supporters of the anti-junta CDM movement as well as to the NUG and the CRPH.

Myint Zaw, a businessman based in Sittwe, said the current problems were not just about private banks, but about political exploitation of the financial sector.

Money is the main commodity in our businesses. If this product is no longer operating effectively, then things go very badly, he said.

Some people have speculated that if all the deposits were to be withdrawn, the Central Bank and private banks would not be able to meet the challenge. But it is wrong to think so ... This is not a monetary [supply] issue, just a political one. The Central Bank and the financial sector are being used as hostages in a political crisis."

Myint Zaw said it is easy for banks to claim that the restrictions are imposed in accordance with Central Bank directives, but the people are being left to suffer.

Additional controls

According to the Central Bank, the amount of money circulating in the Myanmars economyoutside of the banking systemincreased each year until 2019, when it reached 13 trillion kyats (U.S. $7.9 billion).

But business owners say many cash-strapped businesses have been forced to shut down amid the juntas restrictions on money flows.

At a press conference in the capital Naypyidaw on July 12, junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun said there were fundamental reasons behind the banking restrictions, without providing details, adding that there were no immediate plans to lift them. He also vowed that withdrawal difficulties would be resolved by the end of the month.

However, as of late August, there has been no easing of restrictions on private banks and earlier this week, Central Bank Deputy Chairman Win Thaw announced additional controls, warning that any mobile banking accounts found to be involved in transactions with the countrys shadow National Unity Government (NUG) would face unspecified legal action.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
The campaign comes a month ahead of a vote on representation at the General Assembly.

A Facebook campaign in support of Myanmars shadow National Unity Government (NUG) ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, when U.N. member states will select the countrys ambassador, has garnered more than 3 million participants, according to a campaign organizer.

The General Strike Coordination Body (GSCB) launched the Accept NUG, Reject Military campaign on Aug. 9, which called on Facebook users to replace their profile pictures with an image of a person raising the NUG flag in front of the U.N. crest in support of the shadow government and its U.N. Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun.

As of the weekend, more than 3 million users had added the image to their profile, despite a directive by the military regime for authorities to take legal action against anyone who had done so, Mandalay-based GSCB member Ma Aye Myint told RFAs Myanmar Service.

On Aug. 11, the military announced that it would prosecute those who joined the campaign. So, after that announcement, many people started changing their account profiles [to the NUG image], she said.

Before that, many people did not know they could be tracked down by the authorities because of their profile pictures. But after the military directive, they realized they had to change their profiles and then more and more people started doing it.

She added that although the campaign is currently on Facebook, it will soon be added to Twitter to reach more of the international community.

Meanwhile an Australian-based support group has launched a petition campaign online calling for recognition of the NUG by the U.N. General Assembly. According to the group, more than 175,000 international supporters, including former East Timorese President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos-Horta, former U.S. Ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell and Czech diplomat Pavel Fisher, have signed the petition. The campaign aims to obtain 200,000 signatures in seven languages.

The two campaigns are underway to show support for the NUG at the 76th U.N. General Assembly in New York, which on Sept. 14 will elect a government and a permanent delegation to represent Myanmar.

A nine-nation Representation Committee that includes permanent member states the U.S., Russia and China, is to make recommendations to the U.N. General Assembly for a vote on Myanmar. The committee is currently chaired by The Maldives and each member state can only vote once, with permanent member states unable to veto, unlike at the U.N. Security Council. If any one country does not agree with the recommendation of the Representation Committee to the U.N. General Assembly, all 193 U.N. members will have to cast a ballot.

Ko Harry, a young protest leader from Myanmars largest city Yangon, said the GSBC campaign was aimed at regaining the peoples elected government and power, after Myanmars military seized power from the democratically elected government through a coup on Feb. 1, claiming voter fraud in the countrys November 2020 ballot.

The junta has yet to produce any evidence of its claims and has violently repressed protests, killing at least 1,007 civilians and arresting 5,759 others, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP).

The General Strike Coordination Body is now taking the lead to show the world our peoples support for the NUG, Ko Harry told RFA.

Our aim is for everyone to take part in helping our government and our people return to power.

Political analysts told RFA the campaign is vital, as there is also a possibility that both sides may be rejected and the post left vacant.

Ko Nang Lin, a protest leader and member of the University Alumni Movement, called the GSCB campaign an important turning point for our Spring Revolution.

After [promoting domestic awareness], the next campaign will seek to unite all people of Myanmar throughout the world and obtain their support to push the governments of the countries where they reside to recognize that crimes against humanity are being committed in Myanmar, he said.

That could sway their votes in our favor at the U.N. We will also continue to push further to get our NUG government and Kyaw Moe Tun recognized when the UN makes its decision.

Celebrities targeted

Meanwhile, the junta is preparing to charge 63 celebrities involved in the campaign under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

A directive from the junta appeared on social media on Aug. 11, instructing the military and police to take systematic action against those who had changed their profiles. The next day, 63 artists who supported the movement were charged under Section 52 (a) of the Anti-Terrorism Law by the military. It said those who had changed their profiles were supporting the terrorist group NUG, and are spreading propaganda for terrorism.

Some of the 63 artists charged are those already charged with defamation of the military under Section 505 (a) of the Penal Code for protesting the coup.

Nang Lin, a protest leader, said people had joined the campaign in the millions because they want to protest the military in any way they can.

These are typical tactics from the militarythey intimidate people with weapons and threaten them with various laws. Now, they are using the charge of associating with illegal terrorist groups, he said.

This online campaign has awakened an awareness in people about the election of the NUG delegation and its a significant blow to the junta. People are involved in any way they can to show their opposition by using Likes or Comments or Shares on social media.

Myanmar faced a similar situation at the U.N. General Assembly in 2008. At that time, the U.N. Credentials Committee accepted the juntas representative instead that of the opposition National Coalition Government of Burma (NCGUB).

NUG radio program

Also on Friday, the NUG launched a 30-minute shortwave radio program called Radio NUG, which it plans to air twice daily at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. on 17.71 mhz, according to NUG defense minister U Ye Mon.

Radio NUG was launched in response to the need for emergency communications, as the next milestone of the Spring Revolution approaches, he said.

The programs first broadcast included a report on alleged massacres discovered in Sagaing regions Kani township, which the NUG said should be classified as war crimes, given that they were allegedly carried out by junta soldiers amid an offensive in the region.

Myanmars junta issued a statement on Friday evening through state broadcaster MRTV, saying the Ministry of Information had declared the program illegal and warning that anyone who, without permission, works with, supports or assists it will have action taken against them in accordance with the law.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
The secrecy and security of celebrations underscore lack of support for Beijing in the Himalayan region, says a Tibetan monk.

Seen in front of Potala Palace in the Tibetan regional capital Lhasa as China prepared to mark 70 years of Chinese control of the Himalayan region, Aug. 17, 2021.

China flew in political heavyweights, pumped up a propaganda campaign, and staged a gala celebration in Lhasa this week to mark 70 years since the Peoples Liberation Army invaded Tibet, in an event that rekindled resentment among Tibetans over broken promises and repression.

"Only by following the [Chinese Communist party] leadership and pursuing the path of socialism, can Tibet achieve development and prosperity," Wang Yang, a member of the powerful politburo standing committee, told a crowd in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the traditional home of Tibets Buddhist leaders, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

The intense security and restrictions on movement in the run up to the Aug. 19 anniversary event, however, prompted Tibetans to mock Chinas description of the armed invasion 70 years ago as the Peaceful Liberation of their region.

The Chinese government claims that they have liberated Tibet in the last 70 years, but in reality, Tibetans have been under constant restrictions and scrutiny, said a resident of Lhasa, the regional capital, who complained that local residents had to endure the same situation of heavy restrictions in place all around Lhasa at the 60th anniversary in 2011.

Its been 70 years since China forcefully invaded Tibet, but they have not been able to win the hearts of the Tibetans, said another source in Lhasa, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

In attempting to legitimize the invasion of Tibet, Chinese government has been spreading propaganda for the last 70 years using their state media and distorting the historic facts of Tibet and Tibetan identity, which is very disturbing, the source added.

'Occupation and oppression'

An independent nation for centuries, Tibets incorporation into China by force has been enforced, by tight restrictions on the six million Tibetans political activities and expression of cultural and religious identity, as well as a catalog of well-documented persecution, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial killings.

For us Tibetans, what China celebrates as Liberation Day is the anniversary of occupation and oppression, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the elected head of the exile Tibetan government in Dharamsala, India said during Indias 75th Independence Day celebration on Aug. 15.

With human rights violations still ongoing in Tibet and other regions under Chinese occupation, the CCPs claims of the liberation of Tibet begs the question: From what or whom was Tibet liberated? he said.

Gonpo Dhundup, president of the Tibetan Youth Congress in Dharamsala said his people had experienced 70 years of sweat and tears since the Chinese takeover.

The Chinese government is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the so -called peaceful liberation of Tibet in Lhasa today but for us Tibetans it's a dark day, he told RFA.

Wang Yang and the 22-member CCP delegation gave washing machines to farmers and herdsmen, and present souvenirs such as medical and health kits to cadres and employees, which fully reflects the special support for work in Tibet, care and concern for cadres and masses of all ethnic groups in Tibet from Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, said Zhao Huinian, deputy CCP secretary-general of the Tibet Autonomous Region.



After 70 years of oppression, the only thing the Tibetan people need peaceful liberation from today is Chinas brutality, said the International Campaign for Tibet.

Rather than force an empty celebration on the Tibetan people, the Chinese government should sit down with Tibetan leaders and the Dalai Lamas representatives to negotiate meaningful autonomy that will bring actual peace and basic freedoms back to Tibet, the Washington, DC-based advocacy group said.

Broken promises

The Dalai Lama, who turned 86 last month, fled Tibet for India in 1959, eight years after he signed a 17-point agreement with Beijing under duress that promised Tibet would enjoy full autonomy without interference by the Chinese government in the regions religion, customs, and internal administration.

None of the promises were kept, and Beijing has stepped up its effort to assimilate the Tibetans, while imposing strict surveillance and controls on communications in Tibet and Tibetan areas of western China that make it difficult to learn details of protests, arrests, or other information considered politically sensitive.

Chinas government has relentlessly assaulted the human rights, the unique religious, linguistic, cultural freedoms, and dignity of Tibetans, a U.S. State Department spokesman told RFAs Tibetan Service.

We will work with our allies and partners to press Beijing to return to direct dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives to achieve meaningful autonomy for Tibetans, respect for human rights, and the preservation of Tibets environment as well as its unique cultural, linguistic, and religious traditions, the spokesman said when asked about Chinas violation of the 1951 pact.

The secrecy and tight security surrounding the 70th anniversary event signifies that there is no stability in Tibet, Ngawang Woebar, a monk in Dharamsala who participated in big 1987 protests in Tibet against Chinese rule, told RFA.

Those who have not experienced life in Tibet will feel that everything is prosperous. But the Tibetans who have experienced Tibetan religion, culture and customs will know that everything in Tibet about peaceful liberation is a facade, he said.

If they let Tibetans speak freely. they would know the real aspirations of Tibetans in Tibet.

Reported by Kalden Lodoe and Yangdon Demo for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Tenzin Dickey. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
Recently elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said his government will place a priority on fighting COVID-19.

"The government's first priority is controlling the coronavirus, improving the health situation, and widespread vaccination," Raisi said on August 21 as parliament began debating the conservative leader's male-only cabinet choices.

"The economy and the livelihood situation is the second" priority, he said.

Infection and death rates owing to the coronavirus pandemic have hit record highs in Iran this month, with more than 4.5 million cases and more than 100,000 fatalities.

Officials have blamed the more contagious Delta variant for the country's "fifth wave" of coronavirus infections.

Raisi has tapped Bahram Eynollahi to be his health minister, describing the 63-year-old optometrist as "a figure who can rally forces in the fight against coronavirus."

Eynollahi has been identified as a signatory to a January open letter that warned against importing vaccines made by the United States, Britain, and France, alleging they could cause "unknown and irreversible complications."

More than 16.3 million people out of the country's 83 million inhabitants have been given a first vaccine dose, but only 5.4 million have received the second, the Health Ministry said on August 20.

Based on reporting by AFP
Russian police have detained several journalists who were protesting in Moscow on August 21 against a decision by authorities to label a top independent television channel as a foreign agent.

To circumvent Russian laws against unauthorized protest gatherings, the journalists held individual pickets outside the main headquarters of the country's top domestic security agency, the FSB, on Moscow's Lubyanka Square.

They were detained after holding up protest signs with messages such as Journalism is not a crime and You are afraid of the truth."

The protests follow a decision by Russia's Justice Ministry on August 20 to add the Dozhd television channel (TV Rain) and the online investigative outlet Important Stories to its list of organizations deemed as foreign agents."

Dozhd has denounced the designation as unfair and says it will appeal.

Dozhd operates online and has long been a platform where Kremlin critics who are unable to get on state TV have been able to express their views.

The channel has been sharply critical of Russian authorities crackdown on dissent. It has regularly carried live reports about opposition protests.

It also has extensively covered the poisoning and the imprisonment of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny and the criminal cases authorities have launched against his allies.

The "foreign agent" designation was made under a law used by Russian authorities to target nongovernmental organizations and individuals who receive funding from abroad and are deemed to be engaging in "political" activity.

Rights groups and other critics say the law is a tool to crack down on media freedom and silence the critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his allies.

Russian authorities have raised pressure on the opposition and independent media ahead of parliamentary elections in September -- a vote seen as an important part of Putin's effort to consolidate his rule ahead of the country's 2024 presidential election.

The "foreign agent" label implies closer government scrutiny. It also has connotations that could undermine the credibility of media outlets and hurt their advertising revenue.

With reporting by Current Time, RFE/RL's Russian Service, and AP
KYIV -- An influential opposition news website has been banned in Ukraine in connection with sanctions against its editor, who faces sanctions in Kyiv for publishing "pro-Russia propaganda" and is living in exile in Austria.

The ban against the strana.ua website was issued as a decree signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that was made public on August 21.

Strana.ua's editor Ihor Hushva has been in exile since 2018 when Ukraine's National Security Council imposed sanctions on him and his companies.

Hushva is among dozens of individuals named on August 20 by Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council of spreading "pro-Russian propaganda."

The council on August 20 also imposed sanctions on a number of pro-Kremlin figures in Ukrainian politics, businesses, and media.

Among them is Andriy Derkach, a Ukrainian lawmaker that the U.S. government sanctioned in September 2020 after accusing him of being a Russian agent who tried to interfere in U.S. elections.

In January, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned seven Ukrainians and four entities for being part of a Russia-linked foreign intelligence network run by Derkach.

Derkach did not immediately comment, but he previously denied the allegations and said he was being targeted for exposing corruption.

Derkach was linked to an effort by Rudy Giuliani, who was former U.S. President Donald Trumps personal lawyer, to find compromising information about President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, during the 2020 election campaign.

Sanctions are also imposed on four entities related to Internet resources, which are directly or indirectly coordinated by these citizens and conduct systematic anti-Ukrainian propaganda, the council said.

They include bloggers and politicians Anatoliy Shariy and Olga Shariy, who are accused of running a video blog and website considered pro-Russian. The couple also founded a party that has several representatives in city and oblast councils.

The head of Ukraine's SBU security agency, Ivan Bakanov, said the measures were taken to protect the "information space."



"The Security Service clearly distinguishes between freedom of speech and the attack on the statehood and sovereignty of Ukraine," Bakanov said.



In addition, sanctions were imposed on 28 members of Russia's intelligence and special services as well as six other individuals alleged to be responsible for human rights abuses in Crimea.



Sanctions were also imposed on 12 legal entities, including local television channels, news agencies, and online publications from Crimea.



All of them are waging an information war against Ukraine and are active participants in hybrid aggression, the council said.



Russia occupied Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 after sending in troops and staging a referendum dismissed as illegal by more than 100 countries.



Moscow also backs separatists in a war against government forces that has killed more than 13,200 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

With reporting by Kyiv Post and dpa
A recently published CNN report explored the potential impacts of using biomass or wood pellets as a renewable energy source, and specifically focused on the impact from an Enviva facility located in Garysburg.

The report raised concerns about air quality, forest conservation, and lack of community benefits stemming from Envivas work in Northampton County and throughout the Southeastern United States.

The Ahoskie-based Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald reached out to Enviva for a response to concerns raised in the CNN report.

Jacob Westfall, manager for communications and public relations, explained that the Enviva Northampton plant opened in 2013, the second of Envivas four facilities in the state.

When the (Northampton County) economic development authority invited Enviva to build our facility there, their original plan contemplated multiple large, heavy industrial plants, but Enviva was able to negotiate the purchase of the entire site so as to create a much larger buffer, helping to balance the economic development authoritys objectives of economic growth with limited impact on the community, he said.

He noted that the company employs around 500 full-time workers throughout North Carolina in rural areas that have suffered from high unemployment and low wages.

Ninety-seven of those full-time jobs are at the Garysburg plant and the compensation average is close to 40 percent higher than Northampton Countys average wage.

Envivas total economic impact in North Carolina is forecasted to be close to $1 billion annually, he said. Additionally, Envivas presence creates at least 2.8 indirect jobs per each direct job we create. To date, Enviva has invested close to $200 million in the Northampton plant.

Response to claims

In response to claims about unclean air in the county, Westfall provided a chart comparing fine particulate matter emissions in Northampton County, Raleigh, and Washington, D.C.

Between 2019-2021, Northamptons emissions dropped from 8.0 to 6.0, which is just slightly lower than Washington D.C.s emissions. Raleighs emissions ranged above them both from 10.0-7.0.

All three locations are below the federal standard of 12.0. The CNN report, however, noted that some scientists have said that standard is too high.

Enviva, like many other industries throughout North Carolina, is required by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality to periodically test all emissions points.

Westfall said Envivas emissions are principally water vapor steam released by wood going through the drying process, and the company does not use chemicals in their process.

In the case of Northampton, data collected by an air monitoring station installed by the NCDEQ found that the air quality in the area was significantly better than the National Ambient Air Quality Standard and further demonstrates that PM2.5 doesnt present a public health risk to the community of Northampton County, he said.

NAAQS is a federal standard that determines the level of air quality which does not present a risk to public health. All emissions test and monitoring data is available to the public on NCDEQs website.

Community outreach

In addition to addressing the health concerns, Westfall also provided data on Envivas local community outreach efforts.

On several occasions, the company has partnered with local organizations for events like back-to-school drives and holiday food distributions.

In the last year alone, he said that Enviva has supported the new Northampton Career and Technical Academy of Innovation, Halifax Community Colleges Foundation, the construction of a new walking trail and playground in Rich Square, and Halifax Community Colleges RAMP East program, which helps prepare students for manufacturing industry jobs.

Enviva associates provide invaluable input to the (RAMP East) training program curriculum and interview graduating program members for positions that may be available at the companys Northampton and Ahoskie facilities, Westfall said. Several program graduates are now successfully employed by Enviva in those plants, with more currently in the pipeline.

Enviva has also partnered with Roanoke Electric Cooperative since 2015 on the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project.

Responsible Sourcing Policy

The CNN report brought up environmental concerns such as wood pellets not being a true renewable energy source, over-foresting, and endangering old growth forests.

To those points, Westfall explained that Enviva abides by a Responsible Sourcing Policy which includes only sourcing trees from land that will be reforested afterwards and not purchasing wood from old growth forests or other high conservation value sites. All of our wood, no matter what form it takes, is low-grade wood. Enviva creates an additional market for private forest landowners to sell their low-value wood, such as thinnings, limbs, tops, or low-grade trees (deceased, gnarled, crooked)  that would otherwise go unused  as an incentive to keep their land as forests. Were talking about material that is a relatively small source of revenue for a landowner, and therefore not driving their decision to harvest in the first place.

The company also has a Track and Trace program which monitors exactly where all the wood is sourced and in 2015, they established a $5 million Forest Conservation Fund to contribute to the protection of ecologically sensitive areas.

Multiple third-party data demonstrate that an increased demand for forest products has resulted in more forest inventory in the U.S. Southeast, where all of our sustainable wood biomass grows. During the last 20 years, even after accounting for all of the forest uses by the forest products industry, forest growth has exceeded removals by nearly 50 percent.

Letter to CNN

The newspaper reported that Northampton County Economic Development Director Franklin Williams responded to the report saying in a letter to CNN which said,   I am extremely disappointed to read a recent CNN article entitled How marginalized communities in the South are paying the price for green energy in Europe. The article portrays our county, and one of the industries operating in it, in an incredibly negative light  contrary to the truth on the ground.

Yes, our county has challenges  all communities do  but the article neglects to mention the great work that has been happening locally and depicts one of our proud local businesses  Enviva  as reckless and inconsiderate of its neighbors.

Northampton County has made great strides in recent years  we have a long way to go to get where we want to but each day, each week, the lives of county residents are getting incrementally better. Attracting businesses is vitally important to our work and growth.

Williams said the report portrayed Enviva as a negative part of our community and one intent on doing harm. First, Enviva is well respected in Northampton County. They work with all segments of the community to support the needs of their neighbors. Second, the forest products industry is a vibrant part of our economy  your article failed to recognize this and the very important role Enviva plays by purchasing excess or low-grade wood fiber. Third, the State of North Carolina has installed air monitors in the vicinity of Enviva and those monitors demonstrate that contrary to your story the air in Northampton County is healthy. Publishing a story leading your readers to believe our air is unhealthy could be detrimental to our long-term growth and efforts to improve our county.

Wrote Williams: Your recent story left out many of the facts and replaced them with opinions from just a few individuals. Northampton County has a great story to tell  its unfortunate that you decided not to tell it.


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Coffee and other food prices keep going up. Yet, we keep eating and drinking. And, unvaccinated workers may get a jab in the pocketbook if they dont get one in their arms.

Coffee Prices Rising

The morning cup of coffee (Yummmm, coffee) that over 150 million Americans drink every day will get more expensive in the next few weeks.

The rise in prices is being attributed to harsh weather extremes in Brazil  the largest coffee grower. It produces 25 percent of the worlds supply.

Home Brew

Coffee prices were already edging up, but the cost for domestic companies jumped 30 percent in July. Further increases are expected to be seen at grocery stores and restaurants soon.

However, Starbucks and Nestle have said they can withstand the coffee shortage. Both companies keep large inventories and say they can maintain prices for another year.

How did we get to this point?

First Drought

Brazil is experiencing its worst drought in 91 years. The epic dry spell began in spring. As a result, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates production of Arabica coffee will be down 30 percent from the drought alone.

Then Freeze

As if a record drought wasnt bad enough, Brazilian coffee growers were hit with the worst freeze in almost three decades on July 20. An estimated 20 to 30 percent of crops were impacted.

It was worse than I imagined, Adriano de Rezende, technical coordinator at the Minasul coffee cooperative told Reuters. Its hard to see a field that hasnt suffered any damage.

Transportation Costs`

To top it all off, the cost of transporting coffee out of Brazil is increasing. There is a global shortage of shipping containers. In addition, there are shipping bottlenecks at ports. All that increases transportation costs.

Everybody is feeling the pinch, Christian Wolthers, coffee importer and president of Wolthers Douque, said. These bottlenecks are turning into a container nightmare.

Wolthers estimates shipping costs have almost doubled.

It can take three to four years to replace a coffee tree, so you might want to drink your java slowly and savor it for a while.

Health Insurance Premiums May Rise for Unvaccinated

Covering the cost of treating COVID-19 patients who refuse to be vaccinated is taking a toll on many companies and insurers. As a result, the idea of raising rates or adding a surcharge on health insurance for unvaccinated workers is gaining traction.

Healthcare officials report, more than 97 percent of hospitalizations and 99.2 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the United States are unvaccinated people. According to Healthcare Finance, those hospitalizations run up an average medical tab of $51,389 to $78,569.

Somebody has to pay those costs.

Many employers have offered incentives from cash cards to cars and vacations to get employees to take their medicine. However, vaccination rates stalled and the Delta variant raged in recent months.

Greater Cost To Cover Greater Risk

Adding a surcharge to health insurance premiums of unvaccinated employees is catching on with many companies.

Unvaccinated individuals have potential to cost the employer more from a health care spend perspective, Wade Symons, of benefits provider Mercer Health told CBS. They could get COVID and incur expensive hospital costs up to $50,000 for an individual with a tough COVID case.

The rationale is that workers who choose a high-risk lifestyle should have to pay for that choice. Similar to the higher rates smokers pay.

Pooled Risk

Health insurance is a pooled risk. In other words, people in good health are combined in a group with people who may be less healthy. Healthy people cost the insurer less. Those with health issues cost more. The idea is to average costs out for the insurance company.

Is This Legal?

Health insurers face restrictions in coverage. As a result, they can not use health factors to determine policy prices or eligibility. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits insurers from pricing plans based on health. The one exception is smoking. The ACA allows smoker premiums to be as much as 50 percent higher.

Consequently, some feel the smoking exception may be a precedent for raising rates on the unvaccinated.

For years, tobacco users have faced health plan premium surcharges if they failed to cease using tobacco products (and if they also failed to comply with reasonable alternatives, such as completing a smoking cessation program), writes attorney Joesph Lazzarotti in SHRM.

More COVID-19 unvaccinated employees may start facing similar surcharges if they choose to remain unvaccinated for COVID, notes Lazzarotti.

More New Jobs Require Vaccination

A growing number of businesses are requiring vaccination.

In addition, job postings requiring vaccination are trending higher.

AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist for the job site Indeed, told the Wall Street Journal that jobs requiring vaccination rose from 50 per million in February to about 1,200 per million in the first week of this month.

While the number of postings requiring a vaccine is still low, its a trend thats really taking off, Konkel said. I think a growing number of employers are trying to keep workers safe and do not want to shut down again this winter. They see vaccines as the way out of this pandemic.

Will Grocery Prices Ever Stop Rising?

In addition to coffee, other grocery prices continue to edge higher. Many analysts see no end in sight.

Food prices have risen 2.6 percent year over year, according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

All six major grocery store food group indexes rose over the span, according to the report, with increases ranging from 1.1 percent (nonalcoholic beverages) to 5.9 percent (meats, poultry, fish, and eggs).

Steady Rise Will Continue

Food prices are rising at a constant pace. Analysts expect that trend to continue for the next couple of years.

In 2021, food-at-home prices are expected to increase between 2.0 and 3.0 percent, and food-away-from-home prices are expected to increase between 3.0 and 4.0 percent, states a U. S. Department of Agriculture report. In 2022, food-at-home prices are expected to increase between 1.5 and 2.5 percent and food-away-from-home prices are expected to increase between 3.0 and 4.0 percent.

Two culprits are to blame for the steady climb of grocery prices.

Climate Change

More than coffee is being impacted by unusual weather. Climate change is affecting the worlds food supply, according to the USDA.

Transportation

Getting food from farms to stores has become more expensive.

Tyson Foods recently raised the price of beef by 12 percent, chicken by 16 percent, and pork by 39 percent. Transportation costs contributed to that increase, according to Phil Lempert, a food trend analyst.

Meanwhile, refrigerated truck transportation prices jumped 12 percent, according to Lempert.

How to Cope

Lempert suggests a couple of strategies for dealing with rising food prices.

Shop in-person. It costs less than delivery.

Review weekly ads, including drug and thrift stores.

Switch to no-frill grocery stores that sell their own brands instead of name brands.

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San Francisco has a new cocktail, and its the perfect beverage for wistfully saying goodbye to the city  or loading up the U-Haul for your return.

Nick Petrulakis created the Golden Gate for the Total SF Book Club, which is currently reading the anthology End of the Golden Gate: Writers on Loving and (Sometimes) Leaving San Francisco. The book club meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, for a San Francisco Public Library virtual event with Daniel Handler and Gary Kamiya. Register here.

The Golden Gate is a take on a mimosa, with Champagne, orange juice, up to an ounce of pear brandy, and grenadine to tint the drink as close as possible to international orange, the paint color of the Golden Gate Bridge. An orange juice-soaked cocktail onion adds a moon over the drink.

Petrulakis, who created the podcast and blog Drinks With Nick, agreed to create a cocktail for each quarterly Total SF Book Club selection. His first Total SF Book Club drink was the Pot Shot, a cannabis-infused Jell-O shot inspired by Alia Volz marijuana brownie-business memoir Home Baked.

As with all his book-themed drinks, Petrulakis looked to the pages for guidance. The End of the Golden Gate features essays by 25 authors with Bay Area ties, including Handler, Kamiya, Beth Lisick, Peter Coyote, W. Kamau Bell and Margaret Cho.

The first essay, Lisicks, mentioned right off a number of only-in-S.F. things she did, including drinking Champagne at the Gettys, so we began there, Petrulakis said.

He was inspired by a Handler reference to the memory of Josies Cabaret and Juice Joint, Elissa Bassists mention of bottomless mimosas in her essay, and the pear that figures prominently in Michelle Teas contribution, which starts with a bite of the fruit from a magic tree in her former Outer Sunset home.

So that pear became the pear brandy that St. George has been making forever, Petrulakis said. And all the writers gave me insight into the drink; every one of them nudged me forward through fond memories, and anger, and exasperation, and hope.

If that sounds a little melancholy, Petrulakis himself is a displaced Bay Area resident; he managed Bay Area bookstores for two decades, before his own recent move to Boston. He was known during his years at Books Inc. Alameda and other stores for inventing book-themed drinks, often for book launches and other author events.

Peter Hartlaub/The Chronicle

Even his presentation of the drink has ties to the book. A pearl onion is perched atop the drink like a moon over the bridge, inspired, Petrulakis said, by Kamiyas description of the mighty south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge as seen through the big window of his apartment.

(Theres also a cherry option, for those who prefer their Golden Gate Bridge with a sun.)

The Total SF Book Club is hosted by Heather Knight and Peter Hartlaub, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library and Green Apple Books. The next two events are scheduled to be live  Bonnie Tsuis Why We Swim in November and Charlie Jane Anders Victories Greater Than Death in February. More information on the book club here.

The Golden Gate recipe is below:

Courtesy Nick Petrulakis

Drinking Under the End of the Golden Gate (or just Golden Gate)

Ingredients:

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Champagne (bonus if you can find one with pear undertones)

Orange juice

Grenadine

St. George Pear Brandy (or equivalent)

Pearl onions or cherry

Instructions:

Mix equal parts Champagne and orange juice, then add up to an ounce of pear brandy per glass, to taste. Mix in grenadine until achieving as close as possible color shading to the Golden Gate Bridge. Add an orange juice-soaked cocktail onion perched on top for a tart pairing with the drink  or a cherry for sweetness to pair with the grenadine.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle culture critic Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub
For hundreds if not thousands of parents across the Bay Area, the dreaded email from school officials arrived just days into the school year.

Dear Families: Someone at your childs school tested positive for COVID-19.

Parents who sent their children to fully reopened schools with a sigh of relief suddenly faced testing protocols followed by days of uncertainty and in some cases, 10 days or more of quarantine.

Education and health officials expected this. They planned for it.

Yet the reality of positive COVID-19 cases and potential exposure in classrooms is starting to sink in for families struggling to understand how long their children need to stay home and whether these cases will result in in-school transmissions.

Catching the coronavirus in schools was rare last year, with San Francisco reporting no in-school transmission when schools reopened in the spring, but its unclear whether that will hold with the delta variant, and in some cases, district and health officials wont be able to say for sure.

Confusion has also followed the first cases coming out of schools. Some students in close contact with a classmate who tested positive are in quarantine, while others in the same situation in another district continue to attend school.

In San Francisco, for example, district officials have veered from county health guidance, resulting in more students forced to quarantine than in other communities.

The case counts started almost immediately as schools reopened in Oakland and then a week later in San Francisco and other districts across the region, not unexpected given high community transmission across the country.

In Oakland Unified, there were 94 student cases and 15 staff cases the first week of school, which started on Aug. 9, out of about 46,000 children and adults in the district.

San Francisco, which started Monday, had 10 reported student cases and three staff cases in the first four days, out of nearly 63,000 children and adults.

Im not surprised, said said Dr. George Rutherford, head of the division of infectious disease and epidemiology at UCSF, adding that given the delta variant surge, everyone is looking for cases with increased testing. And were going to find it.

Even as schools are reopening, however, case counts are starting to plateau and taper off in the Bay Area, he said, which is good news for schools.

The trick here is to forge ahead and not overreact unnecessarily, Rutherford said. As a goal, youd like to keep a pretty steady hand.

Yet with the delta variant pushing case counts up in past weeks, its been a bumpy start to school reopening, with changing policies on masking and vaccinations. For example, the state mandated masking inside schools in July, then Oakland this month decided to require masks outside as well. This week, Culver City (Los Angeles County announced that it would require COVID-19 vaccinations for all eligible students, the first district in the state to do so, despite a lack of federal or state support.

And now, the dreaded and expected cases of the coronavirus and quarantine in schools have come to fruition  sparking worry and logistical nightmares for families returning to work and yearning for normalcy in their daily routines.

The situation is just so new  and with the variant bringing new challenges  all of us are scrambling, said Cyn Wang, whose daughter is in second grade at Jefferson Elementary in San Francisco. Its very apparent parents are overwhelmed.

So far, Wang, a board member of the SF Family Coalition, has not received a notice of a case at her childs school or requirement to quarantine.

If it were to come, I am a single mom and it would definitely be a struggle for me to figure out child care during that time, she said.

Adding to the confusion is the lack of consistency among districts in terms of mitigation policies and procedures, including quarantine. Some districts quarantine policy doesnt necessarily align with state or local health guidance.

In all districts, including San Francisco, students who test positive for the coronavirus are required to quarantine, isolating at home for a specific time based on a range of factors and depending on whether the child was symptomatic.

But public health officials have recommended a modified quarantine for students in close contact with a child testing positive, which includes those within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes.

Vaccinated close contacts can continue to attend school, as can unvaccinated close contacts, although they must get tested twice a week and remain free of symptoms during the quarantine period.

Many if not most school districts, including Oakland, are using the modified quarantine system, which limits the number of students who miss school days because of a positive case.

Oakland only requires quarantine based on guidance from county health officials and/or when there are three cases within two weeks that could be linked. Currently, eight classrooms have been quarantined, which could mean classroom transmission, but not necessarily, said Dr. Nicholas Moss, Alameda County health director.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Theres a lot of COVID around right now, he said. I dont think what were seeing now is more than what youd expect given what youd see in the county as a whole.

San Francisco, however, is requiring quarantine for unvaccinated close contacts, meaning a handful of students from a classroom cant return to school until at least eight days from exposure, doing independent study online or on paper.

The individual student quarantine means teachers might have to juggle a rotating number of quarantined students, who will each miss up to two weeks of in-person instruction.

District officials said they dont have the resources to set up a system to oversee modified quarantine, which includes verifying twice-weekly testing, and adherence to outdoor masking and other restrictions.

School districts dont have the funding nor workforce to implement this with fidelity, said San Francisco school board President Gabriela Lopez. Weve taken on many roles during this pandemic, but becoming our own department of public health, providing testing and vaccines at our school sites, while continuing to educate students across San Francisco, has been extremely challenging.

Yet teachers say its a no-win situation, with the additional workload attached to a handful of students quarantined while the rest of the class is still in school.

Under the present conditions, educators are managing many things at once to ensure that students have everything they need to continue learning during the continuing pandemic, said Cassondra Curiel, president of the United Educators of San Francisco. Educators are going above and beyond per usual but are hopeful that district management can step up to the plate and provide the resources and plans that would support this work as more students unfortunately are having to quarantine.

Health officials believe that as this surge passes, schools will also see fewer cases and less quarantine.

While anxiety is understandable, we shouldnt despair, said Moss, the Alameda County health director.

I want to respect the fact that this is a very difficult virus and very disruptive to our lives, but at the same time, the delta variant is still COVID and weve really learned a lot about the tools we use to limit it, he said, adding the goal is to keep kids in school. I still think we dont have to go backwards because of delta.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Jilltucker
From the outset of the pandemic, Dave Potter, 53, had been cautious about not catching and spreading COVID. Hed wear two masks as he ventured out into his San Francisco neighborhood, conscious of the elders who lived nearby.

Then, in June, things began to look up as the virus seemed to recede. I was excited about the summer, the Richmond District resident said. I was excited about being at the park without a mask.

A few weeks later, Potter was diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a key part of the bodys defense against disease. This puts him in a category of people considered immunocompromised, which means hes at greater risk of severe illness should he contract the coronavirus even though hes fully vaccinated.

Now, Its best for me to avoid almost everybody, he said.

Potter has reason to be concerned: Immunocompromised patients account for nearly half of the vaccinated people hospitalized with COVID-19 nationally even though they constitute only 3% of the adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bay Area doctors know this trend all too well. Lately, on any given day, UCSF has had about five hospitalized breakthrough cases  people who were fully vaccinated but got infected anyway  and each was severely immunocompromised, either as a result of a solid-organ transplant or treatment for blood cancer, according to Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist there.

To reduce the risk, the federal government authorized booster shots last week for people with certain immunocompromised conditions. Local authorities are carrying them out. San Francisco announced it would immediately begin offering third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine to some immunocompromised patients, including those, like Potter, who are receiving treatment for lymphoma. Other eligible patients include those with leukemia or a late-stage HIV infection, those who have received a stem cell transplant within two years and are currently on immunosuppressive medications, and those who are taking high doses of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive drugs.

Many other counties are also offering third shots for people in these categories; Marin County, for example, hosted a special clinic for boosters Saturday at the Marin Center on the fairgrounds.

Potter is waiting for guidance from his physicians about whether he should seek a third dose, though hes somewhat split on the subject. He wants to be a good patient, but hes also spent his career working in global education and understands the deep inequities around vaccine distribution. For now, hes back at home, back to double-masking.

Chin-Hong noted that theres no guarantee a booster shot will necessarily be effective for all patients.

Indeed, a study of solid-organ transplant recipients published in the New England Journal of Medicine this month found that as many as 55% of the patients were still unable to mount a sufficient immune response to the vaccine even four weeks after a third dose.

There are many reasons for this. For transplant patients, it could be that the drugs that help stop the immune system from rejecting the transplanted organ are also stopping it from mounting a response to the vaccine, according to Dr. Michael Ison, a specialist in infections in transplant recipients at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Other drugs, such as Rituximab, which are used to treat blood cancers and sometimes rheumatoid arthritis, actively reduce the number of cells in the body that produce antibodies in the blood. For people with primary immunodeficiency or advanced HIV, their immune systems may simply be unable to respond to the vaccine.

My patients are terrified, said Dr. Shagun Arora, a hematologist-oncologist at UCSF who specializes in caring for patients with cancerous and noncancerous blood disorders. She said as most people go about their daily activities, I think theres this understandable level of Hey Im vaccinated and even if I get delta, I probably wont get that sick if Im not immunocompromised. But our immunocompromised patients cannot appreciate the same things.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

For Aroras patients, some of whom have had stem cell implants to essentially regrow their bone marrow from scratch, risk assessment is as constant as ever. They cant have a little inch of comfort the way the rest of the world can, she said.

Boosters aside, Arora is hopeful about the possibility of using monoclonal antibody therapy to help prevent severe cases of COVID in immunocompromised patients. The Food and Drug Administration in recent weeks has authorized more uses of of these antibodies, which it describes as laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune systems ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses.

Ultimately, though, the safest bet is to avoid being infected at all, which can make for an incredibly limiting life.

Bob McClenahan, 51, a photographer living in Napa who was diagnosed with lymphoma in June, has been told by his doctor to stay away from other people as much as possible. He is undergoing chemotherapy and wont know for some weeks whether a stem cell transplant is in the cards.

Its really just been COVID but 100 times worse, he said. With COVID you have to take precautions but you could still go out and do things.

The doctors instructions are to stay home, not go anywhere unnecessary and wear a mask if people come over  or even in the house around his two children, who are going back to school.

McClenahan said he has seen people he knows advertise that theyre proudly not vaccinated on Facebook. It ticks me off to see, he said. Im just embarrassed. Please go get vaccinated so we can all get back to a somewhat normal life.

Ryan Kost is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkost@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @RyanKost
In the COVID ward at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, theres a remarkable calm as nurses sanitize equipment and monitor ventilators  belying the desperation of patients in the glass-walled rooms around them who are trying to stay alive.

More than a dozen men and women lie in those isolation rooms, some alive only because a machine is pushing oxygen into their lungs.

Sometimes I get home and I just sob, Dr. Carol Kemper, an infectious disease expert who sees the hospitals most critical COVID patients, told a visiting reporter Wednesday. Some patients will ask whats going to happen to them, she said, and its very difficult to tell them we dont know.

The highly infectious delta variant of the coronavirus has sent COVID admissions soaring again at El Camino and other hospitals across the region after a brief interlude of hope that arrived with the vaccines. Driven by unvaccinated people, hospitalizations more than tripled throughout the Bay Area during the first two weeks of August compared with the first two weeks of July  from 302 to 1,043 average hospitalizations for the disease that many had believed would be largely vanquished by now.

Hospitals are not hit as hard by the COVID surge as overstrained states such as Florida and Texas. Indeed, cases are leveling off in the Bay Area, which means hospitalizations should stop rising soon, too. Kaiser Permanente estimates that will happen in its hospitals within three weeks.

But the latest surge has hit exhausted doctors, nurses and other staff hard  especially because it was largely avoidable, as most people hospitalized for COVID are unvaccinated and are far less protected from severe disease than those who have gotten shots. In Santa Clara County, 1 in 5 people eligible for the vaccine has yet to get it.

It didnt have to be this way, said Casey Cabanas, a freelance travel nurse at El Camino. She aches when very sick patients ask for the vaccine and she has to tell them its too late to help.

COVID units are a petri dish for stress, for patients and staff. Understaffing predates the pandemic, but COVID and the sudden surge caused by the delta variant are exacerbating the situation.

Were exhausted, said Kristin Cox, a COVID nurse at UCSFs Mount Zion Hospital who was doing her sixth shift in a row  each 12 to 16 hours, including some with no break.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID in San Francisco rose more than fivefold in the first two weeks of August compared with the first two weeks of July: from 19 to 105 on average. Its not as bad as the winter surge, when hospitalizations in the city peaked at 259 one awful January day.

A year of burnout translates to people not wanting to come to work, Cox said, noting that nurses are so busy that they often dont have time to bathe patients or help them move around as much as they should.

We have no staff, but were still doing all these grossly elective surgeries: face-lifts, joint replacements. Its like the pandemic doesnt exist, she said.

In a statement, UCSF said the hospital system has not suspended nonemergency procedures because the elective surgeries we provide are urgent and patients depend upon us to provide this care.

UCSF said it has received no reports of compromised care during the surge. Although it has asked for 210 travel nurses and offered high rates and crisis pay, unfortunately, travel nurses have been in high demand for hospitals nationwide throughout the pandemic and especially during the current surge.

Nurses are not expected to work more than three 12-hour shifts a week, the statement said. Those who work more are paid overtime and an additional $300 per shift.

Chief Nurse Executive Pat Patton said UCSF has added staff to a number of departments, including the intensive care unit.

In Alameda County, where the number of COVID patients in the hospital on a given day has averaged 208 this month, up from 97 last month, the pandemic surge took a dangerous turn Wednesday afternoon at San Leandro Hospital.

The incident began with a COVID patient who busted out of isolation, said Mawata Kamara, an ER nurse who, with her colleagues, struggled to get the woman back into her room. Suddenly, they heard a man in the lobby yelling the f-word, demanding to see a particular COVID patient and threatening to beat people up, Kamara said. It was the womans boyfriend, a hospital security alert later confirmed.

San Leandro, like most hospitals, doesnt let people visit COVID patients. Police were called, and the man left. But he returned about an hour later, Kamara said.

Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle

Thats when he said he was getting a gun, according to the security alert.

By the time Kamaras shift ended at 7 p.m., the emergency department was on lockdown. It remained that way through the morning.

It was so crazy, she said. Were not just fighting the virus  were fighting all of the social problems in our society that the virus is putting under the microscope, like how our society deals with stress.

Carmela Coyle, president of the California Hospital Association, said chronic understaffing requires a solution at the federal level because every state is affected by the shortage during the pandemic and all are competing for travel nurses.

Whats different going into this fourth surge is that some have left the field. Every hospital is starting with far fewer staff than they had going into earlier surges, she said.

Eunice Penaflor, a nurse in John Muir Healths med-surg COVID unit, a step down from intensive care, said that the surge kind of came out of the blue, but we were prepared because of lessons learned from earlier surges. John Muirs two hospitals, in Concord and Walnut Creek, have 83 COVID admissions, up from eight on July 1.

Penaflor, who works at the Concord Medical Center, is vaccinated but said working with COVID patients remains stressful. Shes seen nurses new to the unit come to work in tears.

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Every day I come in here, I just pray that nothing bad is going to happen to me, she said.

Patients, too, are frightened.

They dont want to die, Penaflor said. One lesson nurses have learned is that helping patients is more than giving prescriptions and breathing techniques. We provide reassurance that theyre never alone.

At the Walnut Creek Medical Center, COVID nurse Kol Ouk said health care workers have had a lot of practice with the disease.

This time I feel like we have better control of how to care for patients, more knowledge, she said. It is stressful  oh, my goodness, we are back to where we were. But the good thing is we know what to do.

Nurses do know what to do. But not everyone else has gotten the message.

At Kaiser Permanente Northern California, for example, more than 80% of the surge in COVID admissions are unvaccinated people, said Dr. Stephen Parodi, an infectious disease specialist.

Many health care workers say its hard to ignore the reality that most unvaccinated COVID patients wouldnt need their care if they had gotten the free shot.

Its frustrating to watch patients suffer needlessly, said Cheryl Reinking, chief nursing officer at El Camino Hospital.

Kemper, the infectious disease expert at El Camino, said that when she gently asks patients why they havent gotten a shot, many say they assumed they would be fine even if they got sick.

On Wednesday, David Gray, 51, had been in the hospital with COVID-19 for four days, so short of breath that he could speak for only a few minutes at a time.

He spoke to a reporter by phone as they looked at each other through the glass wall of his room. He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse.

He feels pretty good sometimes, he said. And sometimes I feel like I got beat up.

Danielle Echeverria, Nanette Asimov and Ryan Kost are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: danielle.echeverria, nasimov@sfchronicle.com and rkost@sfchronicle.com
It was a Monday in late August, and I was driving through the Russian River country, headed north, just past the town with the big sign WELCOME TO MONTE RIO VACATION WONDERLAND. I had the car radio on, and here was the president, direct from the White House, explaining the chaos in Afghanistan. Nothing could be more incongruous.

I was an hour and a half north of San Francisco, and the radio reception was bad. President Bidens voice kept fading in and out, like a shortwave broadcast from long ago and far away. I am deeply saddened by the facts we now face, he said. But I do not regret my decision to end Americas warfighting in Afghanistan. He talked for a long time, but I didnt get all he said; I lost the signal.

The message was clear: The war is over and we lost. I have been to Afghanistan on a Chronicle assignment myself, but only briefly. I didnt see the war, but I did see some of the Americans who fought in it.

There were a dozen of them that I remember best  11 men and one woman. All had been wounded and were being evacuated out of Afghanistan. Six had to be carried in litters. The others could walk aboard the Air Force C-17 Globemaster that took them from Bagram Air Base near Kabul to a military hospital in the pretty little town of Landstuhl in Germany, a seven-hour flight and a world away from Afghanistan.

The plane was operated by the 349th Air Mobility Wing out of Travis Air Force Base, just up Interstate 80 at Fairfield. The Travis planes also made regular trips carrying wounded from Germany to hospitals in the United States, a 20,233-mile round trip to the other side of the world and back again.

That flight was in the summer of 2008, a long time ago, but sometimes, when I hear talk about the war, I see their faces and hear their voices.

Not all of them could talk, or wanted to. A few were too badly hurt, in critical condition. One man stared straight ahead, said nothing, no expression on his face. In another war they called that the thousand-yard stare.

Some of them wanted to talk to a reporter, or to Carlos Avila Gonzalez, our photographer. They wanted to tell us how they got hurt  in a convoy that hit a roadside bomb, in a rocket attack that killed other soldiers, in other incidents.

All of it had happened suddenly, they said. They were casualties in an instant.

Jerrold Patterson, a Army warrant officer, remembered being in a small town and inside a brick building when people he described as the bad guys fired three rockets. Two missed. The third was a direct hit. You hear that rocket coming and your heart stops, he said. Everything turned upside down in a matter of seconds, he said. He was hit in an arm and a leg, and his back was peppered with shrapnel. He came aboard the plane in a litter.

Patterson and the others had high praise for the combat medics who treated the wounded in the field. There was just blood all over, he said. If it wasnt for them, some of the men would have bled to death. The medics were amazing. They saved lives. But it all went by so fast Patterson never learned their names.

You would think some of these people who had paid the price for American policy might be bitter. But they were safe now, they were going home.

William Ortega, a second lieutenant, had mixed feelings. Only a few days before, an explosive device injured his neck and he had extensive burns. He was sorry to leave. I am a platoon leader, he said. I want to be with my soldiers. We are close, close, like a brotherhood. Its an honor to lead men like this.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Jacob Brittain was 21 back in 2008, a private first class in the Marines. Some people want to be an astronaut or a fireman, I wanted to be a Marine, he said. A roadside bomb shattered his heel that summer. He figured it might take a year for him to learn how to walk again.

I asked him whether he would go back. Absolutely, he said.  I am 100% sure.

Lt. Col. Jim Coen commanded the medical unit that flew the wounded out of Iraq and Afghanistan. We are not here to argue the policy or worthiness of the war, he told me. I dont think arguing about the war is helping. Helping the kids who got hurt is the mission.

I think about these soldiers and Marines and Air Force personnel and how they paid a steep price in the Afghanistan war. I looked up the newspaper piece I had written and tried to track down some of the wounded on that plane. But 13 years is a long time in the military, and I had no luck.

I wanted to see if Lt. Ortega went back to his soldiers, but he is from New York City and there are thousands of Ortegas there. And I never found out whether Jacob Brittain learned how to walk again. I tracked Jerrold Patterson to a small Utah town, but my lead fizzled out.

A more skilled reporter could find these people, Im sure. But maybe its better to keep them as a memory, something to remember when they talk about the forever war and argue about who is to blame. There is a price for these wars. There is always a price.

Carl Noltes column runs on Sundays. Email: cnolte@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Carlnoltesf
Gusty winds pushed the voracious Caldor Fire northeast Saturday afternoon toward the tiny town of Kyburz, sending flames across Highway 50 in El Dorado County.

We are experiencing increased winds, which is causing significant fire activity, said Keith Wade, a Sacramento Fire Department captain who was acting as a spokesperson on the Caldor Fire response. There is definitely progression of the fire ... and the community of Kyburz is directly in its path.

Kyburz has fewer than 200 residents and a relative handful of buildings, but its well known to Lake Tahoe visitors for its sign  Welcome to Kyburz. Now Leaving Kyburz  and its frequent use as a spot where drivers are required to pull over in snowstorms and put chains on their tires.

By Saturday afternoon, flames had crossed Highway 50 at right about the Kyburz area, said Incident Commander Dusty Martin during a community meeting. Martin said fire officials had resources in the area and we are working this north side of Highway 50 pretty good right now.

Martin said a smoke column laying over Highway 50 prevented aircraft from flying over the blaze on Saturday afternoon, but said a lot of fixed-wing aircraft have been able to drop fire retardant in other areas that saw experienced heightened fire activity.

The fire, which broke out Aug. 14, expanded to 90,107 acres by Saturday evening and remained 0% contained. The quick, wind- and drought-driven blaze already wiped out the small town of Grizzly Flats in El Dorado County, where its destroyed 245 structures and prompted several evacuation orders. It grew by 7,000 acres overnight and continued to darken skies and force the shutdown of the main route between the Bay Area and South Lake Tahoe.

Cal Fire and the El Dorado County Sheriffs Office released a damage assessment map detailing the extent of destruction, with photos showing some homes with minor burn scars and others reduced to piles of gray debris, sometimes with only stone chimneys or fireplaces left standing.

After Caltrans announcement Friday afternoon to shut down roughly 40 miles of Highway 50, it remained largely closed to traffic between Pollock Pines and Meyers, including Echo Summit. Some local traffic was being allowed through. No estimated time for reopening of the highway was available.

The fire remained active in all areas, Cal Fire said in a statement. Due to very dry fuel beds, the vegetation is igniting easily.

Wade said the area, which has no recent history of wildfire, is drought-stricken, dense and bone-dry. Firefighters are reporting embers carried by the winds starting spot fires a half mile to a mile away.

Ben Newburn, an incident commander with the U.S. Forest Service, said during a community briefing that there was a little bit of fire spread south that was going against the wind, but the blaze is primarily spreading to the north and east.

Officials do not believe the Caldor Fire will merge with the Tamarack Fire, saying that is highly unlikely.

Heavenly Ski Resort in Lake Tahoe announced Saturday afternoon that it is closed for the summer due to ongoing risk of wildfire to the Tahoe Region.

Jeff Marsolais, the forest supervisor for the El Dorado National Forest, said Saturday that the confluence of fuel conditions that many fire officials have never seen before, compounded with red flag conditions, are why fire officials are seeing hard runs and spot fires across the fire line.

Marsolais said the conditions that firefighters are up against are the worst in some places that weve ever seen.

Authorities issued an evacuation order Saturday afternoon for the Caldor Fire for the areas south of Farmham Ridge Road and east of Bridgeport School Road to the Amador County line.

Fire Tracker Follow wildfires across the state Latest updates on wildfires burning across Northern and Southern California

Aside from the closure of Highway 50, and smoke thats diminished air quality, South Lake Tahoe has yet to be directly affected by the fire.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for large swaths of El Dorado, Placer, Nevada and Sierra counties, signaling weather events that could result in extreme fire behavior over the next 24 hours.

Farther north, the Dixie Fire grew to 717,308 acres by Saturday evening and had increased containment to 36%. That fire broke out on July 14 near Cresta Dam and the Feather River Canyon.

Firefighters were battling not only the persistent flames, but also gusting winds and a red flag warning expected to last into the night. Cal Fire said that a switch in wind direction on the east side of the blaze forced firefighters to scramble.

The Dixie Fire, which has been burning since July 14, was expected to be most active in the Westwood, Clear Creek Janesville, Milford, Taylorville and Genesee Valley areas, said Doug Ulibarri, spokesperson on the Dixie Fire. While the winds drive the flames, they also keep smoke from settling, allowing firefighters to use large fixed-wing air tankers to drop loads of bright orange fire retardant on the flames.

Were still fighting against Mother Nature, and shes throwing her best punches at us, Ulibarri said. Were fighting back, but its tough.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Lauren Hernandez contributed to this report.

Michael Cabanatuan and Steve Rubenstein are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan, @SteveRubeSF
Mark Winema / Getty Images / Mark Wineman / Getty Images

A 28-year-old San Francisco man has been arrested for attempted murder in connection with the July 11 Mission District shooting of a man who was attempting to park his car, police said.

Samuel Alfaro was being held without bail in San Francisco county jail after being arrested Monday in South San Francisco, police said.
A jury has ruled the death of Angelo Quinto an accident, after a three-hour hearing in which three police officers described the December 2020 night they restrained the 30-year-old Antioch man for several minutes, until he lost consciousness.

But Fridays ruling isnt binding and wont affect a separate criminal investigation into what happened the night Quintos family members say police went too far.

The Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office holds coroners inquests for every person who dies in police custody. The coroner falls under the sheriffs purview.

Fridays inquest, which took place at the county courthouse in Martinez, offered a window into an incident now framed by two starkly different narratives: the one from law enforcement, that drug use created the conditions for Quintos death, and the one from Quintos family, that he was asphyxiated when officers knelt on him and held him to the floor.

These two versions became more complicated Friday, when forensic pathologist Ikechi Ogan, who contracts with the coroners office, released the countys autopsy results. He testified that Quinto had tested positive for two prescription drugs  a medication used to treat seizures and a stimulant often used for narcolepsy, though people also take the latter recreationally.

The cause of death, Ogan said, was excited delirium syndrome due to acute drug toxicity with disturbances and by physical exertion.

Excited delirium, a term loosely defined as sudden, aggressive, paranoid behavior, has drawn skepticism from doctors and psychiatrists. In a statement published this year, the American Medical Association rejected excited delirium as a medical diagnosis, noting that law enforcement use it to rationalize excessive force, and disproportionately apply the syndrome to Black men who die in police custody.

Oakland attorney John Burris, who represents Quintos family in a federal lawsuit against Antioch, its police chief and the four officers involved in the deadly encounter, called the diagnosis a form of debunked science.

Burris fellow attorney, Benjamin Nisenbaum, was so disgusted by Ogans testimony that he burst out laughing in the packed courtroom and walked out to avoid the ire of hearing officer Matthew Guichard.

The hearing officer later scolded the court audience, saying he saw the interruption as an attempt to influence jurors.

Fridays proceeding followed months of outcry and an accelerated push for police reform in Antioch, all stemming from a frantic phone call made by Quintos sister, Bella Collins, on the night of Dec. 23.

She said her brother was acting aggressive and she feared he would hurt her mother, Cassandra Quinto-Collins. When police arrived they found Quinto and his mother on the floor of Quinto-Collins bedroom, in an embrace that Officer Arturo Becerra and retired Officer James Perkinson described as a bear hug.

They testified that they pulled the two apart, handcuffed Quinto and held him on the floor for at least five minutes, using a figure four restraint to lock his right leg to his left.

Because Antioch police had no body cameras at that time, the only visual recording of the incident is a wobbly cell phone video taken by Quinto-Collins, which Guichard presented in court Friday. It shows officers rolling Quinto over, revealing a smear of blood on his mouth. He died at Sutter Delta Medical Center three days later, though police took nearly a month to disclose the death.

Quinto had served in the Navy but was discharged for a medical condition.

He later began showing signs of schizoaffective disorder and was detained on a 72-hour psychiatric hold last October, two months before he died. Neighbors had called police to report he was behaving erratically after apparently locking himself out of the familys home on Crestwood Drive.

Officers said they had called an ambulance on Dec. 23 to place Quinto on a hold again, and that they had held his legs and briefly pressed his shoulders, avoiding his neck.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

He kept saying, Dont kill me, dont kill me, Perkinson testified. He was saying that before we actually touched him.

After hearing the testimony from six witnesses  the forensic pathologist, three officers, a detective and an investigator from the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office  the jury of 15 people took less than half an hour to reach its verdict of accidental death. It had three other options: homicide, suicide or death from natural causes.

The jurys decision will have no bearing on a separate criminal investigation by the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office, said a spokesperson. District Attorney Diana Becton attended the hearing with at least one investigator.

Burris, Nisenbaum and Quintos family members held a news conference on the steps of the courthouse after the inquest. They said they were not surprised by the ruling and that, if anything, the officers testimony Friday could become ammunition for their civil lawsuit.

We expected this, Quintos stepfather, Robert Collins, said of the verdict, adding that he is still disappointed. He had spent much of the hearing comforting his wife, Quinto-Collins, who alternately sobbed and shook her head.

Arguing that the evidence and testimony that day was designed to shame Angelo Quinto and his family, Burris said the outcome would have been different if the sheriff had invited Quintos mother and sister to take the stand.

He said the familys position has not changed. Its lawsuit accuses the Antioch police of desperately seeking alternative explanations for Quintos death, to cover up what Burris called a malicious and unreasonable use of force.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan

Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the manner in which attorney Ben Nisenbaum left the courtroom. He walked out voluntarily.
WADESBORO, N.C. (AP)  Two people are dead after a small airplane crashed and burst into flames shortly after taking off from a North Carolina airport, authorities said Friday.

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that a Piper PA-24 crashed around 10:20 a.m. after taking off from Jeff Cloud Field at Anson County Airport.
Polls show that the yes or no vote to recall Gavin Newsom will be close. No on recall is ahead, but within the margin of error. Californias Republican minority, however, is more enthusiastic than the Democrat majority. If this recall succeeds, the challenger with the most votes (likely far fewer than the no votes on recall) will become our new governor.

If so, Republican Larry Elder will surely be elected. Elder has no experience running any public institution, much less a large state like California  one that is facing major crises. A far-right media talk show personality and Trump supporter, Elder says that its unfair to blame Trump for the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

Elder would eliminate mask and vaccine requirements for teachers and medical professionals in public schools and medical facilities. His website describes Californias environmental policies and police reform efforts as the actions of a radical minority. He trashes teachers and their unions. For more details on Elders career and positions, check out his Wikipedia bio.

Gov. Newsom has made mistakes, but his approach to our current crises seems decent and competent.

This little midterm election will surely have huge consequences. Please vote.

Michelle Squitieri, Berkeley

SFMTA should be done talking, on to building

Regarding the story Big cost complicates plans for Muni Metro expansion (Front page, Aug. 19): It saddens me that almost 65 years after the streetcar line down Geary was replaced temporarily with buses in expectation of a subway line in the near future, the SFMTA has seemingly yet to proceed past the public comment stage.

More recently, how many stories has this paper run over the last decade about a subway extension to Fishermans Wharf?

The truth is, these various projects have long been identified as good ideas, and should have already moved into the active design phase. At worst, we would have a few shovel-ready projects to choose between. Instead, on the cusp of passage by Congress of the largest transportation funding bill since the New Deal, SFMTA leaders openly fret about where they will find money in 10 years for projects that have inexplicably not yet entered the community outreach phase, even though some have actively been discussed since the first half of last century.

That we were not ready now to take advantage of this opportunity should be an embarrassment to all involved, including the public.

Adam Klafter, San Mateo

A fascinating tale

from a century ago

Regarding She found a 100-year-old diary in her San Francisco home, (Aug. 20): The beautifully written and illustrated story of Christina Lalanne and the Danish diaries was a brilliant read! Truly, it warmed my heart to learn of this young woman so fascinated by the history of the man who built her home.

What devotion! I am tremendously impressed.

The most hilarious sentence to me was the mention of the town drunk receiving a fine for selling a trapped skunk out of season! I read this part out loud to my husband, whose reply was: I think this is a translation error.

Was there ever really a season for hunting skunks?

Janet Noble, Oakland

Should surgeons also

not wear masks?

To those who decry that mask-wearing does not work in mitigating infections, one question: Should you ever require surgery, would it be OK with you if the attending medical staff had the option of forgoing the wearing of surgical masks during the procedure? They could always cite personal freedom as an excuse, right?

Al Comolli, Millbrae
As the coronavirus delta variant continues its rampage across the United States, questions have begun to arise if the world is doomed to a perpetual state of epidemiological crisis. And, indeed, whether we can permanently stop the spread of the virus remains unclear. One thing that is certain, however, is that even if vaccination and other public health strategies are able to contain the virus, we will not be out of the woods from its impacts.

Barring significant scientific advancements, long COVID  symptoms that persist long after the virus has presumably ceased replicating in the body  will be with us for many years to come.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, my work as a virologist (in collaboration with clinicians) has focused on treating patients with long COVID, many of whom are unable to work and are overwhelmed by routine daily tasks. They experience symptoms ranging from fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, sleep disorders, fevers, gastrointestinal symptoms, anxiety and depression. Nearly all were initially dismissed by a family practice or other physicians who suggested their symptoms were all in their head.

Thankfully, after largely being ignored as the effort to stem the pandemic took precedence, motions to mitigate long COVIDs impacts are finally making their way into public policy. The Biden administration recently announced that it would acknowledge long COVID as a disability, providing its sufferers with legal protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Earlier this year, the National Institutes of Health announced it is investing $1.15 billion over the next four years in long COVID research. In another important, although perhaps less headline-grabbing development, the World Health Organization assigned long COVID its own ICD-10 code, the system of diagnostic codes that health care practitioners use for reimbursement from medical insurance companies, which are critical to providing patients with access to treatment. Without standard codes, patients have been hit with unexpected bills and left to navigate the bureaucracy of medical insurance reimbursement on their own.

These are all promising developments, which accelerate medical research and grant access to much needed resources and protections for long haulers. Legal protections and access to disability benefits through the Social Security Administration are especially critical, as many long haulers have been unable to work at times and often require accommodations from their employers.

But while the institutional recognition of long COVID is very encouraging  and research is shedding more light on the nature of the problem and treatment pathways  greater awareness among ordinary people, their physicians and the scientific community is needed.

Too long dismissed by physicians, long COVID is now understood to affect about a third of people who recover from initial infection. With more than 35 million Americans having been infected with COVID-19, as many as 10 million or more may now be experiencing long COVID symptoms.

One of the patients I have worked with, April, a 45-year-old nurse supervisor in Southern California, was exposed to the coronavirus early in the pandemic, in March of last year. She went to the emergency room twice and stayed for several hours  but at the time coronavirus testing was very limited. She was given a strep throat test, a flu test, a mono test, even a CAT scan, but not a coronavirus test. She was finally tested for the coronavirus after more than two weeks of waiting. It came back negative, likely because it was given too late or because tests were then unreliable.

April was out of work for 13 weeks, and even after returning, continued to struggle with a long list of symptoms, ranging from phantom smells like smoke, to loss of smell and taste, massive hair loss, shortness of breath, severe fatigue, relentless joint pain, increased heart rate, COVID tongue, rashes and brain fog. With no official diagnosis, however  and feeling pressure to be back after missing 13 weeks  she returned to work despite feeling sick and had very little energy for anything else, including her three children, an 11-year-old daughter, a 16-year-old son and an 18-year-old son.

After months of this status quo, in January, she took a blood test from one of our partner labs, which showed that she had an immune profile characteristic of long COVID, including the presence of viral spike proteins. By May, her immune profile had significantly improved in a follow-up test.

Just having a test and diagnosis to confirm what she suspected has gone a long way to alleviate the fear and anxiety that naturally comes with an unknown, persisting medical condition.

Scientists and physicians are working hard to characterize long COVID. Were now beginning to understand that it is a unique and distinct medical condition of its own. Research shows that long COVID occurs when spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2, virus that causes COVID-19, remain in a persons body, in reservoirs of the immune system. The spike proteins are not able to reproduce, as they lack the genetic material required, but they do cause inflammation as the bodys immune system reacts to them. These spike proteins then spread around the body, especially during exercise, and cross the blood-brain barrier, which likely accounts for the exercise intolerance of many long haulers, as well as the neurological effects.

We are also able to reliably diagnose long COVID patients in a nonsubjective way by analyzing patterns in cytokines, different types of proteins produced by a persons immune system, to identify a long COVID immune system fingerprint. With this better understanding, new treatment approaches are emerging that address the underlying causes of the disease, not just the symptoms.

Whenever the COVID pandemic is finally brought to heel, we will have another very real, very challenging and very costly public health crisis waiting to take its place. The sooner we acknowledge this crisis, the sooner we can begin properly caring for those afflicted. Organizations like the Long COVID Alliance can help to provide patients and their families with resources and support, but more professional dialogue among doctors and collaboration among researchers is critical to ensuring they have access to the research and medical support they need.

Unfortunately, long COVID is going to be a public health issue for the foreseeable future. We need to come together now to help each other through it.

Bruce Patterson is the CEO of IncellDx, where he is working toward a new paradigm for predicting, identifying and treating long COVID-19. He previously served as medical director of diagnostic virology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Its understandable that Raynell Cooper sometimes got that old Johnny Cash song Walk the Line stuck in his head over the past several weeks. After all, he spent his summer walking lines. Nearly 50 miles worth.

They were the boundaries of San Franciscos 11 supervisorial districts. And this wasnt just any walking challenge. Cooper was laying the groundwork for a big task he and eight other volunteers will undertake: drawing new boundaries for the citys districts using new census data. Dozens of people applied for the spots, with three each chosen by the mayor, the supervisors and the elections commission. Their drawing must be done by April 15.

Each of the citys 11 districts must be evenly populated  representing roughly one-eleventh of San Franciscos 873,965 people.

But first, Cooper needed to know his baseline. And so last month he began walking the current lines created by a different group of volunteers 10 years ago using the 2010 census data.

I met him Wednesday evening on top of Tank Hill, with Sutro Tower, well, towering less than a half mile to the southwest.

For me, this was a prerequisite. Were going to be spending a lot of time talking about these lines, Cooper said. I see it as building a foundation upon which Ill be able to throw on a bunch more information.

Forty-six-ish miles down, he added. Two-ish miles to go.

Cooper and the rest of the redistricting task force wont get the granular data they need until this fall, but there are already big clues about which districts will need to shrink geographically and which will need to grow.

San Francisco grew in population by 8.5% over the past decade  so much for that rumored exodus, right? But the growth wasnt even.

Data shows neighborhoods on the citys eastern edge grew the most. Mission Bay had the biggest population increase, swelling by a whopping 92%. South Beach, the South of Market area, Dogpatch and Bayview-Hunters Point also grew significantly.

Neighborhoods on the west side, famously resistant to new housing, saw little change in population from 10 years ago. Lets hope the 2030 census finally begins to show needed growth there, too.

So in general, to stay even in numbers of people, the districts on the east side of the city will need to shrink geographically, while those on the west side will need to expand.

Several local groups, including the League of Women Voters of San Francisco and the Asian Law Caucus, are urging residents to get involved in the redistricting process so they can ensure their communities of interest  cultural districts or neighborhoods or areas in which particular languages are spoken, for example  stick together.

Districts are supposed to be even within one percentage point  or can vary up to five points if thats essential to include an entire community of interest in one district.

For instance, San Franciscos American Indian Cultural District is currently split between Districts Eight and Nine. Maybe it fits more with the latter, the Mission, than the former, Noe Valley and the Castro. Cooper and his comrades could opt to try to draw their new lines taking that into account.

Alison Goh, president of the local League of Women Voters, said, This is your chance to identify yourself. Theres a lot of shine given to federal lines, but this is something that affects us on a daily basis.

Julia Marks, a staff attorney at the Asian Law Caucus who manages its voting rights and census programs, agreed.

Redistricting might sound boring, but its really important, she said. If you have a lot in common with your neighbors and you get divided up by the way district lines are drawn, its a lot harder both at the ballot box and in organizing and advocacy to make a difference on the issues you care about.

So where are those lines now? I walked west with Cooper on his last remaining segment to find out.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

We descended Tank Hill and headed west, with anybody living to our right represented at City Hall by District Five Supervisor Dean Preston, and anybody living to our left represented by District Sevens Myrna Melgar.

Cooper stopped frequently to check on his phone that we were still tracking the right path, because theres nothing commonsense about it. Its supposed to cut north on Stanyan Street, but despite a street sign to the contrary, part of that street doesnt exist. Instead, its one of the citys many paper streets, there on maps, but not in reality. Its actually a hillside behind a wrought-iron fence, and we had to go around.

We walked through Sutro Forest before traipsing along the backside of the UCSF Medical Center. The route then proceeds in front of the campus on Parnassus Avenue, our fellow pedestrians sporting scrubs and surgical masks, before cutting straight through the dental building like a drill through a tooth. Again, we went around.

Cooper is a 26-year-old parking planner for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. He has a keen interest in civic engagement, geography and trivia  all important pursuits when youre redrawing district boundaries. He grew up in Oregon and remembers convincing his parents it would be great fun to drive from one end of U.S. Route 20 near his home to the other end in Boston. He was just 7 and pored over maps in the back seat for more than 3,000 miles.

The family moved to the Washington, D.C., suburbs when Cooper was 9, and his interest in trivia and geography swelled. He won the Jeopardy teen tournament in 2011  and $75,000. Later this month, hell appear on ABCs trivia show, The Chase, though he wouldnt divulge how he fared.

He studied geography at George Washington University and earned a masters degree in urban planning from the University of Maryland in 2017 before moving to San Francisco the next year. Hes been a proud resident of District Five ever since.

On the last leg of our stroll, we walked through the Inner Sunset before arriving at our segments end point, 17th Avenue and Judah Street. The sun began to set behind St. Anne of the Sunset church, its pink facade matching the sky. The N-Judah rumbled past.

Oh my goodness! Cooper exclaimed, ecstatic his line walking was finally complete. Its all come full circle.

Well, not a circle really. But miles and miles of lines.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf
Proposition 22, which exempts gig work companies like Uber and Lyft from treating drivers as employees, is unconstitutional, a judge ruled Friday.

The measure, which 59% of state voters supported last fall, illegally limits the power of a future legislature to define app-based drivers as workers subject to workers compensation law, Alameda County Superior Court Frank Roesch ruled.

The judges order found that Section 7451 of the measure is unconstitutional because it defines unrelated legislation an amendment to the measure, making the entire measure unenforceable. The section states that any future laws related to collective bargaining for app drivers must comply with the rest of Prop. 22, which violated the requirement that ballot measures focus on a single subject, Roesch ruled.

It appears only to protect the economic interest of the network companies in having a divided, ununionized workforce, which is not a stated goal of the legislation, he wrote.

The measure also requires a seven-eighths vote of approval to pass any amendments in the state Legislature, which is unconstitutional, Roesch ruled.

The ruling is a major blow to ride-hailing and delivery tech companies, which could face hundreds of millions of dollars in additional labor costs, including paying for health care and other benefits if the ruling stands. However, the groups plan to appeal and the proposition will remain in effect as the court case continues.

We believe the judge made a serious error by ignoring a centurys worth of case law requiring the courts to guard the voters right of initiative. This outrageous decision is an affront to the overwhelming majority of California voters who passed Prop. 22, said Geoff Vetter, spokesman for the Protect App-Based Drivers & Services Coalition, which backed the measure and plans to file an appeal.

Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Instacart and others poured more than $220 million to back Prop. 22, persuading voters to keep drivers and deliver workers as independent contractors. The measure exempted the companies from 2019s AB5, a state law that required gig workers to receive employee benefits.

This ruling ignores the will of the overwhelming majority of California voters and defies both logic and the law, an Uber spokesperson said in a statement. We will appeal and we expect to win. Meanwhile, Prop. 22 remains in effect, including all of the protections and benefits it provides independent workers across the state.

The SEIU California union and drivers sued to overturn the measure earlier this year.

Todays ruling by Judge Roesch striking down Proposition 22 couldnt be clearer: The gig industry-funded ballot initiative was unconstitutional and is therefore unenforceable, Bob Schoonover, president of SEIU California, said in a statement. They tried to boost their profits by undermining democracy and the state constitution. For two years, drivers have been saying that democracy cannot be bought. And todays decision shows they were right.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

William Gould IV, a Stanford law professor and former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, said he believes the ruling will stand on appeal at the California Supreme Court.

The seven-eighths rule interferes with the Legislature's constitutional ability to amend the measure, said Gould, who opposes Prop. 22.

I believe that it was special interests initiative, promoted by the very moneyed interests whose power that the whole system was designed to limit, he said.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
UPDATE Aug. 21 7:31 p.m. The Caldor Fire has grown to 90,107 acres and remains at zero percent containment, according to Cal Fire's update on Saturday evening.

Aug. 21 4:20 p.m. A spot fire was reportedly seen on the north side of Highway 50 near Kyburz, according to KCRA 3.

A 46-mile stretch of California's Highway 50 remained closed Saturday morning as high winds are expected to pick up this afternoon and could push the 82,000-acre Caldor Fire northeast of the main roadway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.

The closure is in both directions impacting the section through El Dorado County, running between Sly Park Road and the Highway 50/89 roundabout in Meyers, officials said.

Highway 50 will remain shut down to traffic in both directions until at least Monday, Caltrans District 3 said.

For updates, visit the Caltrans Twitter account.

Evacuations remained in effect in El Dorado County and pushed farther into the neighboring Amador County, inching closer to South Lake Tahoe.

The coastal marine layer pushed all the way into the Sacramento Valley Saturday morning, bringing down temperatures and carrying moisture into the region, the National Weather Service said. While the cloud cover didn't stretch all the way into the Sierra Foothills where the Caldor Fire has been burning for a week, the region will benefit.

Weather service forecaster Craig Shoemaker said relative humidity levels over the fire have ranged from 10% to 15% in recent days and today levels are likely to range from 25% to 30%.

That's the good news. There's also some bad news. Winds were light Saturday morning, ranging from 5 mph to 10 mph, but Saturday afternoon, especially between 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Shoemaker said they will pick up with gusts up to 40 mph. The forecast winds led the weather service to issue a red flag warning for the central part of El Dorado County Saturday

"Normally this would be considered a more marginal event but because we have an ongoing fire there and it's such a dire situation, we issued the warning," he said. "It's going to cause issues."

The Caldor Fire ignited in heavy timber in the Eldorado National Forest near the small town of Grizzly Flats south of Pollock Pines on Aug. 14, burning a destructive path through the community of about 1,200 people. Photos from the aftermath show an elementary school, a post office and homes that were turned into piles of ash.

Cal Fire said more than 100 structures have been destroyed and damage assessments are still underway. Nearly 7,000 structures remain threatened.

Photo Illustration: SFGATE/ Getty Images

The U.S. Forest Service officials announced a complete shutdown of the Eldorado National Forest through Sept. 30 because of the fire. The Rubicon Trail is also closed.
COVID cases are surging across the nation, and kids now account for more infections than they did in months past.



Data from the CDC shows that an average of 280 people under 18 are contracting COVID every week, an increase of more than 20% since June. More than 120,000 cases were reported among children between Aug. 5 and 12, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. That figure represented 18% of the total case count for that week.



Health experts say the Delta variant of the coronavirus is likely changing the calculus. While children showed strong natural immunity to earlier iterations, the Delta variant is 50% more contagious than past variants, and its meteoric ascendence to become the supreme strain in the U.S. coincides with the rising number of infections in children.



Because Delta is so much more transmissible than the earlier variants of the coronavirus, what we see is that theres much higher community prevalence, said Dr. Alpana Waghmare, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Seattle Childrens Hospital. Whenever theres higher community prevalence, theres going to be more kids that get infected.



With most of Washingtons public schools slated to start in the coming weeks, many parents are wondering why COVID vaccines havent been approved for children under 12.



Heres what we know about the process for getting kids under 12 vaccinated.

Heres the short answer: Tentatively, late this year or early next year. The exact date depends on the childs age. Older kids will likely get vaccinated sooner, while toddlers and babies will probably have to wait.



Now, for the long answer.



Pfizer is enrolling more than 4,600 children in its clinical trials. The kids are divided into three age groups: 5-11, 2-5 and those between 6 months and 2 years old.

Waghmare said she expects the vaccine to be approved for the three age groups in descending order, which is consistent with the companys current timetable. That means, if approved, a vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 would come first.



Pfizer spokesperson Keanna Ghazvini said the company expects to have data for that age group by the end of next month. She said Pfizer could ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an emergency use authorization shortly thereafter.

Data for children under 5 will likely be submitted to the FDA by the end of 2021, Ghazvini said.



Moderna is slightly behind Pfizer in its timetable. It expects to submit data to the FDA for ages 6-11 later this year. Data for those under 6 will likely be submitted early next year.

The company recently expanded the size of its trial to include roughly 12,000 children amid worries that shots may trigger rare heart side effects. Pfizer has not said whether it will update its timeline or the size of its trial, despite fretting from federal regulators.



Johnson & Johnson has not yet begun clinical trials for children under 12.



Approval for emergency use authorizations can take several weeks. That means  assuming Pfizer and Moderna stick to their respective timelines  we could see vaccines being administered to children late this year through early next year.

Why do kids under 12 need a separate vaccine?

Children tend to have a naturally robust immune response, Waghmare said. That means their bodies typically mount a stronger and quicker defense against threats than adult bodies do.

Because of this, children may need a lower dose of the vaccine. Giving them too much could result in adverse effects, Waghmare said.

This creates a balancing act for scientists: They need to produce a vaccine thats strong enough to protect kids against COVID, but not one thats so strong that it does more harm than good.

What we want is a vaccine that produces a good immune response and has good protection, but doesnt have so many side effects, said Waghmare. Thats problematic for the kids and could make people unwilling to give a vaccine to their children.

Why is age 12 the cutoff?

Though the threshold is a bit arbitrary, Waghmare said age 12 has been traditionally used as the cutoff in past studies.



Theres not a magic change that happens at 12, she said. Its a number thats been historically used in vaccine studies and trials, so I think there was some precedent to pick it.

Why has it taken this long?

The main reason is that COVID hit older people the hardest.



In the setting of a pandemic, where we know disease severity overall is much worse for adults than kids, I think there was a priority to get the adult study completed, Waghmare said.



Also, vaccine studies traditionally focus on adults first before moving to other age groups.



Thats how all these studies work, Waghmare said. They always start with adults before they go to kids, so thats not surprising.
As legend has it, the Popsicle was invented on an extraordinarily cold night in San Francisco  an evening so chilly that Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park froze over.

The year was 1905, and an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a stirring stick in a glass full of soda powder and water on his back porch overnight. To his amazement, he awoke the next morning to find his drink frozen like an icicle, transformed into a delicious treat.

He called his discovery the Epsicle, and shared it with curious friends on the way to school. But it didnt occur to him to patent the ingenious invention until 1924, after which the name changed to something a little catchier: the Popsicle.

Or so the story goes.

While this popular folk tale is adorable enough to be printed on the back of Popsicle boxes, it starts to melt away when you dive into its origins.

If the combination of the words cold enough to freeze and San Francisco make you raise an eyebrow, youd be right to be skeptical. Because in 1905, it actually never got that cold in the city (and if it were going to be unusually cold somewhere, were guessing it wouldnt be in one of the warmer corners of the city, Noe Valley, which is where the Epperson family lived at the time). The lowest recorded temperature in San Francisco that year was 39 degrees. So no, Stow Lake did not freeze over.

Getty Images

In fact, the only time the temperature dropped to 32 degrees in San Francisco from the year Epperson was born (1894) to the year he patented the Popsicle (1924) was in 1922  by which time he was an Oakland resident.

However, temperatures did actually dip to freezing a few times between the years of 1908 and 1924 across the bay in Oakland, which is where the Epperson family moved sometime around 1907.

So maybe in retelling the charming story of his claim to fame in his golden years, Epperson muddled the exact date and location of his marvelous invention a little  so what? The Popsicle was still invented by a Bay Area child, even if his frozen soda epiphany happened in Oakland instead of San Francisco and he was 14 instead of 11, right?

Well, maybe not.

Frozen fruit on a stick may actually date as far back as 1872, when two men called Ross and Robbins were selling a similar treat they called the Hokey-Pokey, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. A prominent ice cream company was also experimenting with "frozen suckers" around the same time as Eppersons accidental discovery.

Archival

But even if it wasnt an original idea, one thing is certain: Once he grew up, this Bay Area boy was still the lucky one to actually be granted the patent.

Not for the name Popsicle though (this will be important later)  for a frozen confection of attractive appearance, which can be conveniently consumed without contamination by contact with the hand and without the need for a plate, spoon, fork or other implement, as defined by the 1924 document.

Epperson allegedly first debuted the frozen treat in 1922 at Alamedas popular amusement park Neptune Beach, back when he was still calling it the clumsy Epsicle.

In a 1971 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Epperson, by then a 77-year-old retiree living in Fremont, described introducing the Epsicle at a Firemans Ball held at Neptune Beach. He and his wife, Mary Epperson, wander[ed] around the hall munching on Epsicles.

Finally, one of them standing with a girl said to me: Those must be awfully good  Ive seen you eat half a dozen, he recalled. Eventually, the girl tried one and declared it delicious.

Courtesy of Alameda Museum/AlamedaMuseum.org

Despite the growing popularity of his invention, the Epsicle didnt end up making Epperson a wealthy man. After he was granted the frozen confectionery patent, the name Popsicle started to be associated with the treat, either due to the pop noise made when the frozen treat was pulled from the test tube it was made in, or because his kids started referring to it as a Pops sicle, depending on who you ask.

Unfortunately, Epperson didnt hold the trademark for the name Popsicle. Instead, that belonged to the Popsicle Corporation, a company successfully marketing his treat across the country as a "frozen lollipop" or a "drink on a stick. Epperson set up a royalty arrangement with the Popsicle Corporation, but it didnt last long  in the stock market crash of 1929, he was forced to sell his patent rights to the corporation.

''I was flat and had to liquidate all my assets,'' he told the Chronicle years later. ''I haven't been the same since.''

Today, 2 billion Popsicles are still sold annually. If theres a lesson here, perhaps its in the importance of names.

Epsicle was not a good name, Epperson, who died in 1983, admitted. I should have protected the name. Popsicle.
MIDDLETOWN, Del. (AP)  Two Delaware women have been arrested on animal cruelty charges after authorities found 56 cats living in an unkempt home, officials announced Friday.

Animal-control officers visited a home in Middletown Tuesday after receiving a complaint. They found 56 cats living in what they described as deplorable conditions. One cat was in poor health and had to be euthanized. Another cat was found dead in the home.
CHICAGO (AP)  Masks will be required indoors throughout Cook County beginning Monday, regardless of whether a person has been vaccinated.

The Cook County Department of Public Health issued the order Friday, saying it's needed as new COVID-19 cases continue to increase due to the more contagious delta variant.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, faced with pressure from lawmakers, introduced a bill that would allow for payment of a dividend to residents this year. But it's unclear yet what size check residents ultimately might get.

Dunleavy, in a bill outlined Thursday, proposed a payout of about $2,350. Lawmakers earlier this year proposed a dividend of about $1,100, but they tied strings to it and failed to win the necessary votes. Dunleavy vetoed the remnant $525 dividend, calling it a joke.

Dividends typically are paid out in the early fall.

Dunleavy has proposed a constitutional amendment that calls for restructuring the oil-wealth permanent fund, limiting withdrawals and putting half of what's withdrawn from the fund toward dividends. He wanted lawmakers to take up the proposal before moving on to other items during the special session that started Monday, after budget debates consumed the prior two special sessions this year.

But some legislative leaders have said they didnt see the votes for the proposed constitutional amendment, and some lawmakers didn't agree with his approach.

The House Finance Committee heard the spending bill Friday, scheduling a meeting shortly after Dunleavy added the bill to the session agenda Thursday.

Debate over how much to pay in dividends has become divisive in recent years and overshadowed other issues. Lawmakers and Dunleavy have said they want to resolve the debate but haven't agreed yet on how to do so.

House Speaker Louise Stutes, in a letter to Dunleavy on Monday, urged him to add a spending bill to the session agenda to deal with this year's dividend and other budget items. She said the bipartisan majority coalition she leads was steadfast regarding the need for a comprehensive fiscal solution, including only overdrawing the ERA if tied to said solution, and we have been working in good faith to that end.

ERA refers to the permanent fund earnings reserve account. Earnings traditionally have been used to pay yearly dividends to residents but in 2018, amid a years-long run in deficits, lawmakers began using earnings to help pay for government. They also sought to limit withdrawal amounts for those uses.

Dunleavy is proposing drawing $3 billion from earnings as part of the spending bill. Alexei Painter, director of the Legislative Finance Division, said this would exceed the withdrawal amount that had been set for this fiscal year.

About half the $3 billion would go toward dividends and the rest to a budget reserve account, which Dunleavy said would help provide bridge funding while components of a fiscal plan are implemented.

Lawmakers are just beginning to delve into policy recommendations from a working group that was made up of two members from each caucus. The work group agreed to a list of elements they deemed necessary for a comprehensive fiscal package. Members also agreed a solution must be negotiated and agreed to as whole and not taken up piecemeal.

I can tell you this: Were moving in the same direction, were working hard to find a compromise and we are anticipating that things are going to move forward in a comfortable way, Stutes told reporters Friday.

She spoke of the possibility of paying a dividend that would not require exceeding the withdrawal amount while working toward a fiscal plan.

I would think that that would be the avenue ... . Let's get something solid out now, so Alaskans know what they can count on and when we get the rest of the package together, it will be like a bonus. It will be a true dividend," she said.

Rep. Adam Wool, a Fairbanks Democrat, asked Dunleavy's budget office director, Neil Steininger, Friday what the maximum amount for a dividend this year would be without dipping further into fund earnings.

Steininger noted that Dunleavy has put forward a dividend proposal and as an alternative would support a payout in line with a long-standing formula in law last used in 2015.

What Wool asked about "really isn't something that, from (a) policy perspective, this administration supports or models, he said.

Painter said using estimated surplus funds available after Dunleavy's vetoes, a dividend would be just under $800 a person.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will not spend the weekend at his home in Delaware after all.

The White House said Saturday that Biden would no longer travel to Wilmington as planned. No immediate explanation was given.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden made up his mind about Afghanistan months  really years  ago.

For more than a decade, Biden advocated for an end to American involvement in Afghanistan. But he did so as something of an outsider, a senator whose ultimate power came in the form of a single vote on Capitol Hill or a vice president who advised another president.

But authority over America's longest war finally fell into Biden's hands this year and he insisted that the U.S. withdraw from Afghanistan, settling on an Aug. 31 deadline. And despite the rapid collapse of the Afghan government, spurring a humanitarian crisis and searing criticism at home and from traditional allies, he was resolute, at times defiant. He took responsibility and in turns leveled blame at his predecessor.

After months of largely focusing on quelling the pandemic and stimulating the economy, the chaos in Afghanistan triggered the first foreign policy crisis of Biden's presidency, temporarily drowning out his other priorities. His response offers a fuller picture of how Biden approaches his job, relying on a political sensibility he built as a veteran of the Senate who has weathered decades of Washington tumult and scandal.

How Biden is handling the weight of his decision to end the war is a product of his nearly 50 years in public life, many of them spent studying the world. He sold voters on his experience and this is the first time he is offering decisions, not mere opinions in a Senate hearing  and he will be judged by the outcome, which is far from clear at this point. Americans are seeing a different side of Biden during this crisis, a sterner, sometimes testy man known much better for his empathy.

In the face of setbacks that would prompt most politicians to step back and offer some level of contrition, Biden has only grown firmer in his position this week. He has acknowledged that the Taliban advanced faster than expected but has said, both privately to aides and in a pair of public addresses to the American people, that the swift collapse of the Afghan government proved correct his longstanding skepticism of the war effort.

If anything, the developments of the past week reinforced that ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan now was the right decision, he said Monday, as he sought to sidestep blame for the disorderly withdrawal.

Bidens decision laid bare a cold realism in his view of American military power: American forces shouldnt be used to promote the nations ideals abroad.

Troops, in Bidens estimation, should be focused more narrowly on threats to the homeland, and the nations diplomatic and economic might are the proper tools to uphold its values overseas. Its a sentiment the White House believes Americans agree with after nearly two decades of endless conflicts, but one that comes with painful cost for tens of thousands of Afghans who assisted the U.S. occupation or thrived under it.

To advisers, hes reiterated that his opposition to the 2009 surge in Afghanistan ordered by President Barack Obama was one of his proudest moments in government.

That confidence, which even some allies say sometimes borders on obstinance, has been a defining force in Bidens political life and now his presidency. When he believes he is in the right, current and former aides say, there is little talking him out of it.

His commitment to causes has been evident throughout his career, according to his former Senate colleague Trent Lott, underscored even by the length of his speeches.

He was prone to making long speeches on the Senate and I used to joke, We can go get something to eat, this is going to be a while, but they were good speeches and its what he believed in, Lott, a Mississippi Republican, said.

That sense of clarity, sometimes bordering on rigidity, helped Biden overcome a childhood stutter and sustained his sagging third presidential campaign through the doldrums of 2019 to an upset nomination a year ago. In the White House, it was his own zeal to reach a bipartisan infrastructure accord that propelled the legislation through the divided Senate earlier this month.

It was on display again Friday as Biden insisted, despite a mounting chorus of condemnation from allies abroad, that the haphazard American withdrawal from Afghanistan was improving the countrys stature overseas.

The fact of the matter is I have not seen that, Biden maintained when asked about allies from the United Kingdom to Germany that have publicly questioned Americas credibility. Matter of fact, the exact opposite. Ive got the exact opposite thing as were acting with dispatch, were acting, committing to what we said we would do.

Biden acknowledged for the first time at length the heart-wrenching scenes of confusion as Americans, allies and Afghans struggle to flee the Taliban. But he was adamant that his decision was the right one, saying he always envisioned some amount of chaos in the pullout.

Theres no way in which youd be able to leave Afghanistan without there being some of what youre seeing now, Biden said.

Despite Biden's confidence, the administrations initial public response was faltering.

The president was at Camp David as part of his summer vacation but scrambled back to the White House on Monday, the day after Kabul fell. In his first public remarks on the situation, he admitted no fault for the chaotic drawdown.

Subsequent briefings at the White House, Pentagon and State Department raised as many questions as they answered, with officials being unable to say how many Americans remained in Afghanistan and how they, and their Afghan allies, would be lifted to safety. An image released of Biden sitting alone at a Camp David situation room was widely panned and later regretted within the White House, the officials said.

In a televised interview Wednesday, Biden said flatly no when asked if it could have been handled better or if the administration made any mistakes.

The idea that somehow theres a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I dont know how that happens, he told ABC.

The moment has created a political opportunity for his opponents, who have otherwise struggled to find much of an opening to hit Biden since he took office.

Republicans sought to use the blundered withdrawal to deem Biden weak and ineffective. Some Democrats questioned the evacuation process and worried that it could damage the partys chances of holding onto its congressional majorities next year. Lawmakers in both parties promised to launch investigations of the failures that led to the chaotic exit.

The White House has pointed to public polling that consistently shows that the majority of American people were in favor of ending the nations presence in Afghanistan. Roughly two-thirds of Americans said they did not think the war in Afghanistan was worth fighting, according to a poll released this week by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Aides believe that, particularly if the evacuation process at the airport improves, the story will fade from the headlines and Biden will eventually get credit for ending the war, something his predecessors could not do.
MIAMI (AP)  A former Miami congressman who was once roommates with Sen. Marco Rubio has countersued a U.S. affiliate of Venezuelas state oil company in a politically charged dispute over a $50 million consulting contract he signed with Nicolas Maduros government.

David Riveras Interamerican Consulting filed the counterclaim in New York federal court Thursday against Delaware-registered PDV USA, alleging breach of contract or unjust enrichment for its failure to pay the $30 million balance of the agreed-to fee.

The contract with Rivera came to light as allies of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido work with the Justice Department to uncover any corrupt dealings at another Venezuelan-owned U.S. subsidiary, Houston-based Citgo, which for years operated as a cash cow for that country's ruling party.

Parallel to the lawsuit, federal prosecutors have also been looking into whether Rivera and other recipients of large contracts with Venezuela were engaged in unregistered foreign lobbying for Maduro.

A Guaido-appointed board wrested control of Citgo, the sixth-largest independent U.S. refiner, after the Trump administration recognized him as Venezuelas rightful leader in 2019.

A lawsuit filed last year against Rivera by Citgos lawyers argues the former legislator performed almost no work as part of the $50 million contract to improve the state oil company's reputation in the U.S. At the time, Maduro was trying to curry favor with the Trump administration, avoiding outright criticism of the U.S. leader while funneling $500,000 to his inaugural committee through Citgo.

Rivera, in his countersuit, argues that he was hired by Citgo  not PDVSA, as the state oil company is known  to develop a strategic plan to develop an independent identity separate from its controversial parent. While the amount was deemed suspiciously high by Citgos new management, Rivera argues that considering the billions of dollars at stake with Citgos public and business stature in jeopardy, Citgo obviously deemed the fee reasonable.

But PDV USA, the affiliate that managed the contract, never paid the final $30 million owed him under the agreement. Rivera says he performed all the required work and only received objections when the Venezuelan opposition took control of PDVSAs U.S. assets.

Lawyers for Citgo did not immediately return a request for comment.

Rivera is a former high-ranking state legislator who shared a house in Tallahassee with Rubio, who was the state House speaker at the time. He has been embroiled in several election-related controversies since then, including orchestrating the stealth funding of an unknown Democratic candidate to take on his main rival in a South Florida congressional race and a state investigation into whether he hid a $1 million contract with a gambling company. He has never been charged with a crime.

Rivera served a single term in Congress, in 2011-2013, and during that time honored Venezuelan exiles fleeing socialist rule and co-sponsored legislation seeking to withhold funding from the Organization of American States until it confronted then President Hugo Chavez for allegedly violating Venezuelas constitution.

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Joshua Goodman on Twitter: @APJoshGoodman
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP)  Israeli gunfire on Saturday wounded 24 Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head, health officials said. An Israeli policeman was critically wounded by Palestinian gunfire during the clashes along Gaza's border with Israel.

The violence erupted after hundreds of Palestinians took part in a demonstration Saturday organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers to draw attention to a stifling Israeli blockade of the territory. The demonstration grew violent after dozens of people approached the fortified border fence and threw rocks and explosives toward Israeli soldiers from behind a black smoke screen spewing from burning tires.

The Israeli military said that hundreds of demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and attempted to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. It said that troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters.

It also said a member of the paramilitary border police was hospitalized in grave condition after being shot. Amateur video from the Palestinian side showed a protester running up to the concrete barrier and firing a pistol into a hole used by an Israeli sniper.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said 24 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. Two of them, including the 13-year-old boy, were in critical condition.

The violent confrontations were reminiscent of the weekly border demonstrations organized by Gaza's Hamas rulers in 2018 and 2019 to draw attention to Israel's stifling blockade over the tiny seaside territory.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars and countless skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election. The most recent war, in May, ended in an inconclusive cease-fire after 11 days of fighting.

Khalil al-Haya, a senior Hamas official, told protesters that the confrontation with Israel was still open.

There has been growing tension in recent weeks, with Hamas calling for Israel to ease the blockade, which greatly restricts movement of people and goods in and out of the territory. Israel has imposed the blockade with Egyptian help since 2007, saying it is needed to prevent Hamas from arming itself.

In a statement, the Israeli army said troops responded with live rounds after hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated at the Gaza-Israeli border.

During the border protests in 2018 and 2019, over 350 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. The protests ground to a halt after mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations brokered an unofficial deal in which Israel eased some of its economic restrictions on Gaza and allowed Qatar to deliver tens of millions of dollars in monthly payments to needy Gaza families and Hamas salaries.

Since the May war, the new Israeli government, headed by Naftali Bennet, has blocked the Qatari aid, calling for a mechanism to ensure Hamas doesnt benefit from the cash. It also has blocked the import of key reconstruction materials while demanding that Hamas first return the remains of two soldiers killed in a 2014 war and two Israeli civilians believed to be alive.

Running out of patience, Hamas called for Saturday's protest to signal its frustration with Israel delaying the Qatari cash injections.

On Thursday, however, Israel announced an agreement with the Gulf Arab country to resume aid payments to thousands of families in the Gaza Strip step aimed at easing tensions with the Palestinian territory in the wake of the war. Under the new arrangement, the funds are to be transferred by the United Nations directly to Gaza families, while giving Israel oversight over the the list of recipients. The payments are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Hamas made the call for the protest at Gaza-Israel frontier before the new agreement on the resumption of Qatari aid was reached. It also said the protest was meant to mark the anniversary of a 1969 arson attack at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque by an Australian tourist later found to be mentally ill.

At least 254 people were killed during May's Gaza-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
LOS ANGELES  In a year marked by record-breaking wildfires, extreme heat and unprecedented water shortages, California lawmakers say theres another  seemingly distant, but just as urgent  climate catastrophe the state cannot afford to ignore: sea level rise.

This oft-overlooked threat is the focus of more than a dozen new bills and resolutions this year  a remarkable political awakening mobilized by years of research and piecemeal efforts across the state to keep the California coast above water.

Theres Senate Bill 1  the very first measure introduced this legislative session  that confronts sea level rise adaptation head on. Another bill proposes an innovative buyout program that sets the stage for a different, more proactive approach to the difficult choices that have long paralyzed coastal communities from taking necessary action.

These proposals are a paradigm shift in the way officials are now addressing the social, economic and environmental pressures looming over the states eroding coastline. Experts say this surge of political interest  and willpower  came not a moment too soon.

Across the state, rising water is already flooding homes. Major roads, utility lines and other critical infrastructure are dangling ever closer to the sea. At least $8 billion in property could be underwater by 2050, with an additional $10 billion at risk during high tides. In just the next decade, the ocean could rise more than half a foot  with heavy storms and cycles of El Nino projected to make things even worse.

Legislative analysts, in an urgent report, recently made the case that any action  or lack of action  within the next 10 years could determine the fate of the California coast. All told, more than $150 billion in property across the state could be at risk of flooding by 2100 if business continues as usual and global temperatures continue to rise.

The future of Californias coast is in jeopardy ... Now is not the time to drown out scientists or put our heads in the sand, said California Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat whose extensive measure, SB-1, clarifies legal and bureaucratic obstacles that have often made large-scale planning a nonstarter.

The bill, supported by seven co-authors, also proposes a significant amount of money: $100 million each year for sea level rise adaptation, plus additional funding specifically earmarked for coastal communities that are disproportionately burdened by industrialization and pollution.

Its easy to ignore the problem in front of you until it is a crisis, Atkins said. But if we dont act now, taxpayers, homeowners, businesses, local communities and the state will face massive losses in just a few short years.

But what exactly this action looks like  and who pays and who benefits  remains a tough balancing act. There are only so many ways to protect critical infrastructure, homes, beaches and entire communities from the rising sea, and each option comes with sacrifices and its own set of controversies.

Take seawalls, for example. While effective in protecting beachfront homes and infrastructure in the short term, they disrupt the erosion and natural replenishment of sand  drowning beaches until they narrow or vanish altogether.

Managed retreat  relocating properties and critical infrastructure far enough from the coast to make room for the next few decades of sea level rise  has also been fraught. This option often pencils out as the most cost-effective and forward-thinking  but the logistical challenges of translating short-term interests (preserving property values) into long-term planning (getting out of harms way before the water arrives) has been a political quagmire.

One creative idea that has recently emerged is a revolving-loan program introduced by state Sen. Ben Allen, a Santa Monica Democrat. Senate Bill 83 essentially proposes giving local governments the ability to buy up properties at risk of falling into the ocean in the next decade or two  and then rent them at market value to recoup the costs. When the time comes, the city could then demolish the property and perhaps restore the land as a public park or some form of natural protection from the sea.

This voluntary program would give homeowners the chance to move on their own terms  and sell their beachfront properties while they still have value. Taxpayers, in turn, wont be burdened with the shocking costs of cleaning up after an emergency. Studies show that society as a whole saves $6 in avoided costs for every $1 spent to acquire or demolish flood-prone buildings before disaster hits.

We dont want this to be a net loss to taxpayers. In some cases it could even be a gain ... The whole idea of this proposal is: It pays itself off because were getting on top of this early, Allen said. Think about the cost and lives that couldve been saved if California had taken more action decades ago to better mitigate against the threat of todays wildfires.

Much of this is uncharted. Allen and his staff did not have any case studies to model this program after, so they consulted researchers at UCLA, coastal planners, as well as their colleagues in Sacramento  who helped refine the details of the bill through legislative hearings this year. The proposal so far has received bipartisan support and no registered opposition.

If passed by the full legislature this month, the bill will head to Gov. Gavin Newsoms desk for final approval.

Longtime experts in the climate adaptation field have been following these discussions with great interest. This years proposals mark a fundamental shift in the oft-held view that responding to sea level rise is a one-time action, rather than an ongoing process that requires bigger-picture planning with the community, said A.R. Siders, who has been studying managed retreat and its equity implications at the University of Delawares Disaster Research Center.

How do you navigate that middle space where people dont need to move today, but they will need to move eventually? So many places have been trying to figure out this transition, Siders said. Thats where everyones struggling  and thats where I think this lease-back plan is a really interesting one. It has the potential to really help people figure out that middle space.

Sara Aminzadeh, a commissioner on the California Coastal Commission, said all the legislation this year felt like a major turning point. For the past 10 or so years, the (relatively few) sea level rise bills that have popped up have largely focused on studying the problem, understanding the science and gathering more information to put on a central website.

Now, in addition to the buy-and-rent-back proposal and SB-1, which creates a framework for agencies across the state to work together on more unified goals, other bills this year include measures to improve regional planning, developing an early warning system for coastal landslides, and reducing costly barriers to nature-based adaptation projects. There has also been much discussion with the governors office on how to dedicate more of the state budget to building coastal resilience.

Were seeing some really significant reforms. ... Were no longer merely trying to wall ourselves against the rising sea, and saying: How long can we stick this out? Aminzadeh said. Were thinking in a more fundamental way about the things that we care about as Californians  and how to ensure a future in which we still have beaches and coastal parks and access for all.

Ultimately, the success of any of these proposals depends on the details  and whether theyre implemented in a fair and equitable way.

For Charles Lester, who has been pushing for more substantive sea level rise planning for more than a decade  first as the executive director of the Coastal Commission, and now as director of UC Santa Barbaras Ocean and Coastal Policy Center  these increasingly focused discussions have been encouraging.

The legislation shows that we understand that adaptation will cost a lot, but that it is an important investment that society needs to make, he said, noting that many costs  and priorities on where to invest this new infusion of funding  still need to be worked out.

This is just the beginning, he said, of what will be a huge undertaking for many decades to come.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP)  A ranch in Southern Oregons Illinois Valley this week as part of an investigation into illegal cannabis cultivation, human trafficking and forced labor, law enforcement said.

The raid was part of a larger probe that began with the death of a man from a different suspected illegal cannabis farm in Cave Junction, Jefferson Public Radio reported.

In that case, the man was driven to a gas station in critical condition and left there, according to the Josephine County Sheriff's department. The man died in an ambulance. Within two days, that farm had been harvested, and the workers had moved to the Illinois Valley ranch raided this week, Sheriff Dave Daniel said.

Weve heard of the threat of harm to your family," if people don't go with them, Daniel said.

The Josephine County Sheriffs department was joined in the raid of the large-scale operation by 16 other state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.

The agencies seized ten firearms and $140,000 in cash this week, authorities said, in addition to destroying more than 72,000 cannabis plants, 6,000 pounds of processed cannabis and 373 greenhouses.

Officers found workers living in squalid conditions, according to the sheriff. The workers denied that they had been trafficked, Daniel said. The Department of Homeland Security offered victim services to the workers, but all turned the services down, Daniel said.

No arrests have been made.
CHICAGO (AP)  The Republican leader of the Illinois Senate says he has a breakthrough case of COVID-19 and is suffering mild symptoms.

Sen. Dan McConchie of Lake Zurich said in a statement Saturday that he was vaccinated against the virus this spring, and he urged others to be vaccinated.
FAIRFAX, Va. (AP)  A judge has dismissed a petition effort launched by parents angered over pandemic-related school closures seeking to remove a northern Virginia school board member from her post.

Fairfax County Judge Richard Gardiner dismissed the petition Friday after a special prosecutor, Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorney James Hingeley, recommended its dismissal.
MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (AP)  A Kentucky judge with a history of errors involving a defendant's right to a fair trial was ordered on Friday to reconsider his actions last year against a man who claimed not to have seen key evidence in his case, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

The Kentucky Court of Appeals said Bell Circuit Court Judge Robert Costanzo erred by not taking seriously James Burchfield's request to withdraw his guilty plea. Burchfield had been charged by Middlesboro police in 2017 with driving under the influence, failure to signal, fleeing or evading police, possession of a controlled substance and persistent felony offender.

Burchfield pleaded guilty but later learned that a blood test after his arrest failed to show proof of intoxication, according to the appellate court decision. Burchfield said he would not have pleaded guilty had he known about the results. He is trying to get a commercial drivers license to work as a truck driver, and a DUI conviction makes that impossible.

At a final sentencing hearing on March 31, 2020, Costanzo told Burchfield he could not withdraw his plea. The judge sentenced Burchfield to six months in jail and five months on probation. On Friday, the Court of Appeals ordered Costanzo to vacate his final judgment in the case and reconsider Burchfields motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

In 2019, the Court of Appeals chided the same judge for ordering a poor, mentally ill man to serve as his own defense lawyer during a jury trial, over the defendants loud protests. The jury convicted that man on a firearms charge after just 20 minutes of deliberation and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Defendants have a right to counsel, the appeals court reminded Costanzo in their order reversing his decision. That same year, the Court of Appeals reversed Costanzo for a separate case involving criminal defendants representing themselves in his courtroom.

In another decision, this past May, the Court of Appeals sent back a different case to Costanzo after Steven Turner said his lawyer failed to explain that his prison sentences would run consecutively, one after the other, and not concurrently. Costanzo denied Turners request for an ineffective counsel hearing, but the appeals court ordered him to hold the hearing.

Speaking by telephone on Friday, Costanzo said he is comfortable with his actions in Burchfield's case.

I went through all of the colloquy with him about how he was making this guilty plea freely and voluntarily, Costanzo said.

Burchfields lawyer for his appeal, Steven Buck of the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy in Frankfort, praised Fridays decision.

Were happy. This is the appropriate remedy, Buck said. This whole opinion is about protecting the process around making the plea decision.
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP)  A Shreveport nurse has garnered national attention for her tearful plea for others to get vaccinated.

Following a social media post, Felicia Croft has become one of the many public voices encouraging people to be vaccinated.

It all stems from a three-minute video diary entry that her administrators had asked their staff to do.

They asked a few times for little videos, some statements, but I never do it, I never shared my feelings. Im just not that kind of person, Croft said.

But that particular Wednesday, after an emotionally hard day at work, she drove to a fast-food restaurant to grab a bite to eat. She felt that God was telling her now was the time to share.

It was an unplanned, unscripted declaration of raw emotions that accumulated from her continuous work during the pandemic.

I cant explain the feeling of defeat when you do everything, you pour everything into a patient and its not enough. And then to know that they could have been vaccinated and it could have made a difference, Croft says at the end of the video.

Croft sees a difference in the Delta variant compared to the first waves of the pandemic. The people who are coming in are younger. It seems like more and more of the people coming to the hospital are closer to my age, said Croft, who is 34.

When the parents of one of her daughters friends were both in the hospital, both very sick, Croft realized that their 14-year-old could be an orphan.

I cannot even explain how that feels, Croft emotionally said in the video when thinking about potentially having the conversation with her own daughter about not being able to save her friends parents.

At work she sees both vaccinated and unvaccinated people come in sick. However, there are far more unvaccinated.

We have seen people that have been vaccinated but they usually go home to raise their kids and to hug their husbands or wives, Croft says in the video.

But Croft understands first-hand the reluctance over the vaccine: I was one of the last people to get vaccinated in my group because I wanted to know more. I had questionshow do we know we can trust this?

She did a lot of research and prayed about it. She firmly believes that God is never taken by surprise.

My God has a helicopter view, the more I researched the more I felt God started laying the foundation for this vaccine in the 1980s because he knew this was coming, Croft said.

For those still reluctant she suggests that people talk to their doctors, use scholarly resources when researching and pray about it.

Croft is overwhelmed by the response to her video which has accumulated millions of views across multiple platforms.

Who in the world wouldve thought this little, small-town girl from Haughton, Louisiana, would be on an international platform.

For Croft, who wakes up every day and says This is going to be a great day, the pandemic has been a challenge.

It has also reinforced what her grandfather once told her when she was a young adult. After seeing her take care of a dying relative he said, If you dont go into healthcare, you will miss your calling.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  A southwest Louisiana wildlife refuge will be closed for alligator harvest every morning from Sept. 1 through Sept. 6.

The Rockefeller Wildlife Refuges recreational areas will be open to the public from noon until sunset on those days, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said in a news release Thursday.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A Las Vegas man who once escaped from North Las Vegas police handcuffs while he was being questioned in a fast-food restaurant slaying pleaded guilty Friday to three murders in a plea deal that will get him life in prison without parole.

Alonso Perez also pleaded guilty to several other crimes dating to 2016, including armed robbery, attempted murder, battery, theft and conspiracy, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Few of the students in a welding class at William Blount High School on Monday, Aug. 16, thought they were creative, but within an hour each had crafted a piece of metal artwork.

Sean Rose of Rose Metal Works came from Indiana to the Sparks Car Show in Sevierville last weekend but stayed to give hands-on lessons to teacher Bruce Suddarths students throughout the day.

Rose brought his 1975 Chevy Luv truck, his own Mittler Brothers bead roller and a set of step and stencil dies for William Blounts machine, courtesy of Bill Baltikas, organizer of the Camp N Drag show in Indiana.

This is his passion, Suddarth said as Rose showed the students in his final class on Monday how to find the sweet spot on the metal panels. Over the day Rose worked with about 50 students in three classes, and Suddarth saw the inspiration sparked in them.

SPREADIN THE LUV

Bead rolling has a functional purpose in repairing and restoring vehicles, and that was Roses initial interest, to work on a 1975 Chevy Luv truck with his father-in-law, David Labs.

Within six months in 2015, however, he lost his wife, Sarah, to breast cancer and her father to a heart attack.

Bead rolling was where I could express myself, Rose said.

For a long time he gave away or sold everything he made, but hes kept enough now to show the students at William Blount images including a koi with scales formed on the bead roller, a pineapple, cartoon and pop culture images, and one of the three breeds of dogs he has crafted so far.

Each panel I do helps me grow, said Rose, who has a full-time job in addition to his work with Rose Metal Works.

This year he also gained nonprofit status for his Spreadin the Luv organization, which honors his wife by raising money to help women with breast cancer.

The first recipient was 12 years old who needed a double mastectomy, Rose said. This year at the Southeast Mini Truckin Nationals in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, the charity raised $25,000.

ROLLING ALONG

During the car show Saturday, Aug. 14, in Sevierville, William Blount junior Bryson Yates watched Rose work for more than an hour, asked questions and said he could have watched for two more hours if he had time. Rose gave Bryson the skull design he had been forming that day.

At the school, Brysons hand was first up to take a turn on the bead roller. After completing the R design each student made to practice straight and curved lines, he already was thinking about crafting something to honor the 134th Air Refueling Wing with his father.

When Suddarth first connected with Rose, he was hoping the metal worker might speak to his students over Zoom, but Rose wanted to come in person.

I have been looking forward to this for months, Rose said, adding that he would have a huge grin the entire eight-hour trip back to Indiana.

If you can help someone, help them, he said.
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Miami Beach police officers are no longer enforcing a new law that critics believe has emboldened officers to arrest bystanders using their phones to film police on duty.

The department announced Thursday that it had suspended the law last month following a series a controversial arrests, the Miami Herald reported.

The local ordinance, which the city commission passed unanimously on June 23, makes it a crime to stand within 20 feet (about six meters) of officers with the intent to impede, provoke or harass them.

Chief Richard Clements ordered the local law's enforcement to be suspended on July 26, police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said. The temporary stoppage will allow for officers to receive additional training, Rodriguez said.

Arrest data provided by the police shows that 13 people have been arrested under the ordinance. At least eight of those arrests were of people who had been video recording officers. All 13 were young Black men or women.

In the early morning hours of the day the ordinance was suspended, two men were arrested as they video recorded police officers at the Royal Palm Hotel in South Beach. One man was filming police as they repeatedly beat a handcuffed man accused of fleeing police after striking an officer with a scooter, officials said. The second man was arrested after filming officers as they waited outside the lobby to transport the first man to jail.

Prosecutors later dropped the charges against both men and filed misdemeanor batter charges against five police officers who had been at the scene.

A day before the hotel arrests, police pepper-sprayed and arrested a woman who had been filming a traffic stop in South Beach. The charge against the woman hasn't been dropped.
PLACERVILLE, Calif. (AP)  Crews were digging in and burning out fire lines amid another round of high winds Saturday contributed to the fury to a Northern California wildfire.

We have a firefight ahead of us and the wind today is going to make it very challenging," said Keith Wade, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

The Caldor Fire in the northern Sierra Nevada already destroyed dozens of homes, and authorities on Friday closed down a 46-mile (74-kilometer) stretch of Interstate 50, the main route between the state capital of Sacramento and Lake Tahoe on the Nevada state line.

The highway was closed after debris from the blaze fell onto the roadway and because of red flag warnings for 20- to 30-mph (32- to 48-kph) winds that by Saturday evening combined with continued extremely dry fuels will result in critical fire weather conditions in the vicinity of the Caldor Fire, the National Weather Service said.

The winds could gust to 40 mph (65 kph) Saturday.

The road is a key checkpoint as crews struggle against the fire, which erupted earlier this week and grew to 10 times its size in a few days, fueled by winds.

Were going to invest everything we can into holding the fire south" of the road, said Eric Schwab, an operations section chief with Cal Fire.

Firefighters made progress on the fires western side and burned vegetation to starve it of fuel and prevent the flames from heading into the evacuated community of Pollock Pines. On the northeast side, crews were protecting cabins in the dense forest area, fire officials said.

The Caldor Fire had now devoured about 130 square miles (310 square kilometers) as of Saturday and more than 1,500 firefighters were battling it amid heavy timber and rugged terrain.

The blaze was one of about a dozen large California wildfires that have scorched Northern California, incinerating at least 700 homes alone in and around the Sierra Nevada communities of Greenville and Grizzly Flats.

The fires, mainly in the northern part of the state, have burned nearly 1.5 million acres, or roughly 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers) and have sent smoke as far as the East Coast. They were burning in grass, brush and forest that is exceptionally dry from two years of drought likely exacerbated by climate change.

Thousands of homes remained under threat in communities tucked away in scenic forests and tens of thousands of people remain under evacuation orders.

Nine national forests in the region have been closed because of the fire threat.

To the northwest of the Caldor Fire, the massive Dixie Fire kept expanding and new evacuations were ordered, including the tiny hamlet of Taylorsville. In five weeks, the fire about 175 miles (282 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco has become the second-largest in state history and blackened an area twice the size of Los Angeles.

Weather forecasts call for a storm system that will bring winds but little rain through Northern California into early next week. With it will come increased risks of fires. Dozens have erupted in recent days but were quickly stamped out.

An exception was the Cache Fire, a small but fast-moving grass blaze that ravaged at least 56 homes and virtually annihilated a mobile home park.

Some of those forced to flee the flames had to leave their pets behind.

Emily Crum, an animal control officer with North Bay Animal Services, got a surprise as she searched for abandoned pets in the Clearlake area.

She spotted a black dog in a charred lot.

I saw her laying there. I thought she was dead, Crum said. Then she started wagging her tail.

Despite being chained to a boat trailer, the mutt named Sammy had not been injured, Crum said.

Cats, goats and chickens also were rescued.

California is one of a dozen mostly Western states where 99 large, active fires were burning as of Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Fires have intensified across the entire West, creating a nearly year-round season that has taxed firefighters. Fire patterns used to migrate in seasons from the Southwest to the Rockies, to the Pacific Northwest and then California, allowing fire crews to move from one place to the next, said Anthony Scardina, deputy regional forester for the U.S. Forest Service.

But the problem is all of those seasons are starting to overlap, Scardina said.
SPRING VALLEY, Nev. (AP)  Near a remote stretch of U.S. Highway 50 between Ely and Great Basin National Park, tribal people for years have been on the defensive in a fight to protect an unusual stand of sacred trees.

The groves of cone-bearing evergreens  known as Bahsahwahbee in Shoshone and swamp cedars by non-Native speakers  have been recognized as a ceremonial site and memorial to American Indian victims of 19th century massacres carried out by soldiers and vigilantes.

This is where our people were killed, Rupert Steele, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation, told the Reno Gazette Journal. And those trees there? Theyre being fertilized by those that died there.

But now  months after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed a law making it illegal for anyone without a permit to cut down the Rocky Mountain junipers  tribes are on the offensive in a push to get federal protection for Bahsahwahbee as a national monument.

We look at it as a monument, Steele said. Let those trees die naturally. Dont let them suffer the fate my people did. They got massacred. If they do go in and cut the trees out, that will be history repeating itself.

WHAT ARE SWAMP CEDARS? WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

In the Spring Valley, the soil and water near ground level nurture the trees where tribal people gather to celebrate and pray.

The trees themselves  Rocky Mountain juniper  are an anomaly. Typically, the species grows on dry mountainsides. But in Spring Valley, the trees provide shelter from wind and sun on the valley floor.

In 2017, tribes applied for and received National Park Service recognition to declare it a traditional cultural property. The application included documentation of massacres in the area in 1859, 1863 and 1897.

Hundreds of people were said to have been killed in the 1859 incident  placing it among the deadliest massacres in U.S. history. Tribal members see the trees as a living connection to the people who were killed.

Its a place to celebrate, sing and pray to honor those lost.

Everything has a spirit: Each plant. Each bush. Each tree has their own spirit, and they have a lot of power, Steele said.

So when I go down there, I sit down, sing some songs. These are songs that are from here. I know they sang the same songs Im singing back then. So I make sure I sing those same songs and be happy with them. It gives me a good feeling and it uplifts me to faces the challenges that we face every day, so thats why its important that those trees remain in place.

KILLING FIELDS

As non-native people moved here in the 19th century, mining, livestock grazing, settlement and transportation networks pushed the Shoshone away from their traditional resources  often with military force.

By the 1850s, as plants and game were depleted in the Great Basin, there were reports of mass starvation among native people.

Those tensions in the Spring Valley turned to violence.

History cited in Traditional Cultural Property application lays out three distinct massacres in the region.

The 1859 military attack killed as many as 525 to 700 Native people. Another military massacre in 1863 killed dozens more. The third massacre, in 1897 after the military had left, is thought to have been committed by local vigilantes.

Despite the historic scope of the cruelty against the Shoshone people, their story has gone largely unnoticed beyond Native communities and academics.

The 1859 massacre occurred outside the boundaries of the modern traditional cultural property, but the Shoshone view the swamp cedars as a memorial site for all three.

Much of what people know about the massacres came from interviews with Native people who passed the knowledge through oral history in their own communities.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE PIPELINE

Until last year, when the Southern Nevada Water Authority decided to indefinitely defer its pursuit of permits to pipe groundwater from rural Nevada to Las Vegas, the trees were caught in the crossfire of fights over development and conservation.

The pipeline project generated lawsuits and resistance from an unusual coalition of cattle ranchers, Mormon landowners and members of the Ely and Duckwater Shoshone tribes concerned about preserving the groundwater that sustains the swamp cedars.

The shelved proposal would have connected water in Spring Valley by 250 miles of pipeline to Las Vegas, where it would fuel development and back up the dwindling supply from the Colorado River.

It would also, according to Shoshone people and scientists who have studied the plan, deprive the trees of water and sever a timeless connection between the living and dead.

For Southern Nevada officials looking for water to send toward Las Vegas, protections of the swamp cedars could cripple efforts to revive the pipeline if they reverse course and decide the region needs it.

LOOKING FOR HELP IN D.C.

In May, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed a law making it illegal for people to destroy  either willfully or due to negligence  swamp cedars without state permits and directing the state to protect the groves.

The Nevada Legislature also passed a resolution urging the U.S. Congress to protect the evergreens by creating a national monument or adding the region to Great Basin National Park.

But getting national monument designation will take help for tribes from the outside, according Monte Sanford, a researcher who compiled the traditional cultural property application and works with tribes.

To get anything done in Washington, D.C., takes a lot of effort, a lot of time and a lot of money, Sanford said. A national monument designation is a presidential thing.

A letter was sent to Deb Haaland, the first Native American to head the Interior Department as Cabinet secretary, to get a meeting to talk about Native issues such as protecting the swamp cedars, according to Steele.

We havent firmed up a date yet, Steel said. Were working with the state to see if we can have a state rep there with us, too.

OUR RELATIVES ARE STILL THERE

Delaine Spilsbury, an Ely Shoshone elder, is a major figure among people working to protect the trees for future generations.

When she was a teenager, the 84-year-old learned the Spring Valley serves as a living memorial to the massacres. It wasnt until later in her life that she learned she had a personal connection to the 1897 massacre.

Her grandmother, Mamie Swallow, was one of two little girls who survived the incident.

The girls  Swallow and Annie Jack  hid in a ditch. When they returned, everyone was mutilated and dead.

The girls escaped and kept the story from dying among the cedars where Spilsbury would later gather with family, eat pine nuts and pray.

Our relatives are still there, because there was no one there to pick them up and haul them off to a cemetery, she said. Their bodies are in those trees.

Now as a board member for the Great Basin Water Network, the coalition group that led the fight against the Las Vegas pipeline project, shes pushing to get that unusual stand of trees forever protected.

Federal protection is bigger, badder and meaner, Spilsbury said. The more protection we have, the better off were going to be because there is water involved.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  New Mexicos mask and vaccine requirements are drawing more fire from parents and officials as the school year begins and as COVID-19 cases continue to climb despite vaccination efforts.

Members of the public spoke to the Las Cruces school board for more than an hour this week, with most parents railing against the districts masking policy.

In Carlsbad, citizens and elected officials demanded that the school district fight for control and do away with mask and vaccine requirements.

There are similar concerns in Albuquerque, Aztec and in Torrance County, where commissioners recently passed a resolution supporting local control and the authority of school boards to make decisions in the best interest of their students, staff and parents.

The school board that represents the rural district in Floyd already has been suspended by the state Public Education Department for not going along with state guidelines, and the legal fight that has ensued is having ripple effects around the state.

Given the recent actions in Floyd and blatant disregard for the authority of elected officials, the commission felt it was time to step in and voice our support for local leaders who  unlike their Santa Fe counterparts  absolutely have our kids' best interests at heart, Torrance County Commission Chairman Ryan Schwebach said following approval of a resolution earlier this week.

The commission also created a legal fund to help the Estancia school board fight to retain constitutional and legal authority after it voted to allow parents, students and teachers to choose whether to wear masks while attending in-person classes.

The Public Education Department and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham have argued that the guidelines are aimed at protecting children who are not yet eligible for the vaccine. The Democratic governor said during a briefing this week that the tough but necessary decisions will help curb the spread of the virus.

Despite the state's vaccination efforts, cases are on the rise in New Mexico, just as they are nationally. State officials have warned that daily case totals could surpass 1,000 later this month.

Members of the public spoke to the Las Cruces schools board for more than an hour Tuesday, the Las Cruces Sun-News reported.

Jenna Emerick, a mother of a 7-year-old, said she had a hard time not crying while picking up her daughter from school, seeing her in a mask.

Forcing kids to wear masks causes stress in them. For our family, the stress was not worth the benefits, said Emerick, who now home-schools her daughter.

Parents, citizens and officials recently gathered outside school district offices as the Carlsbad school board held a virtual meeting, the Carlsbad Current-Argus reported. The crowd demanded that the district fight for control.

The board passed a resolution asking the Public Education Department to recognize and enhance authority.

The NM PED may be restricting local school board management of local school districts in a one-size-fits-all manner that may ultimately result in the elimination of school districts being managed locally and managed in a manner that reflects local community needs, the resolution states.

The Aztec school board in northwestern New Mexico also has passed a resolution in support of the decision-making authority of school boards, the Farmington Daily Times reported.

Aztec Superintendent Kevin Summers told the newspaper that state education decisions are not one-size-fits-all, noting that what might work for Albuquerque might not work for Aztec or Taos.
PAHRUMP, Nev. (AP)  A sheriff's official in Nevada reported Friday that a melee last weekend involving young people at a residential psychiatric treatment facility seriously injured one staff member and two juveniles who escaped were found the next morning about 45 miles away.

Nye County sheriffs Lt. Adam Tippetts called the late Aug. 15 disturbance at the state-licensed Never Give Up Youth Healing Center in Amargosa Valley a riot and mass escape attempt involving 84 young people fighting with staff members.
BOSTON (AP)  Taliban websites that delivered the victorious insurgents official messages to Afghans and the world at large in five languages went offline abruptly Friday, indicating an effort to try to squelch them.

It is not immediately clear, though, why the sites in the Pashto, Urdu, Arabic, English and Dari languages went offline Friday. They had been shielded by Cloudflare, a San Francisco-based content delivery network and denial-of-service protection provider.

Cloudflare has not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on the development, which was first reported by The Washington Post. The Cloudflare shield prevents the public from knowing who exactly hosts the sites.

Also Friday, the popular encrypted messaging service WhatsApp removed a number of Taliban groups, according to Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online extremism.

The websites disappearance may just be temporary as the Taliban secures new hosting arrangements. But the reported removal of the WhatsApp groups followed the banning of Taliban accounts by Facebook, the services parent company, on Tuesday after the U.S.-backed Afghan government fell to the Taliban.

WhatsApp spokesperson Danielle Meister did not confirm the removal but referred The Associated Press to a statement the company issued earlier this week saying it was obligated to adhere to U.S. sanctions laws. This includes banning accounts that appear to represent themselves as official accounts of the Taliban.

Katz said via email that she hoped the removal of the Taliban websites is just a first step to diminishing its online presence.

Unlike the Taliban of 20 years ago that the U.S. drove from power in Afghanistan, today's Taliban is immensely media savvy and its online infrastructure inspires and mobilizes" al-Qaida and other extremist Islamist factions, said Katz.

Tech companies should do what they can to get ahead of this problem as soon as possible, as the groups online presence is stoking a newly emboldened jihadi movement worldwide, she added.

Twitter has not removed Taliban accounts and the group's spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has more than 300,000 followers there. The company indicated Tuesday that as long as such accounts observe its rules  including not inciting or glorifying violence  they will remain up.

Like Facebook, Google's YouTube considers the Taliban a terrorist organization and prohibits it from operating accounts.

The Taliban is not on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations, but the U.S. has imposed sanctions on it.
BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (AP)  A Rhode Island police officer opened fire at a man pointing a gun at him, prompting an investigation by the state attorney general's office, authorities said.

Three officers responded to a home in Burrillville at about 11 p.m. Friday after the family of a 40-year-old man said he was intoxicated, armed, and refusing to leave a shed, according to a statement from Burrillville Chief Stephen Lynch.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A private college in South Carolina is allowing men to live on campus for the first time since it was founded 167 years ago.

About 45 men moved into a dorm set aside for them at Columbia College on Thursday, media outlets reported.

College officials said last year they decided to bring men to what had been an all women's college because enrollment had fallen 25% in the past decade.

Most women now are looking for a co-educational experience. Also, we really believe the opportunity that we provide and the environment we have is a good one for men to grow. And so its expanding our outreach to men of course but also to a broader group of women," said Columbia College President Tom Bogart, who took over as leader of the school in October.

Jordan Wright was one of the first men to move into the Columbia College dorms.

I feel like its a good experience, Wright said. Its a new beginning and new blessings. I know its a little different now, but I feel like everything is still going to go good with the boys and girls, even though its a new thing."
LAPLACE, La. (AP)  Traffic through LaPlace down La. 628 passes an unassuming two-story white house with a tin roof and green-accented shutters. Surrounded by trees, and with an inviting front stairway and a porch big enough for an extended family to sip sweet tea and people-watch, the house is charming  but it probably wouldnt be cause to pump the brakes.

However, this is exactly what John McCusker, founder and managing director of the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House, hopes passersby will do, with the goal of educating themselves about two significant events in Black American history that occurred on the premises: the 1811 German Coast slave uprising, and the birth of jazz trombonist Edward Kid Ory.

I want young people, and old, in this parish to be able to come here and see the courage, creativity, the improvisation, the innovation that their ancestors brought to this place, said McCusker, who has written a biography of the musician. St. John (Parish) is 2-to-1 Black majority for most of its history. There are a lot of stories there that havent been told.

Over 200 years ago, the 1811 House was the big house of Andry Plantation, where the largest revolt of enslaved people in American history originated. Visitors to the museum have the chance to stand in the dimly lit room complete with a mosquito netting bed and era-appropriate furniture where blood was first shed on Jan. 8, 1811.

The Andry room challenges museumgoers to place themselves in that pivotal moment in American history when the enslaved man Charles Deslondes and his freedom fighters attacked and wounded Manuel Andry, owner of the plantation.

Deslondes and his followers pushed on, gathering supporters from other plantations until their numbers reached the hundreds. But without guns, the insurgents were halted and captured in present-day Kenner when they encountered the U.S. military. The militia tortured and killed Deslondes. Other rebels were executed after a tribunal at the Andry Plantation.

Fast forward seven decades, and Kid Ory was born on Christmas Day 1886 in the same slave quarters, by then the homes of tenant farmers, where the 1811 freedom fighters chose liberty or death.

Ory grew up working on what was then known as the Woodland Plantation, driving a mule and buggy to bring food and water to planters working the fields. (The mule has its own exhibit at the 1811 House for its role in shaping rural Louisiana.)

Ory got serious about music as a teenager, and during his first trip to New Orleans in 1905, he bought a trombone with his money from that years plantation harvest. While testing his new instrument, Ory was discovered by Buddy Bolden, one of the pioneers of jazz.

By 1910, Ory lived in New Orleans full time and became one of the most in-demand jazz musicians of the 1910s, playing with the likes of Joseph King Oliver and Louis Armstrong.

The Historic Houses Ory room includes makeshift banjos made from cigar boxes, Orys first instrument as a child in rural Louisiana. There are vintage Ory records that can be played on McCuskers personal collection of phonographs.

The centerpiece of the exhibit, however, is Orys valve trombone. Encased in glass and lit from beneath to give it a divine, glowing look, the trombone is a work of superb craftsmanship and a fitting instrument for a master of the art.

For more than 100 years, the historic home belonged to descendants of John L. Ory, a distant cousin of Kid Ory. But it fell into disrepair around the time Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. In March 2017, Timothy Sheehan purchased the property and began fixing it up with his father.

I left the real estate closing office  closed with eight Ory family members  in the city at 2 p.m. and went straight to LaPlace with a carload of tools and a sleeping bag. Me and my dad camped out for the long weekend as they started working on the building, said Sheehan.

Eventually, Sheehan enlisted the help of architects and carpenters who were experts in restoring old houses, one of whom also knew McCusker and was familiar with his 2012 biography of Kid Ory, Creole Trombone: Kid Ory and the Early Years of Jazz. This mutual friend put the two men in touch, and they eventually agreed to a business deal that would see Sheehan retain ownership of the property but allow McCusker to curate a museum inside.

Since then, McCusker and Charlotte Jones, the operations and programming manager at the Historic House, have turned a place that was once a site of agony and unimaginable horrors for Black people into a space that uplifts and shares their legacy. The house that was built with slave labor is now home to their stories.

Theres a morality involved in this for me because I know my entitlement. I know the advantages that Ive had being the son of a white Southern family thats been in Louisiana for 250 years, said McCusker. Maybe thats starry-eyed, but I did (create the museum), and I hope to share it with anyone that wants to come here.

Though America still lives in the long shadow of slavery and racial oppression, McCusker does not believe that the ghosts of the past should scare us. Instead, they should inspire us to be better.

In March, just a month after the 1811 House opened in February, students from Emily C. Watkins Elementary School came to visit.

As a tour guide for 25 years, I enjoy telling stories for people and having a conversation, McCusker said. But to see 70 kids from Emily Watkins coming down the river road, escorted by the police to come learn about their ancestors history, when theyre walking on the very ground that Charles Deslondes walked on, what a responsibility, said McCusker. But how rewarding it was to see all these faces in this house. ... To be able to tell them every step they take at their school, theyre in the footsteps of the first person in this parish to fight for their humanity. You cant put a price on that.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Guards, janitors, administrators and other California corrections personnel who don't provide health care services directly but who may be exposed to the coronavirus will now be required to get vaccinated under a new state public health order released this week.

The public health order issued Thursday builds upon an earlier order requiring that an estimated 2.2 million healthcare workers in California, whether private or public employees, be fully vaccinated by the end of September. Workers cannot opt out by agreeing to weekly testing.

The latest order, involving prisons, jails and other detention facilities, requires people who provide health care services to inmates, prisoners or detainees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 14. That also includes persons not directly involved in delivering health care, but who could be exposed to infectious agents that can be transmitted in the health care setting, such as correctional officers, maintenance workers and laundry staff.

It's unclear how many people this will affect. Neither Californias Department of Public Health nor the state's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation could provide more details Friday. The office of Gov. Gavin Newsom did not respond to an email seeking more information.

Previously, the governor announced vaccination requirements involving state workers and school employees.

Even union leaders were in the dark. Glen Stailey, president of the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, said through spokesman Nathan Ballard on Friday that the union is awaiting CDCR's plan for implementation of the order and the impact to our members.

The union represents about 28,000 officers and has pledged to fight any vaccination requirements.

More private employers and governments are requiring employees to be vaccinated amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, delaying plans for people to return to the office and jeopardizing in-person schooling. The mandates offer exemptions for people who decline because of a religious belief or qualifying medical reason.

In California, Newsom announced that state workers and all teachers must prove they are vaccinated against COVID-19, but they can choose to be tested frequently instead. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, all city employees, including police and firefighters, must get vaccinated without a testing option.

Contra Costa County, in the San Francisco Bay Area, announced last week it would require first responders to verify they are fully vaccinated or test weekly for the virus.

In Southern California, Orange County has issued a strong recommendation for emergency medical technicians, paramedics and home health care providers to be fully vaccinated by the end of September or undergo twice weekly coronavirus testing, said Dr. Clayton Chau, the countys health officer.

This is a strong recommendation, not a mandate, Chau said. Our belief is these colleagues of ours are actually touching really high-risk citizens, residents in Orange County.

Also Friday, San Francisco became the first major U.S. city to require proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for people dining inside restaurants, working out in gyms or attending indoor concerts.

___

Associated Press writer Amy Taxin in Orange County contributed to this report.
OXFORD, Miss. (AP)  Two Mississippi concert venues are now requiring guests to provide proof they've been vaccinated against COVID-19 or show negative test results.

The Lyric and Proud Larrys in Oxford announced this week they would implement the requirements, The Oxford Eagle reported. Lyric general manager Lindsay Dillon-Maginnis said the regulations have been a trend nationwide for music festivals.

Promoters who have been in our line of work, we could see the storm coming," Maginnis told the newspaper. "It was more when are we going to announce it to the public rather than, Do we have to do this? You could see the writing in the tea leaves.

Not every venue in Mississippi is following suit. Entertainer Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit announced Friday that they would pull out of a show at the Brandon Amphitheater scheduled for October. Isbell said the venue would not require that attendees show proof of vaccination or a negative test.

Unfortunately, the powers that be were not willing to comply with the bands updated Health and Safety standards, a statement from Southeastern Records read.

Maginnis said there has been overwhelmingly large majority of support for the policy. Since implementing it, they've had fewer than 1% of ticket holders request a refund, Maginnis said.

I think what people see online or what you see in comments is vitriolic or negative," Maginnis said. "But with those people, if you dig deeper, have no connection to the Lyric or Oxford or even Mississippi."

All but three of The Lyrics 16 booked shows for the fall, including the sold-out Black Keys show on Sept. 23, will require proof of vaccination or a negative test.

This wasnt our plan in July, or June. I cant even say that it was in the beginning of August, Maginnis said. As the delta variant has gotten worse and Mississippi has gotten more and more cases, were going to reevaluate our policy on Nov. 1 to see if the case count has gone down and where do we stand."
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP)  Some Vermont entertainment venues are asking visitors for proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to attend events.

Higher Ground in South Burlington and the Vermont Comedy Club in Burlington have announced such policies, and the coffee house, bar and music venue Radio Bean and the bar Three Needs, both in Burlington, enacted similar plans earlier this month, the Burlington Free Press reported.

Higher Ground is reopening on Tuesday for the first time in nearly 18 months.

Effective immediately, all patrons attending events at the live music venue will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test from the past 72 hours, along with a matching photo ID, according to a statement from the night spot last week. Proof of vaccination can be a physical vaccine card or a photo of a card.

Higher Ground founder and co-owner Alex Crothers said the safety of patrons, staff and artists is the top priority.

With the delta variant on the rise its become clear that this is an important safety measure to the touring artists who move from town to town every night. We hope this policy is short-lived, he said.

The venue said also it has installed an indoor air purification system to treat airborne viruses, bacteria and allergens.

___

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dartmouth College is slightly relaxing its mask policy at the same time as it deals with an increase in COVID-19 cases.

After seeing very few cases earlier in the summer, 11 students and 10 employees tested positive between Aug. 1 and Aug. 17, interim Provost David Kotz said during a community conversation Wednesday.

At least 19 of the 21 cases were in fully vaccinated individuals, he said. Some had no symptoms, while others had mild illnesses.

The college earlier this month began requiring masks in nearly all indoor settings. Kotz said the policy is being relaxed to allow students living on campus to remove their masks anywhere in their residences if they are vaccinated and have no symptoms. Also, two people who are vaccinated and have no symptoms can remove masks for one-on-one indoor meetings if both parties agree.

We know this policy is inconvenient, uncomfortable, and very disappointing after a month of relative freedom, he said. We feel the same way. Nonetheless, well be living with this virus for years to come, and we will continue to adapt as we better understand the risks and how to best balance the risks to the physical and mental health of everyone in our community.

___

MASSACHUSETTS

There is some good news on the pandemic front in Massachusetts  the amount of coronavirus in Boston area wastewater has been on the decline recently, according to the Cambridge-based company that monitors it.

Levels of coronavirus in the wastewater coming from both the northern section of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, which includes Boston, and the southern section declined for the four days ending Tuesday, The Boston Globe reported.

The pilot program tests for virus RNA copies per milliliter of wastewater at the MWRAs Deer Island treatment plant. The tests can serve as a warning system for surges in cases, authorities say.

Biobot Analytics has found that the amount of virus in the wastewater is correlated with newly diagnosed coronavirus cases four to 10 days later.

The state Department of Public Health on Friday reported 1,459 new confirmed coronavirus cases, the largest single-day increase since April.

The number of patients in the state's hospitals is also on the rise, at 467 as of Friday, up from 80 patients on July 4. The seven-day average of hospitalizations has more than quadrupled since early July.

___

RHODE ISLAND

In response to Hurricane Henri, Rhode Island is closing all state-run COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites on Sunday, the state Department of Health said in a statement.

The state will continue to monitor hurricane conditions and assess whether sites will reopen or remain closed on Monday.

People who had vaccination appointments for Sunday are being contacted directly with information about new appointments.

People who had testing appointments canceled will not need to make new appointments. They can go to the site where their appointment was scheduled with a print or screenshot of their confirmation notice, and they will be tested.

___

MAINE

Maine's seven-day average for new coronavirus cases and weekly positive test rate remained on the rise according to new data released Saturday by the state Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

With more than 200 new cases of COVID-19 reported Saturday, Maines seven-day average for new coronavirus cases is now more than 162 up from 50 a month ago.

The positive test rate up to 4.1% this week. It was at .045% six weeks ago.

The state also reported two more COVD-19 relate deaths Saturday, both men in their 80s from Penobscot County. The state's cumulative death toll is now 924.
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (AP)  A two-year investigation led to charges against a dozen people in Gwinnett County in connection with a string of burglaries targeting people of Asian descent, police said.

Since at least 2019 people targeting victims of Asian descent have forced their way into homes and then stolen money, jewelry and identification documents, Gwinnett police said in a news release Tuesday. Property with a total value of more than $2.1 million was stolen during about 200 burglaries.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  Two North Carolina men are accused of impersonating federal law enforcement officers, restraining a group of people inside a home and robbing it, authorities said.

The Forsyth County Drug Task Force said Freddie Wayne Huff II, 41, of Lexington and Rahain Antoine Deriggs, 27, of Jacksonville face multiple charges, including robbery with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping, the Winston-Salem Journal reported.
CZESTOCHOWA, Poland (AP)  Parades for LGBT rights took place under heavy police presence Saturday at the foot of Catholic Polands most revered monastery in Czestochowa, in the south, and in Gdansk, on the Baltic coast.

The massive police presence, which included officers on horseback, was seen as the factor that prevented any clashes with far-right groups, which shouted anti-LGBT slogans like No Homosexual Love at the marchers.

There had been previous cases of violence by far-right groups against Equality Parades in Poland, especially in Czestochowa, at the foot of Catholic Polands most revered 15th-century Jasna Gora Monastery.

The far-right groups have support from Polands right-wing, nationalist government, which stresses the nations historic attachment to traditional Catholic values.

Czestochowas 3rd Equality Parade was undisturbed Saturday even though far-right activists came from other cities to show their opposition to it.

This is a clear provocation, because LGBT circles have always been anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, you can even say. So their march in this direction, into the heart of the Polish nation, into the heart of Polish Catholicism, is an open provocation, Bartlomiej Czuchnowski, the 26-year-old head of a regional far-right youth organization in Opole, southwestern Poland, told The Associated Press.

A LGBT activist from Czestochowa, Monika Radecka, said each time she sees growing support for the human rights marches but added "still there is a large group that does not support them.

Whatever we, LGBT people, do is interpreted as a provocation, Radecka told the AP.

The march in Gdansk was attended by the city's mayor, Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, and by the ambassadors of some European Union countries.
SEATTLE (AP)  Washington Gov. Jay Inslees announcement of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for state workers comes at a time when the state ferry system is experiencing a severe staffing shortage.

KUOW reports that in an Aug. 13 notice, Washington State Ferries Chief of Staff Nicole McIntosh said there was an unprecedented 91 relief requests yesterday. She thanked the crew members who helped cover for their absent colleagues.

In response to the shortage, the agency cancelled sailings and went from two ferries on the Edmonds-Kingston and Clinton-Mukilteo routes to one. Washington State Ferries spokesperson Ian Sterling said staffing issues have been a chronic problem throughout the pandemic, but last week was as bad as its been, due to the labor shortage, due to people out with active Covid or having to quarantine.

He estimated there are currently six to seven active Covid cases and even more employees quarantining.

To have that many people out is a real challenge, Sterling said.

Inslee has issued a vaccine mandate that applies to most state workers - and those who are not fully vaccinated by Oct. 18 risk losing their jobs. Full vaccination means two weeks after a final dose, meaning workers need the final dose of either Pfizer or Moderna, or the one-shot dose of Johnson & Johnson by Oct. 4.

Captain Dan Twohig, the regional representative of the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, one of several unions representing ferry service workers, said last weeks staff shortages were an anomaly.

It was an unusual spike, I think, to the number of open jobs, but I couldnt really attribute it to anything in particular, he said. If people do leave their jobs over the vaccine mandate, he said, it will put additional pressure on the manning of the ships, but theres really no way to quantify it until it happens.

A coalition of unions representing Washington State Ferries employees started bargaining with state officials this week over the implementation of the vaccine mandate. Twohig said the unions agree that the mandate is legal and will go forward.

But he said federal law gives them the right to bargain any impacts to this change in workplace conditions.
BROOKFIELD, Vt. (AP) 

A small Vermont community is celebrating the 200th birthday of its iconic floating bridge.

The Brookfield Floating Bridge is the only one in the East and one of few such bridges in the country, WCAX-TV reported.

The current bridge is the eighth construction of the span across Sunset Lake.

The first bridge was built in 1820, made out of logs chained together. The bridge has been rebuilt over the years as needed and is no longer made out of logs. It closes in the winter.

Brookfield is celebrating the bridge's 200 years with displays around town with thousands of pictures of the bridge from the historical society.
HOPEWELL, Va. (AP)  A Virginia school system canceled classes Friday because of staffing shortages related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hopewell City Public Schools said it was forced to close all schools Friday because staffing had been severely hampered by COVID-19 cases and related quarantines.

Later Friday, the school district announced classes will resume on Monday. That decision was made after hundreds of staffers were tested Friday in coordination with the health department.

A school board meeting to discuss the situation is scheduled for Monday evening.

The Hopewell district, south of Richmond, serves more than 4,000 students. The majority are African American.
By Astrid Casimire

Bay City News Foundation

REDWOOD CITY (BCN)

The Daly City police officer who fatally shot 44-year-old San Francisco resident Roger Allen in April will not face criminal charges.

An investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office found that the use of force was "legally justifiable self-defense and defense of others," according to its news release on Friday.

Results of the investigation come more than four months after the April 7 shooting, when Daly City police shot Allen during a struggle over what turned out to be a replica gun. In the weeks after the shooting, advocates, community members and Allen's family marched in protest and questioned the police account of what happened.

According to police and the District Attorney's investigation, Officer Nicholas McCarthy first approached the truck where Allen was seated with two others, after seeing that it was pulled over with a damaged tire on Niantic Avenue.

During the encounter, three other officers - Detective Cameron Newton, Officer Rosa Brenes and Lt. Michael Brennan - arrived at the scene.

After asking the driver to exit the truck and asking Allen for identification, officers noticed that Allen held a replica gun, which they thought to be a real firearm at the time.

During a struggle to gain control of the gun, Newton fired two shots at Allen, one of which struck him in the chest. Allen later died at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The investigation included interviews with the officers at the scene, the two people who were in the truck with Allen, emergency responders and others.

In a letter addressed to Daly City's then-Acting Chief of Police John Gamez, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe wrote that at the time of the shooting, Allen's replica gun "reasonably appeared to everyone at the time...to be a real gun: it was of the same size, design, color, material and feel as a real 9 mm Glock handgun and was only discovered to be a replica when Lt. Brennan disarmed Mr. Allen and could closely inspect it."

"Lieutenant Brennan and Detective Newton reasonably believed they were in a struggle for their lives over control of a gun that, had it been real, could have been used to shoot both of them," Wagstaffe wrote.

There appears to be no video evidence or recordings of the incident, as police were not equipped with body cameras at the time, according to Wagstaffe. But Wagstaffe noted that a neighbor's nearby security camera picked up the sound of the gunshots.

Since then, Daly City's City Council has approved the purchase of body and vehicle cameras for police, which will soon be in use.

"In terms of criminal law, for us the case is now closed," Wagstaffe said in an interview on Friday.

Allen's sister Talika Fletcher said that what happened was not fair and that though the family is healing, they may move to sue Daly City.

"I'm at the point where you can forgive, but you won't forget," Fletcher said. "And my anger right now is towards how this system is and it's not fair."

She wanted people to know that everybody makes mistakes, and at the time of the shooting Allen was trying to make his life better for his family. Fletcher described Allen as the person who looked out for her since she was young.

"He always was my protector and now I have to be my protector for my son and my nephew," she said.

Allen's family is represented by civil rights attorney John Burris, who said he was not surprised at the findings of the investigation and will discuss with the family what to do next.

Burris said they did their own investigation and did not find any witnesses that contradicted the police's statement.

However, he pointed out the difference between a criminal and civil case.

"Just because no criminal charges were filed does not mean there were no civil rights violations," Burris said. "I'll read what the DA has to say then go from there to see whether or not civil rights violations are still relevant and present under the facts that exist."

Another independent investigation is also underway.

In July, Daly City hired Jordan Consulting and Investigations, a firm run by former Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan, to investigate the shooting and determine whether the officers violated the Police Department's use of force policies.

Though Wagstaffe believed his office had uncovered all the evidence in the case, he said they would be open to looking at new evidence if the independent investigation discovered any new facts.

A summary of District Attorney's investigation is available online at https://da.smcgov.org/sites/da.smcgov.org/files/blog/files/21-0407-03%20Daly%20City%20OICI%20Public%20Executive%20Summary.pdf.

Those wishing to view the complete investigative report can contact Chief Inspector William Massey of the District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations at bmassey@smcgov.org or (650) 363-4883.

Copyright  2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.

Copyright  2021 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Mario Perez/HBO

On Sunday night, HBO Maxs latest hit The White Lotus came to a dramatic close. There was murder, mayhem and, of course, rich white person entitlement.

Created and directed by Mike White of School of Rock fame, the show follows a group of wealthy tourists on a weeklong vacation to a luxury, high-end Hawaii resort.
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The Canadian federal government has announced that it will make vaccinations mandatory for federal employees and also for those working in some federally regulated industries related to travel.

The government intends to require vaccinations for federal employees by the end of September. It projects that vaccinations will be required in the federally regulated transportation sectorairlines, rail, cruise shipsby the end of October. The requirement will also apply to travelers.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada, which is the union representing the majority of impacted workers, is apparently on board with this move.

What About Those Who Aren't Vaccinated?

The government says that alternative measures will be put in place for those who are unable to be vaccinated. These measures could include testing and screening.

Being unable to be vaccinated is different than refusing to be vaccinated. This could mean that employees who refuse to get vaccinated without legitimate reason may lose their jobs. A legitimate reason for refusing vaccination would be one related to a health condition or a sincerely held religious belief. Employees with health conditions that don't allow them to be vaccinated would be entitled to accommodations, for example.

Are More Mandatory Vaccination Policies Coming?

Recent weeks have seen more companies moving toward mandatory vaccination. Twitter, for example, has said that Canadian employees who choose to return to the workplace must be fully vaccinated. However, this is different from requiring that employees must be vaccinated to work for Twitter.

In many offices, the pandemic has proved that employees can successfully work from home. In these circumstances, employers will likely have difficulty justifying a requirement that all employees be vaccinated and come into the office. Their employees may need to be vaccinated to come into the office, but those who are not can likely work from home.

In workplaces where employees cannot work from home, where there is contact with the public, where physical distancing and other alternative safety measures aren't possible, mandatory vaccination for workers is likely reasonable.

Takeaways

This move by the federal government signals that vaccination requirements are likely coming, and will likely be considered reasonable, in many different contexts. Employers thinking about returning to the office should consider how they will meet their health and safety obligations to keep workers safe.

Hilary Page is an attorney with SpringLaw in Toronto.  2021 SpringLaw. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.

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In June, the U.K. and Australia signed a free-trade deal that could have some lasting impacts on HR and recruiting.

For now, it's considered an agreement in principlean agreement that removes most tariffs between the two countries and makes it easier for Britons under age 35 to work and travel in Australia. In both countries, it opens more opportunities to recruit the right talent with credentials recognized in both nations.

Previously, U.K. citizens under age 30 could get a visa to work in Australia for three years if they spent three months working in farming, fishing, mining or construction. The new agreement raises the age limit to 35 and eliminates the manual-work requirement. A new agriculture visa will be established to permit people to work on farms in either country. Australian firms will no longer have to prioritize hiring Australian citizens first under the new agreement.

"We expect this new agreement to open up services markets, facilitate further investment, and make it easier for professionals to travel and work in each territory, as well as having their qualifications recognized," said James Caldecourt, head of international trade at the multinational consulting firm Deloitte, based in London. "Recruiters could find they benefit from a wider talent pool and are able to conduct more business on a cross-border basis."

"This is likely to result in more U.K. nationals visiting Australia on work-related visas," said Reshad Ahsan, a professor of economics at the University of Melbourne in Australia. "I suspect the biggest impact will be that more U.K. citizens will likely find it attractive to work in Australia. This will open a new source of talent for HR."

The trade deal will make it easier for professionals like lawyers and engineers to transfer and use their qualifications in either country without extra cost or bureaucracy. That could make recruiting efforts easier for HR professionals and hiring managers. The other practical impacts on HR departments will depend on many factors, including the industry, turnover rates, and the location of offices and branches.

For now, HR should think carefully about ways to streamline various work processes and onboarding processes to allow for increased movement of staff between the U.K. and Australia in a seamless way.

It's unclear whether the trade deal will reduce national unemployment rates and help employers fill certain positions they've been struggling to fill this year, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That's been a growing concern for many employers during the last six months.

"Once our border is open, there will likely be some increased availability of temporary workers from the U.K., but I don't expect it to be large enough to impact the overall unemployment rate" in Australia, Ahsan said.

Small Economic Boost

The trade deal is "expected to alleviate the tariff and regulatory burden on business, boost margins, and drive greater goods and services trade in both directions," Caldecourt noted. Gold, lead, wine, pearls and gems are the biggest exports from Australia to the U.K., while cars, medicine and alcoholic beverages are the U.K.'s biggest exports to Australia.

Ultimately, the new agreement might have more political importance than direct economic impact. U.K. political leaders hope it will be a first step toward enabling the U.K. to join a free-trade deal in Asia.

"Australia is a comparatively small trading partner for the U.K. In purely economic terms, the gains from this free-trade agreement are expected to be modest," Caldecourt said. "However, this agreement is strategically significant in providing a steppingstone for the U.K. to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the vast and growing Pacific trade area consisting of 11 markets worth 13 percent of global GDP [gross domestic product]."

The trade deal with Australia came about six months after Brexit, the U.K.'s agreement to leave the European Union, took effect.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a press release, "Our new free-trade agreement opens fantastic opportunities for British businesses and consumers, as well as young people wanting the chance to work and live on the other side of the world. This is global Britain at its best, looking outwards and striking deals that deepen our alliances and help ensure every part of the country builds back better from the pandemic."

Dan Tehan, Australia's minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, said in a press release, "When the agreement is finalized, it will deliver the most comprehensive and liberal agreement outside our partnership with New Zealand."

Leah Shepherd is a freelance writer in Columbia, Md.

[Want to learn more? Join us at the SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2021, taking place Sept. 9-12 in Las Vegas and virtually.]
Assam wildlife officials said that the incident happened in Koroibari along the Batabari Forest Range where the two elephants came into contact with a live electric fence installed around a paddy field. The farmer, Hareswar Daimary, surrendered at the Singra police station and would be booked under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Guwahati, Aug 20 (IANS) Two adult female elephants were electrocuted in western Assam's Baksa district, adjoining Bhutan, on Friday and the man responsible has surrendered to police, officials said.

According to the officials, the elephants had come down from the hilly forests in search of food.

The incident comes a day after a villager was killed and another injured on Thursday in a man-animal conflict in another village of Baksa district.

At least 13 elephants were killed this year in various parts of Assam by illegal electric fences put up by farmers to protect their crops. According to official records, over 90 elephants were electrocuted in Assam between 2011 and 2019. Poisoning and natural calamities also led to elephant deaths, including a whopping 18 jumbo killed by a lightning strike in Nagaon district in May.

--IANS

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The Home Affairs Department says the process should take 14 or 15 months, he says. Its been four years. His wife has passed all Australian government-required medical and biometrics tests for the application. Mr Nazari can pay for all the costs involved for the visa and any flights and quarantine, and if she was granted a visa their respective families would try to get her to Pakistan or Iran so that she could fly her to Australia from there. Mr Nazari then applied for a visitor visa for his wife as a short-term measure  but that secondary application was rejected two weeks ago. Its a similar situation for Melbourne man Ahmed  not his real name as he fears speaking publicly could jeopardise his chance of a positive outcome with the Home Affairs Department. The 36-year-old tradesman is also a Hazara Afghan, and also tried to reach Australia in 2010. He spent two years in detention before being granted permanent residency.

He has been desperately trying to secure a partner visa for his Hazara wife who is living in Quetta, a city on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Loading They applied eight years ago. Ahmed has been told by Home Affairs staff that even though he has been recognised as a refugee and is a permanent resident, the partner visa is not a priority because he came by boat. Although his wife is no longer in Afghanistan, Hazaras are also a targeted minority group in Pakistan, with suicide bombings common in the areas where Afghans live. Every day I call her at the same time and she cries and I cry here, he tells The Sunday Age, through tears. We havent seen each other since 2016.

Ahmed says his wife was studying medical science, but has recently dropped out due to her long-term depression. He is terrified she may self harm, and knows of another Afghan man in Australia whose wife suicided after being separated for so long. Afghans here in Australia, we just want to be with our families, he says. In lockdown people are struggling when they cant see their families for like a week or two, but there are all these people who are suffering from the last 10 years. The ripple effect of Australias immigration policies on those who fled from the Taliban is also being felt in the US this week, where hundreds of refugees held by Australian authorities in offshore detention have been resettled. Mohammed, 37, was resettled in the US in 2019 after seven years in detention on Manus Island after he tried to reach Australia by boat. The Hazara man, who fears publishing his last name could have repercussions for his family, now lives in North Carolina working as a house painter, after stints in Arizona and Texas.

In that time hes experienced homelessness, worked in industries where he was underpaid and exploited and struggles to carry out day-to-day tasks due to post-traumatic stress. Mohammed, 37, a refugee from Afghanistan who spent seven years on Manus Island after trying to reach Australia by boat. But this week, the fall of Kabul has mentally crippled him - he is desperately worried about his wife and two teenage sons who are living in the capital city. I cant sleep, I cant go to work. Everything - this situation, my depression is too much, he tells The Sunday Age. With the Taliban circling their neighbourhood, Mohammeds sons were among the thousands of people who unsuccessfully tried to get on flights out of Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul this week.

Although hes been in the US for 22 months, Mohammeds green card is yet to be issued. Without it he has no avenue to apply for visas for his family to join him. North American Refugee network Ads-Up, which is run by Australian expats and volunteers to assist refugees sent from Australia, holds grave fears for the Afghan refugees they support, including Mohammed. These folks have already spent upwards of eight years separated from parents, partners and children, first by Australian refugee policies, then by American bureaucracy and now potentially by the Taliban takeover, says Ads-Up co-founder Ben Winsor. The fear they feel for family members back home is very real. All anyone really wants to do after eight years in immigration limbo is look forward and build a life of safety and opportunity for themselves and their families.
Fitz: The government says it hasnt been sitting on its hands and it has got Afghan interpreters out this year. Loading Scanes: The Locally Engaged Employee process has been plagued with lengthy processing times from the beginning. Some have taken six years! The government always says, We have got this many or that many interpreters to Australia. That is just marketing. No one gives a toss. We want to know about our mates, the ones left behind! It shouldnt take six years, for a bureaucratic check on character. We know them. We fought with them. We answer for their character. With the Taliban there, they dont have time for bureaucracy. They need action. Fitz: What is the root cause of this inaction? Scanes: It starts from the PM. He now says, he wishes it was different in Afghanistan, and he wishes we could get them all out, but it just cant happen. But it could have happened if he had done something. We expect our politicians to lead, to display integrity, to show courage, to take action. But he did none of those things. I, and many others were warning this whole disaster was coming our way, and would engulf those interpreters, but nothing was done. Nothing was done. If we had acted in April, we could have got 100 per cent.

Fitz: What do you want to happen now? Scanes: I dont want to hear we couldnt find them. I have all their details. We still need the government to get out as many as they can. They and their families will be killed otherwise. Simple as that. Fitz: Thank you for your time, and allow me to say, Good on you, Digger, I mean Good on you, Sir. Scanes: Thank you. In vain

No Australian who has ever fallen in our uniform, Prime Minister Morrison said this week after the question arose with the 41 killed in Afghanistan, has ever died in vain. Ever. His remarks were completely endorsed by John Howard on ABC 7.30 on Wednesday evening, almost down to using the same works. I respectfully and delicately, but very strongly, disagree. Because the example of the whole Afghanistan war is too raw to weigh up right now, and we are still way too close to it to form cool judgement, let me go way back to the Battle of Fromelles in 1916. On that occasion, 7,000 Diggers were sent forward across marshy ground at German bunkers bristling with machine-guns, starting in searing daylight. In the next 14 hours, nearly 1900 were killed outright. Not a single yard of enemy trench was gained, and there was barely a German casualty.

Let me say it. They died in vain. They didnt need to die. And nothing was gained by their death. Lest we Forget should not only mean let us not forget their sacrifice. It must also mean there are lessons to be learned from their tragic loss, so that others dont die in vain. The Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Fromelles. Credit:Alamy

Tweet of The Year Im just wondering why none of these televangelists have been showing up at hospitals and performing miracles on all these Coronavirus patients. Chicano Marine @kingsrush Joke of the Week

One Sunday at mass, the priest tells the congregation that the church need some extra money for urgent repairs to the roof and ask the congregation to prayerfully consider giving a little more generously when the collection plate is passed around. Whoever gives the most will be able to pick out three hymns next Sunday. After mass, the priest glances down and notices that someone has placed ten $100 bills on the plate. He is so excited that, on the next Sunday, he shares his joy with the congregation and says hed like to personally thank the person who placed the money on the plate. A very quiet, elderly and saintly lady all the way up the back shyly raises her hand. The priest asks her to come to the front. Slowly, she makes her way forward. Bessie Braddock, the priest says triumphantly, your generosity is wonderful, and now, to thank you, I would like you to pick out three hymns. Bessies eyes brighten as she looks out over the congregation, before pointing to the three most handsome men in the building and says, Ill take him and him and him. Quotes of the Week

Australia. - Jacinda Ardern, pointing west, after being asked by a journalist: What is your message to people who question the need for an Alert Level 4 lockdown? For the lockdown to work . . . the lockdown has to work. - Prime Minister Scott Morrison. PM? Neither one is happening. 415 cases today. Surely we get to 500 and declare just before lunch and put Victoria back in? #nswcovid19 @Former_Legend on Twitter, last Sunday. Weve seen what happened in Sydney. We dont want that experience here. - New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern announcing a three-day snap lockdown of the country after one case of COVID-19 was discovered there. American troops cannot and should not be fighting in a war and dying in a war that Afghan forces are not willing to fight for themselves. - American President Joe Biden explaining why he has withdrawn American troops from Afghanistan.

It is our responsibility when we purchase things for our homes, when we choose where to invest our superannuation, when we decide who we bank with, and when we decide how to vote at the ballot box. We need to send a message to all leaders, in every part of our society, that failing to deliver on the promise of what we can be is not an option. Complaining that it is too hard is not a solution. Saying it is up to others to come up with a plan is a cop-out. The community expects our leaders to get on with it, or get out of the way. - The NSW Coalition Environment Minister Matt Kean. Does anyone know whether the Taliban will sign up to net zero? - Tweet from Nationals backbencher Matt Canavan. He later said that he wanted to shock people out of focusing on First World problems. Never fear, Barnaby Joyce, has counselled him. No, seriously. It applies equally to everyone and wealth, position, title, family connections  none of that insulates someone from being required to answer in court for allegations  and part of this is sending a message that you cant, simply by stonewalling and hiding behind castle walls, avoid being held to account for these [accusations]. - American lawyer David Boies as his client Virginia Roberts Giuffre sues the Duke of York in federal court in New York, accusing him of sex crimes, including being a beneficiary of the alleged sex-trafficking of a teen girl by his former friend, the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Please dont give up hope. The cavalry is mustering, and very shortly well be charging. And to those that have stolen our freedoms, that are part of the medical fascist takeover of our nation  we have you in our sights. You have nowhere to hide. - Captains Pick Craig Kelly, the Member for Hughes, demonstrating more than ever why he is a disgrace to the Federal Parliament. Struggling with lockdown? Sick of hearing that you need to stay active, eat well and maintain social connections? Time to tap into the other parts of your personality  the silly part, the creative part, the musical part, and the rebellious part. In times like these we need to look for ways to mix things up. -Dr Jinni Mansberg and Jo Lamble, in the new book The New Teen Age.
Much of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons current malaise was foreseeable. Which is why, in January, when the polls were still favouring the government and media commentators were predicting a Coalition dream run to the election, I wrote that the Prime Ministers omissions would catch up with him this year.

Now that the chips are down, Im here to tell you that his situation is not as dire as the media, fuelled by downcast or embittered political sources, would have you believe.

But first the bad news for the Morrison government  and there is plenty.

Not so fast ... the Prime Ministers number isnt up quite yet. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

This year, it has alienated many of its staunchest and, frankly, most lucrative supporters. Many have told me unprompted that they will break years of Coalition support to vote for another party. Some are disaffected enough to vote Labor simply to punish Morrison. As one conservative said to me: I think the Labor Partys economic policies will ruin the country, but how could they be worse than this supposedly Liberal government?
Neighbourhood tensions are rising among Sydneys apartment dwellers as the lockdown enters its ninth week, with one mother the subject of a complaint for letting her daughters use chalk on the communal driveway.

The Sun-Herald has heard multiple accounts of neighbours or strata committees across Sydney writing to residents to complain about children making noise or playing on common property.

On Thursday, a Campsie apartment block became the fifth apartment building to go into a hard lockdown  with residents forced to self-isolate for 14 days  after nine people across five of the 12 apartments tested positive to COVID-19.

Michelle Allebi and her daughters Jessica and Bella live in a flat in Croydon Park. Credit:Rhett Wyman

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller now has the power to order a residential apartment block into lockdown until NSW Health has assessed the risk, rather than waiting for a section 62 order under the Public Health Act. He was also given the power to declare a residential dwelling a COVID-risk premises and require all people to present to police during compliance checks.
Almost 50 people were arrested in tense scenes in central Sydney on Saturday as police responded with force to an anti-lockdown protest that failed to match the scale of last months large rally.

Ride-share services into the city were disabled, train travel in the city shut down and checkpoints set up on roads as part of the massive police operation involving 1500 officers across Sydney that successfully limited the number of people able to converge at Victoria Park.

Police made dozens of arrests in Sydney as they suppressed an anti-lockdown protest. Credit:Nick Moir

The midday protest was organised in fringe online groups as part of a nationwide rally for freedom, peace and human rights with events planned in seven cities, including Melbourne where thousands of protesters turned out and police used tear gas and capsicum spray during ugly clashes.

In Sydney, around 250 protesters reached the streets surrounding Victoria Park but were met by a large contingent of police  including the riot squad and mounted officers  who prevented any congregation in the public park.
Police have asked the public to help them identify a man they would like to help them with inquiries over a series of incidents at Noosa Heads.

They have released vision to help identify a man who may be able to help them with a stalking investigation.

Police would like to speak with man seen in Noosa Heads after a series of incidents. Credit:QPS Media

The footage released was captured about 6pm on Tuesday, August 10 outside a shopping centre in Noosa Heads on Lanyana Way.

The location is near Coles Noosa and the BCC cinemas near Noosa Junction.
To tell the story of RNA we need to go back to dawn of life on Earth.

Long before DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) showed up to steal the limelight, it was RNA (ribonucleic acid) that acted as the genetic template for the first life. Befitting a pioneer molecule, it was multifunctional in ways DNA is not: folding itself, origami-like, to form new structures, cutting proteins, kickstarting chemical reactions, copying itself.

But DNA is stable and easy to manipulate in the lab. That, and its role as guardian of our genetic blueprint, has captured the scientific and popular imagination for decades; RNA - which delivers the genetic instructions contained in DNA to the rest of the cell - was the overlooked cousin.

Left to right: Chen Davidovich,Traude Beilharz and Gavin Knott at the Monash University labs. Credit:Eddie Jim

Not any more. After the blockbuster success of new COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, scientists finally have the interest and funding to begin unlocking the mysteries of RNA, the oldest machinery of life.
Dealing with airborne spread has been the biggest failure in Australias response, he said. Former Victorian Liberal premier Ted Baillieu, a trained architect who has been pressuring governments behind the scenes to address air quality, called for a national ventilation taskforce to co-ordinate urgent policy change. In managing transmission, this is as important as vaccination, he said. Paradigm shift to avoid lockdowns Health agencies like the World Health Organisation, the US Centres for Disease Control and Australias infection-control body were slow to acknowledge that COVID-19 spread through the air, but there is now widespread acceptance of its crucial role.

A century-old theory that respiratory illnesses chiefly spread via droplets, caused by things like sneezing on someone from a close distance, prompted authorities to initially focus on close contact and physical distancing. Many public health agencies stubbornly stuck to this interpretation despite warnings from infectious diseases experts and scientists with specialist knowledge  such as physicists and occupational hygienists  who believed tiny COVID-19 particles suspended in the air posed a risk to anyone in an indoor area regardless of proximity to others. Outbreaks in cruise ships, with those on board confined to their rooms, and at a physically distanced choir practice jolted the scientific community to investigate airborne spread. Lidia Morawska, an Australian-based researcher who has been a world leader in raising awareness of airborne spread, said the pandemic necessitated a societal paradigm shift on how to prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. World Health Organisation adviser Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska. Credit:QUT She compared what she called a revolutionary push to ventilate our community to the sanitation awakening in the 19th century, before which people were unaware that polluted water systems were causing things like cholera epidemics.

Then, people were provided with clean water. This would provide us with clean air, she said. No one takes responsibility for the air and its kind of accepted that the air could be of whatever quality. Professor Morawska said the cost of constructing better-ventilated buildings would be outweighed by the economic benefit associated with a healthier society. A study published in the Science journal in May found the US economy would save $50 billion a year because workers would be healthier and take fewer sick days, and Professor Crabb questioned whether the almost non-existent prevalence of flu in Australia could be made permanent. Loading Professor Morawska backed Mr Baillieus call for a national taskforce and said one of the chief difficulties in changing policies on ventilation was that the issue cut across many different arms of government. The Andrews government is investigating ventilation improvements in healthcare and education settings and has just established a cross-government taskforce.

Better ventilation across society would reduce the average number of people to whom each case passed the virus and, in turn, reduce the threshold for herd immunity and the vaccination level required to achieve it. This would mean lockdowns could become unnecessary sooner than anticipated, according to Professor Crabb. Changing the way we build Buildings of the future are set to feature ventilation and filtration systems that ensure well-ventilated, healthy indoor spaces. The current national construction code, which all builders must comply with, does not reference infectious diseases in its rudimentary ventilation rules, but the federal body that manages the code is considering changes. The Australian Building Codes Board is in discussions with experts and industry groups about incorporating a ventilation checklist into the building code. The changes could increase the cost of construction but industry players are cognisant of inevitable reform and some are already voluntarily constructing buildings with high-grade ventilation systems. The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating, which represents practitioners who specialise in ventilation, is one of the groups in talks with the board. Its chief executive, Tony Gleeson, said the new standards were set to include reference to general ventilation, filters and air tightness of buildings.

Loading Mr Gleeson said Australia had some of the leakiest buildings in the world and improving air tightness would prevent airborne pathogens moving between rooms and floors. Just as builders may soon be required to construct with clear air in mind, employers could face legal challenges if workers get sick in buildings with substandard air quality. State and territory governments, employers and unions are in negotiations on a legally enforceable code of practice that would force employers to protect workers from airborne transmission of COVID-19. The threat of legal recourse could bring about a step change in awareness of ventilation protocols. Liam OBrien, assistant secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, said a collective mindset shift was required to comprehend that poor air quality posed the biggest risk of infection for both COVID-19 and respiratory illnesses such as the common cold.

The difficulty is people cant see unclear air, so its difficult to comprehend compared to more obvious things like dirty surfaces and droplet spread from things like sneezing, he said. It makes you think about the level of disease we have been living with. How much illness could we eradicate in the community if we had proper ventilation in our buildings? We could reduce sick leave and increase productivity. Mr OBrien, who is pushing for the code of practice, said most workplace outbreaks occurred in places with poor ventilation and workers in confined spaces, including in call centres, abattoirs and warehouses. Rebecca Casson, chief executive of the Master Builders Association of Victoria, said the construction sector was aware of the crucial role it would play in improving ventilation across society. However, she said she was concerned that industrial manslaughter laws in Victoria could be applied to building owners or employers if substandard ventilation contributed to outbreaks. Master Builders Association of Victoria chief executive Rebecca Casson. Credit:Scott McNaughton

Craig Carracher, executive chair of Australias largest student accommodation provider, Scape, decided to go it alone by building apartments with high-grade ventilation systems. Scapes 15,000 student accommodation beds across Australia are built with openable windows, an air reticulation system and ventilation systems designed to stop airborne particles moving between rooms. Its newest building in Sydney, earmarked for an international student quarantine facility, has positive air corridor flows meaning no smoke would exit a smoke-filled room that had its door opened. We now know how to build in a COVID-safe way regarding airflow, but there are no standards or public pronouncements from governments  and were not holding our breath, Mr Carracher said. Simple fixes to an invisible problem Occupational experts say that although the problem of poor ventilation is endemic, many of the problems are easily measured and fixed, through C02 monitors and often inexpensive solutions including portable HEPA air filters available at homeware stores.

All Victorian businesses must complete a COVID-safe plan for their sites, but the term ventilation isnt mentioned in the document provided by the state government. Scape co-founder Craig Carracher (far left) during construction at one of the companys Melbourne properties. Credit:Wayne Taylor The document instead indirectly tackles the issue by asking people to avoid interactions in enclosed spaces. It is suggested that airflow could be enhanced by opening windows and doors and through using fresh air in airconditioning systems, but there is no advice on how people might measure the quality of ventilation in a space, or how to use mechanical filters. This information falls short, says Geoff Hanmer, a ventilation expert and architect. The adjunct professor with the University of Adelaide said people needed to first measure the quality of ventilation and the best way to do this was with a carbon dioxide monitor, which in small spaces like classrooms, consulting rooms, shops or offices provide a good proxy for ventilation. He said while the national construction code had provisions for ventilation, it didnt necessarily ensure adequate airflow, as people often closed doors or windows for comfort, and mechanical ventilation systems sometimes used recycled rather than fresh air to make them more economical.

Loading There are growing calls for C02 monitors to be placed in all indoor public spaces, along with hospitals and schools, but there is no easily accessible state or federal government information encouraging or explaining C02 monitors or air filters. The University of Melbourne this month released a guide to air cleaner purchasing. These machines are already being used in Victorias quarantine hotels and some hospitals, after testing found it was ubiquitous to have air travelling from hospital rooms out to busy corridors. Its been suggested that a rough marker for dangerously poor ventilation could be CO2 rates of around 800 parts per million (ppm). RMIT University investigations into air quality at five schools and five aged care facilities in Victoria found that carbon dioxide climbed to levels indicative of very poor ventilation  up to 5000 ppm in classrooms and 2000 ppm in the common rooms of nursing homes. Minimum ventilation requirements were only met in two of the 10 classrooms investigated. In the classroom which recorded the worst CO2 results, the air quality started within acceptable levels, but rose rapidly to around 2000ppm within a few hours of school beginning. Professor Priya Rajagopalan, the director of the Sustainable Building Innovation Lab at RMIT, said classrooms had been retrofitted with split-system airconditioners that dont use fresh air, or the windows or doors werent always opened, especially when the weather was poor.
The Brunswick Good Karma Networks sign-off note. The guidelines do not allow political, religious or inflammatory commentary, business promotion or reporting of crime. A moderator, also known as a Good Karma Network Guardian, whose face was plastered on posters around the suburb, said they were trying to maintain a safe space. Being an open voice to political agendas is not what that group is about, he said. We have a very small element who have gone feral breaking those rules ... the group is not about everybody having a soapbox. But that has proved to be a challenge in a politically progressive suburb like Brunswick, where many believe sharing their opinion on a community page is their right.

We have now reached a point where we as admins are not safe, in public or online. Our names are being shared online with no regard for our safety or wellbeing, a moderator wrote in announcing the suspension of the page. Posters with our faces are being plastered on the street. Our heritage and intersectionality called into question. Our inboxes full of abuse, the moderator wrote. Hopefully we can share our lemon boxes, moving boxes and pictures of puppies again soon. Problems in the group had escalated rapidly in recent weeks after moderators rejected a post from a man who wrote he was rescued by strangers from being beaten up by racist white lads in Sydney Road and wanted to track down his saviours to make them tea and Iranian food. A moderator explained the posts rejection: We like to focus on the positive side of life. Wed love to acknowledge the help you received from the community, without highlighting the negativity.

The sign-off note for the Brunswick Good Karma Network. This led to accusations of the mans experience of racism not being validated. The post was shared on a rival group, the Brunswick Fairly Good Karma Network, and other people from minority groups complained that their experiences of racism had also been blocked from the site. Then moderators rejected posts about a woman exposed by The Age as an alleged neo-Nazi, who runs a childrens music business in the suburb, prompting accusations of threatening peoples safety and facilitating racist behaviour. Prominent activist Clementine Ford weighed in on social media, telling followers to quit the group in protest. Hours later, the moderators announced it was going into hiatus. Ms Churchouse, the Good Karma Effects CEO, said she was devastated by the need to close the group. The organisations Kensington group met a similar fate two years ago.

I feel sad that people cant see the damage they are doing to other humans  even if you do it for a good cause, she said. There was a call that a racist thing happened and it was completely unfounded. Weve got a bunch of volunteers, who have been trying to keep this community safe and positive, not feeling safe in their own suburb because somebody decided to scream racism from the rooftops. All of this has unfolded as a result of people deciding that they just want to get validation across the internet. Ms Churchouse said numerous attempts to have a dialogue with those making racism accusations had been ignored.

What weve seen consistently with the kind of furore that gets social traction, they dont want to have discussions [theres] no, lets give everybody the benefit of the doubt, Ms Churchouse said. Former group members making such allegations did not respond to requests for comment. [The group] was set up for a particular purpose for a particular set of things. Nobody needs to be there, nobody is required to be there  There are 23,000 people that love that page. The reason that it became popular is because its a positive place on the internet, Ms Churchouse said. Rival group, the Brunswick Fairly Good Karma Network, which has more than 5000 members, allows open political discussion and small business promotion as well as gifting and sharing positive stories. It has grown by more than 1000 members since the other Karma group closed. Founder Sam Watkins had been evicted from the original group.

Loading The group or some moderators were accused of racism, but I tend to think it was more about wanting to keep their group focused on positive things. It is OK for a group to have a limited scope or topic like this. But Mr Watkins more laissez-faire approach to moderation is being tested by members wanting to vent. If this goes on for too long Ill stop it. I can see that people are upset about what happened in the other group and I dont want to step in and do heavy moderation ... Im letting it go, for now, he said. We do have some rules, but its not so strictly applied. I cant be total anarchy because Facebook has its own rules. Theres also the rules of Australia, so we have to follow some sort of standard.
There are fears crew members on board a ship anchored off Western Australias south coast could be infected with COVID-19 after several workers reported feeling unwell.

Sixteen seafarers on the bulk carrier Ken Hou are isolating in their cabins after developing flu-like symptoms at sea.

The vessel is anchored of the coast of Albany.

The canola grain vessel, which departed from Sriracha in Thailand on August 7 and is sailing under the flag of Panama, is currently anchored off Albany, but it is likely it will be directed to sail to Fremantle.

Thailand has been scrambling to curb the spread of the Delta strain of COVID-19 in the community since April after faring reasonably well compared to other Asian countries during the earlier months of the pandemic.
Brand new flats ... Brand new. People live in this strange box encased in mock marble. Building planning in this city is so screwed. What happened @ Randwick Council?

So began the Twitter conversation about a new block of flats, moments from the beach, at 16 Asher Street, Coogee. The thread quickly became a pile-on. Eyesore! said one. Ugly, super ugly! said another. Looks like car parking, shipping containers, a substation, secure parking, a construction site. Or, simply, vomit.

I have no quibble with the epithets or, broadly, the similes. Although about as liveable as a coffin, the two-storeyed, six-unit, streaked-marble and vertical-louvred block is still less hideous than three-quarters of what has been visited upon Sydney of late. Each to their own, of course.

But the conclusion is almost always: How on earth was this approved? That begs the question: how much aesthetic control do we really want governments to have?

Local planning decisions fall into several categories  use, public health and amenity, private health and amenity, and aesthetics. Use is generally controlled by zoning, and gazetted in Local Environmental Plans. Health and amenity rules  governing drainage and window size as well as ceiling height and fire protection  are set out in the Building Code of Australia (currently in revision after the faulty towers fiasco) and copied into local plans.
There will almost certainly be an inquiry, perhaps a royal commission, into the handling of the pandemic, and calls for one will grow loud as we move into an election year in 2022. Attempts by Scott Morrison to boost morale have been so audacious you almost have to admire his cheek. The other week he tried desperately to link himself to our Olympians (all of whom should be given, well, medals, for morale-boosting), by telling us to go for gold in our vaccine run. Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged a gold medal performance on vaccines. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen This week Morrison pivoted from pandemic politics to his safe place: refugee policy.

Afghanistan is burning, and girls there will soon be marched out of schools at gunpoint. But god knows Australia has to be very careful about whom we let in from the country our military has spent two decades in, with some war crimes allegedly committed along the way. This caution extends, by the way, to our citizens overseas, the ones who cannot come home, the ones who may as well burn their passports because they mean nothing. What kind of country tells its nationals they are not welcome? The hermit kingdom has nothing on us.

Speaking of North Korea, one doesnt want to seem over-wrought, but have you noticed how our police have been empowered to a point that is a little frightening? In NSW Police Minister David Elliott has encouraged people to ring Crime Stoppers if they spot illegal family gatherings or household visits. Some people say that to dob is unAustralian, but actually the tradition is strong in our country  we are a population encouraged to inform on our neighbours if they breach water restrictions in summer. A plague presents the perfect opportunity to twitch our curtains. We have never been concerned about using the jackboot  just ask the Aboriginal communities who sit, like unvaccinated ducks, waiting for the virus to come to them, just as other viruses came to their ancestors.

Still, when NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian openly said she had given police more powers than they asked for, it was a kick in the kidney to anyone with an old-fashioned view that state power should not transgress beyond what is necessary to protect the people. Then came the news that NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told his officers they wont be held accountable for wrongly issuing COVID-related fines. He has ordered his cops to put aside community policing and focus on a strong approach to enforcement. NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has encouraged his officers to crack down hard. Credit:James Brickwood On Friday, the NSW government introduced a 9pm curfew for Sydneys hotspot south-west suburbs, which also happen to be some of its poorest, most densely populated, and most ethnically diverse. The Premier admitted that they havent demonstrated [curfews] work but imposed one anyway, on the advice of the cops, a performance of toughness that would be laughable if it werent so scary.

Likewise, Berejiklian has admitted there is no strong evidence about outdoor transmission, but has still imposed a 5-kilometre radius for exercise, and restricted people in hotspots to one exercise excursion a day. No prizes for guessing which suburbs the policymakers and most powerful politicians reside in. At least in Melbourne the curfew applies to everyone equally  in Sydney we make no such pretence, although at least the playgrounds are still open here. In Melbourne, the joy-police have taped them up. A slow-dawning grief has settled on us now  the sadness of knowing that COVID-19 is never going away, and even if the worst is over in, say, five years, it will stay as a shadow-presence for our lifetimes.

I dream of swimming in Greece, street-drinking in Paris, temple-climbing in Thailand, with the awe I used to reserve for the stars. Our expectations are now at basement-level: lets hope we are all allowed(!) to go to a beach this summer, or see our families for Christmas. Grief, of course, is many-parts anger, and its hard for people to know where to direct the anger, which means it ricochets everywhere. Perhaps the most pointless habit people have fallen into is resentment of the person/state/suburb which gave their person/state/suburb COVID.

This tends to ignore the basic premise of a virus  it lives to spread, and the Delta variant has an Olympian capacity for it. Loading We may as well be cross at our fellow citizens for grabbing some of the oxygen that should be ours to inhale. But the thing I most lament, is that the more our uncertainty over the future mounts, the more certain and self-righteous we all become in our COVID opinions. This inflexibility of thought, the refusal to admit to uncertainty, robs us of empathy.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has rejected charges she is creating a divided city by applying different rules and police enforcement in the hotspot areas to the rest of Sydney, arguing it is important to focus resources where they will make a difference.

As NSW reported another record number of COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 825 local infections and three deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday, Ms Berejiklian said hard data was informing the governments focus on south-west and western Sydney.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the crackdown on western and south-west Sydney was informed by data. Credit:James Brickwood

When you are in a pandemic, all of your resources are stretched, she said. When you have an outbreak where between 70 and 80 per cent of cases a day are coming from the same area, thats where you need to put your resources to reduce case numbers; otherwise, youre spreading resources across a very large area.

Asked whether the different restrictions were dividing the city, Ms Berejiklian said no and pointed out younger residents of the citys west and south-west were being prioritised for vaccines. She also said everyone in the state was in lockdown and had to wear a mask when outside their home, except while exercising.
Quetta, Pakistan: A suicide bombing targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in south-western Pakistan has killed two children and wounded three, police said.

The attack took place at the East Bay Road in the port of Gwadar on Friday evening local time. Chinese nationals sustained minor injuries. Gwadar is in the province of Balochistan, where separatist militants have waged a long-running insurgency.

Two children have been killed and three injured in the attack, said Liaquat Shahwani, a spokesman for the Balochistan government.

China is deeply invested in the Pakistani port of Gwadar.

Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist militant organisation claimed responsibility for the attack.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has pressed New Zealanders to stay at home and avoid the devastating 825 cases reported in NSW on Saturday morning, after the country recorded 21 new positive COVID-19 cases in the community.

There are now 51 total cases associated with the Auckland outbreak that started on Tuesday.

As you can see the number of cases has grown again. Given what we know about Delta, this isnt surprising [...] We do expect cases to continue to rise through the coming week, Ardern said.

One of the things we have learnt from NSW is that the virus can keep spreading during lockdown from people going to work or breaking the rules of a lockdown. That is one of the reasons their cases keep going up and their lockdown continues to be extended. No one wants an extended lockdown and no one wants to see that rate of transmission.
It has been 21 years since Connecticut lawmakers approved an annual weeklong sales tax holiday event, but in recent years the amount of taxpayer savings  and foregone tax revenue  has plateaued at about $5 million, according to officials with the state Department of Revenue Services.

Sales Tax Free Week comes at a great time, Department of Revenue Services Commissioner Mark Boughton said. Its also an opportunity to promote shopping local.

The sales tax holiday ran from Aug. 15-21 this year, and southern Connecticut retailers reported strong sales volumes as parents seek to outfit their children in time for what for some will be the first in-person school classes in more than a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some adults also may be shopping for new clothes in preparation for a return to their offices.

Items eligible for the tax-free promotion are clothes and footwear purchased either in person or online. The exemption during Sales Tax Free Week applies to each eligible item costing under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice.

However, for any item that costs $100 or more, sales tax applies to the entire price of that item, according to DRS officials.

Items that normally are sold together, such as a pair of shoes, must continue to be sold in that manner and cant be separated and sold as individual items to qualify for the exclusion.

Coupons result in an immediate reduction of the sales price of an item when the coupon is presented to the retailer and so the tax is calculated on the final sale price of the item after all coupons and other reductions have been applied. To determine whether an item of clothing or footwear costs less than $100, the retailer must use the sale price after the face value of the coupon

The amount of money a consumer saves on an indivdual item as a result of the sales tax holiday is hardly a windfall. according to Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven-based DataCore Partners.

This not a tax break per se, Klepper-Smith said. Its more of a gesture than anything else.

Part of the idea of a tax-free week is that the state will make up the amount of taxes it foregoes by increasing the volume of shoppers that go to the stores, he said.

It shifts shopping patterns around, Klepper-Smith said. It brings someone into the stores earlier than they might otherwise go shopping.

Burt Flickinger, managing director of New York City-based retail consultant Strategic Resource Group, said Connecticut benefits from the fact that New York state doesnt have its own sales tax-free week.

It literally pulls shoppers across the state lines, Flickinger said.

Angelica Gianchandani, a brand marketing professor at University of New Haven, said state tax coffers may benefit from luring new shoppers into stores.

They also might start picking additional items (that are taxed at the full rate), Gianchandani said.

For retailers, the sales tax holiday is attractive because it drives foot traffic, she said.

It allows them to create sales events around this time, Gianchandani said. It also builds community goodwill.

Kelly Hapken, marketing director with Connecticut Post mall in Milford, said while officials at the shopping center dont reveal specific sales figures of mall tenants, this years back-to-school sales are 40 percent higher than last year.

The numbers were down in 2019 because of school doing virtual classes, but people were still shopping for school supplies last year so those numbers were significant, Hapken said.The bigger winners this year at our mall have been Target, Boscovs, Macys, H&M, American Eagle and Hollister Co.

Charlie Guthrie, general manager of the Westbrook Outlets, said when the sales tax holiday was launched Aug. 15, we noticed a large jump in customer activity.

Weve been very busy, she said. We wont know until next week how it will compare to last year, when there really wasnt any back-to-school shopping.

Vanessa Mitton, marketing director for the Westfield Trumbull mall, said customer traffic has been really strong this week and for the past couple of months.

It seems like there is an extra energy that people have this week, she said during the weeklong event. People are also taking advantage of some of the clearance sales that some of our retailers are offering.

Individual retailers contacted by Hearst Connecticut Media report mixed results during sales tax-free week.

Laurie Acosta, owner of Red Owl, a Cheshire-based retailer, said she was a doing a 25 percent off promotion at her store to coincide with the tax-free holiday. Red Owl sells clothing, accessories and jewelry.

Sales have been good, people have definitely been taking advantage of it, Acosta said. There has definitely has been an increase in activity.

Among Acostas best sellers was a casual clothing collection called Z Supply, she said.

Even though the delta variant of COVID-19 has created some uncertainty with the public, there is a real pent-up demand among shoppers, Flickinger said. Thats significant because for families with children, the back-to-school shopping period is the second-busiest period for sales after the holiday season.

According to the National Retail Federation, parents expect to spend between $700 and $800 for back-to-school shopping, Flickinger said.

Even with anecdotal report of stronger consumer activity, Flickinger said data that came out of weeks before Connecticuts sales tax holiday was troubling.

People have been postponing their purchases, he said. The U.S. Commerce Department said last week that clothing sales were down 2.6 per for the period that ended July 16. The expectation had been that there would be a 7 or 8 percent sales gain, according to Flickinger.

Tom Maloney, owner of Ragz New Haven on Chapel Street, said the tax-free week tends to benefit small retailers with lower prices. His store has a limited amount of items that are under $100.

Maybe some underwear, a few ties, he said. Maloney said the average person doesnt realize it tax-free week.

I dont think its promoted enough, he said. I dont know whether the state is really behind it.

Connecticut businesses are key stakeholders, said James Polites, a Department of Revenue Services spokesman. DRS appreciates their efforts in making Sales Tax Free Week a success and welcomes any feedback.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com
We were driving around Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia when my wife, Lisa, redirected my gaze.

It was a pristine day in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and I was enjoying serene vistas I had only previously seen in the Bill Murray flick, What About Bob? 30 years ago (when they played the part of New Hampshire).

Are you noticing all the signs? she asked.

What signs? Im not looking for signs. Im looking at the farms, the postcard scenery, the countless roaming animals ... and mostly trying not to hit any of the 3 jillion wandering deer on these twisting roads.

Theres one, she said, pointing to my left.

Oh ... those signs. Yeah, there are more of them than there are deer.

It was a Donald Trump lawn billboard, about 30 times the scale of typical home political placards in Connecticut. Suddenly, I couldnt not see the signs and occasional flags. It seemed like a conspiracy: Son, just remember youre not in that blue Yankee state anymore.

It seemed fitting that my wife noticed them first, since she grew up in nearby Lynchburg. Plenty of Trump signs linger in Connecticut too, but in Virginia they seem like battle lines in a modern civil war.

The following morning an ebony flag on the horizon caught my eye.

Hey, theres a Biden flag, I said. Uh, never mind.

Before the current presidents name was that ever-popular verb I cant repeat here. The flag was visible from Kentucky; so big that 32 cows and a puppy huddled in its shade. It wasnt just that I wanted to spare The Kid, who is 9, from an insult unworthy of a 9-year-old. He also happens to be a Biden backer.

I first saw evidence of this in 2015, when we strolled past the White House on a sultry July afternoon. The Kid didnt seem too interested in President Barack Obama. But after photo-bombing multiple family poses, he strayed over to a security officer to inquire, Wheres Joe Biden live? He was 3.

I like to think its just that he likes Bidens initials, but I honestly dont know the answer. Even from a young age, we tried not to influence his politics. Alas, during the 2016 campaign, we were channel surfing when he caught a sound bite of Trump calling a Republican rival stupid.

Hes not nice, The Kid proclaimed.

I should note that I detest disrespect for the office of the president. I recall a colleague and friend responding to the 1992 election of Bill Clinton with the words, Hes not my president.

I didnt like the post-2016 revival of the phrase any better. Clinton was our president. Trump was our president. Biden is our president.

So I can do without the flags. Naively, I initially pondered if someone handmade the Virginia flag that would have given Betsy Ross seizures. I only had to type in a couple words on Amazon to discover there are even more repulsive banners pitched to both sides of the aisle, costing no more than a Happy Meal (forgive me for not including a hyperlink).

By the time we drove home, Id seen so many such flags that I made passage through Amish country as a palate cleanser.

When we arrived back home in Connecticut and picked up the mail, I nearly tossed the last large envelope because the return address was masked by the cancellation sticker and looked like junk. Then I noticed it was addressed to my son.

Dear Kid (I wish it said),

Thank you for sending such a kind note. Your support means a lot to Vice President Kamala Harris and me. ...

I put my finely honed investigative skills to work by grilling my son.

Did you write a letter to Joe Biden?

Yup.

He wrote back.

I dont know anything about the mail process in the White House, but it seemed to have the desired effect. The next day, the Kid called his grandparents to announce, I got a letter from the president!

Dear Mr. President, you probably could have saved some tax dollars by not splurging $1.20 to mail this first class, but it does serve as further proof of the dignity of print. Just as readers call for paper copies of stories and photos, an email from POTUS just doesnt have the same gravitas.

I just wish I knew what The Kid wrote to the president. Hopefully, he didnt ask for cash, like 14-year-old Fidel Castro, who pressed FDR for a 10-spot in 1940.

So I may have to write my own letter to Biden to ask what The Kid scrawled (and if that doesnt work, Ill file a Freedom of Information request).

I published my first presidential article when Jimmy Carter was in the White House, and still cant touch the political connections of my son. Before he turned 2, he got a similar missive from Rick Perry, who was then governor of The Kids native Texas.

The messages on both letters are far more worthy of being waved on flags. Biden closes with the two words that reflect the only thing weve ever asked of our son. The only quality every person, at any age, can control.

Be kind.

John Breunig is editorial page editor of the Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time. jbreunig@scni.com; twitter.com/johnbreunig.
STAMFORD  The city is bracing for potential flooding, strong winds and power outages as Tropical Storm Henri heads toward Connecticut.

The storm is expected to be at or near hurricane strength Sunday morning when it makes landfall, according to the National Weather Service.

We're expecting coastal flooding because there is a full moon high tide coming up this weekend, said Trevor Roach, the citys fire chief and emergency management director. And the wind is also going to be blowing out of the east, and in Stamford, if you have east winds with very high tides, the water piles up in this part of Long Island Sound and we end up with some local flooding down in the Cove, Shippan, Waterside.

Roach said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin staffing the citys hurricane protection barrier around midnight Saturday, and he said he expects it will remain staffed through Monday afternoon. He said the Army Corps of Engineers will monitor water levels and decide whether to raise the gate.

Roach urged residents who have loose equipment in their yard to prepare for wind and those who live in low-lying areas to prepare for flooding.

He also warned that some residents could lose power, and if Eastern Connecticut gets hit as hard as we think it's going to, power restoration all over the state is going to be very slow.

Eversource on Friday said that Henri could knock out power for some in the state for up to 10 days.

We may get some trees down with the storm path where it is now, added Roach, who spoke with The Stamford Advocate around 2:30 p.m. Friday. If the storm path moves further west, I think we could see a lot more damage.

Roach said the city held a virtual meeting Friday morning with health department, Office of Operations, police, fire and emergency communications officials, among others.

The agencies themselves are making sure they're fueled up, that they don't have personnel issues for the weekend coming up, Roach said. On the fire department side, water rescue gear and road blockage equipment is all ready to go.

Mayor David Martin said in a statement Friday that emergency management staff are in contact with the National Weather Service and the state.

We will continue to monitor this storm and its potential impacts closely, Martin said.

A release from Martins office included a number of tips for residents, including making sure that storm drains were clear of debris, in-home basement pumps were working and valuables kept in basements were moved upstairs.

If flooding occurs on roadways, residents should avoid driving through the water, according to the release.

The city government recommended that residents charge their cell phones and withdraw some cash in case there are power outages. It also suggested that residents put together an emergency kit that includes gallons of water, nonperishable food, flashlights and other items.

The citys building department issued a reminder to property owners, builders, contractors and crane operators to secure their buildings, construction sites and equipment.

Winds may reach higher speeds and last longer than forecast in certain areas of the city, the advisory said.

Because of the weather forecast, the Cruising Stamford Classic Car Show that had been scheduled for Sunday was rescheduled to Aug. 29, organizer Guy Fortt said. The show will still take place downtown, from Columbus Park to Veterans Memorial Park, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the new date.

Includes prior reporting by staff writer Peter Yankowski and Liz Hardaway.

brianna.gurciullo@hearstmediact.com
PRINCETON, W.Va. (AP)  A memorial service for a West Virginia sailor who died on the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor is being held in his hometown this weekend.

Gov. Jim Justice ordered that U.S. and West Virginia flags on state facilities be flown at half-staff Saturday, the day of the service in honor of Navy Fire Controlman 1st Class Bernard Ramon Wimmer, 28, of Princeton.
BRIDGEPORT  Bridgeport youth from an immigrants rights and education equity group have turned to art to demand more money be invested in students.

Student leaders from Make the Road Connecticut participated on Thursday at McLevy Green in an art installation made from shoe boxes, meant to represent what a more equitable school system could look like.

The event was part of National Week of Action, which includes youth Make the Road organizers from New Jersey to Nevada, according to Mwiche Siwingwa, the groups youth coordinator.

The boxes show student concerns within the school system, explained Siwingwa, and things that theyd like to see in the future of our schools on the other side.

Siwingwa, who is a Zambia native, grew up in Bridgeport.

The youth picked this idea because art gets people involved, she said. It attracts them to see what theyre doing.

One box tackled metal detectors in schools, which some have said evoke a sense of wrongdoing and criminalization. Another addressed strict dress codes that they say hinder student autonomy.

Part of the groups demands are to invest in safer walking routes and transportation funds for students  a Make the Road campaign since 2017 called Walking Towards a Brighter Future.

I walk 1.3 miles to school, said Maria-Camila, a senior at Bassick High School, and have to walk in storms sometimes. I have asthma and I would prefer having the bus in the morning and afternoon, but they dont give me the bus pass because they say I live close.

Maria-Camila and her peer Janet Cruz asked the school to provide bus passes for public transportation.

In the summertime, I can overheat, said Cruz, a sophomore at Central High School. In the winter, it gets darker earlier, so it scares me that Id have to walk a long distance.

If we got bus passes, it would make me feel safer to get to extracurricular activities and it would also help me commute faster from place to place, she said.

Superintendent Michael Testani said it would be difficult to meet the students demands.

Theres board policies that we follow in terms of whos eligible for transportation, he said. In terms of federal (relief) dollars, transportation is not one of the buckets for ESSER (or) ARP money.

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief and American Rescue Plan funds are pandemic-era grants from the Trump and Biden administrations.

The student group is also calling on the Bridgeport school board and superintendent to use funds from federal relief and school police to invest in community schools, restorative justice and mental health, according to a press release for the event.

Thats what we are using ESSER money for, Testani said Friday, citing six new hires in restorative practice and the elimination of in-school suspensions last year.

The district has also expanded its mental health offerings, he said, including services through an outside provider and additional social workers and school counselors.

Were trying to do everything we can, he said.
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On August 2nd Russia held a military parade to commemorate the 91st anniversary of Russian airborne troops along with their latest equipment upgrades, including the BMD-4M tracked armored vehicle, which can be delivered by parachute. The BMD is based on the BMP-3M IFV which features the new Berezhok turret, fitted with four ready-to-launch Kornet ATGMs (laser guided anti-tank missiles) in two twin launchers on each side of the turret. Kornet's range is 5,500 meters and is much easier to use than older Fagot or Konkurs single tube ATGMs mounted on IFVs. Not only were these older systems outdated versus more capable enemy IFVs, but with only one ATGM launch tube, it had to be reloaded manually by the crew. That was difficult and dangerous in combat. With four ready-to-fire missiles, reloads are less of a problem. In addition, the Kornet can fire a two-missile salvo at one target to ensure destruction. The 30mm cannon in the turret received improved stabilization. There is also a remote-controlled weapon station fitted with a 30mm automatic AGS-30 grenade launcher. The commander/gunner sight, thermal imagers, missile guide channel and laser rangefinder received upgrades as well. All these improvements increase BMP weight by half a ton. Nearly half of that is missiles and ammunition for the AGS-30. Meanwhile the airborne BMD received similar weapons upgrades but with only two Kornet missiles and a new name; BMD-4M.

Russian paratroopers have been around since the 1930s. So far over 2.4 million Russians have served in the airborne forces. These have always been the boldest and most reliable Russian troops available, and those currently serving as paratroopers are no different. Despite their good qualities, Russian paratroopers are no guarantee of success. That's because for most of their history the paratroopers were not used as paratroopers but as elite infantry and even then, the paratroopers were often asked to do the impossible.

Russia pioneered the development of airborne forces in the 1930s, and by 1941 had five "airborne corps", each with about 10,000 troops. This was equivalent to an American airborne division. These airborne corps were not fully equipped and the purges of the late 1930s eliminated some of the best airborne officers. When the Germans invaded in June, 1941, the Russian air force was quickly destroyed. Lacking air transports, and with the Germans rapidly advancing on the ground, the five airborne corps were sent in as ground troops. Most of these paratroopers were killed before the end of the year, thus destroying the airborne force Russia had spent the last nine years building up. They did not die in vain, however, as the Germans had a tough time whenever they encountered the Russian paratroopers. But by early 1942, only two of the three airborne corps were intact and again suffering from heavy losses. But the Germans now knew to be careful whenever they encountered Russian paratroopers.

Before the pre-war Russian paratroopers were destroyed some of them did get a chance to use their parachuting skills. Between December 1941 and March 1942, 3,500 paratroopers were dropped behind German lines to assist the growing number of guerilla units being formed. Another 7,000 troops were brought in via gliders, as were supplies for the guerillas. This activity caught the attention of the Germans and they eventually wiped out nearly all of these troops by diverting infantry divisions and reconnaissance aircraft to the task.

Undismayed, the surviving Russian paratroopers were used to train more airborne troops for an expanded force of ten airborne corps. All of these units saw a lot of combat during early 1942. There were some small parachute drops but none had much impact on the fighting. In mid-1942 the ten airborne corps, and five independent airborne brigades were turned into regular infantry units and sent south to fight in the battles that led to the German defeat at Stalingrad in early 1943. But even before this campaign was over paratroopers were pulled out of their infantry jobs at the end of 1942 and used to organize ten Guards Airborne Divisions, each of them basically the same as the previous Airborne Corps. Once more an emergency arose that kept the paratroopers on the ground. The Germans launched another major offensive in early 1943, and the paratroopers were once more sent in as ground troops and most of them were lost.

Undismayed, the Russians raised another twenty airborne brigades (about 50,000 troops), which they used to form another six airborne corps. Three of these brigades were used in the first deliberate attempt to use paratroopers to support a major attack and this turned out to be the largest Russian airborne operation to date.

On September 24th, 1943, three parachute and three air landing brigades hit landed 40 kilometers behind German lines along the Dnieper River near Kanev. It was a disaster. Hastily organized, most of the paratroopers had never jumped out of an airplane before, although most had at least jumped from a training tower in a parachute harness. The inexperienced pilots had to do the drop at night, to avoid the risk of German fighters and there were not enough transport aircraft. The Russians had also not learned how important it was to move away from their drop zones quickly and form into larger units. The small, scattered Russians were quickly run down and destroyed by the Germans. What can be said is that the distraction took some German combat units away from the front line and that allowed the oncoming Russian armor units to advance a bit farther than they otherwise would have.

Russian dictator Stalin was not happy with this, the first real test of Russian airborne forces in their designed role. While the persistent efforts to organize new airborne units recognized that the airborne capability was important, the Russian air force was never able to support airborne operations sufficiently to make them work. For the rest of the war Soviet airborne forces were kept on the back burner. It wasn't until after the war that the parachute divisions again became well trained and equipped forces, with sufficient air transports to move them into combat.

Because of changes in technology, like helicopters, and more effective anti-aircraft systems, it became more difficult for troop transports to operate over enemy territory. The era of major parachute infantry operations had quietly passed. Paratroopers became well trained infantry, all volunteers and eager to jump out of aircraft. Just the kind of guys you need for emergencies. After World War II Russia found their airborne divisions to be the most effective and reliable infantry they had. Paratroopers were involved in all sorts of Cold War missions, notably leading roles in putting down rebellions among Eastern European allies, especially Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968. This posed a convincing enough threat to discourage even more such uprisings. Paratroops proved useful as an intervention threat in the Middle East and elsewhere. Finally, paratroopers were among the most effective Russian infantry in Afghanistan during the 1980s. But too much of a good thing turned out to be more than Russia could afford.

Russia continued to develop new airborne weapons and capabilities. In the 1970s that included the introduction of a lightweight version of the new BMP IFV. The BMD-1 weighed 7.5 tons, was easily air transportable and could be dropped by parachute. An upgraded BMD-2 appeared in the 1980s and eventually the BMD-4.

There were still problems. In early 2016 Russia announced that it was abandoning plans to increase its airborne force. The main problem was obtaining sufficient new recruits. It would cost more in additional pay, to attract suitable volunteers, training, bases and equipment than Russia could afford. Russia has been rebuilding its airborne force since the late 1990s and Russian military planners believed the current force is sufficient and the cost of maintaining these airborne units at a high state of readiness and combat capability remains expensive. The generals with combat experience advised that it was better to keep current airborne troops well equipped and trained than to cut back on that just to add more paratroopers.

Largely unnoticed by the rest of the world, since 2006 the Russian army has gone through a series of reforms, trying to transform the force that lost the Cold War into one that could win the next one. One element of the army, the airborne force, has remained largely unchanged. Despite a recent reorganization that made the brigade, not the division, the main combat unit, the airborne force still has divisions. The paratroopers are still all volunteers although money shortages have led to the use of more conscript volunteers in the last few years. Only about a third of airborne troops are career professionals ("contract soldiers"), yet the allure of the airborne is such that there are always qualified conscript volunteers. Alas, the conscripts leave after a year, so by the time you train them to a useful level they are gone. Still, if there is a national emergency that requires loyal, stalwart troops, the paratroopers are the ones you call. The airborne troops are one of the few bright spots in Russian military developments since the 1980s.

After the Cold War ended in 1991 the Russian army began to rapidly shrink. It was believed that the eight airborne divisions would shrink along with the rest of the army. But that was not the case. Airborne commanders made a convincing case that their elite troops would remain professional and increasingly be among the few combat troops that could really be depended on. That was convincing and the airborne force did not shrink as much as other army combat units. This decision was vindicated in 1999 when Russian troops were sent back into rebellious Chechnya and defeated the separatist rebels there. In the first three years of fighting in Chechnya, over 12,000 paratroopers served there and were the most effective troops. This success led to the temporary expansion of the airborne force from 40,000 troops to 45,000 troops.

This validated the claims that paratroopers were one of the first "special operations" forces to appear in the early 20th century. While no longer needed for mass jumps, the paratroopers are still popular as elite infantry. Airborne units tend to survive reorganizations or downsizing of military forces because of their proven value. This has been especially true in Russia where paratroopers continued to prove their worth.

Although the last paratroopers withdrew from Chechnya in 2006, largely replaced by interior ministry paramilitary forces, it was believed that this force would soon come in handy again. In 2008 paratroopers again proved their professionalism and effectiveness when they led the invasion of Georgia, just south of Chechnya. By 2012 the airborne force consisted of about 35,000 troops organized into four small divisions plus an independent brigade and an independent regiment. All that recent battlefield success justified the cost of expanding the force to its current 45,000 troops.
TICKERS: ARU; AUIAF

Source: Streetwise Reports (8/20/21)

Recent drill results from two targets at Aurania Resources' Lost CitiesCutucu project are reviewed in a Noble Capital Markets report.



In an Aug. 20 research note, Noble Capital Markets analyst Mark Reichman reported new drill results from Aurania Resources Ltd.'s (ARU:TSX.V; AUIAF:OTCQB) Tsenken N1 and Tiria-Shimpia targets at its Lost CitiesCutucu project.

"The current drilling program appears to be providing management with a clearer view of the system encompassing Tsenken N1 and Tiria-Shimpia, along with its potential," wrote Reichman.

The analyst pointed out that Aurania thinks these two targets are part of the same system over 45 kilometers, in which primarily copper mineralization slowly transitions into mostly zinc mineralization.

At Tsenken N1, Reichman noted, drilling of six holes over 1,859 meters (1,859m) encountered sediment-hosted copper. Hole TSN1-007, now being drilled, already showed this same type of mineralization over 7 kilometers. The hole also indicated the presence salt, a feature typical of these mineralized systems.

"A fault system is thought to have fed copper into the sediments much in the way it did zinc-silver in the Tiria-Shimpia area," Reichman explained.

Regarding Tiria-Shimpia, Reichman relayed, Aurania completed two holes there, SH-001 and SH-002. SH-001 intersected faint silver-zinc mineralization in seven sedimentary layers. SH-002 results are pending. The Canadian explorer is currently drilling SH-003, which so far has reached a depth of 300m.

Reichman highlighted that given all results to date, Lost Cities is showing potential to encompass multiple beds of mineralization, much like the Europe's Kupferschiefer, one of the world's largest sediment-hosted accumulations of copper ores. In sediment-hosted layered copper systems, the mineralization generally comes from sections of oxidized sediments, called red beds, and volcanic rocks, and Aurania's management suspects the overall system present at Los Cities is mostly made up of red bed sediments. This is in part due to the numerous layers of sandstone present there.

Noble has an Outperform rating and a $3.75 per share target price on Aurania. Its stock is trading today at about $1.81 per share.

Disclosures:

1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

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5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Aurania Resources Ltd., a company mentioned in this article.
Buy Photo A woman takes the hand of a child behind a fence that surrounds temporary living facilities for Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  In about two days, one of the busiest flight lines in the U.S. Air Force transformed into a tent city housing thousands of Afghan evacuees with uncertain futures.

By Sunday morning, about 5,000 men, women and children who managed to get a flight out of Kabul to escape Taliban rule were settling into their temporary home, waiting for the next leg of their journey.

About 150 tents have been assembled on space typically used to service aircraft, and more are being erected as part of the ongoing evacuation effort led by the U.S. State Department.

Between Friday evening and Sunday morning, 20 aircraft with evacuees had landed at Ramstein, base officials said. Most flights so far have departed from Qatar, where evacuees had been staying after leaving Kabul in the wake of the Talibans swift takeover of Afghanistan.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the first way station for the evacuation, reached capacity quickly, the Pentagon said in a briefing Friday.

Ramstein began preparing earlier in the week to receive evacuees and is building capacity to support 5,000 people, officials said, but is prepared to expand beyond that if needed.

Life in tent city was quiet Saturday. At midday, evacuees lined up for a vegetarian meal served in a to-go box. Some opted for Meals, Ready to Eat, with beef or chicken.

Living areas are separated by gender. Women and children rested on their cots inside an aircraft hangar. Some men sat on picnic benches or on the ground outside. There are tents for nursing mothers and for prayer, with blankets and towels spread on the floors. A barrier erected outside the portable showers was strewn with robes and other clothing. Power outlets were available to charge mobile phones.

Buy Photo Haseeb Kamal, 31, a U.S. citizen from Richmond, Va., is one of about 2,300 evacuees from the country living in temporary facilities at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. Kamal returned to Afghanistan to get married earlier this month and had to flee without his bride and other family members when the Taliban seized Kabul. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Signs show a tent for men to pray in at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. Men and women have separate living quarters in the tents housing Afghan evacuees while they wait for transit to the United States. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A girl gets a to-go box for lunch inside temporary living facilities for Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Airmen 1st Class Isaiah Byrd, left, and Turner Jackson, secure the entrance to temporary living facilities set up for Afghan evacuees on the flight line at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. Members of the 86th Security Forces Squadron are among numerous airmen, soldiers and volunteers pulling long hours to support thousands of evacuees on base. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Pamphlets with common phrases in Pashto and Dari, two languages widely spoken in Afghanistan, are available to airmen working inside one of the tents set up to support Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A man reaches for bottles of water inside temporary living facilities set up for Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo A little girl gets her temperature checked after arriving on a flight carrying Afghan evacuees to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Evacuees undergo a health screening as soon as they get off the plane. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft are lined up on the runway at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. The long-haul transport planes have been carrying the bulk of evacuees from Afghanistan to forward staging locations such as Qatar and Ramstein. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Men sit in a shady spot among tents as a little boy looks around inside the temporary living area for Afghan evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Clothing is draped over a barrier to dry in the sun inside a temporary living facility set up for evacuees from Afghanistan at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Boxes of donations collected for Afghan evacuees can be seen inside the tent city set up for evacuees at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 21, 2021. Most evacuees came with few belongings and community members have collected diapers, toys, clothing and other items for families in need. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

Airmen, soldiers and volunteers worked among the tents, picking up trash, serving food, handing out water, keeping security and making sure evacuees were comfortable.

This is the first time weve done anything like this, so were trying to do everything we can to assist them, said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Villalobos-Moore, an airman registering evacuees.

Everything that were doing is just for them, to make sure theyre going to be OK. Thats what were trying to relate to everybody, he said.

Villalobos-Moore said he senses evacuees feel some relief at having made it to Europe, but theres still a lot of stress, he said, because they dont know whats going to happen next.

Some evacuees were forced to leave loved ones behind. Haseeb Kamal, 31, a U.S. citizen from Richmond, Va., flew home to Afghanistan this month to see his family and get married.

His wedding day was Aug. 14. Kabul fell to the Taliban the next day.

Kamal, his father  a retired Afghan army colonel  and an older sister escaped, but there was so much chaos at the airport in Kabul when they tried to leave that Kamal couldnt get his wife, mother and other siblings through, he said Saturday.

Were just waiting for the next step, said Kamal, who worked as a translator for U.S. forces.

Kamal said hes grateful to be safe but worries about his family left behind, who keep asking him whats going to happen to them, he said.

Nobody knows whats going on. Nobody has answers, he said, adding the U.S. needs to speed up the evacuation process.

For now, Ramstein expects to keep receiving evacuees. From 75 to 400 people are arriving on each C-17, said Col. Adrienne Williams, commander of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing.

Were saving lives, she said. Its a humanitarian mission and you can look around, everyones a part of it.
People gather for a 10th anniversary memorial service for Marines Sgt. Daniel Patron in Perry Township on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Patron died Aug. 6, 2011, while defusing a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. (Scott Heckel, Canton Repository/TNS)

PERRY TOWNSHIP, Ohio (Tribune News Service)  One of Kathy Patrons wishes was for people to remember her son  U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Daniel J. Patron was killed in action 10 years ago in Afghanistan.

They do.

On Saturday morning, in front of his alma mater, Perry High School, about 200 men, women and children attended a memorial service. It was the same place a picnic was held on the Memorial Day after Patrons death, an event that ultimately gave birth to Operation Flags of Freedom.

That day, Kathy Patron had posed a question to Steve Toohey:

How do we never forget Danny? she asked.

The nonprofit Flags of Freedom group began soon after by placing 1,000 American flags at the school. Toohey, its founder, said the group since has supplied thousands of flags all over Northeast Ohio for 100 events a year.

I have to believe Danny is looking down ... saying how cool is this?!  Toohey told the crowd from a podium in front of the veterans memorial, surrounded by a couple hundred flags.

Daniel Patron was an explosive ordnance disposal technician, EOD for short. His job? Defuse and get rid of bombs, including the many improvised roadside devices troops encounter in the Middle East.

Marines in that line of work are a different breed.

They are always in harms way, said Michael Dana, a retired lieutenant general, who used an old adage from writer G.K. Chesterton to explain the required mentality: The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.

The timing of this years event  as U.S. troops withdraw from Afghanistan after 20 years on the ground, and the Taliban is seizing control  remained evident to Kathy Patron.

Very ironic, she said.

Kathy Patron holds the American flag and wipes away a tear during a 10th anniversary memorial service for her son, Marines Sgt. Daniel Patron, in Perry Township on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Patron died Aug. 6, 2011, while defusing a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. (Scott Heckel, Canton Repository/TNS) Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Dana makes remarks during a 10th anniversary memorial service for Marines Sgt. Daniel Patron in Perry Township on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Patron died Aug. 6, 2011, while defusing a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. (Scott Heckel, Canton Repository/TNS) Staff Sgt. Deven Huwig plays Taps during a 10th anniversary memorial service for Marines Sgt. Daniel Patron in Perry Township on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Patron died Aug. 6, 2011, while defusing a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. (Scott Heckel, Canton Repository/TNS) Daniel Patron (Family photo/TNS)

But Saturdays service wasnt a time to discuss military strategies or politics.

Instead, it was time to remember and honor Daniel Patron. The fun-loving kid with a killer smile; the teen who played in the high school band and sang in the choir; the guy who loved Norcia Bakery, mashed potatoes and gravy and rescue dogs; the son who loved his parents, Kathy and Frank; the sibling who loved his brother, Matt; and the husband who loved his wife, Cody.

Toohey, Dana and others, including Massillon Mayor Kathy Catazaro-Perry, took turns at the podium. They used words like patriot, role model, leader and honor, in describing Daniel Patron, a 2003 Perry High School graduate.

He served two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan during his eight years in the military.

Danny knew what he was getting into, Dana said.

In fact, he was to leave the Marines in July of 2011. But he elected to extend his deployment in Operation Enduring Freedom. He was killed Aug. 6 while trying to defuse a roadside bomb at 11:19 a.m. Saturday in Sangin, in Helmand province.

He died doing what he loved ... protecting our country, Catazaro-Perry said.

Bill Isele wasnt one of the speakers Saturday. The retired Marine sergeant was in charge of Patrons platoon. He said Patrons death capped off a horrible month-and-half for them. E.J. Pate was killed June 26, then Brad Lang lost both legs on July 26. Patron had just taken Langs spot as a team leader.

Isele made the trip from his home in Clearfield, Ky., for Saturdays service. Just like every other day, he wore a silver bracelet, inscribed with Patrons name, hometown and date of death.

He was one of my guys, Isele said.

2021 The (Canton, Ohio) Repository.

Visit cantonrep.com.
Johnny Gomez, 84, cuts the hair of Richard Mathys, a retired Marine, on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021 at Esquire Barber Shop in Oceanside, Calif. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (Tribune News Service) -- For 61 years, Johnny Gomez has sat U.S. Marines in his tan, leather swivel chair at the Esquire Barber Shop for the "high and tight": faded on the back and sides, short on the top and finished off with a straight razor. Little has changed but the price  still a bargain at $10.

Usually, customers shuffle in and out quietly, checking an errand off the to-do list in this seaside town next to Camp Pendleton, a place where the military is a way of life, replete with uniform repair and resale stores, shooting ranges and shops offering custom name tape, geared toward those in active service and veterans who have stayed on.

They've come to Esquire after the Korean War  well before Gomez buzzed his first head  where the U.S. lost more than 35,000 soldiers. It was the same after Vietnam, when the U.S. retreated after 58,000 American deaths; Gomez was drafted during that time but spent three years in the Army without deployment.

It's a pattern that continued with Iraq, as thousands of Americans died, and ISIS temporarily took over northern regions when U.S. troops left.

And now, with the Taliban's return takeover of Afghanistan.

"They're frustrated. They're angry. And they're talking," said Gomez, 84, who has seen young Marines off to their first deployments in nearly every modern conflict and welcomed them back with the "We support our troops" lettering stenciled on his barbershop's window. "They wonder what their service was for and what will happen to the Afghan people left behind."

Of the 800,000 Americans who have served in Afghanistan, some 115,000 were Marines  third in number after the Army and Air Force  and most were based at Camp Pendleton or Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. About a fifth of the 5,200 U.S. armed service members currently in Kabul are Camp Pendleton-based Marines, tasked with carrying out President Biden's promise this week that "any American who wants to come home, we will get you home." This at the end of a war that has cost some $2 trillion and more than 2,400 military lives.

Few places in the U.S. know the triumphs and failures of war like Oceanside, a city of 175,000 that's 40 miles north of San Diego and borders Pendleton. The 200-square-mile U.S. Marine Corps base has been a mainstay of training for those sent to Afghanistan over the last two decades. Many return to this town and smaller ones near it for jobs on base and civilian life outside of it, where the military commissary, doctors and social clubs are just minutes away beyond the Pendleton gates.

The son of a bracero  a Mexican who was offered entry to the U.S. for agricultural work  Gomez got his first job repairing and shining Marines' shoes next door to where his shop is today. He was 5 when the base was built during World War II. Over the years, the once-tiny hamlet of Oceanside blossomed into a one-trade town, with shuttles regularly dropping off and picking up Marines. They got beers along Mission Avenue, haircuts at Esquire on Pier View Way and lap dances at the strip clubs  the last one remaining, on North Coast Highway, closed its doors last year.

"People come here to get away from military life for a moment, but also they are reminded of it everywhere you go, because you also want to be around people like you," said Gomez, who charges an extra $5 to civilians.

It's a place, he said, that is used to danger and death. A memorial wall at Camp Pendleton displays the names of Marines killed in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001. Some died closer to home during training, in helicopter crashes or drownings during sea assault exercises. Each summer, Pier View Way is taken over for Operation Appreciation, a fair for veterans and military families at which the fallen are honored.

It's also a place that is used to both successes and failures. For many who look with pride at the pizza-shop mural of U.S. soldiers raising the red, white and blue over Iwo Jima, the images from Kabul, by contrast, bring personal pain: the American flag lowered last week from the U.S. embassy; desperate Afghans clinging to a departing Air Force jet, one as young as 17 falling to death from the sky; bloodied bodies on the streets after anti-Taliban protests.

The current situation has made for comparisons to 1975 in Saigon  now Ho Chi Minh City  when helicopters evacuated Americans from the U.S. Embassy as the city fell to the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. It's a symbol that still resonates for some residents of Oceanside, where a store off South Coast Highway has at times posted a sign that says "Not Fonda Jane," a reference to Jane Fonda's outspoken opposition to the Vietnam War.

"It's all the same as every time before," said Peyton Cooper, 57, a regular at Esquire who came in last week for a cut. Cooper, who lives in the nearby city of Vista, served as a paratrooper in the Army based in Fort Bragg, N.C., during the more successful U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983, though he was never sent abroad. "I don't think Afghanistan will ever change. It's like, Americans keep going in thinking they can fix places but don't."

Retired Staff Sgt. Bret Olson, an Oceanside resident and former Marine who did multiple tours in Iraq and worked in helicopter repair and maintenance for 20 years before retiring from the corps in 2005, had a different take.

"When there is a disaster like in Afghanistan, it just really hits everyone," said Olson, 62, who was not deployed there but knew many who were and is now a civilian helicopter mechanic on base and a local American Legion commander. "It's somber and sad. Some of us just try not to talk about it," Olson said.

Still, he believed it wasn't his role to place blame. "Our jobs are to obey orders, to do what the president and our leaders want, and deal with the repercussions."

Americans invaded Afghanistan after Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S. by the terror group Al Qaeda. The goal of dismantling Al Qaeda and the Islamist extremist Taliban government for having given the group cover morphed into a democracy-building mission. Navy SEALs killed the Al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, a decade later in Pakistan. The Taliban, which global leaders had scorned for depriving women's rights, fled to the hinterlands and waged brutal attacks against Afghan forces, local officials and the U.S. troops that bolstered the new Afghan government.

Last year, former President Trump ordered American negotiators to sit down with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, to hammer out an agreement for the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan in May 2021 and for the Taliban to vow to never harbor terrorists.

When President Biden took office, he delayed the full withdrawal until September. As the final 2,500 troops were departing this month, the Taliban quickly retook control as Afghanistan's president fled and its U.S.-trained Army collapsed. Amid the chaos, foreigners, Afghan troops and translators who assisted the U.S. are scrambling to escape. Biden has dispatched thousands of troops, including some from Pendleton, back to the country to guard the airport amid evacuations, drawing comparisons to Vietnam.

The younger Afghanistan war veterans who enlisted out of high school, now in their late 30s, weren't alive for the era of Vietnam War protests and soul-searching over the meaning of military enlistment. But many interviewed said they, too, had questions about the value of their service in protecting Afghans and in fighting for America's stated mission abroad.

"I know a lot of good people that got killed over there. They did their jobs. I did my job. But the politicians just screw it up," said retired Staff Sgt. Jason Ross, 37, who joined the Marines after the Sept. 11 attacks and was tasked with disabling improvised explosive devices. His legs blown off in 2011 in Nahri Saraj, Afghanistan, he moves around in an automated wheelchair.

"I am changed forever. What was it all for?" asked Ross, who lives in Fallbrook, a city on the northeast side of Camp Pendleton. "I feel like the guys on the ground did all they could. But the leadership of this country did not."

Neither did the Afghan forces, he said, which the U.S. government wrongly stated could withstand the Taliban.

Ross avoids watching the news these days, saying he is afraid his mind "will go back into a dark place." Instead, he sends Facebook memes on the war to fellow veterans as a way to cope through humor. A Marines flag flies next to the American flag on a pole outside his home, visible from the military helicopters that regularly speed overhead.

"I'm proud of what I did," Ross said. "But I don't know how proud I am of my country as a whole."

A friend who lives down the street, retired Gunnery Sgt. Ernesto Aquino, has had similar thoughts, as sleep becomes more difficult with each harrowing TV image from Kabul.

Aquino, 44, did three tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan over 20 years in the Marines. His last assignment was at Camp Leatherneck, the former American base in Afghanistan's Helmand province, where he shipped U.S. military property out of the country. In 2012, he tumbled in a rolling armored truck during a training exercise. After temporarily needing a wheelchair, he now lives with a traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.

After departing Afghanistan, he moved to Oceanside and took woodturning classes as a means of therapy, joining wounded veterans on the base to carve pens and salad bowls from cherry. Usually, it took him a few days for each piece. After retiring in 2015, he enrolled in cybersecurity classes at Cal State San Marcos, with plans to graduate next year, and thought he was moving on from the days of war.

But Aquino, who five years ago bought a home in Fallbrook to be in a quieter area with more land, said his anxiety has returned.

When he saw images of Taliban fighters in Kabul  their white flags with black swords, Kalashnikov AK-47s and photo ops in the presidential palace  he logged off from social media, turned off the news and retreated to his garage to turn wood. Closing himself off from what was happening across the globe, he created four bowls in a matter of hours.

It was a small way of finding peace amid the frustration and fear.

"I care. I try to watch and keep up with what's happening. But I get aggravated," Aquino said. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in, but I am disabled. I can do little from here. What, really, can any of us do?"

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

 2021 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
USS Virginia (SSN 774) successfully exits dry dock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, on June 22, 2021. (James Cleveland/U.S. Navy)

(Tribune News Service)  One of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyards dry docks is about to get a huge overhaul to increase the 221-year-old shipyards ability to maintain, modernize and repair the Navys Los Angeles-class and Virginia-class submarines.

A $1.7 billion contract to complete the dry dock renovation was awarded to Omaha, Nebraska-based 381 Constructors last week, by the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command. The contract will be incrementally funded, with an initial $70 million allocated at the time of award.

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, is one of four remaining naval shipyards in the United States. It has three dry docks and performs maintenance and modernization on both Los Angeles and Virginia-class submarines. Currently, Dry Dock No. 1 can only accommodate Los Angeles-class submarines, which means it needs to be reconfigured before the aging LA-class submarines are removed from service in the next decade.

The seven-year project to retrofit Dry Dock No. 1 is part of the Navys comprehensive Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, which will construct an addition to Dry Dock No. 1 within the existing flood basin area, as well as new concrete floors, walls, pump systems, caissons, and other mechanical and electrical utilities.

Vice Adm. William Galinis, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), said in a statement that naval shipyards need these major modernization efforts to sustain their ability to maintain the nuclear submarine fleet.

The Navy needs combat-ready ships and submarines to go where theyre needed, when theyre needed, and these major upgrades and reconfigurations at our naval shipyards will enable the fleet to meet its future missions, Galinis said.

Earlier this month, Sen. Susan Collins, R- Maine, announced the Senates Appropriations Committee advanced a fiscal year 2022 funding bill that included $475 million for the Dry Dock No. 1 extension project at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery. Collins announcement noted that failure to modernize the dry dock would result in 20 deferred submarine maintenance availabilities through 2040, meaning Navy submarines would not be able to accomplish their missions.

(c)2021 the Fosters Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.)

Visit the Fosters Daily Democrat (Dover, N.H.) at www.fosters.com
Buy Photo A little boy steps off the bus at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, after arriving on a U.S. military flight from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. The boy was one of hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan who were to spend the night Friday at Ramstein, which is prepared to temporarily support up to 5,000 people as they move to the United States and elsewhere after fleeing the Taliban. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  Hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan, including many families with children, arrived at Ramstein Air Base from Qatar on Friday after a harrowing journey fleeing the Talibans takeover.

The first of three aircraft carrying the evacuees  two U.S. Air Force C-17s and a British commercial jet  flew over Kaiserslautern at around 7 p.m. on the approach to Ramsteins airfield.

Ramstein has the capacity to support up to 5,000 evacuees, and more are expected in the coming days, base officials said. The State Department will determine where the evacuees will go next, but most are expected to travel to the United States in the next few days once they are vetted and medically cleared, officials said.

Evacuees seem to be in good condition, said Brig. Gen. Josh Olson, the 86th Airlift Wing commander. They look exhausted. They look very tired and are traveling with very little, he said. But seeing the children and the families coming off with huge smiles, it warms your heart.

Buy Photo A woman holding a small child steps off the bus at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, after arriving on a U.S. military flight from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Most of the hundreds of evacuees who arrived were Afghans who had fled the Taliban Airmen and volunteers handed evacuees water before they underwent medical checks. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Many of the hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan who arrived at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, were families with children. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

An Air Force imam, a Muslim chaplain assigned to Ramstein, was one of the first to greet evacuees, officials said.

He tells them they are on an Air Force base in Germany and that were going to take care of you, this is a safe place, said Lt. Col. Will Powell, an 86th Airlift Wing spokesman.

Airmen and volunteers from the Red Cross and the USO were on hand to deliver bottles of water to the evacuees as they stepped from a bus that picked them up on the flight line. Evacuees, most of whom were wearing face masks, received a medical screening due to coronavirus concerns, officials said.

Buy Photo A U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft carrying evacuees from Afghanistan lands at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo An airman directs a bus carrying evacuees from Afghanistan at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. Hundreds of evacuees began arriving Friday from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, after fleeing the Taliban. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes) Buy Photo Brig. Gen. Josh Olson, 86th Airlift Wing commander at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, speaks to reporters on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, about how Ramstein is prepared to temporarily support thousands of evacuees from Afghanistan. Hundreds arrived Friday night. (Jennifer H. Svan/Stars and Stripes)

The vetting process includes scanning their information against several databases to determine whether theyre friend or foe, Olson said. Keeping the base community secure as well as the evacuees safe is a top priority, he said.

Evacuees were to sleep on military cots set up in hangars and large tents erected on the flight line. Portable toilets and showers were also brought in.

More flights bringing evacuees were expected throughout the night and in the coming days, Olson said.

So far, most of the evacuees are Afghans, Olson said. The first flights to arrive Friday departed from Qatar but evacuees will be arriving from a myriad of places, Olson said.

The base also expects to receive American and German citizens who have evacuated Afghanistan, Olson said.

Right now were expecting about 5,000 but we will surge according to the needs (so) that we can help and support as many people as we can, he said.
In this June 5, 2021 photo, people spend the day at the Baltic Sea beach in Scharbeutz, northern Germany, on a sunny Saturday. (Michael Probst/AP)

BERLIN  New COVID-19 infections in Germany have reached their highest level in nearly three months amid a steady rise powered by the delta variant.

The national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, said Saturday that 51.6 new cases per 100,000 residents were reported over the last seven days. Its the first time since May 25 that the infection rate has been above 50, but it has been increasing since hitting a low of 4.9 in early July.

The disease control center said that 8,092 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours -- up from 5,644 a week earlier. More cases are getting detected as summer vacations end and children return to schools in some parts of Germany.

German authorities have been trying to reinvigorate the country's COVID-19 vaccination drive, which has slowed considerably. Official figures showed that 63.8% of Germanys population had received at least one vaccine dose as of Thursday and 58.5% are fully vaccinated.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, accompanied by Army Major Gen. William Taylor, left, speaks during a news briefing at the Pentagon on Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

U.S. military officials have heard "sporadic reports that some Americans have not been able to pass through Taliban checkpoints to get the Kabul airport to leave Afghanistan despite promises from the group to allow passage to U.S citizens, chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Friday.

However, Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon that overall what we've been seeing is that Americans are able to get through those checkpoints and are able to get onto the airfield.

Earlier Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told House lawmakers that the Taliban has beaten some Americans attempting to escape Kabul, CNN reported. At the Pentagon, Kirby said the Taliban has attacked some Afghans attempting to leave the country, including special immigrant visa applicants.

There have been multiple cases of Afghans  even some credentialed Afghans  being assaulted and being harassed, no question, Kirby said. But by and large, those Afghans who have the proper credentials  and we have made it clear to the Taliban what they look like  are getting through the checkpoints.

However, news reports and social media posts have showed Taliban fighters harassing, and in some cases assaulting, Afghans attempting to get to the airport. Reports also described crowded, often chaotic scenes just outside the airport gates, where thousands have flocked trying to flee the country in fear of a return to the Islamist rule of the Taliban that the group enforced from 1996 to 2001.

The chaos outside the gates forced U.S. troops to leave the Kabul airport on Thursday to gather U.S. citizens trapped in the large, unruly crowds just outside the airfields walls. It was the first known time that American troops had moved outside the perimeter of the airport since the Taliban captured the city Sunday.

Kirby said troops escorted 169 Americans into the airpor,t and it was the first time that U.S. forces at the airport had the capacity to walk into those crowds. C-17s landing Friday in Kabul carried hundreds of additional troops, bringing the total at the airport to 5,800.

They were really just outside the wall [of the airport]. It wasn't very far to go, Kirby said. It was in a relatively short period of time, and it wasn't a rescue so much as assisting them getting onto the field.

After the military published photos of a Marine pulling an infant over the wall of the airport on Friday, social media reports claimed the U.S. was pulling children into the facility to evacuate them from the country. However, Kirby explained the act was not an evacuation, but a very humane act of compassion by the Marines.

The parent asked the Marines to look after the baby because the baby was ill, he said. And so, the Marine you see reaching over the wall took it to a Norwegian hospital that's at the airport. They treated the child and returned the child to the child's father.

At this point, the Pentagon has not committed to going farther outside the airport to help evacuees get into and through Kabul to the airport, Kirby said.

However, at the White House earlier Friday, President Joe Biden indicated more U.S. troops could leave the relative safety of Hamid Karzai International Airport to help Americans stranded in Kabul, if necessary.

I'm not going to talk about potential future operations in one way or the other, and every decision that is made has got to be weighed against the risks and benefits of what you're doing, Kirby said.

Though no decisions about more troops leaving the airport to gather Americans in Kabul have been made, Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, the Joint Staffs deputy director for regional operations, said Friday that they are always planning for possible operations.

Inside the airport, where hordes of evacuees have swarmed to get on planes to leave Afghanistan, the U.S. military is flying thousands of Americans and Afghans out of the country on C-17 cargo jets each day.

The military has flown 6,000 people, including a "couple hundred Americans," out of the country in the past 24 hours despite a pause in flight operations after the U.S. military hub at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar reached its capacity for accepting evacuees, Taylor said.

[The pause] lasted about six to seven hours and it was allowed to ensure that flights at our intermediate staging bases could receive more personnel and that has been cleaned up, he said. As flights have departed there, it has allowed us now to continue with those that are ready to fly from Kabul to leave.

On Friday, hundreds of evacuees from Afghanistan, including many families with children, arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Kirby said three military bases in the U.S. are now set to receive Afghan refugees  Fort McCoy in Wisconsin, Fort Bliss in Texas and Fort Lee in Virginia, which was the first to receive groups of special immigrant visa holders last month.
In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, soldiers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division arrive to provide security in support of Operation Allies Refuge at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. (Taylor Crul/U.S. Air Force)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  Potential Islamic State threats against Americans in Afghanistan are forcing the U.S. military to develop new ways to get evacuees to the airport in Kabul, a senior U.S. official said Saturday, adding a new complication to the already chaotic efforts to get people out of the country after its swift fall to the Taliban.

The official said that small groups of Americans and possibly other civilians will be given specific instructions on what to do, including movement to transit points where they can be gathered up by the military. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The changes come as the U.S. Embassy issued a new security warning Saturday telling citizens not to travel to the Kabul airport without individual instruction from a U.S. government representative. Officials declined to provide more specifics about the IS threat but described it as significant. They said there have beenno confirmed attacks as yet.

Time is running out ahead of President Joe Bidens Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops. In his remarks on the situation Friday, he did not commit to extending it, though he did issue a new pledge to evacuate not only all Americans in Afghanistan, but also the tens of thousands of Afghans who have aided the war effort since Sept. 11, 2001. That promise would dramatically expand the number of people the U.S. evacuates.

Biden faces growing criticism as videos depict pandemonium and occasional violence outside the airport, and as vulnerable Afghans who fear the Talibans retaliation send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

The Islamic State group  which has long declared a desire to attack America and U.S. interests abroad  has been active in Afghanistan for a number of years, carrying out waves of horrific attacks, mostly on the Shiite minority. The group has been repeatedly targeted by U.S. airstrikes in recent years, as well as Taliban attacks. But officials say fragments of the group are still active in Afghanistan, and the U.S. is concerned about it reconstituting in a larger way as the country comes under divisive Taliban rule.

Despite the U.S. Embassy warning, crowds remain outside the Kabul airports concrete barriers, clutching documents and sometimes stunned-looking children, blocked from flight by coils of razor wire.

Meanwhile, the Talibans top political leader arrived in Kabul for talks on forming a new government. The presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who returned to Kandahar earlier this week from Qatar, was confirmed by a Taliban official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the news media. Baradar negotiated the religious movements 2020 peace deal with the U.S., and he is now expected to play a key role in negotiations between the Taliban and officials from the Afghan government that the militant group deposed.

Afghan officials familiar with talks held in the capital say the Taliban have said they will not make announcements on their government until the Aug. 31 deadline for the troop withdrawal passes.

Abdullah Abdullah, a senior official in the ousted government, tweeted that he and ex-President Hamid Karzai met Saturday with Talibans acting governor for Kabul, who assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of the city.

Evacuations continued, though some outgoing flights were far from full because of the airport chaos. The German military said in a tweet that one plane left Kabul on Saturday with 205 evacuees, while a second aircraft carried only 20. The Italian Defense Ministry announced the evacuation Saturday of 211 Afghans, which it said brought to 2,100 the number of Afghan workers at Italian missions and their families who have been safely evacuated.

On Friday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said around 1,000 people a day were being evacuated amid a stabilization at the airport. But on Saturday, a former Royal Marine-turned charity director in Afghanistan said the situation was getting worse, not better.

We cant leave the country because we cant get into the airport without putting our lives at risk, Paul Farthing told BBC radio.

Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, told Pentagon reporters Saturday that the U.S. has evacuated 17,000 people through the Kabul airport since Aug. 15. About 2,500 have been Americans, he said. U.S. officials have estimated there are as many as 15,000 Americans in Afghanistan, but acknowledge they dont have solid numbers. In the past day, about 3,800 civilians were evacuated from Afghanistan through a combination of U.S. military and charter flights, Taylor said. Three flights of Afghan evacuees have arrived at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C.

The evacuations have been hampered by screening and logistical strains at way stations such as al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. U.S. officials said they have limited numbers of screeners, and they are struggling to work through glitches in the vetting systems.

Taylor said that the Kabul airport remains open, and that Americans continue to be processed if they get to the gates, but he and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the threat picture changes by the hour.

We know that were fighting against both time and space, Kirby said. Thats the race were in right now.

The Biden administration was considering calling on U.S. commercial airlines to provide planes and crews to assist in transporting Afghan refugees once they were evacuated from their country by military aircraft. Under the voluntary Civil Reserve Air Fleet program, civilian airlines add to military aircraft capability during a crisis related to national defense.

The U.S. Transportation Command said Saturday it had issued a warning order to U.S. carriers Friday night on the possible activation of the program. If called upon, commercial airlines would transport evacuees from way stations outside Afghanistan to another country or from Virginias Dulles International Airport to U.S. military bases.

So far, 13 countries have agreed to host at-risk Afghans at least temporarily, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Another 12 have agreed to serve as transit points for evacuees, including Americans and others.

We are tired. We are happy. We are now in a safe country, one Afghan man said upon arrival in Italy with 79 fellow citizens, speaking in a video distributed by that countrys defense ministry.

But the growing question for many other Afghans is, where will they finally call home? Already, European leaders who fear a repeat of the 2015 migration crisis are signaling that fleeing Afghans who didnt help Western forces during the war should stay in neighboring countries instead.

Remaining in Afghanistan means adapting to life under the Taliban, who say they seek an inclusive, Islamic government, will offer full amnesty to those who worked for the U.S. and the Western-backed government and have become more moderate since they last held power from 1996 to 2001. They also have said  without elaborating  that they will honor womens rights within the norms of Islamic law.

But many Afghans fear a return to the Talibans harsh rule in the late 1990s, when the group barred women from attending school or working outside the home, banned television and music, chopped off the hands of suspected thieves and held public executions.

Today, some of my friends went to work at the court and the Taliban didnt let them into their offices. They showed their guns and said, Youre not eligible to work in this government if you worked in the past one, one womens activist in Kabul told The Associated Press on Saturday. She spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

With a Turkish visa but no way to safely reach the airport, the activist described the gap between the Talibans words and actions very alarming.

___

Faiez reported from Istanbul, Gannon from Islamabad, and Baldor from Washington. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy; Matt Lee in Washington; and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
Protesters set fire on a tire near the fence of Gaza Strip border with Israel, during a protest marking the anniversary of a 1969 arson attack at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque by an Australian tourist later found to be mentally ill, east of Gaza City, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (Adel Hana/AP)

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Israeli gunfire on Saturday wounded 24 Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy who was shot in the head, health officials said. An Israeli policeman was critically wounded by Palestinian gunfire during the clashes along Gazas border with Israel.

The violence erupted after hundreds of Palestinians took part in a demonstration Saturday organized by Gazas Hamas rulers to draw attention to a stifling Israeli blockade of the territory. The demonstration grew violent after dozens of people approached the fortified border fence and threw rocks and explosives toward Israeli soldiers from behind a black smoke screen spewing from burning tires.

The Israeli military said that hundreds of demonstrators approached one area of the fence in northern Gaza and attempted to climb over while throwing explosives at troops. It said that troops fired tear gas and live rounds toward the protesters.

It also said a member of the paramilitary border police was hospitalized in grave condition after being shot. Amateur video from the Palestinian side showed a protester running up to the concrete barrier and firing a pistol into a hole used by an Israeli sniper.

In Gaza, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said 24 Palestinians were wounded by Israeli fire. Two of them, including the 13-year-old boy, were in critical condition.

The violent confrontations were reminiscent of the weekly border demonstrations organized by Gazas Hamas rulers in 2018 and 2019 to draw attention to Israels stifling blockade over the tiny seaside territory.

Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies that have fought four wars and countless skirmishes since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007, a year after winning a Palestinian election. The most recent war, in May, ended in an inconclusive cease-fire after 11 days of fighting.

Khalil al-Haya, a senior Hamas official, told protesters that the confrontation with Israel was still open.

There has been growing tension in recent weeks, with Hamas calling for Israel to ease the blockade, which greatly restricts movement of people and goods in and out of the territory. Israel has imposed the blockade with Egyptian help since 2007, saying it is needed to prevent Hamas from arming itself.

In a statement, the Israeli army said troops responded with live rounds after hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated at the Gaza-Israeli border.

During the border protests in 2018 and 2019, over 350 Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire. The protests ground to a halt after mediators, including Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations brokered an unofficial deal in which Israel eased some of its economic restrictions on Gaza and allowed Qatar to deliver tens of millions of dollars in monthly payments to needy Gaza families and Hamas salaries.

Since the May war, the new Israeli government, headed by Naftali Bennet, has blocked the Qatari aid, calling for a mechanism to ensure Hamas doesnt benefit from the cash. It also has blocked the import of key reconstruction materials while demanding that Hamas first return the remains of two soldiers killed in a 2014 war and two Israeli civilians believed to be alive.

Running out of patience, Hamas called for Saturdays protest to signal its frustration with Israel delaying the Qatari cash injections.

On Thursday, however, Israel announced an agreement with the Gulf Arab country to resume aid payments to thousands of families in the Gaza Strip step aimed at easing tensions with the Palestinian territory in the wake of the war. Under the new arrangement, the funds are to be transferred by the United Nations directly to Gaza families, while giving Israel oversight over the the list of recipients. The payments are expected to begin in the coming weeks.

Hamas made the call for the protest at Gaza-Israel frontier before the new agreement on the resumption of Qatari aid was reached. It also said the protest was meant to mark the anniversary of a 1969 arson attack at Jerusalems Al-Aqsa mosque by an Australian tourist later found to be mentally ill.

At least 254 people were killed during Mays Gaza-Israel war, including 67 children and 39 women, according to the Gaza health ministry. Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of 80 militants. Twelve civilians, including two children, were killed in Israel, along with one soldier.
A 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV on display at the 2020 Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh in February 2020. General Motors is recalling all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold worldwide to fix a battery problem that could cause fires. (Gene J. Puskar/AP)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  General Motors said Friday it is recalling all Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles sold worldwide to fix a battery problem that could cause fires.

The recall raises questions about lithium ion batteries, which now are used in nearly all electric vehicles. President Joe Biden wants to convert 50% of the U.S. vehicle fleet from internal combustion to electricity by 2050 as part of a broader effort to fight climate change.

The recall announced Friday adds about 73,000 Bolts from the 2019 through 2022 model years to a previous recall of 69,000 older Bolts.

GM said that in rare cases the batteries have two manufacturing defects that can cause fires.

The Detroit-based automaker said it will replace the battery modules in all the vehicles.

The latest recall will cost the company about $1 billion, bringing the total cost of the Bolt battery recalls to $1.8 billion.

GM said owners should limit charging to 90% of battery capacity. The Bolts, including a new SUV, should be parked outdoors until the modules are replaced.

The original recall was blamed on a manufacturing defect at a South Korean factory run by LG Chemical Solution, GM's battery supplier. But the company said an investigation showed that the defects are possible in batteries made at other sites. Most newer Bolt batteries are made at an LG plant in Holland, Michigan.

GM issued the first Bolt recall in November after getting reports of five of them catching fire. Two people suffered smoke inhalation and a house was set ablaze.

At first the company didn't know what was causing the problem, but it determined that batteries that caught fire were near a full charge. It traced the fires to what it called a rare manufacturing defect in battery modules. It can cause a short in a cell, which can trigger a fire.

GM said it began investigating the newer Bolts after a 2019 model that was not included in the previous recall caught fire a few weeks ago in Chandler, Arizona. That raised concerns about newer Bolts.

That fire brought the total number of Bolt blazes to 10, company spokesman Dan Flores said.

GM says it is working with LG to increase battery production. The company says owners will be notified to take their cars to dealers as soon as replacement parts are ready.

Flores said he is not sure when that will be.

The company said it will not produce or sell any more Bolts until it is satisfied that problems have been worked out in LG batteries, Flores said.

"Our focus on safety and doing the right thing for our customers guides every decision we make at GM," Doug Parks, GM product development chief, said in a statement.

Batteries with the new modules will come with an eight year, 100,000 mile (160 kilometer) warranty, the company said. GM will replace all five battery modules in 2017 to 2019 Bolts. Defective modules will be replaced in newer models.

GM said it will pursue reimbursement from the battery maker, LG Chemical Solution.

The Bolts are only a tiny fraction of GM's overall U.S. sales, which run close to 3 million vehicles in a normal year. But they are the first of an ambitious rollout of electric models as GM tries to hit a goal of selling only electric passenger vehicles by 2035.

Other automakers are also announcing additional electric models worldwide to cut pollution and meet stricter government fuel economy standards.

Shares in General Motors Co. were down about 2% in extended trading following the recall announcement.
Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., and then-Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., in 2018. Connolly is working with a nonprofit based in his district, No One Left Behind, forwarding hundreds of cases to the State Department in hopes of bringing stranded Afghans and Americans dire circumstances more directly to the attention of authorities. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post)

WASHINGTON  From his home in Prince William County, Va., he could hear the chaos through the phone as his wife approached the airport in Kabul. He heard gunfire, and screaming, and his wifes voice on the other end of the line asking him with incredulity, How can I get to the gate?

She was a woman traveling alone in an overwhelmingly male crowd just feet away from the Taliban. She didnt have a hijab covering her. She had just an email from the State Department telling her to be here.

I said, This is the one and only way you can save your life,  her husband, Ahmad, an Afghan American who served the U.S. military in Afghanistan as a legal adviser and linguist for six years, recalled in an interview with The Washington Post, speaking on condition of anonymity because of concern for his familys safety.

She made it to the gate. But U.S. authorities turned her away, for lack of sufficient documentation.

Despondent, Ahmad didnt know what else to do. So he knocked on what he said was the only door still open to him: that of his congressman, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va.

Since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban last week, Wittmans office and many others in Congress have stepped in to assist desperate constituents with family members stranded in Kabul during the chaotic evacuation mission with a closing window. Members of Congress in Virginia  where large populations of Afghans or Afghan Americans live  have been especially involved, as staff members frantically try to facilitate Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applications.

In addition to dozens of families of U.S. citizens and Afghans, Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., said her office is fielding call after call from Afghanistan veterans trying to personally ensure that the interpreters they served with could be evacuated to safety. Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., is working with a nonprofit based in his district, No One Left Behind, forwarding hundreds of cases to the State Department in hopes of bringing stranded Afghans and Americans dire circumstances more directly to the attention of authorities.

My office is in touch with a number of U.S. citizens and SIV-eligible Afghans who are desperately trying to get to safety, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a statement. We are communicating closely with staff from State Department and Department of Defense to get as many of them out of Afghanistan as safely and as quickly as possible, knowing that time is of the essence here.

For some like Ahmad, help from Congress can feel like the last hope to save their families after months of failed communications with the State Department or other U.S. agencies they had been relying on as the Taliban gained ground.

And on Tuesday, as Ahmads wife waited for hours outside the gate, Wittmans staff did what they could.

RE: URGENT WIFE OF US CITIZEN TURNED AWAY AT AIRPORT, AFTER RECEIVING EMAIL FROM STATE TO COME TO AIRPORT, read the subject line of an email his staff sent to the State Department that was provided to The Post.

There is tear gas and fires everywhere, the staffer wrote, pleading for someone to help her get inside to safety and, ultimately, on a plane.

Ahmad said his wife stayed in hiding outside the airport for hours, until finally, pleas from the congressmans office paid off: His wife was instructed to go to a different gate.

To get there, she had to pass through a Taliban checkpoint. There, Ahmad said, his wife called him in tears. The Taliban pointed a gun at her and told her to go home, saying she had violated Islam  fleeing to America, without a man accompanying her, without a hijab. But she didnt go home, Ahmad said. Instead, she found a different route to the gate  and by the next morning, she was on a plane to Qatar.

Ahmad slept for the first time in more than a day. Wittman was relieved  but remembered the dozens of other unresolved cases his office, and so many others, was still working on.

You see the dire situation: having the wherewithal to go to the gate knowing the risk they suffer, and waiting for something to happen, Wittman said. Luckily we were able to constantly stay in touch with the State Department throughout the day [in Ahmads wifes case]. But there are hundreds that unfortunately arent in that situation and able to get out.

Among them are the rest of Ahmads family.

After a few hours of sleep, Ahmad woke up to a phone call from his brother in Afghanistan. The Taliban, his brother told him, had come to their home and threatened to kill them.

They were looking for Ahmads wife.

During a House Foreign Affairs hearing in May, Connolly told U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was starting to bear an eerie resemblance to the end of the war in Vietnam.

It seems the American game is to cut our losses and leave, and hope for the best  but, not our problem. Connolly said. The problem is, because of this engagement, just like Vietnam, were leaving behind hundreds of thousands of Afghans who relied on us, trusted us, for their security.

Now, Connolly said in an interview this week, my fears have been confirmed.

The evacuation mission has devolved into chaos, with Afghans receiving confusing guidance from U.S. authorities about how to get to the airport, while many of their families, like Ahmads, are receiving death threats from the Taliban.

President Joe Biden said Friday that so far the United States had evacuated 13,000 people since Aug. 14 and was committed to evacuating every American citizen and allied Afghan. But thousands remain, many with harrowing journeys ahead of them to get to the airport and past the Taliban  and many traveling without paperwork.

Since Saturday, Connollys office has submitted the names and information of nearly 2,000 people to the State Department  Special Immigrant Visa-eligible Afghans, refugees, stranded U.S. citizens. Connolly said he has also tried to urge the department not to take a strict, stringent, rigid approach to documentation. A lot of these people fled with nothing.

When he heard back on Tuesday morning about one of those people getting approved for a flight, Connolly said, I wanted to cry.

Ill never be satisfied until every single person whose name I submit is confirmed and theyre on an airplane, he said.

- - -

One still waiting is Dellawar Khan.

Khan had been trying for years to obtain a Special Immigrant Visa but had been denied. Keith Saddler, vice chairman at No One Left Behind  which has been advocating for Khan and hundreds like him  said Khan had serious difficulty obtaining a letter from his former employer, KBR, verifying his employment.

Khan, a father of nine, worked for the American defense contractor as an interpreter at Forward Operating Base Salerno in the mid-2000s. He said in a letter that his last day of work was in 2008: While he was on his way to the base he got a phone call from his uncle. His father and his brother had been shot by the Taliban  targeted because of Khans work with the Americans. Neither survived.

Saddler got an email from Khan telling his story in 2020, and it just tore my heart out, he said. He tried to do everything to help Khan get his visa  including calling Connolly. After multiple letters from the congressman on Khans behalf, KBR ultimately provided Khan a letter verifying his employment. But not one that helped him get a Special Immigrant Visa.

The company disclosed that its records indicated Kahn was terminated in November 2007 because of an unspecified military ban and had no other information about why. There was a separate Delawar Khan Salab who resigned in February 2008 due to being threatened by Taliban, a letter KBR sent to Khan said. Saddler said it had to be a mistake.

In a statement, Philip Ivy, KBRs vice president of global marketing and communications, said KBR had been working to help former employees obtain SIVs; in Khans case, he said, We can only provide what our records from over 10 years ago reflect, and urge the State and Defense Departments to work together to evaluate what happened. We feel for Mr. Khan and the difficulty the record might cause his SIV application, but we do not have discretion to withhold information in our records.

Saddler told Khan to go to the airport on Thursday anyway.

He made it past the Taliban  lied through his teeth  but it didnt matter, Saddler said. It was the Americans who turned Khan away. Not enough documentation.

Im watching our political leaders saying, Were going to get everybody out  well, they denied him, Saddler said. So he called me. I said, Jesus, I dont know what to do.

I called Connollys office.

The next day, Saddler said, Khan had a letter from the congressman himself  seeking to assure U.S. authorities that he was confident Khan would soon be approved for a Special Immigrant Visa. So has Congressman Connolly been helpful? I cant think of anyone who could have been any more helpful than this guy was, Saddler said. I mean, this is what you want a congressman to do.

Khan is now carrying Connollys plea back to the airport, Saddler said, hoping it will be enough to get on a plane. They are praying and crossing their fingers. Thats all we can do at this point, Saddler said.

He has not heard from him in more than a day.

Wittmans office is still trying to help the rest of Ahmads stranded family members  his father, his brother and his brothers wife and their three children  but the challenge now is locating them.

Since Ahmads brother called to tell him the Taliban came to threaten his family, he has not been able to reach him again.

He called his familys neighbors. They said they could see his familys gate was open, and a pair of baby shoes was lying on the ground. His baby nieces shoes, Ahmad knew.

What it meant has swirled around in his mind all day and night. He couldnt eat and couldnt sleep. Were they escaping? Were they abducted?

He was worried, too, about other extended family across Afghanistan, like two older nieces who were university students now in hiding from the Taliban, fearing forced marriage.

I dont know what my familys situation is, Ahmad said, but he knew one thing: All of this happened because we served the American government.

He spent years feeling proud of his service, he said. But now regret has seeped in.

I accepted a huge amount of risk to serve the U.S. government, he said. And I am really sad about the U.S. government as well, because right now they left behind my family. ... I served for years for the U.S. government, and this is the outcome?
President Biden delivers remarks regarding evacuation of Afghanistan in the East Room at the White House on Aug. 20, 2021, with Vice President Harris, left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden this past week laid out a defiant defense of his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, a reversal of two decades of U.S. engagement that crystallizes an emerging Biden Doctrine  a cautious worldview that prizes alliances but also narrows the aperture of American influence.

America, with plenty of rebuilding to do at home, should no longer be willing to intervene in languishing foreign conflicts, Biden said. The lives of American troops are not worth risking in those battles, he added, and nation-building is a non-starter. That is a view broadly shared by Americans in both parties even amid the scenes of chaos and heartbreak at the Kabul airport in recent days, as desperate Afghans try to flee a Taliban takeover.

What interest do we have in Afghanistan at this point, with al-Qaida gone? Biden asked Friday, overstating the case that the terrorist group behind the Sept. 11 attacks has been extinguished. He added moments later: Youve known my position for a long, long time. Its time to end this war.

Americans have soured on the kind of inconclusive military missions that President Donald Trump said make policemen out of soldiers. Biden had soured on them more than a decade ago, as his once-hawkish foreign policy grew more circumspect.

That convergence is among several instances in which  for all their vast differences in policy, motivation and tone  the new president finds himself on common ground with the old.

Biden so far has kept many of the protectionist tariffs that he inherited, continuing the trade limitations that Trump had placed on Chinese imports. He has kept in place some of the Trump-era border policies that advocates have pressed him to overturn, such as pandemic travel restrictions at the Mexico and Canada borders that the Biden administration extended on Friday.

And while Biden displays a belief in diplomacy and working with like-minded countries on priorities like climate change and COVID-19, the longtime senator who supported the Iraq War in 2002 and initial actions in Afghanistan has shown an increasing aversion to an interventionist foreign policy.

Last week included not only a vivid display of a chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan  one that deeply shook many NATO allies and triggered criticism from alliances Biden prizes  but also a decision from the administration to override concerns from the World Health Organization and recommend booster shots for Americans, giving them a third shot before millions in poorer countries have their first.

The bigger thing thats consistent between Obamas second term to Trump to now how Biden has started out is: We take care of our own,  said Brian Katulis, a foreign policy expert at the left-leaning Center for American Progress who has referred to the latest turn in foreign policy as the gated community mind-set.

Call it America First, call it America First Light. But we take care of our own first and foremost, and theres only so much we can do on things that are on the other side of that gate.

Close Biden aides dispute that there are significant similarities between the worldviews of Biden and Trump, and say any policy overlap is by happenstance.

If somehow two people end up on the same street  that doesnt have anything to do with doctrine, said one person close to Biden, speaking on the condition of anonymity to be candid about the presidents views.

Part of Bidens argument on Afghanistan holds that American global priorities are elsewhere, especially in Asia, and that money, time and brain power should be redirected to what he calls the defining challenge of the 21st century  the looming contest with China for economic, military and diplomatic preeminence.

Trump painted China as a boogeyman, first on trade when he ran for president in 2016 and then as the origin of the coronavirus when he was running for reelection in 2020. In between, he cultivated a relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and sought an omnibus trade deal that never gelled.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a Biden ally who has backed the presidents approach to ending the Afghanistan war, cast Bidens view of China as far more sophisticated and practical and as an example of where shared positions between Trump and Biden do not, in his view, mean shared values.

What Joe Biden is trying to do is arrange American foreign policy so were negotiating from a position of strength with China, something that Donald Trump could not do and had no interest in doing, Murphy said.

Domestic U.S. concerns are a big part of that calculus, Murphy said, pointing to Bidens legislative agenda with its focus on rebuilding the American economy, infrastructure and global competitiveness.

A top administration official said the emerging Biden Doctrine is guided by rebuilding at home, partly as a way to demonstrate the power of democracy, and working with like-minded partners to address global challenges.

Afghanistan is Exhibit A in Bidens view of how not to apply American power, but it is complicated by his avowed belief that the United States draws strength from its alliances. NATO fought alongside the United States in Afghanistan, and several NATO nations have complained that they were blindsided by Bidens abrupt announcement in April of a complete withdrawal.

The decision to leave Afghanistan also comes amid broad misgivings about the 20-year conflict on both the right and the left. An Associated Press-NORC poll released Thursday showed that nearly two-thirds of Americans doubt the war was worthwhile, including 67% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans.

Going back to his decades in the Senate, the core of the presidents foreign policy vision has always been the same, said Jake Sullivan, a longtime aide and current national security adviser. A strong America that works together with partners and allies to stand up for our shared values, advance our shared interests, and demonstrate  even in the face of new and accelerating global challenges  that democracy can deliver for the American people and for people around the world.

Bidens first message to the world as president was that America is back, and he spent his opening months in office in a dramatic pivot away from Trump-era policies. He reentered the Paris climate accords and convened a virtual global conference that included both adversaries and allies united around fighting climate change. He recommitted the United States to the Iran nuclear deal, with new talks centered on stitching the agreement back together, and he ended a ban on those traveling from several majority-Muslim countries.

Biden has also tried to abide by what his campaign called a foreign policy for the middle class, saying that his lodestar when making foreign policy decisions would be how it would impact average Americans. It meant fortifying American democracy at home as a contrast to autocracies abroad, ending some American troop deployments and seeking to rebuild American infrastructure.

He has kept tariffs on China that were imposed by Trump, although administration officials say they are still reviewing whether to keep them. He has helped get 130 countries to endorse a blueprint for a global minimum tax, which is aimed at stopping countries from luring large multinational corporations by offering low tax rates.

Those of us who conduct foreign policy havent always done a good job connecting it to the needs and aspirations of the American people, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an early speech outlining the administrations foreign policy goals. As a result, for some time now Americans have been asking tough but fair questions about what were doing, how were leading  indeed, whether we should be leading at all.

Some of that has lead to a more inward-looking country, one that focuses far more on domestic issues and one that is less about influencing events in other countries.

Until we address some of our domestic issues, were going to be less capable internationally than we could be, said Douglas E. Lute, a former NATO ambassador and retired general who directed Afghan strategy at the National Security Council for Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. I think certainly through this administration  even a two-term Biden presidency  I think the domestic priorities are likely to dominate, just because of their magnitude.

Biden has also taken a skeptical view of the use of military force, one that those who have worked with him on foreign policy say is rooted in lessons he learned from Vietnam, the most formative issue of his early life. He was a leading voice during the early part of the Obama administration on reducing the military presence in Afghanistan. He has spoken directly about the dedication and the concern among military families, often channeling the service of his late son, Beau, who was deployed for a year in Iraq as a member of the Delaware Army National Guard.

But the ways in which Bidens administration has carried out the Afghanistan withdrawal have triggered questions from some traditional allies about whether Bidens past rhetoric about the importance of American allies and diplomacy has been carried out.

Heather Grabbe, the director of the Open Society European Policy Institute, said the Biden Doctrine appears to be anti-intervention and pro-alliance, with an emphasis on building relationships with other leaders and allies.

His first foreign trip was aimed at rebuilding alliances, and for many of those allies his decision to withdraw from Afghanistan was unsurprising. But the way it happened, Grabbe said, has been a shock in Europe.

Where is the discussion with all the allies? she said. Theres been much less public discussion with allies of the United States  including those who went into Afghanistan with the U.S.  than allies expected.

Tomas Valasek, Slovakias former ambassador to NATO, said the messy exit from Afghanistan leaves those European leaders who worked hard to build a case for the Afghanistan war looking foolish because they cast their lot with the American government.

The optics are bad, he said, and theyll only get worse when Biden hosts a virtual summit celebrating democracies in December.

Biden is going to show up and talk about the importance of democracy and democracy-building and hes going to be looking at a screen full of stony faces, said Valasek, who is now a member of the Slovak parliament.

Radoslaw Sikorski, a member of the European Parliament who chairs the delegation for U.S. relations, said that though Biden and Trump have vast stylistic and policy differences, Biden has some echoes of his predecessors America First attitude.

In Bidens first speech after the fall of Kabul, for instance, the language was not as nationalistic but the logic was similar to that of the Trump administration, Sikorski said. Namely, that America should not seek monsters to slay abroad.

Its an approach Sikorski favors, but the implementation has been painful, especially in Afghanistan, and it carries risks, he said.

I hope that Afghanistan will not play the role of the infamous red line that President Obama drew in Syria and didnt enforce, Sikorski said, referring to Obamas decision not to launch airstrikes against Syria after President Bashar Assad used chemical weapons on his own people. If President Biden is seen as a pushover in Afghanistan, then adversaries might get bolder in challenging American interests in other places.

The episode has already reignited debate over Europes strategic autonomy, the need for the E.U. to become more independent, especially on defense issues, that percolated during the Trump years.

The Biden administrations approach to Latin America offers a number of clear contrasts with Trump. It has focused far more on anti-corruption and pro-democracy efforts in Central America, viewing poor governance as a key driver of migration. It has held talks with regional officials on creating aid programs to help migrants fleeing poverty and jettisoned the border wall and the agreements forcing asylum seekers to return to Central America. Bidens administration also ended the Migrant Protection Protocols, under which asylum applicants were required to wait months for their asylum appointments in dangerous Mexican border cities.

Still, to the frustration of migration advocates, Biden has kept in place Title 42, the emergency public health rule used to expel most asylum seekers arriving at the U.S. southern border.

There was an expectation that Bidens foreign policy would be extremely different, radically different, from Trumps, and that has not been the case, said Guadalupe Correa Cabrera, a professor at George Mason University and former president of the Association for Borderlands Studies.

Julian Ventura, a former senior Mexican official and career diplomat, said there have been some notable shifts in approach, with the Biden administration taking on a far less confrontational approach than Trump and harking back to an Obama-era foreign policy that attempted to shift toward Asia.

But just as Obama had to pivot to crises in the Middle East, he added, reality draws you toward the crisis in Afghanistan.

Thebault reported from Brussels. The Washington Posts Mary Beth Sheridan and Alejandra Ibarra Chaoul in Mexico City contributed to this report.
This image provided by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia shows a government image of Floyd Ray Roseberry, who claimed he had a bomb in a pickup truck near the U.S. Capitol, prompting evacuations and an hourslong standoff with police. Roseberry told a federal judge Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, that he has not taken his mind medication and was ordered to undergo a mental competency hearing. (United States District Court for the District of Columbia)

WASHINGTON  A man who prompted an evacuation Thursday of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings by claiming to have a bomb inside his truck faces charges of threatening to use explosives and a weapon of mass destruction.

Floyd Ray Roseberry of North Carolina surrendered to authorities Thursday about five hours after he drove a truck onto the sidewalk outside the Library of Congress and launched a standoff with law enforcement officers, police said. He had demanded to speak to President Joe Biden about a range of grievances against the Democratic Party and claimed that if he was shot, his vehicle and four others would explode.

According to court documents, a relative of Roseberrys reported to local law enforcement on Wednesday that he had recently expressed anti-government views and an intent to travel to Virginia or Washington, D.C. to conduct acts of violence.

Officials said they found no bomb in his car, but there were materials that could be used to make explosives.

In a court appearance Friday when the charges were made public, Roseberry said he went to school through the eighth grade before going to work but eventually returned and got his GED and a welding license. He also said he hadnt taken his mind medicine for at least two days.

My memory isnt that well, sir, he told U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui. He said his wife has power of attorney over his medical care.

Faruqui said he would delay any substantive decisions until the medication was provided but told Roseberry he faces up to life in prison.

I can tell youre a good man, Roseberry responded. Im willing to do whatever you ask.

Faruqui ordered a competency screening for Roseberry at the request of the government, which also asked for him to remain jailed. Authorities said Roseberry was 49, but in court he said he was 51.

A federal public defender representing Roseberry declined to comment after the hearing.

Before he was taken into custody, Roseberry delivered a tirade over a Facebook Live video that circulated widely before the website and other social media platforms took it down. In the video, he repeated the false claim that the election was stolen from former President Donald Trump and called on Democrats to resign.

He also threw what he said was $3,000 in cash out of the windows of his truck.

Roseberrys ex-wife, Crystal Roseberry, said he has had a history of mental instability and had a volatile temper during their decade-long marriage.

Roseberrys father, Floyd Roseberry, said his son had experienced mental problems in the past and, at times, threatened violence. He said he thought his son had gotten on his feet in recent years, running an auto repair business and a mobile home park and had become more religious under the influence of his new wife.

Bishop Brady Jackson, who leads a church in Roseberrys North Carolina community, said he was never a member and his wife stopped attending. Theyre both pretty good people, Jackson said. I never would have thought he would have done that.

Roseberrys threat came four months after a Capitol Police officer was killed by a man who rammed his car into the barriers around the U.S. Capitol grounds and seven months after a violent, pro-Trump mob overran law enforcement and took over the building.

Roseberry had been distraught over his mothers death a few years ago, said Brenda and Charles Humphries, his aunt and uncle. But nothing seemed amiss when the couple last saw Roseberry about a month ago, they said.

Brenda Humphries they learned about the incident in Washington from a friend.

Oh, my lord, she said. I dont know what happened. Something must have happened to Ray.

Roseberrys sons fiancee, Courtney Foster, said Roseberry would tell everybody how much he agreed with Trump and the way that he spoke the truth to the people, but she was not aware of him attending any political events in D.C.

Roseberry also does not believe in watching TV and would get his news on his phone, Foster said. She wasnt sure what sources he relied on, she said, but he came away with a dislike for Biden and refused to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Hes very big in politics and hes very big in, you know, the way that things are right now. He keeps up with it, Foster said. And this is just a result of it.

- - -

The Washington Posts Ellie Silverman and Pam Kelley contributed to this report.
James Masog, center, and Gary Tavares, right, move a board into place to cover the sliding glass doors of a clients house in Charlestown, R.I., ahead of Hurricane Henri, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (Stew Milne/AP)

Hurricane Henri kept on course early Sunday to crash into a long stretch of northeastern coastline, as millions on New York's Long Island and in southern New England braced for flooding, toppled trees and extended power outages.

With the center of the storm projected to pass just off the eastern tip of Long Island by midday, hurricane warnings extended from coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island to near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, and across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New York's Hamptons to the summer getaway of Fire Island.

The first thunderstorms bringing what could be up to half a foot of rain arrived late Saturday, and flash flooding began in some areas overnight. Bands of heavy rain overwhelmed storm drains and drivers plowed through foot-deep water in a few spots in New York City, and Newark and Hoboken, New Jersey.

Tropical storm-intensity winds were expected to begin striking the coast at around 8 a.m. Rising tide threatened to produce dangerous storm surge.

People in the projected path spent Saturday scrambling to stock up on groceries and gasoline. Those close to the coast boarded up windows and, in some cases, evacuated.

Residents and visitors on Fire Island, a narrow strip of sandy villages barely above sea level off Long Island's southern coast, were urged to evacuate. The last boats out left before 11 p.m. Saturday and officials warned there might be no way to reach people left behind.

The evacuation threw a wrench into Kristen Pavese's planned Fire Island bachelorette party. The group of 10 had intended to celebrate Saturday night, but ended up leaving on the ferry just a day after arriving. They had planned to stay until Monday.

"I'm upset about it, but it's the weather. It's nothing I can control," said Pavese, a Long Island resident. "I've been going to Fire Island for a long time, so I'm sort of familiar with this happening."

Approaching severe weather Saturday night also cut short a superstar-laden concert in Central Park. The show headlined by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson was meant to celebrate New York City's recovery from the coronavirus. But officials asked concertgoers to leave the park during Barry Manilow's set amid the threat of lightning.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, set to leave office Monday after resigning over a sexual harassment scandal, emerged Saturday to plead with New York residents to make last-minute preparations, warning that heavy rain, wind and storm surge from Henri could be as devastating as Superstorm Sandy back in 2012.

"We have short notice. We're talking about tomorrow," Cuomo said in one of his final forays before TV cameras, a setting that shot him to fame during the worst of the pandemic last year. "So if you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground, it has to be today. Please."

Gov. Ned Lamont warned Connecticut residents they should prepare to "shelter in place" from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning as the state braces for the first possible direct hit from a hurricane in decades. Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee issued a similar warning.

Major airports in the region remained open as the storm approached, though hundreds of Sunday's flights were canceled. Service on some branches of New York City's commuter rail system was suspended through Sunday, as was Amtrak service between New York and Boston.

The White House said President Joe Biden discussed preparations with northeastern governors and that New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who succeeds Cuomo on Tuesday, also participated.

Biden later began approving emergency declarations with Rhode Island.

New York hasn't had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished.

With maximum sustained winds at 75 mph, just above hurricane strength, Henri was moving north at 18 mph as of Sunday morning. It was about 65 miles south-southeast of Montauk Point on the tip of Long Island.

Some gas stations from Cape Cod to Long Island sold out of fuel. Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman described a run on supplies like batteries and flashlights as people "are starting to wake up" as weather models showed the storm's center would run "smack on the town of Southampton."

Regardless of its exact landfall, broad impacts were expected across a large swath of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut, and Albany, New York, and eastward to Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists.

Storm surge between 3 and 5 feet was possible in much of Long Island Sound all the way to Chatham, Massachusetts, and slightly less on Long Island's Atlantic coast, the hurricane center said. Flash flooding was possible in inland areas already saturated by recent rain.

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Island's east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding that's likely to turn streets like the mansion-lined Dune Road into lagoons.

"We have a lot of wealthy people. There's no doubt that we do, but everybody pulls together in an emergency," Schneiderman said. "So, you know, yeah, there are people hanging out on their yachts at the moment drinking martinis, but they're also starting to talk about this storm and I'm sure they're going to want to be helpful."

Hill reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writers Mallika Sen and Larry Neumeister in New York, Mike Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Mark Pratt in Waltham, Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Randy Jimenez administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Capt. Tom Foster, executive officer of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) March 31, 2021. (Jake Vermeulen/U.S. Navy)

WASHINGTON  The Pentagons effort to mandate coronavirus vaccination for all 1.3 million active-duty service members will continue to face resistance from a segment of the force, troops and observers say, until military leaders devise an effective strategy for countering pervasive doubt about the pandemics seriousness and widespread misinformation about the shots designed to bring it under control.

When Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced earlier this month that he would seek to require inoculation no later than mid-September, Pentagon data showed that thousands of personnel  about one-third of the force  remained unvaccinated. President Joe Biden quickly endorsed the move.

The looming mandate comes as the viruss highly transmissible delta variant fuels a new wave of infections globally, and after Biden, in what was widely seen as a signal to state and local governments and the private sector that they should follow suit, directed agencies throughout the federal government to implement proof-of-vaccination requirements or impose restrictions on employees who refuse. For military personnel, administration officials have said, the need is particularly urgent.

Right now its being framed as a readiness issue, said Katherine Kuzminski, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, pointing to the current security crisis that has unfolded in Afghanistans capital, where thousands of U.S. troops were sent with little notice to help evacuate American citizens and U.S. allies following the Talibans takeover of the country. As we see in Afghanistan, there is certainly a need to rapidly deploy people, and they may or may not be going to places that have relatively high rates of vaccinations.

But, Kuzminski added, I dont think weve seen a vaccine that was [so] politicized.

The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment about its efforts to address vaccine hesitancy within the ranks.

Vaccine rates have varied widely between the individual service branches. In July, before Austins announcement, the Navy led the way with more 70% of its personnel fully vaccinated. At the low end, fewer than 60% of Marines met that criteria.

Though Pentagon officials have made clear a mandate is imminent, and that those who refuse risk losing their jobs, inoculation has been voluntary since the vaccines were introduced over the winter  a rare optional task in an organization where orders are the norm. Anecdotally, it appears at least some have viewed the lack of a requirement as grounds to infer the shots might not be safe despite a wealth of evidence to the contrary  or even that theyre unnecessary if their health and physical fitness is otherwise good.

Just from talking to soldiers, picking their brains, some of the things Ive heard have been I dont know the long term effects or I just dont know enough and it worries me, said Capt. Javon Starnes, a soldier at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Starnes detailed his own bout with the virus in an episode of The 18th Airborne Corps Podcast, which also featured interviews with other soldiers from the base who espoused a variety of views on vaccinations, ranging from an early desire receive a vaccine to an ongoing reluctance.

Me being a 24-year-old guy, I work out regularly, I think Im pretty in shape, said Sgt. Colton Joiner said on the podcast. I think if I were to weight the risk, I think at this time its not as much of a risk, its not that significant to me.

Kuzminski, the military analyst, noted that age  and the relative youth of the armed forces compared to other government institutions  is likely a factor in voluntary vaccination rates.

The reality is that there is some impermeability with young service members. They have a tough job, they put their lives on the line, she said. There is a certain sense of fearlessness.

But as the Pentagons data bear out, that mindset is not pervasive across all of the services.

One potential factor driving the Navys comparatively high vaccination rate, observers say, can be traced to last years high-profile coronavirus outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which left the ship and its crew crippled after hundreds of sailors became sick. It was one of the first major incidents within the military to illustrate how swiftly the virus can spread, particularly among those living in tight quarters, and for many leaders it was a frightening wake-up call.

Theres also a culture in the Navy that is much more top-down, Kuzminksi said. The commander has a lot more cultural authority because being shipboard is such a contained community.

Others pointed to past instances of forced exposure to vaccines or chemical agents, dating to radiation tests and Agent Orange in Vietnam, as a potential explanation for the vaccine hesitancy that remains so pervasive. In 2004, a federal judge barred the Department of Defense from mandating an experimental anthrax vaccine after some service members who were inoculated years prior questioned whether there was a corollary to various ailments they had developed. More recently, questions have been raised among military veterans and medical professionals about health issues stemming from exposure to toxic substances at open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What Ive found from speaking to soldiers is that there are some who are, in a broad sense, skeptical of the government, said Col. Joe Buccino, a military spokesperson for the XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg who, as host of the units podcast, has explored the question of vaccine hesitancy among Army personnel. And that is probably drawn from a broader skepticism within the American population, probably going back to the early 1970s.

There is also the inescapable reality that, for many Americans, the coronavirus vaccines are seen more as a partisan political issue rather than a matter of public health and shared responsibility. Further sewing doubt for some are the rampant disinformation and conspiracy theories spreading on social media, not just related to the virus or the efficacy of the vaccines but to potential exemptions for service members.

When the coronavirus vaccine is made mandatory for military personnel, the only exemptions would be for religious or medical concerns, which the Pentagon has pledged to uphold. Yet last month on Gab, a social networking site popular among the far-right, documents circulated claiming they would garner an air tight religious exemption request from the potentially deadly vaccine.

Youve got a social media site that already traffics in white nationalism that is specifically targeting the military to inject these ideas into the conversation, said Kris Goldsmith, an Army veteran and CEO of Sparverius, a company that tracks online extremism.  . . . There is also a lot less distance between your family and friends. Today you bring your TikTok and Twitter with you, so even if the military is a diverse place, you can constantly be exposed to misinformation.

With the likelihood of the vaccines becoming mandatory, military leaders now face the possibility social media disinformation campaigns will actively work to undermine them. Goldsmith notes that, already, there is considerable messaging online encouraging active-duty troops to disobey lawful orders, and users who identify as service members questioning whether they will be forced to resign or retire from the military should they continue to refuse the vaccines.

It remains to be seen precisely how the military will address any continued resistance once the vaccine mandate takes effort. In announcing his intent Aug. 9, Austin stopped short of establishing a deadline by which all personnel must be vaccinated and said that the leaders of each branch of service would be responsible for establishing their own plans.

One of the narratives that has been getting picked up over the past couple of weeks is this idea that there will be all these people court-martialed, Goldsmith said, referring to a sort-of doomsday scenario thats been discussed online in the military is faced with the decision of separating tens of thousands of troops or conceding to those who wish to remain unvaccinated. And while that is theoretically possible, that would be a huge drain on resources. So what I would expect is [that commanders turn to] nonjudicial punishments, duty restrictions, measures that make life inconvenient until someone relents.

For now, it appears the Defense Departments senior leadership anticipates such instances will be rare, and that those told to get vaccinated will fall in line. Asked earlier this month if he thought service members would refuse such an order, the Pentagons chief spokesman, John Kirby, demurred. Members of the military, he said, understand when you sign up for the military that there are requirements laid upon you.
Countdown has announced nationwide store trading hour changes, some temporary Auckland store closures, and a ten per cent bonus for its frontline team as the country enters its fourth day at Alert Level four today.

From today, Saturday, August 21, trading hours across Countdown stores nationwide will change to 8am to 9pm, to help give teams time to restock shelves and meet the high levels of demand being seen across the network.

Four Auckland stores will further reduce their trading hours due to having team members isolating after COVID-19 positive visits to those stores. These are Countdown Lynfield (8am-6pm), Takapuna (8am-6pm), Lincoln Road (9am-6pm) and Botany (9am-6pm). Countdown Birkenhead will remain closed until August 31 due to having team members isolating from across several different shifts.

Countdowns central Auckland Metro stores in Albert Street and Halsey Street will also temporarily close from Sunday August 22 to allow team from these locations to provide support in other larger stores that are seeing increased demand since the lockdown began.

Countdowns General Manager Corporate Affairs, Safety and Sustainability Kiri Hannifin says while the store closures will be frustrating for some customers, its a reality of the environment that many essential services are operating in.

A number of our stores are locations of interest and our team are isolating, which we absolutely support, says Kiri. At the same time, were looking at how we can best allocate our team across our stores to ensure were also keeping our communities fed.

This may mean further stores close or reduce their hours as all our teams pull together to help out.

Countdown has also announced it will pay an Alert Level 4 lockdown bonus to its waged permanent part-time and full-time, fixed term and casual team members in its supermarkets, meat plant, customer care team and supply chain, in recognition of the essential role they are playing in keeping Kiwis safe and fed. The bonus will be the equivalent of an additional ten per cent more per hour worked at Alert Level 4.

Since COVID-19 first hit last year, our team has proven time and time again just how essential they are. As well as paying our frontline teams more, were also supporting any of our team members whom the government has deemed high risk, including those over 70, immune-deficient and those with serious chronic illness, so they can stay home and not worry about work.

Were continuing to work closely with the Ministry of Health and local DHBs as well to roll-out the vaccine to our team as quickly and safely as possible, says Kiri.

Countdown as locations of interest

Six Countdown stores have been visited by someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. These stores are:

 Countdown Lincoln Road - visited on Wednesday, 11 August at 2.56pm - 3.30pm

 Countdown Glenfield - visited on Saturday, 14 August at 5pm - 5.15pm and Sunday, 15 August 2021.

 Countdown Lynfield - visited on Wednesday, 4 August at 2.45pm - 3.05pm and Sunday, 15 August at 8pm - 8.15pm

 Countdown Takapuna - visited on Sunday, 15 August at 3.20pm - 3.30pm

 Countdown Birkenhead - visited on Friday, 13 August at 6:00pm - 6:30pm and visited twice on Monday, 16 August. The first visit was at 7.00am - 7.15am and the second visit was at 12.30pm - 12.45pm.

 Countdown Botany Downs - visited on Tuesday 17 August between 10.20am and 10.30 am

As a precaution, deep cleans were undertaken in each of these stores, in addition to the thorough cleaning that is undertaken during each day which has been further increased following the recent alert level change, says Kiri.

Any team members who were working during the time of the visits have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days and be tested three times as per the guidance we have received from Auckland Public Health. The exception is Lynfield where our team who worked on 4 August are not required to isolate unless they have or have had symptoms in the past two weeks. If they have symptoms then they are required to be tested.

The team who worked on August 15 are home isolating for 14 days.

At the moment our Botany, Birkenhead and Glenfield stores are all currently closed. Due to the number of team members impacted at Birkenhead, this store will not re-open until Tuesday August 31. Were doing the best we can to manage not only the demand from customers but also a rapidly-changing situation in terms of locations of interest.

Obviously this is very unsettling for our teams right across New Zealand. Were continuing to focus on our safety procedures which are designed to keep our team and communities safe, and remind customers to maintain physical distancing, wear masks and to scan in when shopping with us, says Kiri.

Face masks at Alert Level 4

The Ministry of Health advises that while at Alert Level 4 the use of face coverings is mandatory for all employees and customers at businesses and services that are open to the public. This includes supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Face coverings remain mandatory on public transport and at departure points, e.g., train stations, flights and bus stops; and in taxi or ride-share vehicles (drivers and passengers).

Current exemptions for face coverings include for people aged under 12 or with illness, conditions or disabilities that make wearing them unsuitable.

It is important to continue to also practise basic hygiene measures such as keep your distance (2 metres in public) from other people, clean your hands often, sneeze and cough into your elbow, and keep a track of where youve been and who youve seen  ideally using the NZ COVID Tracer App).

It is highly recommended that you wear a mask or face covering in closed spaces where physical distancing is not always possible and contact with other people outside your bubble may occur.


Whanau and communities affected by current COVID-19 alert levels are being encouraged to access support available through the Ministry of Social Development and Whanau Ora.

Government is continuing to move hard and early to stomp out COVID-19 from our communities, says Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni.

This includes working closely with social service, community, iwi and Whanau Ora organisations who are best placed to respond to the needs of their communities impacted by the current alert level change.

The Ministry of Social Development - MSD) remain in contact with social service providers across the country and have provided guidance around who can operate at Alert Level 4, how to do this safely and within the boundaries of public health guidelines.

One area were keeping a watchful eye on is foodbanks to ensure theyre able to get food out to vulnerable whanau and communities. Government has provided further funding to the New Zealand Food Network to support regional food hubs across the country.

While people can get financial assistance for food through Work and Income, they can also make online orders and arrangements through local supermarkets and their Priority Assistance Service.

MSD are making changes to make things as seamless as possible for people needing assistance and support. For example, deferring reviews of clients circumstances, streamlining application and verification processes, and removing the need for existing clients to provide medical certificates to continue their eligibility for a main benefit. Operating hours for the general enquiries phone line has also been extended this weekend.

While MSDs service centres are closed at Alert Level 4, people can continue to get in touch through MyMSD or by phoning 0800 559 009. Clients have been e-mailed to reassure them regular payments will continue. says Sepuloni.

Minister for Whanau Ora Peeni Henare says the Whanau Ora provider network have once again seamlessly stepped up to support whanau and their communities.

During our earlier lockdowns, the Whanau Ora provider network did an amazing job to help whanau with kai, heating, communications, connectivity and other supports. They have again mobilised to provide support to whanau across the motu overnight. says Henare.

MSDs operating extended hours this weekend:

 Saturday 21 August: available 8am  5pm

 Sunday 22 August: available 9am  1pm

Urgent food needs:

If your situation is urgent and you need food within the next 24-48 hours, you can contact a local food bank. Find food banks and other food assistance services across New Zealand

Assistance for employers and businesses

 The Wage Subsidy Scheme August 2021 is available to eligible businesses to continue paying their employees and keep them on. The subsidy is for two weeks and pays $600 a week for full-time employees and $359 a week for part-time employees. Applications are open for two weeks from 9am Friday 20 August.

 The Short-Term Absence Payment provides businesses with a one-off (once in 30 days) payment for employees who need to miss work due to a COVID-19 test and cant work from home.

 The Leave Support Scheme provides businesses with a two-week lump sum payment for workers who must self-isolate and cant work from home.

Whanau Ora contacts:

 Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency (North Island)

Phone: 0800 929 282, whanauora.nz

 Te Putahitanga o Te Waipounamu (South Island)

Phone 0800 187 689, te putahitanga.org

 Pasifika Futures

Phone: 0800 890 110, pasifikafutures.co.nz

Key contacts:

 MSD: 0800 559 009

 Community services directory: https://www.familyservices.govt.nz/directory/

 Youthline: 0800 376 633

 Healthline: 0800 611 116

If you are experiencing Family Violence please call Police on 111 if you are in danger, or call:

 Womens Refuge crisis: 0800 733 843 - 24 hours

 Family violence information line: 0800 456 450

 Shine National Helpline: 0508 744 633 - 9am to 11pm

 Shakti - for migrant and refugee women: 0800 742 584 - 24 hours

 Elder Abuse Helpline: 0800 32 668 65 - 24 hours
Wastewater testing around the Coromandel Peninsula hasnt found any Covid-19.

These are the first results of testing triggered by a positive community case  later confirmed to be the Delta variant.

The man had visited the Coromandel Peninsula while infectious, and Coromandel wastewater testing was announced on Wednesday, the first day of level 4 lockdown.

Coromandel samples were taken on Thursday and all came back negative, the Ministry of Health says.

They were taken from various spots around the peninsula: Coromandel township, Whangamata, Whitianga, Thames, and Pauanui.

Not all properties in the Coromandel Peninsula are linked to the Thames-Coromandel District Council's wastewater however, with a significant number having septic tanks.

"Approximately 80 per cent of properties are connected to our water supply," says a Thames-Coromandel District Council spokesperson.

ESR is undertaking regular wastewater testing in the Thames-Coromandel District to help determine whether there has been any undetected transmission to date, the Ministry of Health statement says.

There are currently 51 active community cases of Covid 19, including cases confirmed by five Auckland high schools and two universities.

There are six confirmed Wellington cases.

That means hundreds of contacts being traced. The majority of contacts are located in the Auckland and Waikato regions, with a small proportion located in other areas throughout the rest of North Island and South Island.

As of 10am yesterday, 1982 contacts were located in the Auckland and Waikato regions, 266 contacts were located throughout the rest of New Zealand, and the location of the remaining contacts is still being established

On top of the wastewater testing, health workers in the Coromandel Peninsula have taken hundreds of Covid swabs from locals keen to make sure the infectious Covid variant didnt spread.

Hundreds of Coromandel residents queued for Covid tests after hearing theyd been in the vicinity of someone with the highly infectious Delta variant. Photo: Christel Yardley/Stuff.

No positive results have been announced so far, despite 600-or-so swabs from the Thames-Coromandel area being taken on Wednesday, and another 330 at the Coromandel testing centre on Thursday.

The Ministry of Health has warned numbers in the latest outbreak are expected to climb before they taper again, but said the proven link to a recent returnee will help circle the virus, lock it down and stamp it out.

What is the wastewater testing about?

Wastewater testing has been used for Covid surveillance around New Zealand, and can put a spotlight on the location of any positive results  such as Taranaki, where they were announced on July 23.

However, the virus wasnt detected in later tests and, despite increased swabbing, no community cases emerged in the area.

Since the outbreak this week, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has announced recent negative results in Invercargill, Queenstown, and Dunedins wastewater.

Wastewater testing first started in New Zealand in April 2020, and is now done regularly across multiple sites.

Samples are processed in ESRs Wellington laboratory, where they are concentrated to about half a teaspoon before being tested using the same process as for nasal swabs.

Part of each sample received is kept aside so it can be used to check any unexpected results.

And, while the Sars-CoV-2 virus is detectable in wastewater, it is not infectious.

Any virus picked up is likely to be fairly recent, ESR's environmental virology laboratory head Dr Joanne Hewitt has said.

Thats because millions of litres of new wastewater come in each day, to dilute and wash out any input from previous days.

As a rule of thumb, ESRs test is sensitive enough to discover about ten positive cases in an area of 100,000 people, Hewitt said, though its not a hard and fast rule.

Libby Wilson/Stuff.
Good morning and welcome to Sunday. Ko te ra tenei i hanga e te Ariki. Ka koa tatou, ka koa hoki ki reira.

All of New Zealand is at Covid Alert Level 4. For the latest information and to learn more about what you need to do to stay safe visit covid19.govt.nz

MetService are forecasting a partly cloudy day ahead, with a chance of a shower in the afternoon or evening, and easterlies.

Its a three-to-four-clothing-layer day with an expected high of 14 degrees, and an overnight low of 7 degrees. Sunset is at 5.46pm.

Whats on today?

Bethlehem Baptist is running their church gathering online today with a livestream at 9am. These are available through Youtube, Facebook and the BBC app.

Curate Church will also be livestreaming their service at 10am today. Click here to join in.

DocEdge have created a virtual bubble with a selection of films to bring together film lovers and filmmakers, creating an online community during a time of life unscripted. high-quality content will be provided for New Zealanders at both Level 4 and Level 3. More than 40 films will be offered at a price of $7.99 per film and there are also eight films available to view for free.

What else is on today?

You can visit the opera, go to an aquarium, learn a language, walk through Paris or London, go to a national park, solve a mystery, start a blog, visit 500 museums and galleries, experience the British Museum, walk through a national park, start a novel - virtually - all while in lockdown - the possibilities are endless. Click here for 50 free things you can do from home during lockdown.

Top 10 Holiday Parks have put together their Top 10's list of lock down and isolation activities and ideas. Click here to find activities to keep yourself and your 'bubble' entertained.

Bored at home? Check out 36 fun and productive things to keep yourself busy during lockdown here
Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Hot. High near 100F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 74F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
Windows 11 can be "software tested" online, and it would help in giving users a preview of the Microsoft operating system without needing to install it or proceed with the beta.

The entire process would be done via the web browser of a desktop, and it would help in giving people an insight and "feels" of what the next-generation operating system would be like.

Microsoft's Windows 11 have already launched its software for the public, but it is not yet a full release from the company, as it is still under development and a beta software test. Nevertheless, there are already a lot of features that have been debuted by the new OS version, particularly to native apps.

Windows 11: Test the Software Online

Windows 11 has been a massive software ever since Microsoft launched it last June 24, and Microsoft fans have all been eager to test the application via its beta test, which not everyone can download.

There are plenty of reasons for these restrictions, and one of them is the computer's system requirements, another is hesitance to install the software and plenty more. If users are wary to install the Beta or upgrade their software before testing Windows 11, there is a way to map and explore it, without the need to download it.

A platform called "Blue Edge" features a mirror look of a Windows 11 homepage, but is available online. It is accessible on all browsers, and it may even run via smartphones as long as users select the desktop version.

Read Also: Windows 11 Pushes Microsoft Edge as Default Browser by Making Switching More Difficult

Windows 11 Beta Test

Blue Edge's Windows 11 features the nooks and crannies of the operating system, and how it would "feel" like when the actual OS or update comes for Windows users. The platform of Blue Edge helps give the same features as the beta version, without having to install it immediately.

It is known that Microsoft's Windows 11 has one of the strictest requirements for its latest operating system, meaning that not everyone could upgrade or download the beta.

Furthermore, not everyone prefers to try out the beta version or wants to use the initial versions of Windows 11, as it could have a lot of bugs that they feel might endanger their devices.

Windows 11: Is it Worth it to Install Beta?

Users can still use the Blue Edge online trial version of Windows 11, after having installed its Beta. But if users would like to map out how it would initially feel, then the browser trial method would be the most ideal one to go with, for this venture.

The idea of a beta is to give a first look at how a service or app would perform, and it is essentially a version of the certain OS or app already but is only not finished. A hands-on experience would be giving a person an initial knowledge about it, giving them the choice to upgrade or not.

It is still up to users if they want the Windows 11 beta version, or stick with the web browser to test if Windows 11 is for them.

Related Article: Windows 11: Paint App Redesign Revealed, Beta Users Unhappy With Change in Default Apps Access

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine could get full approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by next week, according to reports.

The approval could happen as early as Monday, but that may change due to different factors.

The agency previously set an unofficial deadline for the full approval for the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer/BioNTech by September.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is currently under Emergency Use Authorization.

Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Could Get Full FDA Approval Soon

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine could get the FDA's full approval as early as Monday, according to Ars Technica. That, however, could easily change due to paperwork and other factors that may delay the full FDA approval.

According to Ars Technica, 200 million doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have already been administered in the country.

The Pfizer vaccine is the first COVID vaccine to be granted an Emergency Use Authorization in the U.S. at the end of 2020, per a report by Politico. Pfizer applied for full approval in May.

A full FDA approval for a COVID-19 vaccine may sway some of those who refuse to get their shots due to the fact that none of the available vaccines have received full approval so far.

Pfizer is likewise seeking approval for a booster shot. The COVID-19 vaccine manufacture argues that a booster is necessary to increase protection against COVID-19.

Current COVID-19 Situation in the US

As of press time, the United States has more than 37 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, per the World Health Organization (WHO). The country has also recorded around 620,000 deaths due to the virus.

The current surge in COVID-19 cases has been driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, which spreads as easily as chickenpox. U.S. health experts have previously warned that the COVID-19 Delta variant is a serious threat to the country's citizens.

More and more children have been infected by COVID-19 in the current surge, which has alarmed health experts around the country. Despite this, schools and government officials are still debating whether or not to require children to wear masks while at school.

Related Article: COVID-19 Delta, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Cases Rising Among Children

COVID-19 Vaccine to Become a Requirement at Work?

According to the report by Ars Technica, the seemingly inevitable full approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine "is expected to spur a wave of vaccination mandates-from hospitals, universities, and other employers."

The report cited the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's statement made in May that employers are allowed to mandate COVID-19 vaccination.

Facebook is one of the companies that have announced that they will be requiring employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 once they return to the office. Facebook has also announced that it will delay employees' return to office until 2022.

Google has also announced a vaccine mandate for employees even as the company has likewise delayed the return of its employees to the office to October.

Also Read: Facebook is Delaying Its Return to Offices in 2022, Still Requires Proof of Vaccination

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA's Perseverance rover would have a 2nd attempt to dig a hole, as it aims to collect Mars rock samples which it would soon bring home for scientists to test or study. One of the jobs of Perseverance is to collect soil or rock samples from the Red Planet, aside from exploring it and looking for a viable trace of water, as was first hypothesized.

Perseverance is the younger sibling of NASA's Curiosity rover, which has recently celebrated its 9th anniversary on the Red Planet. Both the rovers have achieved a lot with regards to exploring the planet and giving people an initial idea of Mars.

NASA Perseverance: 2nd Attempt to Drill and Collect Rock Samples

The Perseverance rover would have a second attempt to drill a hole into Mars, as it collects rock samples for NASA for research purposes of the space agency. Last August 19, Perseverance's first rock drilling experience happened, but it was not a successful attempt as the rock crumbled away, and NASA would not be able to use it for its study.

Perseverance noted that the first attempt has been going as planned until a point where they have detected that no samples have been placed in the tube that it is supposed to go in. After checking, the team discovered that the rock that they are trying to encapsulate has crumbled away.

The team has already gathered more than 100 rock samples on Mars but has never encountered a type of rock that crumbles into massive chunks which do not fit on their tubes.

Read Also: NASA: Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Accomplishes 12th Flight Test in South Seitah Region

NASA Perseverance Drill: How Does it Work

NASA Perseverance rover's drill is called the "Rotary Percussive Core Drill," and it was made by Honeybee Robotics specifically for the Red Planet. The drill is designed to break up the sample which the team is trying to achieve, but its most important function is to collect these samples for storage and research purposes.

Perseverance would have no problems in locating its next rock to core, drill and collect samples from, especially as it goes along the "South Seitah" that has plentiful resources. Here, the team is sure that it would find a "high science-value" rock which it could substitute for the initial rock that has crumbled away.

Mars Rock Samples

NASA is aiming to look for a rock that can sustain the drilling process and would not easily disintegrate after the force of Perseverance's equipment. This is an important step for NASA especially as it aims to get to know the Red Planet more.

Perseverance's first attempt was unsuccessful, and while it is a shame for the rover, the problem is not with it, rather with the sample it is trying to achieve.

Related Article: New Satellite Image from NOAA Shows 4 Storms, Wildfire Smoke Surround North America

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Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Google Assistant Maps

Google announced that it would shut down the standalone "Android Auto for Phone Screens" app as soon as the Android 12 software rolls in.

Anyone who needs a driving-friendly interface for their Android phone will have to use Google Assistant's driving mode instead, which is available within Google Maps. Users can also use the native Android Auto interface available in select cars.

Google Discontinues Android Auto

The tech giant said in a statement that those who use the Android Auto mobile app would be lead to switch to Google Assistant driving mode, according to Apple Insider.

The transition came even after the tech giant was under fire for admitting that Google Assistant records the user's voice without them knowing.

The transition will begin with Android 12. The Google Assistant will be the only interface that drivers can use on their phones. Google stated that the experience is not changing for those using Android Auto in compatible cars.

Also Read: Android Auto's One of the Most Annoying Problems Finally Addressed by Google After a Year

Android Auto and Google Pixel Devices

In 2018, Google introduced Android Auto for all of its Pixel devices.

In 2019, Google announced the launch of Google Assistant's driving mode. Also, the tech giant initially said that it would discontinue Android Auto, but they eventually changed their statement and launched a dedicated app that is just a shortcut to the old Android Auto app. It is now preinstalled on all Android devices that run Android 10 and above.

The company confirmed the discontinuation of the Android Auto after the report for XDA Developers was released. It was reported that some users are now seeing a message in their Android Auto app that said the service is only available for phone screens and encouraged users to switch to Google Assistant driving mode.

According to 9to5Google, the Android Auto app is now displaying a message that says it is "incompatible with Google Pixels devices running Android 12."

Android 12 Updates

Aside from removing the Android Auto feature, Android users can expect more changes once Android 12 is launched.

A new version of Google Chrome will be introduced, and it will bring multi-instance support and a window manager to Google Chrome to Android.

Users can tap on the "new window" option, and a new Chrome will open in the other half of the screen.

The context menu will also be updated with a "manage windows" option that will list all of the active windows, which window is currently in focus, the title of the active tab per window, and how many tabs are running in each window.

Users can have five windows open in total. Although there is no limit to how many tabs that users can be open within each Chrome window.

The state of each window will be stored in the SharedPreferences on Chrome so that windows can persist through a sudden reboot, and you won't have to go through the process again.

The Android 12 software is said to have the ability to catch any critical problems that have gone undetected in the past.

Although Google has not confirmed when the exact release date would be, Android users can expect to see it around September.

For supported Android phones, Google gives official packages hosted on their official website. Users can find the latest download links for Android 12 on the site.

Related Article: Google Maps Updates to Fix Android Auto's Route Glitch: Will Drive Mode Arrive?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Image from Netflix) Netflix Releases 1st Trailer for SpaceX Documentary of Its Private Spaceflight 'Inspiration4'

Netflix has just released its first ever trailer for the SpaceX private documentary of its Inspiration4 spaceflight. The documentary was on SpaceX's private Inspiration4 spaceflight which has landed to introduce the first ever all-civilian crew which is set to launch into orbit in September, 2021.

Netflix SpaceX Documentary

According to the story by Space, the almost real-time Netflix series is called the "Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space" which finally breaks new territory for the platform. The documentary will air across a number of different episodes that will launch this September 2, 2021.

SpaceX is set to launch four civilian astronauts on a Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit this September 15, 2021. The trailer was released on August 19, 2021 on YouTube and it shows the crew in training as well as promises that the Inspiration4 will become the "next epic leap forward for civilians."

SpaceX Documentary Trailer

The new one-minute teaser focuses on different aspects like overcoming disability, fundraising for charity, and even dealing with different worries from families about most of the inherent risk of climbing directly on a rocket. The privately chartered Inspiration4 is set to fly four people to space this September 15, 2021 on the SpaceX Dragon and orbit earth for three days.

The crew already includes the billionaire and mission financer Jared Isaacman along with cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux, geologist, science communicator and artist Sian Proctor, and data engineer Chris Sembroski. None of them are reportedly professional astronauts.

SpaceX Sembroski and Proctor

The Netflix trailer paid tribute to the two contests from which Sembroski and Proctor were able to receive their seats. Isaacman's major goals were to support the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as well as Arcenaux's workspace and where she received her cancer treatment in 2019.

Netflix plans to release five episodes along with a final livestreaming of the launch on Sept 15 on its official YouTube channel. This is assuming the launch will lift off on its official schedule. On September 6, viewers will see two episodes which are focused on getting to know the crew.

Read Also: SpaceX Starlink Satellites Involved in More Than 1,500 Close Encounters in Orbit Weekly

SpaceX and Blue Origin

The launch preparation will reportedly come into focus in two whole episodes to air this September 13, 2021. The last episode is expected to launch some time late in September, 2021 and will feature the final journey home. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin is halting the Moon Landing for Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA as the lawsuit continues.

The documentary series is co-produced by Time Studios and directed by Michael Jordan series "The Last Dance" creator Jason Hehir. While still not hinted at in the trailer Netflix is also planning to release its own "hybrid live-action animation special" for children and families about the mission to air this coming September 14, 2021.

According to The Verge, the special will discuss certain matters like how rockets work, how astronauts sleep in space, eat in space, and other mission basics. A Blue Origin lead engineer has just quit Jeff Bezos' space company to work for Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Related Article: SpaceX's Starship Rockets Have Low Center of Mass for Reentry, Elon Musk Explains Aero Tweaks

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Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Japanese cryptocurrency exchange Liquid has encountered a major breach in its system following a million-dollar heist from hackers.

According to the firm, the culprits were responsible for the huge loss of the company. The amount of the assets that were stolen was said to be around $97 million.

Hackers Steal Assets From Liquid

In a report by Engadget on Friday, Aug. 20, the popular crypto exchange in Japan became the latest victim of the most recent hacking scheme.

The hackers have reportedly snatched Ethereum tokens worth $45 million.

According to Elliptic, one of the investigating agencies that helped Liquid in its case, the cybercriminals were aware of the asset freezing that's why they have converted them into Ethereum through DEXs (decentralized exchanges).

The incident took place on Thursday morning, Aug. 19, when the cryptocurrency exchange firm discovered anomalous transactions in their customers' wallets.

To solve the issue, Liquid has imposed a stop to all operations, including depositing and withdrawing cryptocurrencies.

On Twitter, the Japan-based firm posted that it has been focused on knowing where the stolen assets went. Liquid also wanted to make sure that it would recover the lost funds in the process.

Cryptocurrency Heist Hacker Receives Job Offer

This was not the first time that a cryptocurrency-related robbery took place this August.

Recently, the commotion in Poly Network has resulted in over $600 million of stolen crypto assets. For a change of heart, the affected financial firm has even proposed a deal to the anonymous hacker.

Instead of filing a complaint against the suspect, Poly Network has offered a job after helping them in deleting some vulnerabilities hindering its security, according to Reuters.

Upon returning the stolen money, the company even rewarded the culprit with a bug bounty amounting to $500,000.

The unknown hacker, who is only known as Mr. White Hat, will also receive legal protection from the firm. This would also protect him from his previous activity of stealing million-dollar assets.

Read Also: Cryptocurrency Investors Rally Amid Binance Fiasco-Why?

Cryptocurrency Schemes Over the Past Years

Cryptocurrency exchanges are always vulnerable to hacking schemes since they are the center of crypto trading. Several transactions are happening there. The hackers are always on the lookout to launch a surprise attack on them.

Just like Liquid, Coincheck, a crypto exchange in Tokyo had experienced an unforgettable cryptocurrency heist before.

In 2018, the firm had its tokens stolen. They were said to be worth nearly $534 million.

In another series of stealing in 2014, another Japanese crypto exchange, Mt. Gox, had suffered over $400 million loss during the incident.

As a result, the legislators in the country decided to tighten laws regarding Bitcoin regulations.

Back in July, the famous cryptocurrency investment scheme known as "Oz Project" surfaced online. The authorities were immediately alerted by the scam that involved fooling the victims about fast profit gains.

The police in Aichi Prefecture had arrested four criminals during the operation. At least $55 million were reportedly stolen by the group from more than 10,000 victims.

Related Article: Crypto Thieves Steal $600 MILLION In Likely the Largest Cryptocurrency Heist in History

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Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Facebook pages

Facebook reportedly decided not to reveal a report about the most-viewed content on the platform in the first three months of 2021 because the company is concerned that the data would make them look bad.

Facebook Allegedly Hid Report

According to The New York Times, Facebook's vice president of analytics and chief marketing officer, Alex Schultz, and other company executives debated whether the results of the reports would harm their image.

The report showed that the most-viewed link in the first three months of the year was a news article from The South Florida Sun Sentinel about a doctor who passed away just two weeks after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and how the CDC was investigating the incident.

The article was republished by The Chicago Tribune.

The report also showed that a far-right media outlet named The Epoch Times was the 19th most popular page on the social media platform.

Also Read:FTC Brings Back Antitrust Lawsuit Against Facebook for Social Media Monopoly; Big Blue is Unsafe

The recent revelation immediately raised questions about whether the company is selectively publishing data that helps them fight back against backlash from the general public.

President Biden's administration and other publications have urged Facebook to do more to prevent the spread of COVID-19 misinformation that could make people doubt the effectiveness of vaccines because it costs lives.

Andy Stone, a spokesman for Facebook, posted on Twitter that they held the report before there were adjustments that they needed to make before publishing it.

Stone also stated that the most-viewed headline came from an authoritative news source.

Meanwhile, Facebook executives have raised concerns before when information from a data analytics tool called CrowdTangle showed high user engagement with right-wing websites.

The Report that Facebook Published

On Aug. 18, Facebook published the report for the first time that included what links, pages, domains, and posts were the most viewed in the United States during the second quarter of the year, which is between April and June.

The most viewed domain was YouTube, while the most viewed link was the Player Alumni Resources.

Meanwhile, the top page that was viewed was from UNICEF.

The most viewed post on Facebook US was an image from a motivational speaker that asked the public about the first words that they see in a block of letters.

Company executives stated that it released the data as part of the social media giant's commitment to transparency.

However, critics stated that the published report did not deliver on the transparency that the company promised because there are limitations to the data.

Brian Boland, Facebook's former vice president of product marketing, even called the report "useless."

Boland said in an interview with a Medium blog that after he read through the press release and the report, he believed that the whole ordeal is just a PR stunt.

The former Facebook exec also pointed out that the report is not even searchable. It is so limited that the public just has to trust Facebook's word for it instead of the company giving people links to the most-viewed content so that they can check it out themselves.

Also, since Facebook is such as huge platform with millions of posts, listing the top 20 of the most-viewed ones is only a tiny fraction of a defined set of content, and that there is so much more content that users will never see in the report, even though it made an impact.

Related Article:Facebook Combats Misinformation, Removes 14 Million Deceptive COVID-19 Related Posts in 2020

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Twitter DM could soon have an enhancement that would allow you to send one tweet in up to 20 different direct message inboxes. Many users would surely be excited about this in-app capability since they no longer worry about accidentally creating a group chat.

No more (awkward) accidental group chats when you DM a Tweet to multiple people. Now you can share the same Tweet in up to 20 different DM convos, separately.



Rolling out on iOS and web, and soon on Android. (2/5) pic.twitter.com/oHYseF3EJE  Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) August 19, 2021



Twitter users have been suffering from accidentally created GCs on the giant social media platform for the past few years. This usually happens when they try to share a tweet with some of their connections on the app.



The company now wants to solve this issue by releasing a new DM feature, which is expected to remove the need to merge direct messages as one.

"No more (awkward) accidental group chats when you DM a Tweet to multiple people. Now you can share the same Tweet in up to 20 different DM convos, separately," said the social media giant via its official Twitter Support account.

Twitter DM Enhancement

According to Android Central's latest report, the new Twitter DM feature is expected to arrive in the last weeks of August. However, the company hasn't confirmed the final release date as of the moment.

Also Read: Twitter Changes Platform's Font! Other Details of Revamped Website You Need To Know

When it comes to availability, the lucky ones to have it first would be iOS users. However, Twitter said it is also planning to release the new function on Android, but no launch date is provided yet.

Many fans of the giant social media platform shared their excitement in the comment section of the company's announcement. Meanwhile, some of them shared their opinions about the next feature that Twitter should add or remove.

One of them said that the company should remove the auto-refresh feature of the app since it removes the post that they are reading even before they finish it.

In other news, the Twitter Anti-Misleading feature is also developed to help users know the authentic posts. On the other hand, Twitter's Verification feature is now halted.

Other Twitter Enhancements

Aside from the new DM tweet-sharing feature, the social media giant also announces a new enhancement that lessens the timestamp clutter in a conversation.

This means that the new feature would categorize direct messages via day instead of showing the time and date for each DM convo.

For more news updates about Twitter and its upcoming features, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Twitter Spaces Releases New Endpoints via the API v2, Developers to Have More Options, Tools

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Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pexels/Pixabay) Uber and Lyft proposition

A California judge ruled Uber and Lyft's controversial 2020 ballot measure as costly and unconstitutional.

The measure exempts firms from classifying their workers in the state as employees and keeping them as independent contractors.

Uber and Lyft's Prop 22 Measure is Unconstitutional

According to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch from Alameda County found that Proposition 22, or Prop 22, illegally limits the power of a legislature to define drivers of ride-hailing companies as workers that are subject to compensation law.

Proposition 22 took effect in California when the majority of the people voted in its favor in last year's elections.

According to CNN, companies were legally obligated to classify their gig workers as full-time employees eligible for workers' benefits under Assembly Bill 5 or AB5, which was passed in 2019.

Also Read: Uber London Launches 'Uber Green:' Fully Electric Vehicles Now Control Roads for The First Time

However, some companies, like the ride-sharing firms, continued to treat their drivers as contractors. Uber, Instacart, Lyft, and DoorDash invested over $220 million into campaigning for Prop 22 just to overturn AB5, and the campaign worked.

The Prop 22 measure requires gig companies to give their contractors healthcare benefits and a minimum wage floor, but it also exempts them from classifying their workers as full-time employees with complete protection and benefits.

Those in favor of the proposition stated that it would allow workers to keep their independence while still having benefits that they did not have in the past. However, not everyone is satisfied with the proposition's development.

A group that includes the SEIU California State Council and the Service Employees International Union sued the state in an attempt to overturn the proposition.

Roesch's ruling specifically singled out Section 7451 of the proposition, which states that any future law connected to collective bargaining for app drivers must comply with the rest of the proposition.

Roesch wrote in his decision that the proposition only protects the company's economic interest because it divides the ununionized workforce, and it should not be the goal of the legislation.

The judge also found the whole proposition unconstitutional because any amendment to the measure needs a seven-eighths vote of approval to pass the state Legislature.

If the ruling continues, Uber, Lyft, and other companies with contractual workers may need to spend millions to pay for healthcare and other benefits for their drivers. At the moment, Prop 22 is still in effect, and ride-hailing companies are already planning to appeal.

A spokesperson for Uber told The Chronicle that the ruling ignores the will of the majority of California voters, and it defies the law. The spokesperson added that Uber would file an appeal, and they believe that they will win.

Meanwhile, Prop 22 is still in effect, including all of the benefits and protection it provides for independent workers across California.

A Different Take in the UK

Uber may be having issues with its drivers' classification in the United States, but it tells a different story in the United Kingdom, according to CNBC.

Uber now treats all of its 70,000 drivers in the U.K. as workers as employees, and they are all entitled to holiday pay, minimum wage, and pension plans.

In March, the U.K.'s Supreme Court ordered that drivers be classified as workers and not independent contractors.

Meanwhile, in June, Uber accidentally sent an email to its drivers in California stating that it will pay for its drivers' health insurance, but it turns out to be a mistake.

Related Article: Uber Partners Up With UK's Arrival, to Use Electronic Vehicles For Ride-Hailing Purposes

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Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
U.K. MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) decided to allow Ronapreve to become the first monoclonal antibody treatment against COVID-19 after allowing the drug's usage in the country.

The United Kingdom regulators believe that this new anti-novel coronavirus treatment would be a great additional protection to reduce the rising infected cases because of the new COVID-19 variants, such as Lambda and Delta.

"This treatment will be a significant addition to our armory to tackle Covid-19," said Sajid Javid, the current British Health Minister.

On the other hand, MHRA confirmed that the clinical data released by the medicine's developer revealed that the new Ronapreve drug could prevent COVID-19 infection.

Aside from this, health regulators added that it could also cure severe coronavirus symptoms and reduce the chances of hospital admissions.

U.K. Approves First Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Against COVID-19

According to NWorld's latest report, the approval for Ronapreve usage was announced as the U.K. fights against the rising hospital admissions due to COVID-19 infections.

Also Read: UT Southwestern Experts Devise PULSAR Radiation Therapy--It's Better Than Conventional Treatment

As of the moment, the country's hospitalized cases already increased more than 6,100 on the third week of August. On the other hand, data showed that two-thirds of the admitted patients are not vaccinated.

This is also the main reason why CDC, WHO, and other international and local health agencies are pushing residents across the globe to get their COVID-19 vaccine jabs.

In other news, the Pfizer vaccine is expected to receive FDA approval before August ends. On the other hand, WHO said that vaccine boosters should not be administered right now, especially since many individuals are still unvaccinated.

Is Ronapreve Really Effective?

The U.K. government's official press release confirmed why MHRA decided to approve the new Ronapreve monoclonal antibody treatment.

Health regulators explained that Ronapreve, also known as REGEN-COV, could be taken using two methods. Patients could either have it injected into them or have the medicine through infusion.

Once the drug enters the body, it would bind tightly to the COVID-19 particles, which are infecting your respiratory system's lining. When that happens, it will prevent the virus from gaining access to your cells.

For more news updates about Ronapreve and other new treatments against COVID-19, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Monoclonal Antibodies vs COVID-19 Explained: How Do They Work?

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Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
4/2021

vol. 59 Polec ten artyku: Wyslij znajomemu Skopiuj link: Udostepnij: wiecej streszczenie artykuu: Artyku oryginalny Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic Samar Tharwat 1 , Sherin Zohdy Mohamed 2 , Mohammed Kamal Nassar 3 1. Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Mansoura University, Faculty of Medicine, Egypt 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Horus University, Faculty of Medicine, Egypt 3. Mansoura Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Mansoura University, Faculty of Medicine, Egypt Reumatologia 2021; 59, 4: 237243 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/reum.2021.108620 Data publikacji online: 2021/08/20 Pena tresc artykuu ENW EndNote BIB JabRef, Mendeley RIS Papers, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero AMA Tharwat S, Zohdy Mohamed S, Kamal Nassar M. Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reumatologia/Rheumatology. 2021;59(4):237-243. doi:10.5114/reum.2021.108620. APA Tharwat, S., Zohdy Mohamed, S., & Kamal Nassar, M. (2021). Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reumatologia/Rheumatology, 59(4), 237-243. https://doi.org/10.5114/reum.2021.108620 Chicago Tharwat, Samar, Sherin Zohdy Mohamed, and Mohammed Kamal Nassar. 2021. "Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic". Reumatologia/Rheumatology 59 (4): 237-243. doi:10.5114/reum.2021.108620. Harvard Tharwat, S., Zohdy Mohamed, S., and Kamal Nassar, M. (2021). Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reumatologia/Rheumatology, 59(4), pp.237-243. https://doi.org/10.5114/reum.2021.108620 MLA Tharwat, Samar et al. "Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic." Reumatologia/Rheumatology, vol. 59, no. 4, 2021, pp. 237-243. doi:10.5114/reum.2021.108620. Vancouver Tharwat S, Zohdy Mohamed S, Kamal Nassar M. Challenges of Egyptian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reumatologia/Rheumatology. 2021;59(4):237-243. doi:10.5114/reum.2021.108620. Pobierz cytowanie



Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Egypt is part of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic that has contributed to substantial deterioration of healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to assess the challenges faced by Egyptian systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.



Material and methods

This questionnaire-based study was carried out on 200 patients with SLE from Egypt. The questionnaire provided covered socioeconomic status, lupus disease data, information about COVID-19 infection, and medical and family history of COVID-19 infection.



Results

The mean age of the participants was 30.1 8.4 years. 140/200 (70%) of the participants reported difficulty in obtaining medications during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly antimalarials (60%). The lupus disease condition became worse because of the drug shortage in half of the participants. Wearing protective masks (74%) and using disinfectants of the hands several times per day (67%) were the most reported used measures. Forty patients (20%) had to stop or reduce taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs while 10 patients (5%) had to start taking antimalarials as a prophylaxis against COVID-19 infection. Among those who needed hospitalization, the main cause was lupus activity, and most of them (71%) experienced difficulty in hospital admission. Thirty-two patients (16%) had confirmed COVID-19 infection. About half of them had lupus flare and had to change the medications used for treatment of lupus.



Conclusions

The current COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the healthcare provided to SLE patients in Egypt. Patients with SLE faced a shortage of their medications, especially antimalarials, and difficulty in hospital admission.




St. Helena Parish public schools tested nearly 400 students for COVID-19 this week out of an abundance of caution, the superintendent said, after a few came down with the virus a couple of weeks into the fall semester.

It started with 10 students across grades who reported feeling sick over the first two weeks of school and later tested positive for the virus. That prompted the district this week to test 395 students at the superintendent's latest count who had come into contact with the first COVID-positive students  about a third of the 1,188 total students enrolled in the district.

The districtwide testing returned 14 more positive results: six students at the St. Helena Parish early learning center, seven at the arts and technology academy and one at the college and career academy. That yielded fewer positives than were required to meet the 5% positivity threshold to call off in-person learning.

Weekly COVID testing, proof of vaccination status now required for Baton Rouge school employees The 6,000 people who work for the East Baton Rouge Parish school system now have to say whether or or not they're vaccinated as well as get we

Thankfully, we can remain face-to-face based on the numbers, said Dr. Kelli Joseph, the superintendent. We wanted to go into the next week feeling confident about having school, and to mitigate the spread, we had to test everyone first.

The sweeping testing effort in St. Helena  and low number of cases it detected  comes as students across Louisiana return to classrooms for the fall semester amid the states worst-ever surge of coronavirus, which is infecting students and school staff at a higher clip than ever before in the pandemic.

All 10 Baton Rouge Head Start Centers close Thursday for air conditioning, ventilation work All 10 Head Start centers in East Baton Rouge Parish are closing immediately for "facilities maintenance and repair work to air conditioning a

Schools statewide reported 2,444 COVID cases among K-12 students and staff between Aug. 9 and 15, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Friday. Thats a greater number than tested positive in any prior week of the pandemic  and more cases than appeared over the entire first two months of the 2020-21 school year.

And the crush of cases came as just one third of Louisiana schools reported cases to the state.

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In St. Helena, the school district is prepared to test large numbers of students again if this weeks situation repeats itself, Joseph said.

+7 After maskless protesters derail meeting on masks in schools, mandate will remain in Louisiana A rowdy, chaotic meeting of Louisiana's top school board ended abruptly Wednesday when opponents of face masks for public school students refu

The schools are offering regular testing to students and staff through a partnership with Southeast Community Health Systems. Students have mostly followed an indoor mandate on masks, Joseph said, which the district implemented before Edwards announced a statewide masking order on Aug. 3.

As school starts, more students have COVID in Louisiana schools than last year, new data shows More Louisiana schoolchildren reported testing positive for the deadly coronavirus last week than during any week last school year, which ende

Elsewhere, politics surrounding face coverings and the virus have colored the start of the new school year, with angry anti-mask parents shutting down two public meetings by state education boards earlier this week.

With children younger than 12 still unable to get vaccinated against the virus, and with the rate of spread among young people growing in the state, Edwards called for adults to put politics aside and shoulder the small responsibility of wearing masks.

We need to be very mindful of the fact that while 2.2 million Louisianans have received a shot, not a single Louisianan under 12 has received a vaccine, the governor said. Its up to us, especially adults, to do what we can to protect all of our children.

Editors note: An earlier version of this article reported an incorrect figure for the total number of students enrolled in St. Helena Parish schools.
After LSU gave all sororities and some fraternities a 48-hour deadline to get checked for COVID-19, thousands of Greek students overwhelmed the campus largest testing site and jammed up traffic on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

LSU spokesman Ernie Ballard said the call for testing came after the school detected high traces of coronavirus in the sewage from Greek Row. And with just two days to comply, some 3,000 members of 15 Greek chapters lined up in cars to get swabbed at the schools drive-through clinics.

COVID-19 detected in LSU wastewater; tests ordered for all sororities, some fraternities Members of all LSU sororities and some fraternities must get tested for COVID-19 after the school found traces of the virus in the wastewater 

Abbie-Grace Milligan, Greek senior and vice president of student government, said she got an email at noon Thursday instructing her to get tested at one of three on-campus testing sites. She waited in line for nearly two hours on Gourrier Avenue near the UREC field testing site but left without getting swabbed.

It was an absolute nightmare, she said. I saw five people run out of gas while waiting. People were even getting out of their cars to use the bathroom on the side of the road. It was madness.

Louisiana Army National Guardsmen stationed at the Gourrier Avenue site confirmed Milligans observation, saying they lugged gas cans over to several cars over the course of the day.

Milligan said LSU Police Department and BRPD started directing traffic around 1 p.m. Thursday  about an hour after students learned of the testing requirement. LSU posted a notice on Twitter about the traffic jam, asking drivers to avoid the area unless they need to get tested.

If LSU knew thousands of students were about to show up for tests, youd think they would add extra testing sites, Milligan said, or at least have a better system.

Major Chase Branch, who coordinates some testing on campus, said that he was unprepared for the meandering car caravans that descended on the site.

Were equipped to handle about 400 people at a time, Branch said, not 3,000 people.

He said LSU informed him earlier in the week that a large influx of students would need tests Thursday and Friday. By 2 p.m. Thursday, Branch said he looked out at the sea of cars in bumper-to-bumper traffic and realized he needed to come up with a new plan.

But he said it was impossible to change things up in the middle of the process, so he resigned himself to the idea that he wouldnt be able to test every student in line.

One girl just sat in her car crying when we closed for the day, Branch said.

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Nurses administered around 500 COVID tests at the main site Thursday, school officials said.

On Friday, instead of funneling cars through two lines like the day before, Branch and his team assembled four lanes with testing tables at the end of each.

Mia LeJeune, another Greek senior, said she got to the UREC fields before the site opened at 8 a.m. She said she was one of hundreds of students parked there for hours.

"I thought Id get there early to get it over with quickly," LeJeune said. "I was wrong."

+7 Fraternities, rapper Boosie boost COVID vaccine efforts on Baton Rouge college campuses Vaccines may be optional at LSU, but theyre the price of admission for students who want to party on campus for rush week.

Branch said that the morning rush lasted until 10 a.m. Four hours later, traffic eased up considerably, with cars rolling in minutes apart and the lines all but disappeared.

This is nothing like yesterday, Branch said. I actually get to breathe today.

By 4 p.m. Friday, the site saw more than 600 cars, with most containing multiple Greeks.

Ballard said students have until 11 a.m. Saturday, the first day of Greek recruitment, to get tested.

We are assessing the situation as it pertains to rush, he said. We will factor in both wastewater results and the results of individual testing in our decision.

The number of students who got the swab wasnt yet tallied by the end of Friday, Ballard told The Advocate.

But he said one thing is clear: those who dont get tested can lose their right to stay on campus and participate in the in-person activities that define rush week.
Baton Rouge and its surrounding parishes have set a record for the number of people to die from COVID-19 in a single week, as the pace of deaths caused by the viruss rapidly spreading delta variant accelerated throughout a largely unvaccinated Louisiana.

Eighty-nine deaths reported this week in the 12-parish capital area surpassed the earlier peak of 88 set on April 26, 2020, data from the Louisiana Department of Health show. Most of the dead were in East Baton Rouge and the two rural-suburban parishes to its east, Tangipahoa and Livingston  all areas where the delta variant has wreaked havoc in populations slow to get vaccinated against the virus.

As delta has packed the regions hospitals, doctors are struggling to keep patients afflicted by the virulent strain breathing.

For the (patients) whove had an inflammatory response that puts them on a ventilator, weve not had as much luck so far keeping people alive, said Dr. Robert Peltier, chief medical officer for North Oaks Health Center in Hammond. We used to have lots of people in the ICU for 40-plus days. Weve had very few people who have lasted past 20 days with the delta variant.

Driven by the delta variant, Louisianas worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak, which is second only to Mississippis in the nation, is driving the rise in deaths as the virus ravages unvaccinated pockets of the population and fatality statistics begin catching up with cases, doctors say. Statewide, 56 Louisianans were reported dead from the virus by the Department of Health on Friday.

Even as hospitalizations dipped slightly, healthcare facilities remained under incredible strain as the state continues to report astronomical numbers of cases, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.

+15 No peace: During fourth COVID surge, exhaustion spreads inside Our Lady of the Lake Morgan Babins team was able to revive a coronavirus patient who was on the brink of death this week inside the intensive care unit. It was a 

Baton Rouge area funeral homes have been overwhelmed for much of the 18-month public health crisis. Now, they are nearing a breaking point that parallels life inside the regions packed hospitals.

Since August ushered in the delta variants full force, three-quarters of funerals at Seale Funeral Services two Livingston Parish locations have been for people who died from COVID-19.

Funeral director Bobby Suchman can remember just one other instance when hes organized this many services for people dead from the same affliction: After Hurricane Katrina, when flood waters destroyed New Orleans-area funeral sites, and people streamed north in desperate efforts to say last goodbyes to relatives and friends killed in the storm.

During delta, the funeral home has grown accustomed to holding double services for households who lost multiple family members to the virus. And like healthcare workers, funeral home employees cant always leave their work at the office.

Suchmans own father died of COVID-19 last year.

Generally when we meet with families, we can leave the emotions here with them, Suchman said. In this time, were carrying it with us wherever we go, whether its a trip to Walmart or going out to eat. Were tired.

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As school starts, more students have COVID in Louisiana schools than last year, new data shows More Louisiana schoolchildren reported testing positive for the deadly coronavirus last week than during any week last school year, which ende

Doctors and officials continue to urge COVID-19 vaccinations that experts agree are safe and effective at slowing the spread, but the virus continues to win. Around Baton Rouge, areas with especially low vaccination rates are being particularly hit hard.

Tangipahoa Parish, for example, accounted for 23 of the regions 89 deaths in the one-week period  about 26%  even though only 13% of the capital areas 1.024 million residents live there.

Thirty percent of Tangipahoa residents are fully vaccinated, compared to 40% in Louisiana and 50% nationally. On Thursday alone, the parish reported eight residents had died of COVID. It was a single-day record for the parish and the most of any parish in the state that day.

Not yet two-thirds of the way through August, 328% more Louisianans are dead from the virus this month than died in the whole month of June, said Dr. Joseph Kanter, the state health officer. In the same period, COVID fatalities rose almost 1467% among people younger than 40.

Officials say those numbers dont capture the virus full impact. Of the statistics officials use to convey snapshots of the states battle with the virus, deaths are the most lagging indicator, according to Kanter.

These deaths are not just among the hospitalized, said Dr. Gina Lagarde, the medical director for the department of healths Region IX, which includes Tangipahoa and Livingston Parishes. You have people dying of COVID who have not made it to a hospital, or who have possibly died of a complication from a comorbidity resulting from COVID.

+2 COVID deaths near record highs in Baton Rouge area as delta variant runs rampant The Baton Rouge region is nearing single-day records for fatalities from COVID-19 this week as a wave of death sweeps across Louisiana, caused

And it can take weeks  even months  for a persons death to be confirmed by health officials as a casualty of COVID-19, the state health officer said.

This fourth surge is causing real pain and suffering for families across Louisiana in ways that we wont even be able to formally quantify for a few more weeks, said Kanter. There are real people suffering right now in ways we cant even quantify.

Fridays daily report from the Department of Health offered a glimmer of hope as Edwards reported that the states rate of positivity for COVID-19 tests had dipped slightly, along with a small drop in hospitalizations over the past two days.

But I also know that this is just a couple or three days, Edwards said. Its not yet a trend. The disease burden in every single community of this state, the number of COVID patients, is unacceptably high.
With the delta variant of the coronavirus sending Louisianas public health crisis spiraling to dire new levels, officials in Baton Rouges rural outlying parishes are trying new tactics  like begging residents for help and threatening to bring back restrictions  to get people to get vaccinated.

East Feliciana Parishs emergency director said Tuesday that he is considering reimplementing old restrictions, and pleaded with residents to act with more awareness of the parishs dismal COVID-19 numbers. Only 28% of residents there have received the COVID-19 vaccine, one of the lowest parish-level rates in Louisiana, which itself falls among the least-vaccinated states in the country.

Our positive case rate, the growth rate and unfortunately our death rate, per capita, are the worst in the state, emergency director Jody Moreau said in a statement. We are currently not taking anything off the table to stop this trend. ... I will not detail what steps are being talked about, but I shouldnt have to.

What we are doing now is not working to counter our spike  quite the opposite, Moreau added.

+4 Delta variant rages in Louisiana's vaccine-averse Florida Parishes: 'It's very concerning' Never in his three-year tenure at Our Lady of the Lake Livingston has Dr. Charles Nunez seen so many patients.

The viruss more-transmissible delta variant has ravaged rural Louisiana, packing hospitals and pushing some previously-hesitant residents to roll up their sleeves for shots as their family and friends fall sick and die. But the virus is still winning the race to get shots in arms.

With the state setting new hospitalization records each day, officials are grasping for new ways to protect people as rural health systems risk being overwhelmed.

The Louisiana Department of Healths Ninth Region, which serves Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, Washington and St. Tammany parishes, had only 29 of 168 intensive care unit beds open on Wednesday.

In St. Helena Parish, where the effects of a single death or COVID-19 case can ripple across the rural areas small population, vaccinations have ticked upwards as residents look to protect themselves against the highly-contagious variant. Its the only parish in the state where more Black residents have been vaccinated than their white counterparts, LDH data show.

Still, only 33% of the parishs residents are vaccinated overall, putting residents at higher risk of hospitalization and death from the virus.

St. Helena officials are trying to curb the spread by limiting capacity in public buildings and police jury meetings, where attendance has been limited to reporters and people included on meeting agendas. Gov. John Bel Edwards recent mask mandate is closely enforced in those spaces.

Louisiana COVID numbers: Hospitalizations again grow to record high; here's a regional breakdown The Louisiana Department of Health reported 3,930 more confirmed coronavirus cases and 42 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Wednesday.

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Outside of public buildings, however, people have not always heeded the mask mandate, like when they enter local businesses. So the police jury enlisted the help of Sheriffs deputies to serve as mediators when tensions escalate between a store owner and an unruly customer, emergency director Roderick Matthews told the police jury Tuesday evening.

He pleaded with residents to grasp the gravity of the surge.

In a sparsely-populated Parish like St. Helena, where people may not seek out a COVID-19 test until they feel sick, the areas 16% test-positivity rate probably indicates an even higher level of spread, he said.

Everything is increasing, said Matthews, pointing to a chart of hospitalizations and cases in the parish. If we dont come up with an action plan, I really fear we are headed back to where we were last year.

St. Helena stopped holding parish-sponsored vaccination events last month as demand for those events dissipated. But since the most recent surge started, enough residents have reached out asking where they can get vaccinated that the parish is planning on holding another event on the weekend of August 21.

If we do nothing, numbers are just going to rise, Matthews said.

Louisiana may need more COVID restrictions if case growth doesn't slow, health official says Dr. Joseph Kanter, chief health officer, said Tuesday morning he thinks the state will have to consider more aggressive mitigation measures if

To the South of St. Helena Parish, Livingston Parish officials said Tuesday that they would move an in-person Parish Council Meeting scheduled for Thursday evening to Zoom  a first for the Parish since April 9, 2020.

Parish buildings have been closed in Livingston since a slew of employees tested positive for the virus in July.

Parish President Layton Ricks signed an executive order Wednesday loosening certain compliance measures for Acadian Ambulance teams so that they can meet an extreme need for ambulance services that has emerged during the surge.

As a result of the surge of patients due to COVID-19, ambulances have to wait at emergency rooms longer for an emergency room bed to transfer a patient, Ricks said in the order. Pre-pandemic data showed an average wait time of 28 minutes. That has grown to average wait-time of 59 minutes now.
A Baton Rouge man awaiting trial in the 2011 killing and dismembering of his wife, Brusly High School teacher Sylviane Finck Lozada, is begging a judge for his freedom.

Oscar Lozada  who's set to stand trial Nov. 29 and faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder  rejected an offer last year to plead guilty to manslaughter and obstruction of justice in exchange for a 50-year prison term.

+3 Husband of slain Brusly teacher rejects plea deal; second-degree murder trial set July 13 A Baton Rouge man accused in the 2011 killing and dismembering of his wife, Brusly High School foreign language teacher Sylviane Finck Lozada,

In a letter to state District Judge Tiffany Foxworth filed into the court record Thursday, 46-year-old Lozada says he found Jesus, has "seen the errors of my past mistakes" and repented.

Lozada reveals in his missive that he has a wife in Mexico who needs his help to support her and her two daughters. He also tells the judge he wants to open a Christian bookstore in Mexico and create a ministry to share the Gospel in Latin American prisons.

"I am prayerfully hoping that you have it in your heart to help me and have mercy on me," he writes.

East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III, whose office is prosecuting Lozada, reacted strongly to the missive.

"This letter is inappropriate, as it's clearly designed to garner support from the judge that will be responsible for his sentencing should he be convicted," Moore said.

"Additionally, this letter is offensive in that although the defendant mentions his present wife and his daughter, he claims to have found God but makes no mention of his wife who was so brutally murdered," he added.

Lozada's attorney, Stephen Sterling, said he was still reviewing the letter and his client's options.

Prosecutors say Lozada killed and dismembered Sylviane Lozada in July 2011, then fled to his home country of Venezuela with the couple's daughter. Venezuela has no extradition agreement with the United States. However, Lozada was arrested in late 2018 in Mexico and brought back to Baton Rouge.

+3 Grisly details emerge in case of slain Brusly teacher; confession can be used against husband A state judge ruled Monday that statements Oscar Lozada gave to sheriffs detectives about the 2011 death of his wife, a Brusly High School te

That same year, he confessed to killing and dismembering his wife and twice accompanied detectives in October 2018 to several locations off I-10 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans in an unsuccessful attempt to recover her remains, authorities have said.

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Prosecutor Dana Cummings has stated in court documents that Sylviane Lozadas body was dismembered and disposed of in buckets. He bought buckets and concrete around the time of his wife's disappearance, court filings indicate.

Lozada later tried to have the confession thrown out, but the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled that it can be used at his trial.

+2 In Brusly teacher's 2011 killing, Louisiana Supreme Court allows husband's confession A Baton Rouge man's confession to authorities that he killed and dismembered his wife, Brusly High School teacher Sylviane Finck Lozada, in 20

In his letter to Foxworth, Lozada says his daughter is praying everyday to see him and be with him again. He also says his parents in Venezuela are "doing the best they can to survive the famine caused by the dictator 'president.'"

Lozada says he wants "so badly to be an ambassador for Christ in Latin America."

"I humbly present my request to you so that I can one day, very soon, stand proudly and boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His coming Kingdom," he tells the judge. "Your act of faith through me could potentially reach countless souls, reaping a bountiful harvest for both of us in the world to come."

Several months ago, Foxworth gave prosecutors permission to bring up three alleged domestic abuse incidents at Lozada's trial. Several former deputies testified at a hearing in May that in the two years leading up to her disappearance Sylviane Lozada told authorities her husband physically abused her three times.

+3 In killing and dismembering of Brusly teacher, abuse reports can be used at husband's trial In the two years leading up to her 2011 disappearance, Brusly High School teacher Sylviane Finck Lozada told authorities her husband physicall

Each time, however, she told East Baton Rouge sheriff's deputies she did not want to press charges against Lozada. On two of those occasions she asked deputies to only speak with her husband.

On the third and final occasion  Dec. 31, 2010, six months before her disappearance  the woman told a deputy at Our Lady of the Lake's Baton Rouge emergency room that she did not want him to contact her husband at all.

"She was very adamant about that," former sheriff's deputy Derek Schilling testified in Foxworth's courtroom. "She was afraid he would become angry and take their baby to Venezuela."

Sylviane Lozada was 51 when she disappeared. Her body has never been found. Her blood was discovered on the ceiling and walls of the garage at the family's Spring Lake Drive home in Baton Rouge.

The couples daughter lives with her mother's family in Belgium, her mother's home country.
Pastor Tony Spell, of Life Tabernacle Church in Central, makes a strident appeal to spectators during a recess for executive committee time, during a meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Wednesday. The meeting was adjourned because of disorderly conduct by spectators refusing to wear masks.
They cant arrest all of us, the Rev. Tony Spell, of Central, shouted last week spurring an angry crowd of people who refused to don masks at a hearing convened to decide whether the governor has the authority to order school children to wear masks in class, or if that power lies with locals.

As the hearing spiraled out of control, the state Board of Elementary & Secondary Education abruptly adjourned, leaving in place a statewide mask mandate for school children that protesters wanted overridden.

School grounds turned battlefields shouldnt be surprising. It has been that way for a century. The mask debate is just the latest imbroglio.

Couple days earlier, a legislative hearing on the same issue threatened similar chaos. But State Capitol sergeants-at-arms proved much more adept at handling anti-maskers than the Department of Public Safety officers in charge of the state building where BESEs meeting took place.

+7 After maskless protesters derail meeting on masks in schools, mandate will remain in Louisiana A rowdy, chaotic meeting of Louisiana's top school board ended abruptly Wednesday when opponents of face masks for public school students refu

Before the House Health & Welfare Committee, anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers likened school mask mandates to child abuse, testified that other treatments were better than vaccines, said government officials routinely lied, and charged the media with over-exaggerating the pandemic.

From New York to Colorado to Florida anti-mask rallies captured headlines as spiking COVID-19 infections have left other parents supporting masks for children returning to school. A video of anti-maskers in Tennessee accosting pro-maskers  Theres a place for you guys. Theres a bad place in hell, yelled one  amassed about 3 million views.

Gov. John Bel Edwards on his monthly radio show the afternoon after the BESE meeting suggested opposition to the mask requirement came from a small, vocal minority.

But the Democratic governors mask mandate for school children is opposed by Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry, who says BESE has the last word on whether the state or local authorities can order roughly 700,000 public school students to wear face coverings. Landrys position is supported by 64 of the 68 members in the Louisiana House Republican majority.

+8 Top health official heckled by anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers as misinformation spreads amid COVID surge As doctors and nurses battle against the worst wave of COVID-19 to befall Louisiana, public health officials struggle to combat a pervasive al

Still, a lot of the parents at the BESE meeting do look familiar.

Take Stacy Hudson. Her photo appeared on the front page of these newspapers with her 6-year-old daughter holding a sign: UNMASK OUR CHILDREN.

My child, my choice, Hudson told reporters.

The last time Stacy Hudson and her daughter appeared in The Advocate was in 2017 when her husband, Dwight, was sworn as a Baton Rouge Metro Council member.

Proud of her political activism, Hudson met her husband more than a decade ago at a Tea Party meeting. She is a regular at rallies opposing taxes to upgrade the riverfront and pay for the citys bus system. She supported the breakaway of St. George neighborhoods from Baton Rouge to form their own city. And she has been on the front lines of school policy debates.

This is not really new. A passel of parents has exercised their First Amendment rights to protest the teaching of evolution in the 1920s-1930s and sex education in the 1960s-1970s. Sticky social issues have played out at the top of parents lungs for generations, such as busing to achieve school desegregation.

In 1981, Louisiana required schools to teach religious beliefs as alternative scientific theories, called creation science, which the courts overturned. And in the 2010s, minimum academic standards, called Common Core, led to rallies around Louisiana and at the State Capitol.

As president of the Council for Better Louisiana, Barry Erwin has shared the stage with opponents to educational policies for years. My experience over these issues is that a number of parents, its not a majority of parents, but a smaller core of parents is willing to come to the Capitol and express their opinions, very loudly, he said.

The group has the ear of legislators and they raise awareness among other parents as well. Lawmakers generally listen to the complaints, make some changes to policy that appeases the majoritys concerns and then moves on. For Common Core, some of the milestones were changed and the name was dropped; otherwise the standards remain in place.

Everything could change by the time BESE meets again in October. An increase in vaccinations could slow the dramatic spread of COVID-19, which is mostly among the unvaccinated, and masks may no longer be needed.

Then, parents can return to the debate over how much Black history can be taught in social studies classes.
WENTWORTH

Series final, Tuesday, 8.30pm, Fox Showcase

After serving eight years of hard drama, Wentworth, the critically acclaimed reboot of Prisoner will slam shut its bars one last time. Its a bittersweet moment for the famously tight cast, bound together by both the physicality of the location and the intensity of the narrative.

Wentworths Zoe Terakes. Credit:Brook Rushton

As some of the biggest names in Australian drama (Pamela Rabe, Susie Porter, Marta Dusseldorp, Kate Box, Leah Purcell) prepare for release, a relatively new inmate is set to fly high. Twenty-one-year-old Zoe Terakes, who arrived in H Block as transgender man, Reb Keane, in season seven, has already appeared alongside Box on Amazon Primes comedy The Moth Effect, and joined Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy on that platforms Liane Moriarty thriller Nine Perfect Strangers.

I feel very lucky to be in the position that Im in and to work with the people I have, says Terakes. Wentworth was one of the greatest jobs of my life, and I know everybody says this, but its true. It is a family and I went, Oh man, I have to say goodbye so quickly!
Loading The story is loosely based on Tillys own experiences: she and her creation both identify as lesbian and have predominantly male heterosexual clients. One character, a 30-year-old man with an intellectual disability, is especially poignant as he constantly shields his face during his session with Maddy, apologising because he is not good-looking. Maddy muses that her own body is seen by some as abject, a vehicle for contagion and public health risk, used and abused, devalued and discarded. Tilly, who owns a spangly outfit proudly embroidered with the words femme whore, has spent the past eight years trying to overturn negative public perceptions of sex workers through her social media posts and website columns. I havent spoken to my mum since I was 16 or 17. People think that sex workers have daddy issues, but the girls I work with joke that sex workers have mummy issues. So many of them dont talk to their mums. The novels aim, by contrast, is to treat sex work as a backdrop for an examination of the queer community, mental health and the dangers of romantic obsession. Each chapter is devoted to a day in Maddys life and, over the course of the storys eight days, she finds a supportive nirvana and a new family built on friendships in the queer and clubbing communities.

Tilly spent the first five years of her life in the NSW Hunter Valley, then the next five in Rozelle, in inner Sydney. Between the ages of 10 and 19, she lived in Bellingen, on the states Mid North Coast, and went to school in deeply conservative Coffs Harbour. I consider myself a country girl because more of my growing-up years were spent in a country town, she says. Some of her extended nuclear family are Christians who were confronted by Tillys coming out as gay at 16. Not that it made much difference: I was already an outcast, put it that way. When they heard she had become a sex worker, they began to pray for her, she says. But Tillys estrangement from that side of the family precedes her time in the sex industry. I havent spoken to my mum since I was 16 or 17, she says. People think that sex workers have daddy issues, but the girls I work with joke that sex workers have mummy issues. So many of them dont talk to their mums. Her really wonderful father, who is in his 70s, took a few years to accept his daughters occupation but is supportive and will likely read the book. He called me the other day, panicking a bit: Have you realised what responses youre going to get to this book?  She laughs. I said, Ive already been talking about this stuff on Instagram. 

Tilly stresses the belief that sex workers arent always passive victims who have been forced into the work, or need to be saved. Credit:Chloe Nour Tilly says that 70 to 80 per cent of her clients are really nice, and like Maddy in the book, she doesnt think of them as johns, a term she says is used to denigrate and homogenise those who pay for sex. Rather, she sees paying for sexual and emotional intimacy as a means of fulfilling a basic human need. But there have been occasions when shes felt unsafe, such as the time she found a client in a hotel room high on ice. He wanted to bring his drug dealer up to the room. Tilly quickly exited. She adds that the times shes been really scared have mostly occurred escorting. When youre in a brothel there are other women next door and you feel like they can hear you. Sometimes she leaves her shoes on during a session with a client so she can kick someone off if I get a suspect vibe from them. She says that experience has endowed her with a shrewdness to quickly assess character.

But, she adds, I have not been any more scared at work than I have been as a woman alone on the street. In the novel, Maddy has agency, consistent with Tillys belief that sex workers arent always passive victims who have been forced into the work, or need to be saved. They arent always slaves to the patriarchy, says Tilly. Loading Tilly, like Maddy, hopes one day to have a child, using donor sperm and child-raising help from her family of queer friends. She is currently single. Past girlfriends have been generally cool with her sex work: jealousy only entered the picture when she dated another sex worker who was envious if Tilly earned more than she did. When she started sex work at 20, Tilly thought shed quit the industry by 30. But the older I get, the less inclined I am to leave, she says.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Sir David Attenboroughs eyes light up across the campfire in remote Ethiopia like those of a little kid. Its the early 2000s and opposite him sits Chadden Hunter, a Queenslander whos been researching a herd of gelada baboons in the highlands, several thousand metres above sea level, as they pluck grass in alpine meadows. To the world outside, Ethiopia is known for its famine and desert. But Hunter speaks of a land full of ancient rock churches carved into the cliffs, of beautiful lush islands covered in wildflowers and waterfalls. While he doesnt realise it yet, his life is about to change. Chadden Hunter in Ethiopia in the early 2000s with gelada baboons. Sir David asks Hunter, a world expert on the baboons, to explain what he knows. Fuelled by an endless curiosity, Sir David is excited as he takes in every word Hunter tells him.

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I was able to just tell him everything I knew, and it was really amazing to have this guru and living legend sit there by the campfire and just want to listen to you, and just ask questions, he says. Its incredible in that sense because his successes havent gone to his head whatsoever. Hes an incredible man, so incredibly knowledgeable but also really humble. Hunter with Sir David Attenborough, in a frozen clime a world away from their time in Ethiopia. I think its partly because hes maintained this incredible sense of curiosity his whole life and thats really what keeps him going. His eyes light up when you tell him a new story. So, by the flicker of the fire that night, the men connect.

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And years after the embers have died away, the pair continue to work together across Sir Davids films. About a decade after Ethiopia, Hunter signs on for Frozen Planet with Sir David, spending four months in Antarctica while they film. Its a far cry from his childhood home in the humid north Queensland city of Cairns. During four months of filming, Hunter and the crew drill a two-metre wide hole through a sheet of ice. Flecks float around them after they dive into the inky blue water below a white ceiling. There is no barrier between Hunter and the unfettered wildness of nature. It is, he says, a place of pure connection.

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But the flecks in the water are not dust. They rise from the dark depths 500 metres down, quickly surrounding the filmmakers. Dozens upon dozens of emperor penguins. The Frozen Planet crew scuba dive in Antarctica with emperor penguins. Credit:Chadden Hunter Hunter and his crew are the first humans the animals have seen. They circle so fast, Hunter feels dizzy. They swim down half a kilometre to go fishing. And they were swimming up and getting bigger and bigger, and the emperor penguin is the worlds biggest penguin, theyre 40 kilograms in weight, and theyre like the size of a barrel, he says.

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Theyre huge, and they come up, these beautiful torpedo-shaped noses, and they started coming up and circling us underwater because theyd never seen humans before. It felt like you were in one of those snow domes, the ones you shake and then the snow flurries around. Emperor penguins in Antarctica. Over 20 years, Hunter has watched the world change. Hes been to parts of the Amazon and south-east Asian rainforests that have been decimated. Habitat destruction is deeply upsetting and over the years, wed like to have thought that working on these wildlife films helps people appreciate the nature and beauty out there and will make a difference, he says.

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The head of Australias association for primary school principals says while teachers will support the call for children aged five and up to wear masks, the mental health of young students needs to be prioritised.

On Saturday, Victorias Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton recommended that primary school-aged children across the state begin wearing masks in both indoor and outdoor settings.

A family in New York City wearing masks. Credit:Getty Images

Current lockdown rules require anyone aged 12 years and over to wear a fitted face mask whenever they leave their home.

Professor Sutton acknowledged it would be challenging for very young children to wear masks, but said it would reduce transmission of the Delta variant among kids.
Mr Weimar said about 44 per cent of cases were identified in Victorians aged under 20, while only 4 per cent of cases were in the over-60s cohort. Loading The state government announced childcare would move to a permit-based system for essential workers from Monday due to a rapidly growing cluster linked to a multicultural youth centre at Broadmeadows where a childcare centre operates. Parents have also been urged to fit masks to primary school-aged children both indoors and outdoors across the state. Professor Sutton said the change was reflective of the Delta variant and the over-representation of young children in the current caseload.

He said the mask rule for children would be a recommendation at this stage in recognition of how difficult it is to enforce. Some kids will do it well, some kids will absolutely not be able to do it, he said. It is a small but very effective tool ... we think it can make a big difference. The growing outbreak impacted two major Melbourne hospitals, including the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where two patients and a staff member have tested positive for COVID-19. About 65 people who worked or passed through the Werribee Mercy Hospital emergency department on Thursday have been isolated after a patient there tested positive.

" /] Although the hospital remains open to patients, management is requiring all staff with even fleeting contact to isolate due to the extremely contagious nature of the Delta strain. Thousands of close contacts from the Shepparton community were in isolation on Saturday with health authorities concerned about cases spreading to other regional towns after one case travelled to Bendigo, in central Victoria. An agricultural vehicle company in Bendigo has been listed as an exposure site as well as a hairdresser and supermarket in Shepparton and a petrol station in neighbouring Mooroopna.

Several schools in the Goulburn Valley have also been listed as exposure sites, with a positive case attending Greater Shepparton Secondary College while infectious every day from the August 15 to 20. Premier Daniel Andrews said it simply was not possible to give regional Victorians more warning, despite wastewater tests detecting COVID-19 fragments in Shepparton a week ago. The snap decision saw regional roads clogged and brides rushed to say I do ahead of the 1pm lockdown deadline. " /]

In the states north-west, Robinvale couple Santhia Ravichandran and Muralitharan Manivel married on the banks of the Murray River in Swan Hill, one hour before the lockdown came into effect. With the couples reception at a local restaurant cancelled, the pair and celebrant Carolyn Harrop bought roast chicken and white bread from the local supermarket instead. My family was there, they are the most important people in my life, so everything is good, Ms Ravichandran said. I felt so sad and so happy all in one because Id been living in uncertainty during every moment. The move was criticised by regional Victorians whose plans were thrown into chaos.

One woman from a regional town said her family was stoic but struggling with the new five-kilometre travel limits in regional Victoria which meant many could not attend her aunts funeral this weekend. Current restrictions dictate a maximum of 10 people per funeral. Its been a tough week already, trying to figure out who could attend, a lot of family already missed out, she said. We knew it was a changing situation  but attending a funeral is a once in a life opportunity. Its been particularly awful for us. Loading

Mr Andrews apologised for the inconvenience caused to hundreds of thousands of regional Victorians forced to cancel plans at the last minute but said locking down individual towns and communities wasn't an option. "When you already know that there has been movement to other parts of Victoria then the notion of trying to divide Victoria into different sectors, that doesn't work." From Monday, there will be more stringent rules for high-risk essential workplaces such as abattoirs and seafood processing with additional obligations such as workforce limits and mandatory testing. Construction in the city has also been reduced to 25 per cent capacity. Professor Sutton described the new measures as a way of buying time until more people are vaccinated. A transmission saved today is one hundred, or one thousand cases saved a month from now, he said.
Tessa McDonnell really loves seals. She has a tattoo of a seal on her arm and, as a child, she would tell people that she was a seal in a past life.

Unfortunately, a chronic illness means Ms McDonnell has been unable to observe Salvatore  a seal that has lately been spotted frolicking in the Yarra River  in real life.

But that hasnt stopped her from finding a way to watch Salvatore splash around in the murky Yarra water and tear apart fish with his mouth.

Salvatore the seal in the Yarra River. Credit:Simon Griffiths

Ive never seen Salvatore, which is my secret shame, she said.
The Victorian government has announced new coronavirus restrictions to apply from 1pm today, with regional Victoria moving to the same settings as Melbourne, with the only difference being that no curfew will apply outside Greater Melbourne.

The growing number of clusters, mystery cases, and now a spread to regional Victoria have prompted the changes as Premier Daniel Andrews warned the state was on the precipice of spiralling out of control.

Premier Daniel Andrews has warned the state is at a tipping point and begged Victorians to adhere to restrictions. Credit:Simon Schluter

The regional restrictions will, like Melbournes, apply until 11.59pm on Thursday September 2.

Heres a complete list of the new rules for the state, including the regional lockdown. It will be updated as new information becomes available so please check back regularly.
A Perth bouncer has described the terrifying moment a car brushed past him and his friends after ploughing through the outdoor sitting area of a CBD restaurant on Friday night, killing one man and injuring several others.

Priyesh Adatia was having a drink with two friends at Barrelhouse Perth, opposite My Place Bar and Restaurant on Pier Street, when the Range Rover SUV came spinning towards them out of nowhere.

With quick reaction jumped out of my seat out of the way and missed me by inches, Mr Adatia told WAtoday. It was very close.

Mr Adatia and one of his friends rushed to aid the driver, who was confused but conscious, while his other friend called emergency services.
Victoria is now unlikely to be able to eliminate the Delta variant of COVID-19, according to one of the countrys leading epidemiologists, with continued restrictions and higher vaccinations the states best chance of getting out of lockdown.

The warning comes as the state recorded 61 new cases of the virus on Saturday, with just 22 isolating for their entire infectious period, regional areas locked down and all children aged five and over urged to wear masks when they leave home.

Melbourne University epidemiologist Professor James McCaw.

Professor James McCaw  a leading epidemiologist at the University of Melbourne who advises the federal government  said lockdowns, intensive contact tracing and vaccination would be required to merely flatten the curve of the current outbreaks in both states because the ability of the virus to spread had drastically changed in the past year.

Assessments showed Victorias second wave probably wouldnt have occurred if it hadnt got into vulnerable communities.
Austin Johnson (L), Jake Bodart (C) and Jessica Rendon (R) of the Oregon Department of Agriculture look at the advanced telemetry system used for tracking while wearing hornet extraction suits, during an Asian giant hornet field training day held by the Washington State Department of Agriculture Pest Program, at Birch Bay State Park near Blaine, Wash., on Aug. 18, 2021. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

A Crash Course on Tracking, Trapping, and Killing Murder Hornets

BLAINE, Wash.The first Asian giant hornet nest of the year has been found in Washington state, and plans are being developed to eradicate it, likely next week, the states agriculture department said on Thursday.

The so-called stinging murder hornets, the worlds largest hornets, can grow to two inches in length and prey on native bee and wasp populations, consuming honeybee hives and threatening agriculture.

Any time you get any organism that is not native to an area move in, the consequences are really immeasurable, said Sven Spichiger, the departments managing entomologist.

A day before the nest was located, Washington and Oregon state Department of Agriculture employees gathered in an open-air classroom just south of the Canadian border to learn how to trap, track, and eradicate the invasive species.

The employees donned protective suits, complete with black boots and blue gloves, and practiced using telemetry systems to find the hornets, tag them, and then destroy their nests.

Austin Johnson and Jake Bodart, of the Oregon Department of Agricultures Insect Pest Prevention and Management program, test the advanced telemetry system used in tracking, during an Asian giant hornet field training day held by the Washington State Department of Agriculture Pest Program, at Birch Bay State Park near Blaine, Wash., on Aug. 18, 2021. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

Thousands of traps baited with orange juice or jam are hung in trees along likely hornet flight paths. Once spotted, the hornet must be tracked to its nest, so its queen and other hornets can be destroyed, ideally before reproducing.

When a hornet is captured, it is fitted with a radio transmitter and released, in the hope it can be followed back to its nest.

Entomologist Chris Looney watches along with other participants, as Jessica Rendon of the Oregon Department of Agriculture tries out a vacuum system for hornet extraction, during an Asian giant hornet field training day held by the Washington State Department of Agriculture Pest Program, at Birch Bay State Park near Blaine, Wash., on Aug. 18, 2021. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)

Once a nest of Asian giant hornets is confirmed by thermal imaging to be in a tree, the tree is wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent escape while its trunk is hit with a piece of wood to get the hornets out so they can be vacuumed up and eradicated.

My biggest fear for this year is that there will be lots of nests out in our county and we just dont know where they are, thats the biggest problem, is nests going undetected. So thats why its so important for the public to continue telling us when they think they see one, Looney said.

By Tim Exton
Beijing Continues to Capitalize on US Withdrawal From Afghanistan for Propaganda Campaign

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan was a laughingstock, during a daily press conference on Aug. 19, as part of Beijings propaganda campaign to leverage the crisis to attack the United States.

Islamist terrorist group Taliban swept across Afghanistan and took over the capital Kabul as the U.S. troops withdrew from where the forces had been stationed since 2001.

Although the evacuation marks an end to the years of U.S. casualties in the Middle Eastern country, the decision has come under harsh criticismand China seized the opportunity to put up the pressure.

In response to a reporters remark about China is laughing at the U.S. during the conference, spokesperson Hua said, Isnt this a laughingstock in itself?

Hua said that some U.S. media and individuals habitually take every opportunity to shift blame, suggesting that the United States has failed Afghanistan.

As to whether the United States Afghanistan policy is a failure and whether U.S. allies still think it is reliable and credible, people have their fair judgment, she said.

Meanwhile, Chinas state-run media and diplomats have also been working on a prospective friendship with the Taliban.

The same day, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the international community should respect Afghanistans independence and the will of its people, according to the foreign ministry statement.

China consistently objects to foreign criticism of its own system and rejects international pressure from other countries as interference.

In a call with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, Wang said the world should support Afghanistan as it transitions to a new government.

China has not officially recognized the Taliban as the new rulers. But Wang hosted a delegation of Taliban representatives in the port city of Tianjin in late July, about a month prior to the scheduled U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of Beijings mouthpiece Global Times, wrote on Aug. 15. on Twitter, No matter who is in power, were ready to be Afghanistans friend.

Eva Fu contributed to the report.
Man Convicted of Murdering Elderly Couple Could Be Granted Early Release

A Northern California man convicted of brutally murdering an elderly couple could potentially walk free next year with no criminal record under state law.

Daniel Marsh was 15 years old when he confessed to the murder of Oliver Northup, 87, and Claudia Maupin, 76, back in 2013. It was nighttime when Marsh broke into their Davis home and stabbed them more than 60 times.

Marsh is currently in prison, and the victims families intend to keep it that way, arguing that Marsh said he would do it again.

We were under the impression that he was convicted, he confessed, and he got sentenced by a jury panel for 52 years to life, Sarah Rice, Maupins granddaughter, told The Epoch Times.

We had a 15-year-oldthree or four weeks shy of his 16th birthdaydo something so heinous and so graphic and awful to not just one but two individuals. He got lucky is what he said.  Were pissed that it actually comes to this; victims are the ones that have to continue to fight to keep a psychopathic killer in prison, where he belongs [and] who has already said that he would do it again.  I dont understand how somebody could agree to put a bill into place that supports criminals like SB 1391.

Claudia Maupin in 1962. (Courtesy of Sarah Rice)

Under Senate Bill 1391, signed and approved in 2018 by former Gov. Jerry Brown, California prohibited the prosecution of juveniles ages 14 and 15 in adult court.

A juvenile can be held in a juvenile facility up until the age of 25. At that time, theyre released without parole or supervision, and their record is expunged.

Although the legislation was signed nearly four years after the murders were committed by Marsh, the now 24-year-old is claiming the law applies to his case.

In conversations Ive had with lawmakers who actually voted for it, nobody understood that somebody like Daniel Marsh could be the beneficiary of this law, Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig told The Epoch Times.

Daniel Marsh is just one of the many.  Theres other cases that are heinousmurder, rape, kidnap of a little girl out in Santa Cruz by a 15-year-old. Hes going to be out at 25.

Marsh confessed that before he committed the heinous crime, he had been wanting to murder somebody and was wandering the streets at night looking for his first victim, Reisig said.

Up until he was captured, he was able to commit this crime without leaving a shred of evidence at the scene, Reisig said.

The case would have gone unsolved because he was so meticulous and controlled in the way he did everything. It was ultimately solved because he had disclosed his involvement to a friend. Hes very sophisticated. Hes very premeditated in everything he does.

(Courtesy of Sarah Rice)

Marsh turns 25 next year, and it will be nine years since he killed and mutilated the elderly couple. Despite being potentially eligible to walk free, Reisig says he is still a threat.

At the time he was tried, we had a world-renowned expert meet with Marsh and analyze him for purposes of determining his mental state, he said.

He diagnosed Marsh as one of the highest-scoring psychopaths hed ever encountered on the scale of psychopathy. The reality is since hes been in prison, hes been a model inmate, but thats what makes him so dangerous. He is a psychopath, and he can absolutely control his behavior in a prison-like facility.

As the case continues, the victims family is exhausted, spending countless years trying to block Marsh from receiving privileges through SB 1391. Rice said when Marsh confessed his crime, he did so in glee, giving graphic detail.

This 15-year-oldjust shy of his 16th birthdayplanned, articulated, scouted out, ordered his mask and his black hoodie, and taped his shoes and did all the things that he learned in cadet training at the Davis Police Department when he was a young kid on how to create the perfect crime, and almost had a perfect crime because, had he not bragged to his friends, he would still to this day be a walking man, she said.

He was so excited that he had done something, and he wanted to share it with his friends, and he did.

Rice said shes not against SB 1391. Instead, shes fighting for it to be amended to suit certain cases similar to her familys.

To raise awareness of her grandparents case, Rice started a campaign exposing how SB 1391 allows for violent criminals to walk free. The project tells the story of Marsh and advocates for more people to take action against the state Senate bill.

(Courtesy of Sarah Rice)

Through the online platform, Rice has received multiple messages from people who knew Marsh and fear what might happen to them if hes released.

This affects your community and not just my community, she said. It affects anybody and everybody that he ever encountered.  The letters we receive on a daily basis through our campaign website are people that knew him, that are fearful that hes going to show up.

If Marshs appeal is granted, hell be released in May 2020 with a reduced sentence of nine years.

He doesnt deserve a second chance. He took two lives, not just one. I dont care how old he was. He planned it, and there should be a disclaimer in this bill that speaks to those types of crimes, Rice said.

Ricardo Lara,  who wrote this bill, didnt think about that.  And now were here, eight years later, still having to fight for this, and my family doesnt get to rest. You know those horror movies that you dont watch for a reason? Im living that, every freaking day of my life. I hold onto those awful memories, and I just dont want anybody else to go through that.
Archaeologists Pull Native American Canoe Carved in 1700s From South Carolina River

A relic from Americas colonial past was recently pulled up from the Chattooga River in South Carolina earlier this summer. The remnants of a dugout canoe, possibly of Native American origin, is the second such boat of that age to be found in the riverthe first was 17 years ago in 2004.

The canoe could be 200 to 250 years old, archaeologists from USC state said, according to The State; the truth of which radiocarbon dating will later determine. It was clearly carved out using metal tools such as hatchets or axes, indicating it postdates the arrival of Europeans. Tool marks are clearly visible in the wood, and a single square nail was found on one end of the vessel, the Chattooga Conservatory stated.

The previous canoe, dated to the 1740s, measured 31.5 feet in length. This latest find is about 10 feet shorter and cruder in construction. It is believed to have been more likely used to ferry passengers across the river than to navigate the rapids of the Chattooga.

It was found on the South Carolina side of the river in Oconee County, between two major rapids.

After the discovery, with the help of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology and U.S. Forest Service, a team of volunteers set out to recover the canoe. They brought a makeshift cradle to ensure the aged wood structure remained intact for the extraction.

After traversing the rapids and reaching the find, they unpinned it and loaded it into the cradle, before beginning what would be a difficult trek up steep rugged slopes, out of the river corridor.

The Conservatory posted some exciting photos of the extraction on their Facebook page, letting fans know to stay tuned as, weather permitting, they removed the canoe the following week.

On Aug. 11, they posted an update with photos of volunteers laboriously hoisting the wooden artifact up the steep slopes.

With the help of an industrious team of volunteers over the course of 4 days, the canoe is now ready to cross the river and land in Georgia near its ultimate extraction site, the Conservatory captioned.

Getting the canoe to this point was no mean featit required steadily moving the canoe hundreds of feet up steep and uneven terrain, while remaining cautiously vigilant to maintain the integrity of the canoe and the safety of our team.

A member of the team, Eric Pierson, had devised a cable-and-anchor pulley system to facilitate the difficult work and ensure safety, they added.

The next phase of the journey would involve mounting the canoe and cradle to a custom floatation rig for one final crossing of the Chattooga.

The Conservatory reported they are planning the next chapter of the canoes lifespan as they negotiate with local entities where, in the not-too-distant future, American history buffs might peruse the canoe on public display.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Members of the National Guard listen to instructions at the Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix on April 9, 2018. (Caitlin O'Hara/ /AFP/Getty Images)

Arizona Governor Extends National Guard Border Mission Over Border Crisis

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced on Aug. 18 a one-year extension of the Arizona Army National Guards border security mission, accusing President Joe Biden of having utterly failed to contain illegal immigration at the southern border.

Its clear that this White House has neither the ability nor the desire to address the border disastera crisis of their own making, Ducey said in a statement.

The extension comes as the federal government earlier this month reported a 21-year record high number of illegal border crossings.

In April, Ducey issued a Declaration of Emergency in Arizona and deployed National Guard troops along the states 378-mile southern border with Mexico.

Illegal immigrant apprehensions are the highest in two decades. Law enforcement is overwhelmed. The situation is out of control, Ducey said.

Ducey said the situation is the direct result of reckless policies and failed communication by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and that extending the Guards border mission for one year will guarantee much-needed support for law enforcement serving along the U.S.-Mexico border and prevent crime associated with illegal border crossings.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the Biden administration for comment.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported in August 212,672 illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border, up 13 percent from 188,829 in July.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Southwest border enforcement numbers for July, the number of unique encounters for the month was 154,288.

The CBP reported that there were 212,672 encounters in total along the 1,954-mile U.S.-Mexico border, 27 percent of which involved illegal aliens who had at least one previous encounter with border patrol agencies in the previous 12 months.

Of those encounters, 95,788 were processed for explosion under Title 42, while nearly 117,000 illegals were processed under Title 8.

Ducey said the Guards border mission will continue with $25 million in funding from the fiscal 2022 budget.

More than 150 Arizona Guard troops are currently serving in border communities in support of local law enforcement. Their duties include camera maintenance and monitoring, assisting with medical operations in detention centers, data analysis, logistics and administrative support to local law enforcement.

Currently, there are over 5,000 soldiers serving in the Arizona Army National Guard.

On Aug. 13, Ducey called for the resignation of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas following comments he made on the border crisis, stating that the Biden Administration had completely lost control of the border.

A defeatist is not what we need when it comes to fighting for border security, Ducey said in a statement.

In March, the town of Gila Bend, Arizona, located 100 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, declared a state of emergency after a busload of illegal aliens arrived unannounced.

While no additional buses have arrived, town officials say daily arrivals of illegal aliens on foot continue to be a problem as property crimes have tripled over the past eight months.
Baby Passed Over Wall at Afghanistan Airport Has Been Reunited With Family, US Says

The baby seen being passed from a crowd waiting outside the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, was treated and reunited with his or her parents, the Pentagon said on Friday.

The parent asked the Marines to look after the baby because the baby was ill, John Kirby, the Pentagons spokesman, told reporters in Washington.

And so the Marine you see reaching over the wall took it to a Norwegian hospital thats at the airport. They treated the child and returned the child to the childs father, he added.

Kirby called what unfolded an act of compassion and said he didnt know of any similar incidents.

Thousands of Afghans have been waiting outside the U.S.-held Hamid Karzai International Airport to try to get special visas that would get them passage to the United States or another country.

U.S. officials are preparing space for tens of thousands of Afghan nationals, granting visas to those who helped U.S. troops during the decades-long war, as well as Afghans who are at risk from the Taliban if they remain in their homeland.

The U.S. soldier who took the baby into the airport was part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Jim Stenger confirmed to news outlets.

This is a true example of the professionalism of the Marines on site, who are making quick decisions in a dynamic situation in support of evacuation operations, he said in a statement.

A Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) calms an infant during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Sgt. Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

People try to get into Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Stringer/Reuters)

The chaotic scene in Kabul, which includes Americans and other foreigners attempting to get past Taliban checkpoints to the airport, has led to dramatic scenes like the baby being hoisted over the wall.

In another instance, some 823 Afghan citizens were packed onto an American C-17 Globemaster III this week and flown to the United States. That set a new record for the aircraft, the military said, after it revealed it initially had not counted the 183 children on board.

The Afghans rushed onto the empty plane and packed themselves in, and the crew decided to take off rather than make the nationals stay in their country.

The U.S. military has also touted that situation as an example of the U.S. troops acting with humanity and skill. The commander of the plane said the troops were saving lives.

A lot of people talk about rules and capacity; we were trained to handle that, to max perform that aircraft. We have women and children and peoples lives at stake. Its not about capacity or rules and regulationsits about the training and the directives that we were able to handle to make sure we could safely and effectively get that many people out, Lt. Col. Eric Kut, mission commander for the flight, said on CNN.

The United States is scheduled to be in Afghanistan until Aug. 31, though officials have suggested that date will be pushed back if evacuations are not complete by then.
People walk past a closed restaurant, as restaurants were forced to close for four weeks, after a Belgian federal government decision in order to tackle a surging second wave of the coronavirus disease in the country, in Brussels, Belgium, on Oct. 19, 2020. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Belgium, Except for Brussels, to Scrap COVID Restrictions on Restaurants, Cafes

BRUSSELSBelgium will scrap COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants and cafes, allowing them to operate under their usual hours as part of the governments reopening plan and as more than two-thirds of the population have been vaccinated.

But the measures, which will take effect on Sept. 1, will not apply to Brussels, home to the European Commission, the European Parliament, and NATO, because of the low vaccination rate in some parts of the city.

Prime Minister Alexander De Croo urged Belgians who have yet to get their jabs to do so as soon as possible, adding that vaccination would be mandatory for healthcare workers.

Today, more than eight out of 10 adults are fully vaccinated. We can now take this further step, he told a news conference.

While there will be no limits on the number of people sitting together at a table and no social distancing curbs, restaurant diners and cafe goers will still have to wear masks.

Restrictions and mask wearing requirements will be scraped for indoor events with up to 200 people and up to 400 for outdoor events. Events exceeding those numbers will only be open to people who have been vaccinated and have a negative virus test or have recovered from the virus.

Discotheques and dance halls will be allowed to re-open on Oct. 1.

Seventy-two percent of the population have received at least one jab of vaccines compared with 62 percent of young people between 1217 years, according to figures released by authorities on Friday. Belgium has 1.16 million confirmed cases, 25,312 deaths, and 77,129 patients admitted to hospitals, the data showed.

By Foo Yun Chee
President Joe Biden delivers remarks in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 18, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Biden Cancels Planned Trip to Delaware on Saturday: White House

A White House official said President Joe Biden has canceled his plans to travel to Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday and will instead remain in Washington.

The official said Biden was currently receiving a briefing on Afghanistan, where a desperate evacuation of American citizens and Afghan allies is underway after the Talibans lightning takeover of the country, fueling fear and pandemonium.

Bidens decision to remain in Washington comes as the State Department warned in an alert Saturday that American citizens are being advised not to travel to the Kabul airport unless they have received individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so.

While Pentagon officials in Washington declined to elaborate on the potential threats, they said that the airport itself was secure, if Americans are able to reach it.

Our military forces at the gate have the ability to continue to process those that come to the gate, Army Major Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters at a briefing Saturday morning.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the State Department alert was a prudent notification aimed at making sure Americans in Afghanistan have the best information they need to make the best decision moving forward.

This followed reports that some Americans have been beaten by Taliban extremists in Afghanistan, with Kirby saying that, we know of a small number of cases where some Americans  have been harassed, and in some cases, beaten.

We dont believe its a very large number, and most Americans who have their credentials with them are being allowed through the Taliban checkpoints, Kirby added.

Chaos around the Kabul airport was so intense this week that American forces had to use three helicopters to transport 169 Americans into the complex from a building just over 650 feet away, the Pentagon said on Friday.

In the face of the pandemonium, Biden has faced sharp criticism about his administrations planning of the pullout of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, along with mounting calls for him to extend the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.

The Aug. 31 deadline is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever, Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.), an Army veteran, said at a virtual roundtable that saw lawmakers from both parties discuss the situation in Afghanistan and urge Biden to extend evacuation efforts beyond the Kabul airport.

Biden addressed the deadline in a press conference on Friday, while reiterating his vow to evacuate all willing American citizens and extending that commitment to Afghans who assisted with the war effort. While he did not commit to extending the Aug. 31 deadline, he did leave the door open for such a move.

I think we can get it done by then, but were going to make that judgment as we go, Biden said, responding to a reporter asking whether he was willing to order U.S. troops to stay beyond Aug. 31 to assist with the evacuation and bring all the Americans out, to bring those SIVs out, referring to Afghans applying for refugee status under the Special Immigrant Visa program.

Bidens team has defended his leadership throughout the Afghanistan crisis.

Hes taking responsibility for every decision the United States government took with respect to Afghanistan, because, as he said, the buck stops with him, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters this week.

Now, at the same time, that doesnt change the fact that there are other parties here responsible as well who have taken actions and decisions that helped lead us to where we are. So, from our perspective, what we have to do now is focus on the task at hand, the mission at hand, he added.

Zachary Stieber and Reuters contributed to this report.
Rahm Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago, speaks during the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, in Washington, on Dec. 10, 2019. (Al Drago/Reuters)

Biden Picks Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as Ambassador to Japan

WASHINGTONPresident Joe Biden plans to nominate Rahm Emanuel, who previously served as chief of staff to former President Barack Obama and mayor of Chicago, as U.S. ambassador to Japan, the White House said on Friday.

White House officials lauded Emanuels experience and long years of public service. His nomination was announced on the same day that the White House disclosed that veteran U.S. diplomat Nicholas Burns was picked to serve as U.S. ambassador to China.

Emanuel said he was honored to be tapped for the job.

The alliance between the United States and Japan is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific, Emanuel said in a statement.

House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) welcomed the announcement, saying Emanuels relentlessness and track record of success would help him as he works to deepen one of the most important U.S. alliances and advance regional security.

The White House highlighted Emanuels work on revitalizing Chicago, which hosted the 2012 NATO summit and led the country in attracting foreign direct investment for six consecutive years.

Emanuel headed the finance committee for Bill Clintons presidential campaign in 1992 and later served as a senior adviser to Clinton on policy and strategy. He was Obamas chief of staff for over a year before resigning to run for election as mayor of Chicago.

Emanuel served as the mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. Four Chicago police officers were fired in 2019 for covering up the shooting death of a teenager, Laquan McDonald, in Chicago in 2014, a case that sparked calls from critics for Emanuels resignation.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed confidence that Emanuel would win Senate confirmation. He joins a long list of ambassadors nominated by Biden who are awaiting hearing and confirmation votes in the Senate, narrowly controlled by Bidens fellow Democrats.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
Then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel addresses the audience during the Laver Cup Gala at the Navy Pier Ballroom in Chicago on Sept. 20, 2018. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images for The Laver Cup)

Biden Taps Rahm Emanuel to Serve as US Ambassador to Japan

President Joe Biden plans to nominate former Obama-era chief of staff and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Japan, the White House confirmed in a statement on Aug. 20.

In announcing the nomination, White House officials lauded Emanuels many years of public service, including serving as former President Bill Clintons assistant for political affairs and senior adviser for policy and strategy.

Rumors had long swirled about Emanuels nomination for the post, with White House press secretary Jen Psaki addressing the matter back in May.

I know theres a lot of interest in this, Psaki told reporters at a press briefing at the time, responding to a question about Emanuels potential candidacy for the ambassadorship position and what expectations the administration has for someone serving in that function.

Calling Japan an important partner in the region, [an] important partner in addressing stability and security in the region, Psaki said the individual serving as the U.S. ambassador to Japan would be someone who would play an integral role.

In an Aug. 20 statement, Emanuel said hes honored by the nomination.

The alliance between the United States and Japan is the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific, and I would proudly represent our nation with one of our most critical global allies in one of the most critical geopolitical regions, Emanuel said in the statement.

Then-Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago on Aug. 6, 2018. (Joshua Lott/Getty Images)

While the former Chicago mayor could face a difficult confirmation battle in the Senate, several key Democrats offered on Aug. 20 their backing for his nomination.

In nominating Rahm Emanuel to serve as U.S. Ambassador, President Biden has chosen a leader of immense experience and effectiveness to represent our nation in Tokyo, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement. His great experience, from the U.S. House to the White House, will serve our nation well, as he works to deepen one of our nations most important alliances, champion American interests abroad, and advance regional security and prosperity.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) echoed that sentiment.

Rahm Emanuel has a lifetime of public service preparing him to speak for America. Japan is an important strategic partner in Asia, particularly in light of our continued challenges from China. I will do all I can to help Rahm become Americas voice in Japan, Durbin said in a statement.

There hasnt been a Senate-confirmed U.S. ambassador to Japan since William Hagerty left the post in July 2019, with Raymond Greene, former deputy director of the American Institute in Taiwan, currently serving in an interim capacity.
Hundreds of people run alongside a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane as it moves down a runway of the international airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16. 2021. (Verified UGC via AP)

Aug. 31 Afghanistan Deadline Fueling Chaos and Panic, Bipartisan Lawmakers Say

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers who have military backgrounds took part in a roundtable on Aug. 20 to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, urging the White House to extend its evacuation efforts beyond the Kabul airport, while arguing that the Aug. 31 deadline is helping to fuel the chaos on the ground.

Four members of Congress who served in the militaryReps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Jason Crow (D-Colo.), Kaialii Kahele (D-Hawaii), and Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) offered their takes on the situation in the country and current evacuation efforts during the virtual event hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center.

The Aug. 31 deadline is contributing to the chaos and the panic at the airport because you have Afghans who think that they have 10 days to get out of this country or that door is closing forever, said Meijer, an Army veteran who deployed to Iraq in 2010.

With time running out ahead of President Joe Bidens deadline to withdraw most remaining U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the president faces growing criticism amid a flurry of reports and images of pandemonium and occasional violence outside Kabul airport, and as vulnerable Afghans, who fear a vengeful crackdown by the Taliban, send desperate pleas not to be left behind.

There are hordes of crowds who think the clock is ticking, that their opportunity to save their own lives is ticking, Meijer said. That is hindering this operation, because of the lack of clarity on where were going.

Afghan security guards stand on a wall as hundreds of people gather outside the international airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

Biden addressed the situation in a press conference on Aug. 20, during which he reiterated his vow to evacuate all willing U.S. citizens, while extending that commitment to Afghans who assisted with the war effort. While he didnt commit to extending the Aug. 31 deadline, he did leave the door open for such a move.

I think we can get it done by then, but were going to make that judgment as we go, Biden said, responding to a reporter asking whether he was willing to order U.S. troops to stay beyond Aug. 31 to assist with the evacuation and bring all the Americans out, to bring those SIVs out, referring to Afghans applying for refugee status under the Special Immigrant Visa program.

The Pentagon evacuated about 8,000 people from Kabul airport last week, although advocacy groups say thousands more are being turned away due to Taliban restrictions or problems with paperwork.

Crow, an Army veteran who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, said at the roundtable that evacuation efforts should have started earlier, while urging the Biden administration to extend its efforts beyond the confines of the airport in Kabul.

Were continuing to push and calling the administration for a commitment to stay as long as necessary to evacuate all American citizens, and asking our partners to hold the airport to extend that security beyond the perimeter of the airport so [evacuees] will actually make it to the airport, Crow said.

Marines with the 24th Expeditionary Unit (MEU) guide an evacuee during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 18, 2021. (U.S. NAVY/Central Command Public Affairs/Sgt. Isaiah Compbell via Reuters)

Top Defense Department officials said earlier there was a lack of deployed manpower to extend the security past the airport, but the Pentagon has flown more troops into Kabul, and security at the airport is more stable, Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Aug. 20.

Kirby said that the capability to carry out sorties beyond the airport perimeter is there now, although each proposed mission would need to be analyzed for potential risks and benefits.

He said that U.S. troops left the airport in Kabul last week to rescue 169 Americans.

The group of U.S. citizens was very close to to the perimeter of the airport, very close, and in a short amount of time, with a short amount of distance, some of our troops were able to go out there and bring them in, he said.

Pressed for more details, Kirby said he wasnt aware of the tactical details, such as whether guns were drawn, or any similar operations.

The mission was significant because its the first time, according to U.S. officials, that American troops have left the U.S.-held airport to rescue Americans. Scattered reports assert that rescue missions have been carried out by U.S., British, and French special forces.

While its unclear how many U.S. citizens remain in Afghanistan, estimates have put the figure at up to 15,000.

Tens of thousands of Afghan translators and others, along with their close family members, also are seeking evacuation after the Talibans swift takeover of Afghanistan, with the fall of Kabul marking what appears to be the final chapter of Americas longest war.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Boy, 3, Gifts Flowers as Toddlers Reunite After Battling Cancer in Hospital Together

A pair of Arizona toddlers who met in a hospital while both battling cancer are warming hearts with their adorable friendship. Two months after being discharged, they have reunited, with a bunch of flowers, a hug, and a whole lot of love for each other.

Mack Porter, the youngest of Danielle and Ty Porters four children, was diagnosed with the rare ALK negative anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, stage 3, at 2 years of age. Payson Altice, the only child of Traci Barrett and Chris Altice, was also 2 when she was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Both children were admitted to Phoenix Childrens Hospital for treatment, where they met.

Mack Porter and Payson Altice were both battling cancer when they first met. (Courtesy of Danielle Porter)

Payson happened to walk by Macks room with a big bouquet of balloons, Macks mother, Dani, told The Epoch Times. She was having a parade. We later asked if [her parents] would be comfortable with Mack going for a walk with Payson, and then they started playing from there, IV poles and all.

After leaving the hospital, the 3-year-olds didnt see one another for two whole months. Despite videos and FaceTime, they were still begging for a play date, so their parents made it happen.

Dani escorted Mack to Paysons house. Her son, she said, wanted to take her flowers so they can get married, but he quickly reassured his mom, Well, we need to grow up first!

(Courtesy of Danielle Porter)

In an adorable footage of the reunion, which was shared on Instagram, Mack approaches Payson on the sidewalk with a beautiful bunch of flowers. Payson, who has her hands up to her face, lowers them to accept the flowers before giving her friend a big hug.

A separate clip shows the tiny couple dancing together.

People who have been touched with their endearing friendship responded with tears, hope, and love, said Dani. The overall feel of the video is so good. It just feeds your soul.

Netizens were equally moved by the tiny pair who found true friendship in the midst of their cancer battle. Theyre just too much, reads one Instagram comment. Cant wait to play this at their wedding in 20 years!

Mack and Payson, said Dani, are very tender with each other. They understand one another, are silly together, and love to show each other their different toys when they get along to play.

When asked by The Epoch Times how Payson took care of him in hospital, Mack, who is spunky and sweet, replied that he could play with her, and be zombies  We like to play hide-and-seek, and dance, he explained. Shes my best friend.

Macks parents originally thought their son had contracted COVID-19 when he fell sick just before Christmas 2020. Both Dani and Ty tested positive, Fox 10 reported, but when Macks breathing worsened, a chest X-ray showed a large mass in his body. The tumor was then confirmed as cancer.

Family visits to see Mack in the hospital were difficult amid pandemic restrictions. The Porters coped by sharing their sons journey on GoFundMe in a campaign named MackyStrong, set up by a family friend to help with mounting medical bills.

Macks story spread, and his community rallied around him.

On March 1, Macks third birthday, a fire truck came to collect him and escort him to chemotherapy. The toddler was dressed in a mini firefighters uniform, had a tour of the truck, and even got to see a Native Air helicopter, AZ Family reported.

At the time of writing, both Mack and Payson are in remission. Mack still has a large tumor in his chest after six intensive rounds of chemotherapy, but he is cancer-free.

He is doing very well, Dani told The Epoch Times.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Alfonso Jimenez, deputy superintendent of educational services for the Santa Ana School District speaks at an Orange County Board of Education meeting on March 4, 2020. (Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times)

California Supreme Court Denies Orange County Board of Educations Mask Lawsuit

The state Supreme Court denied the Orange County Board of Educations (OCBE) lawsuit against the governor for extending the state of emergency and mask mandate in public schools on Aug. 19.

Our goal has been to get kids back in school for full in-person instruction safely, period, Alex Stack, deputy communications director for Gov. Gavin Newsom, told The Epoch Times in an email.

By relying on safety strategies as recommended by the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics, including universal masking, weve seen promising resultsthe Supreme Court rejecting this effort to stand in the way further reaffirms the states strategy. We are committed to working with school districts, other local governments, and other state officials to ensure schools implement this requirement to keep children and staff safe.

The board voted Aug. 3 to sue Gov. Gavin Newsom. The lawsuit was filed by the boards pro bono legal firm, Tyler & Bursch, on Aug. 10.

OCBE President Mari Barke told The Epoch Times she was disappointed to hear that the case was denied, but that the board is not going to give up on the kids.

Barke said most of the parents in the county want to end the emergency order.

We feel that this was not right, OCBE Vice President Ken Williams told The Epoch Times.

I was very disappointed. But I think this was a tacit political decision by the state Supreme Court because they didnt want to enter into this constitutional crisis and constitutional question.

Robert Tyler, one of OCBEs legal representatives, previously told The Epoch Times the governor cant legally extend the emergency order, and thus couldnt mandate masks in K12 schools because an emergency is no longer needed.

Tyler said the basis of the state of emergency was to prevent flooding the hospital system.

In a case earlier this year involving Godspeak Calvary Chapel v. Ventura County and the State of California, the state attorney general said the case should be dismissed on the grounds that [one,] the hospital system is no longer threatened by the coronavirus. Two, the case rates are way down. And three, that there are therapeutics that are now available and useful in the treatment of coronavirus, Tyler told The Epoch Times on Aug. 3.

OCBE said in an Aug. 3 statement that its the role of the board to protect children from harmful policies and practices and that the governors recent actions to extend the emergency order and to force Orange Countys children, even those as young as 5 and 6 years old, to endure an academic year covering their faces for hours on end is one of those harmful policies.
TD Bank, CIBC and Bank of Montreal are seen in the financial district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on June 24, 2020. (Carlos Osorio/Reuters)

Canadas Big Five Banks to Require Staff Entering Premises to Be Vaccinated

TORONTOCanadas five biggest banks are mandating that employees working from their offices must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 this fall, taking a firmer stance than some of their U.S. counterparts and some other Canadian companies.

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD), Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) will all require staff to show proof of vaccination to enter their premises, they said in internal memos seen by Reuters.

RBC, TD, BMO, and CIBC require employees to be fully vaccinated by the end of October, the banks told employees on Thursday and Friday.

Scotiabank has not set a date yet, but it is moving in the direction of making vaccinations mandatory for all employees and contractors based in Canada later in the fall, according to an internal note sent to employees on Friday.

The Canadian banks moves come on the back of a mandate by the federal government last week that all federal public servants and employees in the federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors must be vaccinated. That requirement extends to air, train, and cruise ship travelers as well.

While some Canadian businesses, including Shopify Inc and Sun Life Financial, have also mandated vaccines for employees, many others have so far held off on doing so.

And some U.S. banks, including Citigroup Inc and Morgan Stanley, have required staff entering their New York headquarters to be vaccinated. Others like JPMorgan Chase & Co and Goldman Sachs Group Inc have not taken that step.

BMO employees and contractors must complete a new vaccine status survey by Sept. 8 and TD employees must register their vaccination status by Sept. 30, according to the communications.

RBC employees, beginning in Canada and the United States and expanding elsewhere afterward, and Scotiabank said they will also require staff to provide their vaccination status but did not provide a deadline for doing so.

CIBC staff already on site can continue to work as they have, but if you havent been vaccinated and are able, now is the time, human resources chief Sandy Sharman said in an internal blog.

BMO and TD staff who remain unvaccinated must take additional measures, they said. These include twice-weekly testing at BMO and the completion of a learning module about the benefits of vaccination, mandatory rapid testing and a face covering for staff, they said.

A spokesperson for National Bank of Canada, the countrys sixth-largest lender, said the firm currently has nothing to add.

Sun Life Financial has been requiring employees to be fully vaccinated if they choose to work from an office as part of its re-opening pilot, according to guidance from Canadas second-biggest life insurer.

By Nichola Saminather
Teens sometimes seem to have their own language. While adopting their slang is likely a bad idea, understanding it can be helpful and engaging. (Jacob Lund/Shutterstock)

Cant Understand Your Teen? Youre Not Alone.

If you're trying to connect with your teen, ask them about their language

Mo-om, my child cocks her head to one side to look at me. Why are you being so emo?

The words string together so quickly theyre hard to follow: Whyyabeingsoemo? To be honest, I have no idea what my daughters accusing me of.

My husband and I have four children. The oldest is 22 and our youngest is 11. Weve been living with a teenager (or two or three) nonstop for the past nine years. But that doesnt mean we understand them.

If you cant understand most of what your teens are saying, how theyre acting, or what theyre feeling, youre not alone.

Teenagers are fascinating, Seussian creatures. Their limbs are too big: oversized feet, hands that need new gloves before the winters even halfway over, elbows that swing in a thousand directions. And their feelings are also big and awkward. Theyre pushing you away and pulling you back at the same time; so capable and yet often so helpless. Theyre kind, responsible, and obliging with other adultsbut often the exact opposite with you.

Spoken Language Is Half Someone Elses

What any given person does with any given word is a question that has long interested philosophers and linguists.

Language, for the individual consciousness, lies on the borderline between oneself and the other, the Russian literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin, writes in an essay first published in Moscow in 1975. The word in language is half someone elses. It becomes ones own only when the speaker populates it with his own intention.

In Bakhtins assessment, in order for words to exist and have meaning, they cant just be spoken, they also have to be heard and understood. So that begs the question: If our teenagers speak in a way that we cant understandwhich mine do all the timeare we even communicating?

Emo = Emotional

It turns out my daughter (whos not technically a teenager for another year and a half but who has nonetheless adopted much of the slang and attitude of her 17-year-old brother) was asking me why I was being so emotional.

Emo, is short for emotional. It can describe a one-time feeling as well as a subculture. Young people who usually wear black clothing, dye their hair, and listen to emo music (which, from what I can gather, is punk rock with a melancholy edge) are emo.

Open Communication Matters

Open communication with teenagers is an essential part of what researchers from the Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences at the University of Delaware describe as sensitively attuned parenting, in a 2017 study published in the journal Current Opinion in Psychology. This kind of parenting, these clinical psychologists argue, is the most optimal way to ensure a young persons safety and well-being during the teen years.

(The other two broad categories of sensitively attuned parenting, according to the Delaware study, are positive interactions with teens and monitoring and supervising their behavior.)

A few years ago, I interviewed Ray Lozano, a motivational speaker and expert in drug and alcohol prevention. Lozano tours the country giving speeches to middle-schoolers, high-schoolers, law enforcement officers, and community groups about how to best support and enjoy the teen years. Lozano told me when we spoke that the mistake most parents make is wanting our teens to be interested in our world. What we get excited about, teens inevitably believe is passe, boring, or old-school. At the same time, Lozano said, teens have their own ever-changing, ever-surprising culture, their own interests, ideas, and activities. So, Lozano told me, parents or grandparents can be closer to teens and young adults by being open and interested in their culture, instead of trying to impose our culture on them.

In other words, in the spirit of both open communication and positive interactions (aka sensitively attuned parenting), we adults of a certain age need to put more effort into understanding our teens world to bridge the parent-teen divide. That can include learning their language and appreciating their interests.

If youre a tired parent of a teen, especially if you have younger children at home, youre likely shrugging your shoulders right now. Its hard enough to get dinner on the table, keep the kids off screens for five minutes, and get them to do their chores, let alone show an interest in the bizarre way they speak. But try it. Asking a teenager to teach you some of their slang is actually more fun and eye-opening than you might expect.

One characteristic of teen slang is that the same word can mean one thing and its opposite. If you are sitting with more than one teen at the table, they will likely disagree on the meaning of the word and a lively and heated debate will ensue.

Tuning In to Teen Lingo

I decide to take my own advice and ask the teen who fills my water glass when Im having lunch with a friend what his favorite slang word is.

Ross Winters, age 19, is thoughtful for a moment and then his eyes light up. He tells me the word he likes the most is lit. A student at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Winters says when he cant make his shift and finds someone to cover for him, he says, Lit. or Great! Lit! He likes it because its a positive and versatile word, Winters says.

Winters lingers to talk to us about slang expressions popular among teens for so long I worry hell get in trouble with his boss.

Ask the teen in your life what all the words on the list above mean. Maybe you wont understand a lot of what they answer, but you will have an interesting conversation. Guaranteed.

Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D., is a science journalist based in Oregon and the author of Your Baby, Your Way. Learn more about her at www.JenniferMargulis.net

11 Slang Words Teens Seem to Love

Your teen may scoff at this list. The definitions may strike them as wrong. But here are 13 words teens like to toss around.

Brahshort for brother or bro. Example: Check this out, brah.

My 17-year-old son uses the word indiscriminately like a verbal exclamation point. Brah, hell say in response to my Good morning! (uttered at 1 p.m. to him because hes just woken up.)

Capa lie. Youre capping means youre lying or stretching the truth. Example: Thats just cap, in response to a friend who says something you disagree with or believe to be wrong.

Cringesomething embarrassing or cringeworthy. Example: Thats so cringe. Uttered many times by my 17-year-old when we were watching home videos from when he was 14.

Firesomething really cool. Perhaps an abbreviation of Youre on fire? Example: Your new shoes are fire.

Litgreat, fun, cool. Example: The partys lit.

Low keynot urgent, no big deal. Example: I low key failed that assignment. But that class isnt for my major.

On fleeklooking good, nicely groomed. Originally used to refer to eyebrows, now used for anything stylish. Example: My sisters new haircut is on fleek.

Pull upcome by, come over. Example: Were having a party tonight. Pull up.

Saltygrumpy, bitter. Example: Whyre you acting so salty? Did I do something wrong?

Sickawesome. Example: One friend says to another: Our family just got a puppy. The other friend, impressed, replies: Sick.

Slapsexcellent, good, impressive. Example: The recipe I found for lemon bars slaps.
A woman takes a photo of a couple before the Celebrity Edge cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on June 26, 2021. (Maria Alejandra/AFP via Getty Images)

CDC Urges Vaccinated Travelers at High Risk of COVID-19 Complications to Avoid Cruise Ships

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Aug. 20 that travelers at high risk of complications from COVID-19 should avoid cruise ships, even if fully vaccinated.

According to the CDCs updated guidance on cruise ship travelers, the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, the pathogen that causes the disease COVID-19, spreads easily between people in close quarters on ships, and the chance of catching the illness on cruise ships is high.

The agency recommends that people who are at increased risk of severe illness should avoid traveling on cruises, regardless of vaccination status, as should those who arent fully vaccinated.

Older adults and people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are more likely to get severely ill if they get COVID-19, the agency said in the guidelines. People with weakened immune systems, including people who take medicines that suppress their immune systems, may not be protected even if fully vaccinated.

People who do decide to go on cruises should be tested one to three days before their trip and again three to five days after returning, irrespective of vaccination status, the CDC said.

Those who are not fully vaccinated should also self-quarantine for a week after cruise travel, even if they test negative, while those who dont get tested should isolate for 10 days, the agency said.

While aboard cruise ships, people should wear masks in common areas, practice social distancing, wash and sanitize hands frequently, and avoid contact with anyone who is sick, the CDC added.

The CDCs updated guidance comes as the United States faces a surge in CCP virus infections, driven by the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant. As of Aug. 20, the country has reported 987,417 new cases and 6,037 virus-related deaths in the previous week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

Outbreaks have been reported on cruise ships in recent months even as cruise lines have imposed various testing and vaccination requirements.

Four vaccinated adults and two unvaccinated children tested positive for COVID-19 on a Royal Caribbean ship in July, a spokesperson confirmed to USA Today. The operators COVID-19 protocols include requiring passengers over 16 years of age to be fully vaccinated and all passengers to test negative for the virus prior to boarding.

The Belize Tourism Board announced on Aug. 13 that a Carnival Cruise Line ship made a port call in Belize City, with 27 people on boardincluding 26 crew memberstesting positive for the virus.

Cruise lines have pressed ahead with a return to sailing this summer, more than a year after outbreaks on several ships brought the industry to a standstill.
Sherry Zhang, principal of San Francisco High School of the Arts, in a photo dated September 2015. Zhang says her parents in China have been harassed by authorities due to her faith. (Courtesy of Sherry Zhang)

Chinese Authorities Harass Parents of California School Principal in Intimidation Attempt

In February, California resident Sherry Zhang received a call from her parents back in Chinaa group of officers from the communist regimes top intelligence agency had shown up at their workplace.

The couple, in their late 70s, runs a factory in southern Chinas Guangdong Province.

Are you the principal of this school? Zhangs parents asked her on the phone. Is this true?

They sent Zhang a copy of a webpage, which included her photo and a short bio, Zhang told The Epoch Times in a phone interview. She immediately recognized the pageits from the official site of the San Francisco High School of the Arts, where she has been principal since 2015.

I know my parents never go online; theyre old-fashioned, said Zhang, who has been living in the United States since 1992. She believes the officers from the Ministry of State Security gave her parents the copy.

According to Zhang, the officers told the elderly couple that Zhang is the head of a school thats against China. They then accused the parents of funneling money from their factory to the school, she said.

The officers then issued a veiled threat: If they uncovered any proof of this, the factory would be shut down and Zhangs parents would be jailed, Zhang said.

For the elderly couple, all of this came as a rude shock because Zhang had never told them anything about her profession or where she worked.

Thats because Zhang is a practitioner of Falun Gong, a meditation practice persecuted by the Chinese regime since 1999. Millions of Falun Gong practitioners who refuse to give up their faith have been arrested, detained, or tortured in China. For practitioners based overseas who have family inside China, the regime has threatened their relatives, hoping to pressure the overseas practitioners to stay silent about Beijings human rights abuses.

Since the start of the persecution, Zhang, a U.S. citizen who has lived in the country for almost two decades, has joined protests in the United States calling for an end to the atrocities in China. She has friends whose relatives from her hometown in China were persecuted to death. I know its real, she said. I think we should speak out.

Falun Gong is my personal belief, she said, adding that San Francisco High School of the Arts is a non-religious private school with faculty staff from diverse religious backgrounds.

The school focuses on teaching traditions, universal values, and a sense of civic duty, according to its website. Its arts curriculum includes ballet, Chinese dance, classical instruments and vocal music, visual arts, and musical theater.

Zhang had not revealed details of her work to her parents these past years. I never wanted them to worry, she said.

The Epoch Times is withholding details relating to Zhangs parents and their business for safety reasons.

They Target Almost Anyone

For the months following the call in February, officials would show up to inspect her parents factory every other day, Zhang said.

Its never been seen that so many departments all come at once, and every time they come, they have like seven or eight people, Zhang said, adding that officials from tax, labor, customs, and health agencies were all involved. The employees feel pressured. They cant operate normally.

One employee got hold of Zhangs number and called her several times. This person asked her to back out from her position at the school so the factory could be free of trouble.

I think [the Ministry of State Security] was trying to get their words to me, Zhang said. They just want to make things happen so that I could do things according to their wish.

Experiencing regular harassment from officials, Zhangs parents now believe they have only two options left: Get Zhang to resign from the school, or cut off all ties with their daughter, Zhang said.

If you guys feel too much pressure, you can say were not connected anymore, Zhang told her parents in a phone conversation. I dont want to be your burden.

This isnt the first time Zhangs parents have been pressured by local authorities.

Chinese police have harassed her parents since as early as 2001, Zhang said. In one case, the police called her mother to meet at a restaurant. When she got there, the police told her to get Zhang to stop practicing Falun Gong. My mom felt very disturbed, she said.

Zhangs parents were never against her practicing Falun Gong, but they were afraid of the officials, she said. They dont feel like they can do a whole lot.

Recently, communications from Zhangs parents have dried up. The last time they called was more than two weeks ago. They mentioned that the police keep saying they found more evidence.

Zhang is unsure whats actually going on back home right now. My parents try to not tell me much anymore, she said.

Having not heard from her parents, Zhang doesnt know what will happen next.

They [the Chinese regime] dont just target Falun Gong practitioners. I think theyre trying to control overseas Chinese because they have their roots in China: their parents, relatives, friends, Zhang said. They target almost anyone they view as not in line with their [communist] doctrine.

Speaking Out

Zhang came to the United States in 1992. She completed a doctorate in chemistry before doing post-doctoral work at the University of CaliforniaBerkeley, researching lithium-ion batteries. After a few years of industry work, she got together with a group of like-minded parents who were dissatisfied with the U.S. public school system, and in 2010 co-founded San Francisco High School of the Arts.

We think that a school teaching traditional arts and universal values, as well as respect, empathy, honesty, kindness, tolerance, and responsibility, is very important, she said.

When you go into a lot of schools, especially high schools, you can see the children are not necessarily motivated. I was told by many parents theres not a single high school in San Francisco that doesnt have drug issues.

Many parents who come to her are concerned that their children lack traditional values and work ethics, she said. They want their children to be positive, contributing members of society.

Zhang described a typical day of work as busy but enjoyable. She holds weekly assemblies with students on topics such as the dangers of drug addiction. Zhangs students are like her own children, she said.

The students have told Zhang stories of their previous schools. They felt like they couldnt speak what was on their mind, otherwise they couldnt fit in, she said. Only the loud people got their voices heard.

Exposing the Chinese regimes egregious abuses of power is her way of practicing what she teaches to her students, Zhang said.

Every note [the students] play, every dance movement they make, we keep on encouraging them to work hard, and they will persevere. We teach them that goodness will prevail, she said. I would have to stick to the same thing.

Zhang said the Chinese regime is infiltrating every corner of the international community. They try to control everything, control a lot of media, a lot of schools, she said.

Were teaching the traditional values here  thats not what they want to see.

Zhang said the Chinese regime tries to influence Americans through the Confucius Institutes and Classrooms, Beijing-funded language centers found in colleges and K12 institutions that have been criticized for promoting Chinese Communist Party propaganda and suppressing academic discussion and freedom on topics the regime doesnt want to be discussed.

They want the next generation to be an easier target and to really infiltrate whats easy to infiltratethe children, she said.
Chinese Regime Dreams of Emulating the Taliban, Taiwan Says

Taiwans foreign minister accused the regime in Beijing on Aug. 21 of wanting to follow in the Talibans footsteps by seizing control of the democratic island, saying the island has no desire to be subjected to communist rule.

The rapid fall of Kabul into the Talibans hands weeks before the Aug. 31 scheduled withdrawal of U.S. troops has spurred debate about whether Taiwan would meet the same fate in the event of a Chinese invasion. Chinese state media has also seized the opportunity to cast Washington as an unreliable ally, pushing narratives such as Afghanistan today, Taiwan tomorrow.

The communist regime in China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory despite the latter being governed as a distinct entity, has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control.

After the U.S. State Department reiterated calls for Beijing to cease pressuring Taiwan on Aug. 21, the democratic islands foreign minister, Joseph Wu, responded on Twitter by thanking the United States for upholding the wishes [and] best interests of the Taiwanese people.

Those wishes include democracy [and] freedom from communism, authoritarianism, [and] crimes against humanity, according to Wu.

China dreams of emulating the Taliban, but let me be blunt: Weve got the will [and] means to defend ourselves, he wrote.

This past year, Beijing has escalated its military and rhetorical aggression toward Taiwan. Chinese military maneuvers near the island have markedly increased in recent months, while Chinese diplomats and state media have repeatedly made overt threats toward the island.

As Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, Chinese fighter jets, anti-submarine aircraft, and combat ships performed assault drills in multiple locations near Taiwan, with the Chinese military describing the move as a direct response to provocations from the United States and Taiwan.

A Taiwanese marine officer stands behind barbed wire at Liaolo Bay on the front line island of Kinmen on Jan. 26, 2016. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)

Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, again called the Chinese regimes claim over Taiwan a red line that no country can cross.

China must and will be reunified, she said during an Aug. 20 news briefing.

In response to Beijings threats, the White House has reaffirmed its backing of the democratic island. Earlier in 2021, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the U.S. commitment to Taiwan remains as strong as its ever been.

We stand by partners around the world who are subject to this kind of propaganda, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. Were going to continue to deliver on those words with actions.

Ian Easton, senior director at the Project 2049 Institute, a Virginia-based think tank, said he doesnt believe that the United States would simply cast Taiwan aside.

Chinese J-15 fighter jets launching from the deck of the Liaoning aircraft carrier during military drills in the Yellow Sea, off Chinas east coast on Dec. 23, 2016. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Unlike Afghanistan, Taiwan is a tier-one concern for the United States, he said.

It is absolutely critical for the United States that Taiwan continues to survive and thrive as a free and open democracy, Easton said.

He urged the United States and other democratic governments to make preparations for the day when they might have to come to Taiwans defense as well and fight side-by-side with the Taiwanese military.

Today, were simply not there. Were not ready for that, Easton said in a recent interview with NTD, a sister outlet to The Epoch Times.

Facing Chinese pressure, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has called attention to strengthening the islands self-defense capabilities.

Taiwans only option is to make ourselves stronger and more united, to defend ourselves with firmer determination, she told members of her Democratic Progressive Party in an Aug. 18 address that she later shared on social media.

Its not an option for us to take no action ourselves and depend solely on the protection of others.
Councilmember Hosts Panel to Combat the Rise of Methamphetamine Use in Los Angeles

Councilwoman Nithya Raman hosted a panel addressing homelessness and the methamphetamine epidemic in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, but some residents are critical of the panels harm reduction policies and say it only encourages more drug use.

Methamphetamines are long-acting stimulants to the nervous system that release more dopamine in the brain than other substances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated there were 70,630 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2019, while in that same year, two million Americans reported having used methamphetamine in the previous year.

Evidence suggests that meth use has been on the rise in California, Raman said. These numbers signify an emergencyone we need to address with bold, urgent, and broad solutions.

Raman, who represents the 4th district, was joined by Dr. David Goodman, a UCLA physician who specializes in substance use and addiction, and Soma Snakeoil, executive director of homeless activist organization The Sidewalk Project, and Armando Gudino of Drug Policy Alliance LA.

Goodman spoke of possible treatments for methamphetamine users. Effective treatments for opioid addictions have been developed, but treatment methods for drugs like opioids are not as effective for methamphetamines.

Goodman said that while the drug fentanyl is the big killer on the East Coast, methamphetamine is king of the West Coast.

Because most research funders are from the East Coast, research on methamphetamine treatment is still in development. However, Goodman said there are two preliminary treatments that have come up recently but must still undergo trials.

Snakeoil spoke of her experience working with methamphetamine users. She contrasted an approach of harm reduction to traditional approaches.

We have to rethink how we think of people who use drugs as bad people, she said. That pushes people into shame-based situations where they use alone, and thats when they die.

She said she believed harm reduction is a social justice movement that believes in the dignity of people who use drugs, and advocated for a change in public health policies and procedures to support people who use drugs with health-based measures, instead of criminalizing drug use.

Gudino said hes trying to bring these harm reduction policies, including SB-57, a bill that would authorize overdose prevention sites, to the state. Gudino said many past drug policies were defined by your access to resources, your race, your color.

I take it a step further and argue that its criminalization that actually leads to these types of overdoses, in part because it creates the stigma, it creates a culture of truth based on perception, by which others choose to apply policy, fear, intimidation, a dislike for ones culture, race, ethnicity, color, Gudino said.

Some residents who tuned in to the meetings livestream online expressed their opposition to panelists comments regarding racism and criminalization of drug use.

We citizens do not care what color the drug dealer is. No one trafficking meth and fentanyl should get off simply because theyre not white, one resident commented.

Unfortunately, what I am hearing from everyone on the panel is, Its ok to do drugs; lets make it more okay and safe to do drugs by providing a place for them to come to use drugs. That will not handle the addiction. We need an effective drug education and prevention program. We need to stop people from getting into drugs, not make it more okay for them to do it, another resident wrote.

Raman is currently the subject of a recall campaign by residents who disapprove of her handling of housing and homelessness in the district. The Recall Raman Political Action Committee opposed Ramans sanctioning of Griffith Park as a relocation place for homeless people who were moved from Echo Park.

The Recall Raman Political Action Committee didnt respond to a request for comment by press deadline.
A sign on the Southern Parkway alerts drives that there is a Hurricane Warning in Effect as Hurricane Henri moves up the coast in Wantagh, N.Y., on Aug. 21, 2021. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Cuomo Declares State of Emergency for Parts of New York Ahead of Hurricane Henri

NEW YORKNew York Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued a state of emergency for parts of the state, imploring those in New York to take warnings seriously ahead of Hurricane Henri.

He told people to stock up and move to higher ground today, despite the lack of buildup because of the storms shifting track.

Service on some branches of the Long Island Rail Road, a major commuter rail system, will be suspended at midnight in eastern Long Island.

Cuomo also warned that heavy rains were expected to create problems far up into the Hudson River Valley.

The governor, who will leave office in two days following a sexual harassment scandal, urged people not to make bad choices and put themselves in places where they needed to be rescued.

The newly upgraded Hurricane Henri closed in on the Northeast.

Surfers flock to the beach as wave heights elevate in advance of Hurricane Henri in Lido Beach, N.Y., on Aug. 21, 2021. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The storms latest track put it on course to collide Sunday with a long stretch of coastline, with hurricane warnings extending from near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New Yorks Hamptons, to the summer getaway of Fire Island.

Intense winds and potentially dangerous tidal surges were expected as far east as Cape Cod and as far west as the New Jersey shore, and utilities warned ensuing power outages could last a week or even more.

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected, and if that track holds, it would have eastern Long Island in its bulls-eye rather than New England, which hasnt taken a direct hit from a hurricane since the deadly Hurricane Bob in 1991.

New York hasnt had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished.
Passengers arrive on a flight from London amid new restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at JFK International Airport in New York City on Dec. 21, 2020. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Democrat Files Bill To Ban Unvaccinated Passengers From US Flights

A bill currently before the U.S. House of Representatives would ban travelers from all U.S. flights unless theyve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) introduced HR4980 on Aug. 6. The bill now sits before the House Committee on Homeland Security for review.

Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) co-sponsored the bill.

If passed, the bill would direct Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to ensure that any individual traveling on a flight that departs from or arrives to an airport inside the United States or a territory of the United States is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and for other purposes.

Exceptions would include any individual who is ineligible or medically unable to be fully vaccinated against the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.

The bill defines fully vaccinated as receiving all recommended doses of a COVID-19 injection authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In an Aug. 5 letter to Mayorkas and David Pekoske, Administrator of the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), Torres wrote that it is in the best interest of public health that DHS and TSA do everything in their power to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to promote vaccination.

Torres added that a vaccine mandate would encourage more Americans to get vaccinated, which will save many more lives.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there have been more than 348 million COVID-19 shots administered within the United States since the rollout of the vaccine began in December 2020 under President Donald Trumps Operation Warp Speed.

More than 192 million Americans have had at least one dose, while an estimated 41.7 percent remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus and Delta variant, according to the CDC.

Currently, TSA mandates all passengers aboard a commuter flight wear a mask as a precaution against transmission of the CCP virus.

As the United States faces another surge of COVID-19 cases, I believe it is paramount for DHS and TSA to require this commonsense step for passengers who are eligible to be vaccinated. These vaccines are clearly safe and effective, Torres said.

Although the CDC states that reports of death after COVID-19 vaccination are rare, the agency has received nearly 7,000 reports of people dying who received the vaccine and many thousands more reports of serious injuries believed to be associated with the shots.

A grass roots petition asks U.S. lawmakers to reject HR4980 as it would discriminate against millions of people in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Teresa Shelton started the petition at change.org. The effort has garnered over 52,000 signatures toward a goal of 75,000.
Exploring Wine Along Lake Erie

Discerning wine drinkers looking for new areas to explore should head to the southern shore of Lake Erie.

Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes, has long been the backyard of U.S. grape juice production. The wine produced around the quintessential Rust Belt city of Erie, Pennsylvania, in what is called Lake Erie Wine Country, part of the much bigger Lake Erie AVA, is lesser-known.

Johnson Estate, in the Lake Erie AVA, is New Yorks oldest estate winery. (Dennis Lennox)

Wine

With 23 wineries and around 30,000 acres of vineyard split across the border between Pennsylvania and New Yorkabout halfway between Buffalo and Clevelandthere are plenty of chardonnays, cabernet francs, pinot noirs, and merlots. Besides vitis vinifera grapes, many labels also sell sweeter wines produced using vitis labrusca, as native North American grapes are called. There are also hybrid grapes. Some of the wineries are vineyards and only produce from estate-grown grapes. Others source from across the Lake Erie AVA and, in some cases, beyond.

Its the vinifera that deserves the most attention.

South Shore Wine Company, one of three wineries owned by Mazza Vineyards. (Dennis Lennox)

Now that vintners across the appellation know they can make good wine, they would be wise to move away from labrusca and hybrid varieties, as these are a dime a dozen.

The obvious candidate is riesling, not least because the climate is similar to New Yorks Finger Lakes, which these days is practically synonymous with quality rieslings (riesling being, in the words of acclaimed wine critic Jancis Robinson, greatest white wine grape in the world).

There is a lot of opportunity to evolve, Mario Mazza, general manager of his familys Mazza Vineyards, said. Lake Erie is making a name for itself, but part of it is making sure people in our own backyard know about the wine here.

The Lake Erie AVA has 30,000 acres of vineyard spread across New York and Pennsylvania, near Erie, Penn. (Dennis Lennox)

One of the estate wineries is the 300-acre Johnson Estate.

Located on the New York side of the appellation, the tasting room is just off U.S. Route 20, near the quaint town of Westfield. It includes an outdoor area for those wanting to take advantage of the late summer weather and swirl a glass or two of bone-dry riesling or the highly recommended pinot noir.

Back in Pennsylvania is Presque Isle Wine Cellars.

Founded in the late 1960s, when alcohol laws were changed, this is the states second-oldest winery. One of their more notable offerings is an award-winning gruner veltliner, a popular white grape in Austria and Central Europe. Then there is Presque Isles riesling pet-nat, a more pronounceable colloquialism for petillant naturel. Popularized in recent years by the hipster set, it takes its name from a more rustic method of fermentation that predates the method used in Champagne.

Lake Erie Wine Country, part of the much bigger Lake Erie AVA, is home to 23 wineries. (Dennis Lennox)

The biggest operation is Mazza Vineyards, which somewhat uniquely operates in both states.

This is interesting in and of itself as licensing laws do vary between New York and Pennsylvania. Besides the flagship location on Pennsylvania Route 5, also called Lake Road, they operate Mazza Chautauqua Cellars back across the border and South Shore Wine Company, a brand with a lineage dating back to before Prohibition, just down the road.

Mazzas diverse offerings include classic white winesthink chardonnay and pinot grigiobut also teroldego, a red grape from Italys far north that can handle colder climates. At Chautauqua Cellars, the selection includes gewurztraminer, a semi-dry white sourced from the Finger Lakes, and a Lake Erie AVA medium-bodied lemberger, the red grape also called blaufrankisch. Meanwhile, South Shores sparkling wines range from a blanc de blancmade entirely from chardonnay using the same method as Champagneto pet-nats.

A bottle of Mazza Vineyards Riesling 2020. As with the appellations of the Finger Lakes, riesling thrives in the climate of the Lake Erie AVA. (Dennis Lennox)

What to Drink

Among the superior wines worth buying at tasting rooms across Lake Erie Wine Country are the following:

21 Brix Dry Riesling 2020, $19.24.

21 Brix Blaufrankisch 2019, $20.99.

Courtyard Winery Teroldego 2018, $24.99.

Johnson Estate Black Locust Dry Riesling 2017, $24.99.

Johnson Estate Freelings Creek Reserve Pinot Noir 2017, $17.49.

Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Gewurztraminer 2017, $14.95.

Presque Isle Wine Cellars Gruner Veltliner 2019, $18.99

Presque Isle Wine Cellars Ancestrale Pet-Nat Sparkling Wine 2019 (riesling), $23.99.

South Shore Wine Company Pet-Nat Riesling NV, $21.95.

South Shore Wine Company Sparkling Chardonnay NV, $21.95.

South Shore Wine Co., a brand owned by Mazza Vineyards, has a lineage dating back to before Prohibition. (Dennis Lennox)

If You Go

The 2021 Wine Fest will be held Sept. 24 to 26 at Gibson Park in downtown North East, Pennsylvania (about 14 miles from Erie). Tickets start at $20 per person, with a three-day pass costing $55.

The drive to Erie, the all but declared capital of Lake Erie Wine Country, from New York City and Washington, takes less than seven and six hours, respectively. For those arriving by plane, Eries airport is served by regional affiliates of American and United.

Stay at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel.

Trip planning resources are available on the Visit Erie and Lake Erie Wine Country websites.

The authors visit was partially hosted by Visit Erie.
Facts Matter (Aug. 20): New Bill Bans All Unvaccinated Americans From Flying, Advancing Through Congress

On Wednesday, the Georgia State Election Board voted in favor of opening up a bipartisan investigation of Fulton Countyspecifically, the way in which they manage their elections.

In Texas, after a standoff that lasted 38 days, House Democrats have now officially returned to Texasa day after the Texas Supreme Court ruled that they can be arrested if they refused to return.

Meanwhile, a lawmaker from New Yorks 15th congressional district introduced a new bill to require vaccinations as a prerequisite for flying on an airplane. He is working to expand these mandates nationally.

And lastly, as the southern border crisis worsens, Roman had the chance to sit down with Yvette Herrell, a congresswoman representing the area of New Mexico where smugglers were throwing children over the wall.

Resources:

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Taliban terrorists take control of Afghan presidential palace after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 15, 2021. (Zabi Karimi/AP Photo)

Family Begs for Return of American Captured by Taliban

Relatives of an American being held captive by the Taliban terrorist group is calling on the Biden administration to secure his release.

Mark Frerichs was kidnapped by the Taliban in January of 2020 while working as a contractor in Afghanistan.

The Taliban took over the country this month after the United States pulled out most of its troops and Afghan forces were routed.

Frerichs family was at the White House this week to press President Joe Biden to take action.

I came to Washington to plead for President Biden to save my brothers life. He has the power to approve the trade that will bring Mark home safely. We need the Presidents help to make that happen, Charlene Cakora, the captives sister, told Newsweek.

She and others say one option is exchanging Bashi Moorzai, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges and is serving a life sentence in New Hampshire, for Frerichs.

We dont like the idea of seeing a drug trafficker go free, but that is who the Taliban wants, Cakora said. Hes been in prison here for 16 years. If sending him home gets my brother back safely to us, I support it. If the Biden Administration is not prepared to support this trade, then they need to tell us what they are prepared to do instead.

Cakora added to the Daily Herald that the family doesnt question Bidens decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, but wondered why the president didnt use any leverage to get their loved one released.

We have been begging government officials in this administration to make Marks freedom a priority, Cakora said. We listened to government people during the last administration telling us to be patientbut they never lifted a finger to free my brother. We have been hearing the same things from this administration. They kept telling us they had time, they had leverage. Well, they didnt.

The State Department told The Epoch Times via email that Zalmay Khalilzad, the special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation has continued to press the Taliban for Mark Frerichs release and continues to raise his status in senior level engagements in Doha and Islamabad.

We place a high priority on Mark Frerichs safety and will not stop working until he is safely returned to his family. The Secretary has made clear that the safety and the safe return of Americans wrongfully detained or held hostage are a top priority worldwide. We continue to make this clear to a number of interlocutors, including the Taliban, the agency added.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The Biden administration has also received pressure from Democrats in Congress to get Frerichs released.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the U.S. militarys ongoing evacuation efforts in Afghanistan from the East Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 20, 2021. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) wrote to Biden this week, calling for the White House National Security Council to call an emergency meeting to develop a course of action that would lead to the Taliban freeing the prisoner.

Our attention and energy must be devoted to pushing on every reasonable lever to secure the safe return of Mr. Frerichs to his family in the United States, they wrote.

Khalilzad said earlier this month that the administration wants to get Frerichs home safely.

I and my colleagues talk to the family, and I have raised it repeatedly and continue to raise it with the Taliban whenever I see them. We also raise the issue with countries with influence on the Taliban, such as Pakistan and Qatar, he said.

Khalilzad declined to share details on the negotiations and said American officials did not know of the kidnapping when they signed the deal with the Taliban during the Trump administration.

Taliban officials have told U.S. counterparts that they want to release Khalilzad but dont want to exchange prisoners, the official said.

The Talibs want normalcy in terms of relations with us, if they want their own prisoners released, if they want to get off the listthere are a lot of issues that they want. So we continue to have leverage and we will bring all of them to bear to secure Marks release and the sooner the better, he said.
Soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division escort evacuees to the terminal for check-in during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Lance Cpl. Nicholas Guevara/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

First Afghans Land in US as Massive Evacuation Effort Continues

Afghan evacuees have landed in the United States for the first time since the Taliban took over their home country, U.S. officials said on Aug. 21.

Three flights touched down at Dulles International Airport in Washington, Army Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, deputy director of the Joint Staff for Regional Operations, told reporters at the Pentagon.

There are now Afghans, in just one week after beginning this operation, that have left Afghanistan and will be transitioned to Fort Bliss today, Taylor said.

Many of the Afghans have been granted special immigrant visas under section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, largely because of the assistance that they or their family members rendered to U.S. troops following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

About 34,500 such visas have been allocated since December 2014, and some interpreters who received them landed at Fort Lee in Virginia last month.

Other Afghan evacuees are receiving P-2 visas.

The new groups of evacuees were slated to be taken to Fort Bliss in Texas. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved that fort and two others, Fort McCoy in Wisconsin and Fort Lee in Virginia, to temporarily house the special visa applicants, their families, and other Afghans at risk.

The evacuees, who werent required to test negative for COVID-19, were vetted by intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals, according to Taylor.

The government experts are surging resources to evaluate all of these evacuees to ensure protection of the homeland, he said.

Space for up to 22,000 evacuees was cleared, military officials have said. That number could ultimately end up being higher, however. President Joe Biden said that it could reach as high as 65,000.

The United States is flying Afghans, Americans, and others from the Hamid Karzai International Airport to Germany and elsewhere before the flights continue on to the United States, following the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

About 17,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan by the United States since Aug. 14. Approximately 2,500 of them were Americans, Taylor told reporters.

Despite expressing hope that the number of people being flown out of Afghanistan per day could soon reach 9,000, the pace of evacuations has slowed as U.S. officials try to process the streams of people who want to leave the country and Americans trying to return home, while keeping the airport secure.

In the past 24 hours, just 3,800 people were flown out on six U.S. military flights and 32 charter flights. Thats down by nearly 2,000 people from a recent 24-hour period, and likely stems from an hours-long shutdown of flights that U.S. officials described as a pause to process special visa applicants.

Taliban fighters control the area outside the airport. Theyve been checking peoples documents at various checkpoints. Biden said on Aug. 20 that people with U.S. passports are being let through, though some Americans have said they were blocked by militants, and there are reports of terrorists beating Americans in Kabul.

We dont believe its a very large number, Kirby said on Aug. 21.

Governors across the nation have said they would welcome Afghan evacuees to their states.

We are eager to continue that practice and assist with the resettlement of individuals and families fleeing Afghanistan, especially those who valiantly helped U.S. troops, diplomats, journalists, and other civilians over the past 20 years, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, said in a recent statement.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, recently told reporters that his state was already preparing to welcome Afghan refugees.

Were already working in terms of a lot of those refugees coming in and working with [community groups] and nonprofit organizations to make sure that they feel welcome and celebrated as members of our community, he said.

Editors Note: This article has been updated with the number of Americans evacuated.
In this handout image provided by the Bundeswehr, a military aircraft arrives at Tashkent Airport carrying evacuees from Kabul in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (Marc Tessensohn/Bundeswehr via Getty Images)

Germany: Helicopters to Join Kabul Airlifts, Nearly 2,000 People Evacuated

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced on Saturday that the nations military has evacuated about 2,000 people from the capital of Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover last week.

The situation is difficult, but with our capabilities and everything that comes up on the ground, we will keep on taking out as many as possible, Kramp-Karrenbauer told reporters during a press briefing.

Those evacuated include an unspecified number of Germans, Afghans, and nationals of international partners, according to a statement by the German Foreign Ministry.

In addition, Germany deployed two helicopters to Kabul overnight and they will be ready to begin evacuations out of the city on Saturday. The efforts will be coordinated with the United States, among other allies, who are working around the clock to keep Hamid Karzai International Airport secured.

In this image provided by the U.S. Marines, U.S. Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force  Crisis Response  Central Command, provide assistance during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 20, 2021. (Lance Cpl. Nicholas Guevara/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

The helicopters will be in Kabul for individuals that need to be picked up in order to be transferred to the airport f0r evacuation, though German officials noted that the plan for their specific deployment is not confirmed yet.

General Eberhard Zorn, the German chief of defense, said the air force will provide baby food and hygienic items that are desperately needed at the airport.

Nearly one week after Taliban insurgents took over the country, Afghans who are desperate to flee the war-torn nation continue to overwhelm Kabuls airport.

Afghans gather on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

Afghan people gather along a road as they wait to board a U.S. military aircraft to leave the country, at a military airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

In other parts of Europe; Italy confirmed they successfully evacuated 207 Afghan citizens, who have arrived in Rome on Saturday from Kuwait. Over the last five days, the Italian military says they have evacuated nearly 1,000 Afghan nationals.

The Dutch defense ministry says that the first group of Afghans evacuated from Kabul on Dutch military transport planes has arrived at a barracks in the northern Netherlands on Saturday that has been transformed into a temporary accommodation center. Dutch authorities have so far managed five flights out of Kabul, with nearly 300 passengers. It is not clear how many of them were Afghans.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
View of a steel border wall between Greece and Turkey in Alexandroupolis, Greece, on Aug. 10, 2021. (Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters)

Greece Erects Steel Wall Along Turkish Border Over Afghan Migration Fears

Greece has completed the construction of a 25-mile (40-km) long steel wall and a new surveillance system along the border with Turkey amid concerns about a possible surge of illegal immigrants trying to reach Europe following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan this month.

Our borders remain secure and inviolable. The new boundary wall has been completed and is actively guarded, Greeces Citizens Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis told reporters during a press briefing while visiting the site in the region of Evros on Friday.

We cannot wait passively to see the impact of the Afghan crisis, he added. The high-tech, automated monitoring system is active. Possible refugee flows from Afghanistan will be stopped.

About 8 miles of the steel wall has been there for some time along the Evros river, and with the latest extension, the wall is now 25 miles long and 19.7 feet (6 meters) high.

A policeman patrols alongside a steel border wall at Evros river, near the village of Poros, at the Greek-Turkish border on May 21, 2021. (Giannis Papanikos/AP Photo)

A police car patrols alongside a steel wall at Evros river, near the village of Poros, at the Greek-Turkish border, Greece, on May 21, 2021. (Giannis Papanikos/AP Photo)

Greece began bolstering its border defense in recent months and authorities at the border have been warned about a possible new wave of illegal immigrants, likely coming from Afghanistan after the Talibans sweeping advance this month, sparking fears in Europe about a new migration crisis.

The recent events and the seizure of power by Taliban insurgents in the war-torn nation have fuelled the European Union to resist a possible repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis when nearly 1 million people fleeing the Middle East and beyond crossed into Greece from Turkey before traveling north to wealthier states.

Greece is insisting it will not allow a repetition of the 2015 crisis. Border forces are warned to make sure the country does not become Europes gateway again.

Neighboring Turkey has also expressed concerns over a potential wave of illegal immigrants coming from Afghanistan.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on nations in Europe on Thursday to shoulder the responsibility for people fleeing Taliban forces, warning that Turkey will not become Europes refugee warehouse.

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listens during the opening session of the virtual global Leaders Summit on Climate, as he sits in his office in Ankara, Turkey, on April 22, 2021. (Mustafa Kamaci/Turkish Presidency via AP)

We need to remind our European friends of this fact: Europewhich has become the center of attraction for millions of peoplecannot stay out of [the refugee] problem by harshly sealing its borders to protect the safety and wellbeing of its citizens, Erdogan said. Turkey has no duty, responsibility, or obligation to be Europes refugee warehouse, he added.

The latest issue on immigration that is possibly going to impact both nations will become a serious challenge for everyone, Erdogan told Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a telephone conversation on Friday. Erdogan said it has also begun reinforcing its border with Iran.

The government in Greece said last week they are not going to allow illegal immigrants seeking asylum to cross into Europe and will turn refugees back.

Reuters contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Protesters hold signs as they demonstrate during a "No Vaccine Passport Rally," in Santa Monica, Calif., on August 21, 2021. (Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images)

Coalition of Health Care Workers, First Responders, Parents, Students Rallies Against COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

SANTA MONICA, Calif.A coalition of groups including medical professionals, first responders, parents, and students gathered in Santa Monica on Aug. 21 to protest an impending COVID-19 vaccine mandate in Los Angeles, saying it will segregate the city, breed more hate, and violate the rights of tens of thousands of people.

The crowd, estimated by one organizer to be about 1,000 people, at Tongva Park on Ocean Avenue was organized to push back against a motion passed by the Los Angeles City Council on Aug. 11 directing the city attorney to prepare an ordinance requiring people to show proof of at least partial vaccination against COVID-19 to enter most public indoor spaces in the city, including restaurants, bars, gyms, concert venues, movie theaters, and even retail establishments.

The S.O.S California No Vaccine Passport Rally was organized by the California chapter of Childrens Health Defense, California Parents United, Latinos for Medical Freedom, Central Coast Health Coalition, Advocates for Physicians Rights, Americas Frontline Doctors, Vaccine Injury Awareness League, Freedom of ReligionUnited Solutions, Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids, Freedom Angels, UtahRevival.com, Mama Bears Radio, and Million Mamas Movement.

Scheduled speakers included human rights lawyer Leigh Dundes, founder of Americas Frontline Doctors Dr. Simone Gold, media personality Will Witt, Los Angeles college student Noelle Fitchett, and Carlsbad chiropractor Cordie Williams.

Other slated speakers included a local firefighter, a first responder, a nurse, a teacher, parents, a local Latino community leader, and others who say they are being threatened with job loss across the state if they do not comply.

The groups objected to the vaccine mandate on several grounds:

They say it will not address the problem of the COVID-19 outbreak, since those who get the vaccine can still get sick and transmit the virus. The groups further state that mandates dont take into account the natural immunity of those who have already had the virus, and would force people who are already immune to COVID-19 to take the shot.

They say it violates medical privacy by making private medical matters public and violates medical ethics.

They say it will create a two-tiered society; foster segregation because those who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to participate in society; and create more hate in Los Angeles.

They worry that it could be a pre-cursor to a digital infrastructure that not only controls entrance into indoor spaces, but controls education, employment, travel, finances, and potentially all movement or interaction in society.

Theyre concerned that once a mandate is enacted, officials will continue to require more and more booster shots of the vaccine. (Federal officials recently recommended that all vaccinated people receive a third shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine to boost their immunity.)

They say it will hurt small-business owners when their customers are no longer allowed in stores.

Denise Young, executive director of the California chapter of Childrens Health Defense, told City News Service that opponents of vaccine mandates hold a fundamental belief that people have a right to be sovereign over their bodies.

We should be able to control what goes into our bodies, whether its a drug, a vaccine, or the food we eat, Young said.

Asked what she would say to proponents of the mandate who dont want to be exposed to unvaccinated people in the workplace or in public spaces, Young said they shouldnt be worried.

If their belief is that the vaccine works, then they are protected, she said.

Tracy Henderson, founder of California Parents United and legal director for Utah Parents United, says the decision to take the vaccine should be a personal choice, and she worries that forcing children to wear masks can also have harmful effects on their health.

I think it amounts to child abuse, she told CNS.

Henderson says the government shouldnt be telling people how to take care of their health in the first place, and she questions why the FDA hasnt pulled the vaccines from use already due to concerns over possible side effects.

Products have been taken off the market for 25 deaths  why is the FDA approving something with this many deaths? she told CNS.

The cure is worse than the disease.

According to the CDCs Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, reports of death after COVID-19 vaccination are rare.

More than 357 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the United States from Dec. 14, 2020, through Aug. 16, 2021. During this time, VAERS received 6,789 reports of death (0.0019%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine.  Reports of adverse events to VAERS following vaccination, including deaths, do not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused a health problem, the CDC said.

A review of available clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy, and medical records, has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines. However, recent reports indicate a plausible causal relationship between the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine and TTS, a rare and serious adverse event (blood clots with low platelets) which has caused deaths.

Henderson suspects the numbers of adverse health reactions and deaths are higher than reported.

But the main issue for her and others planning the rally is freedom: She says vaccines and mask-wearing should be left to personal choice.

Wash your hands. If you feel sick, stay home. Respect others, she said. I respect you if you want to go the route of the vaccine. Just dont make me do it.

Federal, state, and Los Angeles County health officials have insisted since the vaccines were first approved for emergency use that they are safe and effective. Although vaccinated people can still catch and spread COVID-19, officials say the vaccines reduce that likelihood. More importantly, they say, they greatly reduce the chances that a person who does get the virus will develop symptoms that might require hospitalization or even result in death.

As of Aug. 15, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported that out of the nearly 10.3 million residents in the countyincluding those who are not yet eligible for the vaccine63 percent had received at least one dose, and 55 percent were fully vaccinated. The department says that among the more than 5.1 million fully vaccinated people in L.A. County, officials have identified 27,331 fully vaccinated people who tested positive for COVID-19.

The department also says 0.014 percent of all fully vaccinated people in the county end up hospitalized, with deaths in that group numbering 68 people, or 0.0013 percent.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were approved for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020, and the agency approved the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for emergency use in February 2021.

The New York Times reported on Aug. 21 that the FDA is pushing to grant full approval to the Pfizer vaccine as early as Aug. 23.

The Los Angeles council voted 130 to have the ordinance drawn up. It would be one of the more strict mandates in the nation, going further than a similar ordinance recently enacted in New York that requires vaccination to enter many public spaces but omits retail establishments.

Councilman John Lee, who missed the vote because he was exposed to COVID-19, said later that he will not support it, meaning it will not pass on its first consideration and approval will be delayed an additional week.

The ordinance needs unanimous approval to be passed on its first consideration, but requires only a majority on its second consideration.

The council also recently approved an ordinance that requires Los Angeles city employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by early October, unless they are granted an exemption for medical or religious reasons.
Ontario PC MPP Rick Nicholls leaves a news conference at the Queens Park Legislature in Toronto on Aug. 19, 2021, after announcing he would not get vaccinated against COVID-19. Nicholls was kicked out of the caucus the same day. (The Canadian Press/Chris Young)

Mandatory Vaccination: Disturbing Precedents Being Set in Election Campaign

Commentary

Issues such as health care, education, and foreign policy typically dominate the discourse at the beginning of a federal election campaign. We are not in a typical campaign, however. As we near the two-year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, it isnt surprising yet still remains odd that an issue such as mandatory vaccinations would be at the top of the agenda. Parties, pundits, and activists are all working to set traps and score points with this singular and divisive issue.

While we havent drifted into the realm of truly forced medical procedures yet, we are moving in that direction. Legislation is being proposed and drafted that coerces people through restrictions on employment eligibility and travel. Private enterprise is encouraged to take part as we see sporting events demanding proof of vaccination while theatres and restaurants mull imposing similar requirements on their patrons and staff.

While the concept of vaccine passports was dismissed as being in the realm of conspiracy theories less than a year ago, it is now being accepted as a part of life.

Polling of the Canadian public indicates that the majority of citizens support the concept of mandatory vaccination. A recent survey of 1,500 Canadians conducted by Ipsos found that well over three-quarters of Canadians supported mandatory vaccines for teachers and health-care workers. That number climbed as high as 90 percent in the Atlantic provinces. Political leaders in every major party are now compelled to make their stances clear on mandatory vaccination.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken the strongest stance on the issue, proposing mandatory vaccination for all public employees and all employees in federally regulated fields. That encompasses well over one million Canadians, from bureaucrats in the civil service to broadcasters. Trudeau ominously said that there will be consequences for federal workers who refuse vaccination. He also wants mandatory vaccinations to be imposed on travellers by sea or air whether foreign or domestic, and has made vaccination a requirement for all Liberal candidates in the election.

Conservative Leader Erin OToole has taken a more moderate stance. While he is supportive of vaccines, he has allowed an out through mandatory daily rapid tests. This will still require some sort of vaccine passport and still puts some heavy pressure on people who are not vaccinated. Although the costs of such widespread testing will be high, it does give an avenue for a person who refuses vaccination to remain employed and be able to travel.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singhs stance is similar to Trudeaus in that he feels vaccines should be compelled through workplace restrictions. Singh has been careful to keep his approach nuanced in order to avoid clashes with public service unions. His base is strongly in favour of mandatory vaccinations, but if thousands of unionized civil servants suddenly find themselves fired, organized labour may push back.

Peoples Party Leader Maxime Bernier has been openly opposed to mandatory vaccination while Green Party Leader Annamie Paul has not taken a clear stance on the issue. Both parties could garner some dedicated support from people strongly opposed to vaccination in general, but it wont put them onside with the majority.

Pressure is mounting on all parties to have their candidates declare whether they are vaccinated. Prominent media members have been calling out candidates on social media one by one and demanding answers. Apparently, medical privacy is no longer something to be respected.

On the provincial front, the pressures are rising as well. Ontario Premier Doug Ford just ejected MPP Rick Nicholls from the Progressive Conservative caucus for his refusal to get vaccinated. Other premiers are feeling pressure to take similar actions regarding their caucus members.

Speaking for myself, I have chosen to get both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. The important element here, though, is choice. We are moving into a realm where the tyranny of the majority is pressuring people into forced medications, and we should be concerned about this. People who have chosen not to be vaccinated for whatever reason are fast becoming societal pariahs, unemployable, and unable to travel. We should be trying to encourage people to get vaccinated through reason rather than compulsion. Assuming that the COVID vaccines are as effective as they have been branded to be, we shouldnt need 100 percent of the population to be vaccinated before reaching herd immunity anyway.

Over time, I suspect that many mandates and vaccination requirements will be repealed as court challenges mount and the pandemic fades. Nevertheless, we are setting some disturbing precedents in this election campaign as leaders feel obliged to step on the rights of the individual to try to win the support of the majority.

We cant afford to dismiss concerns about individual rights as conspiracy theories any longer. But how far will we let the state go before we speak up?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Michigan Man Finds 158 Bowling Balls Under His Concrete Steps During Summer Reno Project

What started as a backyard demolition project early summer led to one Michigan man unearthing a trove of bowling balls.

David Olson, 33, hails from Norton Shores, in Muskegon County, where Brunswick Bowling Products was once a booming enterprise. The manufactureronce boasting 11 factories in townproduced balls, pins, and other bowling equipment, as well as non-bowling products such as toilet seats and truck tires.

Olsons striking haul was not entirely out of the ordinary.

It began with a project to clear some concrete steps: We had a home inspection, and they had noticed that the cement stairs, on the top of that, the cement pad was leaning into the house, Olson told MLive. So, when water would drip on it, it would drip down into the foundation.

He set about removing the concrete. And soon he found a bowling ball.

As he cleared more concretelikening his endeavor to that of paleontologist unearthing ancient fossilshe realized that the entire pad was built on a foundation of bowling balls, one layer interlaced over another, with hardened sand filled in between the gaps.

I had seen a few bowling balls through the openings but was totally shocked by the amount, Olson shared in a post on Facebook. Ive counted at least 50 and see many more.

Are these hazardous? Should I report this to the city?

The bowling balls were unfinished; some were rough and had no finger holes; most were black or had blue swirls. They were stamped Starline or Black Beauty. All were unsealed, meaning they werent ready to be rolled out to market.

Olson speculated that the original owner of the home, which was built in 1959, had gotten a good deal on the bowling balls and made use of them to fill a void.

Setting up their Muskegon facility in 1906, Brunswick Bowling Products thrived for a century before closing their last factory, moving to Mexico, in 2006. In their heyday, employees got certain perks: sometimes taking home products deemed not sale quality for repurposing.

It shows our industrial past and the innovation of the workers, Kirk Bunke from Muskegon Heritage Museum told MLive. They saw a waste product, came up with a use and way to improve the house with no out-of-pocket expense.

There are thousands of upcycled products, such as footstools made of bowling pins, waiting to be discovered, he added.

After completing his demolition, Olson tallied 158 balls in total. He took photos of the haul and posted them on Facebook, attracting reactions from thousands on social media.

Olson got notice that the balls were safe for disposal in the landfill, but he decided against that. I will not be dumping these in a landfill, he said. I am planning to upcycle these babys and let their beauty and strength be shown to the world.

After setting a few of the balls aside for donation, he and his wife planned to use the rest to build a decorative edging in their yard.

Have the Brunswick symbols sitting up above ground so people can see them, he said. If anything, it adds kind of a unique characteristic to the landscape.

In a surprising update, the Norton Shores local discovered that his entire back porch was built on a similar foundation, though he was hesitant about the prospect of any further digging.

He shared, Im not sure if I should remove any more as the entire patio may contain them and I do not have the time or energy for such an excavation.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
An oil truck driving past wind turbines at the Dafancheng Wind Power Plant, the largest of its kind in Aisa, in 2007 in Dafancheng of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. (China Photos/Getty Images)

There Are Checkpoints at Every Corner: Chinese Trucker Describes Expansive Surveillance System in Xinjiang

A Chinese fuel tank truck driver described his experience in delivering fuel to Xinjiang as a life-time hardship. He vowed, Regardless, I will never go to Xinjiang again.

Lu Ming (pseudonym) is a truck driver from Shandong, a coastal province in eastern China. In a recent interview with the Epoch Times, he recounted his trip to a Xinjiang military base.

When you enter Xinjiang, there are checkpoints at every corner. Armed police are stationed in every school, governmental unit, and gate. Lu said.

He described how every gas station is encircled by a barbed-wire fence like a prison, and people need to swipe their ID cards to buy gas.

In the northwest region of Xinjiang, the Chinese communist regime has enacted a vast system of repression and surveillance directed at the regions ethnic Turkic Muslim inhabitants, in what the United States and other Western countries have labeled a genocide.

More than one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been detained in a network of internment camps, while those outside the camps are subjected to near-total surveillance carried out through an array of checkpoints, CCTV cameras, and police monitoring.

Tension Under Xinjiangs Strict Control

In mid-June, Lu left Shandong with a tank of diesel heading for Xinjiang.

Meanwhile, his cellphone was already traced and tagged with an asterisk by Chinese officials because of his earlier trip to Wenzhou, where the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus surged after he left. It will take 14 days for the asterisk to be canceled.

Beijing adopted the itinerary code big data system as a measure to contain the CCP virus. The asterisk indicates that there are medium-risk or high-risk areas in the city that the cell phone owner has visited in the past 14 days, but does not mean that the owner actually visited the medium- and high-risk areas.

Therefore, this mark followed him all the way to Xinjiang.

On his way to Yecheng (bordering Pakistan and India), southwest of Xinjiang, the police followed him the entire way.

This photo taken on January 4, 2021 shows Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers assembling during military training at Pamir Mountains in Kashgar, northwestern Chinas Xinjiang region. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

He explained that after he entered Xinjiang, the police sealed the door of his truck. He was not allowed to leave the truck, eat, or drink. When he reached the next county, the police would hand all documents to the officers there. I had to go through the ID check, the QR code scanning, etc., at every checkpointI was led from one county to another, Lu said.

You would have to go to the restroom somehow, right? But, you have to hold it. When I really couldnt hold back anymore, I honked the horn at the police car following me. When we drove to the service area, hed remove the door seal. They sealed it back on after youre done. Lu said.

When entering the Yecheng County border, he had to go to the Yecheng service area and have another nucleic acid test.

Lu said, No other vehicles can come close to my truck. A special person did the nucleic acid test for meI had to drive to the parking lot of the service area and spend a night there. I was not allowed to leave until the test result came out the next day.

After the test, Lu had to go through a seven-day quarantine, on the truck, before continuing his trip.

Lu was again escorted all the way until he was out of the area. After he entered the mountainous area, he was finally left alone for the remaining 250-mile drive.

Lu said that he was delivering the diesel fuel to the place where the Sino-Indian border conflict took place, and the troops stationed there are ready to set up a military base.

The military site was heavily guarded by police and soldiers.

Another one to two mile[s] ahead of the fuel depot is covered with minefields. Lu said.

He was told not to worry about unloading, and warned not to take photos or videos.

After unloading the fuel, it was July 1 and the regime was celebrating the Communist Party centenary. Xinjiang would not allow dangerous goods vehicles to leave the region. Lu was quarantined in the mountain area for three days.

Lu said, in addition to the two days he lost before and after the quarantine in Yecheng, I was quarantined for a total of 12 days.

Gu Xiaohua
New Solar Telescope in Hawaii Aims to Open in 3 Months

HONOLULUThe project director of a new solar telescope in Hawaii that will be the most powerful of its kind hopes scientists will be able to start observations at the facility in three months.

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, at the summit of Haleakala volcano on Maui, was supposed to open last fall. But Thomas Rimmele told Hawaii Public Radio on Wednesday that COVID-19 travel restrictions set back construction on its critical systems.

He hopes the current schedule wont be affected by newly surging coronavirus cases and any additional restrictions. Rimmele was expecting to return to Maui as early as this week.

November 15 is what were shooting for. We just had a big review, the final construction review that was conducted by the National Science Foundation, Rimmele said. (The scientists) are getting really anxious to get their observations and data done.

The telescope has received about 100 proposals from researchers for an initial observing window of two-and-a-half months. Picking which scientists get to go first depends heavily on atmospheric conditions and what objects are visible on a given day.

He said one quarter or even a fifth of the proposals may be approved for the first cycle.

We are highly oversubscribed and people will have to submit proposals again for the next cycle, he said. Thats just how it works.

The telescope is to be the largest and most powerful of its kind in the world. The National Solar Observatory said the Inouye telescope will be able to reveal features three times smaller than anything scientists are able to currently see on the Sun.

The Hawaii Supreme Court in 2016 affirmed a permit for the solar telescopes construction.

The next year, more than 100 protesters tried to block a construction convoy heading to the telescope site, citing the sacredness of Haleakalas summit. Maui police arrested six people.

Protests against another telescope planned for a different mountain and islandthe Thirty Meter Telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Islandhave prevented construction crews from working on that project.
Pakistan Suicide Bomber Targets Chinese Workers, 2 Children Die

A suicide bomber detonated his explosives on Aug. 20 near a vehicle carrying Chinese workers in restive southwestern Pakistan, killing two Pakistani children playing by the roadside, the interior ministry and police said.

A Chinese and two other Pakistanis were wounded in the attack in Baluchistan province. Hours after the bombing, the separatist Baluch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the bombing in the port town of Gwadar.

The police said the Chinese workers were traveling in three vehicles and were being escorted by security forces. The attacker detonated his device when officers tried to intercept him.

The area is a key district in southwest Pakistan where the Chinese are working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The projects, including road construction and power plants to agriculture development, have cost billions of dollars.

The Chinese regime has in recent years played a key role in developing the deep-water port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. But, there have been some attacks on Pakistanis and Chinese working for the economic corridor projects.

Last month, a bus carrying Pakistani and Chinese workers fell into a ravine in northwestern Pakistan after a suicide bomber targeted the vehicle. Nine Chinese and four Pakistanis were killed in that attack in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province which borders Afghanistan.

By Abdul Sattar
Pentagon Confirms Americans Have Been Beaten in Afghanistan

Americans have been beaten in Afghanistan, a U.S. military official said Saturday.

A day after he said the military was aware of reports that Americans were beaten by Taliban terrorists, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that we know of a small number of cases where some Americans  have been harassed, and in some cases, beaten.

We dont believe its a very large number, and most Americans who have their credentials with them are being allowed through the Taliban checkpoints, he added.

The stunning admission came as the U.S. Embassy warned Americans against traveling to the U.S.-held airport in Kabul, where thousands of people are trying to enter to escape the country before American troops leave.

The United States is openly working with the Taliban to facilitate the evacuation, and Taliban militants control all of the ground around the exterior of the airport.

President Joe Biden said Friday that the United States was in constant communication with the Taliban, which is designated as a terrorist group by a number of countries.

The U.S. military has largely chosen not to conduct operations outside the airport, leaving Americans and Afghans to fend for themselves until they reach the facility.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told members of Congress in a call Friday that violence against Americans is unacceptable, Kirby said Saturday.

And U.S. commanders have conveyed the same message to Taliban commanders, he said.

Weve been in touch with the Taliban for quite some time, I think, over the course of the last week. And weve certainly made our concerns known, Kirby said.

According to the military spokesman, word had not filtered down from Taliban leadership to every individual militant.

What appears to be happening is that not every Taliban fighter either got the word or decided to obey the word, he said.

The revelation came as a growing number of Republicans called for more decisive action from the Biden administration, which both parties have said has botched the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Instead of going out there and making the Taliban our hostages, right now America is on day seven, day eight of the Afghanistan hostage crisis for us, Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), a military veteran, said on Fox News on Friday. And until we flip that scenario back to where it was prior to this, we cant safely get our people out.

Bidens failed Afghanistan withdrawal has put thousands of American lives in danger behind enemy lines, added Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who is trying to impeach Biden, on Twitter on Saturday. The Taliban is beating Americans but Biden is still relying on & trusting them. He is incompetent, unhinged, incoherent & unfit.

Military officials said the focus remains on keeping the airport secure and evacuating people who can make it there.

The military mission that we are executing now is a noncombatant evacuation operation, Kirby said. Were fighting against both time and space. Thats the race that were in right now, he added later.
Environmental campaigners from the "Extinction Rebellion" group glue themselves together outside Her Majesty's Treasury as part of their ongoing actions and protests across the capital, in London, on April 25, 2019. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Policing Extinction Rebellion Protests Has Cost Over 50 Million: Met Police

More than 50 million ($68 million) has been spent on policing Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests since 2019, the Metropolitan Police said on Friday ahead of another round of protests planned by the environmental activist group.

The climate activist group staged prolonged demonstrations in April and October 2019 and September 2020, when protesters blocked entrances, halted traffic, glued themselves to buildings and roads, defaced a statue of Britains wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and disrupted newspaper printing.

A family walk past as activists take part in a demonstration outside Buckingham Palace, as part of protests by the Extinction Rebellion climate change group, in central London, on Sept. 5, 2020 (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

Met Commander Rachel Williams said during a press briefing on Friday that the three events have cost the Met in excess of 50 million.

Im in no doubt this years policing operation will run into the millions and will result in many police officers sacrificing their time off to help mitigate any disruption and bring order and safety to the streets of London, Williams told reporters.

XR has called for two weeks of civil disobedience starting from Aug. 23, to disrupt the City of London to target the root cause of the climate and ecological crisis, but it also said the disruption will last until the UK government agrees with its new demand, which is to stop all new fossil fuel investment immediately.

The Met said its officers are working with the City of London officers to develop a comprehensive policing plan.

Judging from previous experiences from XR demonstrations, and the fact that the protests are planned around the August bank holiday, which is usually busy for the police, the scale and complexity of resources needed to respond will stretch across all areas of the Met, the Met said in a statement on Aug. 20, adding that specialist policing teams will also be on standby who can respond to and manage protesters in a safe manner who have built, or locked themselves to, complicated structures.

Actor Stephen Fry on Friday shared a video from XR on Twitter, showing Fry voicing his support for the organisation and its plans.

XR activist Zoe Blackler told PA news agency on Friday that the sixth Assessment Report published recently by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which again argued in favor of the view that mankinds emissions of CO2 were to blame for global warming, and recent scenes of flooding, have ignited more public anxiety and desire for action.

XR also said on Friday that it has raised over 300,000 ($409,000) through crowdfunding in the last few weeks.

Police and fire services at the scene, outside Broxbourne news printers as protesters continue to block the road, in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England, on Sept. 5, 2020. (Yui Mok/PA via AP)

Home Secretary Priti Patel has previously said that XR, while claiming to be an environmental rights campaign group, continuously use guerrilla tactics with contempt, seeking to grind the economic well-being of our nation into the ground under the pretence of tackling climate change, and that the government will not stand by.

The government is also trying to pass legislation to put restrictions on protests, partly in response to XR protests.

But governments, including the UK government, mostly steer their policy on the assumption that greenhouse gas emissions are the main cause of climate change.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged to have the UK achieve net-zero by 2050, despite warnings that the plan is costly, would compromise grid security, and cause other environmental and social damages (pdf).

In contrast with the IPCC report, a new study published on Monday by a team of almost two dozen scientists from around the world concluded that previous studies did not adequately consider the role of solar energy in explaining increased temperatures.

Alex Newman contributed to this report.
Pro-police demonstrators and others (L) and counter-protesters fire pepper spray and hurl objects at each other in front of the Multnomah County Justice Center in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 22, 2020. (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Portland Braces for Violence as Antifa Plots Disruption to Planned Rally

Officials in Portland, Oregon, are preparing for violence to break out during a rally and an opposing event planned for Sunday.

Two groups, one composed of people who describe themselves as patriots, the other made up largely of members of the so-called anti-fascist Antifa network, are planning to descend on a waterfront park on the anniversary of a huge brawl between some of the same individuals.

The groups plan to confront each other, Portland police officials say.

Officials are advising people to stay away from the city if they plan to instigate fights, but have also said that officers wont prevent the looming clash.

This is our main message: if you are planning to come down to instigate fights with those you disagree with, dont come, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said in a statement. You should not expect to see police officers standing in the middle of the crowd trying to keep people apart. People should keep themselves apart and avoid physical confrontation.

If people carry out crimes, they risk arrest and prosecution.

If there are those who engage in nonpeaceful behavior, we want you to know and understand that the city, the Police Bureau will respond to the situation to the very best of our ability given the current legal and logistical constraints, Portland Mayor and Police Commissioner Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, told a conference call on Friday.

On Aug. 22, 2020, pro-police demonstrators, including members of the all-male Proud Boys fraternity, clashed with members of the far-left, anarcho-communist Antifa network as police stood by.

Law enforcement could not intervene because there were not enough officers present, officials said at the time.

A self-described Antifa member killed a man in Portland a week later.

Its not clear who is organizing the rallies planned for Sunday. Reports say the organizers describe the events as meant for patriots. Wheeler and other officials declined to identify the groups planning to gather.

Lovell told reporters Friday that he has canceled all days off for Sunday and that all available personnel will be reporting for duty.

Antifa groups across the Pacific Northwest are calling members to go to Portland to respond to the rallies, according to Antifa expert Andy Ngo. One poster said that fascists are once again attempting to rally in Portland and that antifascists should fight backall out!
Chinese Premier Visits Flooded Region; State-Run Media Reports Delayed

On Aug. 19 Chinese state-run media reported that Premier Li Keqiangs Henan trip had started the day before, where at least 300 people were killed in floods in July.

Li started his trip on the morning of Aug. 18, visited the people whose houses had been submerged, the metro tunnel where passengers were killed by the flood, and the farmlands that had been inundated by floodwater.

During the trip, Li disciplined officials and vowed to hold officials accountable for mistakes during the floods.

State-run media didnt report on the trip until late in the night of Aug. 19. People knew of Lis trip from two cellphone shots with low-quality videos that the State CouncilChinas central government that is led by Liposted on its official website.

Normally, Chinese state-run Xinhua and CCTV report on leaders trips within hours.

Overseas Chinese affairs commentators said they believed that the delay of the state-run media report was a reflection that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) head Xi Jinping doesnt trust Li, and that Li might retire after his current term terminates in 2023.

Li was the CCP boss of central Henan Provincea major agricultural provinceand then northeastern Liaoning Provincea major industrial province. He was promoted to be a member of the Politburo Standing Committee in 2007 and then vice premier in 2008. He had once been seen as a potential future leader of China before being eclipsed by Xi in 2012.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping (L) and Premier Li Keqiang arrive for the opening ceremony of the rubber-stamp legislatures congress in Beijing, China, on March 5, 2016. (Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images)

Li Keqiangs Trip

Li had visited Hebi, Weihui, and Zhengzhou cities in Henan on Aug. 18, and hosted a conference in Zhengzhou on Aug. 19, in which he ordered the provincial government to rebuild the regions which were submerged during the floods and help the flood victims.

The two short videos that the State Council published contained more information than the report run on state-run media Xinhua.

One video recorded Lis visiting metro line 5 of Zhengzhou city, where the regime announced on July 27 that 14 people died in the flood on July 20. Many people in Zhengzhou believe the death toll must be higher.

In the two-minute-long video, Li asked for the water level of the flood when several hundred passengers had been trapped inside the tunnels for hours. He then ordered the city government to punish the related officials who didnt cut off the service when the floodwater started to enter the metro and didnt arrange the rescue in a timely manner.

After these heavy casualties  we should learn from it.  When theres a warning of special or extreme cases, the city should close and stop whatever should be closed and stopped, Li said.

The shut-down of services before disasters that Li mentioned also includes the highway tunnels inside the city, where hundreds of vehicles were inundated during the flood, with an unknown number of people dying inside.

An aerial view shows cars at the entrance of a tunnel after heavy rains hit the city of Zhengzhou in Chinas central Henan province on July 22, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Li also asked the cities to not only focus on surface construction, but also need to build the inside, such as the sewer system, disaster warning system, and buildings qualities.

In the other video that the State Council posted, Li visited villagers who tried to clean the flood water from their houses, and visited fields where crops were inundated by the flood and died.
Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint near the U.S. Embassy that was previously manned by U.S. troops in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 17, 2021. (AP Photo)

Stranded Afghans Delete Social Media as Taliban Seizes US Surveillance Equipment

Concerned that they could be targeted by Taliban online surveillance operations, U.S. Afghan allies are reportedly scrambling in droves to delete their social media profiles. Meanwhile, privacy advocates are raising concerns that the U.S. data program possibly inherited by the Taliban could lead to blowback threatening civil liberties in the United States.

The New York-based group Human Rights First announced on Aug. 16 that Taliban fighters had captured U.S. surveillance tools. Those devices, known as Handheld Interagency Identity Detection Equipment (HIIDE), were used by soldiers to scan the biometrics of Afghans to match fingerprints on improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and for other such forensic investigations.

We understand that the Taliban is now likely to have access to various biometric databases and equipment in Afghanistan, including some left behind by coalition military forces, the human rights group said in a statement. This technology is likely to include access to a database with fingerprints and iris scans, and include facial recognition technology.

The Human Rights First advisory included multilingual guides for Afghan allies on protecting their digital identities.

The warning corresponds with numerous reports of Afghans deleting their social media profiles. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reportedly circulated emails to its partners in Afghanistan advising them to remove photos and information that could make individuals or groups vulnerable.

Former U.S. Army prosecutor John Maher told The Epoch Times that this specific warning about the Taliban taking HIIDE equipment is probably overblown.

Maher, who worked with the Afghan biometrics program during his time as program manager of the Justice Center in Parwan, said that HIIDE devices are password-protected. And after a soldier uses the device and uploads the data at the central database, protocol says to wipe the device clean, according to Maher.

Even if [Taliban] can get into that device, theyll get an unclassified list of their own people, said Maher, who has also used Afghan biometric evidence in the successfulthough controversialcampaign to have President Donald Trump pardon a soldier convicted of killing civilians.

On the wider issue of the Taliban conducting surveillance operations to locate their enemies, Maher said he thinks they would have to be aided by more sophisticated governments such as China or Iran.

Im skeptical that Taliban are that sophisticated, said Maher, who also told The Epoch Times that hes been helping Afghan allies leave the country via his U.S.Afghan firm Misbah Maher Consultancy.

While the HIIDE devices may not pose a risk to Afghans, Taliban fighters have previously used biometric systems to target their enemies. In 2016, for example, they reportedly used a government database to check whether bus passengers were security force members, according to a 2016 TOLOnews report.

American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Klon Kitchen said the security risks posed by the abandoned U.S. surveillance equipment are just one of the many consequences of a sloppy U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

A proper withdrawal would have entailed deleting all digital files in U.S. facilities and servers in Afghanistan, destroying all computers and other physical equipment, and working with tech companies and social media platforms to protect Afghan identities, Klon said in his weekly newsletter.

Meanwhile, the biometric information collected on tens of millions of Afghans remains on U.S. government databases, to potentially be used by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies for investigations, according to Maher.

Its interagency data now, he said.

Officials with the Department of Defense (DoD) didnt respond to numerous Epoch Times inquiries about the status and security of the Afghan data, including whether any centralized databases remain in Afghanistan.

Societal Implications

More broadly, the DoDs biometrics program has sparked discussion about the role such technology should play in society.

Its nothing more complicated than fingerprint data, which is over 100 years old, Maher said of the concerns about government biometrics collection.

Proponents of biometric programs point to the crime-fighting benefits. Along with the countless cases solved by fingerprint collection, forensic experts have made breakthroughs on DNA analysishelping law enforcers solve mysteries such as the Golden State Killer case.

They also say that collecting biometric data on citizens allows governments to establish digital identitiesallowing people to more easily travel, open bank accounts, receive medical care, and access other social services.

Imagine a world where onboarding does not take five days but only four hours. Where to prove you are eligible to receive your UN pension, it only takes two minutes from the smartphone in the palm of your hand, compared to two months using the old regular post, a United Nations website stated, touting the U.N. Digital ID. The U.N. Digital ID is the same underlying engine that will power all these and many other use cases.

However, civil liberties and privacy advocates have raised concerns about governments using biometrics for repression.

In her book on the DoDs biometrics project, First Platoon, author Annie Jacobsen compared the Afghan program to the Chinese Communist Partys Physicals for All program foisted on the Uyghur Muslims in China.

In addition to the DNA samples, the Physicals for All program netted biometrics on 36 million Uyghur Chineseincluding iris scans, facial images, voice prints, and more, Jacobsen wrote.

Human rights groups are right to call this out, but they have yet to acknowledge that this Physicals for All program is modeled directly after the Pentagon program in Afghanistan.

Jacobsen argued that the Afghan program could come to the United States in the form of contact tracing and vaccine passport technology. She pointed out that Palantir, the same company that built software for the Afghan program, is now working with the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) to bring disparate data sets together and provide better visibility to HHS on the spread of COVID.

The argument that what is happening in Chinathat is, the mandatory data-banking of a whole populations biodata, including DNAcould never happen in America is an optimistic one, she wrote. The pandemic of 2020 has resulted in enthusiasm for government-led contact-tracing programs in the U.S., opening the door for military-grade programs to data-bank biodata of Americans.

Because disease lies at the center of this new threat, the reality that citizens DNA cell samples are of interest to the government is no longer science fiction.

Antiwar activist Scott Horton agreed with Jacobsens thesis, arguing that domestic blowback is the predictable consequence of overseas wars.

Just look at the Patriot Act: That was supposed to protect us from terrorists, and yet they use it all the time on everybody, he said.

This time, its conservatives who could be victims of the blowback as U.S. federal agencies ramp up their domestic surveillance activities, said Horton, editorial director of antiwar.com and author of Fools Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan.

You know, the people who supported the war are now taking the brunt, Horton told The Epoch Times.

Its the war on terror come home. Thats what always happens.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 27, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Texas AG Sues San Antonio School System Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate for Staff

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) over its decision to impose a vaccine mandate on staff as a condition of employment.

Paxtons complaint (pdf), filed on Aug. 19 at the District Court in Bexar County, Texas, seeks a temporary restraining order against a decision announced by SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez imposing a vaccine requirement for staff.

Citing rising infections and the spread of the Delta variant, Martinez wrote in an Aug. 16 letter to staff members that we strongly believe that the best path forward as a school district is to require all staff to become vaccinated against COVID-19. And the timing is now.

Staff members have until Oct. 15 to comply, Martinez said, with exemptions allowed on grounds of religion or having a qualifying disability that puts people at risk of side effects from the vaccine.

Paxton argued in the lawsuit that SAISD and Martinez, who is also named in the complaint, are deliberately violating state law by disregarding Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order banning vaccine mandates.

In flouting GA-38s ban on vaccination mandates, Defendants challenge the policy choices made by the States commander in chief during times of disaster, Paxton wrote. But the Texas Legislature made the Governornot some patchwork of county judges, city mayors, or superintendentsthe leader of the States response to and recovery from a statewide emergency.

The attorney general said in a statement that more lawsuits could follow.

If other governmental entities continue to blatantly disregard state law, I will sue every single one of them, Paxton said.

Abbotts executive order (pdf) prohibits any government entity, including a county, city, school district and public health authority and any public or private entity that is receiving or will receive public funds from enforcing mask or vaccine mandates.

The new Executive Order emphasizes that the path forward relies on personal responsibility rather than government mandates, Abbott said in a July 29 statement, adding that vaccines, which remain in abundant supply, are the most effective defense against the virus, and they will always remain voluntarynever forcedin the State of Texas.

Martinezs office didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

In announcing the mandate, Martinez cited updated guidance issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) confirming that employers can, with some restrictions, make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for employees.

The EEOC said employers would have to make reasonable accommodations for workers who cant or wont get vaccinated due to a medical condition, a religious belief, or pregnancy.

Federal EEO laws do not prevent an employer from requiring all employees physically entering the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19, so long as employers comply with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other EEO considerations, the EEOC said in the updated guidance.

In a statement accompanying the updated guidance, the commission said that laws that are outside the agencys purview might place additional restrictions on employers considering vaccine mandates.

Paxton argued in his complaint that the defendants argument that the EEOCs guidance permits the imposition of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate misses the mark, as the guidelines pertain to federal laws.

This guidance does not analyze relevant state laws, Paxton wrote, adding that this guidance does nothing to excuse Defendants violation of GA-38 because Plaintiffs claims are unrelated to the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, or any other EEO lawsrather, Plaintiff claims that Defendants have violated state law.

Paxtons lawsuit asks the court to grant a temporary restraining order that would prevent the enforcement of SAISDs vaccine mandate for as long as Abbotts order remains in effect.

A number of states have passed laws banning vaccine mandates, with a National Academy for State Health Policy tracker of state legislatures for such bills indicating that seven states have banned state worker vaccine requirements and five have prohibited private employer mandates.
San Diego border officers seized 2.8 tons of meth and fentanyl at Otay Mesa Commercial Facility, in California, on Aug. 5, 2021. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The Fentanyl Flood Into the US: Why Cant We Make It Stop?

Commentary

About 11 times every hour, about 250 times a day, an American citizen dies of a drug overdose. The most frequent culprit is fentanyl. The most popular mode of delivery is fentanyl-laced heroin, fentanyl mixed with cocaine, or illegally produced OxyContin pain pills containing fentanyl. And it isnt just hardcore addicts who are dying.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports overdose deaths skyrocketed to a mind-boggling 93,000 last year, a 29 percent increase over the previous year. The death rate is now so frightening that a bipartisan group, called Families Against Fentanyl, asked the president to declare the synthetic opioid an official weapon of mass destruction.

Think about this. Ninety-three thousand Americans dead in one year. Thats more than we lost during the entire Vietnam War. Thats more than the population of Santa Fe, New Mexico; Palo Alto, California; or St. Joseph, Missouri.

So, where is all this fentanyl coming from, why does it keep pouring into this country year after year, and why has the U.S. government been unable to stop it? The short answer to the first question is China, the same country that unleashed the COVID-19 virus upon the world.

But China is only a cog, albeit the largest one, in a far-flung supply network that seems impossible to disrupt. Laboratories in China produce fentanyl and ship the man-made poison to the United States via international mail. Our postal system tries to control the flow, but its an impossible task. Also, Chinese drug lords send large amounts of fentanyl to associates in Mexico and, to a lesser degree, Canada. Operatives then move the deadly product across the U.S.-Mexico border and, less frequently, across our northern border.

And now, according to a declassified government report, India is getting in on this most profitable business. Labs there produce fentanyl and ship it directly to both China and Mexico. Naturally, much of it ends up in U.S. cities and towns because, sadly, thats where the demand is.

Its clear China is the biggest player here. For years, Chinese leader Xi Jinping has given us lip service on his willingness to shut down his countrys illegal fentanyl factories. In 2017, the United States began to indict major Chinese manufacturers, but there is no indication the Chinese government ever arrested any of them.

Its also clear that the unprotected route through Mexico is a major contributor to the fentanyl flood into the United States. As U.S. Border Patrol agents are overwhelmed dealing with immigrantsmore than 212,000 of them in Julydrug mules find plenty of opportunity to slip through unpatrolled and unfenced border areas.

Our immigration policy, coupled with the almost unfettered flow of fentanyl, has turned Mexican drug lords into billionaires, if they werent already. Not only do the cartels make boatloads of money selling the opioid on American streets, but they also charge immigrants thousands of dollars in exchange for guaranteed safe passage to the U.S. border. Once here, many immigrants are intimidated into working the drug trade. A recent report from Customs and Border Patrol estimated that the cartels human traffickers made some $411 million just during the month of February. Thats more than $14 million a day.

So, wondering what can be done to stop the ever-increasing overdose death rate caused by fentanyl? The answers seem clear. First, clamp down on China with more trade sanctions. And, how about a strict embargo on all mail and packages from China (or Hong Kong) coming into the United States? That maneuver would cripple the Chinese economy and surely make Xi more cooperative in the fentanyl fight.

Next, seal our borders, especially the southern border with Mexico. Finish the wall or recruit legions more Border Patrol agents. Its only logical that if drug mules cant get into the United States, then neither can their lethal cargo. Something must be done, because the status quo is killing our children. It isnt acceptable.

This isnt about politics, or who started or stopped building the border wall. Please, lets get past that paralyzing mindset. This is about losing city-sized populations every single year. Doesnt that warrant an immediate and forceful reaction?

The governments primary role is to protect its citizens. The fentanyl death rate is an obvious tragedy in need of immediate attention.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Aidan in the hospital on June 12, 2021, two days after his second Pfizer vaccine. (Photo courtesy of Emily Jo)

Theres No Mild in Myocarditis

Teens experience acute heart inflammation post COVID vaccination

Emily Jo and her family, who live just outside of Atlanta, were as careful as they could be to avoid getting COVID-19. They social distanced, always wore masks, opted for virtual learning, and were very excited to get the vaccine as soon as it was available. Jo teaches English as a second language, science, and math classes online, mostly to students in China. Her husband is an engineer and an inventor. Jo, who asked The Epoch Times to not publish her last name, was aware that the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 could cause side effects, but she believed the benefits outweighed the risks. She felt strongly that getting vaccinated was the best and safest choice.

With an undergraduate degree in microbiology and biochemistry, Jo thought that she had done her research. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and her sons pediatrician all recommended the vaccine, and she trusted their judgment. So Jo took her 14-year-old son Aidan to get the first dose on May 12, as soon as it was approved for younger teens. And she posted about how relieved and happy she was to get the Pfizer vaccine for him on her Twitter account, which is @eekymom.

Aidan on May 5th, 2021 showing his vaccine card. (Courtesy of Emily Jo)

Then, almost a month later, Aidan received the second dose. On June 10, Aidan, an active, curious, straight-A student who wants to be a doctor, and his mother went to the drive-through vaccine clinic at the Jim R. Miller Park. Jo was handed some paperwork to sign before it was their turn but, she said, it all happened very fast and no one explained the risks, benefits, or options to them.

It was kind of like an assembly line, she said It definitely wasnt personalized care.

Two days later, Aidan, who has asthma, came into his parents bedroom at 4:30 a.m.

My chest hurts, he whispered to his mom. He was also having difficulty breathing. Aidan had actually been lying in pain for hours waiting for his mom to wake up because he didnt want to bother her. Jo still feels bad about that.

They went to the emergency room. The first thing she was asked by the triage nurse was if Aidan had been recently vaccinated. In fact, every doctor she spoke to at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, a hospital that specializes in pediatrics, confirmed that her son was having a bad reaction to the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

They knew, Jo said. They didnt try to attribute it to anything else.

Testing revealed that Aidan had elevated troponin levels. Troponin is a protein found in the heart that shouldnt normally be in the bloodstream. When it is, its an indication of damage to the heart, according to the Mount Sinai Health System. Aidan also had an abnormal electrocardiogram, the test which measures the hearts electrical activity.

He was swiftly admitted to a room on the acute cardiac floor, where he was hooked up to telemetry to monitor his heart. That first night, his troponin levels quadrupled, his mom said. Aidan was diagnosed with vaccine-induced myocarditis. He stayed in the hospital for four days, until his troponin levels stabilized.

He cant do physical activity, Jo said. Hes a freshman at a new school, and he has to sit on the sidelines.

She thought he was getting better, but more than a month after his ordeal, Aidan is still exhausted. Recently, the family went to the lake, and just floating in the water on a noodle and being paddled around by his cousins was too much.

People are led to believe with myocarditis that youre better in a few days. Thats not the case, Jo says. Theres no mild in myocarditis.

Heart Inflammation Post mRNA Vaccination

According to the CDC, since April, there has been an increase in reports of both myocarditis (heart inflammation) and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) after COVID-19 vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, particularly in adolescents and young adults, but not after the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The CDC has stated that these cases are occurring mostly in young men, ages 16 and older, with a typical onset of several days post-vaccination. Like with Aidan, cases are more common following the second dose of the mRNA vaccines. On their website, the CDC recommends that health care providers report any cases of myocarditis to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System and that doctors consider myocarditis and pericarditis in teens and young adults complaining of chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations.

The signal was strong enough that, on June 25, the FDA announced a change to Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine, as well as a change to information given to patients. The new fact sheets now include a warning about myocarditis and pericarditis.

However, after reviewing the risk of heart inflammation post-vaccination, the World Health Organizations Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GAVCVS) announced on July 9 that, despite a strong signal of myocarditis/pericarditis the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

The WHO doesnt recommend vaccination for children under 18 at this time.

Emily Jo and her son Aidan in 2019. (Photo courtesy of Emily Jo)

Children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults, the WHOs website reads. More evidence is needed on the use of the different COVID-19 vaccines in children to be able to make general recommendations.

At the same time, the CDC continues to recommend vaccination for every child older than 12 years of age.

The Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) is a passive surveillance system open to the public. The CDC has pointed out that VAERS is not designed to determine if a vaccine caused a health problem, but is especially useful for detecting unusual or unexpected patterns of adverse event reporting that might indicate a problem with a vaccine.

VAERS has seen an unprecedented number of reported injuries post-COVID-19 vaccination. The Epoch Times interviewed one emergency room doctor in Arizona, speaking on background, who said hes seeing two or three patients coming into the emergency room each day with vaccine-related injuries, but has never filed a single report, and prior to March 2020, he had never heard of VAERS.

Health care professionals arent paid to file such reports, the system is often down, and it can take up to an hour to file a report. Despite this, as of Aug. 6, there have been 595,620 domestic and nondomestic reports of adverse events following receipt of COVID-19 vaccines as of Aug. 13. This includes 4,861 reports of myocarditis/pericarditis, 5,882 reports of heart attacks, and 13,068 deaths.

But despite those unusually high numbers, Dr. Bose Ravenel, a retired integrative medical doctor based in North Carolina with 49 years of experience practicing pediatrics, believes that the real number of adverse events in tweens and teens, particularly of myocarditis and pericarditis, is grossly underreported.

The number of young people having heart events is much higher than whats being reported, and the severity and duration of these events is being downplayed, Ravenel said.

Luke Yamaguchi, a functional nutritionist based in Albany, Oregon, has been following the weekly VAERS COVID-19 updates and posting them on Facebook.

Deaths following COVID vaccination reported to VAERS now exceed the total number of deaths reported for all other vaccines combined over the past 30 years, Yamaguchi said. People will say VAERS cant prove causation, and thats true. But this is one of the biggest safety signals weve ever seen.

According to researchers at the University of London, 50 percent of these reports occurred within 48 hours of the vaccination, and 80 percent within one week. This strongly suggests a causal relationship, according to Ravenel.

Thats what happened to Jacob Clynick, age 13, a student at Zilwaukee Elementary School in Saginaw, Michigan. Clynick was vaccinated with the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in May and received his second dose at Walgreens on June 12. Clynick died just four days later, on June 16.

Clynicks aunt, Tami Burages, posted a photograph of her nephews COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card on Twitter.

The initial autopsy results (done Friday) were that his heart was enlarged and there was some fluid surrounding it, Burages wrote on Twitter.

Her tweet, which has since been removed, was screen captured by The Defender.

For Teens, Risk Outweighs Benefit, Doctors Say

Ravenel is so concerned about heart damage and other potential adverse effects post-vaccination that he argues adolescents shouldnt receive the vaccine.

The risk of some vaccine injury for children is substantially higher than any benefit, Ravenel said. In the case of the mRNA vaccines, the risk is unknown. Period. Thats not debatable. The data on which the EUA [Emergency Use Authorization] was granted was obtained over only sixty days. We dont know the long-term risks.

Dr. Jane Orient, executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, agrees.

The risk of a bad outcome with COVID [in teens and young adults] is very low, so risk of vaccination is likely greater, Orient wrote in an email. We do not and cannot know about the long-term effects: autoimmune diseases, infertility, heart failure, cancer, antibody-enhanced disease.

Like Ravenel, Orient is particularly concerned about the long-term outcomes for young people who experience post-vaccination heart inflammation, including fibrosis (scarring of the heart tissue), heart failure, and the need for a heart transplant.

It may be impossible to prove causality.  Some reactions may be too mild to produce symptoms yet lead to long-term damage, Orient said.

Dr. Charles Penick, an integrative family physician based in Los Angeles also argues that the vaccine may not be necessary for tweens and teens and may even end up doing more harm than good for adults as well.

My concern is that instead of reducing the number of coronavirus cases, the COVID vaccine may end up making things worse, Penick said.

Emily Jo said her husband and she had no complications from the Pfizer vaccine and are both grateful that they got it. But, despite having insurance, her family has thousands of dollars in medical bills, her son is unable to do strenuous physical activity, and shes worried about the possible long-term consequences of myocarditis. At the same time, her niece and nephew, as well as her neighbors children, who are all around the same age as Aidan, got such mild cases of COVID-19 that all they had were the sniffles.

What I know is that my kid got sick from this vaccine, Jo says. I dont know how sick he wouldve gotten from the virus, but I know this gave him myocarditis. I feel like I shouldve done more due diligence, not be one of the first to sign him up. The guilt is eating me alive.
Tropical Storm Henri in the Atlantic Ocean, on Aug. 20, 2021, at 11:40 a.m. EDT. (NOAA via AP)

Tropical Storm Henri Expected to Reach New England or Long Island as a Hurricane: NHC

Tropical Storm Henri is expected to be at or near hurricane strength before making landfall in southern New England or Long Island by late Sunday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Henri was over the Atlantic Ocean about 270 miles (435 km) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, at 8 p.m. EDT, and was moving northward up the East Coast near 7 mph (11 km/h), the NHC said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts.

A continued forward motion at a faster forward speed is expected through early Sunday, it added. Strengthening is forecast to occur during the next day or so, and Henri is expected to become a hurricane tonight or Saturday and be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in Long Island or southern New England.

Normally dry areas near the coast may be affected by flooding due to a combination of a storm surge and the tide, such that rising waters coming in from the shoreline can reach 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) in some areas, including in Queens and the north shore of Long Island, according to the NHC. The surge can reach 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, and Sagamore Beach.

Heavy rainfall of about 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 cm) on Sunday into Monday is also expected to bring some flash, urban, and small stream flooding over Long Island and New England.

Here are the 5 PM EDT August 20th Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Henri. Parts of the Hurricane Watch area has been updated to a Hurricane Warning for portions of Long Island and Connecticut. Latest Advisory: https://t.co/e0oWvm0XQT pic.twitter.com/xQvqFJoyy8  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 20, 2021

This storm is extremely worrisome, said Michael Finkelstein, police chief and emergency management director in East Lyme, Connecticut. We havent been down this road in quite a while and theres no doubt that we and the rest of New England would have some real difficulties with a direct hit from a hurricane.

Finkelstein said hes most concerned about low-lying areas of town that could become impossible to access because of flooding and a storm surge.

The Coast Guard urged boaters to stay off the water, saying in a statement: The Coast Guards search and rescue capabilities degrade as storm conditions strengthen. This means help could be delayed.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Troubles Mount for Pelosi, Moderates Go All-In Against Two-Track Strategy

Nine House Democrats are standing firm in their commitment to not consider Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) budget proposal before the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has long planned to pass the infrastructure bill and Sanders budget at the same time as part of what Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) calls President Joe Bidens two-track strategy. In an Aug. 12 letter to Pelosi, nine moderate Democrats called the bill a bipartisan victory for our nation and rejected this two-track approach. The letter concluded, We will not consider voting for a budget resolution until the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passes the House and is signed into law.

Pelosi originally responded to the efforts by the nineReps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Carolyn Bordeaux (D-Ga.), Filemon Vela (D-Texas), Jared Golden (D-Maine), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Vincente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Ed Case (D-Hawaii), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), and Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.)as amateur hour. But since then, the nine have stood strong in their commitment outlined in the letter and have been in negotiation with the Speaker and the White House.

The situation has intensified as several representatives have reiterated their commitment to not passing the budget before the infrastructure bill. This renewed resolve comes after news yesterday that moderate Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) were privately advising the nine representatives on these negotiations.

Case said, We must pass the $1 trillion Senate physical infrastructure package immediately and send it to the president without changing it and without linking it to the $3.5 trillion social infrastructure package.

Bordeaux urged that the situation be resolved quickly, warning that We cannot wait  time kills deals.

This is not to say that some of the nine do not plan to support the resolution.

Gottheimer said, We should first vote immediately on the bipartisan infrastructure package, send it to the presidents desk, and then quickly consider the budget resolution, which, I plan to support.

Vela said that the infrastructure bill should be brought to the floor for a vote and immediate passage next week for the presidents swift signature. He insisted that after that bill is passed, I will support a budget resolution and look forward to the negotiation of a reconciliation package.

But one signer, Schrader, is not giving the same assurances. He worries that the ambiguity of the reconciliation process would leave the bipartisan infrastructure package in limbo and lead to possible failure.

All nine House Democrats worry that tying the infrastructure bill together with the controversial budget will cause Republicans not to vote for it.

But the reticence of some to commit to voting for the budget is not a good sign for Pelosi. With a thinly united caucus of 220 seats against Republicans tightly-knit caucus of 212, Pelosi can spare no more than three nays from her party. Any more would put the vote at a 216-216 tie or outright rejection.

But House moderates are not the only ones attaching conditions to an aye vote. In an Aug. 11 press release by the Congressional Progressive Caucuswhich at 95 members is nearly half of all House Democratsthe left-leaning group said it will continue to stay focused on ensuring the passage of this bill before we can vote for the smaller bipartisan package sent over by the Senate.

With these commitments from the left and center, Pelosi lacks the votes for either bill to pass. Their renewed insistence today indicates that the moderates are not planning on relenting; but the progressives are unlikely to relent either, as they fear that the moderates in their party will vote against the budget resolution without the threat of not passing the infrastructure bill.

The attitudes towards both pieces of legislation by the different elements of the Democratic bloc speak to the fragility of the coalition. If neither the moderates nor the progressives agree to a compromise, it is likely that both bills will fail to reach the threshold for passage.
Evacuees from Afghanistan sit inside a military aircraft during an evacuation from Kabul, in this photo at undisclosed location on Aug. 19, 2021. (Staff Sgt. Brandon Cribelar/U.S. Marine Corps/Handout via Reuters)

UAE to Temporarily Host 5,000 Afghans at US Request

DUBAIThe United Arab Emirates has agreed to host 5,000 Afghan nationals to be evacuated from their country for 10 days on their way to a third country at the request of the United States, the Gulf Arab states foreign ministry said on Friday.

The evacuees will travel to the UAE from the Afghan capital of Kabul on U.S. aircraft in the coming days, the ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency WAM.

The foreign ministry told Reuters they would be hosted for 10 days.

The UAE has so far facilitated the evacuation of 8,500 people from Afghanistan on its aircraft and through its airports, it said.

The announcement came after U.S. officials told Reuters Washington was expected to announce that countries in Europe and the Middle East have agreed to temporarily shelter people evacuated from Kabul as its base in Qatar reached capacity.

A Qatari official told Reuters the Gulf Arab state was continuing our efforts to evacuate people from Afghanistan. Additional flights are scheduled during the upcoming days.

Bahrain will allow planes carrying evacuees to stop over in the kingdom as part of efforts to assist rescue operations in Afghanistan, the Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.

By Maher Chmaytelli & Alexander Cornwell
People disembark off a Royal Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft carrying evacuees from Afghanistan and arriving at Al-Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 19, 2021. (Giuseppe Cacace /AFP via Getty Images)

UK in Race to Evacuate Britons and Afghans as Biden Sets Rescue Deadline

The UK is in a race against time to help British nationals and supportive Afghans leave Afghanistan as the U.S. president suggested rescue missions must be completed within 10 days.

President Joe Biden, at a press conference on Friday, signalled U.S. efforts to rescue American citizens could wrap up at the end of the month, a move that is likely to present a similar deadline for British armed and diplomatic attempts to get people out of the country after the Taliban took control.

Asked whether the United States could get all Americans out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31, Biden told reporters: I think we can get it done by then, but were going to make that judgment as we go.

It comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would have to manage the consequences of the U.S. withdrawal from the central Asian country, a move which has come under fierce criticism this week.

Johnson, speaking on Friday after chairing an emergency government meeting about the Afghanistan situation, told broadcasters in Downing Street: We went into Afghanistan to support and help protect the United States.

So when the United States decides emphatically to withdraw in the way that they have, clearly, were going to have to manage the consequences.

He said 1,000 people had been repatriated to the UK on both Thursday and Friday, with most of them UK nationals or those who had assisted British efforts in Afghanistan.

According to The Times, Johnson feels let down by Biden over the way the United States has handled the withdrawal.

It has been suggested the president told G7 leaders at their meeting in Cornwall in June that he would keep critical U.S. enablers in Kabul following the U.S. exit from Afghanistan to ensure a Western presence could continue in the capital, according to a British diplomatic memo seen by Bloomberg.

British officials read the memo, issued before the Talibans lightning offensive across the country, as meaning enough security personnel would stay to ensure that the UK embassy in Kabul could continue operating, according to the news service.

Instead, the British embassy has been evacuated, Downing Street confirmed this week.

Biden defended the U.S. withdrawal, saying he had seen no questioning of our credibility from our allies around the world after speaking with Nato partners.

But Nato members had a message for Washington following a virtual meeting of foreign ministers on Friday, with the 30-nation group calling on the United States to secure Kabul airport for as long as it takes, even if that stretches beyond the evacuation of all American nationals.

The prime minister used conversations with allies on Friday to pursue his own diplomatic push for international partners to take a united front in dealing with the Taliban.

He and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte agreed any recognition of a new Afghan government should not happen on a unilateral basis, according to a Downing Street readout of their phone call.

Johnson hinted that the UK could be willing to work with the Taliban if necessary to find a solution after 20 years of military engagement.

Under the Talibans previous rule in Afghanistan, women were largely confined to their homes, television and music were banned, and public executions were held regularly.

The leaders of the movement have pledged more moderation this time, although reports of targeted killings in areas overrun by the Taliban have fuelled fears they will return Afghanistan to repressive rule.

Asked whether the militants were a regime he could potentially work with, Johnson said: I think its very important that we take people at face value. We hope that they mean what they say.

He added the insurgents would be judged on their actions, rather than their words.

The prime minister also backed the foreign secretarys handling of the Afghan crisis following calls for him to resign.

The Conservative Party leader said he absolutely had confidence in Dominic Raab after the Cabinet minister delegated a call to a junior minister about repatriating Afghan interpreters due to being on holiday on the Greek island of Crete.

By Patrick Daly
University of Virginia Disenrolls Students for Noncompliance With Vaccine Mandate

The University of Virginia (UVA) has disenrolled 238 students for failing to comply with the schools COVID-19 vaccine mandate, according to reports.

University spokesman Brian Coy told The Washington Post that 49 of the students disenrolled had actually registered for fall classes, meaning that a good number of the remaining 189 may not have been planning to return to the university this fall at all, regardless of our vaccination policy.

The schools policy requires all students who wish to live and study in person at UVA to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 during the 20212022 academic year.

Exemptions are allowed for medical or religious grounds, with the universitys news service reporting that, as of Aug. 18, the school has issued 335 permanent vaccine waivers and 184 temporary ones for students who faced difficulty getting vaccinated where they were living over the summer but who have indicated their intent to get the shot before resuming on-campus life and study.

University staff have repeatedly contacted students who havent submitted proof of vaccination to encourage them to get the shot or apply for an exemption, the UVA news service reported, adding that noncompliant students would be disenrolled.

So far, around 99.6 percent of UVA students have confirmed they are fully vaccinated, including 97.1 percent of students living in campus dorms, the UVA news service reported, while around 92 percent of the schools academic staff are fully vaccinated, including 96 percent of teaching and research faculty.

Unvaccinated students, including those with approved exemptions, must mask up and undergo regular COVID-19 testing.

If youre unvaccinated, we ask that you wear a mask at all timesindoors or outdoorswhenever youre around people, Coy told CNN. Anyone unvaccinated and has an exemption will have to test once a week, were starting once a week: That might go up.

In response to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, the school adopted an additional temporary policy earlier in August that requires everyone on campusregardless of vaccination statusto wear masks indoors at least through Sept. 6. Exceptions to the masking rule apply to people inside dorms and private housing, or when theyre alone in closed spaces such as offices. School officials hope to modify or lift the masking rule by Sept. 6.

During a virtual town hall on Aug. 11, UVA leaders expressed hope that the schools high vaccination rates would minimize the spread of the Delta variant.

We are in a much better and much different position than we were last year, primarily because of the vaccines and the extraordinarily high vaccination rate in our community, UVA President Jim Ryan said.

This means we can return in person to classes, activities, sporting events, and research labs as we have been planning to do in the fall semester, with the residential experiences that are at the heart of this university.

Vaccine mandates have become a hot-button issue, with advocates arguing theyre needed to prevent overloading hospital resources and to help protect vulnerable people and those who cant get the vaccine for medical reasons. Opponents tend to argue that mandates infringe on peoples right to make personal health decisions, that the emergency-use-authorized vaccines havent yet been fully approved by federal health authorities, along with concerns about side effects.

Conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA in July announced the launch of a campaign to oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates on the nations college campuses.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 749 campuses across the United States have imposed vaccine mandates.
The Supreme Court is seen in Washington on Sept. 21, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

US Supreme Court Intervenes in Remain in Mexico Case, Pauses Programs Revival

The U.S. Supreme Court on Aug. 20 temporarily blocked the reinstatement of the Remain in Mexico program, intervening just hours before President Joe Bidens administration would have had to restart the policy.

Justice Samuel Alito, a George W. Bush nominee, in a one-page order, stayed a ruling by a federal judge that was poised to go into effect on Aug. 21. That ruling would have forced the Biden administration to restart the Trump-era program, formally known as the Migrant Policy Protocols (MPP).

The Biden administration ended the program on June 1, triggering a lawsuit from the states of Texas and Missouri.

Alito issued the order after the U.S. government filed an emergency motion with the nations top court. He said he was blocking the lower court ruling so that the full Supreme Court could consider the application. He has asked the states that are challenging the Biden administrations reversal of the policy to respond to the administrations request by Aug. 24.

Without action, government lawyers had told the court, the government would be forced to abruptly reinstate a broad and controversial immigration enforcement program that has been formally suspended for seven months and largely dormant for nearly nine months before that.

MPP, developed to address illegal immigration, was centered around making many asylum-seekers wait in Mexico for their claims to be heard and included erecting new courts near the southern border to adjudicate the claims.

Texas state troopers complete paperwork after arresting illegal immigrants from Cuba for criminal trespass on a local ranch, at the Kinney County Sheriffs Office in Brackettville, Texas, on Aug. 8, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Homeland Security officials during the Trump administration said the program proved effective in alleviating the crushing pressure that asylum-seekers placed on immigration courts, and compelled some immigrants to go home rather than wait for their cases to come to a conclusion.

Homeland Security officials during the Biden administration have argued the program had serious flaws and didnt fit into Bidens desire to overhaul the immigration system into a more humane one.

The attorneys general for Texas and Missouri argued in their suit that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas failed to provide reasoned justification for the suspension of the program, which coincided with a jump in illegal immigrant encounters along the U.S.Mexico border.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, agreed, ordering the administration to revive the program, but staying his ruling until Aug. 21 to provide time for appeal.

Before Alitos ruling, a panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit on Aug. 19 rejected the governments arguments, finding that the ending of the program has caused an increase in unlawful immigration in Texas and that Mayorkas did fail to consider several relevant factors, including the benefits of MPP and potential alternatives to the program.

The panel consisted of Judges Jennifer Elrod, a George W. Bush nominee; Andrew Oldham, a Trump nominee; and Cory Wilson, a Trump nominee.
Afghans gather on a roadside near the military part of the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 20, 2021. (Photo by Wakil Kohsar/AFP via Getty Images)

US Tells Americans to Avoid Traveling to Kabul Airport Because of Potential Security Threats

Americans in Afghanistan were told Saturday not to go to the airport in Kabul to evacuate unless they receive a specific message to do so.

Because of potential security threats outside the gates at the Kabul airport, we are advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to the airport and to avoid airport gates at this time unless you receive individual instructions from a U.S. government representative to do so, the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan said in an alert.

Pentagon officials in Washington declined to elaborate on the potential threats.

They also said that the airport was secure, if Americans can reach it.

I did not say you should come. What I said was, our military forces at the gate have the ability to continue to process those that come to the gate, Army Major Gen. Hank Taylor told reporters on Saturday morning.

The alert, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby added, was a prudent notification aimed at making sure Americans in Afghanistan have the best information they need to make the best decision moving forward.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Video footage from the exterior of the airport on Saturday showed crowds remaining outside the concrete, razor wire-topped walls being guarded by U.S. troops.

President Joe Biden told Americans in Washington on Friday that his administration had no indication that Americans werent able to get to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.

Weve made an agreement with the Taliban. Thus far, theyve allowed them to go through, he said.

He later said he misunderstood the question and that Americans may be getting into trouble after being let through Taliban checkpoints.

But the Department of Defense, about an hour later, acknowledged being aware of reports that Taliban terrorists had been beating Americans in Afghanistan.

Thousands of Americans are estimated to remain in the country after the United States withdrew most troops and the Taliban pummeled Afghan forces.

The Taliban took over Kabul on Aug. 15.

Soldiers assigned to 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division escort evacuees to the terminal for check-in during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 20, 2021. (Lance Cpl. Nicholas Guevara/U.S. Marine Corps via AP)

A group of Afghan evacuees departs on a bus at Ramstein Air Base, Germany on Aug. 20, 2021. (Senior Airman Jan K. Valle/U.S. Air Force via AP)

Taliban terrorists stand guard in front of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

Members of Congress from both parties have been critical of how the United States conducted the withdrawal, with many wondering why civilians werent evacuated before the military largely pulled out.

Now, Americans, Afghans, and others seeking to flee the country must brave the Taliban-held streets to reach the airport, with little to no help from troops from the United States or other nations, though some special forces have reportedly conducted targeted rescue missions by helicopter and U.S. troops went outside the airport to rescue 169 people.

Americans were encouraged to leave Afghanistan earlier this year and urged to do so as the Taliban rapidly gained ground this month.

Those who chose to stay have been receiving changing advice from U.S. officials regarding travel to the airport.

The U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan told Americans on Aug. 15 to shelter in place because of the unstable security situation there.

That directive remained active until Aug. 18, when Americans were told that U.S. government flights were departing from the airport but also informed that the government could not ensure safe passage to the facility.

A similar message was promoted on Thursday, with another warning.

We are processing people at multiple gates. Due to large crowds and security concerns, gates may open or close without notice. Please use your best judgment and attempt to enter the airport at any gate that is open, U.S. citizens were told.
Victor Li: A Gentleman and a Scholar

This is Victor Lis fifth time entering the NTD TV International Classical Chinese Dance Competition. For most aspiring classical Chinese dancers, this competition is a rite of passage, one chaired by many of the same artists who helped put this 5,000-year-old art form on the map worldwide.

I dont think Ill enter again, added Li, a dancer with the renowned Shen Yun Performing Arts. After all, he is already a member of the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company, and the competition is for Li mostly a chance to face himself.

Purpose

Li was born in Thailand and grew up in Canada, with little exposure to classical Chinese dance, or traditional Chinese culture at all. But his older brother had pursued classical Chinese dance as a career and made it into New York-based Shen Yun. Li would visit his brother in America from time to time, and through those visits become fascinated with the dynamic flips and dramatic stories from ancient Chinese classics like Journey to the West and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Slowly but surely, Li immersed himself in these stories and followed his brothers footsteps to become a dancer.

Portrait of Victor Li, on the campus of Northern Academy of the Arts in Middletown, N.Y., on Aug. 9, 2021. (Larry Dye)

I didnt know how tired I was going to be, he said with a laugh. Before he tried out for dance school, he had never been particularly physically active, Li said. The stamina needed for a dancers daily routine (filled with dance, stretches, and more dance) felt out of reach at first. His brothers professional colleagues had made it all look so effortless.

With time, effort, and perseverance, Li caught up. The movements became more natural as his strength and stamina increased, and he was soon to learn that dance was more than just physical.

The first time [I entered the competition], I didnt even make it past the school round of selections, Li said. He was attending Fei Tien Academy of the Arts, the school that trains Shen Yun performers, and he signed up for the competition simply because most students do. He hadnt thought much of it when he put his hat in the ring.

But when he didnt make the cutI kind of cried, Li recalled. I ran out of the theater, really depressed.

His teacher stopped him in the hallway and gave him sage words of advice: Failure was part of the process, and every artist must contend with it. And Li for the first time faced his reason for failure. I had been copying my brothercompletely copying, he said. He danced because his brother danced, and even picked the same character and story for his competition piece as the one his brother used in a previous year. He hadnt given serious thought to his own reason for pursuing the art, not yet tying all his hard work to personal purpose. He had assumed he could do well just by going through the motions, even though he hadnt committed his heart and spirit to it.

After that, Li made a big change. He had pushed himself so hard to learn classical Chinese dance so that he could join Shen Yun, not just to dance and perform, but to take on Shen Yuns mission of showing the authentic 5,000 years of Chinese culture, he said. Chinese culture helped me to improve so much, that I want to help spread it to other people, to help others.

The Joyful Scholar

The personal epiphany did not transform Li into a top dancer overnight.

The second time [I entered the competition], I got cut in the preliminaries, Li said. But on his third attempt, he won Bronze, and on his fourth, Silver. This year, regardless of the result, it will be his last. Im not aiming to get gold or anything, just that I want to do better than I did last time.

One of the changes Li made after he stopped copying his brother was take on scholar-type characters. Since dancers must prepare a dance of their choosing to perform in the competition, some choose to depict well-known stories or figures, others dramatize a story of their own creation. Many of the characters men choose to portray in classical Chinese dance fall under two characters, martial types and scholar types, Li explained. The scholars are gentlemanly characters who embody Confucian principles. There is a lighthearted curiosity and pursuit of wisdom in these scholarly characters that Li is drawn to, and he chose such a character for his competition piece this year.

Its a lighthearted cultivation story, Li explained. His character is a novice archerchosen because Li himself enjoys archery as a hobbyand hes eager to try out his new bow, despite his lack of skill. A Taoist master passing by watches him before asking for the bow, and demonstrating his great skill, and the novice archer begs the Tao master to teach him.

Shen Yun Performing Arts dancer Victor Li in a dance depicting a Chinese scholar, his favorite kind of character. (Edward Dye)

I read a story before called Jichuan Learns to Shoot. That story made me think about having a different mindset of how we practice, Li said. This ancient story taught me if you improve your spiritual side, your mindset, a lot of other things improve too.

In the story Li made up, when the Taoist master finally agrees to take on the novice archer, he first teaches him to meditate, before he teaches him how to shootand it makes a world of difference. The ability to focus and the ability to see things in a different way helps this novice archer more than if he had done nothing but practice shooting arrows all day. Li says his own journey in dance has had parallels toomindset is everything.

If I have the right mindset, if Im positive, that actually does affect me physically, Li said. Dancers have a physically demanding schedule, and if all he thinks about is that hes tired, he wont feel anything other than the tiredness that is on top of his mind. Conversely, when he meets the day with a positive attitude, he improves both himself and his environment, whether that is the classroom, or the theater.

On stage, Li is thinking first and foremost about giving the audience something that is both entertaining and enlightening. Classical Chinese dance is famous for its expressiveness, with a great focus on the artists inner feelings and the transmission of that feeling into motion. Shen Yuns dancers are especially adept at this, because they put into practice the idea of having the body lead the arms, and the hips lead the legs, thus elongating a dancers limbs on stage and having every move begin from the bodys center. With this method, their movements are grander, clearer, and more expressive on stage. What Li seeks to express is something universally uplifting, and that may be one reason he gravitates towards these scholarly characters. I try to [show] an inner happiness; thats my ideal of the Chinese scholars, Li said.

I think I started liking dancing after I started dancing on stage, Li said. Until there is an audience, everything is merely training and rehearsal. On stage, in front of thousands of people, I felt like: Wow, Im actually doing something that can help and affect the audience. At that time, you feel like youre dancing and youre doing something good, and its going to have an effect on the world.

The competition finals can be streamed on NTD.com on Sept. 5 from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time), and the awards ceremony will begin at 7 p.m.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (C) speaks at a news conference following the announcement that a man in Washington state is the first known person in the United States to catch a new type of coronavirus that officials believe originated in China, in Shoreline, Wash., on Jan. 21, 2020. (Carla K. Johnson/AP Photo)

Washington State Employee Says Gov. Jay Inslees Vaccine Mandate is Demoralizing

A Washington state government worker said Gov. Jay Inslees vaccine mandate announcement was the last straw in a steady decline of morale within his department.

On Aug. 9, Inslee, a Democrat, stated that all state workers, onsite contractors, and volunteers must get one of the three vaccines that allegedly protect against COVID-19 by Oct. 18, or be terminated.

This requirement, according to Inslee, also applies to teleworking state employees, and employees in private health care and long-term care settings.

The mandate was updated on Aug. 18, to include vaccination requirements for employees working in K-12 schools, childcare and early learning environments, higher education, as well as the expansion of statewide mask mandates to all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, beginning on Monday.

Now that the school year is imminent, the pandemic disease levels are extremely high and are exploding across our state unfortunately, Inslee said in a press conference on Aug. 18.

The mandates are being implemented to prevent business and school lockdowns, Inslee said.

We are fortunatewe are blessedto have two tools that are effective, that are safe, that are available to essentially almost everyone in the community, and we should use them: Those are masks and vaccines, Inslee said.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be a safety requirement as a condition of employment for the state of Washington, Inslee said.

Inslee also contributed to President Joe Bidens and other government officials pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated narrative claiming that the recent surge of COVID-19 cases is the fault of the unvaccinated.

I know this will frustrate some vaccinated folks who thought they wouldnt have to do this anymore, Inslee said. There are not enough people vaccinated.

Despite being fully vaccinated, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Angus King (I-Maine), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said on Thursday that they had tested positive for COVID-19.

On Aug. 18, President Joe Biden announced that nursing home facilities nationwide must mandate vaccines if the facilities expect to keep getting Medicare and Medicaid funding.

The three COVID-19 vaccinations have been authorized under emergency use authorization.

The King County state employee, who said he didnt want to give his name to avoid retaliation, said, though he loves his job, hes watched the morale of his co-workers steadily decline as restrictions carried on until this.

There are a lot of people considering quitting, he said. This is a health care decision that no one has the right to force on you.

Whether he would quit or not, he said that he will refuse to get vaccinated based on religious grounds.

He added that having someone jamming it down your throat doesnt motivate him to get the vaccine, either.

Its come down to this, he said. The bottom line is that Jay Inslee took an oath of office, and he has violated that oath of office by doing what he is doing. He has violated not only the oath of office, but the Washington State Constitution, as well as the Constitution of the United States, and should be removed from office.
Chesa Boudin (L), Leif Dautch (center), and Nancy Tung (R) deliver their platforms for the office of San Francisco district attorney on Sept. 4, 2019. (Nancy Han/NTD)

Will San Francisco Recall Radical District Attorney Boudin?

Commentary

Chesa Boudin, San Franciscos radical district attorney, could face a recall later this year. According to Ballotpedia, after an initial recall effort failed, A second recall effort was started on April 28, 2021, by a group called the San Franciscans for Public Safety. Organizers have until October 25, 2021, to gather the same number of signatures (51,325) in order to move the recall forward.

Boudin is no ordinary American radical lawyer who picked up Cultural Marxism from his leftist college professors.

Older Americans might remember when terrorists set off scores of bombs in Americas cities five decades ago. The majority of the perpetrators were home grown, usually members of the Weathermenlater renamed the Weather Underground to be less sexist.

A Rand Corp. report on the 1970s found 1,470 incidents of terrorism unfolded within the nations borders and 184 people were killed.  By the mid-1970s, terrorist bombs were being set off in the country at an average rate of 50 to 60 a year.

Although the terrorist attacks tapered off in the 1980s, in 1981 Weather Underground leader Kathy Boudin participated in the robbery of a Brinks armored car in Nanuet, New York, that killed two police officers and a security guard. She was convicted, but paroled in 2003.

Then she became a professor at Columbia University. Its impossible that a neo-Nazi convicted murderer would become a professor at a university. Yet she did because she was a leftist, not a rightist. Wonder no more why our universities turn out radical leftist, anti-American graduates.

Her son Chesa Boudin was a year old when she committed murder. He grew up raised by two other convicted leftist terrorists, Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn. Ayres bombed the Pentagon, the U.S. Capitol, and the New York City Police Department. He was caught, but got off due to FBI misconduct. Ayers later became an adviser to a young Barack Obama and an education professor who advanced radicalism in the schools.

Dohrn was independently sent to prison for seven months, but only for refusing to testify against a fellow terrorist. She became a professor at the Northwestern University School of Law.

Compare the treatment of these leftist terrorists to the Jan. 6 protesters at the U.S. Capitol. Most at worst should have been charges with misdemeanor trespassing and let out on bail.

Back in San Francisco, Chesa Boudin ran on ending mass incarceration and deemphasized such quality of life crimes as shoplifting and car theft. Thanks to funding by George Soros and other leftist billionaires, in 2019 he was elected. It was close. He garnered 50.8 percent of the vote to the 49.2 percent of Suzy Loftus, a career prosecutor, in the citys controversial ranked-choice voting system. The difference was 2,840 votes.

The result: Reports of vehicle break-ins are up by between 100 percent and 750 percent in parts of San Francisco, reported Fox News in July. The number of thefts from vehicles reported citywide in the month of May was more than double, from 923 in 2020 to 1,891 the same month in 2021, San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) data shows.

ABC 7 News reported also in July: Target has now acknowledged that San Francisco is the only city in America where they have decided to close some stores early because of the escalating retail crime. Walgreens has already closed several stores for the same reason.

Fox News in August: The city reported 119 shootings, both fatal and non-fatal, for the first six months of 2021, compared to 58 in the first half of last year.

This is the same radicalism advanced by Mayor Bill de Blasio in New York City, soon leaving office, and Los Angeles County D.A. George Gascon, who also faces a recall.

Of course, much of the mayhem has resulted from the disturbances after George Floyd died in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020 while in the hands of police. Officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder on April 21, 2021.

But the solution to the problem of police misconduct is not to turn criminals loose or defund the police. The victims in San Francisco and other cities are overwhelmingly the poor, especially minorities.

The solution comes from New York City, where former police officer Eric Adams is running to replace the discredited de Blasio. Adams currently is the president of Brooklyn Borough. In the 1990s, when Rudy Giuliani was mayor and cut crime, Adams worked with the citys new computerized crime-fighting system. But he also fought bad police behavior as a founder of the reform group 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care.

As he told New York Magazine of the defund the police movement: Now, this is really being led by a different demographic. There are a lot of young white affluent people who are coming in and setting the conversation.

He added: When you start defunding, hey, the cop is no longer on your corner. That cop is no longer in your lobby. That cop is not standing outside when you leave your Broadway play. And I have never been to an event where the people were saying we want less cops. Never.

A Democrat, his election against the token Republican opposition is in November. By the end of this year, we should have some indication of which direction American cities are going: Boudins turn-the-criminals-loose approachor Adams reforms that strengthen both police responsibility and protection.
Wisconsin Leaders React to Afghan Refugees Coming to the State

There are more questions than answers about the likely thousands of Afghans who are coming to Wisconsin.

The Pentagon on Tuesday said 22,000 Afghan refugees will be sent to military bases in Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin base is Fort McCoy.

Gov. Evers said he will welcome the Afghans.

Just as they protected us in serving our country and helped keep our troops safe, we owe it to them to protect and keep them safe, the governor said in a statement.

No one knows just how many refugees will end up in Wisconsin. And no one knows for sure where they will go after arriving at Fort McCoy.

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) says he has concerns about what we dont know.

I am deeply disturbed by reports that as many as 5,000 Afghans per day are headed to the United Statesmany without valid visas or even basic identity documents. Biden administration officials have said they plan to transport many of these individuals to Fort McCoy in Wisconsinbut have declined to elaborate on how many will come, what screening will be carried out prior to arrival, or what will happen after they land here, Tiffany said.

Tiffany also said he is worried about a catch and release policy that will allow Afghan refugees to essentially walk away from Fort McCoy after they arrive.

Derrick Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL and Republican candidate for Congress in western Wisconsin, said the Biden Administration must answer basic questions after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Biden administration needs to answer the following questions: what processes will be used to ensure that every foreign national entering our state is a former ally? What is the long term plan for the refugees that will be granted asylum? And most importantly, what will be done with the Afghans that are found to have worked with the Taliban? Will they be interned in Guantanamo, or deported back to Afghanistan? Van Orden asked.

Van Orden said there are thousands of Afghans who worked alongside U.S. troops, including some that he worked with personally, who deserve protection in the United States. But he also said the lack of answers from Washington is alarming.

No one is saying just when the Afghans will arrive at Fort McCoy. Commanders have said they are prepared to receive the refugees at any moment.

By Benjamin Yount
North Korean defector and human rights activist Yeonmi Park, author of "In Order to Live," in New York on Aug. 17, 2021. (Brendon Fallon/NTD)

Yeonmi Park: CCP Responsible for Tragic Dictatorship in North Korea

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is responsible for the tragedy in North Korea and the latter couldnt function without them, according to North Korean defector, Yeonmi Park.

In an interview with EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program, Park, who is the author of In Order to Live: A North Korean Girls Journey to Freedom, said the CCP has played, and continues to play, a huge role in enabling dictatorship within her home country.

Without China, Kim Jong Un [could] never exist, Park said. And the only reason that North Korea lasted this long, almost eight years at this point, is because of the CCP.

"How do you fight to be free when you don't know youre a slave?" North Korean defector @YeonmiParkNK on communist tyranny in #NorthKorea, parallels she sees w/ whats happening in America & the "suicide of Western civilization." Watch on @EpochTVus: https://t.co/UCSQN5F3HY pic.twitter.com/icKTJ74rqg  Jan Jekielek (@JanJekielek) August 19, 2021

Without China, North Korea cannot function even one day, even when talking about missile tests. North Korea doesnt have oil, Kim Jong Un cannot even drive his Benz [Mercedes Benz] one day without China giving them oil, so how do you test nukes if you dont get any oil from them? You dont.

And this is the thing, people dont know who is actually responsible for this tragedy; its China. And of course, Kim Jong Un is responsible partially but when it comes to accountability, Chinas way, way bigger, they are enabling this dictatorship.

Park spoke of the brainwashing tactics used to oppress the North Korean people, including starvation, torture, and systematic rape along with limited education.

Theres a thing in North Korea, as an average person, you eat the lunch, but then you worry about dinner. You worry about dinner, how am I going to find dinner? When you find a dinner, youre going to be like, okay, I made it one day, but how am I going to survive tomorrow?

We dont know if were going to find food for tomorrow or not. So every single minute of your existence, youre worrying about your survival, worrying about finding food. So when youre worrying about your own survival every single minute, youre not going to think about what is freedom? Whats the meaning of life?

We dont question anything, were so desperate and so thats why its so easy for the regime to control the population when theyre so weak, and so desperate, they have no time for thinking about anything other than just surviving and finding food. In a way, it is [a] very effective way to control the population, but it is a torture.

Being starved is worse than being raped, it is the worst form of torture you can experience and thats how the regime is using this starvation as a tool, to control its millions and millions of North Koreans in this 21st century.

Park also noted that a huge number of North Koreans have escaped the country and fled to China but many of them face further torture and limited freedom even after fleeing, with a huge number of women being sex trafficked.

At this point, there are about 300,000 North Koreans hiding in China. Most of them are women and all of them being trafficked literally, 99 percent of them are, Park explained.

The thing is, North Koreans are not recognized by the Chinese government as refugees. They call us fugitives, so they try to catch us and then send us back to North Korea, which is like catching Jews and sending them back to concentration camps. Its a crime against humanity.

Park pointed out parallels between her own experiences in North Korea and what she now sees in America, particularly during her time studying at Columbia University.

The author noted that, much like in North Korea, Americas education system has adopted a specific ideology when it comes to teaching the history of the country, which she deems the suicide of Western civilization.

In every single class, the conclusion is that the American Foundation is [bigoted], the foundation, the constitution is like bigotry and racist and white supremacist. The only way we can do this again, is by tearing down every single thing that we have, and we build up whatever the paradise they are describing, Park said.

And this is being implanted by every single person going to Columbia. And it didnt matter if it was the evolution class the conclusion was about the side of the white mans aggression.

So it was just so heartbreaking that academia could not be [separated] from this ideology. Its not about discovering the truth. Its all about being politically correct. And its just heartbreaking, seeing the suicide of Western civilization.

Katabella Roberts
NORWALK  Schools will use masks, three-feet social distancing, and plenty of air filters to try and keep students in-person every day of the upcoming school year, according to officials.

Superintendent Dr. Alexandra Estrella and her team presented the school districts plans for a safe return to school on Thursday during an hourlong webinar. The public school system is entering a third academic year of learning during a pandemic. School starts on Aug. 30.

Were in a much better place this year given what weve learned and take those learning experiences to apply to this year so we can have a successful year and we can provide our students the opportunity to be in person as much as possible, Estrella said.

The district outlined at least a dozen mitigation strategies in place to reduce the risk of COVID-19 for students and staff, including two already mandated at the state level.

Shortly before the webinar began, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that all staff at Connecticuts K-12 schools would be required to be fully vaccinated or undergo weekly testing for COVID-19. Norwalk is still collecting the data on what percentage of its staff is already vaccinated and determining what data can be made public.

A previous executive order required masks be worn inside all K-12 buildings regardless of vaccination status through at least Sept. 30.

Right now, there is very little wiggle room because the mandate is that we wear masks indoors and within school buildings, said Sandra Faioes, assistant superintendent of business and operations for Norwalk Public Schools, reiterating that they will follow guidelines set by the state and the city.

Many of the strategies will look similar to what the district had in place last year when students returned to school buildings in the spring. In addition to mask-wearing, students will be socially distanced three feet apart in classrooms, when feasible, and six feet apart when eating.

The when feasible is also meant for us to not exclude children from school, Faioes said. Its better for us to actually do everything possible to manage the distance but have everybody in one classroom with a teacher, back to the model that we know is the most effective model.

Masks will be required on bus transportation and students will be assigned seating on the buses. Lockers will be in use, but school principals are making sure a row of lockers isnt assigned to students from one cohort that would cause bunching.

Recess will return to whole grade levels being let out at the same time rather than by cohort, and field trips will be permitted again while still following building guidelines such as mask wearing, social distancing and handwashing.

Visitors during school hours will be limited to service providers only. Social gatherings during school hours will not be allowed, but some events such as Student Governance Councils and Parent Teacher Associations may be allowed after hours while still offering a virtual option. People coming into the school regularly will also have to show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test.

Outdoor social events will be allowed, and the schools will provide supports to keep people safe and healthy.

While the goal is to keep everyone in-person, students and teachers may need to quarantine if theyre unvaccinated or vaccinated and showing symptoms of COVID-19. Students with medical complications or with vulnerable family members, dependent on a doctors note, can consult with their school administrators and nurses about homebound instruction.

Robert Pennington, assistant superintendent of schools, also made specific note of the districts plans to provide social and emotional supports for students, especially those who havent been in school for more than 16 months. Daily social and emotional learning will be embedded into all classes and tiered support from school counselors, social workers, and psychologists will be provided for all students.

I know that COVID has not been an easy process for any of us, and I know people are exhausted. I think that makes it more challenging this year for us as we continue to immerse our path forward in this new year, Estrella said. But I see light at the end of the tunnel. ... There is no better place for our children to learn than in our school buildings with our teachers alongside the different providers.

emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  At nearly every community meeting on firefighting efforts in the U.S. West, residents want to know why crews dont simply put out the flames to save their homes and the valuable forests surrounding them.

It's not that simple, wildfire managers say, and the reasons are many, some of them decades in the making and tied to climate change. The cumulative result has been an increase in gigantic wildfires with extreme and unpredictable behavior threatening communities that in some instances didn't exist a few decades ago.

How do we balance that risk to allow firefighters to be successful without transferring too much of that risk to the public? said Evans Kuo, a Type 1 incident commander assigned to the nations biggest and most dangerous wildfires. I wish it wasn't the case, but it's a zero-sum game.

More than 20,000 wildland firefighters are battling some 100 large wildfires in the U.S West. Their goal is containment, meaning a fuel break has been built around the entire fire using natural barriers or manmade lines, often created with bulldozers or ground crews with hand tools.

Estimated containment dates for some wildfires now burning aren't until October or November.

___

WHY SO LONG?

A big concern is safety. Kuo said residents sometimes plead with him to send firefighters into areas where he knows they could get killed.

Thats a deal-breaker, he said on a day off after 18 straight days of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. shifts on a wildfire in Washington state. Im not putting people at risk.

Actually putting out these large fires, or labeling them controlled, will require cold weather combined with rain or snow, weeks away for many states.

I'd say pray for rain because that's the only thing that's going to get us out of this fire season," Idaho's state forester, Craig Foss, told Republican Gov. Brad Little and other state officials this week during a discussion of the wildfire season.

___

HAVE WILDFIRES CHANGED?

Kuo has been fighting wildfires for 30 years with the U.S. Forest Service, spending the first part of his career as a frontline firefighter with groundcrews, the backbone of any effort to stop a wildfire. At the time, wildfires of 150 square miles (390 square kilometers) were uncommon. Now blazes reach fives times that size and more, getting large enough to create their own weather.

Thats kind of redefining what the new normal is, said Kuo. We get these megafires."

___

IS WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION IN THE PAST PLAYING A ROLE NOW?

For much of the last century, firefighters had been mostly successful at suppressing wildfires in ecosystems that evolved to rely on wildfire. Early on, firefighters benefitted from forests that had already been periodically cleared of brush and debris by wildfires that could move through every couple decades. But with fire suppression, experts say, that brush and debris accumulated to where now, wildfires can ladder up into the branches and into the crowns of large trees, creating the giant wildfires that kill entire swatches of a forest.

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HOW HAS DROUGHT IMPACTED WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION?

On top of fire suppression have been several decades of drought that studies link to human-caused climate change. That's exacerbated by this years hot and dry weather, leading to historically low moisture contents in forests that have become tinder-dry.

Our protection districts are seeing far warmer and dryer than normal conditions creating historically dry fuels, said Dustin Miller, director of the Idaho Department of Lands.

Those dry fuels allow wildfires to spread more quickly. On big fires, embers can shoot out to start spot fires on the other sides of natural barriers such as rivers. Sometimes spot fires can put firefighters at risk of being trapped by flames in front and behind them.

Miller said the state is likely facing $100 million in costs to fight fires this year on land the state is responsible for protecting, which is mostly state forests but also includes some federal and private forests.

___

WHAT ABOUT DISEASE AND INSECT INFESTATION?

Disease and bug infestations in trees whose defenses have been weakened by drought have led to forest-wide epidemics that have killed millions of trees in the U.S. West. Those dead trees, called snags, become fuel for wildfires while at the same time posing increased danger to firefighters who can be hit by falling branches or the unstable trees themselves.

___

ARE MORE HOMES IN WILD AREAS AN ISSUE?

Homes built in what firefighters call the wildland-urban interface pose special problems for firefighters, typically tying up many firefighters on structure protection rather than have them actively engaging a wildfire.

We base our strategy and tactics on protecting values at risk, Kuo said. Homes, subdivisions, communications towers, gas pipelines, railways and roadways, transmission lines.

He said homes built with defensible space helps. More people in forested areas, as well as people recreating, has led to more human-caused wildfires. The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise says humans cause about 87% of all wildfires each year.

___

ARE THERE ENOUGH FIREFIGHTERS?

The nation has just more than 20 Type 1 response teams to handle the nation's biggest wildfires fires, and Kuo and his colleagues on those teams, like just about every other firefighting position this year, are in short supply.

He and his crew agreed to work longer than their 14-day shift on the Washington fire to make sure another Type 1 crew would be available.

Another problem is lengthening wildfire seasons mean many seasonal firefighters leave for school well before wildfire season ends.

Josh Harvey, fire management bureau chief for the Lands Department, said about 30% of the state's firefighters head back to school. Overall, Harvey said there have been widespread shortages of firefighters, fire engines and logistical support, and the state can no longer rely on help from neighboring states or federal partners.

There have even been occasional shortages of jet fuel for retardant bombers in some states.

Weve never seen anything like it before, Harvey said. We are living and making fire history right now.
AMARILLO, Texas (AP)  A man was fatally shot by Amarillo, Texas, police after opening fire on officers who approached him while looking for a different man on felony drug charges, police said Saturday.

George Michael Mireles, 34, died at a hospital where he was taken following Friday's shooting at an apartment complex, Police Chief Martin Birkenfeld said in a statement.
Chiang Mai may delay tourism reopening until October

CHIANG MAI: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has revealed that Chiang Mai may have to postpone the start of its tourism reopening program, from next month to October, due to vaccination concerns.

tourism

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 21 August 2021, 09:30AM

Photo: NNT

TAT Deputy Governor Thanet Phetsuwan said the provinces "Charming Chiang Mai" tourism program may need to be postponed because COVID-19 vaccination has not yet covered 70% of its population, reports state news agency NNT.

The reopening plan is, however, 80% ready to welcome foreign visitors.

He said TAT officials will meet Chiang Mai provincial governor Charoenrit Sanguansat on Tuesday to ask him to complete the rest of the plan at a later date, to be proposed by the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

Mr Thanet added that Chiang Mais tourism reopening program will not be the same as Phukets or Koh Samuis plans, which have allowed visitors to arrange their routes freely.

Chiang Mai plans to reopen for tourism through the use of tour companies, with nine types of travel packages for four days and three nights, to ensure routes are under control.
New Phuket order revises conditions for suspending Sandbox scheme

PHUKET: A new provincial order issued by Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has revised the conditions required for determining whether or not officials are to suspend the Phuket Sandbox scheme in light of the current high number of COVID-19 infections across the island.

COVID-19Coronavirushealthtourism

By The Phuket News

Saturday 21 August 2021, 01:38PM

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend. Photo: PPHO

The revised conditions came in Phuket Provincial Order No. 4781/2564 issued yesterday (Aug 20), which was introduced with immediate effect. Photo: PPHO

The revised conditions came in Phuket Provincial Order No. 4781/2564 issued yesterday (Aug 20), which was introduced with immediate effect.

The order was announced during a major meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall in Phuket Town, to which the presidents and mayors of all major municipalities across the island were called to attend.

The order, posted online by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) late yesterday afternoon, was labelled as introducing the requirements of entry to Phuket for tourists arriving under the Sandbox 7+7 scheme, which allows fully vaccinated tourists to travel to other Sandbox areas, including Khao Lak, Phi Phi Island and Samui, after spending only seven nights on Phuket, instead of the previously required 14 nights.

The requirements brought into effect for Sandbox 7+7 tourists were no different than already announced by national tourism figures and agencies, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

The Centre for COVID Situation Administration (CCSA) approved the Sandbox 7+7 conditions on Monday (Aug 16). TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that from Aug 16 tourists can join the programme, but must apply for a Certificate of Entry (COE) for each route before departing for Thailand.

According to the 7+7 Phuket extension plan, the areas to included are Koh Samui, Koh Pha-ngan and Koh Tao in Surat Thani; Khao Lak, Kho Yao Yai and Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga; Koh Phi Phi, Railay Beach and Koh Ngai in Krabi.

Mr Yuthasak said the CCSA on Monday also approved every Sandbox area to receive tourists who have been vaccinated with the Sputnik V vaccine, which could help clear an obstacle for Russian tourists

TAT Phuket director Nanthasiri Ronnasiri on Wednesday assured that all tourists entering Phuket under the Sandbox 7+7 scheme will be tested twice before being allowed to leave the island.

The move to extend Sandbox project areas has already received much support from the beleaguered tourism industry, along with the move to approve Sputnik-vaccinated tourists.

Under the new order, as with any Sandbox arrivals, the sandbox 7+7 tourists must come from countries specified by the ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and must stay in the country they are arriving from for at least 21 days before travelling to Phuket.

They must be fully vaccinated by a vaccine recognised by the MoPH and they must test negative for COVID-19 by RT-PCR test no more than 72 hours before boarding the aircraft to come here. Antigen tests were not listed as acceptable for proving the traveller is not infected.

Sandbox arrivals must have healthcare and medical treatment insurance of not less than US$100,000 and must prepay their booked stay at a SHA+ accommodation venue on the island. Any travellers staying less than 14 days must present their return ticket for exiting the country.

Sandbox tourists looking to travel any of the 7+7 areas must present to provincial border officers evidence proving they have been tested at least twice and have successfully completed their required stay on the island.

Of note, under the new order as an increased safety measure following the murder of Swiss Sandbox tourist Nicole Sauvain-Weisskopf, all Sandbox tourists must now report to the SHA Managaer at the accommodation venue where they are staying each day on returning to the hotel.

The order also listed the conditions for boat operators providing transport for Sandbox tourists to areas outside Phuket, and listed the conditions for boat operators providing boat tours to nearby islands.

THE WRINKLE

However, buried in the six-page order was Article 3, The Phuket Provincial Public Health Office response plan and a plan to delay or cancel the project.

No longer are the criteria set out in announcing the response plan and consideration for introducing stricter measures or even suspending the Phuket Sandbox scheme the same as those originally announced.

The 90 infections in one week requirement has been removed, the issue of infections in three districts and infections in at least six subdistricts have also been removed.

Also removed is the 80% hospital bed occupancy limit.

Instead, the new criteria for deciding whether to consider adjusting measures for the Phuket Sandbox scheme to continue under the order issued yesterday are listed as three points:

Readiness to accommodate new infected Sandbox tourists, to be estimated from the total bed occupancy rate of hospitals that accept tourists. Readiness to support new infected local people, to be estimated from the rate of bed occupancy per total number of beds in hospitals receiving all types of infections. Characteristics of the epidemiology of COVID-19 in the area, the level of the situation and the resources for disease control investigations.

While rewriting the criteria for considering what measures are to be taken regarding a COVID outbreak, the response measures remain the same:

Reduce activities for tourists, such as limiting places to visit. Reduce activities that come into contact with service providers, for example by starting to reduce activities when one of the criteria is met. Sealed Route by organising a travel system to have a specific group of vehicles and set travel routes without having to have close contact with people in the area, by starting to have tourists follow a Sealed Route when traveling. The Sealed Route measure is to come into effect when two or more criteria are met. Hotel Bubble by allowing tourists to stay in hotels only, and able to do activities and not in close contact with service providers or people in the area. This is to be done by starting to have tourists remain in a Hotel Bubble when two or more criteria are met. Stop accepting new tourists when the outbreak is widespread and uncontrollable, by accepting only tourists who are already registered in the [Sandbox] project and who have received a COE [Certificate of Entry], and have tourists who already entered the country [Phuket] by allowing them to stay in their hotel only until the 14 day quarantine period has been completed.

Under the order the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee is to review the COVID-infection situation on the island on a daily basis and assess the situation according to the guidelines every one to two weeks.

The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee is to take action by adjusting the measures for tourists according to two scenarios.

First, if the COVID situation meets any of the three criteria, response measure No 1 listed above (Reduce activities) is to be implemented for at least two weeks and then re-evaluated.

If the situation does not change, the reduced activities measure is to be maintained and if the situation improves the stricter measures may be eased  but if the situation becomes worse, even stricter measures are to be implemented.

However, if the COVID situation in Phuket meets two of the criteria, the committee is to observe the situation for at least two weeks and then re-evaluate what measures have been implemented. There are now no prescribed measures of action for any level of infection across the island. The committee is to decide which action is appropriate as the situation unfolds.

VIOLATION WARNINGS

The order also included the standard warning that violations of the order was punishable under the Communicable Disease Act B.E. 2558 (2015) and under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration B.E. 2548 (No. 26), now the version issued on June 29, 2021, which incurs penalties under Section 18 of the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations 2005.

A special warning was included for Sandbox tourists who breach the conditions of stay in Phuket under the Sandbox scheme.

Violation of the order under the preventive measures for travelers entering the Kingdom and the rules of action prescribed by the government, such as traveling out of Phuket before a period of 7 nights or as prescribed without permission. or not cooperating to receive treatment, etc., may be the cause of revocation of permission to stay in the Kingdom under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, Section 36 and [may result in] consideration of not allowing [the tourist] entry into the Kingdom according to the order of the Minister of Interior No. 1/2015 dated 27 November 2015 regarding the prohibition of certain classes of aliens from entering the Kingdom, the order noted.

Thai nationals were warned of possible charges under the Communicable Disease Act B.E. 2558 (2015) under Section 9 of the Emergency Decree.

Tour operators, tour leaders and guides, including vehicle owners, vehicle operator and boat crews carrying a foreigner on board were also warned of the same charges and that they stood to have their operating permits and licenses revoked under Section 46 of the Tourism Business and Guide Act B.E.

As the situation is deemed to be a national emergency and the regulations are being brought into effect under an emergency decree, people have no right to contest the regulations under Section 30 of the Administrative Procedure Act, B.E. 2539, the order also noted.
Phuket-Samui flights to be resumed next week

PHUKET: Thailands Surat Thani province will continue the Samui Plus program to attract vaccinated foreign tourists with Bangkok Airways set to resume flights between Phuket and Samui Island on 25 August.

COVID-19tourismtransport

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 21 August 2021, 03:27PM

A Bangkok Airways aircraft on the stand at Phuket International Airport. Photo: Bangkok Airways / file

Surat Thani Governor Witchawut Jinto said on 21 August, that 257 inoculated foreign tourists had traveled to Samui, after spending two weeks in Phuket under the sandbox scheme, reports state news agency NNT. However, flights between Phuket and Samut had been suspended from 3 August until the end of month. This means no tourists will arrive from sandboxed Phuket. Governor Witchawut said that, after concerted lobbying, flights on the Phuket-Samui route would resume earlier. Bangkok Airways is scheduling flights between the two islands on 25, 27 and 30 August. This will boost the number of tourists arriving under the Samui Plus scheme, which encompasses Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. The governor said, from 15 August to November, 168 fully-vaccinated tourists had already made bookings on Samui, with reservations for 2,149 hotel nights, an average of 12.7 nights per visitor. The reservations were made by French, German, British, Austrian, American and Thai tourists.
Thailands Tourism Authority considers Travel Bubbles with Asian countries

BANGKOK: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has announced a marketing plan focusing on Asian territories with lower infection rates, such as China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

economicstourismCOVID-19

By National News Bureau of Thailand

Saturday 21 August 2021, 01:52PM

Travel bubbles with Asian countries are back on agenda. Photo: NNT

TAT Deputy Governor Thanet Phetsuwan said TAT offices across the region have been tasked with promoting Thailand as a holiday destination to vaccinated Asian tourists, as data from the Phuket Sandbox and Samui Plus tourism schemes indicate the number of Asian tourists is lower than arrivals from Europe and the US, reports state news agency NNT. The governor said he will talk to the new Chinese ambassador to Thailand about the possibility of allowing Chinese citizens to travel abroad, while the TAT is also preparing for talks with South Korea to launch a tourist-exchange program, or travel bubble, without the need for quarantine. The agency is considering the timing and procedures for the programs launch, once the COVID-19 situation in Thailand improves. In addition, the TAT will ask other regional countries, such as Singapore, to help reduce the expense of 14-day quarantine for its nationals returning from Thailand.
Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 81F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 49F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunshine and some clouds. High 81F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.
ALTON  Alton Main Street has been selected as a community navigator for the Illinois Small Business Community Navigator program.

The group is one of 21 organizations selected by Illinois Main Street to connect underserved small business owners with economic recovery funds, including the Back 2 Business (B2B) grant program that launched Aug. 18.

The Illinois Small Business Community Navigator Program will focus on assisting underserved small businesses, including minority, rural, veteran and women-owned businesses.

Alton Main Street will provide local small business owners with application support, grassroots outreach, language help, webinars, one-on-one technical assistance sessions, and more to access recovery funds and programs. In addition, programs will conduct outreach for DCEOs B2B grant program, which will deploy $250 million in grants for small businesses across Illinois that experienced losses last year due to COVID-19.

Grants will range from $5,000 to $150,000 per business and can be used to cover a range of operations, staff or overhead costs. Applications are open now. Learn more about the program at https://www2.illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/B2B.aspx and to get connected to application assistance by scrolling down the page, under How to apply, and then clicking on the Apply portal.

We are thrilled to provide Illinois Main Street communities and their small businesses with this much-needed support, said Main Street Americas Joi Cuartero Austin, director of the Illinois Main Street program and a senior program officer.

After a difficult year for Illinois small business owners, these services will be crucial in strengthening our downtowns and commercial districts in the next phase of recovery, he said. Alton Main Street works with their business community daily, and are well positioned to continue supportive efforts.

The Illinois Main Street program, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), also will provide technical assistance to community navigator organizations to help them connect local small businesses with billions of financial assistance dollars available from the state of Illinois and the U.S. Small Business Administration as a result of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
ALTON  Funeral services for state Sen. Bill Haine were held Saturday at St. Marys Catholic Church in Alton and St. Patricks Cemetery.

Haine, 77, died Aug. 16. Most recently with the Illinois State Board of Elections, he had held several offices during a public service career of more than 40 years: Madison County Board, Madison County Transit District Board, Madison County States Attorney and the Illinois Senate.

He and his wife, Anna, recently marked their 50th wedding anniversary. She survives, along with seven children, 38 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Haine received a bachelors degree from Saint Louis University before enlisting in the Army where he served with the 1st Air Cavalry Division and earned a Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in Combat Operations. His first political campaign came while he was still in the Army in Vietnam when he unsucessfully ran for an Alton City Council seat.

After military service he returned to Saint Louis University and earned a law degree. His legal career began as a clerk for Fifth District Appellate Court Judge George Moran. He then became an assistant public defender in Madison County and began private practice with Randy Bono in Wood River.

He was a Madison County Board Member from 1978 to 1988. He was elected Madison County States Attorney and served in that post for 14 years. He also chaired the Madison County Transit District Board.

He was appointed to the Illinois Senate after the retirement of Evelyn Bowles and served there for 16 years, retiring in 2018. He was later appointed to the Illinois State Board of Elections and was serving in that post at the time of his death.
GRAFTON  The Sierra Club Illinois Three Rivers Project is calling for volunteers for the Fall 2021 Pere Marquette Preservation Project.

The Pere Marquette Park Preservation Project, which will take place from Oct. 15-17, has been restoring historically significant cabins in the parks upper group camps since 2012. Local carpenters, roofers and interested volunteers are invited to register for the event by Oct. 1 at sc.org/cabin2021 .

Over the years, volunteers have restored enough structures to keep Camp Ouatoga open to the public. This year, the Three Rivers Project will be restoring unit lodge 3 of Camp Ouatoga in its ongoing efforts to restore and protect public lands, such as the Pere Marquette Park Upper Group Camps.

We hope to recruit skilled carpenters and roofers to volunteer their efforts for a work day up in the camp to help us achieve our goal to restore unit lodge 3, said event organizer Virginia Woulfe-Beile, Sierra Club Illinois Three Rivers Project coordinator.

This project is a great way to get involved in the local community, while also lending a hand to the Sierra Clubs mission to explore, enjoy and protect the planet.

The Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club launched the initiative in approximately 2012 to restore historic 1930s-era cabins in Pere Marquette State Parks group camps. Other organizations have gotten involved since the project was started.

Although The Nature Institute initially played a role in the project, they are no longer accepting donations, Woulfe-Beile said. The Sierra Club has been the primary organizer over the nine years of the initiative. There is always a need for volunteers who have experience in carpentry and roofing, but everyone is invited to join in.

It was the involvement of the Sierra Club that encouraged the administration of Pere Marquette State Park to allow a volunteer effort to restore the cabins due to the structures historical value. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Historical Society have specific guidelines on how the cabins must be restored.

The restoration group accepts any contributions anyone is able to provide, such as shingles, lumber or a cash donation. Contact Virginia Woulfe-Beile at 618-977-2319 or virginia.woulfe-beile@sierraclub.org, or go to facebook.com/cabin restorationproject for more information about how to help.
ALTON  Former State Sen. Bill Haine, 77, was remembered in a Catholic Funeral Mass Saturday as a true public servant.

The mass was held at St. Marys Catholic Church in Alton. Haine, who lived in Alton, died Aug. 16. He served his country, his county and his state, holding several elected positions over four decades.

After the mass, Bishop Thomas Paprocki from the Springfield Diocese led the procession out of the church.

Firefighters from Alton, East Alton and Wood River erected a giant American flag outside the church to honor Haines public service. Alton Police, and motorcycle troopers from the Illinois State Police, escorted the funeral procession and hearse to St. Patricks Cemetery in Godfrey for graveside services.

Motorists pulled over in respect as the long line of vehicles snaked through Alton and Godfrey.

Haine received the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service in Combat while serving from 1967-69 with the U.S. Armys First Air Calvary Division in Vietnam.

Among his elected offices he is best remembered as the Madison County States Attorney, where he served 14 years. His son, Tom Haine, holds that position today.

Haine was also elected to the Illinois State Senate to represent the 56th District and served 16 years there before retiring in January of 2019.

Haine is survived by his wife, Anna, seven children, 38 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP)  The Kentucky governor's efforts to aggressively combat COVID-19 suffered a legal defeat Saturday as the state's high court cleared the way for new laws to rein in his emergency powers.

In a landmark separation-of-powers case, the Kentucky Supreme Court said the legislature wields policy-making authority to limit the emergency powers granted to the governor by state law.

The ruling ordered a lower court to dissolve an injunction that for months had blocked the Republican-backed laws from curbing Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's executive authority.

The order could dramatically alter the state's response to the pandemic at a time when virus cases and hospitalizations have surged because of the highly contagious delta variant.

The governor's office quickly warned of the impact. The Supreme Court order will dissolve Kentucky's pandemic-related state of emergency, Beshear spokesperson Crystal Staley said Saturday. The next step is to determine whether lawmakers are willing to extend the state of emergency in a potential special session, she said.

The governor has had the courage to make unpopular decisions in order to keep Kentuckians safe, Staley said in a statement. The court has removed much of his ability to do so moving forward. If called in to a special session, we hope the General Assembly would do the right thing.

According to the most recent statistics reported by Johns Hopkins University researchers, Kentucky has seen 7,517 COVID-19 related deaths to date, the 27th-highest death rate in the nation and the 30th-highest per capita. The overall rate was lower than some of its neighboring states.

Top GOP legislative leaders hailed the ruling for recognizing the legislature's constitutional authority to enact laws. In a joint statement, House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers said lawmakers stand ready to work with the governor, as we have for nearly a year and a half, and address what is a very real public health crisis.

Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who defended the new laws, urged Beshear to consult with lawmakers to find consensus on what is needed to protect Kentuckians.

GOP lawmakers passed the new laws limiting the governor's emergency powers in response to Beshear's aggressive handling of the coronavirus crisis. The governor promptly sued to challenge the measures after his vetoes of the bills were overridden.

The Supreme Court weighed in with its rare Saturday ruling. The justices said we do not question the governors good faith in taking steps he believed were necessary to deal with the pandemic. But they said the governor's claims that the measures impaired his ability to carry out his constitutional duties were largely unsupported by sound legal principles.

In sum, considering that the challenged legislation was lawfully passed, the governor's complaint does not present a substantial legal question that would necessitate staying the effectiveness of the legislation, Justice Laurance B. VanMeter wrote.

The ruling sent the case back to Franklin Circuit Court with instructions to dissolve the injunction.

One of the contested laws limits the governors executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers. Under another measure, businesses and schools have to comply either with COVID-19 guidelines from the governor or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They could follow whichever standard is least restrictive.

In a concurring opinion, Deputy Chief Justice Lisabeth T. Hughes said the 30-day limit on a governor's emergency authority deserves legal review from the lower court when the case is returned.

The 30-day limit operates as a kill switch that essentially transfers the day-to-day management of emergencies to the legislature by rendering the executive branch powerless to act after 30 days, forcing the call of a special legislative session, she wrote. This type of special legislative session trigger has no antecedent in Kentucky law to my knowledge and requires careful constitutional analysis.

Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. joined in the concurring opinion.

Republican lawmakers said the new laws were meant to put checks on what they viewed as Beshears overreach in ordering the restrictions. The governor maintained the steps he took to limit activity during the pandemic have saved lives.

The governor lifted most of his restrictions in June. But with COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rising, he recently signed an executive order imposing an indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools, child care and pre-kindergarten programs across Kentucky.

The governor's spokeswoman pointed to the far-reaching impact of having Kentucky's pandemic-related state of emergency dissolved.

It either eliminates or puts at risk large amounts of funding, steps we have taken to increase our health care capacity, expanded meals for children and families, measures to fight COVID-19 in long-term care facilities, workers compensation for front-line workers who contract COVID-19 as well as the ability to fight price gouging, Staley said. It will further prevent the governor from taking additional steps such as a general mask mandate.

Beshear withstood criticism and occasional protests over his pandemic-related actions. Armed protesters gathered near the governors home last year and then hanged Beshear in effigy in a tree near the state Capitol.

Last year, the state Supreme Court upheld the governors authority to issue coronavirus-related restrictions on businesses and individuals. The legislature responded by passing the new laws this year.

___

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic
CRANSTON, R.I. (AP)  Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee urged state residents stay at home all day Sunday and into Monday morning during what's expected to be the worst of Hurricane Henri.

We consider this a serious matter," the Democrat said at a news conference Saturday at state emergency management headquarters in Cranston.

While he stopped short of issuing a shelter-in-place order, he said he strongly recommends staying home.

State residents should spend Saturday properly squaring away their emergency plans and making sure they have enough supplies so they can hunker down Sunday, he said.

McKee and state Emergency Management Director Marc Pappas said they are most concerned about power outages. With the storm currently expected to make landfall to the west of the state, that puts Rhode Island in line to receive high winds that could gust to 80 mph and heavy rains that could lead power outages, Pappas said.

State police commander Col. James Manni has spoken to police chiefs in every coastal community to urge them to close coastal roads to everyone except residents to prevent what he called storm sightseeing which could lead to tragedy.

The state in conjunction with the Red Cross has also set up five emergency shelters in Providence, Warwick, South Kingstown, Cumberland and Middletown that are all scheduled to open at 8 p.m. Masks will be required at all the shelters and other COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, McKee said.
EDWARDSVILLE  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville continues to excel in library and information science, gaining national funding for its innovative, collaborative programming.

SIUEs Diverse Librarianship Career Training and Education Program has received $249,999 in funding as part of the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) $22.7 million investment in U.S. library initiatives.

In collaboration with East St. Louis Senior High School, the Diverse Librarianship Career Training and Education Program is a two-year project that will develop a career training program that introduces 10 high school seniors to careers in librarianship. The first cohort of high school seniors is scheduled to begin this fall.

The project is led by Library and Information Services (LIS) staff, including principal investigator Tammie Busch, assistant professor and catalog and metadata librarian, and co-principle investors: Lora Del Rio, associate professor, research and teaching coordinator, and humanities librarian; Elizabeth Kamper, assistant professor and information literacy librarian; Shelly McDavid, assistant professor, access and library spaces coordinator, and STEM librarian; and Simone Williams, assistant professor and diversity and engagement librarian.

An additional key staff member is Denice Adkins, professor at the University of Missouris School of Information Science and Learning Technologies, and co-editor of Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. Adkins will serve as project evaluator.

Joined by staff at partner institutions including the East St. Louis Learning Resource Center, Edwardsville Public Library, St. Louis Public Library, Missouri Historical Society and State Historical Society of Missouri, the project team will recruit, mentor, educate and train students from diverse and underrepresented communities.

This project will disseminate a toolkit for libraries and cultural institutions to support the recruitment, training and retention of diverse librarians.

I am grateful to be leading a team of brilliant, innovative librarians, Busch said. The success of our proposal is due to our collaborative approach.

The project team will recruit high school seniors through the East St. Louis School District 189 Career Technical Education (CTE) program, which is part of a national initiative to provide skills-based, hands-on training to high school students. These students will attend school for part of their day, then leave to go work on-site at libraries and cultural institutions.

I participated in Collinsville High Schools CTE program, Busch noted. While I didnt work in a library, the people I worked with mentored me and encouraged me to go to college. I hope our program will have a meaningful impact on the students we recruit, train and mentor.

While serving as a mentor, Busch will guide project goals and initiatives to develop a sustainable toolkit for promoting librarianship to underrepresented students.

Del Rio will use her expertise to assist with cohort recruiting, communications and marketing of the project, serve as a mentor to cohort students, and develop and disseminate the toolkit.

Kamper will use her expertise in adult education and librarianship to mentor students and build curriculum components for this project, while utilizing her experience as an American Library Association student-to-staff participant to support the projects culminating experiences and conference attendance.

McDavid will be responsible for communication with the project evaluator, coordinating data collection and analysis, as well as serve as a mentor to cohort students and develop and disseminate a toolkit.

In addition to serving as a mentor, Williams will be responsible for communicating with community partners, creating and disseminating curriculum, and providing oversight of diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

Our project is a call to action in response to the serious lack of diverse representation in library and information science professions, Busch explained.

IMLS identified this lack of diversity in its forum report, Positioning Library and Information Science Graduate Programs for 21st Century Practice.

We are excited to be partnering with regional institutions, she said, and especially the East St. Louis School District 189 CTE Program.

Our goal is to have a broad, lasting impact on diversity in the library profession.

The award process was competitive. IMLS received 127 preliminary proposals before inviting 71 to submit full proposals. The Diverse Librarianship Career Training and Education Program is among 39 projects, totaling nearly $10.5 million awarded in the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.

These grants and awards are examples of the many ways in which libraries and library workers collaborate across sectors, disciplines, and communities to foster a more inclusive and informed society, said IMLS Cyndee Landrum, deputy director of the IMLS Office of Library Services.
HANOI, Vietnam  Vietnams government says it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

The move comes as Vietnam, which weathered much the pandemic with very few cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 3,500 of those infections.

People must absolutely stay put, isolate from each other, from house to house, from community to community, Prime Minsiter Pham Minh Chinh said.

Ho Chi Minh City has had strict coronavirus measures in place since June, including banning gatherings of more than two people in public and only allowing people to leave home for essential matters like buying food or going to work in certain permitted businesses. Under the new measures, people in high risk areas cannot leave home at all.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 U.S. appeals court keeps CDCs pause on housing evictions

 San Francisco: Full vaccination needed to enter restaurants, bars

 AP-NORC poll: Vaccine requirements favored in U.S.

 South Africa opens vaccines to all adults to boost participation

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

SAN FRANCISCO  San Francisco has become the first major city in the nation to require proof of full vaccination against the coronavirus for people to dine inside restaurants, work out in gyms or attend indoor concerts.

Restaurants and bars posted signs and added extra staff Friday to begin verifying peoples proof of vaccination before allowing them in.

The new rule goes beyond New York City, which only requires people to be at least partially inoculated for a variety of indoor activities.

Local business groups in San Francisco have supported the new vaccine mandate, saying it will protect their employees and customers health and keep them from having to limit capacity indoors.

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan.  Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is calling for school districts to require masks and says she is considering declaring an emergency as hospitals strain to handle increasingly young COVID-19 patients.

Kelly said that we really want people to understand that this is no fooling around.

The latest health department data shows 154 coronavirus clusters in schools, with a total of 1,889 cases.

Kelly noted that schools in other states have shut down completely over outbreaks. She says that until a coronavirus vaccine is approved for children under age 12, using masks can help curb the spread of infections.

The governor said more COVID-19 patients were admitted to Kansas hospitals Wednesday than any other single day during the pandemic and ICUs are at 100% capacity at six of the states largest hospitals, with two-thirds of the beds going to COVID-19 patients.

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ST. LOUIS  New COVID-19 hospital admissions in St. Louis are reaching winter surge levels and southeast Missouri hospitals are under strain due to a surge in coronavirus cases and a rise in deaths.

On Thursday, hospitals in St. Louis reported admitting 100 patients with COVID-19  the most since Jan. 16. A total of 585 people were hospitalized, including 25 children. Twelve of the children are younger than 12 and not eligible for a coronavirus vaccine.

The number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Southeast Hospital and Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau has increased more than 50% in the last week and a half.

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BATON ROUGE, La.  Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is calling on parents to take seriously the coronavirus risks for children and to ensure students wear face masks.

Schools that resumed classes this month already have reported more than 5,300 students and 750 employees who have tested positive for the virus. Those numbers are expected to grow larger.

Edwards has enacted a statewide mask mandate that includes schools. That has prompted angry outcries from some parents who argue they should decide whether to put a mask on their children.

The governor said Friday: Transmission is very high. Simply put, we cannot keep our schools open or our kids safe today without masks.

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SANTA FE, N.M. -- Dozens of health care workers and state employees have protested New Mexicos mandate that they get a coronavirus vaccine.

Nurses, hospital clerical workers and state prison guards joined about 150 people at the state capitol Friday to demonstrate against the requirement.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered state workers to get vaccinated earlier this summer. A public health order issued this week expands the mandate to private industry workers in sensitive areas such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools.

Under the order, only certain workers can decline vaccines if they submit to weekly virus testing. Some unvaccinated hospital workers say their employers will fire them in the coming weeks.

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HONOLULU  Sports teams at the University of Hawaii will open the fall season with no fans in the stands at home contests.

Honolulu officials notified the university that fans wont be allowed at season-opening events due to the states current surge in coronavirus infections and hospitals being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.

The university said Friday that a decision to host fans will be re-evaluated in coming weeks.

The decision applies to all fall sports, including football and womens volleyball and soccer.

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ORLANDO, Fla.  The mayor of Orlando, Florida, is asking residents to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars for a least a week, saying water usage needs to be cut back because of the recent surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Mayor Buddy Dyer said said Monday that the liquid oxygen and other supplies ordinarily used to treat the citys water have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus.

The city-owned utility says it typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week but its supplier recently said it would be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals.

The utility says about 40% of the citys potable water is used for irrigation so any strains on the water supply will be greatly reduced if residents stop watering their lawns, washing their cars or using pressure washers.
Scranton, PA (18503)

Today

Periods of rain. Rain may be heavy late. Potential for flooding rains. High 67F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected..

Tonight

A steady, heavy rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Localized flooding is expected.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Rain showers early becoming a steady light rain for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 60F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. Localized flooding is expected.
George Culmer has been chairman of Aviva for 15 months and a non-executive director of the insurance giant since September 2019.

On joining the board, he spent 124,364 of his own cash buying 31,276 shares at a price of 3.98.

Culmer then watched as Aviva's share price sank to below 2.40 in the spring of last year.

He continued to keep his wallet tightly shut as the stock rallied through the autumn and into 2021, topping 4 by March of this year.

It was not until August 12 that Culmer pounced again, snapping up almost 100,000 shares at 4.24 apiece. The purchase set him back more than 420,000, a substantial sum of money by any standards.

Culmer's timing was noteworthy. On that day, his chief executive Amanda Blanc accompanied strong interim figures with news that Aviva would return at least 4billion to investors by June 30, 2022.

Big institutions have been pressing Aviva to return cash to shareholders for some time, including Swedish activist investor Cevian, which has built up a 5 per cent stake in the insurer.

Nonetheless, the speed and scale of Blanc's revelation caused a stir. She started with a 750million share buyback, where the company buys its own stock from investors.

However, there is every chance that large chunks of cash will be returned by way of special dividends over the coming ten months.

For potential investors, Culmer's purchase and Blanc's promise pose a clear question: is now a good time to buy Aviva shares?

Culmer is already sitting on a small loss, as Aviva shares have since fallen to 4.14 in the current choppy market conditions.

Looking ahead however, prospects seem brighter for this business than they have in some time.

When Blanc became chief executive in June 2020, investor patience with Aviva was running thin, following years of underperformance.

In little more than a year, Blanc has achieved what several predecessors failed to do.

She has sold eight overseas businesses, with total proceeds expected to reach 7.5billion by the end of this year. She has also reduced debts by 2billion, cut costs and pledged to deliver savings of 300million next year.

Perhaps most importantly, Blanc has steered Aviva on a path to growth. Interim figures showed the best general half-year insurance results for a decade, alongside record inflows into the group's savings and retirement arm.

Once the eight disposals have been completed, Aviva will be working in just three markets  the UK, Ireland and Canada. This should allow Blanc to invest more effectively in the business and generate decent returns.

In a show of confidence in the future, Culmer and Blanc announced a 5 per cent increase in the interim dividend to 7.35p and pledged to increase annual payouts at a steady pace from now on.

Brokers now expect a full-year dividend of 22.05p this year, rising to 25.36p in 2022.

There is also a strong chance that Blanc will return more than the 4billion promised to investors.

Cevian has called for a 5billion cashback, and the combination of sales, a reduction in debt and cost cuts gives her plenty of room to manoeuvre.

Midas verdict: A chairman's purchase of shares is almost always a positive sign, particularly when that chairman is as experienced as Culmer, a man who has spent decades in the financial services industry. Coupled with Blanc's action-packed agenda, the transaction suggests that Aviva stock should repay the long-term investor, while the dividend provides further comfort. Buy.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: AV. Contact: aviva.com or 0371 495 0105
The first thing to know about Beacon is that its actually a city  and often called the coolest one in the Hudson Valley. While Hudson might sneer at that moniker, Beacon often elicits excitement for its creative and regenerative spirit.

The Dutchess County city certainly has established itself as a hub for art, artists and the Brooklynites who want to be around the chic and creative. Luckily for the rest of us, Beacon  called Brooklyn to the North by some  offers a culture hit easily accessed for a day-long exploration thats equidistant from NYC and Albany. But with all the beloved boutiques, culinary treats and discoverable peaks, it might even entice regular visits.

The citys Main Street is lined with historic buildings, mostly industrial 19th-century brick warehouses and early 20th century factories. Beacon was once known as the Hat Making Capital of the U.S.  at its peak 50 hat factories were in operation  and its architectural landscape very much reflects its former manufacturing glory. Its also no secret that Beacon fell on hard economic times during the industrial decline of the 1970s onwards, and as a result, many of the magnificent buildings too fell in disrepair.

Yet, as the last two decades have shown, where there are disused dwellings, there are opportunities for the creative class. Beacons boom very much is tied to the building bones of this place, and the culture of cool its creatives have enacted.

PLUS: Your guide to living in Beacon

That said, not all of Beacon has received the facelift treatment. The city and its surrounding hills are filled with famously abandoned structures, some of which are still open to explore. These are accessible by Beacons other favored pastime: hikes. The city sits at the base of the Hudson Valleys tallest peak, Mount Beacon, and is also flanked by Hudson Highlands State Park.

Beacon is a 90-minute car or Metro North train ride from New York City, and is the same distance by car or train from Albany. If taking the train from the Capitol Region, take Amtrak to Poughkeepsie and switch there to the Metro North regional service for two more stops.

Main Street offers the bulk of the action, and it takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other. We offer two ways to explore Beacon  depending on which end of Main Street youd like to start, and how much physical exertion youre craving.

West End Route (starting from the train station)

Morning: Omelets and art

Courtesy of Beacon Bread Company

While you should never have to wait to spend your money, if you see a queue at Beacon Bread Company (193 Main St.), jump in it. Their perfect pastries and morning fare from omelets to avocado toast are the city-dwellers favorite, according to locals. This also puts you right in the heart of a morning filled with art.

In recent years, the contemporary arts scene has extended its reach up from New York City into Beacon, where cutting-edge galleries have opened up more experimental outposts that counter the stuffy white-cube spaces preferred downstate. Perhaps the first destination should be 1154 North Avenue, at the end of Main Street, where art world operators Nichelle Beauchene and Franklin Parrasch last year opened up Parts & Labour, based around a curatorial premise of pairing mid/late-career and emerging artists, leading to exhibitions of wonderful artistic dialogue.

Also in the building is Mother, an artist-run space that represents some of the surefire rising stars of the emerging contemporary scene, founded by Paola Oxoa as a way to ensure the future of the arts.

Almost two decades in, its safe to say that Dia Beacon (3 Beekman St.) put the city on the map. The venerable arts institution that began in 1974 by art world royalty houses and opened in Beacon 2003 is an unmatched collection of mid-century American masters, including Donald Judd, Richard Serra, Walter de Maria, Dan Flavin, Louise Bourgeois, and Sol Lewitt. These modernist mega-artists who challenged convention and often are lumped under the ill-fitting categorization of Minimalists find home in a former Nabisco box-printing factory where their monumental stature has space to breathe, and where visitors can experience the work in their totality.

Dia Beacon is still oft-cited as the arts institution that kicked off an interest in the contemporary arts scene of the Hudson Valley, and while we could debate that for days, whats not arguable is the magnitude of work on view. Do not miss Flavins untitled (to you, Heiner, with admiration and affection), 1973, in the basement.

Afternoon: Lunch and Dennings Point

Anders Sickler

Thankfully one of Beacons favorite farm-to-table eateries, Homespun (3 Beekman St.), has a sister branch inside Dia. Fortify with hardy sandwiches and seasonally fresh salads from this self-described well-loved eclectic cafe thats sure to fuel the journey over to Dennings Point (210 Dennings Ave.), a 64-acre peninsula that hooks around Beacon Harbour and is a water and wildlife conservation area. George Washington came here while he was stationed in Newburgh, and Alexander Hamilton penned The Federalist Papers here while holed up on a former estate on the peninsula.

However, Dennings Point has become lore in Beacon for the 1885 Brick Works Factory that was abandoned in 1939  and the ruins have become famous for explorers, underground tourists and rebellious teens alike. The factory site is now under construction, an effort that started in the spring for the Beatrice Denofrio Environmental Education Center, making this oft-explored ruins legally off limits until construction completes in 2027.

Theres only one official path to explore the park on the map, which encircles the shoreline of the peninsula (at last check, a section of the trail is closed off due to construction), but the Klara Sauer Trail remains open. The walk should take about 30-45 minutes, depending on how long you stop and stare at the glory of the Hudson and on-trail waterfall.

As you exit the park, its probably time for a pre-train snack and beer. Beacon has been instrumental in the craft brew revolution of upstate New York, so head to the Two Way Brewing Company (18 W. Main St.), where youll find a mix of award-winning brews ranging from saisons and sours to IPAs and ciders. The menu plays on classic bar foods, like jerk chicken wings and Korean fried broccoli.

East End Route (starting from Mount Beacon parking lot)

Morning: Hike the highest point in the Hudson Highlands

AbandonedPorn via Reddit

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For those looking to get their heart rates moving in the morning, start in the parking lot of Mount Beacon (788 Wolcott Ave.) and aim for the southern peak, a steep hike to a summit of 1,610 feet. The two-hour loop offers spectacular views of the Hudson, Newburgh across the river, and deep into the Catskills.

Mount Beacon is also spectacular for other reasons than just the view. Beacon is known for its ruins and abandoned buildings, and perhaps its most beloved is the former Mount Beacon Casino and Beaconcrest Hotel. This leisure resort for New York City weekenders opened in 1902 with the Mount Beacon Incline Railway serving as a funicular to the top; the site was abandoned in the late 1970s. Both the railway tracks and the rusty ruins of the casino and hotel remain.

To add intrigue and adventure to the trek, the old Mount Beacon fire tower is just further up the mountain from the ruins. Chances are youll see young hotshots climbing the tower, too. Mount Beacon is a fun mix of nature exploration and historical time-warp. For those looking for a shorter walk, the spooky remains of the lower railway station are reachable via a quick walk from the base.

Afternoon: Lunch and art

Julie Roesser Photography

After that effort, theres no better place to lunch than The Roundhouse (2 E. Main St.). The boutique hotels indoor dining room and restaurant patio overlook dammed waterfalls on Fishkill Creek, and has become synonymous with the artisanal curated lifestyle that Beacon has become so associated with. The menu serves seasonal dishes from Hudson Valley purveyors and likely has landed in your Instagram feed on the regular. Sit outside on the patio for an al fresco lunch to remember (dont sleep on the watermelon gazpacho or lobster mac n cheese!)

Now that youre on the other end of Main Street, its time to check out Fridman Gallery (475 Main St.), a Lower East Side-staple in June opened up shop to expand their program, including the current group show Time Lapse that features well-known Hudson Valley artists Alison McNulty and Liz Nielsen.

Fridman is next to the Howland Cultural Center (477 Main St.). The two cultural spaces share a backyard and have even put on performances and concerts together in the outdoor space. Howland is an anchor in the Beacon arts scene, housed in an 1872 building, that stages music, art, theater, and hosts reading groups and a library.

Just around the corner is KuBe (211 Fishkill Ave), otherwise known as KunsthalleBeacon. Run by Ethan Cohan Gallery, KuBe stages progressive contemporary arts from local Hudson Valley artists as much as those from Africa and Asia. During Upstate Art Weekend (August 27-29), KuBe will be showing Basmat Levins paintings.

Head back to Main Street now to hit the shops, where alongside The Snooki Shop (yes, of Jersey Shore fame) (508 Main St.) are selectively curated boutiques filled with handwoven linens, shibori pillows and vintage Chanel dresses. Our favorites are high-end home at Beacon Mercantile (493 Main St.) Solstad House (17 E. Main St.) and Reservoir (460 Main St.), mid-century furnishings haven 13 Floor Mod (456 Main St.), and timeless womens luxury fashion at NFP (457 Main St.) and Kaight (512 Main St.).

Before heading home, wrap up the day with an early evening drink at 1930s Art Deco cocktail haunt Wonderbar Beacon (449 Main St.) for aguachile ceviche or oysters alongside a classic martini or sake.

Note that on Sundays, the Beacon Farmers Market (223 Main St.) has found a permanent home for the outdoor season (which runs through November 21) and is well worth the visit.

--

Julie Baumgardner is an art, design and travel journalist who oft can be found in locales near and far. Her work has been published in Bloomberg, Cultured, Fodors, New York Magazine, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. Find her @juliewithab.
Commendations from U.S. Army officers praising Sail Rehmat  for gallantry under fire, courage, resourcefulness  cover two tables at Tuscan Oven in Menands, where he delivers pizza.

Rehmat, 35, also works as a Door Dash driver and security guard. He takes truck driving classes, celebrates Muslim holy days at his mosque and organizes interfaith picnics for the Afghan American Friendship Society he founded. His fascination with government (his favorite notables are Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, not rappers or Marvel movie stars) makes studying for the citizenship exam easier.

His former roommate, Aimal Zafari, has had a difficult path: Paralyzed from the chest down when he was shot during an ambush serving with the U.S. Army in Afghanistan, he's recovering from wound infections in a Hudson Valley rehab center.

Their stories are part of the 20 year whirlwind relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan. American officers say Rehmat and Zafari served with distinction and uncovered Afghan government corruption that endangered Afghan and American soldiers. Both men now agonize over parents and sisters trapped in Kabul while coping emotionally with the Taliban's conquering of Afghanistan, yet they still believe in the American dream of justice and compassion.

Finding a purpose

From 2010 to 2013, Rehmat worked at a U.S. infantry base inside the ruins of a remote, abandoned Russian-built resort on a manmade lake. Rehmat and his schoolteacher father are Muslims who believe the Quran champions women's education. They admired U.S. infantrymen, some still in their teens, for guarding girls' schools from Taliban attacks. Rehmat was so good at his job, his Army commanding officers say the Taliban offered $30,000 to anyone who could kill him.

The officers helped Rehmat earn a Special Immigrant Visa. SIVs were designed for Iraqis and Afghans endangered by working at least two years for the U.S. government since 2001. The vetting process takes 3 years. Rehmat's parents and younger sister were in Kabul awaiting visa approval when the Taliban invaded. He has no way to phone them. He doesn't know if they made it to the airport.

Vetting for Afghan SIVs was done by the departments of State and Homeland Security at the U.S. Embassy. Government estimates say 70,000 SIV applicants and family members are in Afghanistan. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, chair of the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee, joined colleagues in a bipartisan plea to President Joe Biden to speed evacuation. The Defense Department last week said 2,000 Afghans were evacuated within 24 hours to unnamed "safe haven" countries.

Like his infantry friends, Rehmat deals with emotions triggered by Afghanistan's collapse. Rehmat is keenly aware that his SIV has given him the gift many Afghans trapped in Kabul may never have: time.

I want my life to have purpose, to help someone, Rehmat says.

Choosing infantry

In Afghanistan, Rehmat was a rock star to NATO troops. He spoke Afghanistans primary languages, Pashto and Dari. He learned to read, write and speak English fluently as a boy in a Pakistani refugee camp school. He became fluent in Russian as a teen working in a St. Petersburg light bulb factory. Rehmat applied to be an interpreter in 2010. His American interviewer urged him to work in relatively safe Kabul with Polish or British troops.

Probably youll get killed with us; U.S. infantry is always on the front lines, he said the interviewer warned.

Rehmat had befriended infantrymen who shopped in a mini-mart he owned. He respected their devotion to democracy although odds seemed against it in an impoverished land of feuding warlords. He worked with the 1st Infantry Division in remote Ghazni province where improvised explosive devices lurked along the main road, on goat paths and even in the arid landscapes few apricot and pomegranate trees.

To avoid potential IEDs on a bridge near the crumbling resort, soldiers waded into what looked like a river.Spc. Ted Orland, 6-foot-5, sank up to his waist in cold water and mud that acted like quicksand. Rehmat, who's around 5-foot-5, leapt in to help pull Orlandi out.

We nicknamed it S--t River, said Orlandi, still grateful he didnt sink over his head. We had a small clinic. But any major injury meant an hour helicopter flight to the nearest hospital."

Big military bases trucked in tons of gravel to weigh down the dust and grit that filled the wind in Ghazni, obscuring vision.

When we met Sail we were all green to combat, says Albany native Adam Lett, a SAW gunner. He looked like a college kid. But from day one, he taught us the terrain."

The soldiers were ordered to write their wills when they joined the infantry, a reminder death can always be near. Rehmat discovered what his friends had: Its impossible to be terrified every minute and stay sane.

One night, I went outside and prayed a long time into the darkness, asking for help to face every way I could die, he said. Praying five times a day like Muslims are supposed to, I cant always. But I felt God heard me. I thought: OK, if I die, God will make sure my life meant something.

It's human nature to believe people can risk their lives at least once for a greater cause. Infantrymen are often required to risk their lives multiple times day and night.

Id get back from a mission under gunfire, bone tired, hair, eyelashes, clothes full of dirt," Rehmat says. "I wanted to wash, eat my rations, sleep. But young soldiers would be heading back out  to help units trapped under fire, defend a threatened village. These kids were so brave, open-hearted. I couldnt say no when they asked me to go with them again.

He interpreted at meetings with villagers and elders, easing tension. Rehmat monitored lower radio frequencies the Taliban used, tracking enemy movements. He was with soldiers during firefights.

Infantrymen can calmly describe terrifying details of firefights: bullets streaking close to skin, RPGs exploding, shouted orders, blood splatters, instinctively protecting the wounded. They say fear is compartmentalized by focus on a purpose higher than themselves: saving others.

Youre operating on muscle memory, Orlandi explains. The intense adrenaline you feel in combat, I don't think any drug can give that to a person."

Now in civilian life, each one, including Rehmat, is adjusting to life where worthy purposes  raising children, contributing to the community, being a supportive friend  may never send adrenaline soaring. They also wonder if they have a legacy that will survive in Afghanistan.

Rehmat values small victories and believes they'll outlast the Taliban. For example, a soldiers wife once baked cookies for him to give to village children. But they wouldnt touch them. The soldier was so sad, Rehmat made it his mission to win over the kids.

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Rehmat talked with them, rebutted Taliban propaganda that soldiers gave kids poisoned treats. When the soldier offered the next batch of cookies, kids enjoyed them. Rehmat hopes some children will secretly remember what the infantrymen were truly like. Afghanistan is known as the graveyard of empires" so he thinks there's a chance the Taliban's caliphate dream will fail, too. Then, maybe some Afghans will remember the well Americans dug for a village, their nonchalant courage and kindness.

American dream

Like Rehmat, Aimal Zafari, remains close to his Army buddies; an Army contact learned that Zafari's sister got to the Kabul airport. She's married to another SIV recipient in Albany. Zafari's friends hope she can help her brother in his struggle to adapt to America  and living in a wheelchair.

Zafari was interpreting at a meeting in Afghanistan between U.S. soldiers and Afghans who might provide good intel. After everyone was seated, the Afghans opened fire. Zafari was left paralyzed for life. He was resettled in Albany where he shared a two-bedroom Albany apartment with Rehmat before moving into a spacious, wheelchair-adapted apartment with a sliding rent scale. He paid nothing when he had no earnings. His Army buddies led a GoFundMe campaign to buy him a car with hand controls.

Unfortunately, he wrecked his car on winter ice. He commuted by bus to a Latham Walmart job confirming loading dock deliveries. He loved the job. But this summer, his wounds became so badly infected that he was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

For now, he's in a rural Livingston wound care center with Medicaid covering costs. When he leaves, his mentors are not sure living alone is feasible for him. Zafari upset his landlords by smoking in the nonsmoking building. He wasn't used to the new wheelchair's juice and accidentally slammed it into walls, leaving holes, breaking a glass partition and his oven's small window.

"It's $800 in damages; I will pay it," he said in an interview in Livingston. "But my lease isn't renewed. I have to leave."

Even in the rehab center, refugee families call Zafari for help navigating bureaucracies. He continues his work as refugee resettlement agencies' translator.

'I want to give back'

Rehmat dreams of being a dad and husband. His American friends puzzle over the Afghan custom of letting parents choose one's spouse. Rehmat thinks if the parents like and understand a son, their choice is less risky than Tinder or Bumble. He recalls parent-guided romances as fun.

"Papa sits high on the couch like a king, mom beside him, brothers and sisters all around," he recounts, grinning. "They listen to music or talk while everyone watches how the son and lady get along."

He yearns for family experiences. But even his siblings are scattered across the globe.

Rehmats two brothers also worked for the U.S. military, as a cook and an interpreter. When they were kidnapped by insurgents and taken across the Pakistani border, the American soldiers asked permission to search for them because the Pakistani army refused to, Rehmat said.

His brothers were blindfolded and bound while men discussed whether to ransom or kill them. One night, when their captors went to the mosque for prayers, they escaped. A farmer who lives the Quran mandate "kindness to strangers is a righteous deed" helped them get to an anti-Taliban enclave where American comrades rescued them. The brothers received SIVs and live in Europe.

Rehmat thinks Afghan government corruption undermined democracy's chances. He discovered Afghan officials stealing fuel meant for Afghan army vehicles then selling it on the black market. (One of Zafari's officers said that Zafari discovered crooked officials stole Afghan soldiers' pay for months). The Taliban's $30,000 bounty on Rehmet in a country where annual incomes average $570 led Rehmat to conclude that Taliban financial support may be vast.

Rehmat believes in American democracy. He often walks from his apartment to the Capitol building. It cheers him up to see what looks like a citizens castle. He made this appeal to Americans:

Please help SIVs, he said. I want to give back to my new country. Other Afghans will do the same if they have a chance.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal appeals court on Friday said a pause on evictions designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus can remain in place for now, setting up a battle before the nations highest court.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a bid by Alabama and Georgia landlords to block the eviction moratorium reinstated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month.

The landlords filed an emergency motion hours later with the Supreme Court, urging the justices to allow evictions to proceed.

The Supreme Court voted 5-4 in June to allow the moratorium to continue through the end of July. But Justice Brett Kavanaugh  who joined the majority  warned the administration not to act further without explicit congressional approval.

As five Members of this Court indicated less than two months ago, Congress never gave the CDC the staggering amount of power it claims," attorneys for the landlords told the Supreme Court on Friday.

In a short written decision, the appeals court panel said the court had rejected a similar bid and a lower court also declined to overturn the moratorium.

In view of that decision and on the record before us, we likewise deny the emergency motion directed to this court, the judges said in the ruling.

The Biden administration allowed an earlier moratorium to lapse on July 31, saying it had no legal authority to allow it to continue. But the CDC issued a new moratorium days later as pressure mounted from lawmakers and others to help vulnerable renters stay in their homes as the coronavirus delta variant surged. The moratorium is scheduled to expire Oct. 3.

As of Aug. 2, roughly 3.5 million people in the United States said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

The new moratorium temporarily halted evictions in counties with substantial and high levels of virus transmissions and would cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives.

The Trump administration initially put a nationwide eviction moratorium in place last year out of fear that people who cant pay their rent would end up in crowded living conditions like homeless shelters and help spread the virus.

President Joe Biden acknowledged there were questions about the legality of the new eviction freeze. But he said a court fight over the new order would buy time for the distribution of some of the more than $45 billion in rental assistance that has been approved but not yet used.

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In urging the appeals court to keep the ban in place, the Biden administration noted that the new moratorium was more targeted than the nationwide ban that had lapsed, and that landscape had changed since the Supreme Court ruling because of the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

The landlords accused Bidens administration of caving to political pressure and reinstating the moratorium even though it knew it was illegal.

In light of the Executive Branchs statement that its litigation efforts are designed to buy time to achieve its economic policy goals  and the fact that landlords are now subject to federal criminal penalties for exercising their property rights depending on where they do business  applicants respectfully ask this Court to issue relief as soon as possible, their lawyers told the Supreme Court.

A lower court judge ruled earlier this month that the freeze is illegal, but rejected the landlords request to lift the moratorium, saying her hands were tied by an appellate decision from the last time courts considered the eviction moratorium in the spring.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Friday that the rise of the delta variant made the continuing moratorium vitally important and she praised the appeals court decision. Psaki called on state and local officials to move more aggressively in distributing rental assistance funds and urged state and local courts to issue their own moratoriums to discourage eviction filings" until landlords and tenants have sought the funds.

___

Richer reported from Boston.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  The mayor of the Florida city of Orlando asked residents on Friday to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars immediately, saying water usage needed to be cut back because of the recent surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The Orlando Utility Commission treats the city's water with liquid oxygen and supplies that ordinarily go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus, Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

We acknowledge that the No. 1 priority for the liquid oxygen should be for hospitals," Dyer said at a news conference.

The city-owned utility typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week but its supplier recently said that it would be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals, said Linda Ferrone, OUC's chief customer and marketing officer.

About 40% of the utility commission's potable water is used for irrigation so any strains on the water supply will be greatly reduced if residents stop watering their lawns, washing their cars or using pressure washers, she said.

On its website, the utility said residents should prepare to follow the conservation measures for at least two weeks.

We realize this is drastic and unprecedented," Ferrone said. If worse came to worse, we would have to look at a boil water alert."

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Since the 1990s, the utility has used liquid oxygen to remove the slight discoloration and rotten-egg smell that is found naturally in Florida's water supply.

Officials at one of the Orlando area's largest health care systems said this week that they had 1,620 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, twice the level of what it was during last winters peak high for AdventHealth.

This is unfortunately a crisis of unprecedented proportions, said Dr. Vincent Hsu, executive director of infection prevention and epidemiologist at AdventHealth.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP
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MALTA  A pet dog died and a family of four was displaced after a fire broke out at their home in Malta Friday evening, fire officials said.

Malta Ridge Fire Department Chief Peter Shaw said his office received a call a little after 6 p.m. for a fire at 2 Thompson View in the Malta Mobile Acres development. Upon arrival his team found a working fire at the home and was able to extinguish it, but not before considerable damage was done to the inside, he said.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  While many large companies across the U.S. have announced that COVID-19 vaccines will be required for their employees to return to work in-person, there is one state where such requirements are banned: Montana.

Under a new law passed by the states Republican-controlled Legislature earlier this year, requiring vaccines as a condition for employment is deemed discrimination and a violation of the states human rights laws.

Montana is the only state in the U.S. with a law like this for private employers, said Hemi Tewarson, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy.

The law has raised concern among employers across the state as Montana struggles with a rise in COVID-19 cases that is once again straining the state's health care system.

Pushback swelled this week when physicians called on the Legislature to reverse the law.

This is against everything weve ever known or believed about public health, said Dr. Pamela Cutler, president of the Montana Medical Association. I believe its a travesty now and it needs to be fixed so that we can make our offices safe for patients and our coworkers.

GOP lawmakers who supported the bill in the state Legislature said it was needed in response to employers coercing employees to get vaccinations under threat of termination. Some of the loudest supporters of the bill were employees of Benefis Health System in Great Falls who were told earlier this year that COVID-19 vaccines would be necessary to keep their jobs.

Benefis was forced to backtrack on that plan when the law was signed by Gov. Greg Gianforte in May.

Gianforte, a former business executive who founded and ran a technology company, gave the bill the green light after changing it to allow health care facilities to require unvaccinated workers and those who refuse to disclose their vaccination status to wear masks and take other precautions.

He stood behind the law this week amid heightened scrutiny.

While the governor continues to encourage Montanans to receive safe and effective vaccines, doing so is voluntary and no individual should face discrimination based on vaccination status, Brooke Stroyke, a spokesperson for Gianforte, said in an email.

While the list of national corporations requiring vaccines of their employees who want to return to work in-person continues to grow, which now includes Google, Facebook, Walmart, and United Airlines, businesses in Montana dont have that option.

Most (businesses) feel like their hands are tied right now, said Mike Rooney, operations director for Downtown Helena Incorporated, an organization that represents businesses in downtown Helena. Some would definitely be very supportive of a vaccination requirement or a mask requirement.

The Montana Hospital Association opposed the law before it took effect, warning that it would make it harder for the state to meet its need for medical services. Now, the association is saying their fears may come to fruition.

Dr. Neil Ku, an epidemiologist at Billings Clinic who sits on the board of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, said the law sets Montana apart in conversations about how to combat the coronavirus.

It is very very difficult for me to participate in the conversation when everywhere in the country can talk about vaccinating their employees but I cant, Ku said.

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Hospitals in Montana until recently required their employees to get most vaccines approved by the Centers for Disease Control, including the annual flu shot, providing an avenue for employees to opt out for medical or religious reasons. Now, that is no longer possible, leaving both workers and patients vulnerable.

Across the U.S., 60% of those eligible are vaccinated against the COVID-19. In Montana, that number is 49%.

In Montana hospitals, employees are vaccinated at a higher rate, but without a requirement, patients must contend with added risk to their health when seeking care.

It holds us out as an anomaly against the rest of the nation, said Rich Rasmussen, president of the Montana Hospital Association. We have to rely on recruiting from out of state. The rest of the nation is looking at us and they are saying, I dont know if I want to practice in Montana, because of their approach to patient and employee safety as it relates to vaccinations."

Like many states, Montana is dealing with a rise in COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious delta variant. According to a state report released earlier this week, 234 out of the 240 beds in the Benefis Hospital are occupied.

Facing the specter of a coronavirus surge, Montana employers are left to navigate their way to keep employees safe and the doors open.

A lot of businesses feel like they dont have the support right now, so for them its about how do they figure it out on their own end, Rooney said.

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Samuels is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Tuomas A. Lehtinen/Getty Images

ALBANY  A retired priest who served at churches across the Capital Region and beyond from the 1960s through 2010 was removed from public ministry last week by Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger over an allegation of sexual abuse, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany said Saturday.

The allegation against Father Gregory Weider is related to a Child Victims Act lawsuit, the diocese said. The 84-year-old priest had been serving as sacramental minister at Sacred Heart Church in the Delaware County village of Margaretville, as well as its mission, St. Annes, in the nearby town of Andes.
WILTON - U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik is hyping the upcoming appearance at a Republican voter registration rally in Saratoga County of a Virginia political operative identified as a former top strategist for an anti-Muslim group.

On Wednesday, the GOP congressional conference leader enthusiastically tweeted what she described as massive news - the upcoming Wednesday evening, Aug. 25, appearance of Scott Presler, whom Stefanik described in the tweet as an American Patriot, at the campaign event at Gavin Park in Wilton.

Stefanik, who is pregnant with her first child, is not expected to attend the event.

On Jan. 3, three days before the U.S. Capitol was stormed by supporters of former President Donald Trump, Presler tweeted: "January 6th, 2021 is going to be a defining moment in American history."

On the eve of Jan. 6, Presler tweeted: "I can truthfully say that Ive done everything I possibly could in the last 4 years. Look forward to seeing everyone in DC. Lets make some history."

Presler attended rallies on that date.

In 2017, the congresswoman's promotion of Presler would seem unlikely. At the time, Stefanik was a moderate Republican who was lukewarm at best to the Trump. And Stefanik opposed Trumps initial Muslim travel ban. That same year in June, as the lead strategy activist for ACT for America, Presler coordinated a march that attracted factions of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and anti-government extremists all united by their anti-Muslim beliefs, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups.

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But Stefanik, who has reinvented herself as a staunch supporter of Trump, is embracing Presler. The Daily Beast, which first reported Preslers appearance, said that in 2017 , Presler stumped for Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore and helped organize multiple Stop the Steal protests by ardent Trump supporters falsely claiming he defeated President Joe Biden.

Presler's appearance was condemned by Saratoga Springs Public Safety commissioner Robin Dalton, a candidate for Saratoga Springs mayor and a former Republican who left the party saying it had become too extreme.

Scott Preslers alt-right facism is not welcome here, not today, not tomorrow, not in our city, not in our America, she said in a statement.
CLIFTON PARK  Twitty J. Styles, a retired professor emeritus of biology at Union College and the first Black tenured faculty member at the Schenectady institution, died Thursday, Aug. 19, at the age of 94.

An immunologist by training, Styles earned a Ph.D. and specialized in infectious diseases, particularly parasitology and immunity to parasitic infections. He was a frequent speaker at professional conferences and worked at clinics in developing countries. He led the colleges AIDS Committee and was active in regional AIDS awareness programs.

Styles, born on May 18, 1927, was named Twitty after a late uncle.

The youngest of eight siblings, Styles grew up in a single-parent home in rural Virginia in the 1930s. His mother died when he was 3.

In his 2019 autobiography, Son of Prince Edward County, Styles describes growing up as a "nice, but invisible" Black youth in the segregated American South. He details experiences with racial discrimination that shaped him and catalogs the people who influenced his journey to prominence in higher education.

Styles graduated in 1944 from Robert Russa Moton High School, an all-Black school in Farmville, Va. Ten years later, the school would become a test case for Brown v. the Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that deemed racially segregated public schools unconstitutional.

He was a student of mathematician and "human computer" Dorothy Johnson Vaughan, who was portrayed in the film "Hidden Figures," based on a book about three African American women who worked behind the scenes on the U.S. space program.

"I was sent to a separate, unequal school," he told the Times Union in 2017. "Dorothy taught in a separate, unequal school."

Styles attended Virginia Union University, a historically Black college, majoring in biology. He joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to a medical lab in Tokyo where he served during the Korean War. It was at that lab, he wrote, that he was first introduced to protozoology and parasitology.

After his service in the army, he spent 10 years at New York University working on his doctorate. While the GI Bill covered his books and tuition, he worked full-time to cover his living expenses.

He is survived by his wife Dr. Constance "Connie" Glasgow Styles, a pediatrician in Clifton Park, their daughter, Auria, and son, Scott, and grandson, Steven.

The couple came to Union College in 1965, but finding a home to rent wasn't easy. Although there were three houses with "for rent" signs across the street from the college, landlords and real estate agents at the time understood that certain ZIP codes were only for whites.

"Restrictive (racist) covenants were in full force in those days," he wrote in his autobiography.

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Their first apartment was outside the city and lacked running water and insulation. Eventually, the couple built a home in Clifton Park. Their children both graduated from Shenendehowa High School and Princeton University.

Styles retired from Union College in 1997 and, with colleague and close friend Carl George, professor emeritus of biology, launched UNITAS, which Styles described as a campus-wide organization whose primary mission is to support and encourage diversity, acceptance and the celebration of cultural differences.

To fund UNITAS, Styles and George wrote letters to hundreds of former students. They quickly raised $50,000, an amount matched by the college.

In a Union College news release, George describes his friend as remarkably kind, generous and outreaching. He had a global perspective and wide-ranging interests and he was so socially adroit.

Styles and his wife were widely traveled and collected art, including stone carvings from Africa, George said. He also collected frog figurines, a fitting hobby for someone whose fascination with biology began with a high school frog dissection. Frogs were important to him, George said.

Union President David R. Harris, who became the college's first Black president in 2018, said Styles and Glasgow were among the first people to welcome his family to Union.

In addition to his well-established reputation as a teacher and mentor, Twitty was committed to building a community that welcomes all and celebrates the diversity that is our strength," Harris said. "I know that his legacy will live on through the initiatives he championed and the many colleagues and alumni who have been lifted by his wisdom, empathy and courage.

Editor's note: The story has been updated to correct the day of Styles' death, his given name and information about his surviving family members.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  Current and former students of the University of Delaware can pursue claims that the school breached contractual obligations and unjustly enriched itself by halting in-person classes and shutting down the campus last spring because of the coronavirus epidemic, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Judge Stephanos Bibas said the students have plausibly alleged that the school promised them in-person classes, activities and services.

True, the school never promised them expressly. But promises need not be express to be enforceable, Bibas wrote. By its statements and history of offering classes in person, the school may have implied a promise to stay in person.

Bibas also said that, even if the university was justified in breaking any such promise because of COVID-19, it should not be unjustly enriched in doing so, and may have to return the money it saved, if any, when it went online.

The judge rejected the universitys argument that it expressly reserved the right to go online, and that the case involves claims of educational malpractice, which many states prohibit.

The students claim not that their education was bad, but that it breached a promise to provide a specific type of education, he noted.

Bibas also rejected the universitys argument that parents who paid their childrens tuition and fees do not have standing in the lawsuit because they had no duty to shoulder those costs and were not personally deprived of campus services or forced to take allegedly inferior online courses.

If the parents are right, they suffered a simpler injury: The school wrongly took their money, the judge wrote. It promised to use the money for one purpose but did not.

The plaintiffs are seeking partial refunds of their spring 2020 tuition and fees.

The students argue that before the pandemic, the school treated in-person and online classes as separate offerings and charged more for some in-person programs than they did for similar online classes. They also argue that the university charged them fees for the gym, student centers, and the health center, sometimes at higher rates than those paid by online students, and that the school kept those fees while denying them the services.

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Fridays ruling came three months after Bibas refused to dismiss two separate lawsuits that the plaintiffs seek to consolidate and pursue as a class-action on behalf of all students who paid for the spring 2020 semester.

University attorneys filed motions to dismiss the lawsuits, arguing that the students failed to identify any specific contractual term that was breached, and that the school has the right to change its policies, fees and other charges without notice.

Bibas noted that, under Delaware law, the relationship between a student and a university is a contractual one. He also said the terms of an education contract may not necessarily be limited to those found in a course catalog or student handbook.

Although the Delaware Supreme Court has not yet weighed in, many other states recognize that education contracts may contain implied terms, the judge wrote. I predict that Delaware would agree.

Schools and students show their intent to contract mostly through their actions, not words: the school admits them, the students enroll and pay tuition, and the students go to class, Bibas added. The parties did that here, and their acts plausibly created an implied contract.
Tim Wilkin and Anthony Affrunti each was given a mythical $2,000 to spend as he sees fit during the Saratoga season.

Tim Wilkin

First of all, Happy Alabama day to you all. The Long Island rumor mill was working overtime on Friday. Word on the street was that the Spa was going to be invaded by none other than Otis himself on Saturday. Packing up the Blue Baloo for a little weekend getaway. Why he would be coming up here, I have no idea. Perhaps the mysterious Leopold has convinced the unmotivated Otis that he needs to get out of the house. One can only watch so many reruns of Saved By the Bell and eat so many cheese doodles and bowls of Capn Crunch cereal. Methinks the real reason for Otis coming to the Spa is that he has found a retired arithmetic teacher up here who is willing to teach our tough little friend how to manage his bankroll. Im willing to guess that he is hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars off on his totals. Otis may have gotten these vile ideas to cheat by attending Biff Tannens Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel on his last visit to Hill Valley, the last time he was in California. May have had an audience with Biff himself to fine-tune his swindling tactics. They are working very nicely for Otis this summer. Wonder how he sleeps at night knowing he is duping the fine folks that read his drivvle day after day after day. Otis. My man.

For today, $20 win Marias Gift (4th), $40 exacta Malathaat over Crazy Beautiful (10th).

Total bets: $60

Fridays results: I didnt get to play. Our third race wager was turf only and the race was moved to the dirt. In the seventh, Breaking Downs stayed in the barn, so that win and exacta bet came back. All told, $70 goes back in the wallet.

Winnings: $0

Bankroll: $929.50

Anthony Affrunti

We never had the amount of rain down here on Long Island like Saratoga has had in the past few days. Saw a bunch of pictures on the world wide web from people on the backside showing the flooding, and Friday's track was further proof. There was no recreation of The Perfect Storm down here. All dry for now, but that will change. Somebody has to let the Willard Scott wannabe know just because it rains in Saratoga, it doesnt mean the rest of the world gets it too. Truth be told, the real Willard Scott created and played the original Ronald McDonald in ads for the famous burger joint. That seems to be a much better fit for our friend Wilkin, as he can play the clown role pretty well. It comes naturally. As for his complaining about the mysterious Leopold, he is still on his southern tour and likely enjoying it in the Sunshine State as I havent heard from him in a few days. Good for him. Had to laugh at Wilkins diatribe the other day about running second all the time in his picks. Apparently, if second place counted, hed be rich like Richard Branson with all his long shots picked. Only comparison between him and Branson is that both are in outer space. One was physically, the other mentally. Ill leave that to you to figure out. Poor fella is grasping at straws now. Paper straws.

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For today, lets get daring and play a $40 double with Lead Guitar (3rd) and Know It All Red (4th). We'll skip to the seventh race and play $40 to win and place on firster Cogburn, who runs for a trainer who works them slow, and has been firing bullets in the a.m.

Total bets: $120

Friday's results: Made one simple play and it almost worked. Had the lead in the stretch with City Magic in the first race, but got run down by our second pick. The $40 to win was lost, but we hit the $40 to place at least, which returned $110, so its something.

Winnings: $30

Bankroll: $1,751.10
ALBANY  The once-in-a-decade question of where lines dictating state and federal political boundaries will be redrawn is quickly approaching answers now that pandemic-delayed U.S. Census Bureau data is out.

The Capital Region may end up in a unique space compared to much of upstate New York, given that its population grew while most areas around it saw relative declines. Overall representation should stay around the same, while New York City is expected to gain relatively more representation and western New York could suffer the harshest losses.

The first look at what the districts will look like is expected in mid-September, when the state's Independent Redistricting Commission, a bipartisan group of non-elected officials tasked with drawing the new lines anticipates releasing its first set of maps. One month later the public is to have an opportunity to provide input on the maps and by January the maps are to head to the Legislature, according to commission Chairman David Imamura.

"The Census Bureaus release of population data last week should reflect a shift from upstate to downstate in terms of political power," said Blair Horner, executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group. Horner released a statement this week on behalf of NYPIRG that predicts upstate New York will see a loss of a congressional and state Senate seat.

The relative population growth experienced in the Capital Region was most pronounced in the 112th Assembly district, which Republican Mary Beth Walsh represents, and which consists of Halfmoon, Clifton Park and much of Saratoga County outside the city of Saratoga Springs.

There was no Assembly district in the state north of the Hudson Valley that saw as much relative growth as the 112th District. The district now sits 6,905 people above the state average, according to an analysis by the CUNY Graduate Center.

While other districts in the region grew, they paled in comparison to the relatively wealthy Saratoga County district. The growth could lead to a more compact district, to balance out districts around 135,000 people a piece.

Walsh said she wouldn't be shocked if her district is as wide as it could be, if Democrats want to attempt to minimize the effect of her Republican district. The Independent Redistricting Commission is intended to draw lines without political favor, but the process has been criticized and ultimately the Legislature has the final say.

Her district has seen growth for a number of reasons, she said, including people moving up from New York City and Long Island as well as people moving in specifically for the GlobalFoundries manufacturing plant. She also cited a relatively low tax rate and highly rated schools.

The growth though has led to new dynamics: infrastructure that needs to keep up with the population and continued trends of wealth moving out of the Albany area and into the region. It can lead to new issues over housing, which are generally outside the direct purview of state officials but nonetheless something they witness closely as they keep tabs on their respective districts.

"There needs to be an appropriate blend of different offerings so that people can live and work in the community," Walsh said."That's always something we strive for."

The changes in Saratoga County though can leave other areas, like Albany, with increasing ethnically and economically segregated communities.

"When you have less racial, ethnic and economic diversity, it makes it more difficult on areas like ours that struggle with some entrenched poverty," said Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, who represents parts of Albany and Guilderland.

Some of the polarizing in the region, said Fahy, a Democrat, can be attributed to what she described as white flight with people, particularly those with wealth, leaving for the region's suburbs amid rising gun violence and crime. The more people who leave, the more there becomes a concentration of poverty in Albany, she said, which can have several negative consequences.

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On the other side of Fahy's district is Assemblyman John McDonald's 108th District. He hopes that the development and job creation out of Saratoga County can spur benefits for the region, "no different than dropping a pebble in a pond and watching the rings go out." McDonald, a Democrat who is a former Cohoes mayor, said he saw increases in ethnic diversity in his district, like the others said.

"The Capital Region has been blessed," McDonald said. "We've had 20 to 30 years of significant infrastructure investments that have really paid off in terms of growth."

The state Senate districts in the region have all seen relative declines in growth compared to state averages of growths in other Senate districts. The growth was concentrated in the New York City metropolitan area; not a single upstate Senate district saw relative gains. Out of the four Senate districts in the immediate region, they were about 21,000 below the average of 321,000 people per district.

State Senate and Assembly districts may need to adjust, but where New Yorkers may see the most significant change is in the state's congressional map. The state is about to lose one member in Congress, bringing the new total to 26. The Capital Region may be relatively secure from the redrawn map, which is expected to most alter western New York, where population stagnated the relative most.

The 20th Congressional District, represented by U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, saw the relative smallest population slowdown in the state north of the Hudson Valley. The only congressional districts to see relative gains were in New York City.

U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, of the 19th Congressional District, saw more substantial relative losses. His district is one of three in the state to be at least 10 percent below the state average of 777,000 per district. Western New York's 23rd Congressional District, of U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, a Republican, was the lowest behind the state average, by about 5,000 less people than Delgado's district. Pundits point to Reed's district as a prime target for the chopping block.

Parts of Long Island saw declines as people began to migrate back to city centers after decades of flight to the suburbs. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin's 1st Congressional District, in Suffolk County, may need to stretch further west, which could mean it would include more Democrats. The Republican is running for governor, the "presumptive" GOP nominee, and giving up the opportunity to run for reelection in Congress, although his district may be less favorable this time around.
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Eight rabbits have been rescued from an Omaha home where more than 25 others were found dead
A mayor in western Mississippi wants to raise the pay for the citys employees, including its firefighters and police officers
Albuquerque police say an officer shot a parolee who used his car to ram police vehicles in a bid to evade arrest and wielded a rifle while trying to get a driver out of a nearby car in the citys southwest
A Nevada sheriffs official says a melee last weekend involving young people at a residential psychiatric treatment facility seriously injured one staff member and led to the arrests of two youths, and two escapees were found the next morning 45 miles away
SKECHERS INVESTIGATION INITIATED by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Investigates the Officers and Directors of Skechers U.S.A., Inc. - SKX

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF"), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into Skechers U.S.A., Inc. (NYSE: SKX).

KSF's investigation is focusing on whether Skechers' officers and/or directors breached their fiduciary duties to Skechers' shareholders or otherwise violated state or federal laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or have been a long-term holder of Skechers shares and would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, call toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or email KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com), or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-skx/ to learn more.







About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC

KSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking to recover investment losses due to corporate fraud and malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.

To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210820005373/en/
[August 21, 2021] There's Still Time to Get Involved on the ASES National Solar Tour

BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) invites homeowners, businesses, and communities to represent solar and sustainability in their town by hosting a Local Solar Tour or Solar Site in this year's National Solar Tour . This largest annual grassroots solar event will take place virtually AND in neighborhoods across the country the weekend of October 2-3, 2021. The deadline to sign up is September 15. The ASES National Solar Tour is a collection of Local Solar Tours, as well as standalone Solar Sites and is an opportunity for local solar enthusiasts to come together and share their unique solar story with others. The National Solar Tour helps to spread solar contagion, where homes, businesses and other organizations across the country open their doors, yards and roofs to neighbors who are looking to learn more about how they can utilize renewable energy. It is about neighbors talking to each other about solar, energy efficiency, other sustainable upgrades, financing, recommendations on installers, local laws and more. This year's National Solar Tour is looking to engage over 50,000 attendees and hosts of Solar Sites and Local Solar Tours. The Tour is striving to have participation from all 50 states, with a special presence in rural areas and low-middle income (LMI) communities. The National Solar Tour currently has representation in 40 States nd the District of Columbia. We are missing representation in the following states: Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia.



Make sure your town or city is represented by organizing a Local Solar Tour or Solar Site in your neighborhood or virtually. Tour organizers can host Local Solar Tours and Solar Sites completely outside, inside with masks and social distancing, fully virtual or do a mix of virtual and in-person. However you decide to host a Local Solar Tour or Solar Site, you will help the National Solar Tour empower people to learn about solar technology and the process of going solar from others. See the current list of planned tour sites on the National Solar Tour map . "The National Solar Tour inspires people across the country to make sustainable energy choices," said Carly Rixham, ASES Executive Director. "Going solar allows people to reduce costs, support energy independence and reduce carbon emissions."

Solar Sites can feature solar, other renewable energy, and energy efficient technologies. Organizers interested in hosting a Local Solar Tour or Solar Site can sign up to participate by September 15th at nationalsolartour.org/signup . ASES is the nation's leading association of renewable energy professionals and advocates. The organization has over 40 Chapters, including Student Chapters. ASES publishes the award-winning Solar Today magazine and the e-newsletter Solar@Work and hosts monthly webinars for the ASES Webinar Series . The organization will also be hosting the 51st Annual National Solar Conference, SOLAR 2022: Energy Transition with Economic Justice June 21-24, 2022 in Albuquerque, NM. The Call for Participation will open soon, stay tuned for more information by signing up for ASES's email list . If you have any questions about hosting or attending Local Solar Tours or Solar Sites or if you are interested in partnering with the National Solar Tour, contact solartour@ases.org . For National Solar Tour sponsorship opportunities, contact sales@ases.org . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/theres-still-time-to-get-involved-on-the-ases-national-solar-tour-301359797.html SOURCE American Solar Energy Society

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Leeds United vs Everton

Saturday, 21 August, 2021





Moise Kean is back in the squad but is unlikely to start if Rafael Benitez's comments during his pre-match press conference are any indication Moise Kean is back in the squad but is unlikely to start if Rafael Benitez's comments during his pre-match press conference are any indication

Everton travel to Elland Road today hoping to build on the stirring comeback win over Southampton they achieved in Rafael Benitez's first match in charge.

The Blues recovered from the concession of a first-half goal against the Saints to win 3-1, thanks in large part to an impressive performance from Richarlison, and they will make the trip to Yorkshire in good heart even if they will be short of a full complement of players.

Everton will again be without James Rodriguez, who is still isolating as a precaution in line with Covid-19 protocols, but look set to have Moise Kean available, that despite continuing speculation over the Italian striker's future. Jean-Philippe Gbamin has trained with the squad this week but was rated as doubtful by his manager in Benitez's pre-match press conference.

Benitez stressed that both Kean (who has restored the Everton-related photos he recently removed from Instagram) and James will be part of his plans until 31st August at least and that the former could be called upon if needed before then. It wasn't a definitive statement on the likelihood that either player will still be at the club beyond the deadline and it's unlikely Kean will start even if he is included in the travelling party.

Indeed, it's difficult to see the new boss making many changes to the side that lined up against Southampton, although the uncertain first-half performance from Mason Holgate and Michael Keane  it was the latter's error that gifted the Saints the lead  may prompt him to start Yerry Mina in one of their stead given that the Colombian has had the benefit of another week's training following his return from Copa America duty. Ben Godfrey is believed to still be self-isolating.

Fitness permitting, the rest of the team should be the same and Benitez can draw on Everton's performance at Leeds under his predecessor for inspiration. Back in February, Carlo Ancelotti took his charges to Elland Road and came away with a handsome 2-1 win that went a long way to atoning for what was a poor display in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park the previous November.

Goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put the Toffees into a 2-0 lead in the second game, enough to earn one of those eleven away victories under the Italian despite Raphinha's goal early in the second half. It was a performance of rare hunger and energy from the 2020-21 edition of Everton, one closer in character to last week's opening-day victory and the best moments from the team's two friendlies in Orlando last month. That bodes well.

Leeds, who finished last season strongly and eventually placed above Everton on goal difference, come into this fixture nursing some wounds from a 5-1 drubbing at Old Trafford in their season-opener. Manchester United ruthlessly exposed some of the defensive frailties that Marcelo Bielsa's side exhibited last term and there was precious little attacking penetration of the kind that saw the Lilywhites announce their return to the top flight with a 5-4 defeat at Anfield in the first match of 2020-21.

Bielsa will be without Diego Llorente but is expected to have Kalvin Phillips available now that he is fully integrated back into Leeds's squad following his post-Euro 2020 break.

Benitez will expect a response from Bielsa's men but will look to exploit all of Leeds's weaknesses at the back while impressing on his own defence to be stronger than was the case last week. A win would provide another injection of belief and momentum into the team as it heads into the final 10 days of the transfer window and the upcoming challenges posed by Huddersfield in the EFL Cup and Brighton at the Amex Stadium beyond that.

No live coverage of the game on TV in the UK but the match will be screened live in various markets around the world, including on Peacock in the USA (7 am PDT / 10 am EDT).

Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 21 August 2021

Referee: Darren England

VAR: Kevin Friend

Last Time: Leeds United 1 - 2 Everton

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Mina, Keane, Digne, Allan, Doucoure, Townsend, Gray, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

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Special thanks to TOP ECHELON TKC READERS who give us a frame of reference for this new phase of the pandemic.

Here's our song of the day and a musical touchstone for the delta variant from an iconic lady crooner . . .

And this inspires our www.TonysKansasCity.com glimpse at plague links that start with local and then move to the big picture . . .



Vaccinated And Confused In Kansas City? How To Decide Whether An Activity Is Safe In Kansas and Missouri, COVID-19 cases are back up to levels not seen since last winter. Hospitals around the metro are and understaffed . Meanwhile, vaccination rates are still lower than the national average of 51%, with only 44% of Missourians and fully vaccinated.

Kansas City Councilwoman talks about losing her mother to COVID-19 When the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to extend the city's indoor mask mandate another month, the action drew several heated responses from the public this week, including emotional testimony from a councilmember who lost her mother to COVID-19.Speaking before the City Council, Councilwoman Andrea Bough shared one of her final memories of her mother.

Missouri representative's husband dies after battle with COVID-19 JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KCTV/AP) -- A Missouri state lawmaker who is running for Congress has announced that her husband has died after the couple was diagnosed with COVID-19. Republican State Rep. Sara Walsh, of Ashland, thanked everyone who had prayed for her husband, Steve Walsh, in announcing Thursday in a tweet that he had died.

COVID-19 pandemic giving local healthcare workers 'battle fatigue' OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The state of the COVID-19 pandemic is frustrating doctors in the Kansas City metro area who say the pandemic could have ended if more people received their vaccine. "Our teams are getting battle fatigued, they and I are both exhausted," said Dr. Andrew Schlachter, Saint Luke's internal medicine, pulmonary and critical care physician.

'Nothing like I've ever seen': Hospital forced to turn down 70% of requests for help by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Hospitals are stretched thin with exhausted staff trying to manage a growing number of patients. The majority of people hospitalized in Kansas City are there for reasons other than COVID-19, but there are still hundreds of people hospitalized with the virus.

KC metro hospitals seeing extremely high demand WYANDOTTE COUNTY, KS (KCTV) -- The number of COVID hospitalizations is close to a record high. Right now, the seven-day rolling average of new hospitalizations is 167. That's just 25 patients away from tying the record we set in December. KC metro hospitals have seen a very high demand.

Mission adopts new masking requirements inside city buildings After a loud night of storms, we're much quieter this morning. Cloudy skies this morning will give way to sunshine by the afternoon with a refreshing, northerly breeze. Get outside and enjoy today because this cooler air mass won't be here for very long.

Ray-Pec School Board approves mask requirement for all students Hide Transcript Show Transcript MUST BE TESTED WEEKLY FOR THE VIRUS NEW TONIGHT THE RAPE PECK SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES A MASK. ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS THEY HAVE TO WEAR MASKS INDOORSMAN'S PHYSICAL DISTANCING JUSTS A POSSIBLE.

KCK Public Schools says 82 students, staff have tested positive for COVID-19 As classes begin in Wyandotte County, many are sick. In nine days, 82 students and staff in Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools have tested positive for COVID-19. There are 220 who are now quarantined."We are dealing with the delta variant. People who are vaccinated, some are getting sick.

Covid-sniffing dog will put skills to use at network of metro assisted living centers OLATHE, Kan. - Man's best friend is taking on a serious job at a network of assisted living centers in the metro. Ivory, a nearly 2-year-old Golden Retriever, will use her special training to sniff out COVID among residents to prevent spread of the virus.

Do Delta 'breakthroughs' really mean vaccine protection is waning, and are boosters the answer? Even as the United States made the controversial announcement this week that it would begin to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots in September, scientists and public officials were scrambling to assess the rationale officials offered: that the vaccines' protection against the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is waning.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb says vaccinated people cannot 'throw caution to the wind' due to delta variant Dr. Scott Gottlieb on Friday urged fellow vaccinated Americans to be on guard about the Covid delta variant, telling CNBC its highly transmissible nature cannot be ignored even by people who have immunity protection. "The original premise around the vaccines - that they reduce the risk of serious disease and hospitalization - is still intact," the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner said on "Squawk Box."

What to know about COVID-19, the Delta variant and vaccines as fall approaches Answers to some of the frequently asked questions about the virus, breakthrough infections and booster shots.

Developing . . .
Right now promo from social media influencer hottie Kara inspires this peek at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check the www.TonysKansasCity.com collection . . .

Tribute To Kansas City Legend

Carol Coe to be honored Saturday with bridge-naming ceremony KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Carol A. Coe will be recognized Saturday, Aug. 21 with a bridge-naming ceremony. Legislation was introduced Oct. 3, 2020, by Melissa Robinson, a Kansas City, Missouri, councilwoman representing the 3rd district, to honor the longtime attorney, civil rights activist and elected official.

Show-Me Sketchy Local Builder

Missouri contractor now facing felony charges after scamming victims out of thousands KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Contractor Jerry Shane Fellers always has excuses as to why he never completed the job someone paid him to do, but the Missouri Attorney General's Office isn't buying them. The attorney general charged Fellers this week with 13 felony counts for defrauding Missourians out of $145,000.

Big Phrama Consequences

Kansas City pharmacy filled forged prescriptions, agrees to pay $250,000 to resolve liability KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City pharmacy is now prohibited from filling prescriptions without checking what medical practitioner filled the order after the U.S. Department of Justice found it had filled hundreds of forged prescriptions.

Solider Shares Scathing Rebuke

Local veteran irate about Afghanistan evacuation process pleads for help for stranded Afghan translators KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) wrote a letter signed by more than 50 senators from both sides of the aisle urging President Biden to cut the red tape and get people out of Afghanistan; both Americans and Afghans who helped them during the 20 years the United States military was there.

Kansas City Helps After The Fall

KC refugee service providers, attorneys standby to help Afghans KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Della Lamb is one of the first stops for refugees who come to Kansas City. But it's too early to tell if any of those trying to leave the mayhem in Afghanistan will end up walking through their doors.

Back On Track?!?!

Kansas City Southern reschedules vote on sale to Canadian National - Kansas City Business Journal Kansas City Southern pushed down the line its shareholder vote on a proposed sale to Canadian National Railway Co. KC Southern (NYSE: KSU) adjourned a special stockholders meeting on Thursday and announced that it will reconvene on Sept. 3.

COVID Mask Cosplay Debuts

Planet Comicon brings in thousands to metro, attendees take precautions KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's been two and a half years since Planet Comicon has held a convention in Kansas City due to the pandemic. Starting on Friday, throughout the weekend, thousands from across the region will attend at Bartle Hall, many dressed up in an array of outfits.

Hottie Harvest The Future

Model Kara Del Toro Drops Exclusive 10-Photo NFT With Stunning Instagram Post Kara Del Toro is cashing in on the NFT craze with a one-of-one art capsule featuring 10 stunning photos. If this is the first you're hearing of the popular new form of cryptocurrency, "NFT" is an acronym for "Non-Fungible Token." While most other cryptos like Bitcoin are mutually interchangeable, an NFT possesses a unique encrypted ID, making it irreplaceable.

American Vaxx Privilege Exposed

'America first' again? Is Biden echoing Trump on Afghanistan and vaccines? or Donald Trump, the former US president, beating the drum of "America first" was something of an obsession. "The future doesn't belong to the globalists," he once told the UN. "The future belongs to patriots." Last year, he was rejected by voters in favour of Joe Biden, a committed internationalist who vowed: "America is back."

Downplaying Bomber

Fox News ignores a DC bomb threat inspired by right-wing conspiracy theory culture A Thursday night news brief on Fox News contained a remarkable claim - that the network doesn't have enough information to determine what motivated a man spouting right-wing conspiracy theories to shut down a significant portion of Washington, DC, around the Library of Congress by claiming to have a bomb earlier in the day.

Progressives Against Prez

Maher torches Biden's Afghan withdrawal: 'The adults are back in charge' and somehow 'f--- it up?' "Real Time" host Bill Maher torched the Biden administration over the turbulent military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Maher kicked off the show's panel discussion Friday night by knocking former President Trump, asserting that "everything he did" during his presidency was "f---ed up and crazy" and ever since Biden was elected and took office, "the adults are back in charge."

Pushing Back Against Terror

Afghan resistance fighters take back territory from Taliban A high-ranking former Afghan government official said Friday that resistance fighters - mainly made of about 300 battle-ready mujahideen members and commanders linked to the Northern Alliance - wrestled three districts in the northeastern Baghlan province out of Taliban control.

Cost Of Survival Spikes

COVID-19 hospitalizations are getting more expensive for patients Coronavirus patients who end up hospitalized - the vast majority of whom are unvaccinated - are increasingly likely to be on the hook for their medical bills, according to a new KFF analysis. Where it stands: Early in the pandemic, most insurers waived out-of-pocket costs for coronavirus hospitalizations.

TV Star Shares FAIL

'Grace Under Fire' star Brett Butler is broke and 'ashamed to death' The struggle is real. "Grace Under Fire" star Brett Butler revealed she's broke after a GoFundMe was created by a friend to help pay her bills. Butler - who starred on the hit '90s sitcom and made $250,000 per episode - told the Hollywood Reporter she was six months behind on her rent.

Royal Standards Exposed

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry touches down in private jet after polo match Prince Harry took a two-hour private jet flight from Aspen, Colorado, to his home in Santa Barbara, California The Duke of Sussex boarded the 20-seater plane which is believed to belong to his friend Marc Ganzi He had played in the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup tournament to raise money

Show-Me Internets Stereotype Busted

Facebook helps find accused Missouri serial shoplifter working from mom's basement CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - The name Terrell Moore might not ring a bell. But the 27-year-old is well-known to police throughout the St. Louis area, particularly in communities where there's a shopping mall. "There are people who we arrest every day for shoplifting. Everyone knows who Terrell Moore is - he's the biggest booster in St.

Downtown KC COVID Era Hype Cont'd



Downtown population soars + Planet Comicon + North Loop closure - Downtown Council of Kansas City Greater Downtown population up 29% in new Census results CitySceneKC.com - Greater Downtown Kansas City's population jumped 29.4 percent over the last decade to 27,831 residents, according to the 2020 Census, thanks in part to people like Jessica Best. "We've lived in the Western Auto building for eight years and we've loved how the Crossroads has [...]

Golden Ghetto Luau Begins

Hawaiian Bros Island Grill opens Lenexa location next week A new Hawaiian Bros Island Grill will open to the public at Lenexa's City Center next week. The location, which is the ninth in the Kansas City area, will open to the general public on Aug. 24, but there will be a special pre-opening this weekend.

Rock Chalk COVID Cash Starts

The University of Kansas is offering vaccine incentives as students start fall classes Monday Lawrence, KS -- The University of Kansas is offering vaccine incentives for students who will head to their first day of fall classes on Monday. Saturday afternoon KU will host a walk-in vaccine clinic at the Watkins Health Services from noon to 2:00PM. Students can also set an appointment online to receive a vaccine.

Saturday Kansas City Forecast

Overnight showers bring slightly cooler temps for Saturday Hide Transcript Show Transcript bringing the heat. Huh? Exactly yeah. That's a foreshadowing for the nine day forecasts and tell you that a little nice cool down for the overnight a little bit of rainfall needed rainfall actually and the thunderstorm activity that kind of rumble through late evening into the early morning hours now continues to track eastward.

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Politicos and noobs promising street repair is a traditional Kansas City ploy that only works on the willfully naive and the pathetic hipsters who just paid too much for a luxury apartment inside the loop.



There's a new tweak every time around . . .



Former Mayor Funkhouser wanted Public Works to obey time limits on seemingly permanent steel plates.



Former Mayor Sly helped to commission a comprehensive steel plate study . . .



Nothing ever changed but local media dutifully transcribed talking points whilst Kansas City roads remained in horrific condition.

This week's news blast featured the new city manager and the mayor reinventing the wheel . . . Which might help since local streets kill so many tires.

Tired Of Metal Plates And Potholes? Kansas City Now Requires Utilities To Fix Streets They Tear Up On the tidy blocks of the Blue Hills Association in south Kansas City, a family neighborhood where residents walk their dogs and meet on the street to visit with one another, Valerie Watson, 68, says her entire block has been torn up since October 2020, when workers installed new pipes.

Fewer steel plates and patched roads? City leaders pass plan to make streets smoother by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City council members hope to make your drive through the city a lot smoother with some new rules. City council members voted to adopt stricter street excavation standards Thursday. The new rules require utilities to make more extensive repairs to city streets after they finish underground work.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . .

Developing . . .
No crystal ballbut my guess is youll be able to do your trip - youll just need to make sure you always have a mask handy (required on all public transportation and national parks when indoors or in crowds). Also - labor shortages are impacting restaurants all over the country - so you may need dining reservations if you want to eat at sit down spots. Im anticipating more and more private businesses will require proof of vaccination as time goes. Pay attention to that if you have any indoor must do activities on your list.

I could be wrong, but It seems high reluctance to return to shut downs, even with the current rate of spread.
what can i say we were the first uk visitors since covid

we had an amazing time

buffet was repetitive but i didn't starve kid's menu only choice was pizza chips chicken nuggets chips or spaghetti with sauce

the restaurant staff were brilliant cleaning tables and chairs after everyone left ready for next people they were so polite

the pool and lifeguards were amazing and friendly pool was closed twice while there due to people messing in it but was treated and cleaned and not opened again that day enough chairs for everyone without having to put towels down

the barefoot bar served amazing burgers fries and grilled cheese on one side on other drinks were served all the staff were sometimes rushed of their feet but everything was clean and they were so polite

only went to the jerk hut once but the chicken and pork were amazing

ice cream stand served best ice cream nachos and hotdogs

only went to the adult pool once but was so peaceful and again the bar there was clean

the beaches are out of this world clean and save and the water is perfect

my room 5209 had the biggest king size ive seen was spotless and was cleaned every second day

my daughter was in 5208 hers was same but with 2 doubles

couple downsides i request a fridge for my daughter room and after 2 weeks still hadn't turned up

ive never been to an all inclusive were when rooms are cleaned bottle water wasn't left we were given 2 at check in i went to main desk to ask for more but was told to buy it from onsite shop or get it in glass from bar

the grounds are kept beautiful

children's entertainment was great but would like to have seen evening disco or something for them on main stage before main entertainment
We had never been to Mexico and were concerned about many things but the Garza Blanca Resort in Puerto Vallarta was overly impressive, safe, clean, beautiful, fun, pampering, and with an unparalleled level of service. The on-site restaurants are gourmet level, there are ones for multiple tastes, and everything is delicious. Our poolside server Francisco made our trip, he was so attentive and continually anticipated our every need. The pool concierge Mike elevated the already high standard by being helpful with reservations, any other needs, and cheerily speaking with us every day. Our housekeeper Natividad kept our room stocked daily with supplies and water bottles, neat, clean, and the turn down service was a nice touch. She was accommodating and friendly. Our personal on site concierge Evelyn graciously reserved restaurants, spa, kayaking, hiking, and paddle boards, all activities for no extra charge. We got the all inclusive plan and recommend it, it was a tremendous value considering the quality and variety of all the food a d drink.
Good for: Local cuisine

Dining options: After-hours, Breakfast, Lunch, Reservations

Neighbourhood: Marylebone

Description: The new generation of Ponti's Italian Kitchen was established in 1963. The Ponti family originates from Piacenza in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, and are passionate and committed to the exceptional food of the region. Dishes are simply prepared using the freshest quality ingredients, with a generation's twist on traditional classics. Provenance is a key part of the menu, with several dishes denoted with the DOP logo, the official mark which certifies that the products are genuine speciality products from the region. So, the Parma Ham is from Parma and nowhere else. Ponti's Italian Kitchen is proud to receive the Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence award 2012 & 2013, for consistently achieving outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor. Approximately 10 percent of restaurants listed on TripAdvisor receive this prestigious award that honours hospitality excellence.
Where to start. The hotel is situated within a stones throw of nightclubs,, gentlemans clubs and bars. Throughout the night as these empty out the noise can be relentless. Be.Hotel appears to be one of their resting places. Shouting and playing of music in the corridor as they return worst for wear throughout the night is not uncommon .

Its a shame as in the main its a nice hotel. We continue to have issues with housekeeping and thats a niggle. On the plus side the staff in reception and in particular the breakfast staff in the Be.Kini area are excellent.

Fully expect the hotel to reply to this review with the normal defensive diatribe but you cant ignore the facts. Dont stay here unless you want to party into the early hours or you dont mind being woken up throughout the small hours.

The surrounding areas resemble one big construction site, huge building projects underway. The sewerage smell at times when walking around Bay Street only confirms that whilst they continue to build the infrastructure is not capable of dealing with the increased numbers.

So if you want what this area offers go to Ibiza (San Antonio) because at least you know what to expect and its more or less finished. If its peace and quiet your looking for then this area is not the place for you.

Not in our wildest dreams did we think St Julians would model itself on parts of Ibiza.
Dining options: Takeout

Description: Authentic barbecue with a Nantucket twist! That's the plan for our new restaurant set to open by early spring in the former Cap'n Tobey's building on Straight Wharf. Former Brant Point Grill Executive Chef Fred Bisaillon and his girlfriend Denise Corson, former Tobey's manager and longtime veteran of the island bar and restaurant scene, are behind B-ACK Yard BBQ, whose menu will include different 'cue styles from around the country, along with a selection of Kentucky bour-bons, Tennessee whiskeys and craft beer. We hope you'll come and sit for a spell this summer with us!
5 out 5

 Highly recommended

 Price is perfect and Reasonable

 Happy Place

 No. 1 place for Me

Overall,(As of our 4th trip visits and Counting) We had a great and fantastic Family holiday trip with this Sealine Resorts again.Its really excellent place for staycation, perfect for good daily activities, you can feel so totally relaxed and pampered. It was so clean, facilities are beyond expectations. Staffs are really kind and approachable.We appreciated their hospitality (by thier kind initiative approach of asking if you need Water and Towels time to time) Price is Perfect and reasonable...

F & B Manager (Mr. Ahmed) is so accommodating and very nice usual everytime we visit there.

Thank you so much for the kind gesture and hospitality as always Team Sealine Murwab, We're looking forward to see you all again for our next adventure....
Review is about the Stargazing tour only. They canceled our tour midafternoon and issued a refund. We were surprised, as the sky was mostly blue with some cloud cover in the far distance as we approached the Yosemite area on our drive. We arrived at Rush Creek and were told it rained earlier for a couple hours but by 5pm sun was out and sky mostly open. The night sky was good for stargazing, no reason to have canceled. Im disappointed in the fact they canceled a 9:30 pm tour way to soon! The written cancelation policy doesnt include a time frame they use to cancel. In my mind that means canceling 5-6 hours prior to the event is probably a little too soon! My 11 year old brought his telescope on the plane all the way from Missouri so stargazing is a big deal for our family. I asked about moving us to another day and was told that wasnt possible they were full. Due to Covid, many programs were canceled in 2021 so I had used the Evergreen but honestly would look at park service programs or amateur astronomer events in the future. A huge bonus to stargazing here is no night time drive back from the park on a curvy mountain road.
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This was our third visit to Acqualina and the staff and the location were terrific, as always. There are many beautiful seaside resorts, but Acqualina stands out due to the marvelous staff who go out of their way to be gracious and caring hosts to their guests. Shout out to Delyan and Ion at the Costa grill beachfront restaurant, to Devon and Cameron and Valentino at the beach/lounge area, to Valeria and Bianca at the pool, to Monica for graciously going out of her way to help a guest, and it's always a pleasure to see Patricia at breakfast. Thank you for making our visit such a relaxing break, and we look forward to our next trip.
We wanted to see the actual equatorial line so we skipped Mitad del Mindo and came here instead. It was sort of cheesy but in a funny and informative way. You park the car and lay your entrance fee and a guide takes you around the site. You see diaromas on Ecuadorian life including shrunken heads. The highlight for us was the equator. They do some ticks mine flushing the toilet to see which way it swirls and you get to balance an egg on a nail. It may not be entirely authentic but it is fun. If you have time, I would recommend going to both sites, but if you want to see the real equator, you have to come here.
Can I enter back to U.S. after traveling France? Lv4 concern

Can I enter back to U.S. after traveling France? Lv4 concern

Hi,

I've been planning to visit France in September but I just saw the news that the CDC has issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for France.

I am fully vaccinated and don't really worry about traveling but I have one concern.

Can I fly and enter back to the U.S? Can entry clearance officers deny my entry?

I am not a citizen and holding a green card.

Please share if someone have any experience or knowledge about this.

Thank you!
I am a fully vaccinated Canadian citizen living in India just now. I do not need a Schengen visa normally.

I need to fly to Toronto soon from Mumbai (BOM-YYZ). The Canadian rules are very clear in that anyone traveling to Canada from India needs to be tested in a third country to enter Canada, as they do not accept the Indian RTPCR test.

There are testing centres in FRA. The one in the transit area is exclusively for passengers travelling to China (I see that this is true of Vienna and a few other airports I checked online). There are also testing locations outside the transit area, at the airport.

My question is, will I be permitted by the authorities/border police to clear immigration, get tested in the non transit area in FRA and return to transit to fly onwards to Toronto? Canadians are allowed but I am coming from India. German rules say that anyone coming from India has to meet certain criteria (Students, employees, business visa holders and family emergency situations> There is no clarity on whether a Canadian, coming from India, will be permitted to leave transit to another part of FRA airport, even for the few hours it will take to get the test and the report and return to transit for the onward journey to Toronto.

Does anyone know? Or had this experience?
The first ladies of Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Lebanon, Israel, Germany, Croatia, Costa Rica, Brazil, the wife of the President of the European Council and the wife of the President of Ukraine will take part in the Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen on August 23.

As of now, ten first ladies confirmed their participation. There will be eleven of them together with Mrs. Olena [Zelenska]. That is, 11 first ladies will take part in the first inaugural Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen. These are the first ladies of Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Lebanon, Israel, Germany, Croatia, Costa Rica, Brazil and the wife of the President of the European Council, i.e. the head of the European Union, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said at a briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, some participants will arrive in Kyiv and some will participate in the online format, the minister noted.

"However, this will not affect the status of participants and the summit will be successful," Kuleba said.

Moreover, American essayist and scholar Nassim Taleb and Afghan film director Sahraa Karimi, whom Ukraine had evacuated from Kabul, will also join the summit.

As reported, the Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen will take place in Kyiv on August 23, on the eve of Ukraine's Independence Day. The event is organized on the initiative of First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska.

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It is currently impossible to demilitarize the occupied Crimea as Russia has deliberately turned it into a military base from which it is trying to scare everyone away.

It is impossible to demilitarize Crimea now and, I am afraid, it will be impossible to do so until the end of the occupation because Russia has deliberately turned Crimea into a military base, from which it is trying to scare everyone away. We need new joint efforts in the Black Sea. Otherwise, the Black Sea will be as lost as the Azov Sea, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said in an interview with NV, Ukrinform reports.

Kuleba stressed that the situation in the Black Sea requires a new strategy of NATO members together with Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova.

The Sea of Azov and the problem of the Kerch Bridge is one of the most difficult and practically unsolved, given the banal geography because geography is completely controlled by the Russian Federation  both from the Taman Peninsula and from the Crimean Peninsula," the minister said.

According to the chief Ukrainian diplomat, the Black Sea is now one of the key issues of Ukraine's foreign policy, as well as in relations with NATO, the United States, and the Black Sea countries.

Kuleba informed that President Zelensky had a concrete initiative in this regard and he sought joint efforts of NATO members, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to create a balance of security in the Black Sea.

This should be not exercises, which are held and then forgotten, but joint permanent mechanisms and actions, said the foreign minister.

The Crimea Platform is a new consultative and coordination format initiated by Ukraine to step up the efficiency of international response to the occupation of Crimea, respond to growing security challenges, increase international pressure on Russia, prevent further human rights violations, protect victims of the occupation regime, and achieve the main goal: to de-occupy Crimea and restore Ukraines sovereignty over the peninsula.

The activity of the Crimea Platform will be officially launched at the inaugural summit in Kyiv on August 23, 2021.

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Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili has arrived in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote about this on his Telegram channel, Ukrinform reports.

I am glad to welcome Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili in Ukraine. We have a busy program in Lviv and Kyiv ahead, as well as discussions of security, trade, economic, energy, tourism and many other issues," Shmyhal noted.

The Georgian delegation will also take part in the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform.

"We continue to support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We are grateful for the same support from our Georgian partners. We work together for our common Euro-Atlantic future," the Ukrainian prime minister noted.

As reported, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili will be in Ukraine on an official visit on August 21-23.

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Ukraines military transport aircraft IL-76MD with evacuated citizens has left Kabul on Saturday, August 21.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"Today, August 21, IL-76MD military transport aircraft of the 25th Transport Aviation Brigade of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine took off from Kabul Airport (Afghanistan)," reads the report.

The number of evacuees and the time of return to Ukraine are being clarified.

As Ukrinform reported, at the beginning of the week, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky informed that 80 people, including eight Ukrainians, were evacuated from Kabul by Ukrainian plane.

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Returning to campus on the first day of school was a rush of nostalgia for Brittney McKinney. Read more
Another 37,314 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,429,147, according to official figures released Saturday

LONDON, Aug. 21 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) --:Another 37,314 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 6,429,147, according to official figures released Saturday.

The country also reported another 114 coronavirus-related deaths. The total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Britain now stands at 131,487. These figures only include the deaths of people who died within 28 days of their first positive test.

Meanwhile, data from NHS (National Health Service) Test and Trace showed that mass participation events can be conducted safely, but caution must still be taken around specific aspects of event participation, according to a statement from the British government.

The data, drawn from a range of the 37 trial events that have formed the Events Research Program over a four-month period, showed that case numbers were largely in line with or below community infection rates for the duration of the program, according to the statement.
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DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Aug, 2021) The Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) has reviewed the prospects of consolidating ties with the Republic of Estonia on the basis of promoting common interests.

This came as Abdullah Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of both the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, received the former President of the Republic of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik, and his accompanying delegation.

The meeting, which was held at the FCCI HQ in Dubai, discussed ways of fostering cooperation in the areas where Estonia boasts a commercial and industrial edge, notably electronic services and digitalization , as well as cyber security.

Al Mazrouei underlined the need to grow cooperation between the Emirati and Estonian private sectors by taking advantage of the opportunities up for grabs for both sides.

He expressed the readiness of the FCCI to harness all their available resources and capabilities in order to strengthen the relationship between the private sectors in both countries.
Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) :"It's mathematically impossible" for the US and its allies to evacuate the tens of thousands of Afghan personnel and families by August 31, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told AFP on Saturday.

Borrell, speaking from Spain in a telephone interview, added that "we have complained" to the Americans that their security at Kabul airport was overly strict and hampering attempts by Afghans who worked for the Europeans to enter.
ODEITSEKIRI, Nigeria, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Aug, 2021 ) :Thousands of people in traditional red and white attire thronged to the riverine community of Ode-Itsekiri in southern Nigeria's oil hub Warri on Saturday to witness the ascension of their new king.

The king or Olu of Warri is one of the most important traditional rulers in Nigeria, reigning over a kingdom dating back to the 15th century with a trading hub and seaport once used by Portuguese and Dutch slave merchants.

Nigeria's kings and emirs hold no official political powers, but they wield enormous influence as custodians of spiritual and cultural heritage in Africa's most populous nation which has more than 300 ethnicities.

The new King, Omo Oba Utienyinoritsetsola Emiko, 37, ascended the throne as the 21st Olu of Warri at the ceremony in Ode-Itsekiri, his people's ancestral home.

The US-educated prince was crowned by traditional chiefs of the ancient town in the presence of ministers, governors, senators, religious leaders and diplomats.

After the crown was placed on his head, the kingmakers bowed to pay hommage to the new king to applause from the ecstatic crowd of onlookers.

The new king, now officially known as Ogiame Atuwatshe III of Warri kingdom, urged Itsekiri to support him, as guests were given displays of music, dancing, acrobatics and a boat regatta.

"We strongly believe the reign of King Emiko will usher in peace, progress and development in Warri kingdom," retired civil servant Felix Agbeyegbe, told AFP, wearing a black hat with white and red clothing.

The 77-year-old, who has witnessed the ascension of three Olu of Warri, described the new king as "a child of destiny who should be supported to succeed".

Emiko rose to the throne after the death of the former king, his uncle, but his ascension was not without controversy. Some traditional leaders disagreed because his mother is not from Itsekiri.

Rumours of a cancellation of his coronation also emerged after local media reports his traditional crown, the symbol of authority, was missing.

Two sons of the late king were reportedly invited for questioning by the police over the matter.

"The dispute has been resolved as the crown has been found," a palace source told AFP. "Prince Emiko will receive his crown." In a message, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari urged the new king to put the controversy surrounding his emergence behind him and to work for his people.

Streets and corners in Warri and its environs were adorned with festive banners and buildings, offices and markets were decorated with white and red, the symbol of the Itsekiri.

Security was heavy and police helicopters hovered over the town.

Warri businessman Jolomi Otiri, 32, hoped the king "with his pedigree, will attract more development to the town".

But he urged the king "to unite all the sons and daughters of Warri irrespective of their religious and political affiliations and beliefs."joa/pma/har
New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) :A swath of the US east coast, including New York City, was under alert Friday due to approaching storm Henri, which is expected to become the first hurricane to hit the New England area in decades.

Forecasters warned of violent winds, the risk of flash floods and surging seas as the storm churned in the Atlantic, with landfall expected on Sunday.

"Strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Henri is expected to become a hurricane tonight (Friday) or Saturday," the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest bulletin.

Officials in the New England region -- which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- warned people to get ready.

"All residents are advised to begin storm preparations today, and to pay close attention to local weather," said the office of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.

His state, which will close parks and beaches from Saturday to Monday, was bracing for the high winds to knock out electricity for up to 300,000 locals, the governors office said.

NHC forecasters said Henri was packing sustained winds of nearly 70 miles (110 kilometers) per hour and threatened New York, as well as the neighboring New England states with potentially 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain in some areas.

Storm "swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions," said the NHC bulletin.

If Henri strengthens as expected and stays on its current course, the storm would be the first hurricane to make landfall in New England in 30 years.

Hurricane Bob was the last to directly hit New England back in 1991.

It's been almost a decade since such severe weather was expected in part of the region.

"The last time we had hurricane watches issued for the area was for Hurricane Irene back in late August of 2011," tweeted the National Weather Service in New York City.
Dubai, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) :The Taliban's lightning takeover of Afghanistan forced Hariss to bring forward his escape plan, only to find himself stranded on a Qatari airbase packed with evacuees yearning for new lives in the US.

US officials confirmed evacuation operations from Afghanistan stalled for several hours on Friday because the receiving base in Qatar was overcrowded and could receive no further evacuees.

"There are thousands of Afghans in horrific conditions," Hariss told AFP via WhatsApp.

"This is our third day here and there is no WiFi, only one washroom and one toilet," said the 31-year-old, who landed at the base on Wednesday and asked to identified only by his first name for fear of retribution.

"Still here at the base, apparently waiting to be boarded onto a plane but not sure how many more hours. We don't get any accurate info right away. Finding info is impossible".

Qatari officials have stressed that "all evacuated people are provided proper accommodation and all other required resources".

But Hariss complained that he and other evacuees "have been awake for days" with him and his countrymen offered scant information about their next destination.

The US State Department has faced criticism for fielding insufficient staff to process the number of Afghans seeking to travel to the United States as well as erecting bureaucratic hurdles.

- Sleeping on the floor - Major General Hank Taylor said on Friday that US aircraft flew out of Kabul with some 6,000 people until the bottleneck halted flights.

Operations from Kabul resumed late Friday after US forces in Qatar arranged for onward flights for many evacuees to the US military base in Ramstein, Germany.

Unlike most of his fellow countrymen, Hariss has a US residency permit and his family lives in Virginia.

He had planned to leave Kabul on a commercial flight when Taliban forces reached the outskirts of the capital.

But the sudden fall of the city forced him to abandon his initial plan and board a US military flight.

At the vast Al-Udeid base in Qatar, which houses the biggest US airbase in the region, Hariss said many children, men and women were sleeping on the floor.

"I have given hundreds of people my (data) hotspot -- and I don't know how much will I be charged later," he told AFP.

- 'Delusional' - On Saturday, the situation at Kabul airport deteriorated with evacuation operations mired in chaos.

US President Joe Biden warned he could not predict the outcome of one of the "most difficult airlifts in history".

Six days after the Taliban took back power in Afghanistan, the flow of people trying to flee the Islamist hardliners continued to overwhelm the international community's efforts.

Washington says that the evacuation is now being assisted by an array of countries including Bahrain, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, the UAE and Uzbekistan.

Qatar said that more than 7,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan to the Gulf emirate so far, while the UAE said Friday it had helped 8,500 to safety.

Hariss described "chaotic" scenes at the US base in Qatar.

"Everyone is pushing and creating havoc worse than (at) the airport gates," he said, adding that he tried to calm the Afghans and guide them, but a US soldier questioned his authority and called him "delusional".

"I think they are delusional for losing the war from a bunch of motorcyclists with sandals," he told AFP.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has highly appreciated the vibrant role of overseas Kashmiris for projecting Kashmir issue in its true perspective at international level

MUZAFFARABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) :Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Sardar Abdul Qayyum Niazi has highly appreciated the vibrant role of overseas Kashmiris for projecting Kashmir issue in its true perspective at international level.

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of overseas Kashmiris led by the Secretary of the All parties Kashmir group in the British parliament lord Qurban Hussain here on Saturday. He said overseas Kashmiri had been playing a significant role for projecting Kashmir issue abroad and the government would support them in mobilizing world opinion. He said the present government would project the Kashmir issue at every international forum effectively in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said new welfare projects for the socio economic uplift of the people of Azad Kashmir would be started with the support of the Federal government and added that Azad Kashmir would be turned into a real base camp of the liberation movement.

He said special efforts will be made with the cooperation of Punjab and KPK governments for the improvement of roads leading to AJK from KPK and Punjab to provide better travelling facilities to the people of the state.

Speaking on the occasion Lord Qurban Hussain said that the overseas Kashmiris were the vanguard of the Kashmir liberation struggle and will continue to highlight the Kashmir issue at international level with full determination .

Meanwhile, a delegation of the welfare council of overseas Kashmiri belonging to Britain and Europe also called on the AJK Prime Minister and briefed him about the issues of the overseas Kashmiri. They invited the Prime Minister to participate in the overseas Pakistani welfare council conference being held next month in London.
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Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday had another telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod of Denmark and exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday had another telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod of Denmark and exchanged views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.

The two foreign ministers recalled their earlier contact as well as the conversation between Prime Minister Imran Khan and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about the situation in Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said full support was being extended to the Danish government in its evacuation efforts.

He underlined the importance of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for Pakistan and the region, a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said.

The foreign minister added that the world was taking cognizance of the completely changed reality in Afghanistan.

In the given situation, he stressed that the foremost priority was to ensure safety and security as well as protection of rights of the Afghan people.

The foreign minister underlined that an inclusive political settlement was the best way forward for sustainable peace and stability in the country.

He emphasized that it was equally important for the international community to remain engaged in support of the Afghan people for humanitarian assistance and economic sustenance.

The Danish foreign minister conveyed thanks to the Pakistan government for the support to the Danish government's evacuation endeavours.

The two foreign ministers agreed to remain in close contact.
(@FahadShabbir)

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi on Friday during his official visit to Jordan called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) Jordanian Armed Forces Major General Yousef Ahmed Al-Hnaity, Director Air Operations Brigadier General Mohammad Kh Aljaloudi and Commander Royal Jordanian Naval Force (RJNF) Colonel Hisham Khaleel Al Jarrah, in separate meetings

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi on Friday during his official visit to Jordan called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) Jordanian Armed Forces Major General Yousef Ahmed Al-Hnaity, Director Air Operations Brigadier General Mohammad Kh Aljaloudi and Commander Royal Jordanian Naval Force (RJNF) Colonel Hisham Khaleel Al Jarrah, in separate meetings.

Upon arrival at Royal Jordanian Naval Force Headquarters at Aqaba, the Admiral was received by Commander Royal Jordanian Naval Force (RJNF) and was presented Guard of Honour, said a Pakistan Navy news release here received.

During call on with Commander RJNF, Naval Chief was briefed on roles and capabilities of RJNF. The dignitaries dwelled on significance of close and strong bilateral naval association in diverse realms between Pakistan and Royal Jordanian Navy.

Earlier, the Naval Chief called on Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) Jordanian Armed Forces Major General Yousef Ahmed Al-Hnaity and Director of Air Operations Brigadier General Muhammad Kh Aljaloudi.

During the meetings with Jordanian Armed Force Commanders, Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi dilated upon matters of mutual interest and naval collaboration. The Admiral highlighted Pakistan Navy's focused efforts towards fight against terrorism; Counter Piracy Operations and Pakistan Navy initiative of Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP). Commanders of Royal Jordanian Armed Forces lauded Pakistan Navy's efforts in promoting peace and security in the maritime domain and acknowledged strong defence foundations & brotherly relations between Pakistan and Jordan.

Later, Naval Chief visited King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) and witnessed a counter terrorism demonstration by Jordanian Special Forces squad.

It is expected that recent visit of the Naval Chief will further enhance and expand bilateral relations between the two countries and Defence collaboration between the Armed Forces.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Aug, 2021 ) :Pakistan on Friday reaffirmed its condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including right-wing, Islamophobic, racially and ethnically motivated and above all state-sponsored terrorism.

"Terrorism at an organized level would never completely cease to exist until those who support, plan, perpetrate, finance and facilitate it are prevented and held fully accountable," the Foreign Office said in a statement issued on the eve of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism being commemorated on Saturday (tomorrow).

"It is our firm resolve that the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy by some regional countries cannot be allowed to continue at the cost of peace, security and prosperity of the region," the statement added.

"The Day calls upon the international community to connect and stand in solidarity with those who have suffered from the scourge of terrorism. On this Day, we honour all those victims who lost their lives and their loved ones who cherish their memories every day," it said.

"We recognize the sacrifices of countless individuals around the world who have laid down their lives in fighting the menace of terrorism. We especially honour the victims of terrorism in Pakistan, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Palestine and other parts of the world," the statement said.

The statement mentioned that over the last two decades, Pakistan had waged a relentless struggle against terrorism with conviction that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations was condemnable and a bane to be rooted out from the world.

In this campaign, the valiant security forces and the people of Pakistan have fought against terrorism, day in day out, with utmost commitment and courage, to make their country and the world a safer place, the statement said.

"We pay homage to our heroes who sacrificed their precious lives and have successfully eradicated the menace of terrorism from the country," it added.

While turning the tide of terrorism, the statement pointed out that Pakistan suffered over 80,000 casualties and economic losses of US $150 billion, with no other parallel in the world.

"This Day specially rekindles the pride and valor of our brave security forces who always stand guard to protect innocent men, women and children. We cherish their noble cause by reaffirming our resolve to carry on the fight till its end and to play our part in ensuring international peace and security. The Government of Pakistan would always support our heroes and their families," the statement said.

The statement pointed out that the oppressed people of IIOJK deserve their special tribute for their unparalleled sacrifices while fighting the worst form of state-terrorism unleashed by Indian security forces.

Despite horrific and unabated acts of terrorism perpetrated by Indian occupation forces on the innocent youth, elderly, women and children of IIOJK, their resolve and spirit to fight the oppressors has remained unyielding, it added.

"India's unabated reign of terror in IIOJK has led to death of over 90,000 Kashmiris. The people of Pakistan would always stand by their brothers and sisters in IIOJK and would continue to provide all possible support in their struggle against illegal, inhuman and alien occupation by India," the statement said.

"The international community owes it to the victims of terrorism and the fallen heroes in this fight and has a moral and legal obligation to take effective measures to suppress terrorism, beyond narrow political interests and parochial geo-political agendas," the statement maintained.
Albania is ready to take in thousands of refugees from Afghanistan after the Taliban (designated terrorist by the UN and Russia) takeover, seeing it as an obligation of all NATO nations, Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka said

BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2021) Albania is ready to take in thousands of refugees from Afghanistan after the Taliban (designated terrorist by the UN and Russia) takeover, seeing it as an obligation of all NATO nations, Foreign Minister Olta Xhacka said.

On Monday, Xhacka tweeted her country was "ready to host hundreds of Afghans" who are at risk over the worsening situation in the Central Asian country.

"@NATO MFA's [Ministers for Foreign Affairs] meeting discussed situation in #Afghanistan. [Albania] is ready to host thousands of Afghans. This is a challenge for #NATO as a whole.

If #Albania can do it, why not the rest?" Xhacka tweeted on Friday.

The minister stated that the humanitarian mission to host refugees from Afghanistan is Albania's obligation toward the "people who worked and fought with" the country.

The first group of 300 Afghan refugees is expected to arrive in the country soon.

On August 15, the Taliban entered Kabul, which caused the civilian government to collapse. Thousands of Afghans are seeking escape from the country for fear of reprisals from the militants, and many countries chose to reduce or fully evacuate their diplomatic missions in Kabul.
A thermal power station in Syria's northwestern port of Baniyas cannot upgrade its equipment and operate at full capacity due to Western sanctions, the plant's director Eisa Sawaf told reporters

BANIYAS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2021) A thermal power station in Syria's northwestern port of Baniyas cannot upgrade its equipment and operate at full capacity due to Western sanctions, the plant's director Eisa Sawaf told reporters.

"Economic sanctions, economic blockade. We are unable to deliver equipment that will allow us to upgrade [the power station]. We hope that soon enough we will be able to import equipment and modernize the station: then everything will be alright," Sawaf said.

Two power units of the plant were supplied by Italy in 1982 and two by Japan in 1988. Both need modernization and are currently operating at half of their original capacity, which amounts to 170MW each.

The oil and gas power station was launched in the early 1980s. During the war in Syria, terrorist attacks by Islamist militants on oil and gas pipelines forced the plant to stop operating at full capacity. Russia and Iran then started shipping fuel for the plant.

Syria has been under Western sanctions since 2011. On May 27, the European Union extended sanctions on the Arab republic for another year until June 1, 2022. They include a ban on trade in oil and restrictions on certain investments.
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President Joe Biden said Friday he could not guarantee the final outcome of the emergency evacuation from Kabul's airport, calling it one of the most "difficult" airlift operations ever

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :President Joe Biden said Friday he could not guarantee the final outcome of the emergency evacuation from Kabul's airport, calling it one of the most "difficult" airlift operations ever.

"This is one of the largest, most difficult airlifts in history," Biden said in a televised address from the White House. "I cannot promise what the final outcome will be."The president said US forces have airlifted 13,000 people out of Afghanistan since August 14, and 18,000 since July, with thousands more evacuated on private charter flights "facilitated by the US government."
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday thanked a veteran drug lord jailed for the murder of a US undercover agent, after the incarcerated man praised the leftist leader's security strategy

Mexico City, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday thanked a veteran drug lord jailed for the murder of a US undercover agent, after the incarcerated man praised the leftist leader's security strategy.

"I thank him very much for his good wishes," Lopez Obrador said at his daily news conference when asked about the comments of Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo.

The 76-year-old founder of the Guadalajara cartel has been in prison since 1989 for the murder of Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, a US Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

In a rare interview with the Telemundo channel released this week, Felix Gallardo said that Lopez Obrador was slowly resolving the violence gripping the Latin American country.

"The violence is a consequence of unemployment, of social inequality, which Mr Lopez Obrador is solving little by little. You have to give him time," he said.

Felix Gallardo, who maintained his innocence, appeared in a wheelchair in a high-security prison in western Mexico, saying he was blind in one eye and deaf in one ear.

Lopez Obrador said that the attorney general's office would review Felix Gallardo's case to see if he qualifies for a prisoner release scheme announced by the government.

Inmates aged 65 and above with chronic diseases will be among those considered for release.

"I don't want anyone to suffer. I don't want anyone to be in jail. I'm a humanist. I'm trained in the school of non-violence," but "I have to enforce the laws," Lopez Obrador said.

Felix Gallardo's criminal organization, powerful in the 1980s, is considered the forefather of modern Mexican drug cartels.

It was one of the first to establish contacts with Colombian drug lords to transport cocaine from the South American country to the United States.

A wave of cartel-related violence has left more than 300,000 people dead in Mexico since the government deployed the military in the war on drugs in 2006.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2021) The United States has imposed sanctions on two Russian companies and two vessels over their involvement in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, the Treasury Department said on Friday.

The new sanctions target the Russian insurance company Konstanta and the company Nobility, along with the Ostap Sheremeta vessel linked to Nobility, the Treasury Department said. Also targeted was the Russian-flagged vessel Ivan Sidorenko.

The United States has also re-issued a license that will allow businesses and individuals to conduct limited transactions with Russia's Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service (MRS), provided that these are not related to the Nord Stream 2 project, the Treasury Department said.

The Nord Stream 2 project, which is 99 percent completed, provides for the construction of a 745-mile offshore twin pipeline aimed to supply up to 1.9 trillion cubic feet of gas per year from Russia directly to Germany. Ukraine and several eastern European states called on the European Union to abandon the project, citing the bloc's perceived over-dependence on Moscow.

Russia has insisted that the Nord Stream 2 is an entirely commercial undertaking, urging critics to stop politicizing the project.
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Scotland's ruling party on Friday announced a landmark power-sharing deal for a pro-independence majority in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh, catapulting the Greens into their first ministerial positions in UK politics

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Aug, 2021 ) :Scotland's ruling party on Friday announced a landmark power-sharing deal for a pro-independence majority in the devolved parliament in Edinburgh, catapulting the Greens into their first ministerial positions in UK politics.

The agreement between the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Scottish Green Party needs to be approved by members but tightens ties between the two parties, which both back a new vote on independence.

The deal promises to deliver another referendum before the end of the first half of the current parliamentary session in 2024, if the coronavirus crisis had ended.

First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon hopes to secure the so-called "indyref2", despite strong opposition from the UK government in London.

"For my part, I am determined there will be an independence referendum in this parliament," she said at a joint press conference at her Edinburgh residence, Bute House.

"We (the SNP and the Scottish Green Party) are choosing to work together and we are doing so not out of necessity but for the common good.

"We also in this agreement reaffirm our shared commitment to securing independence.

" The deal is not a coalition, however, according to its text. The Greens will get two ministerial positions. Appointments have yet to be announced.

Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie hailed the agreement as a "historic moment" but insisted the two parties would retain their "distinctive voices".

Party members have to vote next week on whether to back the deal.

It comes as the UK government prepares to host the COP26 UN climate change summit in Glasgow, western Scotland, from November 1.

Campaigners, including Friends of the Earth Scotland, said they hoped the alliance would help prioritise environmental issues to combat global warming.

The Scottish Greens have just eight seats in the 129-seat parliament in Edinburgh, which has powers to set policy in areas such as health, education, transport and the environment.

The SNP, which has been banking on Scottish opposition to the UK departure from the European Union, has 64, just short of an overall majority.

The last independence referendum in Scotland in 2014 saw 55 percent vote against severing ties with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2021) US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told US Representatives that Americans have had run ins with the Taliban (banned in Russia) in Kabul, contradicting President Joe Biden's claims that nationals were making their way to the airport unimpeded, US media reports said in Friday.

"Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a briefing call with House lawmakers just now said Americans have been beaten by the Taliban in Kabul, according to multiple people on the call. Austin called it 'unacceptable'," Politico reporter Andrew Desiderio said in a Twitter message.
Uzbekistan has authorized domestic production of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 shot and the recombinant vaccine developed by China's Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical, according to the relevant government decree published on Saturday

TASHKENT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st August, 2021) Uzbekistan has authorized domestic production of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 shot and the recombinant vaccine developed by China's Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical, according to the relevant government decree published on Saturday.

The Chinese vaccine will be produced under the name of ZF-UZ-VAC 2001.

"To agree with suggestions of the ministry of health and the agency for pharmaceutical industry development concerning the state registration of ZF-UZ-VAC 2001 and Sputnik V vaccines produced by Jurabek Laboratories," the document read.
The death of Imam Ustas AladjiI Bubacar Djalo of Mansoa is a great loss for Islam in Guinea-Bissau, but also for the Catholic Church, because throughout his life he was a man of peace and dialogue.

Agenzia Fides  Bissau.

The Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Bissau, Bishop Jose Lampra Ca, and the Administrator of the Diocese of Bafata, Fr. Lucio Brentagni, have both expressed sadness at the death of an Imam committed to peace.

The Imam died of Covid-19.

Loss to Muslims and Christians

"It is with great sadness that we have heard the news of the death of the esteemed Imam of Mansoa and President of the National Union of Imams of Guinea-Bissau, Ustas AladjiI Bubacar Djalo. The Catholic community has a very strong bond with Imam Ustas, and at this moment joins with great sadness his family and the entire Islamic community of Mansoa and Guinea on this untimely death," said the local Catholic Church representatives.

Voice of Islam

Imam Ustas AladjiI Bubacar Djalos desire for peace was known to many, his commitment to fraternal dialogue between religions will not be forgotten. Since the beginning of Radio Sol Mansi, the radio station of the Catholic Church, the imam presented a radioprogramme, entitled, "Voice of Islam". His faithful presence until his last days was a sign of his great faith in the one God and his desire that religions be at the service of peace and the common good. .

The collaboration between Radio Sol Mansi and the Radio Koran School of Mansoa (RECOM) remains unique in the history of Guinea Bissau and has been an extremely positive example in various places around the world and in the media in Europe and Africa.

Dangers of religious fanaticism

In June of this year, the Imam gave a lecture to the students of the "Leopoldo Pastori" high school in Bafata on the value of dialogue between believers of various religions. He spoke about the document, "Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together," jointly signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam de Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayyib in 2019.

The Imam pointed out, to students, the dangers of religious fanaticism that is spreading in the world and in the sub-region. He condemned the instrumentalisation of religion for political purposes.
Los Angeles Police Officer Gutierrez, left, puts pressure on the open wound of a demonstrator, who was stabbed during clashes between anti-vaccination demonstrators and counter protesters during an anti-vaccination protest in front of the City Hall in Los Angeles Saturday, Aug. 14. A man was stabbed and a reporter was attacked Saturday at a protest against vaccine mandates on the south lawn of Los Angeles' City Hall after a fight broke out between the protesters and counter protesters, the Los Angeles Police Department and local media said. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A man who was stabbed when a Los Angeles protest against vaccine mandates turned violent has been released from the hospital, police said Sunday, Aug. 15.

The man was stabbed and a news reporter was kicked after a fight broke out Saturday between anti-vaccination demonstrators and counter protesters in front of Los Angeles City Hall.

The identity of the man with the stab wound was not released and no information was given about the extent of his injury, the Los Angeles Times reported.

No arrest has been reported in connection with the stabbing, or in the attack on KPCC radio reporter Frank Stoltze, Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department said.

The violence drew condemnation from elected officials.

"We have to be able to have differences of opinions without resorting to violence," City Council President Nury Martinez said in a statement. "Attacking counter protesters and journalists has no place in a democracy and certainly no place in Los Angeles."

Several hundred people holding American flags, Trump memorabilia and signs calling for "medical freedom" turned out for Saturday's rally. A small group of counter protesters gathered nearby.

After a fight broke out, the LAPD said on Twitter that it was "aware of 1 male that was stabbed & is being treated." The victim was rushed to a hospital.

At least one man was seen kicking Stoltze, who told a police officer he had been assaulted while trying to conduct an interview.

Stoltze later tweeted: "Something happened to me today that's never happened in 30 yrs of reporting. In LA. @LAist. I was shoved, kicked and my eyeglasses were ripped off of my face by a group of guys at a protest - outside City Hall during an anti-vax Recall @GavinNewsom Pro Trump rally."

Stoltze added that he is in good condition.
Afghan refugees in Turkey say they made the dangerous journey to escape living again under Taliban rule. VOAs Arif Aslan reports from eastern Turkey where some of the Afghans he spoke with arrived over the past few days as the Taliban was taking over the Afghan capital.
Police said the death of 21-year-old Ian Muhama in the Kachere area of Blantyre brings the number of albino attacks this year to four  a drop from past years, but still disconcerting.

Three victims, including Muhama, have been killed, while another, a baby girl, is missing.

James Kadadzera is a spokesperson for the Malawi Police Service.

The first incident this year in Mangochi (district), the suspects were arrested and the body was also found," Kadadzera said. "Another incident in Chikwawa [district] where a 20-month-old baby was abducted, we are on ground and we are sure of finding the suspected and we are sure of finding the whereabouts of the abducted baby.

Kadadzera also said police are investigating the death of Muhama.

Statistics show that since 2014, more than 170 albinos have been attacked in Malawi because of false beliefs that concoctions mixed with their body parts bring luck and wealth.

In some cases, grave robbers have exhumed corpses to retrieve albinos bodies.

Observers say efforts to end the attacks havent helped much.

In 2018 the government and the United Nations developed the National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism. The plan is designed to discourage attacks and provide albinos with greater protection, in part by giving out security alarms.

Maria Jose Torres is the U.N. national coordinator in Malawi. She said full implementation of the plan could help end the attacks.

The United Nations is calling upon the authorities to continue implementing that National Action Plan on Persons with Albinism to ensure that the criminal practice of attacking persons with albinism is fully eliminated in Malawi, Torres said.

Boniface Massa is chairperson for the Disability and Elderly Rights Directorate at the Malawi Human Rights Commission, a key stakeholder in the action plans.

Massa said the plan, for its promises, is falling short.

We have so far highlighted serious gaps in terms of the actual protection pillar under the National Action Plan," Massa said. "So overall what we noted from our findings that we are still analyzing is that there hasnt been direct impact on the life of people with albinism.

In a statement this week, Amnesty International said the recent attack is the latest reminder that Malawi remains a dangerous place for persons with albinism.

Some rights activists believe the attacks could end only if police mount a crackdown on markets for the albino body parts.

But police spokesperson Kadadzera says there is no such market.

There are a lot of people that we have arrested with bones," Kadadzera said. "And they dont have anywhere to sell the bones so thats why I am saying this is just a mystery; this is just a belief that is unfounded.

He said in the meantime, police, chiefs and religious leaders are trying to educate people to stop believing in the myths that perpetuate the attacks.
As the Taliban take control of the Afghan government, women say they are fearful for their future, with many skeptical of the Islamist group's pledges to respect womens rights. President Biden says if the Taliban want aid and recognition, that will depend on how they treat Afghan women and girls.
Stratovolcano 1536 m / 5,039 ftKamchatka, 54.05N / 159.43E(3 out of 5)1771, 1830, 1852, 1854, 1908, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1921, 1923, 1925, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1996 - ongoingDoninantly explosive, construction of lava domes, near constant activity.(volcano expedition to Kamchatka)

If you havn't done it yet,to get one of the fastest volcano news online:

Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts the south side of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas. Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, which is located immediately south of Karymsky volcano. The caldera enclosing Karymsky volcano formed about 7600-7700 radiocarbon years ago; construction of the Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2000 years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater.

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A remote island in the Flores Sea of Indonesia formed by a single volcano that has been in strong strombolian eruption for years. We regularly lead expeditions to there where we camp several days to observe it.

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The Taliban uncovered the complete list of CIA Collaborators, mostly Khost Protection Force (KPF) and National Directorate of Security (NDS) officials. They have set up roadblocks impeding all access to both airports, in an effort to stop the fugitives.

According to the reports we have received from witnesses, the Taliban are allowing British and French Special Forces to go through in order to look for their nationals stranded in the city.

The Khost Protection Force (KPF) and the National Directorate of Security (NDS) were CIA collaborators in charge of counterinsurgency. They were given lists of people suspected of opposing the US occupation. Depending on the case, they tortured or murdered them.
Alabama state troopers are looking for a suspect after a fatal hit and run that left a teen dead.

It happened near Athens late Thursday night close to East Limestone and Nick Davis Road.

16-year-old Mason Cozelos died at the scene.

Alabama State Troopers and Limestone County Sheriff's Deputies are currently asking all law enforcement agencies to help find who did this.

The Cozelos family told us they are asking for help to find a dark colored vehicle with damage to the front and passenger side.

Officials say Mason was walking around the area Thursday night when he was hit and killed by a car.

Even though details on the vehicle aren't much, the family is pleading for anyone to help out.

The family told us Mason was the light of their world was described as a polite and charismatic kid, who could brighten up any room.

We also learned he was a lacrosse player at James Clemens High School and was a huge team player.

Dr. Brian Clayton,the principal at James Clemens High School sent us this statement:

We are saddened to hear of the loss of Mason Cozelos. He was a wonderful person and great student who will be dearly missed. Our prayers go out to his family and all Jets.

Extra counselors will be available on Monday at James Clemens to serve our students, faculty, and staff during this difficult time,.

For Mason's funeral, his mother told us in lieu of flowers, donate money towards a $10,000 reward to find whoever did this.

His father, is asking for donations to go towards a future scholarship and physical place for Mason's friends to remember him.

We learned Mason worked for LawLers BBQ, and from a Facebook post, they stated they are also going to reward $5,000 to whoever finds the suspect.

Right now, the family is asking for prayers and for anyone to be on the lookout for the vehicle in question.

Alabama State Troopers are the lead investigators, and if you have any info, they're asking you to contact them at (256) 533-4202 or the Limestone County Sheriff's Office.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey directed flags to be flown at half-staff to honor State Representative Thad McClammy of Montgomery.

The Montgomery democrat died of natural causes Saturday afternoon at the age of 79.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon of Monrovia called McClammy the finest example of a House member.

"The people of District 76 have lost not only their champion in the House also a very fine man and I've lost a friend," said McCutcheon. My wife Deb and I send our heartfelt condolences to his family."

McClammy had served in the legislature since 1994. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
Former Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely was ordered to serve the maximum sentence for his two felony convictions.

The judge on Friday ordered Blakely to serve 36 consecutive months in a county jail outside of Limestone County, followed by two years of unsupervised probation.

Blakely enters sentencing hearing Blakely enters sentencing hearing

Following the judge's sentencing, many of the audience members were shocked as they found out the sheriff of 38 years will be spending 3 years in county jail, pending appeals.

The sentence surprised many people because the judge had just heard almost two hours of character witnesses speaking on behalf of Blakely.

Of those brought to the stand, Judge Pamela Baschab heard an emotional testimony from Blakely's son, followed by testimony from Blakely himself.

During Blakely's testimony, he spoke about his past two weeks inside the Limestone County jail, telling the judge, "It was a very different experience having to stay in my jail, but I thank you for that." He it's been an honor to serve Limestone County.

The judge also heard from former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb. Cobb thanked Baschab, her former colleague, for helping Cobb make history as she had never spoken on behalf of a criminal defendant before.

But, the testimonies did not sway the judge in her sentence. Now, the defense team is focusing on Blakely's two guilty verdicts.

"We're going to focus on those two on the appeal, and there's a process obviously that we have to go through to put those before the appellate court," says Blakely's attorney, Robert Tuten.

Blakely's defense team was not happy with the sentence, as they argued in court the sentencing guidelines indicated Blakely should only get probation.

"We want to just take a step back right now, let the dust settle on the sentencing hearing a little bit, and then focus on the appeal from this point on," says Tuten.

The sentence might not have been what the defense wanted, but the prosecution considers it a win.

In a statement from Attorney General Steve Marshall, he says, "it is vitally important that this sentence sends a clear and strong message that officials who breach the public's trust should and will face the same penalties as anyone else. Once again, I commend the Limestone County jury for weighing the evidence and reaching the right conclusion.'"

Less than an hour after Blakely learned his fate, he posted his $50,000 appeal bond. That means he no longer has to spend another night inside the Limestone County jail where he had been for the past two weeks.

Blakely's team also immediately filed a notice of appeal, which marks the beginning of what can be a very lengthy appeals process.

Since Blakely posted bond and filed notice of appeal, the next step is the appeal could go to the Alabama court of criminal appeals. Then, both the defense and prosecution will file briefs, there could be oral arguments, and even a petition to go to the Alabama Supreme Court.

"The big question of the day seems to be how long will the appeal take, and right now no body knows that. The more complicated the case the longer it will take. And I can tell you that this is pretty complicated," says Tuten.

Even though Blakely now knows his punishment for his two theft and ethics violations, his lengthy court procedures are far from over.
There's a new chief in town!

"Can't explain it. I just immediately felt at home here for some reason. I felt a connection. My dad is originally from Alabama," said Johnny Gandy, the new chief at the Madison Police Department.

Gandy said he's wanted to be in law enforcement since he was a little boy.

"My favorite television show was Adam 12. I remember my friends waiting outside during Halloween to go trick or treating and I couldn't go with them before I watched Adam 12," said Gandy.

After 34 years at the Virginia Beach Police Department, he was ready for a change.

"Lots of interesting experiences. Lot of good experiences. Some bad. Some very tragic experiences. In fact, probably the most tragic experience I've ever been through in my life happened within the last two years of my time and service there at Virginia Beach, and that was a mass shooting at our municipal center.

"But all of the experiences I had are invaluable to help me prepare for this job," he said.

You may remember Gandy got the job over Maj. John Stringer, who lead the department on an interim basis.

Stringer has been a member of the Madison Police Department for more than 20 years. and Gandy said he was worried coming in.

"I got a call in Virginia Beach one day from Major Stringer and I gotta say that he was so gracious in that call. He had completely committed himself to this department and committed himself to ensuring that the department accepted me as the chief and that he would do everything in his power to make sure that I transitioned smoothly into this job, and he's been spot on with that. I couldn't have asked for anything more," said Gandy.

Gandy said he as some goals that he'd like to achieve.

At the top of his list, getting better pay for his officers.

"One of the common complaints here especially with the younger officers is that they love this city, but they can't afford to live in it," said Gandy.

He says after he fixes some internal issues, his priority is keeping you and your family safe.

"I am totally dedicated to providing the best quality public service to the community and I'll do everything in my power to ensure that they have the best police force in the state."
Italian head of state repeats call to get vaccinated.

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella has said that getting vaccinated against covid-19 is a "duty," stating: "Responsibility starts with ourselves."

The president, addressing the annual gathering of the Catholic movement Comunione e Liberazione in Rimini on Friday, reiterated the words of Pope Francis who said recently that getting vaccinated is "an act of love."

Mattarella, who made a similar appeal in July, described vaccines as "the most effective instrument we have at our disposal to defend ourselves and protect the weakest and the most exposed to serious dangers."

The intervention by Mattarella comes as the latest vaccine data released on Friday shows that 12.8 per cent of Italy's teachers and 1.8 per cent of the country's doctors and nurses have not been vaccinated against covid-19, reports news agency ANSA.

In April the Italian government made it obligatory for all healthcare workers to get the vaccine, with those who refuse being reassigned, demoted or suspended without pay.

On Thursday the Siracusa doctors' guild in Sicily suspended 49 unvaccinated medics, reports ANSA, with guild chief Anselmo Madeddu quoted as saying: "The doctor who can but does not get vaccinated is a very bad example for society."

Green Pass

Earlier this month Italy announced that the covid 'Green Pass' would be mandatory for teachers and school staff, as well as staff and students of universities, from 1 September.

The Green Pass, or Certificazione Verde, shows that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19.

It is required to dine indoors in restaurants as well as on long-distance transport and for access to a wide range of cultural and leisure activities.

The government said that school and university employees who fail to comply with the Green Pass measures would face having their employment and pay suspended after five days of "unjustified" absence from work.

For full details (in Italian) about the Green Pass see the Certificazione Verde website. There is also a helpline tel. 800912491 (open daily 08.00-20.00) and an email address cittadini@dgc.gov.it.

For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see health ministry website.

Photo ANSA
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Queenslander Renee Gracie is one of many adult entertainment creators who was blindsided by subscription content service OnlyFanss decision to pivot away from the very industry upon which it built its success.

From October 1, OnlyFans will limit sexually explicit content on its platform. Gracie, a former V8 supercar racer, is one of OnlyFanss most popular Australian creators. And this isnt the first time shes felt let down by the business.

Australian OnlyFans star Renee Gracie was blindsided by its policy change. Credit:Jessica Hromas/Fairfax Media

I have paid that company thousands and thousands of dollars over the last year and a half, and theyve never promoted me or contacted me to say thank you, she said.

Gracie doesnt know what to make of OnlyFanss latest decision. Despite reading about the new policy, shes yet to be contacted by the company directly or find anything on OnlyFanss website to explain the change.
The social shift from the pandemic that is driving more people into regional Victoria is also putting pressure on once-humble country watering holes.

The flight from the city is driving a series of million-dollar makeovers of rustic venues, and their new patrons are expecting a gourmet dining experience to boot.

Billionaire Paul Little is renovating of the Portarlington Grand Hotel. Credit:

Customers are looking for a unique experience and theyre expecting the conveniences of urban Melbourne in tree/sea change locations, including paddock to plate, a well-curated drinks and wine list, and an on-trend venue aesthetic, said Hannah Rose, Knight Franks specialist hotel and hospitality valuer.

There are very few country pubs that successfully create their own destination driver.
As terrible as many things in the world are, climate is unique in posing an existential threat to civilisation. And its horrifying that so many political figures are dead set against any serious action to address that threat.

Despite that, theres still a chance that well do enough to avoid catastrophe  not because weve grown wiser but because weve been lucky. We used to believe that achieving big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions would be difficult and expensive, although not nearly as costly as anti-environmentalists claimed. Over the past dozen years or so, however, weve experienced a technological miracle. As nicely documented in an article by Max Roser, the costs of solar and wind power, once dismissed as foolish hippie fantasies, have plunged to the point that quite modest incentives could lead to a rapid reduction in use of fossil fuels.

The costs of solar and wind power have plunged to the point that quite modest incentives could lead to a rapid reduction in use of fossil fuels. Credit:Brendon Thorne, Bloomberg

But was it really luck? Did this miracle  actually two miracles, since generating electricity from the sun and from the wind involve completely different technologies  just happen to arrive in our moment of need? Or was it a consequence of good policy decisions?

The answer is that theres a pretty good case that policy  the Obama administrations investments in green energy and European subsidies, especially for offshore wind  played a central role.
Review: Ethel Rosenberg: A Cold War Tragedy, Anne Sebba, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, $32.99

The unsettling opening of Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar  It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they executed the Rosenbergs  echoes the disturbing death of Ethel Rosenberg. At 8.08pm on June 19, 1953, Ethel was informed that her husband, Julius, had been pronounced dead minutes previously. The rabbi implored her, for the sake of her children, to recant and make a statement, any statement. She remained silent. Then she spoke: I am ready.

She was led to the white-walled death chamber and strapped to the same oak chair in which Julius had just been electrocuted. When the electrodes were attached, she stared defiantly into the faces of the guards. A leather mask was lowered over her face. At 8.11pm, the executioner sent 1800 electric volts through Ethels body. But she died slowly. The doctors applied their stethoscopes and found her still alive. Two more currents of electricity were administered, which triggered a plume of smoke arising from her head. At 8.16pm she was dead.

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg sit in a police van after being convicted of espionage in 1951. Credit:

Ethel Rosenberg was the only woman in American history to be executed for spying. The evidence against her was, at best, flimsy, and spousal knowledge of espionage was not in itself a crime. The chief assistant prosecutor, Roy Cohn, persuaded Ethels brother, David Greenglass  whose trial testimony was, literally, lethal  to commit perjury.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The legend goes like this. If you drink from Runaway Ghaut, a ravine that channels rainwater from the volcano to the sea on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, you will one day return. Artist and childrens book author Frane Lessac, who lived on the island between 1979 and 1983, remembers filling her young daughters bottle with that water when the family would regularly visit throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Her daughter, Cody Greenwood, is now 31, and she did more than return to the island. She has produced a documentary about it called Under the Volcano. It details the story of AIR Montserrat, one of the most legendary recording studios in the world  built by the Beatles producer George Martin in 1979  and what happened when two cataclysmic natural disasters struck the island. Australian film producer Cody Greenwood, left, as a child with her mother Frane Lessac and brother Luke on Montserrat in 1993. Credit:Mark Greenwood I instantly fell in love with the island and no place has ever felt like it before or since, says Lessac, sitting in the kitchen of the large Fremantle house she shares with her husband and fellow childrens book author, Mark Greenwood. I was in my 20s and Id been living in California, where I studied film, but I wanted to live somewhere in the Caribbean. I read about Montserrat, where the harbour was too shallow for cruise ships and the runway too short for jets. That sounded great to me. Her arrival coincided with the opening of Martins studio, and Lessac became friends with the legendary producer and his family and hung out with some of the famous musicians who came there to record. Many of them are now interviewed in her daughters documentary, in which they express their love for Montserrat and detail how it helped them get away from the paparazzi, the record companies and distractions of the city, and inspired them to reconnect and create, revitalising their careers in the process.

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Elton John arrived in 1982 with no songs and in the middle of a career slump following his 1970s heyday, and recorded three albums back to back  notably 1983s Too Low For Zero, which contained two of his most enduring hits, Im Still Standing and I Guess Thats Why They Call It The Blues, written on the island with Bernie Taupin. Elton John photographed at AIR Studios Montserrat where he recorded three albums. Credit:Martyn Goddard The Police recorded Ghost In The Machine (1981) and Synchronicity (1983) there, albums that catapulted them to superstar status, even as the band members relationships were falling apart. The video for Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic was filmed on Montserrat and includes many of the locals, along with footage of Martins studio. (Martin was displeased that guitarist Andy Summers danced on top of the precious Neve mixing desk in the video.) And following a period of estrangement between Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the Rolling Stones regrouped and healed old wounds to record their 1989 comeback album Steel Wheels. It was to be the final recording session at AIR Montserrat. Away from the distractions of the city: AIR Studios Montserrat in its heyday. Credit:Frank Oglethorpe The dream came to a terrible end on September 17, 1989, when Hurricane Hugo damaged or destroyed 90 per cent of the structures on the island. It left AIR Montserrat in ruins. Then, between 1995 and 1997, Montserrats volcano erupted, burying the capital, Plymouth, destroying the airport and making the southern half of the island uninhabitable. There were 19 deaths and two-thirds of the population of 10,000 left the island, half of them for the UK. The Police in the studio in 1981, from left, Andy Summers, Sting and Stewart Copeland. Credit:Getty Images

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We got permission to go to the studio to film, but its falling apart and very unsafe, says Cody Greenwood, sitting in her familys Fremantle kitchen. Everyone had to wear masks to protect us from mould and if you stepped on the wrong part of the floorboards you could fall right through. Everyone had to wear masks to protect us from mould and if you stepped on the wrong part of the floorboards you could fall right through. Producer Cody Greenwood She chose Gracie Otto to direct as she loved her 2013 documentary The Last Impresario, about legendary British theatre and film producer Michael White (famous for The Rocky Horror Show, Oh! Calcutta, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail). AIR founder and Beatles producer George Martin takes a call by the pool at his dream studio. Credit:Martyn Goddard Loading I feel that if Cody and I were on The Amazing Race together, wed win, says Otto via Zoom from Sydney. Were a great team. Were both very similar, but we both have different strengths. Shes an early bird and Im a night bird. Shes got a producer brain and Ive got a director brain. Weve spent so much time together making this film that now were like best friends. Otto and Greenwood agree the toughest thing about making Under the Volcano was getting the stars to talk on camera. They thought they were off to a flying start when the very first person on board was Sting, who was interviewed in New York. But the filmmakers had to keep pushing for other famous names. By far the hardest nut to crack was Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, who recorded his magnum opus, Brothers In Arms, at AIR Montserrat in 1984 and 1985.

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Director Gracie Otto, left, and producer Cody Greenwood in 2019 on the diving board where rock stars once sunbathed. Credit:Amanda Fordyce Cody tried for two years and he said no six or seven times before finally agreeing to do it, says Otto. Then when we got back from the interview, we discovered that the camera card had over-heated and we couldnt get the footage off it. I felt sick. We ended up having to send the card to Hong Kong to the manufacturer and they put it in a freezer for 10 days and extracted the footage minute by minute. Verdine White of Earth Wind and Fire recorded at the studio in 1980. But for Greenwood, the film was not just about getting the rock stars. Like her mother, she had become close to many of the residents when she was a kid, including George Tappy Morgan, the studio cook with the big personality, and Danny Sweeney, who taught Sting and other stars to windsurf. Interviewed in the film: legendary studio cook George Tappy Morgan. Credit:Frank Oglethorpe It was really important to me that everyone who sees the film experiences the magic of the place through the people who lived there, Greenwood says. I knew we couldnt make this film without their involvement. Lava flows from the volcanic eruption of the Soufriere Hills. Credit:Getty

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One of Greenwoods favourite interviews was with Rose Willock, a radio DJ who stayed on the air throughout the volcanic eruption, a calming voice for her people during the disaster. Willock also makes the observation that the locals were not starstruck by the famous musicians who arrived regularly throughout the 80s  she adds that if they were famous cricketers, it would have been a different story. Of course, the person who hovers over the film is George Martin, who died in 2016 at the age of 90. If Greenwood had a chance to speak to him, what would she have wanted to ask? Aftermath of the volcanic eruption in the centre of Plymouth, the capital of Montserrat. Credit:Getty Images I would have asked him about the creative process and what drew him to Montserrat, she says. But I really think a lot of George came through from the musicians we interviewed and also his son, Giles. And I love the archival footage, especially that scene of George on the balcony of AIR after the studio was destroyed. All that remains: AIR Studios Montserrat in 2019 Credit:Amanda Fordyce Indeed, that scene is the emotional heart of the film. As the famous producer surveys the ruins of his dream studio, he pauses and says, Its like everything in life, isnt it? Everything has a period. You bring something out of nothing and it always goes back to nothing again. After I first saw that footage, I had a sense of being at peace with what happened to the studio, says Greenwood. George was so accepting, and I think that was one of his great characteristics. He could accept change for what it was. He knew that AIR Montserrat had its time. And that time was over.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size When she was 12, Molly Lewis was given a CD by her father. It was peculiar album that had gone largely unnoticed in the wider world, but it shifted her young life on its axis. The CD was Broadway and Beyond by Steve The Whistler Herbst, a veteran New York whistling champion. It included whistled medleys from Les Miserables and West Side Story, and the famous old standard, Danny Boy. The year was 2001, and Sydney-born Lewis was living with her parents and younger sister Annie in Los Angeles, where her father Mark made documentaries and her mother Rhyl worked as a music supervisor. While there were always melodies in the house  Rhyl liked old-time tunes, soundtracks, exotic music, and played piano herself  Lewis was the only family member who whistled while going about her daily activities. I wish I could say that I come from a long line of whistlers, says the now 31-year-old. I dont. But both my parents were very encouraging of my strange talent. Remembering the CD makes Mark Lewis laugh. He does that a lot as we talk about his older daughter, a laugh of pride and joy but also, you sense, some bemusement. I could talk about Molly all day long if you like. His daughters whistling was, at this stage, just another thread in the family fabric. Today, Lewis is fast whistling her way to indie stardom. Living again in LA, shes performed for all manner of hipster identities including Canadian musician Mac DeMarco, and Americans Karen O and Father John Misty as well as, more recently, Dr Dre, probably the biggest hip-hop producer in the world. In 2017, she performed by request at the deathbed of cult American actor Harry Dean Stanton (Paris, Texas, Blue Velvet, Alien) after appearing in an LA tribute show to him. She whistled Danny Boy and Just a Closer Walk from Thee, a country-gospel number he had sung in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke. When she finished, Stanton kissed her hand. Today Lewis hosts her show, Cafe Molly, at a kitschy lounge bar in LA. She has whistled at gallery openings and at the roller-skating club of actor John C. Reilly, as well as touring with various bands. And in a major step up, next month she will release her first recording: a wonder- fully odd and beautiful EP of whistled originals, The Forgotten Edge, that pay homage to 1950s film noir, spaghetti westerns, jazz and old Hollywood. John C. Reilly appears in the video clip for the EP, which is on the uber-hip label Jagjaguwar, tastemakers behind alternative stars Bon Iver, Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten.

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One song from the EP, Oceanic Feeling, pays tribute to Alessandro Alessandroni, who whistled and played guitar for Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone in the 1960s, including on Leones A Fistful of Dollars and Once upon a Time in the West. Molly Lewis as a child  while she hails from a musical home, she is the only family member who whistles. Molly Lewis was born in Sydney, the first of two daughters to Mark, who wrote and directed the 1988 hit documentary Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, and Rhyl, who works on soundtracks for films, including many of her husbands documentaries. The family moved to LA when Lewis was a baby so that Mark could chase work. He recalls his daughter giving whistling recitals when friends came over, first there, then again in Mullumbimby, on the NSW North Coast, to which the family moved when Lewis was 13. After one of these evenings, a friend told her father: She is extraordinary. Perfect pitch. While Lewis doesnt recall when she started whistling, her father insists she has always done it, suggesting its a subconscious urge, a bit like humming, rather than something she was taught. For a parent to hear his young daughter whistling around the house is beautiful, because its a sign of contentment, Mark says with a laugh. The funny thing is that when it goes

on for 12 or 14 hours a day ... The Steve Herbst CD played a huge role in young Mollys musical education. It had a picture of Herbst on the back, lying across the bonnet of an Oldsmobile Aurora in an orange knitted jumper, tight pants and boots. The car had the number plate WHISTLR. Whistled showtunes! Mark says of the CD. It was fabulous. I remember now! I think she saw the potential, so to speak. One day, when Lewis was ensconced at Byron Bay High School, her father showed her the hilarious 2005 documentary Pucker Up, which follows an

international whistling competition in Louisburg, North Carolina (population 3500). Herbst is in it; in one dramatic scene the CD backing his whistling

begins to skip. The judges give him dispensation to start again. High-stakes stuff. Whistling, he says in the film, is an idea whose time has returned.

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Pucker Up observes all the minutiae of the oddball contest but also goes beyond it to outline the history of whistling  the ancient mouth-music languages of the Canary Islands and beyond, the classical arias written for flute and whistle, the folk songs and work songs and the golden age of whistling, from the 1920s until the 1950s. Elmo Tanner, Muzzy Marcellino, Blind Fred Lowery, all the greats. Lewis loved it. I made the fateful remark at that time by saying, Molly, when you are old enough, Im going to take you to the world whistling competition,  says Mark. She held me to that. After finishing school, Lewis, whod been voted school captain in year 12 after whistling on stage for her peers, enrolled at Sydney University, where she studied arts and film. After graduating, she went travelling and ended up in Berlin, where she frequented electronic dance clubs, a period she calls my techno years. Loading In 2012 her father, by now back working in the US, invited her over to LA from Europe, where he sensed she was drifting a little, for a road trip that would take in the Louisburg meeting that had featured in Pucker Up. Before the show, he took her to a thrift shop for a cocktail dress she could perform in. Lewis entered the competition, whistling Crazy by Patsy Cline and the Queen of the Night aria from Mozarts The Magic Flute. It was incredible, she says. So many characters from all over the world. The towns folk were excited about the competition. It was a [mockumentary director] Christopher Guest movie come to life, really interesting and wacky and fun. I was able to meet whistlers in a way Id never done and see them do incredible things. When I was first getting good, I always wanted to get better and learn more, but I didnt know where to turn. Who could I talk to who was another whistler? She didnt win in Louisburg  she received a novelty prize for the contestant whod travelled the furthest  but it confirmed her path. I realised I could whistle like them, and whistle the songs they whistled. Settling back in LA, she started going to open-mic nights at the urging of her father, including at the Kibitz Room, a bar at the citys storied Canters Deli. She gradually forged music and film connections while working behind the scenes on TV commercials, eventually launching Cafe Molly, in which she whistles with a revolving group of musicians at various LA venues.

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Performing at Sydneys Oxford Art Factory in 2015. Credit:Jon Lewis Lewis jokes about her maintenance routine of lip balm and a special mouthwash recommended to her by a trumpeter. She knows whistling is central to being human; something weve done since before we could speak, used to hunt and communicate. She enjoys the lore and superstitions, tales involving sailors and demons born from myth and spirits. For a long time in many cultures it was considered bad juju for women to whistle, and she knows those yarns, too. A man once accosted her for whistling while walking in Sydney, shouting, Whistling attracts ghosts! Whistling is so strange for a lot of people, she says. I find that interesting  hearing it without context. I forget sometimes that what I do is different. I meet people all the time who cant whistle but I never know what to say. I couldnt even explain to someone exactly how to whistle. Whistling is so strange for a lot of people. I find that interesting  hearing it without context. I forget sometimes that what I do is different. There must be something about the make-up of a good whistlers jaw, lips and tongue that allows them to do what most of us cant. To mimic birds and make them respond; to whistle like trumpets in tune; to double-whistle (make two notes at the same time). Lewis thinks its a whole mix of things. What is the thing that makes me able to do this? Its just air, she says. A lot of it is breathing and being able to whistle breathing in and out. Oh, and tongue control.

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In the first episode of Kevin Can F**k Himself, Allison (Annie Murphy) snaps and does away with sitcom cliches. Credit:Jojo Whilden/AMC

While writing her pilot, she began to wonder about those wives, women who seemed to exist to set up their husbands jokes and tote identical plastic laundry baskets around the house. What would it be like to play that woman? What would it be like to be that woman?

Armstrong (Lodge 49) grew up on reruns of classic multi-camera sitcoms  The Cosby Show, Frasier  watching them obsessively. I joke that it was my after-school activity, she said. It must have been a nightmare to my mother. But as an adult, she started to see them differently. Especially The King of Queens-style sitcoms, which paired a schlubby husband with a knockout wife.

Shortly after the 2016 presidential election, Valerie Armstrong experienced what she described as a feminist fit of rage. So she put that rage into a comedy pilot: a pussy hat in script form.

The resulting show, Kevin Can F**k Himself, offers one answer. Created by Armstrong, it stars Annie Murphy (Schitts Creek) as Allison, a Massachusetts housewife and part-time employee at a package store. For about a decade, Allison has been married to Kevin (Eric Petersen) and treated his man-child antics with some degree of amused tolerance. But during the first episode, she snaps.

During Allisons scenes with Kevin, the show is shot in the overbright style of a multi-cam set-up. But as soon as Allison steps away from him, the style switches to that of a gritty single-camera drama. The King of Queens meets Breaking Bad. An indictment of white-male entitlement, it is both a tribute to and a reassessment of the traditional multi-camera, or multicam, approach.

Shot live, more or less continuously and typically in front of an invited audience, multicams emerged in the early 1950s and dominated network schedules for decades. They have cycled in and out of fashion over the years  The Big Bang Theory was still one of TVs most popular shows when it signed off in 2019, and One Day At a Time remained a critical darling until it ended last year  but they are mostly out of favour now. This means that Kevin deconstructs a form that has already done a pretty good job of deconstructing itself. (The title is an apparent riff on Kevin Can Wait, a Kevin James sitcom that sought to recapture the ratings magic of The King of Queens and failed.)

Some multicams have skewed surprisingly progressive, taking on subjects such as abortion and the AIDS crisis sometimes years before dramas feel ready. (Think Designing Women and Murphy Brown  or a recent example, such as The Carmichael Show.) But the marital sitcoms that inspire Kevin were never especially enlightened. They worked to perpetuate certain social norms while using women, people of colour and queer people as fodder for hacky jokes.

According to Alfred Martin, a communication studies professor at the University of Iowa and author of The Generic Closet: Black Gayness and the Black-Cast Sitcom, cliches such as the spousal attractiveness gap reinforce the cultural capital of white masculinity.
A stoush is brewing among Australias car suppliers over the best way to track the industrys carbon dioxide emissions with even the government-run National Transport Commission unhappy with its access to accurate data.

Big carmakers, including Volkswagen and Toyota, have tangled over how best to report emissions of new vehicles in the absence of federally mandated standards. The industry, for now, has settled on data standards that appear to favour Toyotas hybrid petrol-electric vehicles over emerging electric vehicles brands.

Australian emissions standards from our new cars trails all European nations surveyed by the National Transport Commission. The story may be even murkier. Credit:AP

The issue was crystallised in the recent release of the 2020 National Transport Commissions annual survey of the emissions intensity for new cars. The survey relies on the cooperation of industry lobby group, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, which last year altered reporting methods in a way that prevented the Commission from making comparisons with previous years.

It has caused a break in our established methodology and that is unfortunate, Mandi Mees, an NTC executive, said. It is what it is, and we have to work with it.
Victorias highest court has flagged serious concerns about the scientific diagnosis known as shaken baby syndrome, which has been used to prosecute and jail a number of young men for child homicide and abuse in recent years.

The Court of Appeal has ordered a hearing into the reliability of the 50-year-old forensic theory as part of an appeal by Jesse Vinaccia, 28, who was jailed in 2019 for killing his girlfriends 3-month-old son.

Joby Rowe, Jesse Vinaccia and Jesse Harvey have launched appeals that will test the science underpinning shaken baby syndrome

In a highly unusual move, the court will hear new forensic evidence from three experts who dispute the scientific basis of shaken baby syndrome and how it was used to secure Vinaccias conviction. The experts called during the prosecution will also be re-examined.

The outcome could have major repercussions nationwide for past convictions for child homicide and assault  as well as child protection proceedings  where experts have relied on the diagnosis as a basis for prosecutions or other action.
The pandemonium continued over the following days as Afghans tried to scale fences to make it inside the airport. On Thursday, a local waiting in the surging crowd outside the perimeter fence filmed a tiny baby passed over razor wire into the hands of a US soldier.

Its this level of desperation that led thousands of Afghans to swarm the international airport at Kabul on Monday, a day after the Taliban seized the capital. The images of bedlam shocked viewers around the world  especially the sight of Afghans clinging to the side of a military aircraft as it lifted off the tarmac and took flight. At least two people died after falling to the ground.

Some men were seen climbing onto the landing of a military plane as it took off on Monday, and at least two fell to their deaths. Credit:@Mukhtarwafayee

I fear death, Ahmad says. They would not stop with killing me. They would kill my wife, my brother, my family. Today they are showing mercy but in the future there is no guarantee.

After working as an interpreter for the coalition forces in Afghanistan for the past three years, Ahmad fears he will be punished by the Taliban now that they control the country. He doesnt give any credence to the Islamist groups promise that they will not take revenge against Afghans who assisted the foreign forces.

I just want to get out of here, wherever it is, Ahmad (not his real name) says via telephone from the Afghan capital. Even over a glitchy WhatsApp connection you can hear the anxiety in his voice.

Ahmad wants to make it to Australia. Or the United States. Or Britain. He doesnt mind which one. The 29-year-old is simply desperate to escape Kabul.

NATO officials estimate more than 18,000 people have been evacuated in five days from the airport, which is serving as a makeshift embassy hub for several nations. They say the US military could soon be evacuating 5000 to 9000 people per day  if applicants can make it past the crowds and Taliban soldiers into the airport.

The scenes of chaos at the airport were very real. They also provided a powerful visual metaphor for the haphazard and humiliating end to the US-led war in Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden had promised an orderly end to the 20-year war that cost the lives of 3500 coalition troops  including 41 Australians. What transpired was mayhem.

The Taliban could start massacring people at any moment, Moulton warns. There are already reports that they are going house-to-house around the country, starting to hang government officials and assassinate people they thought were collaborators or worked with the Afghan security forces.

The chaos outside the gate right now is so bad that women and children are being crushed literally to death  people are dying just waiting to get into the airport, Seth Moulton, a Democratic congressman who served in Iraq, said at an event hosted by the Centre for a New American Security think tank on Friday.

By the end of the week, US officials estimated that 12 people had been killed in and around the airport. Most died from gunfire or after being trampled in stampedes.

He experienced chaos first-hand on Tuesday when he rushed to Baron Hotel, just 1.5 km from the airport. The hotel is now the site of the British embassy, and a British colleague had told Ahmad that they could issue him a visa and evacuate him if he made it inside.

Ahmad also applied for a special American visa in January. He says he provided all the requested documents  including letters of recommendation from his American colleagues  but his application is still pending.

Complicating the process is the fact that his wife, who is six months pregnant, has been unable to retrieve her passport and birth certificate from the administrative office in Kabul. Like the rest of the city, it is now under Taliban control.

In early August, Ahmad received an email from the Australian government. It looked like good news. Defence Minister Peter Dutton had certified him as eligible to apply for a visa under Australias special asylum program for at-risk Afghan employees. But he is still waiting on final approval for his visa.

Biden and Prime Minister Scott Morrison have vowed to do everything in their power to provide safe haven for Afghans such as Ahmad who assisted the coalition war effort. But he and the more than 20,000 other Afghans who have applied for asylum are looking for more than promises. They need a way out of the country.

Afghanistan was the last thing on most Americans minds when Biden spoke about the status of the US withdrawal on July 8. Summer was in full swing and the threat of COVID-19 seemed to be receding.

Anyone trying to get to the airport must pass through a Taliban checkpoint; many are turned back. Credit:AP

The Taliban were beating people, telling them, Stay here and we will build a good nation. Why are you leaving Afghanistan? We suffered 20 years for you so you should stay here.

To get into the hotel, you had to pass through three checkpoints, all controlled by the Taliban. Because Ahmad did not have a British visa, they did not let him pass through to the makeshift embassy.

It was like all of Afghanistan was there at the gate, he says. It was horrible for me.

These included a Taliban takeover following a rapid collapse of Afghan security forces and government, as well as a civil war or a negotiated settlement.

Bidens claim that a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan was highly unlikely was always overly optimistic. Speaking at the Pentagon this week, Mark Milley, Americas top military officer, said that US intelligence agencies had offered a range of scenarios.

These words would come back to haunt Biden just 38 days later when the Taliban took control of Kabul. Ghani, rather than attempt any kind of power-sharing, simply fled the country.

He acknowledged it was possible that the US-backed Afghan government, led by President Ashraf Ghani, would be forced into a power-sharing arrangement with the Taliban. But the likelihood theres going to be the Taliban overrunning everything and owning the whole country is highly unlikely, he said.

The draw-down is proceeding in a secure and orderly way, prioritising the safety of our troops as they depart, Biden said.

As he has done since he unveiled his exit plan in April, Biden sounded positive about the withdrawal.

But the timeframe of a rapid collapse, Milley said, ranged from weeks to years following the American departure. There was nothing that I or anyone else saw that indicated the collapse of this army and this government in 11 days, he said.

On Sunday, as the Taliban trucks rolled through the streets, Chinook helicopters started evacuating the US embassy while smoke from burning documents rose into the sky. Credit:AP

Get out now

To get a sense of the deteriorating security situation on the ground, all the Americans had to do was look to Australia. In May, Australian Defence officials presented the government with a damning intelligence assessment. The situation in Kabul could deteriorate rapidly and Australia should urgently close its embassy, the advice stated. Australia was paying for a significant security contingent for a relatively low number of embassy staff, and it should get out now.

The advice was issued on the notion that there could be a protracted fight for the capital between the Taliban and Afghan National Army  nobody anticipated that the Afghan government itself would cut and run.

Senior officials see last weeks chaos as vindication for the decision to close Australias embassy on May 28. But once the diplomats had left, Australia had to rely on other nations  primarily the US  for intelligence.

The first Australian Defence Force evacuation flight departed Kabul with 26 people on board.

Between April and August, 430 former interpreters and other local contractors flew out of Afghanistan and resettled in Australia, but there are hundreds more looking for a way out.

While Canberra started planning for an urgent evacuation mission once the regional cities started to fall to the Taliban in early August, Australia  like its allies  thought it still had more time.

By Sunday, the Armys 3rd and 17th Brigades in Townsville were on standby; the next day they flew out to Australias forward operating base just south of Dubai. The first RAAF C-130 Hercules aircraft finally landed at Kabul airport early on Wednesday morning, dropping off officials charged with the daunting task of getting people onto flights and picking up only 26 passengers  Australians, Afghans and one foreign official.

Another 76 with Australian visas were carried to safety by the British, and then sixty people made it onto the second RAAF flight on Thursday night.

Morrison promises many more flights, but the logistics of sharing the one war zone runway for an international mission are daunting  and its even harder for those trying to make it to the airport.

Those stuck in Kabul must navigate a two-step nightmare: trying to get their urgent visa paperwork from the Australian government, and then trying to make their way past the Taliban checkpoints. One former interpreter for Australia was allegedly shot in the leg by militants as he tried to make his way to Australias first evacuation flight.

Every nation involved in the evacuation mission has to be cleared to land by the US forces that control the airport. There is only one runway and many countries frantically trying to get their people out. Wild weather towards the end of this week has made the rescue operation even more tenuous.

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The Morrison government has been criticised by many former soldiers and national security experts for not evacuating more Afghan staff and contractors before this week. The government is resolute in its belief that it did as much as it could, saying fresh security clearances were needed in all cases and some failed.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton tells The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age there has been a lack of appreciation for the depth of work and effort over the last three months to get Afghans out of the country.

Certainly events have moved very quickly in recent days and it makes us grateful we did get as many out as we did, but it now becomes more difficult day-by-day.

Dutton repeatedly pointed out this week that some former interpreters had switched sides to the Taliban in the intervening years since they assisted Australian troops.

Peter Jennings, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, is not convinced. He says Australia could have taken more people in recent weeks and processed them in a third country.

We seemed to allow a very ponderous start to the business to getting Afghan supporters out, Jennings says. Say the total number of people is 300-400 people - if we just had to pack them all up in RAAF C-17 aircraft, and it turns out that some of the people werent quite as close to Australia as they claimed  so what?

Jennings says closing the embassy was the right decision, but probably done too quickly.

We should have hung on a little bit longer and proceeded much faster with the moving out of Afghans who we wanted to bring back to Australia, Jennings says.

A Royal Air Force member assists evacuees as they disembark a Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules at Australias main operating base in the Middle East. (This image has been digitally altered for privacy)

Labor MP Peter Khalil, who served as a senior advisor for both Australia and the US in Iraq, knows all too well the consequences for former interpreters once western forces begin to leave. His former interpreter was beheaded by al-Qaeda on the streets of Baghdad in 2007.

Khalil had been calling on the Australian government for months to fast-track the process for getting Afghan employees out. Its been said theres a moral obligation to the interpreters who have worked with our ADF for two decades, he says. But theres also a national security necessity. Because what kind of message are we sending the world? That those people who worked with us, served with us - we dont have their backs?

Cultural and technological arrogance

Anatol Lieven, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft in Washington DC, says the collapse of the Afghan government was entirely predictable. But he thought the Taliban would wait until the Americans had left the country to take over. I was surprised by the speed, but thats what we pay intelligence services for, he says. We had all the people training the Afghan army. Did they not realise how fragile this was?

Chris Miller, the former director of the US National Counter-terrorism Centre, this week described the failure to foresee the rapid collapse of the Afghan state was an intelligence failure of cataclysmic proportions.

We have something fundamentally wrong with the way we do our intelligence assessments in our country, Miller told the Associated Press. Its cultural and technological arrogance.

As well as the Afghan forces lack of will to fight, Biden has sought to blame his predecessor for the botched end to the war. In February 2020 the Trump administration struck a deal with the Taliban to leave the country by May of this year. Biden insists this left him with only two feasible options: to stick as closely to the original deadline as possible or to escalate the number of US troops in Afghanistan.

Then-US secretary of state Mike Pompeo meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Doha, Qatar in November 2020. Credit:AP

David Schanzer, a counter-terrorism expert at Duke Universitys Sanford School of Public Policy, says Trump does bear responsibility for what has unfolded.

We negotiated a withdrawal agreement and left the Afghan government on the side, he says. We said we were leaving no matter what the Taliban did, no matter whether or not they had legitimate peace talks with the actual government of Afghanistan. It was a travesty.

Which is not to say that things could not have been handled more competently by the Biden administration.

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With hindsight, it would obviously have been better if the Americans had kept a few thousand troops and their air force there until the winter and then withdrawn, Lieven says. It would have been much more difficult for the Taliban to launch an offensive in the winter. That could have bought the Americans a decent interval to get people out.

Niamatullah Ibrahimi, a Middle East expert at La Trobe University, says both Biden and Trump are to blame for this weeks events.

There was this powerful narrative coming from Biden and the Trump administration that was suppressing this sort of criticism - you were accused of being anti-peace for questioning the process, he says.

President Biden inherited the deal - but he owned it and actively campaigned around it, and will have to deal with the legacy of it. And I think that legacy will continue to haunt him.

My view its not a failure of intelligence, its a political failure.

While more than 18,000 people have been evacuated since Sunday, tens of thousands still wait for their chance. Credit:AP

By the end of the week Biden was no longer committed to his August 31 deadline for a full troop withdrawal. US forces, he suggested in an interview with ABC America, may have to stay longer to ensure that all American citizens in Afghanistan can get out. He notably did not commit to evacuating all Afghan allies out before US troops leave the country, an omission that was noticed by worried US legislators.

The Talibans rapid ascendancy across Afghanistan and takeover of Kabul should not cause us to break our promise to the Afghans who helped us operate over the past twenty years and are counting on us for assistance, a bipartisan group of 50 senators wrote to Biden following the interview.

American inaction would ensure they become refugees or prime targets for Taliban retribution.

Its a stance that Ahmad, stuck in Kabul, agrees with but is powerless to do anything about. He feels abandoned by Australia, the US and Britain. The process is completely wrong. They left us behind here. Everyone is confused. They told us they would evacuate us, but they did not tell us what we needed to get out.

Get a note direct from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.
Tensions in Haiti were rising on Saturday over a lack of aid to remote areas hardest hit by last weeks devastating earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in the impoverished Caribbean country.

Many Haitians whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed by the magnitude 7.2 quake that struck on August 14 said they were unsure how to even start rebuilding.

Exasperation over the time it is taking for aid to come through began to boil over on Friday, with residents attacking aid trucks in several towns across the south of the nation.

A confrontation also erupted after former President Michel Martelly visited a hospital in the city of Les Cayes, where one of his staff left behind an envelope of money that set off a violent scramble.
In the dog days of summer, when many people were likely sneaking off to spend a few days at the beach, Michael Kronick traveled across the country to keep fires from destroying forests and homes in Minnesota and Montana.

From July 28 to Aug. 14, Kronick  deputy chief with the Westport Fire Department  was on a national wildfire assignment with the Connecticut Interstate Fire Crew, an interagency organization under the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Crew members are deployed nationwide to help protect lives, personal property, and natural resources threatened by wildfire.

This is not only a job, but also a hobby and passion of mine, Kronick, 49, said of firefighting. Protecting our lands is important.

Kronick, a 23-year-veteran has been with the interstate fire crew for 20 seasons and has gone on roughly 13 assignments. The latest assignment began with the deployment to Minnesota, where he and the rest of his crew were assigned to the Delta Fire, a 67-acre fire burning on the Superior National Forest outside Ely, Minn.

Minnesota was in the midst of a significant drought, Kronick said.

While there, he said, the crews job was mainly to support the local fire crew and make sure none of the small fires (burning in the area) became big fires.

In the second week of his deployment, Kronicks crew was assigned to fight the Trout Creek Fire outside Absarokee, Mont. There, a 200-acre fire was burning in grass rangeland, threatening several subdivisions along the Stillwater River.

Our job was to protect the homes and try to stop the fire, Kronick said.

Though protecting the forest and grasslands is important, he said, theres a special responsibility involved in guarding peoples homes and belongings against destruction by fire. I feel like we had to risk more to protect peoples homes, he said. We are here to serve and protect and its not just people lives, its people things.

Fires such as the ones he fought on this assignment have been more common in the wake of climate change, Kronick said. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, a leading environmental nonprofit, the average wildfire season is three and a half months longer than it was a few decades back, and the number of annual large fires in the West has tripled, burning twice as many acres.

Kronick said hes seen a dramatic change just over the years he has been in service. Twenty years ago, there had been only a couple of these mega fires, he said. The world is changing and its changing fast and its changing before our eyes.

In light of these changes, Kronick said, hes glad he can do something to help protect land, people and property from destruction. Its exciting, to say the least, and rewarding, he said.
NWS Weather Alert NOTE: This information is provided by the National Weather Service. Forecast may differ from local information provided by our own 69News Meteorologists

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... The Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for * Portions of New Jersey...and Pennsylvania...including the following areas...in New Jersey...Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren. In Pennsylvania...Berks, Carbon, Delaware, Eastern Chester, Eastern Montgomery, Lehigh, Lower Bucks, Monroe, Northampton, Philadelphia, Upper Bucks, Western Chester, and Western Montgomery. * From 8 AM EDT this morning through Thursday morning. * The remnants of Hurricane Ida will pass through the region today and tonight. Periods of heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms associated with this low will result in widespread rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches, with locally higher amounts possible. Much of this rainfall may occur in a short period of time, exacerbating the flooding threat. Combined with wet antecedent conditions, this will lead to numerous instances of flash flooding, some of which may be significant. * Flooding of creeks, streams, urban areas, and poor drainage areas is likely in the areas of heaviest rain. Water is likely to cover the roads, especially in low-lying areas. Moderate to major flooding is possible along some main stem rivers, and roads and structures near these rivers may be flooded. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should Flash Flood Warnings be issued. &&
Project Manager & Specialist on Alternative Finances, Home Based

Organization: UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Country: Home-based

Closing date: Wednesday, 1 September 2021

Project Manager & Specialist on Alternative Finances

Location : Home-based

Application Deadline : 01-Sep-21

(Midnight New York, USA)

Type of Contract : IPSA (Regular)

Post Level : IPSA-11

Languages Required : English

Expected Duration of Assignment: 1 year

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.

The following documents shall be required from the applicants: Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.

A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.

Travel: The post is home-based and travel is not foreseen.

In the event of unforeseeable travel not anticipated in this ToR, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expneses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and the individual, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. Travel costs are covered only in the event that any official travel expected to be associated with performing the functions.

Office/Unit/Project Description: Under the overall guidance and matrix supervision of the Programme Specialist on Innovation at the UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub, the Specialist responsible for development and implementation of the project "Application of Innovative Methods for NGO Empowerment", financed by Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) with relevant country office (CO) teams, regional hubs (RH) and other UNDP business units, UN agencies and governments and partners in order to support the work and financing of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The Project Coordinators work will specifically focus on managing the project with implementing the project activities and exploring both the innovation in alternative financial mechanisms that provide new investment opportunities (equity and lending crowdfunding, blockchain) as well as innovation in financial mechanisms that align actors in new ways that leverage each partners unique strengths while also meeting their respective risk/return expectation and needs.

Achieving SDGs alone according to UNCTADs World Investment Report will require $3,9 trillion per year between 2015 and 2030 for health, education and infrastructure - leaving a $2.5 trillion annual shortfall relative to the current and forecast commitments of $1,4 trillion. To address the financial gap, new sources of innovative finance models are needed (private and venture capital, P2P lending) as well as impactful partnerships aimed at socially geared investment projects that can leverage private investments alongside official development assistance. Innovative finance models, like crowdfunding (crowdfunding, crowd investment), impact investment, preventative and predictive finance are projected to overtake venture capitalists investments and grow over $100 billion as per World Bank statistics by 2020. As a form of innovative finance, Islamic finance is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global financial industry with global assets expected to surpass US$3 trillion by 2020.The Islamic Finance, ideally, is an alternative way of financing based on ethical and socially responsible standards, which ensures fair distribution of benefits and obligations between all the parties in any financial transaction.

The initiative "Application of Innovative Methods for NGO Empowerment" (NGO empower) is grounded in the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, UNDP Digital Strategy, UNDPs Strategic Plan 2018-2021, and UNDPs ongoing work to address the challenges in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region and in other regions as well, based on the work of UNDP Alternative Finance Lab which is a part of UNDP Innovation Team. This initiative builds on the successes of and lessons learned from two phases of the Transformative Governance and Finance Facility projects, and seeks to support mapping and categorizing NGOs, platform based approach and alternative finance mechanisms in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the further work on prototypes and expanding to new grounds to understand what has the potential to be catalytic in the context of CSOs, the project was set to support CSOs through intervention of various partners of the Tadamon platform.

In this context, the IRH is looking for a Specialist position who will, under the guidance of the Programme Specialist on Innovation to ensure the management of the project in line with RBM.

Institutional Arrangement: The project manager/expert will perform tasks for UNDP, under the supervision of the Innovation Team Leader in UNDP Istanbul Regional Hub.

Duties and Responsibilities

Ensures effective management of the "Application of Innovative Methods for NGO Empowerment" within the area of supporting CSOs in OIC Member Countries to support them in doing their work on the ground, in re-innovating their business models with alternative finance mechanisms and by focusing on quality control from formulation to implementation of the respective regional hubs and country programme achieving the following results:

Identify new opportunities for financing and visibility of CSOs working in development field in OIC Member Countries with the support to country offices and regional hubs on issues related to alternative finance and blockchain;

Conduct regular horizon scanning to understand emerging trends and actors, as well as provide linkages and investigate opportunities for their application in Europe and Globally;

Design and formulation of the programme within the area of responsibility, translating UNDPs priorities into local interventions. Coordination of programme implementation with the executing agencies. Introduction of performance indicators/ success criteria, cost recovery, targets and milestones;

Initiation of a project, presentation of the project in project Boards; determination of required revisions; coordination of the mandatory and budget re-phasing exercises;

Ensuring implementation of the NGO Empowerment project in line with the Annual Workplan;

Financial and substantive monitoring and evaluation of the project, identification of operational and financial problems, development of solutions;

Follow up on audit recommendations. All exceptions are timely reported;

Prepare regular reports on activities, outputs and outcomes. Preparation of donor reports.

Provides support in the implementation of the regional programme with respect to the Innovation program portfolio:

Thorough analysis and research of the political, social and economic situation of the region and preparation of substantive inputs to the regional programmes, CCA, UNDAF, CPD, CPAP and other documents in UNDP HQ, the regional hubs and as requested by COs;

Identification of areas for support and interventions related to alternative finance and blockchain innovation, and other innovative activities related to the implementation of the SDGs through empowering CSOs;

Business processes mapping and preparation of the content of internal Standard Operating Procedures in Results Management.

Actively explores and identifies opportunities for new partnerships and strategic engagements, especially with ISDB actors and with respect to CSOs:

Identification of emerging sources of funding; assessment of their current usage and potential for the future;

Development of specific donor and other investors fund-raising strategies and approaches;

Identification different actors, especially in the Islamic finance sphere, for collaboration towards project goals;

Development of partnerships with other UN agencies, IFIs, government institutions, private sector companies, academia, civil society and other types of organizations in areas such as good governance, data innovation and open data, citizen engagement and civil society support;

Supporting sustainable financing and development of CSOs through platform approach, alternative finance, Islamic finance and blockchain technology.

Provision of top quality policy advice services to regional hubs and country offices and facilitation of knowledge building and management:

Identification of sources of information related to use of alternative finance, blockchain technology, Islamic finance for institutional partners and CSOs empowerment and achievement of SDGs overall;

Identification and synthesis of best practices and lessons learnt directly linked to programmes goals;

Ad-hoc and planned contribution towards identifying emerging areas of work for UNDP, and new and emerging actors in the alternative finance;

Ad-hoc and planned support to regional hubs and COs in design, implementation and evaluation of programmes related to the use of alternative finance and blockchain for development, especially as it pertains to achieving of SDGs, transparency, poverty reduction, citizen engagement and strengthening of civil society;

Sound contributions to knowledge networks and communities of practice;

Organization of trainings for the operations/ projects staff on programme issues.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies:

Integrity;

professionalism;

respect for diversity;

teamwork.

Functional Competencies:

Strong communication skills both written and verbal;

Strong interpersonal skills;

Ability to handle confidential and politically sensitive issues in a responsible and mature manner;

Sound judgment with proven ability to work effectively under minimum supervision.

Required Skills and Experience

Min. Academic Education:

Masters Degree in Economics/Business/Engineering or related fields;

PhD degree in Economics/Business/Engineering or related fields would be an advantage.

Min. years of relevant Work experience:

At least seven (7) years of working experience in the area of development in international organizations;

At least five (5) years practical experience in the field of crowdfunding, education on crowdfunding, or in alternative finance mechanisms; including experience with building public awareness on innovative finance;

At least two (2) years of working experience in the field of using new technologies, with a working experience of developing blockchain based prototypes.

Required skills:

Experience in Project Management, in organizing workshops and trainings and in writing implementation and other reports;

Proven track record of successfully completed crowdfunding campaigns and building public awareness on development issues.

Desired additional skills and competencies:

Innovation - Ability to make new and useful ideas work;

Leadership - Ability to persuade others to follow.

Required Language(s) (at working level):

Fluency in oral and written English

Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1629325221637
National Project Personal - National Project Manager , Kiev, Ukraine

Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Country: Ukraine

City: Kyiv

Office: FAO Kyiv, Ukraine

Closing date: Thursday, 26 August 2021

2102293

National Project Personal - National Project Manager

Job Posting: 12/Aug/2021

Closure Date: 26/Aug/2021, 9:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : FEUKR

Job Type: Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition : NPP (National Project Personnel)

Grade Level : N/A

Primary Location: Ukraine-Kiev

Duration : 31 Dec-2021 (with possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance and fund availability)

Post Number : N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture

Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member nations and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply

Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold our values. FAO has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and FAO, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination

All selected candidates, therefore, will undergo rigorous reference and background checks

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

Organizational Setting

FAO implements the Ukraine Programme from its Programme Office in Kiev, Ukraine and its satellite offices in Zaporizhzhia, Lviv and Kramatorsk under the overall responsibility of the Deputy Regional Representative - Programme - in the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and managed by the Head of the FAO Office in Ukraine. FAO assists the Government of Ukraine to develop policies, programmes to deliver on SDG commitments notably on those related poverty, food security, equality and environment. The programs implement agri-food projects in close collaboration with International Organisations that promote sustainable development in the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors. FAO Ukraine has started to implement a 48 months duration EU funded project titled "Inclusive, competitive and sustainable value chain for agriculture, fisheries and forestry" (GCP/UKR/012/EC) in Ukraine. The project seeks to support evidence-based policy dialogue between the issues related to smallholder farming, forestry and fisheries, through piloting of tools, processes, integration and linkages building. It has three expected outcomes as appended below: Outcome 1: Improved administrative capacity in contributing to policy making and decision-making; improved fisheries and aquaculture governance towards sustainability, including legislative advancements; improved fisheries monitoring and control; and improved capacity in data collection in support of fisheries research and scientific advice. Outcome 2: Strengthened enabling environment for the forestry sector to help secure the long-term sustainability of forest management and to improve evidence-based policymaking in the sector. Outcome 3: Selected food value chains strengthened and smallholder farmers integrated sustainably in these value chains through improved access to finance, inputs and services. Outcome 1 Fisheries- plans to work directly with the State Agency for Fisheries under Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food focusses to improve policy and decision-making, improve governance (including legislative advancements) towards sustainability, monitoring and control, capacity development and the provision of scientific advice. Outcome 2 Forestry- plans to work directly with the State Agency for Forestry Resources under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, sector to support secure long-term sustainability of forest management through policy advice, capacity development and technical assistance and outcome 3 Agriculture value chain is for value chain development, agriculture extension and advisory services, business modelling and implementation of matching grants and complementary with EU funded Technical Assistance (TA) project, which have been planned to work at community level in Lviv and Zakarpattia.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Representative and of the de-facto Head of the Office/Budget Holder, the direct supervision of the Head of Office/Programme Officer in Ukraine, the technical supervision of the Lead Technical Officer and in close collaboration with other staff and other projects.

Technical Focus

The National Project Manager will be responsible for the provision of support to the planning, implementation, coordination monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the project and specifically carry out the following tasks:

Tasks and responsibilities

Coordination and collaboration:

Facilitate the organization of the Project Steering Committee. In collaboration with project Team Leader, Head of Office and project LTO, draft the ToRs for the PSC including list of members and clear roles and responsibilities. Support to organize PSC meeting as per schedule, share relevant information and minutes of the meeting to the member.

Facilitate and strengthen collaboration with national projects stakeholders and regional/international partners to ensure smooth implementation and delivery of projects activities, coordinate project interventions with other ongoing projects of FAO.

In collaboration with National and International Consultant, as appropriate, carryout research and technical-studies, as deemed appropriate to the project; work as the first point to prepare and review relevant documents and reports to be submitted project Team Leader for LTO clearance.

Produce a variety of technical outputs such as overview, brief, report, papers etc.

Assist the Team Leader in preparation and drafting the project progress reports and other technical reports required by the Project.

Coordinate with Operations Unit to prepare, update and follow-up project procurement plan.

In collaboration with project team and Communication Officer, lead the development and implementation of project communication and visibility plan and products such as project brochure, project brief, evidence based good practices, advocacy brief, posters, IEC materials and regular update of the website page.

Planning and implementation of project activities:

In close coordination with the Team Leader, Technical Officers and Operations Unit develop and update project work plans, review progress where necessary, identify corrective measures to overcome operational constraints.

Oversee day-to-day implementation of the project in line with the workplans. Prepare task force meetings and ensure availability of secretarial support.

In close liaison with the Team Leader, facilitate national-level communication with institutions, organize regular planning, facilitate preparation of national level workshops, draft meeting agenda, minutes and follow actions;

Assist the Team Leader in preparation and drafting specifications for Purchase Requisions and in the preparation and drafting Letters of Agreement.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting:

Supports the project Team Leader to liaise and coordinate with national consultants, ensures timely collection of inputs, technical support services and ensures appropriate follow-up actions.

In close collaboration with M&E Officer to provide contributions to development and maintenance of M&E framework of the Project.

Facilitates submission reports to project Team Leader, in a consistent and timely manner, ensuring final uploads to the Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS).

Work closely with operations unit for timely completion/closure of the project, including identification of project follow-up requirements.

Ensures he quality of data/documentation in the Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) for assigned project.

Any other duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

University degree in Agriculture Science, Agricultural Economics, Social Sciences or related fields.

At least 5 years of relevant professional experience.

Advanced knowledge of English. Knowledge of one of the other FAO languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an advantage.

Proficiency in Ukrainian.

National of Ukraine.

FAO Core Competencies

Results Focus

Teamwork

Communication

Building Effective Relationships

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

Work experience in NGOs, INGOs, UN or other technical and/or humanitarian assistance organizations.

Ability to work under pressure and to carry out several tasks in a timely fashion and under tight deadlines, with minimum supervision.

Relevant experience and skills in programme and project implementation, project formulation, analysis and planning.

Good understanding of the purpose and functions of technical programmes, UNs guidelines, and project / programme management procedures.

Systematic and efficient approach to work on assignments, good judgment and analytical ability.

Direct project implementation experience is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org

Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted

Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications

For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile.

Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered

Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

Link to the organizations job offer: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1629117835922
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Occasional rain. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Becoming partly cloudy after some evening light rain. Low around 60F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's only university is requiring its students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear non-medical masks on campus.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey smiles as he holds up a syringe of the first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine ready to administered in the province, at Memorial University in St. John's, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. Newfoundland and Labrador's only university is requiring its students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear non-medical masks on campus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sarah Smellie

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's only university is requiring its students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear non-medical masks on campus.

Doug Speirs | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador made announced the decision Friday in a statement posted to its website and social media channels.

Dr. Florentine Strzelczyk, provost and academic vice-president, says the move is in line with the school's strategic plan, which calls for Memorial to prioritize the well-being and care of its community.

Strzelczyk says more details about deadlines to have first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines, and about possible exclusions from the rule, will be released in the coming days.

Her statement says non-medical masks will be mandatory beginning Aug. 23 in public spaces and common areas when physical distancing protocols cannot be properly maintained.

Newfoundland and Labrador's mandatory mask order ended Aug. 10, but public health recommends that people keep wearing them.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.
If someone mentioned the term SPAC weeks before the pandemic struck, a processed meat product might have come to mind.

Opinion

If someone mentioned the term SPAC weeks before the pandemic struck, a processed meat product might have come to mind.

Of course special purpose acquisition corporations  or SPACs  arent at all like Spam.

But these highly speculative investments were for months among the hottest corners of the stock market.

Colloquially called blank cheque companies, SPACs have been around since the 1990s but caught fire last year as an alternative to initial public offerings (IPOs) to bring new companies to market.

Certainly, there have been dozens of high-profile examples of IPOs lately, including Canadian business-to-business financial firm Nuvei, which started trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange last fall for $26 a share, and now trades at more than $120.

Yet IPOs are costly, time-consuming and typically involve road-show meetings where new businesses seek to drum up money and interest.

Those became challenging with COVID-19. Yet investors still had a desire for new companies involved in technology, space travel, biotech and renewable energy.

Enter SPACs.

"SPACs are supposed to be a more efficient way to bring companies public than initial public offerings," says Mark Yamada, president of PUR Investing Inc. in Toronto.

Certainly SPACs have advantages. Chiefly, they are less costly, less regulated and a faster path to going public than IPOs. SPACs are also promoted as a way for small investors to gain access to private companies on the ground floor just before they list on a stock exchange.

And demand was unquenchable from March 2020 until February this year. In 2020 alone, US$83 billion poured into SPAC deals on the U.S. stock market and in the first six months of 2021, more than US$121 billion worth of SPACs listed, according to SPACinsider.com.

The previous high, by the way, was US$13 billion in 2019. Even Canadas stock market saw SPAC deals worth hundreds of millions last year, according to an analyst from CPE Analytics.

Yet SPACs have fallen out of favour, down collectively about 20 per cent year to date as investor appetite for risk has waned.

One might think this is an opportunity to buy into a down-trodden segment that could again heat up. Indeed, younger investors continue to be curious, says Claudio Chisani, an investment adviser with Chisani Wealth Group at BlueShore Financial in North Vancouver.

"We hear questions about SPACs typically from 30-something clients who might already invest in cryptocurrencies," says the portfolio manager with the B.C.-based credit union.

Chisanis answer involves explaining what SPACs are and, in turn, what makes them so risky.

"With SPACs, youre buying a pool of capital looking for a business to purchase rather than buying into a company looking for money to grow its business."

So a SPACs job is to find a private company that has developed a promising product or service  but likely not generating much cash if any  to merge with.

"Youre really investing in competence of a SPAC manager to pick the right company to acquire," says Josh Olfert, an investment adviser with Haven Wealth Management in Winnipeg.

Another quirk is, when SPACs list on a stock exchange and are still looking to merge (buy into) with a private company, their share price trades around $10.

Investors also receive warrants along with stock, which offer an opportunity to buy more shares after the merger with the target company is complete. The idea being that once the merger is done, and the SPAC begins trading under the company name it merged with, the share price could skyrocket. In turn, the warrants allow SPAC investors to buy shares in the newly formed company at a lower price than market value (i.e. $11.50 versus $15).

In fact, experienced SPAC investors often sell SPAC stocks pre-merger  trading around $10 a share  and keep the warrants, Yamada says.

"If the post-merger company does well, the warrants are where the real value is," he says.

"You get all your money back (invested in the SPAC stocks); you get the warrants for free, and the warrants might make you the money  thats the way to play SPACs."

Yet many investors hold the shares, based on the promise of the companies with which SPACs merge.

Indeed these companies can be intriguing: fantasy pool provider DraftKings (ticker: DKNG), Nikola (NKLA), an electric semi-truck manufacturer, QuantumScape (QS), a solid-state lithium battery manufacturer, and Virgin Galactic Holdings (SPCE) in commercial spacecraft.

All experienced incredible price growth  from $10 a share to $65, for instance. Yet all saw their share price drop significantly afterward.

One reason is SPACs merge with risky companies.

"If a company has gone public by SPAC, it almost inherently means its leadership was looking for a less scrutinized way to list than the IPO process," Olfert says.

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Nikola is a good example. Its now under investigation for allegedly powering its electric trucks by secretly plugging the vehicles into an electrical outlet while rolling them downhill in proof-of-concept demonstrations.

With this in mind, understand that if you invest in SPACs, youre not really investing, Olfert says.

Youre speculating because its more likely the newly formed, post-merger company may never be profitable.

So if you want to scratch this itch, do so with a very small portion of the portfolio. And its best to buy them via exchange-trade funds (ETFs) that invest in a handful of SPACs or post-merger companies.

"This is an easier, more risk-adjusted way to gain access," Chisani says, pointing to offerings like Defiance Next Gen SPAC Derived ETF. "That way an investor, for about $25 (per share), can get a piece of the action."

Just remember: You might end up wishing youd bought Spam instead.
General Motors says it has expanded a recall of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicles to include all model years because of a risk the battery cells could catch fire.

A 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV is displayed at the 2020 Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh, Feb. 13, 2020. General Motors says it has expanded a recall of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicles to include all model years because of a risk the battery cells could catch fire. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Gene J. Puskar

General Motors says it has expanded a recall of its Chevy Bolt electric vehicles to include all model years because of a risk the battery cells could catch fire.

The latest recall adds about 73,000 Bolts from the 2019 through 2022 model years, including just over 10,000 in Canada, to the previous recall announced in July of 69,000 Bolts from between 2017 and 2019.

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The company says that in rare cases, two manufacturing defects in the battery cells create a risk of fire.

It warns that owners should limit charging to 90 per cent of battery capacity and vehicles should be parked outside immediately after charging and not left charging indoors overnight.

The Detroit-based automaker said it will replace the battery modules in all the vehicles at an expected cost of about US$1 billion.

The company initially issued a recall in November after getting reports that five of the vehicles had caught fire. Two people suffered smoke inhalation and a house was set ablaze.

 With files from The Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2021.
PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday toured a small community where recent flooding inundated homes and led to two deaths, part of a trail of destruction in the state unleashed by a fierce monsoon season.

FILE  In this Aug. 10, 2021, file photo a woman climbs out of a pickup truck as Northwest Fire District firefighters position themselves for a water rescue in the Canada del Oro Wash north of Tucson, Ariz. After touring a small community where flooding inundated homes and led two deaths, Gov. Doug Ducey, on Friday, Aug. 20, praised the community of Gila Bend and other areas of the state that have endured flooding from this year's summer monsoon rains. (Rick Wiley/Arizona Daily Star via AP, File)

PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Friday toured a small community where recent flooding inundated homes and led to two deaths, part of a trail of destruction in the state unleashed by a fierce monsoon season.

The governor praised the resiliency of the people of Gila Bend, 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Phoenix, and other hard-hit areas.

We knew early on that there would be challenges that come from this monsoon season  but as I look around me, its tough to comprehend just how devastating its been, Ducey said. I want every resident of Gila Bend to know that we are with you, and we are going to overcome this.

Two additional deaths were reported this week, and several people were rescued, after a torrential downpour sent rainwater and debris rushing through a wash near Scottsdale.

Flooding has occurred across the state this summer, with heavy damage in the northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, the mining communities of Miami and Globe, and the desert areas surrounding Tucson and Phoenix.

Wildfires that denuded mountain areas outside Flagstaff in recent years and near Globe this year made runoff much worse.

The National Weather Service says Tucson, in southern Arizona, has seen nearly 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain this summer compared with an average of less than 6 inches (15 centimeters) from June through September.

Phoenix and other parts of the state have also seen a significant monsoon season, although not on par with Tucson.

The 2021 season follows near record-low summer rainfall across the Southwest in 2020.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said two people died Saturday in Gila Bend, which has a population of about 2,100, when heavy rains hit the area. One county flood control district rain gauge near Gila Bend measured 3.9 inches (9.9 centimeters) of rain in a 24-hour period ending Saturday.

The other two deaths were reported Thursday when an off-road vehicle was found buried in sand and debris in a wash about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of Scottsdale following heavy thunderstorms. Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Calbert Gillett on Friday identified the victims as Scott Brown, 44 and Laura Brown, also 44, of Calvert County, Maryland.

Their bodies were recovered a day after witnesses reported seeing an off-road vehicle floating and tumbling down the flooded Camp Creek wash. Arizona washes are normally dry creek beds, but heavy rains can turn them into raging torrents.

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Sheriff's deputies rescued numerous people in the same area Wednesday afternoon and initially thought everyone had been found safe, Gillett said. But they later got a call from an off-road vehicle rental company reporting the people who rented a Polaris RZR all-terrain vehicle had never returned and had been in the area where earlier rescues were conducted.

A search using ground crews and a helicopter was unsuccessful, but crews returned Thursday morning and located the couple still in the ATV. They had to dig the vehicle out to recover the bodies.

In Gila Bend, the two people who died were identified as Blanca Ruiz and Jesus Perez. She was swept down the river bottom by floodwaters, and he was in a vehicle carried away by flooding.

Ducey on Friday announced a new $5 million program designed to help businesses affected by the pandemic, wildfires and flooding. The allocation will fund up to $10,000 for small businesses that award employees hiring or retention bonuses or pay relocation expenses.

Ducey previously declared a state of emergency in Gila Bend, and on Friday honored the local fire chief, who stayed on the job all weekend even though her own home was flooded. He called her an "inspirational leader.

Right now, Gila Bend has 28 firefighters  all volunteers  who are helping this community recover, Ducey said. The Gila Bend fire crews perseverance and altruism are exemplified by their fire chief, Arelia Henry.
PLYMOUTH, Mass. - People evacuated popular beach communities and made last-minute runs on batteries and gasoline as Hurricane Henri churned closer to Long Island and southern New England, while officials pleaded with the millions of people in the storms path to brace themselves for torrential rain and storm surges.

This OES-16 East GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, at 11:40 a.m. EDT., and provided by NOAA, shows Tropical Storm Henri in the Atlantic Ocean. Henri was expected to intensify into a hurricane by Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Impacts could be felt in New England states by Sunday, including on Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists. (NOAA via AP)

PLYMOUTH, Mass. - People evacuated popular beach communities and made last-minute runs on batteries and gasoline as Hurricane Henri churned closer to Long Island and southern New England, while officials pleaded with the millions of people in the storms path to brace themselves for torrential rain and storm surges.

Hurricane Henri was on course to collide Sunday in the late morning or afternoon with a long stretch of coastline, as hurricane warnings extended from near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New Yorks Hamptons, to the summer getaway of Fire Island.

This GOES-16 East GeoColor satellite image taken Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, at 11:40 a.m. EDT., and provided by NOAA, shows Tropical Storm Henri in the Atlantic Ocean. Henri was expected to intensify into a hurricane by Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Impacts could be felt in New England states by Sunday, including on Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists. (NOAA via AP)

Intense winds and potentially dangerous tidal surges were expected as far east as Cape Cod and as far west as the New Jersey shore, and utilities warned ensuing power outages could last a week or even more. Governors urged people to stay home during the brunt of the storm.

Henri was veering a bit further west than originally expected, placing eastern Long Island in its bull's-eye rather than New England. That gave people directly in the storm's path less time to prepare.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued for some residents closest to the water in Madison, Connecticut. First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons wrote in a public notice, that any residents who do not leave the evacuation zone by 9 p.m. tonight are putting their lives at risk and public safety crews will not be able to respond to you once winds exceed 50 mph.

Robin Berthet, of Sheffield, Mass., watches as his sailboat is hauled out of the water onto dry land in advance of an expected storm, Friday Aug. 20, 2021, in Plymouth, Mass. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Phil Marcelo)

Residents and visitors on Fire Island, a narrow strip of sandy villages barely above sea level off Long Islands southern coast, were urged to evacuate. The last boats out will leave at 10:40 p.m. Saturday; after that, officials said, there may be no way out for people who decide to ride out the storm.

The evacuation threw a wrench into Kristen Paveses planned Fire Island bachelorette party. The group of 10 had intended to celebrate out on Saturday night, but ended up leaving on the ferry just a day after arriving. They had planned to stay until Monday.

Im upset about it, but its the weather. Its nothing I can control, said Pavese, a Long Island resident. Ive been going to Fire Island for a long time, so Im sort of familiar with this happening.

Steve Berlo, of Plymouth, Mass., watches as his sailboat is hauled out of the water onto dry land in advance of an expected storm, Friday Aug. 20, 2021, in Plymouth, Mass. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Phil Marcelo)

The group made alternate Saturday night plans at a Long Island winery, and Pavese said she was happy to still be with her friends.

Approaching severe weather Saturday night also halted a superstar-laden concert in Manhattans Central Park. The show headlined by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson was meant to celebrate New York Citys recovery from the coronavirus. But officials asked concert-goers to leave the park during Barry Manilow's set amid the threat of lightning. Mayor Bill de Blasio ultimately said the event had to be called off and urged attendees to go home.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo pleaded with New York residents to make last-minute preparations, warning that heavy rain, winds and storm surges from Henri could be as devastating as Superstorm Sandy in parts of the state. The governor, who will leave office in two days following a sexual harassment scandal, warned that heavy rains were expected to create problems far up into the Hudson River Valley.

Baxter Crane Company hauls one of the Hyannis Yacht Club J22 sailboats onto a trailer at the Gary Brown Boat Ramp, Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, in Hyannis. Mass. They were busy all day with boaters hauling out ahead of approaching Tropical Storm Henri. (Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times via AP)

We have short notice. Were talking about tomorrow, Cuomo said. So if you have to move, if you have to stock up, if you have to get to higher ground, it has to be today. Please.

Gov. Ned Lamont warned Connecticut residents they should prepare to shelter in place from Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning as the state braces for the first possible direct hit from a hurricane in decades. In Rhode Island, Gov. Dan McKee similarly urged state residents stay at home Sunday and into Monday morning.

We consider this a serious matter, McKee said at a news conference.

A beach house on East Matunuck beach in South Kingstown, R.I., is boarded up in preparation for Hurricane Henri Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

Officials said Logan International Airport in Boston was expected to remain open, but that some flights likely would be canceled. And service on some branches of New York City's commuter rail system will be suspended Sunday. Amtrak service Sunday between New York and Boston was cancelled.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker expressed relief Saturday that the latest models suggest Henri wont make a direct hit on the state.

But Baker and McKee at separate briefings warned that high winds and heavy rains still could lead to widespread and lengthy power outages.

Carson Turowski, center, secures his boat as his wife Lindsey drives it onto the trailer as they remove it before pending bad weather Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Newport, R.I. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

The White House said President Joe Biden discussed preparations with northeastern governors and that New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who succeeds Cuomo on Tuesday, also participated.

Biden later began approving emergency declarations with Rhode Island.

New York hasnt had a direct hit from a powerful cyclone since Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc in 2012. Some of the most important repairs from that storm have been completed, but many projects designed to protect against future storms remain unfinished.

A long line forms to remove boats from the water at the Fort Adams boat ramp in Newport, R.I., Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

With a top wind speed of 75 mph (120 kph) Saturday, Henri sped up to move north at 21 mph (33 kph) as of Saturday night. It was about 180 miles (290 kilometers) south-southeast of Montauk Point on Long Island.

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman said the town was considering issuing a voluntary evacuation advisory for about 6,000 people. He said storm models showed that the storms center would run smack on the town of Southampton. He described a run on supplies like batteries and flashlights as people are starting to wake up.

Regardless of its exact landfall, broad impacts were expected across a large swath of the Northeast, extending inland to Hartford, Connecticut, and Albany, New York, and eastward to Cape Cod, which is teeming with tens of thousands of summer tourists.

Rob Edwards, from Newport, R.I., adds extra lines to secure his boat at the Goat Island Marina, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, in Newport, R.I. New Englanders, bracing for their first direct hit by a hurricane in 30 years, are taking precautions as Tropical Storm Henri barrels toward the southern New England coast. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

Storm surge between 3 and 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) is possible from Flushing, New York, to Chatham, Massachusetts, and for parts of the North Shore and South Shore of Long Island, the hurricane center said.

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Rainfall between 3 to 6 inches (7.5 to 15 centimeters) is expected Sunday through Monday.

Officials in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York cautioned that people could lose power for days. Authorities advised people to secure their boats, fuel up their vehicles and stock up on canned goods.

Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks during a Zoom-cast news briefing, Saturday Aug. 21, 2021, in New York. Cuomo declared a state of emergency for parts of the state and urged people to heed warnings, as the newly upgraded Hurricane Henri closed in on the Northeast. (NY Governor's Press Office via AP)

In the Hamptons, the celebrity playground on Long Islands east end, officials warned of dangerous rip currents and flooding thats likely to turn streets like the mansion-lined Dune Road into lagoons.

We have a lot of wealthy people. Theres no doubt that we do, but everybody pulls together in an emergency, Schneiderman said. So, you know, yeah, there are people hanging out on their yachts at the moment drinking martinis, but theyre also starting to talk about this storm and Im sure theyre going to want to be helpful.

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Hill reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writers Mallika Sen and Larry Neumeister in New York, Mike Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Mark Pratt in Waltham, Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A judge Friday struck down a California ballot measure that exempted Uber and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services from a state law requiring drivers to be classified as employees eligible for benefits and job protections.

FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2020, file photo, Uber driver Ralph, only first name given, loads luggage from travelers arriving from New York City at Los Angeles International Airport's LAX-it pick up terminal. A judge has struck down Californias ballot measure that exempted Uber and other companies from a state law requiring their drivers to be classified as employees eligible for benefits and job protections, Friday, Aug. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP)  A judge Friday struck down a California ballot measure that exempted Uber and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services from a state law requiring drivers to be classified as employees eligible for benefits and job protections.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled that Proposition 22 was unconstitutional.

Voters approved the measure in November after Uber, Lyft and other services spent $200 million in its favor, making it the most expensive ballot measure in state history.

Uber said it planned to appeal, setting up a fight that could likely end up in the California Supreme Court.

This ruling ignores the will of the overwhelming majority of California voters and defies both logic and the law, company spokesman Noah Edwardsen said. You dont have to take our word for it: Californias attorney general strongly defended Proposition 22s constitutionality in this very case.

He said the measure will remain in force pending the appeal.

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The judge sided with three drivers and the Service Employees International Union in a lawsuit that argued the measure improperly removed the state Legislatures ability to grant workers the right to access to the state workers compensation program.

For two years, drivers have been saying that democracy cannot be bought. And todays decision shows they were right, said Bob Schoonover, president of the SEIU California State Council.

Proposition 22 shielded app-based ride-hailing and delivery companies from a labor law that required such services to treat drivers as employees and not independent contractors, who dont have to receive benefits such as paid sick leave or unemployment insurance.

Uber and Lyft threatened to leave the state if voters rejected the measure.

Labor spent about $20 million to challenge the proposition.

The state Supreme Court initially declined to hear the case in February  mainly on procedural grounds  but left open the possibility of a lower court challenge.
TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (20,339.02, up 123.66 points.)

HEXO Corp. (TSX:HEXO). Health. Down $1.14, or 27.8 per cent, to $2.96 on 10.7 million shares.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Down eight cents, or 0.35 per cent, to $22.45 on 8.1 million shares.

Nevada Copper Corp. (TSX:NCU). Materials. Up half a cent, or 5.5 per cent, to 9.5 cents on 5.8 million shares.

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Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSX:CNQ). Energy. Up 48 cents, or 1.23 per cent, to $39.49 on 5.1 million shares.

Inter Pipeline Ltd. (TSX:IPL). Energy. Down four cents, or 0.20 per cent, to $19.93 on 4.9 million shares.

Manulife Financial Corporation. (TSX:MFC). Financials. Up 12 cents, or 0.48 per cent, to $24.93 on 4.9 million shares.

Companies in the news:

Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY). Up $1.37 or 1.05 per cent to $131.72. Royal Bank of Canada will require employees to be fully vaccinated to work on the bank's premises. In a memo to staff, the bank says it will ask employees to confirm their vaccination status, beginning in Canada and the United States, followed by other regions where applicable. Those who are able to be vaccinated will be required to do so by Oct. 31. Helena Gottschling, RBC's chief human resources officer, says in the memo that the decision is based on evolving government guidance and concerning developments related to the Delta variant. Before the election was called, the government said last week it would require federal employees, workers in federally regulated industries like transportation and banking, as well as many domestic travellers to be vaccinated against COVID-19. TD, CIBC, RBC and BMO also said Friday they will require on-site employees to be fully vaccinated as of Oct. 31, while Scotiabank said it is moving towards making vaccination mandatory later in the fall.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 20, 2021.
Inside an old scrapbook that surfaced as I was recently exercising a rare urge to clean, I found a clipping dated Aug. 17, 1996, introducing this column to Winnipeg Free Press readers.

Inside an old scrapbook that surfaced as I was recently exercising a rare urge to clean, I found a clipping dated Aug. 17, 1996, introducing this column to Winnipeg Free Press readers.

I still remember getting a call on a Wednesday afternoon that summer from the city editor, a former colleague from my days as a Free Press staffer, who asked if Id be interested in writing a weekly column on agriculture for the business section.

I said Id think about it and asked when hed want the first one. "Before noon Friday," came the reply. So it was, and has been ever since.

That very first column was about  who would have guessed  the escalating debate over the Canadian Wheat Board and the dilemma faced by then-federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale.

Farmers opposed to the single-desk marketing system had taken to running the border with their grain trucks and were happily courting martyrdom by going to jail. The popular cartoon of the times was an image of two convicts asking each other why they were incarcerated, with the farmer replying "I sold my own wheat."

Meanwhile, supporters of the CWB were rallying in the streets and a federally appointed panel was recommending a dual-marketing scenario which while politically expedient, had a snowballs chance in this hot Prairie summer of succeeding.

"Ultimately, if Goodale moves to diminish the Canadian Wheat Board, it wont be because there is a shortage of farmers who support it. It will be because he cant figure out what to do with the ones who wont. Kind of says something about how democracy functions in a culture that promotes individualism, doesnt it," I wrote in that first column.

It took until 2012 for the federal government under Stephen Harper to axe the single desk. Notably, the world didnt end.

Leading up to that however, the grain handling system underwent massive restructuring. The co-operatives that once controlled over 80 per cent of the grain handling on the Prairies buckled as they confronted a demographic of aging members withdrawing their equity just as it was needed to invest in modernizing their elevator networks. The co-ops first turned to the stock market for the needed capital and then turned on each other before disappearing altogether.

The late 1990s were also when farmers and the public got their first glimpse of genetically modified organisms embedded as herbicide-tolerant traits in canola. Although it was poorly understood at the time, the development radically changed not only how farmers farmed, but how development of new traits would be financed.

Before farmers could purchase these new varieties, they paid a technology-use fee and signed a contract agreeing not to save or sell any of the seed for replanting. It came as an unpleasant surprise to some farmers that Monsanto actually intended to enforce its patents  all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

But the controversy over how farmers should pay for crop varietal improvements continues as the industry debates today whether farmers should pay royalties if they wish to replant seed from the cereals they raise.

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In the late 1990s, the global debate was over who would feed China. Today, the concern is what to do about Chinas rising dominance over world affairs and its heavy-handed diplomacy.

Farms have become bigger and farmers more technologically savvy. However, the rhetoric around what constitutes an efficient scale has moved beyond the "go big or go home" mantra of those times as interest grows in valuing what farmers do beyond what volumes they produce.

Another change has been the farming communitys growing awareness in this age of social media of the need to court the publics trust.

Comparing those early columns to today, its amazing how fundamentally the industry has changed over the past 25 years and how collectively its much more confident, connected and proactive. Farmers increasingly see themselves as part of a value chain instead of standalone entities requiring special attention.

However, what hasnt changed is their resilience in the face of adversity, and their ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions.

Laura Rance is vice-president of Content for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com
LOS ANGELES  Elon Musk showed off his next big project: a sleek white and shiny humanoid robot, sized a bit smaller than the average man, engineered to perform dangerous, repetitive, boring tasks  sometime in the future.

LOS ANGELES  Elon Musk showed off his next big project: a sleek white and shiny humanoid robot, sized a bit smaller than the average man, engineered to perform "dangerous, repetitive, boring" tasks  sometime in the future.

Called the Tesla Bot, it will be ready for unveiling in prototype form sometime next year, Musk said  but if its not, it wouldnt be the first time a promised Musk innovation turned out to be vapourware.

The mock-up robots that were onstage with Musk at a Tesla company event Thursday night were not even vaporware. One was a statue-like model that didnt do anything but stand still. The other was a person in a costume and mask who performed a crazy dance.

"Obviously, that was not real," Musk said after the dancer finished. "The Tesla Bot will be real."

Musk showed a slide with the robots specs. According to the slide, it will stand 5-8 and weigh 125 pounds, with a top speed of 5 m.p.h.

"Its intended to be friendly, of course," he said.

The robot reveal came at the end of a livestreamed event filled with technical detail about Teslas efforts in artificial intelligence.

If Musk was joking about the robot, he didnt let on. He talked about the need to provide a universal income to those who lose their jobs as robots take over. "In the future, physical work will be a choice," he said.

Musk has an adolescents love of science fiction jokes and sprinkles them into many of his public appearances and interviews, but he has spoken seriously about the threat posed by advanced artificial intelligence and cofounded a company, OpenAI, dedicated to keeping AI safe for humanity. He severed his ties with OpenAI sometime around early 2018.

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Another of his companies, Neuralink, is working on a brain/computer interface; Musk has said augmenting human brains with computing power will help humans compete with future forms of AI. Hes said Neuralink will cure blindness, paralysis, deafness and mental illness. MIT Technology review has labelled such claims "neuroscience theater."

Although Musk has notched many successes at Tesla and SpaceX, his rocket company, he has a long history of touting innovations that dont pan out or arrive years behind schedule. For several years, hes promised that the company was on the verge of launching a fleet of robotaxis powered by its Autopilot software, a million of them by the end of 2020. Hes yet to deploy a single one.

Years ago he promised an electric semi truck, a pickup-like Cybertruck and a rocket-powered roadster, but none are close to production. While Tesla allows vehicle owners to "beta test" what it calls "Full Self-Driving" on public roads, experts say its years away from achieving true autonomous driving. Musk, however, said the Tesla Bot will use Autopilot technology, "making use of all the same tools that we use in the car."

"Our cars are semi-sentient robots on wheels," he added.

Earlier this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced an investigation into why the companys partially robotic Autopilot feature has driven Teslas into police cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles stopped by the roadside at least 11 times. The crashes injured 17 people and killed one.

 Los Angeles Times
FILE-In this June 5, 2021 taken photo people spend the day at the beach of the Baltic Sea in Scharbeutz, northern Germany, on a sunny Saturday. New COVID-19 infections in Germany have reached their highest level in nearly three months amid a steady rise powered by the delta variant.The national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institut, said Saturday that 51.6 new cases per 100,000 residents were reported over the last seven days.(AP Photo/Michael Probst)

FRANKFORT, Ky.  The Kentucky governors efforts to combat COVID-19 have suffered a landmark legal defeat.

The states high court on Saturday cleared the way for laws reining in his emergency powers to take effect. The state Supreme Court ordered a lower court to dissolve an injunction blocking the new Republican-backed laws limiting Democratic Gov. Andy Beshears emergency powers.

The ruling revolves around a dispute between Beshear and the GOP-led legislature over the scope of the governors executive authority in times of emergencies. It comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging in Kentucky.

The governor lifted most of his pandemic restrictions in June. But with COVID-19 cases spiking due to the delta variant, he signed a recent executive order imposing an indoor mask mandate in K-12 schools, child care and pre-kindergarten programs across Kentucky.

One of the contested laws limits the governors executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

Police use pepper spray on protesters during an anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Protesters are rallying against government restrictions placed in an effort to reduce the COVID-19 outbreak. (James Ross/AAP Image via AP)

 AP-NORC poll: Biden sees dip in support amid new COVID-19 cases

 French virus health pass in full use but protests keep going on Saturdays

 Though young and healthy, more unvaccinated in U.S. die of COVID-19

 Central Park concert in NYC expected to draw thousands despite virus

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Find more AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

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HERES WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

A medical worker takes swab sample from a man in Vung Tau city, Vietnam Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Vietnam's government said it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh city to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh)

LA CROSSE, Wis.  A high-ranking Roman Catholic cardinal is off a ventilator and moving out of intensive care, according to officials at a Wisconsin shrine founded.

Cardinal Raymond Burke was to return to a regular hospital room Saturday at an undisclosed location, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse said in a statement.

Burke, 73, one of the Catholic Churchs most outspoken conservatives and a vaccine skeptic, had been sedated and on a ventilator following his tweet Aug. 10 that he had contracted the coronavirus.

He spoke out against mandatory vaccinations in May 2020, and said some in society want to implant microchips in people.

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PARIS  Thousands of protesters are marching again in cities and towns across France against a COVID-19 health pass required to enter restaurants and cafes, cultural and sports venues.

For a sixth straight Saturday, opponents denounced what they see as a restriction of their freedom. Many have criticized the measure, claiming the French government was implicitly making vaccines obligatory.

In Paris, four demonstrations were organized by different groups. Elsewhere in the country, over 200 protests were taking place.

Police arrest a man during an anti-lockdown protest in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. Protesters are rallying against government restrictions placed in an effort to reduce the COVID-19 outbreak. (Steven Saphore/AAP Image via AP)

Despite the protests, polls have shown the majority of French people support the health pass. More than 40.5 million people in France, or 60%, are fully vaccinated.

Since last month, France is registering a high number of infections -- about 22,000 each day.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  U.S. Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama says he and his wife have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. The congressman disclosed the diagnosis in a post on social media. He says hell continue to work virtually as much as he can while recovering in quarantine.

The Republican congressman encouraged people to discuss vaccines and treatments with their medical providers. Alabama is seeing a surge in virus cases and hospitalizations that medical officials say is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant and low vaccination rates in the state.

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BERLIN  Austrias government says it may limit access to nightclubs to people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 if infections rise in the fall.

Like many other European countries, Austria is seeing coronavirus infections increase as the delta variant takes hold, particularly among younger people who havent been fully vaccinated.

Four nurses work together to roll a patient onto their stomach in the intensive care unit at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Ore., Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. Patients must be turned and repositioned a minimum of every two hours. (Kristyna Wentz-Graff/Pool Photo via AP)

Currently, people need to have been vaccinated or have a recent negative PCR test to enter nightclubs.

A joint statement Saturday from the chancellery and the health ministry says a vaccinated-only approach may be necessary in the fall if infection rates continue to rise and the number of vaccinated young people remains relatively low. It pointed to a particular risk of so-called superspreader events as social life moves indoors after the summer.

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WASHINGTON -- President Joe Bidens job approval rating has ticked down and Americans are taking a less positive view of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thats according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The survey shows Bidens overall job approval rating dipping from 59% last month to 54%. The publics assessment of his handling of the pandemic has fallen even further, down from 66% support in July to 54%.

That coincides with increased COVID-19 cases in the United States and stalled vaccination rates. Jeanette Ellis-Carter, 69, wants to see Biden push for more vaccine mandates across the nation. Despite being fully vaccinated, the Cincinnati resident recently contracted COVID-19 and worries that without vaccine requirements, more Americans will be at risk of getting sick.

When I was a child in school, we were mandated to get the polio shot, measles. Whats any different about this? she said.

Republican officials have led the opposition to the vaccine and mask measures the Biden administration has put in place this summer. Some Republican governors are opposing masks in schools.

Emily Williams, a registered nurse on one of the intensive care units at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Ore., wipes down her face shield with disinfectant, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021. OHSU has four intensive care units, including a 16-bed medical ICU that has been converted into a unit dedicated to COVID-19 patients. (Kristyna Wentz-Graff/Pool Photo via AP)

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MONTGOMERY, Ala.  Health officials in Alabama say they are seeing a spike in cases among young adults and children as the highly contagious delta variant sweeps through unvaccinated populations.

Christina Tidmore urged people to get vaccinated after losing her husband to COVID-19. Her 36-year-old spouse was young and healthy but succumbed to the disease within three weeks. The couple didnt get vaccinated after hearing conflicting messages.

In the past month, people between ages 25 to 49 made up 14% of all COVID deaths in the state. Some 29% of deaths are ages 50 to 64.

There is no question that the average age of people who are being hospitalized is going down, State Health Officer Scott Harris said. The Alabama Hospital Association said this week 85% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.

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EUGENE, Ore.  Oregon and Oregon State became the first Power Five schools to announce they will require proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test for people over age 12 to attend football games.

Oregon says the decision was made with public health authorities and peer institutions in the state. The mandate goes into effect Monday and comes at the end of a week when state officials warned of rapidly filling hospitals as daily reported cases reached record numbers.

This photo provided by Christina Tidmore shows Christina and Josh Tidmore, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019. Healthy and in their 30s, Christina and Josh Tidmore figured they were low-risk for COVID-19, and with conflicting viewpoints filling their social media feeds and social circles, they decided to wait to get vaccinated. On July 20, Josh came home from work with a slight cough they initially thought was sinus trouble. On Aug. 11, he died of COVID-19 at a north Alabama hospital as Tidmore watched a doctor and her team frantically try to resuscitate her husband. (Christina Tidmore via AP)

The Oregon football team opens its season at 54,000-seat Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Sept. 4 against Fresno State. Oregon State begins its home schedule at Reser Stadium on Sept. 11 against Hawaii.

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NEW YORK  The sounds of song will be ringing out from Central Park, with thousands expected for a superstar-laden concert meant to celebrate New York Citys recovery from the coronavirus.

Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson, Carlos Santana, LL Cool J and Andrea Bocelli are among the performers at what is being billed as the Homecoming Concert.

Despite the joyful intention, the concert is taking place when there are worries over the contagious delta variant of COVID-19. According to state statistics, New York City has averaged just under 2,000 new cases of coronavirus a day over the past week. Those who attend the concert must show proof of vaccination.

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ORLANDO, Fla.  The mayor of Orlando is asking residents to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars for at least a week.

Mayor Buddy Dyer says water usage needed to be cut back because of the recent surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Orlando Utility Commission treats the citys water with liquid oxygen and supplies that ordinarily go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus.

A food delivery person waits as thousands of fans of music festivals stage a protest in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021, against the government's COVID-19 restrictions on large-scale outdoor events. On Saturday, the festivals came to music fans as hundreds of performers and festival organizers held demonstration marches through six Dutch cities to protest what they argue are unfair restrictions that have forced the cancellation of summer festivals and other events. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

The city-owned utility typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week, but its supplier recently says that could be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals.

Officials at one of the Orlando areas largest health care systems said this week they had 1,620 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, twice what it was during last winters peak high for AdventHealth.

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SYDNEY  Authorities in Australia say more than 250 people have been arrested while protesting coronavirus lockdowns in the country. Many faced fines for defying health orders.

The protests took place Saturday in several cities nationwide, with the largest and most violent protest in Melbourne. At least seven police officers were treated for injuries after skirmishes broke out at some of the protests.

Sydney has been in lockdown for two months, while Melbourne and Australias capital, Canberra, went into lockdown earlier this month. Under the rules of the lockdown, people are mostly confined to their homes and have limits placed on their social interactions.

Protestors say the lockdowns should end, but authorities say they are necessary to suppress the spread of the virus and save lives.

Despite the restrictions, Sydneys New South Wales state reported a record 825 new daily community infections on Saturday. Several cities are battling outbreaks of the highly contagious delta variant.

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BERLIN  New coronavirus infections in Germany have reached their highest level in nearly three months amid a steady rise powered by the delta variant.

The national disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, says Saturday that 51.6 new cases per 100,000 residents were reported over the last seven days. Its the first time since May 25 that the infection rate has been above 50, but it has been increasing since hitting a low of 4.9 in early July.

The disease control center says 8,092 new cases were reported over the past 24 hours -- up from 5,644 a week earlier. More cases are getting detected as summer vacations end and children return to schools in some parts of Germany.

German authorities have been trying to reinvigorate the countrys vaccination drive, which has slowed considerably. Official figures showed that 63% of Germanys population had received at least one vaccine dose as of Thursday and 58% was fully vaccinated.

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HANOI, Vietnam  Vietnams government says it is sending troops to Ho Chi Minh City to help deliver food and aid to households as it further tightens restrictions on peoples movements amid a worsening surge of the coronavirus.

The army personnel will be deployed to help with logistics as the city of 10 million people asks residents to stay put for two weeks starting from Monday, a report on the government website said Friday.

The move comes as Vietnam, which weathered much the pandemic with very few cases, recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 390 deaths on Friday. Ho Chi Minh City accounted for 3,500 of those infections.

Ho Chi Minh City has had strict coronavirus measures in place since June, including banning gatherings of more than two people in public and only allowing people to leave home for essential matters like buying food or going to work in certain permitted businesses. Under the new measures, people in high risk areas cannot leave home at all.

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HONOLULU  A hospital serving a Honolulu suburb has filled up as the community faces a surge of COVID-19 cases.

All 104 beds at The Queens Medical Center-West Oahu are full, said Jason Chang, the CEO of The Queens Health Systems.

The Ewa Beach hospital has sent some patients to its sibling facility in downtown Honolulu. Its also asked staff from other parts of the Queens system to come help.

The city has set up a triage tent outside the hospital that has 25 cots. The hospital may add beds in hallways and other makeshift areas but not all patients will get rooms.

Chang says the hospital had 63 patients in its emergency room at one time, which is a crisis given the hospital only has 24 ER beds. Twenty-six of those in the ER were there with possible COVID-19 infections.

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Public Safety Canada says it has approved a request for help from the Northwest Territories as the territory deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, yellow, emerging from the surface of cells, pink, cultured in the lab. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. Public Safety Canada says it has approved a request for help from the Northwest Territories as the territory deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NIAID-RML via AP

Public Safety Canada says it has approved a request for help from the Northwest Territories as the territory deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The territory says there are 198 active cases, with the majority of them occurring in the Sahtu region.

The Fort Good Hope area has been particularly hard hit, with 86 active cases in a community of about 500.

The ministry says the Canadian Rangers will be providing assistance.

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As a result of the rise in COVID-19 cases, Liberal incumbent Michael McLeod says his campaign is suspending in-person events and door-knocking.

The Red Cross says in a statement that it is in discussions with the N.W.T. government about how best to help.

"The Canadian Red Cross is well-positioned to assist with pandemic efforts and continues to work with all levels of government to address emerging needs across the country," spokeswoman Kristen Long said in a statement.

Fort Good Hope Chief Tommy Kakfwi previously told The Canadian Press that the community had asked the territory's government for help with policing to ensure residents comply with COVID-19 measures.

He also said Fort Good Hope requested GPS spot devices for people isolating out at their camps and in isolation spaces in town.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.
OTTAWA - A C-17 Globemaster transport plane evacuated 106 more Afghans from the chaotic Kabul airport on Friday and brought them to a safe third country, Canadian officials said Saturday.

Hundreds of people gather near a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane along the perimeter at the international airport in Kabul, Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Shekib Rahmani, File)

OTTAWA - A C-17 Globemaster transport plane evacuated 106 more Afghans from the chaotic Kabul airport on Friday and brought them to a safe third country, Canadian officials said Saturday.

The flight was Canada's second one out of Kabul since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban last weekend, a development that destabilized the country, sowed chaos and exposed numerous Afghans to violent reprisals for their past support of Western-led, anti-Taliban forces, including Canada's.

The impact of that chaos became evident as Canadian officials offered a vivid portrait of the real-life challenges of getting vulnerable Afghans out of harms way as the specter of Taliban reprisals hangs over them.

Desperate Afghans who previously worked as interpreters for Western news agencies and NATO are in hiding, fearing for the safety of themselves and their families. They have been in touch with Canadian news organizations seeking help, including with The Canadian Press.

"Our people are working day and night in a challenging, volatile and dynamic situation. And will we keep doing everything possible to support Afghans in their time of need," said one senior Canadian government official, one of three who briefed journalists Saturday on the condition they not be named as per the agreements for such background briefings.

The Canadian flights are at the mercy of a dangerous and tenuous situation on the ground, but the airlift will continue as long as the security situation holds, officials said.

While the airport has been secured for now, actually reaching it and getting through its perimeter remains extremely dangerous, officials said.

That has contributed to a frenzied dynamic on the ground that faces another obstacle: the massive Canadian planes don't have the ability to refuel in air, so they have to take off with fewer passengers because of the heavy gas tanks they need to make their return flight to safety.

The C-17s are on the ground for only a short period of time, officials said, and their engines are kept running, as passengers scramble into the plane's massive belly from the rear entry ramp. Seatbelts appear to be a luxury.

In a "very dynamic situation," young pilots and aircraft managers are assessing the risks, so if "they (passengers) are sitting on the floor, they're fine with that," said one official.

They said foreign nationals were also on the Friday flight, but did not disclose the number citing security reasons.

Friday's flight followed a Thursday Canadian airlift bearing 175 fleeing Afghans and 13 foreign nationals.

All of the Afghans were interpreters and other workers who supported Canada's military and diplomatic efforts in the war-torn country.

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The Afghans on Thursday's flight are bound for other countries, while the 106 on Friday's are destined for settlement in Canada, officials explained, noting the effort comes as part of Canada's commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees.

Immigration officials are working remotely from Ottawa and throughout the Middle East to process applications for Afghans trying to flee to Canada.

Global Affairs Canada personnel are in direct contact with applicants in Kabul via email and cellphone to gather information for their applications and tell them when they can try to make their way to the airport.

So far, almost 1,000 endangered Afghans have reached Canada. Immigration officials are processing about 3,000 of the 6,000 claims from endangered Afghans seeking too flee, officials said.

Officials acknowledged that some Afghans destined for the Friday flight couldn't get to the airport, but their advice was to keep trying and they will be put on a plane if they succeed, .

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.
EDMONTON - The federal Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into an MP's trip to Italy in 2017.

A view of Matera, Italy, where a G20 foreign affairs ministers' meeting is taking place Tuesday, June 29, 2021. The Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into a Liberal MP's trip to Italy in 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Antonio Calanni

EDMONTON - The federal Conservatives are shining a light on what they deem a Liberal ethics violation, calling for an investigation into an MP's trip to Italy in 2017.

The Tories point to media reports that said longtime Liberal legislator Judy Sgro visited the small city of Matera in 2017 along with other politicians on a paid-for jaunt, but say she did not publicly disclose the excursion.

The Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada, which promotes the culture of that region of southern Italy in Canada, sponsored the trip, according to a Toronto Star report in 2018 that cites an admission by Sgro.

A Toronto Liberal MP since 1999, Sgro later said her time exploring the renowned caves and pasta production plants of Matera came at no expense to Canadian taxpayers, telling CBC News this week that she paid for the visit herself.

Trips sponsored by third parties are allowed under parliamentary conflict-of-interest rules, so long as legislators report the gift to the ethics commissioner.

Alberta Conservative candidate Laila Goodridge wrote to commissioner Mario Dion this week asking for a probe to determine whether Sgro contravened conflict of interest rules for parliamentarians.

"Ms. Sgros public comments and disclosures raise questions as to why she did not publicly disclose sponsored third party travel," Goodridge said.

"It also raises questions as to whether or not Ms. Sgros public statements are accurate and whether or not taxpayer money was used to pay for the trip."

Conservative MP Michael Barrett was more explicit.

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"She tried to hide it from voters," he said in a social media post by the party.

Sgro and the Liberals did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Goodridge also faced controversy this week after party members in her riding of Fort McMurray-Cold Lake said they were "appalled" and "blindsided" by her recent appointment as their candidate.

"Our constituents were cheated of their opportunity to democratically select their candidate and were forced by the party on who will represent them," the Conservative riding association said in a statement Friday.

Goodridge stepped down last Sunday as a United Conservative Party legislator representing Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche in the Alberta legislature to run federally after incumbent David Yurdiga announced he wasn't running due to health reasons.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.
The three main federal parties lobbed attacks at each other Saturday, undaunted by the absence of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the sixth day of the federal campaign.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh responds to questions during a news conference in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

The three main federal parties lobbed attacks at each other Saturday, undaunted by the absence of Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the sixth day of the federal campaign.

While it is not unusual for party leaders to take a down day on Saturdays because it's traditionally the day when parties return to home base to regroup, the current election has opened Trudeau up to criticism for launching a campaign as a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds.

So it was that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh needed little prompting when reminded of Trudeau's blank itinerary as he began his day in Toronto.

"I don't know what his schedule is and why he's not campaigning ... I can just say for me, on housing specifically and on many other things, Trudeau has been missing in action," Singh said, as he promised a supplement of up to $5,000 for those struggling to pay rent and a crackdown on so-called "renovictions." .

"He has been missing when it comes to helping people who are struggling with trying to find a place they can rent, (and) with people are struggling to find a place they can buy."

Trudeau called the election last Sunday, triggering a campaign that will send voters to the polls on Sept. 20.

At a campaign stop in Edmonton, Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole faced questions about his own team's decision to spend the first few days in a downtown Ottawa hotel campaigning on a newly constructed television set.

O'Toole said his "telephone town halls" allowed him to reach more Canadians "than all the other leaders combined" in southwestern Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec. O'Toole said he's learned as a "COVID era leader" how to connect with Canadians and expose the faults of his Liberal opponent.

"I want to connect with as many Canadians as possible that are worried about more years of division under Mr. Trudeau, more cover ups, more ethical breaches," he said during a campaign stop in Edmonton.

O'Toole also pledged to work better with provincial premiers "because our country's become fractured under Mr. Trudeau, in part because there's always an Ottawa knows best approach." That, he said, would include Nova Scotia's new Progressive Conservative Premier Tim Houston who unseated the governing Liberals earlier this week.

"There was a change with the Liberal government that tried to call a snap election in a pandemic," O'Toole quipped.

The Conservative and Liberal war rooms also volleyed attacks on each other.

The Conservative campaign said it had written to the federal ethics commissioner about former Liberal cabinet minister Judy Sgro, a candidate in the Humber River-Black Creek riding. A party release raises concerns about a reported trip she took to Italy in 2017, which was allegedly funded by the Basilicata Cultural Society of Canada.

"According to proactive disclosures on the website for the Ethics (Commissioner), Sgro never publicly disclosed the name of the third party who sponsored her trip to Italy," the release said.

Sponsored trips are permitted, but MPs must disclose who paid for them, the release said.

The Liberals did not immediately respond to request for comment on the matter, but did release a letter of their own to O'Toole concerning a separate issue.

The letter was penned by Toronto-area MP Mary Ng, the trade minister when Parliament was dissolved, criticizing the Conservative leader for not backing mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for government employees as well as air and rail passengers.

The letter compared O'Toole to Republican politicians in Texas and Florida who have blocked mandatory vaccination.

"If you will not show leadership to protect the health and safety of Canadians, you can't stand in the way of those who will," the letter said.

"Will you commit to ensuring that your party, your candidates, and your caucus, will not be permitted to introduce legislation that would ban mandatory vaccine policies or punish businesses and organizations who require their customers and employees to be vaccinated?"

The O'Toole campaign sought to showcase the lack of daylight between the Liberal approach and the Tories', repeating that a Conservative government would require unvaccinated passengers to present a recent negative test result or pass a rapid test hopping on a bus, plane or ship. Unvaccinated federal public servants would also have submit to a daily test.

"(Under) Justin Trudeau's plan for federal employees, those who refuse vaccination will need to consider alternative measures, such as testing and screening," party spokesman Cory Hann said in an email.

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"The simple fact is that Justin Trudeau's plan for federal employees is the same as Erin O'Toole's."

The Liberals also highlighted a news release from pro-life group RightNow targeting O'Toole. The group is calling on the Conservative leader to say he will not ask medical professionals to refer patients seeking services like abortion or medical assistance in dying to another provider if they object to performing these procedures themselves.

Erin OToole promised to pro-lifers during the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race that he would protect conscience rights of medical professionals across Canada, said Scott Hayward, co-founder and president of RightNow, in Saturday's news release.

Hayward and his group want O'Toole to stick to that commitment, the release said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2021.

 With files from Christopher Reynolds in Vancouver
Sandy Ehrich had only seen one black bear during the 26 years shes lived in Balmoral, north of Winnipeg  until this year.

Sandy Ehrich had only seen one black bear during the 26 years shes lived in Balmoral, north of Winnipeg  until this year.

In the last few weeks, bears have lumbered into her yard, poked around her patio or even peered into her home six to eight times.

"Theres still a nose print on the window," she said with a laugh.

The emboldened bears are grubbing around human habitats with increased regularity this year.

Months of heat and drought have dried up streams and ponds, destroyed berry patches and reduced the insect population, forcing the bears to search new territory for food and water.

"The first one we noticed was probably about a month ago," said Ehrich. "He was walking down the trail towards the house very nonchalantly  just strolling along."

The bear bolted after spying Ehrichs husband in the yard, but as the days went on, the bears gathered their courage and skirted closer to the house.

Ehrich thinks the same two bears keep returning. Her neighbour has similar stories, she said.

On Thursday evening, black bears made it into West Kildonan. Winnipeg police warned people that a bear and a cub had been spotted between Swailes Avenue and North Point Boulevard. Police searched for the pair, unsuccessfully, and cautioned residents to avoid walking trails, bike paths and green spaces.

The provinces lead wildlife biologist, Pauline Bloom, said there have been more than 1,900 interactions between people and black bears this year.

In 197 incidents, conservation officers relocated the bears; in another 171 incidents, the animals were killed by the public or department staff. (The province doesnt record how many bears were involved in each incident.)

"When we have a drought, theres not a lot of water on the landscape, food availability is restricted, so bears are having to travel to find permanent water sources and good food sources," Bloom said, adding that an early spring frost did significant damage to Saskatoon berries in Manitoba.

Once a bear thinks it has found food, its very likely to return day after day, said Bloom. Bird feeders are common targets.

"They love black oil sunflower seeds," she said. "Its very nutritious and high energy for them, so they will come back as long as that food source is available."

When a black bear continually finds food in human habitats, it can learn to associate people with food. That can imperil people nearby, but the bears are far more likely to suffer.

If a black bear remains fearful of people, it can be relocated, said Bloom. But if it shows no fear, it will likely be destroyed.

To avoid habituating bears to humans, Bloom suggests taking down bird feeders from April to November, keeping garbages locked up and picking up apples or other fruit that falls from trees. Above all, never feed bears on purpose, she said.

When in the wilderness, people should travel in groups, make noise to avoid surprising a black bear and carry bear spray.

Barret Miller at FortWhyte Alive grew up in the Whiteshell and worked in northern Ontario bush camps during summers.

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"Living alongside bears was a fact of life," he said.

Hes had a few close calls, and for anyone who is suddenly nose to nose with a black bear  in a lane in West Kildonan, perhaps  he offered a few tips.

"The first thing you should do is stop and take stock. Dont approach the bear," he said. Take a deep breath, slowly back away and talk to the bear in a calm voice.

"I always pretended that I was channelling Johnny Cash," he said.

Most black bears prefer to avoid people and will run away if they see someone. Since 1900, black bears have killed just three people in Manitoba, the province said. The last death was in 2005, when a 69-year-old man was mauled while picking plums north of Winnipeg.

cody.sellar@freepress.mb.ca
A northern Manitoba chief has denounced the violent sexual assault of a woman by 14 people in his community as RCMP reported that one of two suspects at large had turned himself in on Friday.

A northern Manitoba chief has denounced the violent sexual assault of a woman by 14 people in his community as RCMP reported that one of two suspects at large had turned himself in on Friday.

"We are extremely saddened by and concerned about the violence that has happened in our community," Norway House Cree Nation Chief Larson Anderson said in a statement. "We are working to find solutions to support the wellness of our citizens and to help ensure this type of violence does not impact other young people."

Cody Monias

Twelve people were initially arrested in connection with the Aug. 11 assault on the 34-year-old woman.

RCMP had reported the woman ran screaming from the home, begging for help, when officers arrived at the residence amid an ongoing investigation.

The victim told RCMP she was held against her will and repeatedly sexually assaulted.

Travis Apetagon, 40, turned himself in to RCMP in the community on Friday. He faces charges of aggravated sexual assault, forcible confinement and assault. Court records show Apegaton was convicted of assault with a weapon in 2019.

Cody Monias, 36, who remained at large, has a record that includes several incidents of drug possession, as well as one count of trafficking controlled substances in 2011. He was convicted of three break-and-enters 20 years ago.

The grand chief of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak said he's deeply disturbed by the crime.

"It is shocking to learn how many individuals are alleged to be involved in this serious assault. Brutal acts of violence were inflicted upon the victim and these acts will impact the victim for a lifetime," said Grand Chief Garrison Settee.

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The northern chiefs organization will support the victim while the case moves through the justice system, he said.

Four people were charged with aggravated sexual assault, forcible confinement, uttering threats and assault: a 17-year-old female from Winnipeg; 29-year-old Kendra Mckay, 29-year-old Kiefer Menow and 30-year-old Stefan Monias, all from Norway House. All four are scheduled to appear in court in Norway House.

Menow pleaded guilty to an assault charge in May 2019. Monias was convicted of robbery with a weapon in 2019, and an assault causing bodily harm charge in 2008. He also pleaded guilty to two drug trafficking charges in 2008.

Eight others were charged with aggravated sexual assault and forcible confinement and will appear in court in Norway House on Nov. 18. They include a 27-year-old man from Winnipeg, a 52-year-old man from St. Adolphe, and six women from Norway House, who range from the age of 20 to 48.

 with files from Julia-Simone Rutgers

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Manitoba follows a standard formula for federal elections: other than the affluent suburbs, Winnipeg votes mostly Liberal while everywhere else  besides the north  goes Conservative.

Manitoba follows a standard formula for federal elections: other than the affluent suburbs, Winnipeg votes mostly Liberal while everywhere else  besides the north  goes Conservative.

With support for provincial Conservatives waning, anger at Justin Trudeau for calling an election during a pandemic, and the rise of the provincial NDP, there are strong indications that predictable Manitoba seats are up for grabs.

The appearance of Trudeau and OToole in the city Friday is evidence.

Why would both visit on the same day NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh toured unmarked graves at a former residential school in Saskatchewan?

It shows a major theme is emerging: Indigenous issues.

For the most part, Indigenous issues have been ignored or taken a backseat to mandatory vaccinations, Afghanistan and Haiti.

Promises on how to reduce poverty on First Nations, recognize Indigenous and treaty rights, and implement recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls inquiry were expected to be at the forefront of this campaign, especially considering the recent discoveries of unmarked graves at residential schools and toppling of statues that honour colonial-era icons.

On Friday, for the first time, it was.

Trudeaus appearance in Winnipeg was pretty standard. He touted his provincial $10/day child-care agreement, expansion to sick leave benefits for federally regulated workers, and money for school ventilation upgrades.

In other words, campaign announcements Canadians have already heard or will forget.

Trudeau did, however, meet with Assembly of Manitoba Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee, and Assembly of First Nations Manitoba regional chief Cindy Woodhouse. He even posed for a Twitter selfie with them. They are some of the most pro-Liberal Indigenous leaders in the country. Dumas and Settee have both had Liberals running their election campaigns and Woodhouse has run federal Liberal campaigns and sat on the Liberals Aboriginal Peoples Commission.

Trudeau used his Winnipeg stop to attempt to be the face of Indigenous issues  even though this campaign is about his failed promise to fix boil-water advisories, address rampant First Nations poverty, and taking Indigenous children to court instead of paying them compensation.

Trudeau has had victories too, but the Liberal announcement of $321 million to search for burial sites at residential schools moments before this election campaign is proof enough that he wants to stop Singh from being the leader most equipped to deal with reconciliation.

OToole, meanwhile, has (somewhat surprisingly) made Indigenous issues a major part of his Conservative party platform. In its "Secure the Future" plan, Indigenous peoples appear dozens of times and there are six pages dedicated to policies for Indigenous communities.

Some are impressive and respond to grassroots community needs, such as the promise to support "land-based treatment programs developed and managed by Indigenous communities as part of a plan to enhance the delivery of culturally appropriate addictions treatment."

Most are standard, pro-resource and corporate partnership, pick-up-the-bootstraps-and-work-harder Conservative rhetoric that ignores systemic racism and offers little to deal with the real issues, such as replacing the Indian Act but, like I said, its the most extensive platform from a right-of-centre party in Canadian history.

Still, OToole has not put Indigenous issues at the forefront of his campaign. In Winnipeg, though, he was forced to.

In town to talk about jobs and investment, OToole had to answer questions about his partys promises that appear to target Indigenous activists. The party vows to amend the Criminal Code to allow for the arrest of demonstrators who "shut down critical infrastructure, threaten access to vital supplies, or endanger lives."

When asked, OToole responded by saying Indigenous peoples would be better served economically if they stopped protesting.

Um, no, Indigenous peoples would be better served if their right to lands and resources were respected  just like it states in the Conservative platform which promises to "recognize Indigenous and treaty rights and to work together with Indigenous peoples as nation-to-nation partners to resolve long-standing challenges."

The fact is, the way Canada deals with the "long-standing challenges" between Canadians and Indigenous communities is through conflict.

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From Oka to Wetsuweten, Canada doesnt negotiate, consult, or proceed appropriately or legally so Indigenous communities often have little to no choice but to do the very actions OToole seeks to criminalize.

Throwing more people in jail  and repeating inane policies passed by Albertas Jason Kenney and proposed by Manitobas Conservative government  is going to lead to more conflict, division  not reconciliation.

Why do you think Indigenous communities put their bodies on the line to protect land from pipelines and mines?

Heres a hint: it has to do with "land-based treatment programs."

Still, this week Winnipeg instigated a new step in the federal campaign and a conversation on Indigenous issues thats sure to continue.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
It has not been fun these past 13 years watching Richard Baker fail to make a success of Hudsons Bay Co. (HBC).

It has not been fun these past 13 years watching Richard Baker fail to make a success of Hudsons Bay Co. (HBC).

The New York private equity investor, who led a U.S. investor syndicate that bought HBC in 2008, has botched a European expansion campaign; abandoned a retail conglomerate strategy, selling retailers Lord & Taylor and Gilt Groupe and closing Home Outfitters; and come up empty in trying to extract wealth from HBCs empire of real estate holdings.

And HBCs core business, its Hudsons Bay department stores, is mired in what appears to be an irreversible sales decline, despite the demise of archrival Sears Canada.

Bakers latest gambit, scarcely more promising than what went before, is to split each of his remaining retail brands  Hudsons Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th  into autonomous online and offline retail companies.

Baker, 55, mentored by his father in the shopping-mall development business, said last week that his plan is to liberate the new stand-alone online stores from the constraints of their former in-store namesakes.

The brick-and-mortar outlets, for their part, will become "discovery destinations," intended to drive shoppers to the wider selection of HBC products available at its newly autonomous online stores.

The idea is that, run independently of each other, with their own CEOs and management teams, the online and offline stores will be better able to focus on growing their businesses.

To be sure, that laboured exercise in financial engineering, which has occupied Baker most of this year, has done his investment group some good.

One of Bakers private equity peers, Insight Partners, has invested a total of about $885 billion this year in the online spinoffs of luxury goods purveyor Saks Fifth Avenue and off-price merchant Saks Off 5th.

That capital injection was a blessing for an HBC that was ailing even before the pandemic lockdowns kept as many as half of its stores closed for long stretches last year.

Another challenge for Baker is that in his privatization of HBC last year, irate minority HBC investors forced him to raise his take-private share price by 16 per cent from his initial lowball bid.

That made even more pressing the current scheme to "unlock" the value of HBCs e-commerce stores, which have perked up lately with double-digit sales increases.

A worry here, though, is whether the online stores are "cannibalizing," or stealing sales, from their brick-and-mortar namesakes. The now-private HBC no longer discloses its financial performance.

HBC insisted last week that the new stand-alone companies, which risk losing some of their buying power and other synergies, will remain team players as before.

But human nature being what it is, the new companies will soon view each other as competitors.

Their marketing and merchandise buyers will be accountable to separate CEOs, after all, who will set hell-or-high-water performance goals to vie for Bakers favour.

And many items a shopper sees in HBCs online stores wont be showcased in the offline store, where a "high-touch" experience is supposed to drive online sales.

So far, Baker is alone with his breakup model. Other so-called "omnichannel" retailers like Nordstrom Inc. and Macys Inc. have kept their online and offline stores under one roof. They are determined not to lose co-ordination between the two.

The HBC strategy worries U.S. retail expert Walter Loeb. Writing in Forbes, Loeb said, "I am left with the queasy feeling that the plans did not consider consumer feelings as being important or relevant."

But Bakers breakup of his retail brands has its fans. They say HBCs traditional department stores have been dragging down the value of the company.

"Department stores have been branded as yesterdays business model," retailing expert Bruce Winder, who applauds Bakers latest turnaround scheme, told Canadian Press. "People are waiting for them to sort of eventually shrink and go under."

Yet Baker has shed few of HBCs traditional department stores, whose obsolete business model dates from the mid-19th century. (One glaring exception is Winnipegs historic downtown store, which was shuttered last November.)

Its worth asking if the Bays new stand-alone e-commerce store needs the current 86 Bay outlets as discovery destinations.

Then again, who would buy them? The idea of a non-Canadian merchant buying the Bay stores as a gateway to Canada ceased to be attractive after Target Canadas flame-out, which began with its purchase of HBCs Zellers division.

Besides, just about every international retailer interested in the Canadian market is already here.

The "overstored" Bay does see crowded aisles during its annual Bay Days bargain bonanza.

Otherwise, though, the Bays large emporia are noted for their scarcity of shoppers and staff.

In fact, it might be that the population density of HBCs vast 40 million square feet of retail space is lower than Canadas. (A mere 3.9 people per square kilometre.)

And while its reasonable to assume continued growth in online retail revenues in the post-pandemic, the belief among many retailers that e-commerce is set for indefinite double-digit revenue growth is untested.

But towering over those unspoken scenarios is the remarkable impact of those Insight Partners capital infusions.

They instantly placed total valuations of $2.5 billion and $1.3 billion on the online stores of Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th, respectively.

Mission accomplished. Value unlocked.

The obvious next step is to take the spinoffs public. In New York, Saks Fifth Avenue has been a rumoured candidate for an initial public offering (IPO) for months.

That way, Baker & Co. could cash out their investment, preferably before problems emerge in their newest business model.

Which could happen. During the seven years after Baker took HBC public, in 2012, the firms stock lost 35 per cent of its IPO value by the time of HBCs 2020 privatization.

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And none of Bakers asset shuffling changes the fact that HBC still lacks the one thing a merchant most needs.

Which is a thorough knowledge of its customers that compels a merchant to offer must-have products available only at its stores, online and offline, and whose pricing formula is aligned with its loyal shoppers.

After 13 years, Richard Baker, who has bought and sold about a dozen leading retail brands on two continents, still doesnt "get" retail. Or Canada. Or how to make sensible acquisitions.

Which is something of an accomplishment. Too bad so much of it was achieved in Canada.

David Olive is a Toronto-based business columnist for the Star.

 Toronto Star
Since the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan in July, the Taliban have swiftly taken control of the country. The president has fled and the government has fallen.

Opinion

Since the withdrawal of American and NATO forces from Afghanistan in July, the Taliban have swiftly taken control of the country. The president has fled and the government has fallen.

Emboldened by their success, lack of resistance by Afghan forces and minimal international pressure, the Taliban have intensified their violence. For Afghan women, their increasing power is terrifying.

In early July, Taliban leaders who took control of the provinces of Badakhshan and Takhar issued an order to local religious leaders to provide them with a list of girls over the age of 15 and widows under the age of 45 for "marriage" with Taliban fighters. Its not yet known whether theyve complied.

If these forced marriages take place, women and girls will be taken to Waziristan in Pakistan to be re-educated and converted to "authentic Islam."

This order has caused profound fear among women and their families living in these areas and forced them to flee and join the ranks of internally displaced persons, adding to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Afghanistan. In the past three months alone, 900,000 people have been displaced.

Reminiscent of brutal Taliban rule

This Taliban directive serves as a stark warning of what lies ahead and a harsh reminder of their brutal 1996-2001 regime, during which women were subjected to persistent human rights violations, denied employment and education, forced to wear the burqa and forbidden from leaving home without a male "guardian" or mahram.

Despite claiming theyve changed their stance on womens rights, the Talibans actions and latest efforts to commit thousands of women to sexual slavery demonstrate quite the opposite.

Furthermore, the Taliban have signalled their intention to deny girls education past the age of 12, to ban women from employment and reinstate the law requiring women to be accompanied by a guardian.

The gains made by Afghan women over the past 20 years, particularly in education, employment and political participation, are under grave threat.

Offering "wives" is a strategy aimed at luring militants to join the Taliban. This is sexual enslavement, not marriage, and forcing women into sexual slavery under the guise of marriage is both a war crime and a crime against humanity. Article 27 of the Geneva Convention states: "Women must be especially protected against any attack on their honour, in particular against rape, enforced prostitution, or any other form of indecent assault."

In 2008, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1820 declaring that "rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity." It recognizes sexual violence as a tactic of war intent on humiliating, dominating and instilling fear in civilian members of the community.

How to fight back

The UN must now act decisively to prevent further atrocities against women in Afghanistan.

I propose four policy actions for the international community to bring about sustainable peace. Theyre guided by Resolution 1820 that underscores the importance of including women as equal participants in the peace process and condemns all forms of gendered violence against civilians in armed conflict:

Calling for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the peace process can proceed in good faith. Ensuring that womens rights  enshrined in Afghanistans Constitution, national legislation and international law  are respected. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Insisting that peace negotiations continue with meaningful participation of Afghan women. Currently, there are only four women peace negotiators on the Afghan governments team and none on the Talibans. Lifting sanctions against the Taliban must be conditional on their commitment to uphold womens rights. The European Union and the United States, currently the largest donors to Afghanistan, must make aid conditional upon womens rights and their access to education and employment.

Women in Afghanistan and across the region would welcome efforts by the UN and the international community to ensure that survivors of sexual violence have equal protection under the law and equal access to justice.

There must be no impunity for acts of sexual violence as part of a comprehensive approach to seeking sustainable peace, justice and national reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Vrinda Narain is an associate professor in the faculty of law and Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University.

This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca.
The first flight to come in that day  Monday morning, Kabul time  was a Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 from Istanbul. It left a little later than it was supposed to, and was held back in the air for a while, flying in big loops above the northwest flank of the Hindu Kush mountains that slash across Afghanistan.

The first flight to come in that day  Monday morning, Kabul time  was a Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 from Istanbul. It left a little later than it was supposed to, and was held back in the air for a while, flying in big loops above the northwest flank of the Hindu Kush mountains that slash across Afghanistan.

At last, it made its descent into Hamid Karzai International Airport  soon to be renamed, one suspects  and sat on the tarmac, visible on a flight tracking app as a tiny icon of a plane. Another plane took off, a U.S. State Department De Havilland Dash-8, but for hours the big Boeing remained motionless and waiting.

This flight did not take refugees, as far as I know. Only Turkish nationals going home, as countries scrambled to get their citizens out. Still, that night I lay in bed with my phone on the mattress, cheek pressed to the sheets, vowing that until the flight took off, I would not fall asleep.

Sometimes, at the exact moment of an unfolding crisis, all those of us far away can do is bear witness.

Sometimes, at the exact moment of an unfolding crisis, all those of us far away can do is bear witness.

What the flight tracker app did not show: chaos at the airport, where thousands of people had fled in a desperate bid for survival as the Taliban encircled Kabul. It did not show frightened civilians racing alongside a U.S. military C-17 cargo plane as it taxied down the runway, clinging to its body any way that they could.

It did not show the video that shot around the globe that morning, of two people falling from the C-17 as it lifted off the tarmac. Lonely deaths, watched by millions. We may never know who they were, only that the body of a plane in flight offered more hope, and less fear, than the prospect of life under the Taliban.

The tragedy of the airport did not end there. Five more people died at the airport that day, which was controlled by U.S. soldiers and saw no confrontations with the Taliban; news largely glossed over the deaths. When the C-17 landed in Qatar they found more human remains in its wheel well.

Later, American officials said: "Our hearts go out to the families of the deceased." They said they would launch an investigation, and that they would do "due diligence to better understand how events unfolded." By the next day, the U.S. had gained better control of the airport crowds, though the sense of desperation lingered.

SHEKIB RAHMANI ./ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES On Monday, the U.S. military and officials focus was on Kabuls airport, where thousands of Afghans trapped by the sudden Taliban takeover rushed the tarmac and clung to U.S. military planes deployed to fly out staffers of the U.S. Embassy, which shut down Sunday.

What a final parting cruelty then, as the Americans go into the sunset of their longest war.

It was a war in which trillions of U.S. dollars filled the pockets of American defence contractors, brutal warlords and shockingly corrupt Afghan power players; a war in which more than 70,000 Afghan civilians died in sacrifice to a conflict theyd never asked for but one that, they were told, was for their own good.

And as the regime the U.S. installed and propped up rapidly fell apart, all the citizens of Kabul could do that day was watch as helicopters buzzed over the city, alighting on the roof of the American embassy, ferrying their own people out. A stark image, a painful one: who has the power to control their fate, and who does not.

In Canada, journalists scrambled to try to help old contacts they had worked with in the country. At the same time, the Globe and Mail reported that Canadian officials doubt theyll be able to get all of the roughly 6,000 of their own support staff and families out of the country before the Americans withdraw on Aug. 31.

It was a war in which trillions of U.S. dollars filled the pockets of American defence contractors, brutal warlords and shockingly corrupt Afghan power players.

That will leave many people in Afghanistan who took the chance of trusting Canadians. Who took the chance of doing the work to help inform Canadians, to help tell us things we needed to know to understand our own role in the conflict that submerged their country.

But when it came time to help get them out, the federal government stalled, former Globe and Mail journalist Les Perreaux wrote on Twitter. He described the roadblocks journalists have encountered in recent weeks in trying to secure a route to Canada for those who, by virtue of their work for Canadians, are now in added danger.

"Right now, Canada has left them in a void," Perreaux wrote.

And there is nothing Canada can now do to turn back the clock, to reverse what decades of foreign interference has done to Afghanistan and to its people. All it can do now is focus on saving the lives that it can. The message from Canadians, now, must be that we will not forget how the government handles this in the weeks ahead.

SHEKIB RAHMANI / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES At the Kabul airport, thousands of Afghans are desperate to leave as the Taliban encircles the city.

Already, there are signs that the government is listening.

Initially, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would take 20,000 Afghan refugees, although that number was part of a pre-existing program and referred only to people who had already fled the country. At a campaign stop earlier this week, he appeared to open up that figure, now saying the country will accept "as many as possible."

Once, years ago, I was invited to an Afghan party. At the door, an elderly man assigned a young man to sit with me, keep me company and translate for me the songs they were singing: folk songs about love, and love for the country. When I left, they stood at the door, proud and beaming, and gracefully thanked me for coming.

This week, I went back to that memory many times. Afghan culture is famous for its hospitality; foreign reporters often marvelled at how, even in the poorest parts of the country, families welcomed visitors into their homes with boundless warmth, eager to share what little they had, speaking of the honour of hosting a guest.

They will come to Canada not as guests, but as friends. Let our communities embrace them as such.

What Canadians must do now, as refugees begin arriving, is receive them with the same spirit. It is not the most we can do, especially for those who staked their lives on trusting Canadians, but rather the least. They will come to Canada not as guests, but as friends. Let our communities embrace them as such.

Its Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. in Kabul. There is only one plane in the sky above all of Afghanistan, a Turkish Air Force Airbus A400. It descends as it crosses the mountains and then, suddenly, turns away. It holds in the air, drawing a single loop on a flight trackers map, then turns its nose to Kabul and heads to the ground.

For now, all we can do is keep demanding that our government does better. Keep pushing it to do right, most of all by those who are the most vulnerable. And keep watching the planes come into Kabul, wondering how much hope they will carry out with them.

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
One morning, one election and two different tightropes.

The leaders of two of Canada's main political parties decided to hold events Friday within 90 minutes of each other in Winnipeg. And what did the voting public learn from these events?

First, that Manitoba and its 14 federal seats remains a mostly fly-over election battleground.

Not surprisingly, both Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole held their events just a stone's throw away from the Winnipeg airport: Trudeau at a Food Fare grocery store just southwest of the airport; O'Toole at a trucking company depot on the northwestern edge of a runway.

Wheels down, quick announcement, wheels up and on to a city and province where the outcome of the election is more in doubt. It's still early in the campaign and certainly anything can happen, but no one is predicting now that there will be many Manitoba seats changing hands on Sept. 20.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a FoodFare store in Winnipeg on Friday.

But that's not all we learned. More importantly, both Trudeau and O'Toole demonstrated clearly that both campaigns are precariously perched on tightropes that may give way at any moment.

For Trudeau, the tightrope takes him over the decision to call an election in the first place.

The Liberals desperately want a majority mandate. Trudeau clearly thinks Canadians, satiated on pandemic support programs and basking in an over-supply of COVID-19 vaccines, will look past his cynical political motivations and reward him for governing through a crisis.

True to form, Trudeau was working diligently in Winnipeg to divert attention away from the timing of the election, promising more money for paid sick leave and ventilation upgrades for schools and businesses, while reminding Canadians that some popular support programs, like the wage subsidy, are continuing for now.

The Liberals desperately want a majority mandate. Trudeau clearly thinks Canadians, satiated on pandemic support programs and basking in an oversupply of COVID19 vaccines, will look past his cynical political motivations and reward him for governing through a crisis.

When asked directly about the timing of the election, the prime minister argued the pandemic required his government to do many things for which there was no mandate from voters. "Canadians deserve to have their say" on all these bold programs, he said.

It's not a bad line, but not all that honest. There has been no real dispute in Ottawa over whether government should support people during the pandemic; only how and how much. If voters figure that out on their own, Trudeau will have trouble maintaining his perch.

The gusts threatening to topple O'Toole are no less significant.

There is virtually no consensus among conservatives in this country on most major issues. In the early days of the campaign, O'Toole is attempting to entice voters across the conservative spectrum along with disaffected centrists by offering what he repeatedly referred to as "reasonable balance."

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Conservative leader Erin OToole makes an announcement at Bison Transport in Winnipeg on Friday.

Case in point: O'Toole proudly proclaimed this week that he was "pro-choice," acknowledging that women have the legal right to an abortion if they so choose. However, he was also forced to admit he respects the right of doctors to refuse to perform any medical procedure if they object on moral or religious grounds, and as long as they refer their patients to other physicians.

In attempting to achieve the mythical "reasonable balance," O'Toole has instead found a position that will be acceptable to few and objectionable to many.

True pro-choice voters will not accept a politician who thinks "conscience rights" trump access to a medical procedure. Similarly, hardline social conservatives  some of whom O'Toole courted to win the Tory leadership  are unlikely to excuse a Tory brandishing pro-choice credentials.

At this early stage in the campaign, it is unclear that either leader is positioned to knock the other off his perch. However, if there is one issue that could help Trudeau, it could be vaccine mandates.

There is virtually no consensus among conservatives in this country on most major issues. In the early days of the campaign, O'Toole is attempting to entice voters across the conservative spectrum along with disaffected centrists by offering what he repeatedly referred to as "reasonable balance."

Trudeau is mandating full vaccination for all federal employees and for anyone wanting to travel by air or train. His strategy is pretty solid; although mandates are inherently controversial, they are also becoming increasingly popular as more Canadians become fully vaccinated.

This week, an Ipsos poll done for Global News showed a remarkable 80 per cent of respondents were in favour of mandatory vaccination for teachers, health-care workers and public servants. And just over 80 per cent supported it for travel. Even more remarkable is that these opinions were held across all party lines.

O'Toole is just as trapped on vaccine mandates as he is on conscience rights. He won't demand that all of his candidates are vaccinated (as the Liberals and NDP have done) and won't support mandates for schools, public servants or travel. His reasonable balance is to offer any unvaccinated person access to rapid COVID-19 testing.

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For the gross majority of people across the country that have accepted the jab, this is untenable. There is no opportunity now for O'Toole to change his position; he's committed to a laissez-faire approach (encourage but not mandate) that fully vaccinated Canadians are rejecting with unusual fervor.

Will vaccine mandates become the seminal issue of the campaign? Too early to say, and other issues may still arise.

However, in almost every way, this outcome of this closely fought election will come down to the last man still standing on his tightrope.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca
I took today off so I could take my mother to visit my father in the hospital.

After having some chest pains Wednesday morning, he got a lift to St. B in an ambulance. After a long time in emergency, he was finally moved up to a ward where hes been awaiting some additional tests.

I made sure to get my mothers proof of vaccination taken care of so she and her vaccinated son could visit her vaccinated 90-year-old husband.

Alas, we never did get to see my father. Turns out some of the patients sharing his room arent vaccinated. And if they arent vaccinated, those who are vaccinated arent allowed to visit their vaccinated loved ones.

I want to make clear that none of this is St. Boniface Hospitals fault. Lord knows that hospital and its staff have more than enough to deal with these days.

This is also not the fault of Shared Health, which has set up the policy to allow visitations in hospitals in a way that enables families to get to the bedside in the midst of the pandemic.

But this is a consequence of those who made the decision to skip the vaccinations available to everyone for free for months.

Theres no shortage of emails in my inbox from those who complain proof-of- vaccination requirements trample on individual rights. They worry we are about to create two classes of citizens  those who are doubled-dosed and those who arent. In their mind, their health is strictly personal and nothing, not even a deadly global pandemic, should get in the way of the freedom to choose whether to join the ranks of those immunized against COVID.

So this is but one counter-argument involving my father now in hospital, a story that while deeply personal is no doubt one facing far too many Manitobans today. He made the choice to get vaccinated months ago to protect himself and others. But those who made different choices, those who exercised their rights to remain vaccine-free, are essentially trumping his rights to have visits from his vaccinated family while he awaits surgery.

Regular readers of this newsletter know our children already lost one grandfather after he died of COVID in a London-area hospital alone as his family was unable to visit. Some seven months later, our vaccinated children now worry about another grandfather who finds himself alone in the hospital.

The anti-vaxxers are quick to play the victim card these days. But in a hospital room somewhere on the fourth floor of St. B. theres a real victim, someone who did the right thing and now finds himself wronged by those who didnt.

 Paul Samyn, Winnipeg Free Press editor

THE LATEST NUMBERS

Note: We have removed some graphics from this newsletter and added new ones. To see the previously included graphics -- as well as a larger selection of charts showing the state of COVID-19 provincially and nationally -- visit COVID-19 by the numbers.

THE LATEST IN MANITOBA

 A total of 44 new COVID-19 infections were reported across Manitoba Friday. New cases were detected in all health regions, including 18 in Southern Health,16 in Winnipeg, five in Interlake-Eastern, one in the Northern Health region, and four in Prairie Mountain Health, according to the provinces online pandemic dashboard. Manitobas pandemic death toll was unchanged at 1,188. The five-day test positivity rate provincewide was 2.1 per cent; 1,812 tests were completed on Thursday. A total of 62 patients were being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, including 15 in intensive care. The outbreak at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre surgical unit also added another case, for a total of three cases at the facility including two staff and one patient. As of Friday, 81.2 per cent of eligible Manitobans (anyone born on or before Dec. 31, 2009) had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 75 per cent of eligible Manitobans were fully vaccinated. With 75 per cent of eligible Manitobans fully vaccinated, the province officially met its third vaccination target toward reopening, which was set for the Labour Day weekend.

 Employees in the Pembina Trails School Division must be fully immunized to keep their jobs this back-to-school season. The division's board of trustees unveiled both a mask and vaccine mandate Friday. "The mandating of masks and vaccines follows our guiding principle that these health and safety issues are about kindness, respect, and responsibility," states a letter signed by board chairwoman Kathleen McMillan and superintendent Ted Fransen. The letter states staff members who have medical exemptions will be allowed in schools, buildings, and buses. The divisions draft policy will be tabled at a board meeting on Sept. 9.

For the latest information on current public health orders, restrictions and other guidance, visit the provincial government's website.

All Manitobans born on or before Dec. 31, 2009 are eligible to schedule a first-dose vaccine appointment. Anyone who has received a first dose of any vaccine can now book their second-dose appointment. There must be a minimum of 28 days between receiving the first and second shots. For the latest information on vaccination, visit the provincial government's website.

Manitobans who have a Manitoba health card and have received all required doses of a vaccine at least 14 days ago can request an immunization card to prove complete vaccination. To request a digital or physical card, visit the provincial government's website.

THE LATEST ELSEWHERE

 Saskatchewan is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to some 11-year-olds as families prepare to send their children back to school next month. The province said Friday that children born in 2009  meaning they turn 12 this year  can be vaccinated. Health Canada has not approved any vaccines for children under 12. Saskatchewan's decision follows similar ones in Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. The province also announced there will not be a mask mandate when students return to classrooms, despite calls from groups representing teachers and doctors for more strict measures. Saskatchewan has experienced an uptick in COVID-19 infections recently. On Friday, it reported 244 new cases, the highest daily increase since May. Of those new infections, 75 per cent were in unvaccinated people and five per cent were in those partially vaccinated, the province said.

 South Africa has opened vaccine eligibility to all adults to step up the volume of inoculations amid a coronavirus surge fuelled by the Delta variant. The nation started offering shots to everyone aged 18 and older Friday as the number of vaccinations stalled to less than 200,000 a day, down from 250,000 earlier this month. On Friday, South Africa recorded more than 13,000 new cases and 317 confirmed deaths. South Africa has 2.6 million confirmed cases, 35 per cent of the Africas total. Nearly 80,000 people have died during the pandemic.

Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

 New Zealands first virus outbreak in six months has spread from the largest city of Auckland to the capital, Wellington. Health authorities said Friday that three people in Wellington who recently visited Auckland had tested positive. They said the outbreak had grown to 31 cases. The government also expanded the lockdown that had been put in place Tuesday after the first community case was found in Auckland. All of New Zealand will remain in lockdown until at least next Tuesday.

 The mayor of Orlando asked residents on Friday to stop watering their lawns and washing their cars for a least a week, saying water usage needed to be cut back because of the recent surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Orlando Utility Commission treats the citys water with liquid oxygen and supplies that ordinarily go toward water treatment have been diverted to hospitals for patients suffering from the virus, Mayor Buddy Dyer said. The city-owned utility typically goes through 10 trucks of liquid oxygen a week but its supplier recently said that it would be cut back to five to seven trucks a week to accommodate hospitals, said Linda Ferrone, the utility commission's chief customer and marketing officer. Ferrone said the move is unprecedented and that if things got worse the city might have to issue a boil water alert.

QUOTE, UNQUOTE

"I see the monoclonal antibodies as a short-term bridge to get us to the point where enough people are fully vaccinated. We definitely need to keep vaccinating as many people as possible"

 Dr. James Cutrell of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas on the huge demand for COVID-19 antibody treatments in the U.S. states hit hardest by a summer surge of infections

LOCAL NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

COVID-19 BASICS
Brandon University's decision to recommend  and not mandate  that students and staff be vaccinated has rankled some who work and study on campus.

Brandon University's decision to recommend  and not mandate  that students and staff be vaccinated has rankled some who work and study on campus.

While most post-secondary schools announced Thursday they would mandate vaccinations, Brandon University issued a statement strongly encouraging it.

"I worry even more now about the safety of campus, after this, than I did before," said Allison McCulloch, an associate professor in Brandon University's political science department.

McCulloch must teach in-person this fall, though she'd prefer to stay online.

"I'm disappointed and certainly nervous to be going back into the classroom in a few weeks time with this vague sort of encouragement (rather) than mandate on vaccinations," she said.

Institutions, including the University of Manitoba and Red River College, have set dates on when staff and students must have their doses. Schools have outlined alternative measures, such as regular testing or remote learning, for people who can't be inoculated.

"We are trailing considerably behind in terms of ensuring safety," McCulloch said. "There's lots of places we can look to on how to ensure that people are safe, as well as making sure that we aren't unduly restricting access to anyone."

Mandatory vaccination is not off the table, said Grant Hamilton, director of marketing and communications at Brandon University.

The university is consulting with several groups, including unions and public health officials, about its COVID-19 policies.

"We're hoping that we can support a transition to a fully vaccinated campus as quickly as possible," Hamilton said. "Whether that is a mandate or something else has yet to be determined."

Some schools outside the province have COVID-19 testing mandates that fully vaccinated people don't have to participate in, Hamilton said.

"The upshot is the same, but the way it's portrayed is slightly different," he said. "We're looking at all kinds of things."

He didn't have a timeline on when Brandon University would release more information but said it wouldn't be long.

Gautam Srivastava, president of the Brandon University Faculty Association, said the association wants a vaccine mandate and hard dates on when people must have their doses by.

"When the press release came out and I saw there was some disparity (from other post-secondary institutions) there, I was a little bit disappointed," Srivastava said. "We were hoping for something... more concrete."

However, there's still time for Brandon University to update its policies, which Srivastava said he wishes would take place soon.

More than 1,200 employees and enrolled students of Brandon University have been vaccinated, Hamilton said. The school typically has about 3,000 students, and the faculty association represents 280 members.

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Classes will generally be capped at 25 people this fall, and masks and physical distancing will be required. Brandon University is giving prizes to folks who get fully vaccinated during the summer, and it's hosting a vaccination clinic on campus during the first week of school.

Onello Bahingawan, a second-year music education student, said he'd prefer people on campus be vaccinated, or otherwise subject to testing.

"I feel like that would be a good balance," he said.

Bahingawan, 18, will attend all of his classes in person. He said he'd be fine sharing a room with people who aren't fully vaccinated if they've tested negative for the virus.

Classes will begin the week of Sept. 7.

gabrielle.piche@freepress.mb.ca
Manitobas only pediatric hospital is preparing for a surge in COVID-19 admissions in anticipation of a fourth wave that will hit the unvaccinated hardest.

Manitobas only pediatric hospital is preparing for a surge in COVID-19 admissions in anticipation of a fourth wave that will hit the unvaccinated hardest.

A spokesperson for Shared Health  which oversees operations of Winnipeg's Childrens Hospital  said a provincial working group focused on capacity is planning for "incremental increases" to meet demand this fall.

A request for an interview with a member of the working group was not accommodated.

"We are keeping a close eye on the developments in other jurisdictions, including those across Canada, and are preparing for the potential of increased pediatric patient volumes during a fourth wave and as children and adolescents return to school and other activities this fall," Shared Health said in a statement to the Free Press.

"COVID-19 continues to be a significant threat, especially with variants of concern that can spread more easily and affect younger populations."

A spokesperson for Shared Health  which oversees operations of Winnipeg's Childrens Hospital  said a provincial working group focused on capacity is planning for incremental increases to meet demand this fall.

In parts of the United States, particularly areas with low vaccination rates and wide community spread of the delta variant, COVID-19 infections in children have been on the rise. Last week, pediatric hospital admissions reached a record high of more than 1,900 cases across that country.

"All of us every day are reading about what is going on in the States and definitely feeling nervous that we could have similar situations here with the delta variant becoming more prevalent," said Dr. Marni Hanna, president of the Manitoba Pediatric Society.

Record delta wave hits kids, raises fear as US schools open Click to Expand Posted: 12:42 PM Aug. 19, 2021 The day before he was supposed to start fourth grade, Francisco Rosales was admitted to a Dallas hospital with COVID-19, struggling to breathe, with dangerously low oxygen levels and an uncertain outcome. It wasnt supposed to be like this, thought his frightened mother, Yessica Gonzalez. Francisco was normally healthy and rambunctious. At 9, he was too young to get vaccinated, but most of the family had their shots. She had heard kids rarely got sick from the coronavirus. Read Full Story

"Were hopeful that we have better vaccine rates than they do in the main parts of the States that are having more of a problem, but there are places in Manitoba that do not have good immunization rates and I especially am worried about children that live in those areas."

As of Friday, 75 per cent of the eligible population in Manitoba was fully vaccinated. Children who were born in 2010 or later are not currently eligible to get a vaccine.

Severe COVID-19 illness in children has been uncommon thus far in Manitoba, and the hospital has not been pushed to the extent the adult acute-care system was, Hanna said.

However, pediatricians have noted an increase in mental-health concerns related to remote learning and family members becoming ill with the virus, she said.

Meanwhile, younger Manitobans with no other medical conditions have been getting sicker with COVID-19, Hanna said, adding the Childrens Hospital emergency department was forced to take older teens and young adults during the third wave.

According to Shared Health, 75 children have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, including nine since the start of July. There have been approximately 15,000 confirmed cases in children and 0.01 per cent have required intensive care.

Still, Hanna said rising infections among children elsewhere are worrying.

ALEX LUPUL / FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Marni Hanna said rising infections among children elsewhere are worrying.

"In Manitoba, we dont have very great capacity for surges, and we all just saw how adult patients had to be sent out of province with the last wave," she said.

"Im very nervous that we could have a situation like that for children, especially given that we really only have one hospital that is meant to service children in this province."

HSC Childrens Hospital has 10 beds in its intensive-care unit. The hospital also treats children from Nunavut, northwestern Ontario and eastern Saskatchewan.

Hanna said the society supports a vaccine mandate for teachers and school staff in Manitoba as one tool to help protect children. Continued mask use in schools will also help to reduce the transmission risk of the delta variant and other viruses, she added.

"With the loosening of restrictions and people getting together more, were worried about not only potentially seeing the delta variant, but also seeing flu viruses circulating and (respiratory virus).  Dr. Marni Hanna

"Normally the return to school is a time when we definitely see an uptake in illnesses in children every year," she said. "So, with the loosening of restrictions and people getting together more, were worried about not only potentially seeing the delta variant, but also seeing flu viruses circulating and (respiratory virus)."

Hanna said flu shots for all kids six months and up should be a priority this fall.

"Keeping flu under control will really help with our capacity to deal with a COVID surge, and flu itself can suppress your ability to fight off other infections," she said.

Shared Health wouldn't say whether the group developing its fall capacity plans had been provided pandemic modelling for pediatric cases and hospital admissions.

Provincial public-health officials have not yet released pandemic models that include the vaccination and the delta variant, saying the models remain under review.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
Providence University College has joined other Manitoba post-secondary institutions by instituting a vaccine mandate for staff members and students.

Providence University College has joined other Manitoba post-secondary institutions by instituting a vaccine mandate for staff members and students.

The school, located in Otterburne, had been planning to only encourage vaccinations. It decided to revise its policy because of the increased threat of the delta variant and Thursday's decision by other universities and colleges.

"We now face a legal and moral situation that risks the viability of our university and its existence," president Kenton Anderson said.

"While we recognize that a change to our current policy will be disruptive and distasteful to some members of our community, we find ourselves without a choice. We also need to act in the most powerful way possible for the health and safety of our students, staff and faculty."

Providence will require full vaccination or proof of negative testing at reasonable and appropriate intervals for all its staff members faculty and students in the fall semester. A specific time frame will be announced soon.

"We believe that education should be as accessible as possible to the widest audience possible," Anderson said. "We also believe in science. We believe that vaccination will be the quickest way out of this pandemic. We also believe that being fully vaccinated is showing love to our neighbours."

While recognizing "many of our students and friends will struggle with this decision," Anderson said Providence is concerned for the "health, wellness and safety of each member of our community."

Leadership at Steinbach Bible College is discussing its stance toward a vaccination mandate.

"We just found out about the announcement (from the other schools) on Thursday," president Rob Reimer said. "Up until now, the conversation has always been that vaccinations were not going to be required. We are meeting to discuss these changes and how it might impact (Steinbach)."

Booth University College in Winnipeg is not planning to hold in-person classes in fall.

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"Were still deciding about vaccinations for those who come to campus," Michael Boyce, vice-president academic and dean, said. "We should have a decision by next week."

Students, staff members and faculty at Canadian Mennonite University will be required to be vaccinated.

"CMU sees vaccination as a social responsibility and an expression of care for others in our community and far beyond our setting," president Cheryl Pauls said.

The university will help students who are not yet vaccinated to get the vaccine before arriving at school, Pauls said. Masking protocols will remain in place as the term begins and will be re-evaluated on a monthly basis.

The campus, located in Tuxedo, will remain largely closed to visitors for the fall term except for the bookstore and Folio cafe.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. government on Friday extended a ban on nonessential travel along the borders with Canada and Mexico to slow the spread of COVID-19 despite increasing pressure to lift the restriction.

WASHINGTON (AP)  The U.S. government on Friday extended a ban on nonessential travel along the borders with Canada and Mexico to slow the spread of COVID-19 despite increasing pressure to lift the restriction.

U.S. border communities that are dependent on shoppers from Mexico and Canada and their political representatives have urged the Biden administration to lift the ban. In addition, Canada recently began letting fully vaccinated U.S. citizens enter the country.

But the Department of Homeland Security said in a tweet Friday that the restrictions on nonessential travel were still needed to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and the delta variant. It extended the ban until at least Sept. 21.

DHS said it is working with public health and medical experts to determine how to "safely and sustainably resume normal travel."

The travel restrictions have been in place since early in the pandemic in March 2020 and repeatedly extended while allowing commercial traffic and essential crossings to continue.
Canada's Liberal and Conservative leaders presented duelling visions for economic recovery during separate campaign stops Friday morning in Winnipeg, where provincial politics loomed in the background.

Canada's Liberal and Conservative leaders presented duelling visions for economic recovery during separate campaign stops Friday morning in Winnipeg, where provincial politics loomed in the background.

"Im very proud to partner with our political cousins," Conservative Leader Erin OToole said of the Manitoba PCs, speaking at a Bison Transport garage near the airport.

OToole laid out a plan to subsidize wages for businesses that hire people who have been out of the workforce for more than six months.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Conservative leader Erin OToole elbow-bumps mechanics after making an announcement at Bison Transport in Winnipeg on Friday.

Before that, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau walked into a Food Fare in St. James, promising more funding for COVID-19 prevention in schools, and pledging to again ask provinces to implement permanent, paid sick leave.

The prime minister commended the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba universities for requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for people on their premises.

He said Ottawa will never compel people get a shot, but chided federal and provincial conservatives for opposing measures to restrict activities to those who are fully vaccinated or have a proven medical reason not to be.

Bergen not jumping ship... yet Candice Bergen, one of the top rumoured contenders to lead the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives, isnt ruling out an exit from federal politics, but says she has no plans to replace Premier Brian Pallister. I am not playing coy here; I still believe I have work to do federally. And so that's what I'm doing; I'm working hard to win my riding and help others to win theirs, the Portage-Lisgar MP told the Free Press. click to read more Candice Bergen, one of the top rumoured contenders to lead the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives, isnt ruling out an exit from federal politics, but says she has no plans to replace Premier Brian Pallister. I am not playing coy here; I still believe I have work to do federally. And so that's what I'm doing; I'm working hard to win my riding and help others to win theirs, the Portage-Lisgar MP told the Free Press. There's not even a leadership race officially launched, that I'm aware of, she said. If that would change, I would think about it at that time. But right now, and in the next short term, I'm very much focused on the federal election. Tuxedo MLA Heather Stefanson is the only announced candidate to replace Pallister, who announced Aug. 10 hed be leaving provincial politics. Pallister hasnt said when he'll step down and the party hasnt published its rules and timeline for a leadership campaign. OToole would not comment on the prospect of Bergen, who his deputy leader, or Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman MP James Bezan leaving his party if the Tories again end up in opposition next month. Im not surprised people are seeing the leadership in some of our outstanding Members of Parliament, he said. Dylan Robertson Close

"Its not a question of personal choice; these are choices that have a direct impact on the community and the responsibility of all governments is to be there to protect people," Trudeau said.

Trudeau was appearing in the riding of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley, currently held by incumbent Conservative MP Marty Morantz, and the only Manitoba seat being hotly contested. OTooles visit was at a location bordering the same riding.

The Liberals are hoping to capitalize on discontentment over the Premier Brian Pallister's handling of COVID-19. Dr. Doug Eyolfson is trying to win back the riding he lost in 2019 by touting his work in the intensive-care ward at Grace Hospital.

Morantz said voters are concerned about the sustainability of the health-care system, as well as small businesses on the brink and young people needing jobs.

"They understand that we need to get the economy growing again in order to get people back where they should be," said Morantz, a former city councillor.

Many constituents are surprised an election is happening, and some conflate provincial issues with the federal vote, he said.

"What I'm hearing from most people is really, they don't want this election; this is a completely unwarranted and unnecessary election," he said.

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Pallister, who announced his resignation last week, is facing a caucus revolt and months of bad poll numbers. OToole wouldnt say whether he had invited the premier to his campaign stop, nor whether Pallister's unpopularity will hurt the federal partys chances in Manitoba.

"We need an all-hands-on-deck approach; I will work with all premiers, all First Nations leaders, union leaders to get all Canadians, all Manitobans back to work," he said in response to questions from the Free Press.

Meanwhile, Trudeau faced some criticism from some senior First Nations leaders in Manitoba after a campaign week in which he had barely mentioned Indigenous issues.

The Liberals have earmarked millions for searching residential-school burial sites. But Manitoba chiefs have demanded help with setting standards so they can preserve evidence and not get ripped off by private companies.

ALEX LUPUL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves to supporters gathered outside a campaign stop in Winnipeg Friday.

"These are people who were murdered in these institutions of genocide. So the quicker we can discover these graves and address them, in whatever way the communities want, the better it is for everyone," said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, who was among three senior chiefs who briefly met with Trudeau after his campaign stop.

Grand Chief Garrison Settee of the northern Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak said the Liberals have a lot of unfulfilled promises since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission wrapped up six years ago, but have made more progress on Indigenous issues than Stephen Harper's government did.

"Under the previous regime, it couldn't be any worse. So we're going to move forward," he said.

Trudeau struck a similar note.

"Everyone shares their impatience, my impatience, to get even more done even faster on reconciliation. But what took generations  and, in some cases, even centuries  to break will take more than a few years to fix."

The federal election takes place Sept. 20.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
In recent years, Europe's migration troubles have entailed people arriving from the south and east, fleeing conflict and economic deprivation over land routes and in boats often unfit for Mediterranean waters.

But its newest "crisis" is being felt on a different front: European Union member state Lithuania, where in late July the government said more than 2,400 people had crossed illegally in the two months prior.

Their transit point, before they enter the EU: Belarus.

This latest migration spike has apparently been abetted by the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko -- an authoritarian known as Europe's last dictator who is in the midst of a crackdown on dissidents in his own country after a disputed election last August. As the West issues sanctions and criticism in response to Belarus's authoritarian crackdown and widespread arrests, it seems Lukashenko is seeking to undermine Europe by using migration as a political weapon.

This is a hard lesson for other democracies that might face the same struggle in the future.

Lithuania's population of less than 3 million is roughly the same size as the US state of Kansas. It is among the smaller member states of the EU, yet it is one of the hotspots of Europe. The reason -- Lithuania's neighbor, Belarus, and its pariah regime.

Lithuania is among those pushing for broader EU economic sanctions against Belarus for alleged human rights violations. It would appear that Lukashenko is registering his displeasure -- and seeking to undermine the sanctions push -- through migration. The number of illegal crossings from Belarus to Lithuania during the first seven-and-a-half months of 2021 is around 55 times higher than throughout 2020.

Iraqis, Congolese, Cameroonians and others stream into the EU, seeing Lithuania as a new gateway to Western countries. The German publication Der Spiegel reported this month that many travel to Belarus with tourist visas, while a Belarusian state-owned company may have played a part in encouraging further travel to the EU. (The company denied that it does so.) In some cases, migrants detained in Lithuania even report being "pushed" forcefully to cross the border to Lithuania by Belarusians.

It is no coincidence. Lukashenko himself publicly threatened in May to flood the EU with "migrants and drugs." Now, Belarus seems at best to be tolerating illegal crossings of Lithuania's border -- or at worst, actively encouraging them to do so. That is the consensus of the 27 EU member states that call the actions of Belarus "a direct attack aimed at destabilizing and pressurising the EU." (Lukashenko has denied the accusation, saying there is no evidence Belarus encourages illegal migration, Belarusian state media reported.) Belarusian officials told CNN and other outlets that migrants came to Belarus as tourists, border guards were busy preventing criminal activity, and accused Lithuania of illegally bringing asylum seekers to the border and pushing them out of EU territory.

The situation on the ground remains tense, however, as the Lithuanian government says Belarusian border guards have been caught taking down barbed wire and trying to disguise the footprints of illegal crossers. Reports from Lithuanian state media have highlighted the problem.

In response, Lithuania recently began turning back some migrants illegally attempting to enter the country -- and for others already in Lithuania, offering cash incentives to leave, Lithuanian state media reported. While many still try, the number of people who successfully crossed the border decreased sharply in recent days. It is no surprise the alternative routes to the EU via Latvia and Poland now gain more traction.

For Lukashenko, the ultimate goal seems to be punishing and attempting to coerce the EU. In response, the EU commissioner for home affairs Ylva Johansson says Lukashenko is "using human beings in an act of aggression."

The EU sent 100 European border officers to Lithuania to help cope with the influx. Furthermore, at least 12 EU countries delivered tents, beds and generators. Yet, Lithuania could still be overwhelmed. The uncontrolled stream of people poses a political, legal and logistical challenge. It is unclear how many more people might try to cross the border in the coming months. Furthermore, the crossings have preceded the Belarusian-Russian quadrennial "Zapad" (or Western) military exercise in the neighborhood that puts NATO on its toes.

So what are the lessons from the crisis?

First, Lithuania should have been better prepared, as should any democracy neighboring an authoritarian regime. After all, Lukashenko has been in power since 1994 and has never sought to accommodate Western values. Moreover, his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is known for employing various tools of hybrid aggression, including migration.

Unfortunately, out of almost 420 miles of Lithuanian border with Belarus, video surveillance cameras were used to monitor only 38 percent of its length prior to the crisis. A barrier is now being built to cover the entire length of the border.

Second, this is not a threat only to Lithuania -- it is a threat to the whole EU. Any person inside the EU's Schengen Area can travel with relative freedom, and the final target country for migrants is often Germany. However, while the crisis of 2015-2016 posed serious challenges for the project of a united Europe, the EU still has not enacted comprehensive reform to its immigration policies.

Hence, the issue on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border is a microcosm of a trouble that could again threaten other parts of Europe and cause tensions within the bloc.

The return of the Taliban in Afghanistan and other geopolitical shifts around the world point to more migration into Europe, not less. The UN Office on Humanitarian Affairs estimated that 500,000 people would be displaced by conflict this year, and 18.5 million could need humanitarian assistance, with drought and the departure of international troops contributing to that figure. Climate change and severe weather threaten to prompt more migration in the years and decades to come.

For many of those seeking a way out of dangerous and deprived circumstances, Europe is the preferred destination.

We can only assume that authoritarian regimes are following each other's attempts to undermine democracies. If weaponized migration proves to be effective, it will certainly be attempted again. Such efforts might significantly undermine the security landscape of NATO's Eastern frontier.

While weaponized migration looms larger for Europe, the United States should pay attention for its own reasons. It needs Europe to remain stable if America is to redirect its strategic attention to the Indo-Pacific, rather than toward putting out geopolitical fires elsewhere.

The more migration is weaponized by authoritarian countries like Belarus, the bigger the headaches for the democracies they seek to undermine. When it comes to Lukashenko, the EU must find a way to respond -- and soon.

The-CNN-Wire

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Designer Cao Yuting (middle) talks with employees in her studio in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province. [China Daily]

Cao Yuting garners massive support online for her mini wedding dresses

Wedding gown designer Cao Yuting has received widespread attention for making mini model dresses.

After she posted a video of her cutting lace and sewing beads to make doll-sized wedding dresses online last year, the 32-year-old received a large number of fans, millions of views and many "likes".

Netizens said just looking at the dresses made them feel relaxed.

"It is so beautiful, I can sense the happiness from the other side of the screen," one commenter posted.

Cao, a native of Hunan Province, owns a studio in her hometown, Chenzhou City, where she designs full-size wedding gowns.

Before getting into gowns, Cao worked as a fashion designer in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province. While attending a friend's wedding in Chenzhou one day in 2014, she was disappointed to see that the wedding dress was poorly designed and roughly made.

"Every girl deserves a fine, exquisite wedding gown," she said. "It is a woman's ultimate dream to look good at her wedding."

The thought led Cao to quit her job in Guangzhou. She returned to Chenzhou and later opened her studio.

Cao said she feels it's her responsibility to help make her customers' wedding dreams come true, and that she gets extremely happy when she sees how good women look in her gowns.

A collection of mini wedding gowns designed by Cao on display in her studio. [China Daily]

She said she began crafting the mini versions in 2018.

"I started making small replicas to see how they looked before making a proper wedding gown and to make adjustments," Cao said, adding that this method helps her save time making the full-size dresses.

Since receiving all the media attention, Cao has received many orders to make mini dresses for decorations and mementos.

Last year, a client from the United States contacted Cao and asked her to make mini copies of the wedding dress she wore at her ceremony as a souvenir.

Although it took three months for the client to receive the dresses because of delivery delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the customer was still very happy, Cao said.

Cao has made more than 200 mini wedding dresses, ranging from 35 to 87 centimeters in length.

Like making a full-size wedding gown, many steps are required to craft mini dresses, including sketching the design, fabric selection, platemaking, cutting and bead sewing.

Once Cao has an idea, she immediately begins to work. "It (inspiration) comes through thought and observation, as well as rich imagination," Cao said.

She hopes to be innovative and establish a personal style.

"I studied design at university and have worked as a fashion designer since then. Many girls may only dream about becoming a fashion designer, but I am lucky enough to have made my dream come true," she said.

Zhu Youfang contributed to this story.

(Source: China Daily)
Parents in North Wales urged to ensure children are up-to-date with vaccinations before school starts

Immunisation experts from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board are asking parents to ensure their children are up-to-date with vaccinations before they start school this September.

Children receive inoculations during their early months to help protect them against preventable diseases including polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles and mumps.

They later need a four-in-one booster shot and second MMR jab  usually delivered aged around three years and four months  to be fully immunised.

Betsi Cadwaladr immunisation coordinator Leigh Pusey urged parents to make sure children preparing for their first day in class have received pre-school boosters to ensure protection against illness.

Leigh said: When they start school in September, your child will mix with more children than before  often in classes and year groups which span dozens of households from across the whole community.

As all parents know, small children play closely together and share toys, so illnesses can spread quickly.

Thanks to successful vaccination programmes, conditions like measles and mumps are very rare  but they can still be serious.

Any increase in person-to-person contact  like starting school  creates greater potential for these illnesses to circulate.

Our teams are vigilant, and immunisation take-up rates in North Wales are high. But, to be as safe as possible, we need to continue to maintain the highest levels of full immunisation we possibly can.

Please check that your childs jabs are up to date. If they arent, its not too late to catch up  please make an appointment for them to receive the four-in-one pre-school booster and the second dose of the MMR vaccine from your health visitor as soon as you can.
Auto parts workers at Dana, Inc. in Warren, Michigan have established a rank-and-file committee to conduct a struggle against the company and the pro-company United Auto Workers. The transnational corporation and the UAW are conspiring together to force through a contract on workers already laboring under extremely exploitative conditions. Their contract expired August 18. The UAW has announced that a tentative agreement has been reached but has provided no further information.

The Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee can be contacted by email at danawrfc@gmail.com or text at (248) 6020936.

WSWS campaigners build support for Volvo strike at Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit on June 7, 2021 (WSWS Photo)

Dana Brothers and Sisters:

We, the Dana Workers Rank-and File Committee (DWRFC), are sick and tired of being kept in the dark by the UAW about the contract that will determine the next years of our lives. It has been two days since our contract expired and 24 hours since the UAW announced a tentative agreement, but we have been told nothing.

Let us be clear: this means the contract is a total sellout that must be rejected. If there were any gains for workers in the tentative agreement, the UAW would have told us right away. In fact, they likely agreed on the contract a long time ago. They havent been negotiating over the terms, but conspiring against us and planning how to force through a rotten deal.

We therefore call on Dana workers everywhere to join us in demanding the following:

1. The immediate release of the full agreement and all the side letters and memoranda of understanding.

2. At least one week to study and discuss the contract before any ratification vote.

3. Rank-and-file oversight of the voting process to prevent any fraud.

Not once has the UAW asked us, the workers of Dana, what we need. Dana and the UAWs only interest is helping the company make as much money as possible, no matter the cost to our lives and bodies. We have been working throughout the pandemic under backbreaking conditions, risking our lives as Danas profits soar.

Dana posted $2.2 billion in sales for the second quarter of 2021 with an operating cash flow of $67 million over that same time. Danas CEO made over $10 million last year. The company is planning to make even more money off our labor under the next contract.

In a public statement on July 30, Jonathan Collins, Danas chief financial officer, said: Sales will likely be at the higher end due to the strong market demand in the first half of this year and our outlook for the remainder of the year. Our solid performance and encouraging demand fundamentals keep us locked on a trajectory toward our long-term financial goals.

Meanwhile, we are laboring under conditions that are the same or worse than workers in the 1800s faced.

We work 19 days in a row8 or 10 hours a daybefore we get a single unpaid day off. We have to have a perfect attendance record for a whole quarter before we get a paid day off. Many of us work 60 or 70 hours a week. There is no air conditioning at the Warren plant, and temperatures get to 110 degrees in the summer. One of our coworkers died of COVID. The machines are old, and there are dangerous chemicals in the air we breathe, but there is no real cleaning. There is a harsh attendance policy that penalizes us if we are even a minute late. Some of us call the plant a slave ship. These are the conditions that exist in our union shop while the UAW executives make six-figure salaries.

It is time we talk about what the workers need, not what the company wants. There is plenty of money to secure a good living standard for all of us.

Therefore, the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee proposes the following minimum demands for a contract we will accept, for workers to discuss and consider:

A 75 percent wage increase for all workers. This is what we require to make a living wage and make up for all past concessions. Abolition of the multi-tier system and restoration of the principle of equal pay for equal work. A 40-hour work week and the guaranteed right to a weekend. A reversal of all past attacks on our health care. An end to speed-up and harassment by management. We are self-respecting workers, not inmates in a prison. Professional cleaning of the machines and immediate tests of the air quality to ensure we are not breathing poisonous air. Abolition of the points system for attendance. Adequate air conditioning. Workers oversight of safety protocols and social distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19. The right to halt production and close the plant for full cleaning, with guaranteed compensation to workers for all missed time, if there are COVID outbreaks.

It is time to prepare for a real fight, but this requires clear information and a common strategy. The UAW threatens us by saying if we strike, we will be out for 90 days and we will lose. They try to pit older and younger workers against each other, even though Dana has more than enough money to give workers of all experience levels a massive raise.

We know that a strike is serious business, that it requires planning, preparation and, most importantly, unity.

Dana workers have immense potential power. We occupy a critical role in the global auto supply chain, and a well-prepared strike would send massive shockwaves throughout the world. We have powerful allies among Dana workers internationally as well as autoworkers more broadly. Dana is a massive international corporation with 36,000 workers on every continent. It has manufacturing plants in Thailand, China, India, South Africa, Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Hungary and Sweden where workers make parts just like we do.

We are part of a worldwide growth of working class opposition to corporate dictatorship and massive levels of social inequality. There are important strikes taking place among Warrior Met miners in Alabama, Rio Tinto miners in Canada, railroad workers in the United Kingdom, Nabisco workers in Oregon, midwives in New Zealand, teachers in Sri Lanka, and many more workers of all races and ethnicities in a variety of industries speaking many different languages.

Particularly important is the strike of 3,000 Volvo workers earlier this year in Virginia. These workers set up a rank-and-file committee to carry forward their struggle against the company and the UAW and set a model that we must follow.

To unite with us in a common fight, we urge our brothers and sisters to join the Dana Workers Rank-and-File Committee. Email us at danawrfc@gmail.com and text us at (248) 6020936.
On Wednesday, US federal prosecutors, citing his ongoing cooperation, recommended a nine-year prison sentence for 25-year-old Ty Garbin of Hartland, Michigan, who was one of 14 men involved in the plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. This past January, Garbin pleaded guilty to kidnapping conspiracy charges and has since testified multiple times against his former co-conspirators.

In a photo provided by the Kent County Sheriff, Ty Garbin is shown in a booking photo. (Kent County Sheriff via AP File)

Garbin, an airline mechanic, is the only one out of the 14 charged in the plot against Whitmer to have pleaded guilty. FBI agents claimed to have seized more than 70 firearms, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition and bomb-making components in Michigan and Delaware associated with the plotters.

The charge of kidnapping conspiracy carries with it a potential life sentence, and advisory guidelines recommend up to 17.5 years in federal prison. However, in exchange for Garbins ongoing cooperation, prosecutors are arguing for leniency. In a court filing suggesting a lesser sentence, Assistant US Attorney Nils Kessler wrote: Garbin did not wait to see what his chances were of escaping accountability. He knew what he had done, knew it was wrong, and took action.

The fact that prosecutors are still seeking nearly a decadelong sentence for Garbin, despite his cooperation, suggests that the remaining 13 charged in the plot face severe prison sentences if convicted. However, it could also be a tactic by the prosecution in order to induce more of the men to cooperate with the government.

Kessler advised the judge that the sentencing of Garbin should take into consideration the fact that he has recounted key conversations and criminal activity that happened outside the presence of government informants and undercover agents, who had penetrated the militia group.

Third, he dispelled any suggestion that the conspirators were entrapped by government informants, Kessler wrote. Months before any of them began suggesting it in pretrial motions, Garbin testified that Croft and Fox were the ringleaders of the plot, and that he and the others joined it willfully.

Further dispelling claims of government entrapment, which have been advanced by Fox News host Tucker Carlson, libertarian journalist Glenn Greenwald and the pseudo-left Jacobin magazine during Januarys plea hearing, Garbin agreed with U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker that he knowingly participated in the plot without any government coercion.

Surveilling her house at night ... you got involved of your own free will? the judge asked.

I did, Your Honor, Garbin responded.

You knew what you were doing? the judge continued.

I did, Your Honor, Garbin said.

Federal prosecutors noted in Wednesdays filing that Garbins cooperation comes at significant risk to himself and that prison ... is filled with other parties motivated to harm him. These include Boogaloo adherents and sympathizers, who might attack him for ideological reasons.

The storming of the Michigan Capitol on April 30, 2020 by fascist militia members and Trump supporters, in opposition to any restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus, served as a breeding ground for the plot against Whitmer which was exposed by the FBI in October.

Fascistic agitation against public health measures were, and continue to be, heavily encouraged by former president Donald Trump, the Republican Party and right-wing billionaires such as the DeVos family. The storming of the Lansing Capitol in April and the plot against Whitmer served as test runs for the storming of the Capitol by Trump-aligned fascist militias on January 6.

The plea deal asserts that Garbin, Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks, Brandon Caserta and Adam Dean Fox began planning to kidnap and hang Whitmer in early June 2020. By mid-June, Fox, seeking to grow the operation, coordinated with avowed Three Percenter Barry Croft. The pair attended a meeting in Dublin, Ohio, with other like-minded individuals where they discussed removing tyrants from office, which, in addition to Whitmer, included the governors of Ohio and Virginia.

Garbins sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25. In court documents, he has admitted to attending paramilitary training exercises in Wisconsin and Michigan, where the fascist militia group discussed the plan to storm the Capitol and kidnap the governor. Over the summer, the far-right group decided it would try and capture the governor at her vacation home in Antrim County. Garbin admitted to suggesting using explosives to delay the police response to the kidnapping.

In the plea deal, Garbin also admitted that he had cased out the Democratic governors vacation home in preparation for the kidnapping. The plea deal noted that on September 12-13, Garbin helped construct a shoot house with six men at his familys property near Luther, Michigan, roughly 90 miles from Whitmers vacation home.

On the property the men practiced breaching their mockup of the governors home with military-grade firearms and detonated an improvised explosive device. Investigators have previously claimed to have seized explosives, copper disks, metal fragments, metal staples and consumer-grade fireworks from the property.

In his sentencing memorandum, Garbins defense lawyer, Gary Springstead, argued that his client demonstrated extraordinary acceptance of responsibility and that Garbin is eager to help deradicalize others involved in extremist [activities] at the conclusion of this case.

In the same memo, Springstead wrote: Mr. Garbin and his co-conspirators eventually coalesced around the idea of taking on the person responsible for the shutdown: the Governor.

To this day, Mr. Garbin cannot say for certain whether he would have followed through with the plot or not, Springstead added. Fortunately, it was foiled, and nobody was hurt.
The inquest into the murderous shooting rampage in Plymouth, southwest England opened Thursday.

Jake Davison, 22 years old, killed five people on August 12, before turning the gun on himself. It is the first mass shooting in England since 12 people were killed in Cumbria in 2010.

A Devon & Cornwall Police car (Credit: Lewis Clarke/Creative Commons)

The inquest heard that this followed an argument between Davison and his mother. Maxine Davison, who had been treated for cancer, was his first victim. Within 12 minutes, Davison had shot and killed four others: Sophie Martyn, just three years old, her father, Lee, Stephen Washington and Kate Shepherd. Two others, a mother and her son, were shot through their front door but survived. All were strangers to Davison.

Much of the media coverage has centred on Davisons links to the incel or involuntarily celibate movement. Overwhelmingly young men, it combines self-loathing with misogyny, blaming women for the lack of sexual and social status. It came to prominence in 2014, when avowed incel Elliot Rodgers, also 22 years old, killed seven people in California including himself. Since then, several self-proclaimed incels have been responsible for a spate of killings in America, Canada and Germany.

Socially isolated, with long standing mental health problems, Davison posted videos of himself weightlifting in his mothers front room and was reportedly using steroids and amphetamines. His videos on YouTube under the name Professor Waffle refer to inceldom and rage about his virginity and lack of attractiveness to women.

In his last video, Davison described himself as beaten down and defeated by life and said, I wouldnt clarify [sic] myself as an incel but have talked to people similar to me who have had nothing but themselves.

The nihilism of the incel movement means it is associated with alt-right groups. So far there is little evidence that this motivated Davison, although internet posts indicate he was a supporter of former US President Donald Trump and had a fascination with guns.

The media have led demands for the shooting to be categorised as terrorism and for a clampdown on incel sites and chatrooms. Leading the way is the Guardian, with Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, insisting, The incel movement is a form of extremism and cannot be ignored anymore, and linking it to the everyday sexism that is rife in our society.

The government is pressing for social network providers to collect the real identities of their users and make them available to police. This is supposedly to address the issue of how Davison was given a gun licence, despite the UK having among the strictest firearms regulations in the world.

This law-and-order approach, aimed at further eroding democratic rights, will do nothing to prevent such atrocities. Quite the reverse. It is an integral part of the reactionary climate in which disassociated and dysfunctional personalities can become mass shooters.

The incel movement is undoubtedly a particularly poisonous and violent outcome of the culture wars championed by both the right and liberal proponents of identity politics in its various guises.

Many of Davisons internet posts refer to the incels he has engaged with as similar to me, theyve had nothing but themselves. And then theyve socially had it tough, probably grew up in a s*** background. He complained of fighting an uphill battle with a big f**cking rock on my back, while others get a free ride to the top. Everything is rigged against you, imagine failing at everything in life and having absolutely no support whatsoever, he says. How can you have drive and willpower, you know, when youve been defeated a million times?

This situation he blames entirely on women. There is a complete absence of awareness of any broader socio-economic context.

Then there is his fascination with guns, which has largely passed without comment in the media. At 22 years of age, Davison was born at the height of capitalist triumphalism, and its accompanying outburst of imperialist militarism. In that timeframe, the UK has been involved in 11 wars (out of the 36 since 1900). Three of them cover almost all of Davisons short life-spanthe bloody neo-colonial ventures in Iraq and Afghanistan and the open-ended war on terror. Those now demanding the state accrue even greater powers to protect women against misogyny are among the same forces that champion imperialist intervention into these countries on the grounds of defending womens rights.

Davison was reportedly an apprentice crane operator at the defence and security company Babcock, one of Plymouths major employers. The port city is at the centre of the UKs defence industry, with Devonport Dockyard the countrys only naval base to refit nuclear submarines. The south west is responsible for more Ministry of Defence employment and spending than any other region, with the dockyard accounting for 10 percent of Plymouths income.

At the same time, Plymouth has higher than average levels of poverty and deprivation. Life expectancy, even before the pandemic, was the lowest of any area in the south west, and it is no coincidence that cases of COVID-19 have risen exponentially.

Davisons misanthropy mirrors that of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who proclaimed regarding the pandemic that he would rather let the bodies pile high in their thousands than impose a further lockdown. More than 150,000 people have died from COVID-19 due to the governments herd immunity policy, one of the highest death rates in the world. Strikingly, Davison and Johnson both used film characters to represent their actionsDavison describing himself as the Terminator, while Johnson compared himself with Larry Vaughan, the mayor of Amity in Jaws who orders the beaches to stay open despite shark attacks.

Davisons mental health problems were well known. He had attended a special needs school due to autism and other conditions. His former teacher, Jonathan Williams, told the media, For me, having spent so much time with him and done all I could to help him, for it to end like this is heart-breaking. Jake would have had an education, health and care plan, which means the state would be required to provide support up to the age of 25. Was he really receiving the support needed?

Relatives have said Maxine tried repeatedly to get help for her son for years, but she was let down by the adult social care. A family friend said Maxine begged for mental health support, but the National Health Service said they are short staffed and that was it. The family even asked the police to come out to see him as he was talking and acting strangethey didnt do a welfare check. And now six people are dead.

Plymouths health and social care service, Livewell Southwest, confirmed they had been in contact with Davison during the pandemic by telephone but gave no further details.

Livewell Southwest has been described as a pioneering social enterprise, one of a number carved out of the privatisation of the NHS. A community interest company, created under the then Labour-controlled local authority, it took control of much of the citys social and mental health provision. Last year, the not for profit enterprise made a 970,000 surplus, enabling it to hike the salary of its highest-paid director to 180,000 from 153,000.

Such moves are part of the systematic running down of social provision, especially after the 2008 financial crash and the imposition of austerity, with expenditure on public services as a share of GDP slashed to its lowest levels since the 1930s. COVID-19 has been used as the pretext for transferring even greater amounts of social wealth to the super rich, while public provision, especially in health care, is collapsing.

Finally, there is the question as to how Davison was able to hold a gun licence, despite his mental health diagnosis and previous violent incidents.

Devon and Cornwall Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Local police oversee the issuing of shotgun and firearm certificates on the grounds that they are more aware of mitigating circumstances.

Gun licences are extremely hard to obtain. Recent figures show 567,358 people licenced to hold firearm/shotgun certificates, broadly unchanged over the last decade. Those applying need to show good reason for their request and must prove that they pose no danger to public safety or the peace. Independent referees must provide character references, criminal records are searched, and an applicants doctor is approached for evidence of alcoholism, drug abuse or signs of a personality disorder.

Yet Davison had a history of anger-related mental health issues. In 2016, he beat up a teenager and his girlfriend. In September 2020, he assaulted two teenagers in a skate park. His gun was taken away from him by police following that incident but returned to him just months later after he apparently attended an anger management course. He had reportedly beaten up his father around the same time.

Relatives of Davisons victims have spoken of their anger that a young man with such a history was considered a suitable candidate for a shotgun. Williams asked, How is it possible that a police officer read Jakes history of obsessive compulsive disorder, anger issues and depression and concluded he should be allowed to own a firearm?

It is a further tragedy that the victims and their families are unlikely to receive any satisfactory answer to their questions because that would mean the ruling elite admitting to the malignant tendencies they are responsible for incubating and encouraging.
Appearing yesterday at his first White House press conference since the fall of Kabul, US President Joe Biden tried again to play down the historic and humiliating blow suffered by the US and its allies in their 20-year neo-colonial war in Afghanistan.

A U.S. Chinook helicopter flies over the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15 2021. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

At the same time, he said 6,000 US troops could stay in the country beyond the August 31 deadline agreed with the Taliban, on the pretext of rescuing US citizens and selected Afghans. I think we can get [evacuations] done by then, but were going to make that judgment as we go, Biden said.

In an attempt to put on a show of strength and stability, Biden was flanked by senior officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Biden vowed that not only all Americans in Afghanistan but everyone who had assisted the US military and wanted to leave would be evacuated.

Were making the same commitment to Afghan wartime helpers as to US citizens, Biden said. This would mean a dramatic expansion of the military operations. US officials later revealed that military and intelligence operations were being mounted in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.

Senior military officials told the Associated Press that a CH-47 Chinook helicopter picked up people and ferried them to the airport on Friday. US Armys 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division conducted the operation from nearby Camp Sullivan.

In another intervention, 169 Americans were retrieved from the Baron Hotel near the airport, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Friday evening.

US military officials said sorties like this had been underway for days from various points in Kabul. In other cities and provinces, CIA case officers, special operation forces and Defence Intelligence Agency officers on the ground were gathering some US citizens and Afghan nationals who worked for the US at pre-determined pick-up sites.

Austin told House of Representatives members in a call on Friday afternoon that Americans had been beaten by the Taliban in Kabul. The defence secretary branded the beatings unacceptable. His comments conflicted with Bidens earlier statement that there was no indication US citizens had been unable to get to the airport.

Bidens defence of the US withdrawal was also undercut by Pentagon press secretary John Kirby. He said an al Qaeda presence remained in Afghanistan, contradicting Bidens declaration that the terrorist organisation was no longer in the country, and therefore the pull-out had been justified.

In reality, the US-led war was never about combatting terrorism. Rather, the still unexplained events of 9/11 were exploited to activate previously drawn-up plans to invade Afghanistan, and later Iraq, to assert US hegemony over the strategic region at the heart of Eurasia following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Al Qaeda and the Taliban were themselves the product of CIA and other US operations to use Islamist militias to oust the earlier Kremlin-backed government in Afghanistan during the 1980s.

Biden also said that the US had evacuated all 204 employees of the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal who had been in Afghanistan.

For the past two decades, these and other corporate media outlets supported the war as the US and its partners killed over 100,000 people, operated torture chambers, conducted bombing raids and drone assassinations and stripped the country of its resources, while those who exposed the criminal character of the warsuch as Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and Daniel Halewere incarcerated.

Asked by a reporter why the US did not get people out earlier, Biden said the US had not expected the total demise of the Afghan National Force. However, US officials told The Associated Press that in July more than 20 diplomats at the US Embassy in Kabul registered their concerns that the evacuation of selected Afghans was not proceeding quickly enough.

Anxious to deny any failure of US intelligence, Biden said he had gotten a wide variety of time estimates, though all were pessimistic about the Afghan government surviving. He claimed he had been following the advice of Afghanistans US-backed president, Ashraf Ghani, who fled the country last weekend.

Above all, Biden denied that US imperialisms capacity to assert global power had been dented. Asked whether US credibility was now shot, Biden said: Ive seen no question on our credibility. The exact opposite. We went and did the mission. Its time to end this war.

Referring to the evacuation operations, he declared: The only country in the world capable of projecting this degree of military power on the far side of the world with this degree of precision is the US.

Biden is under mounting criticism and pressure from the media and political establishment to expand the military operation and send a message of US intent to reassert its global power. Yesterdays Murdoch media Wall Street Journal published an editorial board statement, declaring: Time for a NATO military operation to rescue those trapped behind Taliban lines.

Already, several Democrats have called the Afghanistan withdrawal a failure. Democrat Congressman Dean Philips said: The exit strategy was ours and its execution reflects poorly on the United States of America.

On Wednesday, Bidens National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also rejected journalists assertions that the US had lost credibility. He stated: The president, as he has said repeatedly, has no intention of drawing down our forces from South Korea or from Europe, where we have sustained troop presences for a very long time. And when it comes to Taiwan, it is a fundamentally different question from the one we were presented with in Afghanistan.

Sullivans specific reference to Taiwan is another warning of Bidens escalation of Washingtons confrontation with China. This is only going to intensify as the US prepares to resort to military aggression to counter Beijings perceived threat to the global hegemony asserted by US imperialism after World War II.
The World Socialist Web Site received the following letter from a parent whose daughter is a student in Rim of the World Unified School District, located in a mountainous region in San Bernardino County, California. The WSWS has opposed reopening schools in the midst of the pandemic, which is already driving a spike in cases, including among children who are much more susceptible to the now dominant Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus.

In the upcoming California gubernatorial recall election, Socialist Equality Party candidate David Moore is fighting for a rational and scientific response to the pandemic, based on the mobilization of the working class against the capitalist system. See Moores recent statement, Halt the reopening of schools in California!

A masked student waits before the bell at Enrique S. Camarena Elementary School, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Chula Vista, Calif. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

***

School started on August 11th in our school district. Im very disappointed, and so is my daughter, in how our school district has been handling the health and safety of our students and the faculty/staff.

After the first day of school, my daughter came home and was very upset. She told me that many of the students (as much as 10 percent) are not masking properly in spite of the fact that we have a statewide masking order currently in effect. Moreover, many of the faculty and staff are also not masking properly and are not asking students who arent masking properly to wear masks or to wear them properly. She said that she felt uncomfortable at school and that her friends felt that way too.

My daughter urged me to email the principal at our school to discuss. I received an email with a copy of the masking order attached (as if I am the one who doesnt understand the requirements) and a request to give the names of teachers who arent complying/enforcing masking in their classrooms. In other words, Im supposed to throw specific teachers under the bus for reprimand by the school administration.

I replied that I dont feel that its appropriate for me to give specific names because this was a conversation that should have taken place between all affected constituents before in-person learning began. It should have included teachers and parents and [explained] that its everyones responsibility, including the school administration, to ensure the health and safety of our educators, our students and more broadly that of our community and the government. Also, too many arent complying for any specific individuals to be singled out. I did not receive any further correspondence.

Another point that I made, which was completely ignored, is that any type of band or indoor activities requiring de-masking should be reconsidered due to the danger from the Delta surge, which is claiming more lives and spreading more Covid infections in the US and around the world.

My daughter already dropped out of band because she doesnt and I dont feel comfortable with her de-masking in an enclosed room with other students and a teacher. There is no social distancing, no plastic barriers and no way to ensure students safety when they play instruments.

More broadly, there are no broad health and safety measures being currently implemented or enforced in our school district. The only measure, masking, is hardly being enforced.

Also, I expressed that there were 43 students recently infected with Covid in the Palm Springs school district and a 13-year-old student died in Mississippi due to Covid.

My cousin and his son got infected with Covid after receiving full Pfizer vaccines, and there has been at least one report of a post-vaccination Covid death in Florida.

There was no response from the administration on these issues. They are proceeding with a business as usual model in spite of the dangerous and extremely deadly Delta variant surge. There is no requirement that students present proof of vaccination to attend school or even take a Covid test on a weekly basis to attend school.

I feel like its not a question of if, but of when, we will have student/staff infections in our school district. They have completely given up on students/faculty health and safety. I am very concerned for the safety of my student and everyone at the school and the community.
In a devastating exposure of anti-scientific policies pursued by Washington and the European powers that have led to millions of COVID-19 infections and deaths, mass implementation of scientific public health policies in China is containing the latest delta variant outbreak there. This highlights the potential for a global campaign of eradication of the virus to end the pandemic, if the resistance of the ruling class internationally to a scientific policy can be smashed.

A man and a child wearing masks to protect from the coronavirus walk through a shopping area in Beijing, China, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Last month, after a vast public health mobilization ended the epidemic inside China last year, a new outbreak emerged at the Nanjing airport. The delta variant brought aboard Air China flight CA910 from Moscow infected vaccinated maintenance workers at the airport and rapidly spread across China. Detected on July 20, the outbreak had sickened 381 people by the end of July in over a dozen provinces. While the outbreak at its peak infected over 140 people a day, this number is now falling significantly; broad areas of China are reporting no new cases.

Overall, there were 29 COVID-19 cases reported across China yesterday. Jiangsu province, where Nanjing is located and which was the outbreaks initial epicenter, reported only three new cases. Nearby Shanghai recorded two and the southern border province of Yunnan, the next worst-hit in this outbreak after Jiangsu, eight. The southern industrial hub of Guangdong province reported nine. Hunan province, initially badly hit when tourists from Nanjing brought the delta variant there, reported no new cases.

While the situation in China remains dangerous, this initial success testifies to the enormous power of scientific methods against even the virulent delta variant. Vaccination and lockdowns of affected city districtstogether with mass testing of entire cities, including Nanjing, Wuhan and Yangzhou, to find, isolate and rapidly treat the sickare stopping a virus that is exploding out of control elsewhere around the world.

This comes after the success of the lock-down imposed at the beginning of the pandemic in Wuhan and across Hubei province, from January 23 to April 8 of last year. This strict lockdown, lifted only after new cases of the virus stopped appearing, ended transmission of the coronavirus inside China except for outbreaks imported from outside Chinas borders.

In the imperialist countries and most of the rest of the world, however, governments pursued a diametrically opposed strategy. They rejected strict lockdowns or, when forced to implement them by wildcat strikes as in Italy and the United States, lifted them before transmission of the virus was over and programs for mass testing and to track-and-trace new cases were in place.

The resulting difference in health outcomes is staggering. Fewer than 5,000 died of COVID-19 in China, but over 643,000 died in the United States and 1,155,000 in Europe. The contrast is even sharper in the period since the lifting of lockdowns in the spring of 2020.

Since May 1, 2020, after the Wuhan lockdown, two people have died of COVID-19 in China, over 500,000 died in the United States, and over 950,000 in Europe. In India, whose population is similar in size to Chinas, somewhere between 2.9 and 5.8 million have died, according to demographers estimates, and mostly left uncounted.

Fighting and ending the pandemic requires an international strategy, however. The Nanjing outbreak underscores yet again the impossibility of ending the pandemic with a national policy. Scientific policies must be employed to eradicate the virus on a global scaleotherwise, given the rapidly-mutating, highly contagious nature of the virus, new variants inevitably develop and spread back to areas where the virus has been eradicated.

The main obstacle is the refusal of the imperialist financial aristocracy in North America and Europe to implement a scientific policy. Instead, they gorged themselves on trillions of dollars, euros and pounds in bank and corporate bailouts and demanded that lives be sacrificed so workers could stay at work to generate profits. As millions died needlessly, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson infamously said: No more f***ing lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands!

Now, as the delta variant is set to provoke record losses worldwide, US and European media are launching a campaign to discredit Chinese health policies. It is more or less apparent that their target is not only China, but opposition in the working class internationally to policies of needless mass death.

In its report Chinas Delta outbreak shows signs of slowing, CNN demanded Beijing stop trying to limit contagion. While admitting that a zero transmission model  has so far proved broadly effective in curbing widespread transmission, it said: However, this approach requires punishing, oppressive measures that many argue are simply not sustainable in the long term, especially as new variants spread and other countries open back up. Experts say fortress territories will eventually have to shift away from this strategythey cant stay shut off from the world forever.

Imperialist media are also trying to exploit the political crisis caused by the pandemic in China itself to discredit a scientific policy of saving lives. In France, the conservative daily Le Figaro claimed that Chinese scientists and doctors themselves reject Beijings policy and want to adopt President Emmanuel Macrons call to live with the virus. Le Figaro cited the recent controversy in China over statements by leading virologist Dr. Zhang Wenhong.

Le Figaro claimed: Zhang Wenhong, the well-known expert in infectious diseases in Shanghai, expressed doubts in late July about Chinas zero-Covid strategy, calling on them to learn to live with the virus. It added that this comment put in question the viability of Chinas pandemic management and had provoked bitter debate in the country.

In reality, Zhang is not a supporter of European governments politically-criminal approach to the pandemic, and attempts to portray him as such are a fraud. In his latest post on the Weibo internet platform, Zhang unambiguously endorsed Chinas health policy: The international anti-epidemic situation is still very serious and China still faces enormous epidemic challenges. But we must have the firm conviction that our countrys anti-pandemic strategy is currently the best strategy for ourselves. You tell whether a shoe fits by wearing it.

Le Figaro was citing a July 29 Weibo post by Zhang that was criticized in China. After this, his employer, Fudan University in Shanghai, began an investigation of potential plagiarism in Zhangs PhD thesis. In a distorted echo of the imperialist press campaign itself, there were nationalist criticisms of Zhang on Chinese social media for supporting Western culture.

In the earlier July 29 post, Zhang had written: As to how the world co-exists with the virus, each country gives its own response. China has given a beautiful response. After the Nanjing outbreak, we will certainly learn more. China must build a shared future with the world, arrive at communication with the rest of the world and return to normal life, while protecting its citizens from fear of the virus. China should have such wisdom.

Zhangs statement is ambiguous, because it avoids directly condemning the politically-criminal pandemic policies adopted by the imperialist countries and their allies. This ambiguity is not, however, simply an issue of Zhangs individual opinions. Zhang, who is a physician and not a politician, is speaking under constraints imposed by his membership in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a bureaucratic Stalinist party that restored capitalism in China in 1989 and now has deep economic and financial links to world imperialism.

Enmeshed in capitalist relations, and increasingly afraid of the working class at home, the CCP has largely avoided openly denouncing the health policies of imperialist countries. However, the CCP has not prevented Zhang and other Chinese medical and health workers from implementing policies that saved millions of lives in China.

Two important conclusions flow from this. Firstly, Zhang and other Chinese scientists working to eradicate COVID-19 are neither supporters of the imperialist powers reactionary pandemic policy nor agents of the West against China. The work that they and the working people of China have done is a great service to workers internationally: it shows that science and collective mobilization can end the pandemic.

Moreover, ending the pandemic requires a conscious, international mobilization of the working class, for socialism and against both imperialism and Stalinism, aiming to take power out of the hands of the capitalist financial aristocracy and impose a scientific policy to save lives.
Students arrive at school in Le Chesnay, west of Paris, Modnay, May 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Amid the surge of the Delta variant in France, the Macron government plans in less than two weeks to crowd millions of children back into schools. Starting on September 2, millions of French students will return to lecture halls and student canteens, regardless of their vaccination status.

As in the September 2020 school reopening in France (when daily cases averaged just 5,407), this will lead to a new surge of COVID-19 cases and the propagation of new variants in a population where only 56 percent are fully vaccinated. Daily cases in France have averaged 23,279 over the last seven days. The 145 deaths recorded on August 17 was the highest total since May.

Despite widespread anti-scientific claims by the capitalist media that the virus isnt dangerous for the young, as of July 2021, at least 16 school-aged children had died from COVID-19 in French hospitals. University-age students have also suffered severely throughout the pandemic. In the 20-29 age group, there have been 81 recorded COVID-19 deaths in hospitals. These deaths occurred before the propagation of the Delta variant, which now accounts for over 90 percent of Frances cases and is much more deadly and damaging for children and youth.

Furthermore, the Delta variant is more infectious, deadly, and extremely dangerous for children. Its spread has been associated with record child hospitalizations and deaths in India, the United States and Indonesia. Since the beginning of July, over 100 child deaths every week have been recorded each week by the Indonesian Pediatric Society. This August, at least four children have died in the United States from COVID-19 following infection at school.

As in the United States, the reopening of French schools, even as tens of thousands of infections are recorded daily, will accelerate the spread of the virus and lead to more tragic, preventable deaths.

In late July, French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer unveiled a four-tiered plan that amounted to a commitment to avoid suspending in-person education, no matter the human cost. The green, amber, orange, and red levels are a hodgepodge of partial measures, including mask-wearing, group mixing and the cancellation of certain sports. In the context of mass community transmission these rules will not be enough to protect children, teachers or families.

Only at orange and red level is there any return to online education. In a red alert level, 15- and 16-year-olds will have hybrid classes at 50 percent capacity and lycee (high school) students will also have hybrid classes. Though vaccinated individuals can infect others with the virus, if a secondary school class member tests positive, then only those unvaccinated students will be sent home. Primary school classes will continue with in-person education, regardless of alert levels.

Part of the governments plans to ensure in-person education continues is the vaccination of 12- to 18-year-olds, if parental permission is granted. At the end of September, the vaccine passport for social and cultural events will also be extended to all adolescents over age 12, although it will not apply to schools. Blanquer also said that 600,000 tests will be performed a week. However, since over 12.4 million children and 821,000 teachers attend schools in France, this will be nowhere near sufficient to prevent major outbreaks.

Moreover, the alert level is arbitrarily set by the government, meaning that the implementation of these limited rules will be made in line with the level of death the government thinks it can get away with, rather than any objective scientific criteria. The deadly implications of this can already be seen on the French island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Despite a record 3,590 cases last week, the equivalent of nearly 275,000 weekly cases in mainland Frances population, 220,000 school children returned to classrooms there last Monday.

The Macron governments plan has nothing to do with defending childrens health or education, but seeks to reduce disruption to profit extraction from working families as much as possible. Only children old enough to stay at home while their parents go to work are to receive online education. Regardless of how many are dying, children too young to stay at home without parental supervision and who are totally unprotected against the virus are to be forced to stay in school.

Ruling circles are well aware of the danger posed by variants to children and the potential for a wave of childrens deaths and serious illnesses provoking explosive outrage among workers. Last month, High Commissioner for Planning, Francois Bayrou said: I live with a fear of this virus, that one day a mutation will make the virus extremely harmful to children.  If it affected children, especially young children, then I think we would be faced with waves that would call into question the very stability of society.

Yet this is precisely the scenario that the governments own policy is setting into motion. The coronavirus, and particularly its delta variant, is a deadly virus capable of causing severe disease and death in all layers of the population. As it rips through the body, even in non-fatal cases, it causes severe inflammation of vital organs, including the brain and heart.

Allowing mass infection of children could not only cause deaths and a surge of infections in the coming weeks and months, but plague entire generations with life-long consequences. Even less potent variants have left many in these age groups plagued by the effects of Long COVID, including the devastating impact of COVID-19 infection on cognitive development.

The Macron government knows this very well, but it is preparing a mass slaughter and long-term damage to the youngyet again accepting mass infection and death to protect corporate profits.

Macrons herd immunity policy has been supported by the union bureaucracies and pseudo-left parties during the pandemic. Nowhere has this been more explicit than their support for the governments deadly policy of keeping schools open no matter the cost. The Stalinist General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and the Unitary Union Federation (FSU) have explicitly backed reopening schools since the summer of 2020isolating teachers and students striking against a return to in-person learning last year, even as Macrons policemen violently attacked them.

Moreover, pseudo-left groups like the Morenoite Revolution Permanente have anti-scientifically insisted that schools can be reopened safely by marginally changing security protocols, while denouncing health measures necessary to contain the deadly virus as authoritarian.

This treachery even allowed Blanquer to boast that France has kept its children in school longer than any other European nation. It is impossible to negotiate with the murderous representatives of the ruling class or to appeal to them to see sense. A movement must be built to oppose them.

Under conditions of the rapid spread of the Delta variant internationally, Macrons deadly school opening must be opposed. Teachers and parents must prepare mass strike action independently of the corrupt unions, coordinated with teachers and workers across Europe and beyond. They must demand the suspension of in-person schooling, all non-essential production, and a policy of social isolation with full compensation until the virus is brought under control and the population is fully vaccinated.
Juliette OBrien, a data journalist, is the founder and editor of covid19data.com.au. It is one of several web sites in Australia which have, since the early days of the pandemic, compiled and presented up-to-date information from official sources on COVID-19 cases, tests, deaths, vaccinations and other related parameters.

In addition to making this critical data available to the public in a more accessible and meaningful format than the perfunctory offerings served up by the state and federal health departments, independent sites such as OBriens have pushed for greater data transparency from governments, especially regarding the countrys shambolic vaccine rollout.

The World Socialist Web Site spoke to OBrien about the escalating pandemic in New South Wales (NSW). This discussion took place on August 17, when the state recorded 438 locally-acquired COVID-19 cases, bringing the total for the current outbreak to 8,653. Now, just four days later, the total has increased to 11,409, with 825 new cases reported today.

Juliette OBrien (Photo: supplied)

WSWS: [NSW Premier] Gladys Berejiklian said in the press conference this morning that the worst is yet to come (in September and October). What is your assessment of the situation in NSW?

Juliette OBrien: Youd struggle to find an epidemiologist or infectious diseases expert who is particularly surprised at what is happening in NSW right now.

That is because, over the last seven weeks, weve been slowly moving in the wrong direction, essentially the entire time. Weve had a low level of growthslow exponential growthand that means that new cases lead to more cases again in the next generation. And even though were not seeing doubling rates where were doubling every five or seven days, were seeing slower growth. So that means that, at this point seven or eight weeks in, the numbers grow more and more.

Its not particularly surprising, and given the fact that we have many people out in the community while infectious every day and we have thousands of cases that are unlinked, its clear that this growth will continue.

Having said that, with what we know about the transmissibility of the Delta variant, NSW Health must be in overdrive to keep these cases at this level. So to an extent, they are keeping a lid on the cases; our limited movement and our lockdowns are keeping a lid on all of the cases, but not to the point where theyre driving cases down.

WSWS: I heard your ABC interview with Norman Swan the other day and you were talking about cases rising to 500 per day by the end of August.

JO: I said next month, try next week!

The thing with that is, there are a couple of things to say. This is based on the reproduction rate, which has been bouncing around, around about 1.1, 1.2 to 1.3. When we get to these higher daily case numbers, the difference between 1.1 and 1.3 becomes pretty significant.

In the first place, my estimate was conservative. Within the realm of possibility, but conservative, based on the numbers.

Epidemiologists are saying its more likely to be 1,000 cases a day, and thats in a matter of weeks. But I think, even in their estimates, at the moment NSW is at the worse end of the estimates, were on the wrong side of the margin there. The reproduction rate has ticked upwards in the last two days. Today were at 1.2, but yesterday we were really 1.3.

WSWS: Do you have any comment on the COVID-19 data made available publicly by Australian governments?

JO: In the NSW context, NSW has generally been a national leader in data transparency and how they publish the data. They were the first to publish data in machine-readable format, and theyve always been very transparent. The surveillance reports have always had an excellent level of detail.

Something that has changed in this outbreak is the level of qualitative information that were given. Were still given the quantitative information, but the qualitative information has deteriorated. That leaves us in the dark with regard to the circumstances in which Delta is spreading. Were given these general themes of households and workplaces, and I have no doubt thats essentially the main problem, but we really have no understanding beyond that.

I am reading into the data at the moment that the reason for these numbers right now is that even though theyve got it under control in Fairfield and Canterbury-Bankstown, it is the same patterns of spread in new communities. So it bursts into new households and new workplaces. We also have really worrying community spread in the southwest and the west.

With regard to data transparency and presentation more broadly, Ken Tsang [who runs covid19nearme.com.au] has been a saviour in terms of the federal data, because he has been scraping the federal website and the vaccination PDFs. Basically, everyone is reliant on Ken Tsang scraping those PDFs, because otherwise we would all be copying and pasting, or some other people like Migga [Anthony Macali, who publishes covidlive.com.au] would be doing their own PDF scrapers. So thank goodness for Ken Tsang.

I dont understand why they refuse, at a federal level, to publish the data in a format where we can actually use it. The situation at the moment is they are paying an agency, probably exorbitant costs, to take numbers from what is probably a spreadsheet, put them into a PDF and publish it, so that at the other end Ken has to spend countless hours scraping the PDF and putting it back in a spreadsheet. Its just ridiculous.

Some of the citizen-led data initiatives are excellent examples of why we should have data transparency in the first place, and heres an example. Ken Tsang, who has these incredible skills, has built these tools for exposure sites, and for finding a vaccination site that make it a lot easier than scrolling through a web page. So he is bringing his incredible skills from the commercial world to this public interest service and hes doing it for free and voluntarily, and all hes asking is for the data. So if they made this easier, then the community impact would be multiplied.

I do think with large organisations, I find that their priorities are often the issue. Even our commercial news and media, they were a little bit behind setting up data trackers partly because in the very beginning their key imperative wasnt a data dashboard. Commercial priorities are a big part of it and its clearly not a priority for the government.

WSWS: This outbreak erupted during the school holidaysif it had not, the situation would likely be far worse than it is now. What do you think the impact would be if schools reopened for face-to-face learning?

JO: It is very hard for me to say what the impact would be because I do try hard to stay in my lane. I couldnt tell you that I have tracked data that indicates schools reopening leads to a rise in cases, however we know that it creates many more people moving around the community. Mobility is what we are trying to limit.

Having said that, personally I believeand I understand there are so many considerations for government in terms of what they permit and how we open upbut looking at the United States last year, where children did not go to school for the better part of the year and in some places the reopening of restaurants and bars seemed to be prioritised ahead of children going to school, it showed something about a societys priorities and I think our priorities should be children going to school and if we need to make sacrifices in other areas to make sure that happens, then I would personally support that.

WSWS: One of the bases for the drive to reopen the schools has always been the premise that children dont catch the virus, dont transmit it, or it is asymptomatic or mild. Now that has been refuted categorically. Just last Friday there were 44 children under 9 who tested positive.

JO: You are exactly right and that is the change with Delta, so it is definitely higher risk to reopen schools.

WSWS: Is it the case that you dont have the data on workplace infections? These are clearly a central driver of the outbreak under conditions where people have to go to work, especially in the western and southwestern suburbs. They then go home and infect their families. And the response has been to vilify those communities and deploy troops and police.

JO: No, we dont and that is what has changed in this outbreak, possibly because of sheer workload. The numbers in this outbreak are so much bigger than previous outbreaks. And maybe we will get retrospective data. I wouldn't put that past NSW Health to, when the dust settles, release a bumper edition epidemiology report that has lots of details for us, but in terms of what is happening right now we know very little beyond the broad themes of food processing, food distribution and freight.
Asia

India: Tamil Nadu state government workers protest

Thousands of workers from state government departments protested and wore black badges on Monday over several demands. The Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association called the demonstrations at various government offices in the Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore regions.

Workers want an increase in the dearness allowance (DA), which has been frozen at 17 percent since 2019, and a return to a previous pension system which was replaced in 2004 with a contributory scheme. Protesters complained that the DA was increased to 28 percent by the Modi government in July but the state government postponed any increase for 18 months.

The demonstrators also called for the release of 2.5 million rupees ($US33,656) compensation for the families of frontline workers who were infected and died during COVID-19 second wave.

Contract power workers in Tamil Nadu demand permanent jobs

North Chennai Thermal Power Station contract workers demonstrated in Chennai on August 17 to demand permanent jobs. Protesters said they had worked at the power generating plant for several decades and wanted permanent jobs for those who had 20 years service. They also called for photo identity cards, inclusion in bonus payments, gratuity and insurance.

The power station has been operating since 1994 and produces 630 megawatts from three units. The protest was organised by the Central Organization of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

Tamil Nadu government hospital contract workers fight for outstanding wages

Health workers, including nurses, sanitary staff and lab technicians from the government-run General Hospital in Jayankondam protested outside the Ariyalur district collectorate on Monday demanding three months overdue wages. The workers were hired at the hospital on a temporary basis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The protest was sparked after hospital management told them not to report for duty from April 16. Protesters submitted a petition to the district collector demanding that they be reinstated and for the district administration to intervene.

Punjab public sector workers fight for permanent jobs

Health workers, teachers and water utility workers demonstrated in the cities of Tarn Taran and Amritsar on August 14 and 15 to demand permanent jobs. Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Employees Union members from state government-run de-addiction centres protested in Tarn Taran holding black flags and protesting that after seven years service they were still being denied permanent jobs.

Meritorious School Teachers Union members from all parts of the state demonstrated in Amritsar to demand permanent jobs, while members of the Water Supply and Sanitation Departments Motivator and Master Motivator Workers Union also protested across the state for job permanency.

Andhra Pradesh: Religious trust workers in Tirupati protest

Employees working in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) religious temple held a sit-down protest at the TTD administrative building on August 12. They were demanding time-scale wages for all the eligible contract and outsourced employees. The protest was called by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

Workers said over 15,000 people have been employed on contract and outsourcing basis at TTD for up to 15 years. They demanded that the TTD issue bus passes to all these workers and ensure that contractors pay salaries on time every month.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is an independent trust which manages the temples in Tirupati. The trust oversees the operations and finances of the second richest and the most visited religious centre in the world.

Bihar: Thousands of Patna municipal workers on indefinite strike

Contract and daily-wage fourth-grade workers from the Patna Municipality Corporation have been on strike since August 9 demanding equal pay for equal work, job permanency and an end of the anti-worker policies of the corporation. The striking workers said that hundreds had been working for the corporation for last ten years on a daily-wage basis.

Nearly 7,000 sanitation workers, including 4,700 daily waged and 2,300 outsourced workers, are involved in the strike. Workers alleged that the Bihar government has been treating contract workers differently from permanent employees despite both doing the same work. Currently a contract daily wage worker is paid 9,000 rupees ($US121) per month and an outsourced worker gets 7,000 rupees. Permanent workers, however, are paid 30,000 rupees per month and other benefits.

Maharashtra COVID-19 hospital workers protest over sudden termination

Several hundred sacked contract workers from the privately-run Global Hospital for COVID-19 patients in Thane demonstrated at the hospital on Wednesday to demand reinstatement.

The workers, including doctors, nurses and ward assistants, said that they were dismissed without warning after a drop in COVID-19 patients meant they were no longer needed.

It was the second time Global Covid Hospital management suddenly terminated around 500 medical staff. They were all employed through a private agency, Om Sai Arogya Care.

Bangladesh: Retrenched jute mill workers protest

Former workers from two closed state-run jute mills in Khulna demonstrated outside the Khalishpur Jute Mill in Khulna on Tuesday to demand the reopening of all closed government plants and the payment of all outstanding entitlements. These included full bonuses from Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha festivals, in line with the wage commission, and the mandatory 60-day payment following termination.

Twenty-five state-owned jute mills operating under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation were closed in June last year, making about 50,000 permanent, temporary and substitute workers jobless. At least 31,000 temporary and substitute workers are yet to receive their outstanding payments.

While the government introduced a compensation package at the time of closure, temporary and substitute workers were denied compensation packages even though they had worked at the mills for decades.

The demonstration was organised by the committees of the Daulatpur Jute Mill Factory and Khalishpur Jute Mill Factory. Protests over the closures have been ongoing for twelve months. Retrenched workers from the Karim Jute Mills and Latif Bawani Jute Mills demonstrated in June in Dhaka.

Sri Lanka Railway station masters strike

Nearly 1,000 station masters stopped work for 24 hours from midnight on August 12, demanding adequate health care protection against COVID-19. All trains, including the Kelani Valley line, were suspended. The strike was called by the Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters' Association.

Citing the increasing numbers of railway workers contracting COVID-19, station masters want quarantine centres established with proper safety clothing, disinfectants, and other necessary facilities, as well as proper disinfection of trains and railway stations.

An association spokesman said that 93 people, including station masters, controllers, and junior staff, have been infected with the virus. He complained that in some places where the infection was reported only the infected person was removed whilst work colleagues were told they had to remain at work.

Sri Lankan health workers demand stricter COVID-19 lockdown

Hundreds of health workers organised by a joint union alliance demonstrated this week demanding a stricter island-wide lockdown. The alliance called for increased PCR and rapid-PCR testing and a strict 10-day lockdown.

Workers voiced their concerns over the rapidly increasing COVID-19 infection and death rates across the island. The Joint Trade Unions alliance has declared that if no action is taken by the government, it will organise to lock down the country by uniting with all workers from the public and private sector from next Monday.

Australia

Lockout at QUBE Fremantle terminal in Western Australia continues

Over 120 members of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) at the QUBE Fremantle Port container terminal in Western Australia began industrial action on July 30 to push for an improved enterprise agreement (EA).

The workers are virtually locked out. They are refusing to report for duty if management fails to allocate the following days workforce by 2 p.m., one day prior. QUBE management has refused to agree to this even though other terminal operators at the port have that arrangement with their workers.

The MUA claimed that QUBE is ignoring safety regulations and has assigned its management and supervisory staff to do stevedoring work in an attempt to keep the terminal operating.

QUBE management have rejected all 42 of the unions EA claims. The MUA said workers wanted rosters that give a better work-life balance, improved fatigue management, improved job security and tightening-up of the old agreement which allowed QUBE to undermine long-standing employment standards and conditions.

Hospital workers in Western Australia walk out over unsafe staffing

Workers at the state-run Headland Health Campus at South Headland, in Western Australias Pilbara region, walked out for 30 minutes at 11 a.m. on August 11 in protest against chronic understaffing, which they say has resulted in an unsafe workplace. Their protest at the main public entry to the hospital included patient service attendants, cleaners, enrolled nurses, nursing assistants and kitchen staff.

A United Workers Union (UWU) representative said workers are reporting high levels of fatigue and burn-out as a result of working excessive hours with reduced staffing levels. He said turnover at the hospital is exceptionally high and that vacant positions have not been filled, in the meantime there are casual staff at the site who are begging for more hours and permanency.

The Headland Health Campus is under the management of the WA Country Health Service, which workers said has repeatedly refused to respond to their demands for a meeting over the issues. They threatened to take further action if the government continued to ignore their complaints.
Nabisco bakery workers in Chicago, Illinois, have joined a strike of plant workers across four states against brutal working conditions, low pay and a proposed two-tier health care system demanded by management even as the company rakes in record profits. They join workers on strike in Portland, Oregon; Richmond, Virginia; and Aurora, Colorado.

Nabisco workers on strike in Chicago (Credit: Jan Walker)

Over 1,000 workers are now currently on strike against Nabisco and its parent company, Mondelez International, Inc., part of a growing rebellion of workers in multiple industries. Over 200 workers in Portland were first to strike on August 10.

Workers at Frito-Lay and its parent company PepsiCo recently struck against low wages, suicide work shifts, and higher health care costs in Kansas and Indiana, only to have their struggles betrayed by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) and the Teamsters. The bakery workers on strike in Chicago also joined the strike of 800 mechanics in the Chicago metropolitan region.

Nabisco workers, who produce and bake Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers and other popular snacks, have been forced to work 12- to 16-hour shifts, sometimes seven days a week, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mondelez is now proposing that workers accept an Alternative Work Schedule, widely hated and adopted in the auto industry, where workers take on up to 16-hour shifts without overtime pay. The company is also proposing a contract which creates a two-tier health care plan which costs more for all new hires.

While Nabisco workers toiled in gruesome conditions, Mondelez made record profits during the pandemic and made over $26.2 billion in revenue in 2020.

Worker Nathan Williams told Vice, During the pandemic, we came in seven days a week. Some people worked every day16 hours a dayfor three months. Nabisco demanded overtime hours and refused to hire more workers. Workers at Nabisco industrial bakery facilities in the United States and Mexico have faced a relentless assault on their living standards over the past decade, including cuts to pensions, mass layoffs and a constant threat of plant closures.

In 2016, Mondelez demanded that the BCTGM union, which covers the striking Nabisco workers, impose $46 million in concessions upon the Chicago workforceequivalent to cuts of $23,000 per workeror it would move production lines to Salinas, Mexico.

Mondelez also demanded an increase of 10 percent to the health care costs to replace the fully paid health care plan and replace the pensions with a 401(k) defined-contribution plan, offloading retirement costs onto workers. By 2018, Mondelez had eliminated the pensions of thousands of retirees and workers and moved them into 401(k) plans.

The BCTGM did nothing to oppose the assault on the Chicago workers, and Mondelez closed nine of 16 production lines at the Southside Chicago facility and laid off more than 400 out of nearly 1,000 workers. Workers making $26 an hour were escorted out of the plant by security guards during the layoffs which workers then described felt like a funeral procession. The company initially threatened to lay off nearly 600 workers. With the threat of layoffs, many higher paid workers at the plant retired early.

Michael, a former Chicago Nabisco worker, spoke out on social media in support of the striking workers. I stand with you in your stand against corporate greed, he said. Please be aware that the current buildings you work in are old, and to reinvest in them might be the perfect excuse along with union negotiations that failed to set the ball in motion to let Mondelez close them!

Michael noted that the company has kept the facility dilapidated for years to hang the threat of plant closure over the workers with the complicity of the union. He added, The Chicago bakery went from 18 ovens to five back in 2017. This was their plan all along, and they are going to let your union leadership hang you all with it.

Francesca, the daughter of a Chicago Nabisco worker, also said, My dad told me stories of how back when he first started work at Nabisco in 1960 there were over 4,000 people. Now its just a few hundred.

While Nabisco workers are seeking to fight for more, the BCTGM has sought to spread nationalist anti-Mexican poison, pitting American workers against their brothers and sisters south of the border. The most recent statement by the union states, Nabisco has long profited from the loyalty and dedication of its U.S. workers and the exploitation of its employees in Mexico. By taking this action, Nabisco workers in all four locations are saying strong and clear: stop exporting our jobs to Mexico and end your demands for contract concessions.

In fact, Nabisco workers in the US have more in common with their Mexican coworkers than the so-called union that claims to represent them.

Workers should put no trust in the BCTGM, which recently brought four consecutive sellout agreements to striking Frito-Lay workers in Kansas. Workers struck against poverty wages and had yet another sellout contract imposed on them after they were given meager strike pay and starved out.

At Nabisco, the BCTGM has worked to impose brutal working conditions on thousands of workers across the country and has overseen the layoff of hundreds of workers over the last decade. One laid off Chicago Nabisco worker, Tony, mockingly said that [Mondelez] runs the union. To which Henry, another former worker, respond, What union?

Nabisco workers in Illinois, Oregon, Virginia and Colorado should follow the lesson of the Volvo auto workers who boldly took control of their strike independent of the United Auto Workers union and formed a rank-and-file committee. Workers who want to fight against brutal working conditions, forced overtime without pay and concessions to health care should form their own rank-and-file committee independent of the BCTGM and formulate their own demands.

The World Socialist Web Site will assist in the formation of such a committee. Text (785) 8161505, or fill out the contact form at wsws.org/workers to learn more.
Clear dividers are used on library tables during a media tour of the Norris Middle School in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, July 29, 2020, to show how school authorities are preparing for the return of students to school in the time of Covid-19. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Nebraska schools pushed forward with plans to reopen this week, even as COVID-19 cases among children under 19 have continued to climb. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services noted an increase in cases for children ages 5 to 17, with 15 percent of positive tests belonging to that age group in late July.

In Omaha, Nebraskas most populous city, the county health director reported in August that the number of cases among children under 19 had tripled within a couple of weeks and that they comprised 26% of all COVID cases in the countythe largest of any age group. Contributing to this is the fact that only 31 percent of children 5 to 17 in Nebraska are vaccinated. The Omaha World Herald also reported, for 16- to 29-year-olds, the rates ranged from 15% fully vaccinated as of Thursday in two largely rural districts to 47% in Douglas County, where Omaha is located.

A clearer picture of the level of transmission in the state and its schools is made difficult by Republican Governor Pete Ricketts criminal decision to discontinue public reporting of COVID-19 statistics, including case numbers and vaccinations, for counties with populations under 20,000.

Of Nebraskas 93 counties, only 17 have at least 20,000 people. While those 17 counties make up roughly 80 percent of Nebraskas population, this will compromise the ability to track the spread of the disease in rural communities across the state. Nebraska has also ceased its Test Nebraska program, one that provided easily accessible free testing to state residents.

There is no unified policy in the states school systems over basic safety measures such as masking. Omaha Public Schools (OPS) has a mask mandate for students and staff on school grounds. However, it has not specified the kinds of masks that should be used, provided for proper ventilation in schools or mandated vaccinations for those eligible. Remote teaching and learning is no longer even an option for students.

Even the mask mandate contains major exceptions, such as outdoor activities or while eating or drinking, which will contribute to more infections under conditions where the Delta variant can spread far more easily outdoors and in brief encounters, such as passing an infected individual on the sidewalk.

Other large school districts in the Omaha area, such as Millard Public Schools (MPS), where a staff member died in 2020, are not requiring masks. Millard Public Schools is the third-largest district in the state.

Omaha TV station KETV reported that a cluster of cases has already been identified in MPS Montclair Elementary only five days into the school year. The districts response, however, has been to temporarily close down only the classroom, not the whole school. There is no mask mandate in place and, In an email to KETV, a Millard Public Schools spokesperson said students will have to test negative to return to school after eight days. If they choose not to test, they can return on day 10. They will learn asynchronously in the interim.

Union reps for OPS and Millard have been largely silent on the reopenings. Tim Royers, the president of the Millard Education Association, has said only that the majority of the teachers he represents support the use of masks. According to the Omaha World Herald, Royers said at a recent school board meeting, I want all of our kids to be safe.  There is not a straight path out of this pandemic. Sometimes its two steps forward and one step back, and this is one of those moments.

This is perfectly in line with the national policy of the American Federation of Teachers under President Randi Weingarten, and the National Education Association under its president Becky Pringle, who are spearheading the reopening even as pediatric ICUs continue to fill up nationwide. As Randi Weingarten infamously declared recently, The number one priority is to get kids back in school. In other words, the teachers unions support the corporate campaign to reopen schools in order to send parents back to work making profits for Wall Street.

Within the last two weeks, two children in the US, a teenager in South Carolina and 13-year-old Mkayla Robinson in Raleigh, Mississippi have both died of COVID-19. Among those who survive, however, studies have shown the short and long-term effects of the virus include a loss of IQ between 2 and 7 points, on par with lead poisoning and stroke.
Two auto parts workers were killed in a tragic shooting and attempted abduction in the Plant 1 parking lot of NHK Seating of America at 2298 W. State Road 28 in Frankfort, Indiana on Wednesday afternoon. Both the victims and the suspected shooter were employed at the plant, according to local press reports.

Memorial outside of NHK Seating Plant 1 honoring Promise Mays, 21 and Pamela Sledd, 62

The victims have been identified as Promise Mays, 21, and Pamela Sledd, 62, both of Rossville, Indiana. Sledd is Mays grandmother, and both were shot as they were about to begin their shift after Sledd drove them to the plant.

Workers at NHK seating and family members of the victims are in shock and grieving the loss of their loved ones. They were the most fun-loving, caring two people I have ever been blessed to have in my life, and they would have done anything for anybody, Mays mother and Sledds daughter, Penny Anes, told WISHTV.com Thursday. They always gave words of encouragement. Promise lit up the room, and my mom was always happy and positive.

The suspected shooter was identified by plant employees as Gary Cecil Ferrell, 26. They called the Clinton County authorities after the shooting Wednesday afternoon. Ferrell is currently being held without bond in Clinton County, and the Clinton County prosecutor is seeking the death penalty after a probable cause affidavit filed Friday in Clinton County Superior Court.

The affidavit alleges Ferrell murdered... Mays after he tried to force Mays into the trunk of his car before he shot her outside of the plant and that he shot Sledd three times after she left the car to intervene in the attempted abduction of her granddaughter, according to WTHR Channel 13 News. The Clinton County Sheriff took Ferrell into custody after his car crashed in a high-speed chase.

Surveillance camera footage from the plant reviewed by police and the court apparently shows the shooting and attempted abduction and Ferrell driving away after the victims were shot. It is not clear if plant security was present or attempted to intervene.

The Clinton County Sheriffs Department is currently carrying out an investigation of the shooting. As of Friday, the motive and relationship of the victims to the suspect are still under investigation.

Fellow workers of the victims and residents of the surrounding community have expressed their grief and condolences for the family members and coworkers of the victims in an outpouring of support. In the days since the shooting took place, hundreds have commented, and thousands reacted to social media posts about the tragedy. Employees created memorials to the two women outside of the plant, including painting the pavement of the parking lot in their memory as well as placing flowers outside the plant.

Parking lot memorial for Mays and Sledd outside of NHK Seating Plant 1 (Photo: NHK Seating of America Facebook page)

NHK cancelled production on Thursday, one day after the shooting. But prioritizing profit over the psychological health of its workers, it announced on its Facebook page that Production will resume as previously scheduled on Friday, August 20, 2021 and that all workers would be expected to report to their scheduled shifts unless notified otherwise.

The company also vaguely indicated that counseling would be made available and directed workers to the Mental Health America Crisis Line. Regardless, for workers who have experienced shock and trauma after a shooting of their coworkers, and some of whom may have witnessed the killing itself, forcing workers to return to the workplace almost immediately afterward is nothing less than heartless.

At the time of this writing, NHK Seatings website has no mention of the shooting that took place at Plant 1, nor has it made any statements to the press that it is carrying out an investigation into the incident on its property.

Workers at NHK Seating design and manufacture seats exclusively for Subarus auto assembly plant in nearby Lafayette, Indiana. Subaru recorded annual gross profit of $448,853,475 from March 2020-2021. Like all auto corporations, Subarus profits indicate that during the pandemic and in the midst of the global semiconductor chip shortage the corporation has been able to rely on the deepening exploitation of its workforce to maintain profits.

The companys website and social media pages are filled with advertisements for jobs, indicating a high worker turnover rate. One ad for open interviews advertises 12-hour part-time weekend shifts from 6 a.m-6 p.m., and openings for first and second shift manufacturing jobs. Both are advertised at the near poverty rate of up to $17.50 per hour, meaning that many workers are likely paid even less.

According to a recent study by CNBC, a single person needs to make on average $27,995 per year at minimum in the state of Indiana to afford food, rent, and basic necessities, meaning that many workers at NHK would not make enough to afford to support themselves and their children or a loved one with one source of income alone.

Workers on social media have described high staff turnover rates and intense speedup in order to satisfy Subarus demands. These are the working conditions that an increasing number of auto parts workers throughout the US and the world face in order to satisfy the profit interests of the auto corporations. The low wages and pressures of work in the auto parts industry can take an immense toll on workers family and social lives, exhaust them and break them down mentally and physically.

Some workers and community members commenting on social media have alluded to the growing number of workplace shootings in the US, which includes a shooting that killed eight workers at a FedEx Ground facility in Indianapolis just in April of this year. Commenters made blunt remarks such as American culture and Welcome to the USA. However, these tragedies are a symptom first and foremost of the breakdown of the capitalist system. They are a part of a broader political and social context, directly related to the pursuit of profit by corporations and deepening exploitation of the working class and rapid acceleration of social inequality in the US.

These social conditions can play a role in pushing workers to a breaking point mentally, especially if other conditions which exacerbate mental health issues exist. Along with the gutting of mental health services nationwide by both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, and a normalization and even glorification of violence that predominates in US politics and culture, the social consequences of these conditions can be deadly.
Within less than a week after the reckless August 11 reopening, several New Mexico public schools have closed and reverted to virtual learning due to growing numbers of COVID-19 cases. By Monday, schools in Albuquerque, Belen, Carlsbad, Los Lunas and Roswell had shut down.

Michelle Lujan, now New Mexico governor, speaks at AFGE rally in 2017 (Wikimedia Commons)

Illustrating the disastrous anti-working class role of the unions, by Wednesday two schools in Rio Rancho, where American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten held a press conference August 5 urging full reopening and in-person instruction, closed at least for the remainder of the week. Weingarten later retweeted an article from a local paper entitled Union: RR [Rio Rancho] Schools are Safe. Suffice to say, this has been proven false.

As of Thursday 109 schools around the state recorded at least two COVID-19 cases according to the state Environment Department. Those infected include students, staff and faculty. New Mexico does not report the total number of cases in school or the age distribution of cases, so it is unknown how many children, teachers and staff have so far been infected as a result of school reopenings.

The Delta variant has brought a renewed spike in hospitalizations across New Mexico, overloading the already stressed health care system. Medical director of Presbyterian, Dr. Denise Gonzales, speaking to a local CBS affiliate on August 10, stated that, In Presbyterian hospitals statewide, were experiencing a doubling of cases each week. Three weeks ago, we had about 22 patients, last week about 45 and this week, we nearly have 90 patients hospitalized with COVID.

The report notes, Albuquerque doctors said the virus is now targeting a certain group of people and it now includes kids. The overwhelming majority of patients are unvaccinated.

On August 13, the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) issued an urgent call for volunteer nurses to sign up for the states Medical Reserve Corps. The DOH is appealing to retired health workers or anyone with a medical license to volunteer. More than 2,750 volunteers have been deployed.

With cases per day climbing, state agencies anticipate anywhere from 900 to 1,500 new cases a day by late August or early September. As of August 17, worldometers.info reported that New Mexico had suffered 221,086 total cases and 4,455 deaths.

With this dire and foreseeable situation worsening, Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham held a COVID-19 news conference on August 17, her first since April 28, with her cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Human Services Department, Dr. David Scrace. While presenting facts speaking to the dire nature of the situation, the two none-the-less committed to the full reopening of schools, using vaccinations and masks as the justification.

Grisham asserted the oft-repeated claim that Safe in-person learning is the gold standard.

This policy is focused not on the elimination of the virus and saving lives, but with opening schools so that parents are not preoccupied with child care and can return to producing profits for businesses. Epidemiologists have detailed the necessity of the comprehensive use of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as lockdowns, remote learning and closing of non-essential businesses, bans on mass gatherings, and other measures in putting an end to the pandemic.

COVID-19 hospitalizations nearly doubled from two weeks before, from 180 to 341, and the totals for the day were four new deaths and 749 new cases.

Facemasks are again required in all public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status, effective this Friday until at least September 15. The previous rules aligned with the anti-scientific policy of the CDC, which encouraged the vaccinated not to wear masks as part of Bidens reopening plans, with Biden himself absurdly declaring independence from the virus on the Fourth of July, claiming the vaccinated could unmask. The new mask policy includes all indoor school settings with exceptions for eating and drinking, aligning with the latest US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. How masks are supposed to protect hundreds of children eating together in poorly ventilated school cafeterias from an airborne virus, the guidance does not say.

New Mexico requires all hospital workers, workers in congregate care settings and school personnel to be vaccinated starting August 23, with exempt workers requiring a weekly negative COVID-19 test.

With few exceptions, the Delta variant accounts for all new cases in New Mexico. Dr. Scrace noted the similarity on one line graph between the steep upsurge of August-October 2020 and the current one. Hospitalization, both state and nationwide, is exploding, especially among young people.

Dr. Scrace said, We are seeing significant problems with hospitals filling, problems with transferring people from hospital to hospital, and moving people to higher levels of care when needed. Already this last weekend, we werent able to move people who needed to be moved. Hospitals in New Mexico are approaching level three or crisis level.

Test positivity rates have jumped by almost four times, from 2.5 percent on July 8 to 9.0 percent on August 16. Predictably, the southeastern US, with its lower vaccination rate, is a hotbed of COVID-19 infections, but 24 of New Mexicos 33 counties are now rated Red, i.e., 14 or more cases per 100,000. Six are rated Orange.

One graph modeled the effect of masking all students versus only unvaccinated on all daily cases in New Mexico (not just in schools) and found that in the former, the state would have 1,000 cases per day whereas in the latter, the number would be 1,400. That only 1,000 cases would result from this policy was presented as inevitable, even positive. Virtual learning was not factored into the model.

The question-and-answer period that followed initially seemed to promise a discussion of additional approaches. The first reporter asked, Im just wondering that based on the trends of what were seeing and what hospitals are bracing for, what it is that makes you confident that these two defenses are sufficient for the next month or two and what is the basis of that confidence or are there other defenses that might be re-instituted?

Grisham gave a barely intelligible response, saying, These defenses, particularly masks, weve long seen the science that tells us that it does reduce transmission and given that we are wanting to continue this blossoming economic, both recovering opportunity

She stumbled and rambled on, uh, if we mask, that in and of itself and I can show you the numbers just like we did with the schools, if you have the hybrid, 400 cases more per day, if you dont do a hybrid which is why were no longer doing the hybrid, I can reduce transmission and reduce cases to less than 400 more a day.

She added, We actually do that math and plot it out. Were making tough but necessary decisions right now. That is, the governor is well aware that 1,000 cases a day, and the inevitable deaths, will result from her policy, but that is viewed as an acceptable price to pay for reopening businesses.

Referring to measures other than vaccines and masks, she said, I dont foresee that we have to utilize other tools. She then went on to then admit, But make no mistake, were in a terrible place for health care services and for protecting our health care workers and too many New Mexicans, again, are going to lose their lives, or have long-term chronic illnesses because of the rate of spread of COVID.

Despite the outbreaks that have occurred following the reopening, and the ones that are sure to follow, New Mexico Democrats, like their Republican counterparts, will not take the necessary steps to contain the pandemic and save lives. State authorities cannot be relied on to act in the best interests of teachers, students and parents. As the Texas Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee said in its February 3 statement :

To put an end to these homicidal policies and coordinate their response, education workers in New Mexico must organize independently of the unions and Democrats and form a New Mexico Educators Rank-and-File Safety Committee, joining a network of such committees that have been formed across the country.
Clinical lab scientist Selam Bihon processes upper respiratory samples from patients suspected of having COVID-19 at the Stanford Clinical Virology Laboratory on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, in Palo Alto, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

All over the world, COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths are again on the rise. The United States is again at the epicenter of the pandemic, with over 155,000 COVID-19 cases and 967 deaths officially reported Thursday. The number of breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated people rises each day, underscoring the dangers posed by new variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Falsely downplayed as a disease of the elderly, the virus is increasingly infecting young adults and unvaccinated children. In the second week of August, over 121,000 children tested positive for the virus and a record of over 1,900 were hospitalized in the US alone, figures which are set to skyrocket in the coming weeks amid the full reopening of schools.

At this critical juncture, how is the pandemic to be dealt with?

The battle lines in this global struggle have been clearly drawn. Three basic strategies for approaching the virus have emerged: 1) herd immunity; 2) mitigation; and 3) eradication. The global spread of the highly infectious Delta variant and the drive to fully reopen schools worldwide, despite the well-known risks to children, have sharpened the antagonisms between these three positions and made clear that global eradication is the only scientifically grounded and effective strategy.

Herd immunity

Herd Immunitythe bogus claim that the rapid spread of the virus among the younger and hardier sections of the population will create a human shield around the most vulnerableis not a strategy for fighting the virus and saving lives. It is, rather, a cold-blooded policy aimed at protecting the financial, business and geopolitical interests of the ruling elites, whatever the cost in human lives. It opposes any anti-COVID measures that impinge on these interests, such as lockdowns, school closures and even masking. It promotes distrust and hatred of science, even to the point of encouraging resistance to vaccination.

Herd immunity began as a reckless experiment in Sweden, which refused to implement lockdowns in March 2020 and achieved a death rate nearly 10 times higher than its neighbor Finland. Swedens chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell wrote to his Finnish counterpart on March 13, 2020, One point might speak for keeping schools open in order to reach herd immunity more quickly.

This strategy was given ideological justification by Thomas Friedman of the liberal New York Times, who praised Swedens approach and wrote on March 23, 2020, Is this cure [of lockdowns]even for a short whileworse than the disease?

This phrasethe cure cant be worse than the diseasewas immediately seized upon by Donald Trump in the US, Boris Johnson in the UK, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil, Narendra Modi in India and other fascistic figures. Collectively, the countries that have pursued herd immunity most aggressively account for the vast majority of the estimated over 10 million deaths worldwide.

The herd immunity policy utilizes disinformation campaigns to spread confusion and conspiracy theories within the population, cultivating the most backward and fascistic conceptions. It has no scientific credibility and is based on the application of the 19th century Social Darwinist conception of the survival of the fittest. Its utterly reactionary character was summed up in the words of Boris Johnson, who blurted out last November, No more f***ing lockdowns, let the bodies pile high in their thousands!

Mitigation

The second strategic approach towards the pandemic is so-called mitigation, an amorphous collection of measures that tries to negotiate between the realities of the virus and the financial interests of the ruling elites. This strategy amounts to the epidemiology of the golden mean.

There is a broad spectrum of mitigation measures that limit the spread of COVID-19, including masking, social distancing, testing, contact tracing, isolation of infected patients, ventilation, vaccinations, and others. Such measures have a role to play in reducing the velocity of viral transmission. But they do not lead to the effective containment of the virus and, in the absence of a strategy to sever the chain of viral transmission, can actually become counterproductive.

The two major elements advocated by proponents of the mitigation strategy are vaccinations and masking. Extraordinary claims have been made by the Biden administration in the US, Trudeau in Canada and many others worldwide that the simple combination of these measures will bring an end to the pandemic. These claims are based on a gross distortion of the character of the Delta variant.

First, it has been scientifically proven that the Delta variant is too transmissible and vaccine-resistant for vaccinations alone to put an end to infections. A recent theoretical model by Dr. Malgorzata Gasperowicz at the University of Calgary estimated that with 64 percent of the population fully vaccinated and assuming the vaccines have 60 percent efficacy against the Delta variant, the R (reproduction) number would likely remain at the highly elevated 3.7. Her model found that only through the combination of vaccinations and public health measures including lock-downs would the R number be reduced to 0.86.

Second, the types of masks used by the general public are totally inadequate for the Delta variant, which is vastly more transmissible and produces a viral load roughly 1,000 times higher than the wild type of the virus. Given this extreme viral load, some scientists have estimated that one second of exposure to the Delta variant is equivalent to 15 minutes of exposure to the wild type of the virus, with the widely-used cloth and surgical masks leaving individuals largely unprotected. To make matters worse, the masks are often used improperly by a public that does not clearly understand, as a result of miseducation and false information, the process of viral transmission.

This spring and summer, the Biden administration and other world governments proclaimed the pandemic to be over, presenting the vaccine as a magic bullet and telling vaccinated individuals they could remove masks and throw all caution to the wind. They sanctioned the full reopening of schools, claiming that unvaccinated children could be protected simply by mask-wearing. Within weeks, these falsehoods have been exploded by the reality of mass infections in schools and workplaces throughout the US, including an estimated 35,000 symptomatic breakthrough infections (the infection of vaccinated individuals) each week.

The mantra for the politicians and corporate media who advocate the mitigation strategy is that everyone must learn to live with the virus. Proponents of mitigation fundamentally accept that COVID-19 will become endemic, that there will always be a persistent low level of infections and even periodic surges that strain hospitals to their breaking point. Economically and politically, the mitigation strategy accepts the basic framework that the interests of the corporations cannot be impinged upon.

Mitigation is to epidemiology what reformism is to capitalist politics. Just as the reformist harbors the hope that gradual and piecemeal reforms will, over time, lessen and ameliorate the evils of the profit system, the mitigationists nourish the delusion that COVID-19 will eventually evolve into something no more harmful than the common cold. This is a pipe dream totally divorced from the science of the pandemic.

In reality, as long as the virus spreads it will continue to mutate into new, more infectious, lethal and vaccine-resistant variants that threaten all of humanity. Unless it is eradicated on a world scale, the embers of COVID-19 will continue to burn and create the conditions for the virus to flare up anew.

Those who advocate the mitigation strategy want to negotiate with COVID-19, but the coronavirus refuses to negotiate with them. It is driven not by logical arguments, but by the remorseless laws of viral transmission.

Eradication

Therefore, the only viable strategy is eradication, based on the policies advanced by the foremost epidemiologists, virologists and other scientists throughout the pandemic. Eradication entails the universal deployment of every weapon in the arsenal of measures to combat COVID-19, coordinated on a global scale, to stamp out the virus once and for all.

The mainstream media in every country now advance the lie that the global eradication of COVID-19 is a fantasy. But historical precedents for globally-coordinated eradication efforts exist for Ebola, smallpox, polio, and other diseases, all of which required a massive allocation of resources.

In an analysis presented last week in the international journal BMJ Global Health, Professors Michael Baker and Nick Wilson from the University of Otago, Wellington, determined that the global eradication of COVID19 is theoretically more feasible than for polio but less so than it was for smallpox. They stress that the combination of vaccination programs, broad public health measures and a global interest in combating the disease could make eradication possible worldwide.

The key elements of containing and ultimately eradicating the pandemic are universal testing, contact tracing, the safe isolation of infected patients, the imposition of strict travel restrictions, and the shutdown of all schools and nonessential workplaces. Vaccine production and distribution must be rapidly expanded to quickly inoculate the roughly 5.8 billion people who remain unvaccinated worldwide.

The significance of regular, widespread testing and universal contact tracingwhich have not been implemented in almost every countrycannot be overstated. These methods involve a highly active campaign to locate the virus and cut off its access to human beings. The only vulnerability of the coronavirus is that it relies on a human host to survive and replicate. If deprived of this host, the virus gradually dies off.

All other mitigation measures have a significant role to play, in particular the universal use of high-quality face masks and the renovation of indoor ventilation systems. But these are tactics which must be employed as part of a broader global strategy aimed at eradication. This must entail a relentless campaign of public education and the provision of enormous financial resources by every state to guarantee full income protection for all workers affected by lockdowns.

Undoubtedly, the eradication strategy is difficult. But every correct policy imposes a social cost. The necessary lockdown measures need only last for a few weeks or months, depending on the current rate of transmission in a given country, with travel between countries gradually resumed as they reach zero new cases.

The eradication strategy must be taken up by educators, parents, autoworkers, logistics workers, health care workers and the entire working class internationally in order to put an end to the needless suffering from the pandemic and save millions of lives. The Socialist Equality Party, in support of this program, calls in particular for the immediate shutdown of schools in every country where this policy is being pursued. Those advocating the reopening of schools for in-person learning are essentially calling for children to be sent into burning buildings.

Only a handful of countries have pursued the elimination strategy, including China, New Zealand, and some others, all of which must be studied carefully. However, recent outbreaks in each of these countries, as well as major surges in Australia, Vietnam and other countries that had almost entirely suppressed viral transmission, underscore that the eradication strategy must be global in scope and that no single country can defeat the pandemic alone.

The implementation of the eradication strategy requires the development of a powerful international and unified mass movement of the working class. Only a mass movement that is not driven by the profit motive and fettered to the obsessive pursuit of personal wealth can generate the social force required to compel a change in policy.

The basic principles guiding the eradication strategy are based on science and the insistence that there can be no limit on the amount spent to eradicate COVID-19 worldwide. The social interests of masses of people worldwide interact powerfully with scientific truth.

For this strategy to be successful, its proponents in every country must be imbued with a deep scientific understanding of the pandemic. The working class values and relies on the support of scientists, and the scientific program necessary to eradicate COVID-19 can only be implemented to the extent that great masses of people take up this struggle.

This Sunday, August 22, the WSWS is hosting an international online event involving leading scientists who have advocated for eradication since the start of the pandemic. We urge all our readers worldwide to register today and invite your coworkers, friends and family to attend this historic event.
New Zealands Labour Party-led government has ordered work to start on a final seal at the entrance to the Pike River coal mine. Its aim is to permanently entomb the 29 bodies of the workers who died in a series of underground explosions in November 2010, and to prevent the forensic examination of crucial evidence, including an underground fan, that could establish the precise cause of the disaster.

Family members and supporters protest on July 9, 2021, on the road to the Pike River mine. (Credit: Kath Monk)

An initial seal has already been installed 170 metres inside the drift, the 2.3km entry tunnel. On August 15, in an email to Bernie Monk, whose son died in the mine, Pike River Recovery Agency (PRRA) chief executive Dave Gawn said we currently expect to begin work spraying the 30m seal on 25th August. There is no guarantee that this will be delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown that began on August 18.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arderns government is continuing a decade-long cover-up. Successive governments, state regulators and the entire judicial system have ensured that no one has been prosecuted, despite a mass of evidence that the mine was a death trap, with grossly inadequate methane gas monitoring and ventilation, no emergency exit and other flagrant safety violations. Pike River Coals senior managers and directors have escaped any accountability and many have left the country.

As well as burying the evidence in the mine, the government refuses to lift a 100-year embargo on thousands of pieces of submissions and other evidence given to the 2012 royal commission of inquiry, which would certainly strengthen the case for prosecutions.

The PRRA has only explored the drift and refused to enter the mine workings. Despite Labours repeated promises since its 2017 election campaign to work in partnership with the victims families, the government is ignoring the majority of the families, international mining experts, and thousands of supporters, who oppose the abandonment of the manned underground investigation.

On August 12 the PRRA released information from Rock Doctors Consulting explaining that the 30-metre seal is designed to be permanent, while allowing for relatively easy removal to gain access to the mine at a later stage, if required.

No one should be lulled into complacency by these words. The seal actually consists of two separate concrete seals, 30 metres apart, with the space between to be filled with cementitious material. Rock Doctors says removing all this would take up to 12 weeks of excavation, drilling and chainsaw work, plus another four weeks to remove the 170-metre seal. The aim is to make it as expensive and difficult as possible to re-enter the mine.

Contrary to the governments claims, its decisions have nothing to do with safety or the cost involved. According to mining experts, the mine workings can be safely entered for $8 million, on top of about $50 million spent so far by PRRA. Divided by 29 victims, this sum is less than half the average cost of a murder investigation and trial.

A political decision has been made to protect Pike River Coals management, as well as the state regulatory agencies and the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (now called E tu), which allowed the mine to operate despite knowing about the dangers to workers. Andrew Little, the union leader at the time of the explosion, is now the minister for Pike River re-entry, overseeing the shutdown of the investigation. His immediate response to the disaster in 2010 was to defend the companys safety record. E tu continues to side with the company against the Pike River families, by supporting the governments refusal to investigate the mine workings.

The families application for a judicial review of the legality of the governments decision will not be heard in court until late next month; that is, after the government aims to have sealed the mine.

Sharp political lessons must be drawn from these experiences. Appeals to politicians, unions and the courts will not prevent the mine from being sealed. The decade-long fight for truth shows that the families and their supporters are in a political fight against the entire capitalist political establishment, the judicial system, and the union bureaucracy.

The National Party government promised in the lead-up to the 2011 election that it would re-enter the mine, only to renege the following year. Nationals plan to seal the mine forever was only stopped when families and supporters blockaded the road to the mine in late 2016, an action which gained widespread support from workers, small business owners and farmers throughout the country.

When the Labour Party came to power in 2017 in a coalition with the Greens and New Zealand First, the families had faith that it would properly investigate the disaster and recover vital evidence to bring charges against those responsible.

The World Socialist Web Site, however, warned that the governments pledges cannot be trusted any more than Nationals. We wrote that Labours priority was to prevent continuing protests over the disaster [from becoming] a focal point for broader working-class opposition to poverty wages, dangerous working conditions, and a regulatory and judicial system rigged in favour of big business and the rich.

We noted that the appointment of the former EPMU leader Little as the minister in charge of Pike River, and former NZ Army chief Dave Gawn as the PRRA chief executive, showed that the re-entry project will be guided, above all, by the needs of big business and the political elite.

The entire political establishment was complicit in creating the conditions that led to the Pike River disaster. It was the foreseeable outcome of decades of privatisation and deregulation of the mining industry, by successive Labour and National governments, aimed at maximising corporate profits.

As New Zealands first major private coal mine specifically developed to supply the world market, Pike River was competing against companies, backed by governments and trade unions, that were fighting to maintain their edge by pushing up productivity and cutting costs at the expense of workers. In 2010, practices similar to those at Pike River contributed to fatal mine disasters in Turkey, China, Russia, and the US state of West Virginia.

Only the intervention of the working class, independently of the unions and every party in parliament, can stop the sealing of Pike River mine. For workers, in New Zealand and around the world it is a matter of life and death for the causes of such disasters to be fully investigated and measures taken to prevent them happening again. The working class has a right to know.

The fight for truth and justice for the 29 workers who died underground in 2010 must be linked to the emerging movement among workers, in New Zealand and internationally, who are demanding safe workplaces and an end to all policies which prioritise corporate profits ahead of workers lives.

The unions role both before the disaster and in the ongoing cover-up vindicates the analysis of these organisations by the International Committee of the Fourth International, and its call for the establishment of rank-and-file workplace committees controlled by workers themselves. In every country, the unions act as the adjuncts of the corporations and the state. This can be seen most clearly in the role they are playing in the United States, UK and other countries enforcing homicidal back-to-work and back-to-school orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, paving the way for hundreds of thousands more hospitalisations and deaths.

In New Zealand, the Ardern government is relying on the union bureaucracy to enforce its pro-business response to the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic. It has given out tens of billions in business subsidies and bailouts, kept corporate tax rates low, and encouraged rampant speculation in the property market, leading to soaring housing costs.

Workers are seeking to fight back against brutal austerity measures. Tens of thousands of nurses and midwives have held nationwide strikes, demanding better pay and more staffing. Understaffing has made public hospitals increasingly unsafe for both workers and patients. The system is completely unprepared for a serious COVID-19 outbreak.

There is widespread support for the Pike River families and disgust at the lack of justice and accountability for the disaster. This has been expressed in an online petition signed by thousands of people, thousands of Facebook comments, and dozens of letters published by the WSWS.

Protest action taken by the Pike River families has previously gained significant support, and has been able to force work to stop on sealing the mineboth in late 2016 and, briefly, during July 2021. Lessons must be drawn, however, from the entire 10-year struggle to stop the sealing of the mine, retrieve the 29 bodies and thoroughly investigate the disaster.

To oppose the cover-up, the families and their supporters need to know who they are pitted against: Labour and National governments; the other parliamentary parties, including NZ First and the Greens; the trade unions, whose role is to police the working class on behalf of the state and corporations; and the entire state apparatus including the courts, the police and the agencies that paved the way for the disaster.

On the other side stands the New Zealand, Australian and international working class that must be turned to for support. Protest alone is not enough. What is required is a new political perspectivea socialist programand the creation of entirely independent organisations of the working class which will oversee and organise the safe retrieval of the dead miners and the process of investigation. These rank-and-file committees will also organise the safety measures necessary for all sections of the working class.

The Ardern government is determined to seal Pike River mine as quickly as possible once the present lockdown is lifted. We call on workers in New Zealand and internationally to intervene to stop this from happening.

To break through the corporate medias blackout of the families struggle, we urge readers to share this statement widely and send us your own statements opposing the governments actions. Organise meetings in your workplace, university or school and pass resolutions to demand an immediate halt to all work on sealing Pike River mine; and a thorough, independent investigation of the mine workings to uncover the full truth about the disaster and hold those responsible to account.
Another cruel aspect of the virulent Delta variant is the rate at which pregnant women, largely unvaccinated, are giving birth to their newborn babies desperately ill or as their final act before succumbing to COVID-19.

A number of counties and hospital systems throughout the country are reporting concerning spikes in the numbers of pregnant women admitted to hospital and growing numbers of deaths. Pregnant women infected with the virus have an increased risk of progressing to a more severe illness.

A pregnant woman waits in line for groceries with hundreds during a food pantry, sponsored by Healthy Waltham for those in need due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, at St. Mary's Church in Waltham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The virulent Delta variant which is spreading quickly throughout the globe is putting increasing numbers of pregnant women in the ICU. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of Friday August 20, a total of 18,262 pregnant women have been hospitalized from a known 107,532 total cases. More than 14,500 have been placed in intensive care and 10,003 of those have been ventilated. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths among pregnant women stands at 128.

Vaccination rates among pregnant women are alarmingly low, with the CDC reporting on August 11 that only 23 percent have received at least one dose and some 77 percent of expecting women remain unvaccinated.

First time Florida mother Kristen McMullen, 30, began developing symptoms three weeks prior to her due date. After a four-day hospital stay she was sent home with antibiotics but would return within 48 hours unable to breathe. Upon admittance, doctors performed an emergency C-section as her husband Keith was forced to wait at home. McMullen was able to hold her newborn daughter Summer Reign once before being moved to the ICU moments after giving birth. She then saw her daughter only through FaceTime before dying 10 days later on August 6. She leaves behind her husband Keith and newborn daughter.

Greyzie Miller, a young Jacksonville mother died August 15 after battling COVID-19 for weeks after giving birth to her baby girl. A fundraiser for her family said Greyzie was 31 weeks pregnant when doctors suggested an emergency cesarean section. Evie Aura Miller was born nine weeks prematurely and placed in the NICU. Greyzie was put into an induced coma with a ventilator which she was on for 17 days before her left lung and then right lung collapsed, and eventually her heart gave out, according to the GoFundMe page. She leaves behind her newborn baby girl, Evie, her two-year-old son, Silas, and her fiance, David Miller who was able to take his newborn daughter home the day after Greyzie died.

An anonymous newborn girl was left orphaned in Mississippi when both the babys parents died of COVID-19. WBRC Birmingham reported that the unnamed mother was 32 years old and in good health. She was admitted to a Mississippi hospital with COVID-19 complications and died within one week. Her last act was giving birth to her baby girl. The young mother was one of two pregnant women who passed away from COVID-19 in Mississippi last week. The child is receiving emergency pediatric care at University of Alabama at Birmingham. The babys father also tragically died of the virus, leaving her a ward of the state.

Pregnant Louisiana mother Lacresanna Williams, 21, of Shreveport, and her 42-year-old mother Victoria Williams died of COVID-19 just one day apart. Lacresanna tested positive for the virus during a routine checkup. The very next day, she died after delivering her baby via emergency C-section. Her aunt, Cassandra Martin, told TV station KSLA that the news sent Williams mother, Victoria Williams, into a panic. Victoria Williams did not tell her family that she had also contracted COVID-19. The 42-year-old woman died the following day. The infant is Lacresannas second child, in addition to a 1-year-old baby. Her grandmother, Earlie Williams, told KSLA: She loses her life and leaves two precious babies here. And right behind her she loses her momma. She left five kids.

Paige Ruiz, a 32-year-old Fort Worth, Texas mother of two died on August 15. Ruiz was the coordinator of student learning outcomes and federal programs for the Joshua Independent School District. She was due to have her baby on July 30 and she tested positive for COVID-19 just days before, on July 24. Ruiz had to go to the emergency room with difficulty breathing. Doctors performed an emergency C-section on August 2. She was taken off intubation and began to recover before having complications that took her life on August 15. Ruizs mother Robin Zinsou noted to WFAA I kept asking her, Have you talked to the doctor about getting the vaccine? and she said, 'No, mom. Im going to wait until after I have the baby. In the two weeks before Ruiz took a turn for the worst, Zinsou recalled, She texted me and said, Mom, I wish I got vaccinated. ... She was texting her friends and her sisters and said, you know anyone who isnt vaccinated, beg them to get vaccinated. She leaves behind her husband Daniel, 2-year-old daughter Joanna and newborn Celeste.

Young 24-year-old North Kansas City mother Braxten Goodwin died of COVID-19 two weeks after going into emergency labor. Goodwins family stated that she had planned to get vaccinated after giving birth. Goodwin leaves behind her 22-month-old daughter Nova and newborn son Levite. Her mother, Tamika Horton, told Fox4 Kansas City, She wanted to go home. She said I want to go home and before she went to the ICU she was like, she was kind of scared she said. She was scared. Goodwin never got to meet Levite. Soon after he was born she was put on a ventilator and died August 2. Horton said her daughters last words to her were calling for her daughter Nova.

In Palm Beach, Florida a group of concerned obstetric and gynecological physicians held a rare press briefing on Thursday at the Jupiter Medical Center to urge vaccinations of pregnant women as the hospital has seen anywhere from two to five pregnant patients being admitted to the hospital daily. The physicians, who represented nine practices in the area, reported pregnant or post-partum patients in the ICU over the last six to eight weeks.

Dr. Dudley Brown, Chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Jupiter Medical Center told the Palm Beach Post, Given that, my colleagues and I decided we needed to speak to the public on a larger and bigger platform to inform the community about the dangers and about what we are seeing at the hospital affecting our pregnant and non-pregnant patients.

Doctors in Minneapolis, Minnesota, are also reporting concerns of a rise in pregnant women becoming critically ill with COVID-19. Dr. Sarah Cross with University of Minnesotas Masonic Childrens Hospital reported to CBS Minnesota that she has seen a marked increase in recent weeks with pregnancy creating a high-risk condition for COVID-19 patients.

Cross emphasized the dangerous situation pregnant mothers are in, noting that There are a lot of exposures, and pregnant women dont have the luxury, in general, usually, of being able to really isolate themselves.

Dr. Ryan Loftin, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal fetal medicine at Allina Health, also expressed concern to CBS Minnesota over a number of breakthrough cases in vaccinated mothers, but noted, What we are seeing in our numbers is that about 86% of COVID cases that were seeing in pregnant women are women who are unvaccinated, which fits with what were seeing nationally. Loftin warned about the danger COVID-19 poses to expectant mothers: It can be as severe as it is in anyone else, requiring intubation, mechanical ventilation and even including deaths of pregnant women because of severe illness.

Dr. Mark Turrentine, an obstetrics professor at Baylor College of Medicine, who is also the co-chair of a COVID-19 work group for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) told NPR, We have a highly infectious variant of COVID-19 virus in a group of individuals that the majority are not immunized. So yeah, we are seeing a lot of sick people. ... There is a threefold increase of intensive care unit admission, a two-and-half-fold increased risk of being put on mechanical ventilation or bypass support, and theres even, you know, a little over a one-and-a-half-fold increased risk of death.

I have seen some pregnant women get really sick. I mean, I have seen some die, said Turrentine. And you know, you go into this business as an obstetrician gynecologist because patients are young and they are healthy. And most of the time you have great outcomes. This is a bad virus.

In Los Angeles, County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer called on pregnant women to get vaccinated this past Monday after a recent 300 percent increase in weekly cases among pregnant women, noting that at least 27 cases of infection with COVID-19 were reported for the week that ended June 27, which jumped to 81 cases that were reported during the week ending July 25. Los Angeles County reported at least 11,264 confirmed COVID-19 cases among pregnant women as of August 10, 12 of whom have died.

Only as of last Wednesday, August 11 did the CDC update its guidelines to strongly recommend all pregnant women get vaccinated in light of rising numbers of unvaccinated pregnant women becoming seriously ill. The agency now warns that pregnant women who contract COVID-19 are more likely to have a severe infection, be hospitalized and require a ventilator. The updated CDC guidance follows a recent analysis of data on 2,500 pregnant women who received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy. It found no effect on miscarriages which remained within the normal range of 13 percent.

A week prior to the CDC announcement the two leading organizations representing physicians and scientists who specialize in obstetric careACOG and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine recommended that all who are pregnant get vaccinated.

A number of families of the deceased report that the majority of the mothers who have passed were hesitant about potential dangers to their pregnancy since pregnant women were not included in vaccine trials. Additionally, families report that individual providers and national agencies have lacked uniformity in vaccine guidance prior to the recent ACOG and CDC recommendations.
In Australia, as internationally, school teachers and students are on the front lines of a highly dangerous ruling class campaign to eliminate COVID-19 restrictions and open up economic activity, for the benefit of big business and finance capital.

The Committee for Public Education (CPFE) calls on all teachers, school workers, students, and working families to mobilise against the school reopening drive in Sydney, and other parts of Australia, experiencing dangerous waves of Delta-variant COVID-19. The lives and well-being of educators and students must not be sacrificed upon the high altar of corporate profit!

Utah school teacher Emily Johnson protests with other teachers at the Utah State Capitol, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Rank-and-file safety committees need to be formed in every school, to organise the widest discussion on the necessary steps going forward, including the preparation of strike action, to prevent a return to classroom learning in unsafe conditions. The CFPE is holding an online meeting on Sunday, August 22, 1 p.m. (AEST) to discuss these vital issues. Please register here and promote the event among educators, students, colleagues and friends!

Enormous anger and opposition within the working class immediately emerged in opposition to the initial moves to wind down online remote learning.

In New South Wales (NSW), the epicentre of the COVID-19 Delta-variant upsurge, the state Liberal-National state government was forced to back down from its plan, announced last month, to dragoon all Year 12 students and their teachers back into the schools.

The temporary retreat came after an outpouring of opposition. Several student-initiated online petitions were signed by thousands. One declared: This reckless plan seriously risks the health of our staff, our communities, and of high school students everywhere. We cannot sit back and watch as the education system prioritises our grades and our output over our wellbeing. [] Our state governments unwillingness to implement an effective quick lockdown, made even worse by the federal government's botched vaccine rollout, put us here in the first place. We must not pay the price for the governments failures.

Among teachers, anger was directed at the NSW Teachers Federation as well as at the government. Working conditions were a joke as it is, and then the government once again demonstrates what little regard it has for our profession, one teacher wrote on the unions Facebook page. It seems we are disposable. Talking and stamping our feet is getting us nowhere. Why isn't the Federation taking stronger action? What are we paying you for?

Around the globe, the teacher unions have played the driving role in campaigns for schools reopening. In the United States, for example, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (salary $560,000 per year) declared this month that the number one priority was not teacher and student safety, but rather to get kids to be back in school.

In Australia, the teacher unions, including the NSW Teachers Federation and the Australian Education Union, have blocked any independent action by teachers and school workers to protect themselves and their students. The NSWTF and AEU have functioned as mouthpieces of federal and state governments, and their health departments, insisting that educators could not challenge any of the official guidelines, even when they involved working onsite amid community transmission of COVID-19.

With rank-and-file safety committees, the widest discussion needs to be developed and defence actions prepared, including strike action.

Significant numbers of teachers and students are already being put at risk. The NSW governments partial retreat on a full reopening of the schools, for Year 12 students and teachers, has been replaced with deliberately confusing and complicated local area guidelines. Schools in Sydney that are not part of the 12 worst affected local government areas, and those in regional NSW, currently allow Year 12 students access to their schools for up to two hours a day, four days a week.

This provision, according to New South Wales education minister Sarah Mitchell, is to accommodate students who, for one reason or another, might be struggling with a particularly important learning concept from home, and for those who need some mental health or wellbeing support, or reassurance from a teacher or an educator that they trust.

What a fraud! Regarding important learning conceptsthese can easily be postponed for teaching and learning, in conditions other than a mass pandemic with limited vaccinations. There is no reason why the high stakes Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams cannot be cancelled, and school-based assessments and other criteria used to process university applications for 2022. As far as mental health or wellbeing support go, federal and state governments have demonstrated their utter indifference to these considerations. For years, public schools have had to manage, with grossly inadequate funding, for mental health and wellbeing services.

There is little doubt that some schools, especially elite private institutions, whose prestige is tied to HSC exam scores, will use the two-hour face to face teaching blocs for intensive drilling sessions.

These arrangements underscore that the governments backdown, on a full resumption of Year 12 face-to-face teaching, represents only a temporary retreat. The two hours a day allotment is the thin end of the wedge, with the government seeking to accustom people to conducting classroom activities during the pandemic surge, paving the way for a wider reopening, as people are forced to live with the virus. Meanwhile, in very real danger are the thousands of teachers and students travelling extensive distances, often on public transport, across Sydney, to reach their classrooms for two-hour learning sessions.

Previous government claims that coronavirus poses minimal risk to children and young adults have been repeatedly disproved. The Delta variant is especially threatening.

In the latest NSW outbreak, between 25-30 percent of all infections have affected people aged 0-19. Children and teenagers have been hospitalised including in ICU and a 15-year-old school-aged boy has died from COVID-19. In neighbouring Victoria, the proportion is even higher, with 45 percent of all active COVID-19 cases being children and teenagers. Schools have served as vectorsin the latest infection upsurge at least 65 schools, as well as 150 childcare centres, have had to be closed due to student or staff infections. Hospitalisations are increasing, in line with international experiences in Europe, North America, and elsewhere. The inevitable outcome of the schools reopening drive will be significant levels of death and injury, including complex physiological and neurological effects from long COVID.

The vaccine rollout debacle represents another indictment of the Australian ruling class. Vaccination rates are near the bottom of all advanced economies. Shortages have been managed with a view, not towards protecting the most vulnerable, but rather towards reopening the economy as quickly as possible. This is why vaccines were removed from regional NSWtriggering numerous cancellations of vaccination bookings, including for teachers and school workersand redirected to Year 12 students in Sydney. The vaccination crisis has been sharply exposed by the COVID-19 outbreak in Aboriginal communities in western NSW, with dozens of children among the infected.

The pandemic has exposed the class divide that wracks the Australian education system. The countrys schools are among the most unequal in the world. Successive Labor and Liberal governments have funnelled vast public funds into private schools, including the most elite, that are impossible to access for the vast majority of the population. Even within the public education system, a divide has been engineered between selective and high performing schools, usually within the affluent inner suburbs, and outer suburban and regional working-class schools. Less affluent schools, with disadvantaged students, have been starved of the necessary resources to deal with the complex educational and psychological needs of their students, and many are wracked by staffing shortages and related crises.

Across Sydney and NSW, teachers were, for months, denied priority status for vaccination. This week, teachers in the worst affected areas became eligible, though many are being asked to work on site, despite an at least two month delay before two vaccine doses take proper effect. Access remains difficultthough several private schools in Sydney have organised school-based vaccinations, for their staff and students, circumventing the vaccination hub queues.

Rank-and-file safety committees must be built in every school across the country. They must be joined with similar committees that are being developed in schools and workplaces around the world, through the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC).

The Committee for Public Education proposes the following measures:

No return to school in any area where there is COVID-19 community transmission! The only children who ought to be on site are those of emergency workers, who do not have other family to care for them, and this must be organised with the strictest safety precautions.

Cancel all end-of-year exams for senior students! No student or exam supervisor ought to have their lives threatened by entirely avoidable face-to- face assessments. University and other post-school applications can be equitably processed on the basis of teacher judgment and online classroom assessment.

Close nonessential workplaces, providing full financial and social support for parents who must stay home with their children until the pandemic is contained.

Full funding and resources for high-quality remote learning, including high-speed broadband access for all, and expert technical support to train and assist educators.

Proper personal protective equipment and other necessary supplies for all school staff. Nurses and medical professionals must be allocated to every school, with vaccinations made available to every student, school worker, and nearby residents. Thousands more cleaners, provided with proper cleaning equipment, should be employed to stop the spread of the virus and to overcome decades of neglect in public schools. Publicly-funded psychologists must be made available to students who are at risk from the disruption and potential trauma of their interrupted education.

No teacher should be victimised for calling attention to unsafe conditions! Teachers voices must be heard and acted on to protect safety and lives. All gag measures, such as public service codes of conduct, which restrict teachers from speaking publicly about what is happening in the schools, must be eliminated. Ongoing and accessible information must be provided of COVID-19 outbreaks at schools.

Workloads must be reduced, including through lowered face-to-face teaching hours. Teachers should not be expected to do both online learning and in-class teaching, adding to an already unbearable workload. Those continuing online learning must be provided with extra time and professional development, and technical assistance to develop online skills. The employment of extra staff necessary to conduct such teaching as permanents and on full salary.

The sweeping measures necessary will require billions of dollars to sustain. Any claim there is no money is a self-interested lie, promoted by a wealthy corporate aristocracy and the Labor and Coalition governments that serve it. The vast sums that have been transferred to the financial elite since the pandemic began must be redirected to public education, healthcare and to meeting the social needs of ordinary people.

These demands, crucial to ensuring the safety of educators and of all workers, can only be realised through a political struggle against state and federal governments, and the capitalist profit system they defend. The experiences of the past months have demonstrated that the basic social rights of workers are incompatible with a society subordinated to the dictates of big business.

The CFPE calls for the widest discussion among educators on the necessity for a socialist program, which would involve the establishment of a workers government, the transformation of the banks and largest corporations into publicly-owned utilities under the democratic control of the working class and free, high-quality education for all, from kindergarten to the tertiary level.

We encourage all educators, students, and working people to attend our public meeting that will be discussing these issues, and hearing reports from the United States and Sri Lanka, on the situation in schools internationally.

Register in advance and promote the meeting among educators, students, colleagues and friends!

Details: Sunday, August 22, 1 p.m. (AEST), register here.

The CFPE urges all educators and students to contact us to discuss taking forward the fight for safe working conditions.

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: @CFPE_Australia
Telstra name painted on the side of a phone booth in Sydney, Australia. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) has begun negotiations with Telstra over a new enterprise agreement (EA) covering thousands of technicians at Australias largest telecommunications corporation.

The formerly government-owned entity announced plans in March to split the company into four business units, InfraCo-Fixed, InfraCo-Towers, ServeCo and Telstra International.

Telstra is aiming to establish separate EAs in each of these business units, atomising the workforce and further constraining workers already limited rights to oppose attacks on their jobs, pay and conditions. Under Australias draconian Fair Work Act, Telstra workers will be barred from defending the rights of their colleagues in other business units.

The CEPU, which backs the entire Fair Work framework, is also facilitating this attempt to divide workers. It stated on July 23: The Union bargaining team has not yet had time to consider this issue in any great depth, but at this stage, our position remains thatwe still prefer one agreement for the Telstra group workforce.

These assertions have no credibility whatsoever. Telstra is in the final stages of a four-year restructure that the unions have enforced. The company first indicated its plans to split the business late last year, and confirmed them in March. The union does not want to openly endorse the carve-up, because of widespread opposition among workers, and so, instead, claims that it is still considering the issue. In the weeks since, no further statement has been issued.

The CEPU has not opposed any of Telstras other flagged demands, and has informed members it is willing to negotiate on all matters. The union has not yet issued any log of claims. In other words, everything is on the table, and the starting point of negotiations is what cuts to pay, conditions and jobs the CEPU is able to ram through.

Telstra is angling for increased flexibility, including split shifts and work outside of normal hours. The company claims that some basic conditions, in the existing agreement, such as 36.75-hour weeks, 15 weeks sick leave and its above industry standard redundancy package will be retained.

Telstra indicated it would also be seeking to have the changes included in a variation to the Telstra Award 2015, which can only be altered by application to Australias pro-business industrial court, the Fair Work Commission.

In negotiations for the current EA, the CEPU agreed to meagre pay increases of just 1.8 percent in 2019-20, and 2 percent in 2020-21, less than the annual increase in the cost of living at the time.

As the final touches are put on the union-management agreement, around 2,000 Telstra workers stand to lose their jobs before the end of the year. A further 1,600 workers, indirectly employed by the company, also face the scrapheap.

These cuts are the final stage in Telstras three-year $1 billion T22 cost-cutting program, which has destroyed at least 8,000 jobs since it was announced in June 2018.

While the CEPU has bemoaned the cuts, it has ensured that they proceed without opposition. The union has suppressed widespread anger among workers, ensured that no action has been carried out against the cuts, and has promoted the companys bogus employee assistance and career transition programs, as well as vague promises of possible redeployment for some laid-off staff.

Telstras T22 cost-reduction plan followed a $3 billion restructure investment announced in 2016, which was the first stage in preparing Telstra for its expansion into Australias $50 billion government-funded monopoly National Broadband Network company (NBN Co). The restructure involved creating a wholly-owned infrastructure business unit, Telstra InfraCo, with the plan that this would allow Telstra to incorporate NBN Co into its business.

Under the plan, all of Telstras infrastructure assets, along with close to 3,000 employees, were transferred into Telstra InfraCo, which then sold its services to Telstra, to wholesale customers and to NBN Co. Rather than transferring employees across to the newly formed Telstra InfraCo, Telstra intended to terminate current employees, forcing them to re-apply for their old jobs in the new business unit. This was eventually abandoned amid widespread opposition.

Telstras move to use Telstra InfraCo to buy into NBN Co was dealt a blow in 2019. Federal Communications Minister Paul Fletcher made it clear that Telstras vertical structure, including retail, as well as Telstra InfraCo, meant it could not legally own the NBN wholesale network. This meant that Telstra needed to carry out further restructuring, to fully decouple its non-retail and infrastructure business.

In March this year, Telstra announced that it had begun the process of splitting its business operations into four subsidiaries, under a holding company called Telstra HoldCo, in which shareholders will hold assets. The four subsidiaries are InfraCo-Fixed (the physical infrastructure assets including the fibre and exchanges that form Telstras fixed telecom network), InfraCo-Towers (mobile network tower assets), ServCo (the customer-facing side) and Telstra International (international business including undersea cables).

In June, Telstra announced the sale of 49 percent equity in InfraCo-Towers, to raise $2.8 billion, half of which was returned to shareholders in dividends. The sale boosted Telstras stock by 25 percent, compared with the beginning of 2021.

This sale of Telstras mobile towers to a well-heeled consortium, consisting of the Future Fund, the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation and Sunsuper, was aimed at putting InfraCo-Towers in a strong position to raise the investment capital needed to expand the mobile phone infrastructure network.

Telstra CEO Andy Penn said he intended going the same way with InfraCo-Fixed. This would better position the subsidiary to independently raise investment capital to make a strong bid for a stake in NBN Co.

These major restructure developments will inevitably mean further attacks on the jobs and working conditions of Telstra employees. The record of the CEPU demonstrates that it will seek to impose every demand of Telstra and its ultra-wealthy shareholders. Over the last decade, the union has overseen and enforced the destruction of tens of thousands of permanent jobs, and the massive growth of insecure contract positions.

A fight against the ongoing cuts required a complete break with the CEPU. Workers at Telstra should form rank-and-file committees, independent of the unions, to coordinate a unified struggle, across the company and all of its divisions, and, more broadly, throughout the sector, to oppose all sackings and to fight for the social right to full-time, permanent employment with decent pay and conditions.

Workers must reject the subordination of their jobs and livelihoods, and crucial social infrastructure, to the profit demands of a tiny corporate elite. Telstra, and the other major telecommunications companies, must be placed under public ownership and democratic workers control, to meet the needs of workers and society as a whole. That requires a fight for a workers government and for socialism.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind.(WTHI)- President Biden is mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for all staff who work at nursing homes. If staff refuse to do so, they will lose Medicare and Medicaid funding.

This decision is in an effort to keep COVID-19 cases out of nursing homes. According to the latest government data, the percent of vaccinated staff per facility nationally is 61-percent. In Indiana, that number is 54-percent and in Illinois, that number is 61-percent.

President Biden hopes this new change will encourage staff to get vaccinated.

Some are worried this decision may cause some employees to quit.

The Director of Nursing at Meadows Manor East in Terre Haute, Nedra Bridgewaters, shares why she thinks getting vaccinated is important.

"It's important because it's not only for the safety of the staff but for the residents. this is their home and I think we have to do everything we can to keep them safe," says Bridgewaters.

One resident at the nursing home, Nina Hobbs, shares she hopes those who are hesitant get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

"I feel protected with the staff, I have two daughters, I wish they would get the shots to be protected, but they are afraid to get the shots," says Hobbs.

See the data here.

Continue to follow our coverage of President Biden's decision to stay informed.


TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Seven years - that's how long it took for one Terre Haute man to catch his breath.

Timothy Davis suffers from a genetic condition called Alpha-1. It's a condition where the liver doesn't release enough protein to protect the lungs. Alpha-1 can be treated, but there is no cure.

His wife Donna Davis says she thought he was in his final years.

"He was going down pretty fast though. I would've been surprised for him to be around in two-three years."

Because of his condition, Davis needed a double lung transplant.

Standing at 6' 4", finding a set of lungs that would work for his build was no easy task.

"The average-sized lungs for a guy 6'4" is 8.5 liters and mine are 11 liters," Davis said.

Davis packed up his life and moved to Cleveland for a year, in hopes of finding a donor.

He was finally transferred to Duke Hospital in North Carolina in early August, where it took 11 days to get the lungs he prayed for after almost a decade.

"If you know me you know I'm persistent, Davis said. "I came down to Duke, and I heard they were the bomb."

Davis considers himself lucky. His late brother had the same condition but was never diagnosed.

Davis got the life-changing call on August 2, his brother's birthday.

After years of not being able to do the things he loves, he says, "It's going to be hard to hold me down now."

Davis turned 53 yesterday and with his new lungs, he can look forward to being able to blow out his birthday candles for years to come.
CARLYLE, Ill. (AP)  A southern Illinois county agreed to pay a nurse $35,000 to settle her lawsuit alleging she was fired for refusing to tell local law enforcement which residents had tested positive for the coronavirus.

The payment to nurse Diane Kuhl is part of an out-of-court settlement revealed by documents the Belleville News-Democrat obtained this week in response to an open records request.

Under the settlement, the county will pay $10,000 and its insurer will pay the $25,000 balance. Both sides are responsible for their own legal fees and Clinton County denies fault, liability or wrongdoing under the settlement, the newspaper reported.

She got the relief that she was seeking in court, which was to make up for the lost wages and benefits she suffered because of this wrongful termination, said Carl Draper, Kuhls attorney.

Ben Jacobi, an attorney representing the county, declined to comment on the settlements terms.

Kuhl worked as a part-time nurse for the Clinton County Health Department for four years before she was fired in April 2020, according to the lawsuit filed in August 2020 in Clinton County Circuit Court.

It alleged that the departments then-interim administrator told Kuhl to provide names and addresses of COVID-19 patients to the Clinton County Sheriffs Department and police chiefs in municipalities so they could take extra precautions when responding to 911 calls.

Her suit argued that it would have been illegal for her to provide the information to outside agencies under federal and state laws that protect patient privacy. In addition, she could have faced disciplinary action, including the loss of her nursing license, the complaint alleged.

Draper also characterized the administrators request as unnecessary, noting that the Illinois Department of Public Health was already recommending that first responders behave as if everyone was contagious, as a precaution.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Mississippi's only Level 1 trauma center and teaching hospital announced Friday it will now mandate all employees and students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The policy is a reversal from a rule put in place last month that allowed employees or students to skip the vaccine if they agreed to wear an N95 mask while on campus.

In a letter Friday, a top official at the University of Mississippi Medical Center said it's time for the institution to take aggressive action. Mississippi has the highest per capita rate of new COVID-19 cases in the United States, according to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 case tracker.

COVID-19 in Mississippi is a raging wildfire but not everyone is helping throw water on the flames in their own backyard, wrote Dr. Alan Jones, University of Mississippi Medical Center's associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs. We  as an institution and as the workforce for the states leading health system  need to be a leader in this fight.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center's policy requires that employees and students be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1.

Vaccinations will be required to be completed in phases: By Sept. 15, all managers and supervisors must be vaccinated; by Oct. 1, all other employees; by Nov. 1, all students.

Those who refuse vaccination may face corrective action up to and including termination or dismissal, according to Jones's letter. He said those seeking accommodations must submit requests by Sept. 10.

Mississippians getting vaccinated is the most effective weapon in the arsenal as we battle this pandemic, he wrote.

COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Mississippi are being recorded at levels not previously seen during the pandemic  1,660 people were hospitalized with the virus in the state on Wednesday.

The Johns Hopkins tracker showed that as of Thursday, Mississippi had 120 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents. Louisiana was next-highest at 113 cases per 100,000, then Florida at 102.
JACKSON, Miss (WTVA) -- Mississippi health leaders hope a new isolation order will encourage people with COVID-19 to self-isolate.

Late Friday afternoon, state health officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs issued a mandate ordering all people, vaccinated or not, who test positive for COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a minimum of 10 days .

People who fail to do so could face a $500 fine, six months in jail or both.

This updated order applies to all people regardless of vaccination statues.

It also states that people must remain at home or in an appropriate residential location for 10 days from the onset of the illness or 10 days from the date of the positive test for those who are asymptomatic.

A negative test for COVID-19 is not required to end isolation at the end of 10 days, but you must be fever free for at least 24 hours with

improvement of other symptoms.

Mississippi schools, K-12, are required to exclude all students and faculty diagnosed with the virus from school settings during the isolation period.

Click here to read the entire release.
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA)  Politicians and physicians do not always send the same message when it comes to COVID, and that is the case concerning whether children should wear masks in schools.

"There are negative consequences to children who [are] still growing, whose faces are still forming," said U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker when asked this week about children and masking. "There's science to say that wearing a mask does affect their development. Children that need glasses, children [who] wear glasses...are extremely disadvantaged if they're wearing a mask."

The senator from Tupelo said his school-age grandchildren in the Jackson area are wearing masks, and he supported the position taken by Gov. Tate Reeves who is leaving the decision about masking in schools to local districts rather than issue a statewide mask mandate.

Reeves has been critical of the recommendations about masking, however. He said masking takes away the incentive for people to get vaccinated. Reeves and Wicker both recommend that people should get the vaccine against the coronavirus as do state and federal health leaders.

But those health leaders have been consistent in their recommendation that masking in schools is the best way to stop the spread of COVID, especially since children under 12 cannot get vaccinated and since the delta variant is spreading like wildfire in Mississippi.

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs acknowledged this week there is a challenge with masking for children if they have speech issues and they are working with a therapist. Still, he believes masking is the best way to keep children in school.

"We do know that they [masks] are effective at preventing transmission of COVID in the school setting. There is strong data to support that," said Dobbs.

"We're recommending it for now. This isn't something that should be a forever sort of situation. The delta surge is a specifically damaging thing, and we know that a lot of kids are gonna get it."

But what does the science say about whether it is safe for children to wear masks?

The fact-checking website PolitiFact tried to answer that question recently. The site is funded by the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit school for journalists.

PolitiFact determined the science shows mask-wearing is largely safe for children.

The article did mention a recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece by a couple of doctors at Johns Hopkins University and Tufts University who try to make a case against such masking.

But the site found many other professors, physicians and research papers indicating otherwise.
Alex Wong/Getty

In world affairs, first impressions can be misleading. Soviet and American generals were photographed toasting the triumph of a great alliance in 1945 but in the blinking of an eye the Cold War was underway and we were great enemies. Crowds pressed against the U.S. embassy gates as Saigon fell and America lost a long, bloody war mere decades before Vietnam embraced a market economy and became a top tourist destination for Americans.

Statues are toppled, regimes collapse, city squares are thronged with tens of thousands of people demanding change, Mission Accomplished moments occur, and yet what follows is not what the pundits caught up in the drama and imagery of individual events predict. With time, members of the Biden administration anticipate, we will come to see the events of the past week very differently.

In fact, with perspective, we may well come to see their exit from Afghanistan as part of a major, generational, foreign policy reset. In fact, if events unfold consistent with the presidents vision, this moment will be seen as a watershed in a return to American global leadership after two decades of misguided, erratic, damaging foreign policy in the wake of 9/11.

Americas Catastrophic Afghanistan Exit Has Many Fathers

In other words, we are likely to come to see the events of the past week not only very differently but in the opposite light of that depicted by many commentators who, understandably but at the expense of the long view, were reacting to the horror of what we all saw happen in the streets of Kabul.

What is more, even as the talking heads and the Twitterverse and the editorial writers and the political opportunists were decrying the process by which the decision to leave was made, questioning the judgment of Biden and his team, the departure from Afghanistan, even if it unfolded badly, was actually the product of a laser-like focus on the big picture and the long-term interests of the United States on the part of the president and his top advisers.

Story continues

Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the administrations reasoning to me as follows: The investment we made in Afghanistan over the course of 20 years was enormous. Two decades, one trillion dollars, 2,300 lives lost, thousands more with visible and invisible wounds. Its no secret that our strategic competitors would like nothing more than for America to be bogged down in conflict for another two yearsor two decades. The only element that rivaled the cost of this conflict was the opportunity cost. The president concluded it was time for us to end this war.

A senior White House aide put it this way: The president firmly believes that leaving Afghanistan improves our ability to be a stronger world leader, more engaged with allies, and more effective internationally. The aide went on to echo Blinken, thus underscoring the centrality of the idea of returning our focus to great power competition for Biden and his team, saying, As the president has said repeatedly, there is nothing that Russia or China would like to see more than the U.S. tied down in an endless war in Afghanistan. This is especially true as the terrorist threat grows in other places, and the geopolitical challenges elsewhere mount.

Senior aides to the president repeatedly stressed to me that the actions in Afghanistan are all part of a much broader, carefully considered strategic shift for the United States. It will mean nothing less than finally bringing an end to the post-9/11 era. It will close the books on the recklessness and excesses of the war on terror, an end to the dangerous delusions of American exceptionalism and hubris-infused unilateralism.

The Biden team view is based on the idea that becoming bogged down in a 20-year war with an unclear mission that drained our resources and distracted us from our priorities made us weaker, that entering Iraq without justification made us weaker, that retreat in the wake of the calamities of Bush foreign policy made us weaker, that Trump attacking our alliances and undermining the rule of law at home made us weaker. The gross failure of leadership in managing COVID made us weaker. A president inciting an attempted coup made us much, much weaker.

Bidens Right That Its Time for Us to Leave Afghanistan

President Biden, recognizing all this, is seeking to systematically, comprehensively, and irreversibly undo that damage and to strengthen America, preparing us to lead in the decades ahead. As much as it means ending Americas longest war, it also means shifting the trillions spent on fighting to investing in ourselves, our infrastructure, our schools, and our health care system. Build Back Better is not simply a big domestic program in the eyes of the administration. It is, as was the interstate highway system to Dwight Eisenhower, an investment in our security and our competitiveness. Proposed major initiatives in cyber security, power grid resiliency, expanding broadband, and combating climate change make that crystal clear.

The effort also turns on efforts to undo the damage to our international standing done by unilateralism, contempt for the rule of law, attacks on democracy here at home, and the rise of domestic violent extremists who today pose a greater risk than overseas terror cells. Elements of the effort have included re-entering the Paris Climate Accords and rejoining the WHO, leading the way on vaccine diplomacy, recommitting ourselves to strengthening international institutions and our alliances, seeking to negotiate a re-entry of the U.S. into the Iran nuclear deal, and, perhaps above all else, preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the rest of the 21st Century. A shift in our focus and the deployment of our resources from the Greater Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region is another key part of that.

The critics who have emerged in the past week have often been as misguided and unappreciative of the bigger picture as they have been scathing. One top European foreign policy expert said America had cut and runpretty preposterous after 20 years of engagement, roughly 19 years too many. One right-wing American pundit called the exit from Kabul the worst presidential dereliction in memory which, I hope, has his friends and family getting him the counsel of a good neurologist as he clearly is suffering from severe short-term memory loss. One member of Britains Parliament suggested the U.S. was returning to isolationism which is, again, pretty ludicrous given that our exit comes at the end of the longest war in our history. It seems the honorable gentleman thinks the permanent engagement of colonialism is the desirable opposite of isolationism.

There were certainly mistakes made in planning and executing the U.S. pullout of Afghanistanalthough many observers understate the responsibility the Taliban, the Afghan government, and the Afghan military have for the horrific scenes we witnessed. But even at the end of just one week, thanks to the fast action of the president and the U.S. military, the picture is very different. Evacuations are proceeding at a remarkable pace. The military side of the Kabul airfield has stabilized and is orderly. Our embassy team and the diplomats of our allies are safe. The U.S. has demonstrated its commitment to getting American citizens, allies, and as many Afghans who worked with the U.S. as possible out and doing so swiftly.

The events of the past week have been harrowing. They should not be minimized. America should actively work to find places within our borders and worldwide with our friends and allies for every Afghan who seeks refugee status. We are already beginning the work of finding other mechanismsdiplomatic, political, and economicto foster security and justice to the extent possible within Afghanistan. But the administration also recognizes that many other nations suffer as do the Afghans (the people of Haiti, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and oppressed women in societies worldwide all wish they could get the calls for aiding them that have come this week for the people of Afghanistan) and that the most important thing the U.S. can do to influence good outcomes worldwide is to restore our standing, restore our vitality at home, strengthen the international system, consistently let our values lead us, and start again to lead by example.

We have ignored much of that work during the past 20 years, a period that is likely to go down in history as among the worst ever for U.S. foreign policy. President Biden and his team have had the courage to recognize that to lead again as we once did, to lead to our full potential, we must have the courage to acknowledge and correct errors like the war in Afghanistan. Indeed, they seem to have clearer memories of the long litany of often egregious, sometimes crippling missteps Americas leaders have made during the first years of this century than do their critics. Fortunately for all of us, they also appear to have a much clearer understanding of what must be done if the U.S. is to finally put those errors and misspent years behind us and attend as we urgently must to the challenges and opportunities of the decades ahead.

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Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent

Steve Granitz/WireImage Nate Berkus, Jeremiah Brent and kids Poppy and Oskar

Nate Berkus is overcoming his fear of the ocean, 17 years after surviving the tsunami that devastated the Indian Ocean costal communities and claimed more than 227,800 lives in 2004.

Jeremiah Brent celebrated his husband's "strength" on Instagram, Thursday, sharing in a touching post that after years of having a difficult time feeling comfortable in the water, he is now able to play with their kids in the sea with "laughter" and "joy."

"One of the most profound and unrecognized parts of Nate's spirit is his strength," Brent, 36, wrote. "I watched my husband, who survived such tragedy and such loss in 2004, walk our children into the ocean earlier this week."

"He has broken the chain of fear and wades in the water, full of laughter and full of joy," he continued. "There is no one like him."

Brent shared a black-and-white photo taken from the shore of Berkus, 49, lifting their daughter Poppy, 6, above the waves.

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RELATED: Jeremiah Brent Says Nate Berkus Is Learning to 'Trust The Water Again' After Partner's Death

Berkus lost his longtime love, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, in the tsunami while they were vacationing in Sri Lanka. The couple were swept out of their beachfront hut when the massive wave hit, and were eventually separated by the rushing water. After the tsunami, Bengoechea was reported missing. He was never found, and was assumed dead.

Brent added in his caption that Thursday would have been Bengoechea's birthday.

"Our family will always keep his art and story alive, even as we move forward. Always," Brent wrote.

RELATED VIDEO: Nate Berkus Reflects on How Death of Late Partner in Tsunami Almost Held Him Back from Buying New Home

In addition to Poppy, Brent and Berkus are parents to 3-year-old son Oskar, whose name is a tribute to the late photographer.

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"[Fernando's] middle name was Oskar," Berkus told PEOPLE in April 2018, explaining that the tribute "was actually Jeremiah's idea."

"We have always honored Fernando's memory in our relationship. He's a part of our love story," Brent added at the time. "It's such an important chapter in Nate's life. So the idea that we can honor his memory in a beautiful way was exciting to us."

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In October 2020, Brent told PEOPLE that living by the ocean in Montauk  where the family moved during the COVID-19 pandemic  was helping Berkus to trust "the water again to some extent."

"Not fully. I don't think he ever will. But it's really become this sanctuary for us and there's just a really beautiful full-circle moment that we received  through COVID, unfortunately  but through this house and through this town," Brent said. "It's been a really beautiful journey."

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RELATED: Nate Berkus Remembers Late Partner Who Died in Asian Tsunami on his Birthday

On Thursday, Berkus shared a moving tribute on Instagram in honor of Bengoechea.

"You will never be forgotten," he wrote alongside a throwback photo of his former partner.

"To commemorate Fernando's birthday, @fernando_bengoechea_photo is donating 10% of proceeds to the Joshua Tree National Park via @jtnpa, the park's primary non-profit supporter," he shared. "Fernando's brother Marcelo is on a mission to keep Fernando's art alive. He uses the same technique and museum-quality materials as Fernando did. Each woven photograph is made to order and it is a unique piece of art. Not two are alike just beautiful."

Fernando Bangoechea's woven photographs are available on fernandobengoechea.com
The United States has resumed flights out of Afghanistan following an hours-long pause, Pentagon officials said Friday afternoon. The temporary suspension occurred after a facility in Doha, Qatar, hit capacity, leaving officials scrambling to find more places to assist with the transit of desperate evacuees.

"Flight operations have resumed and U.S. military flights to Qatar and other locations are departing Kabul as we speak right now," Army Major General William Taylor, Joint Staff deputy director for regional operations, said at a press briefing. "We are looking at additional locations for these initial flights to land."

Taylor emphasized that aircraft availability is not an issue, and said the U.S. aims "to maximize each plane's capacity."

State Department spokesperson Ned Price listed countries that would be helping the U.S. in the evacuation effort. Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Qatar, Tajikistan, Turkey, the UAE, the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan either have been or will soon be allowing evacuees to be transited through their countries, Price said.

He said Albania, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Mexico, Poland, Qatar, Rwanda, Ukraine and Uganda "have also made generous offers regarding the relocation efforts for at-risk Afghans."

"We deeply appreciate the support they have offered and we are proud to partner with them in our shared support for the Afghan people," Price said of the countries that had offered support.

Evacuees board an aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 20, 2021. / Credit: Sergeant Isaiah Campbell/U.S. Marine Corps via AP

The holding facility at al-Udeid Air Base hanger in Doha where evacuees are being held until they can be processed and vetted had reached capacity by Friday morning.

"The sites at Qatar were just at capacity," Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said at the Friday afternoon briefing. "There was just no room to flow in additional people."

CBS News has confirmed that approximately 5,000 to 6,000 Afghans and U.S. citizens are crammed into the air base. One woman told CBS News that many had gone hours without food.

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But while conditions were uncomfortable in Doha, chaos still reigned in Afghanistan, with tens of thousands of people desperate for a way out. Many gathered at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport in hopes of getting on a flight, but some  even those with an invitation from the state department  have struggled to get through the gate.

One woman, a permanent legal U.S resident, told CBS News the Taliban tried to stop her from entering the airport. She says they beat her nephew, who was escorting her, and she lost track of him in the crowd. Now, she said, she's been stuck in Doha, unable to leave the base to catch a flight home and worried the Taliban will punish her nephew for getting her out.

Taylor said approximately 13,000 people have been evacuated from the airport since Saturday. President Biden has estimated that between 50,000 and 65,000 people  including Americans, their families, and vulnerable Afghans  are seeking to leave the country.

Mr. Biden has said that while he aims to end the mission in Afghanistan by August 31, troops will stay in the country as long as it takes to get Americans out. He has not made the same promise to Afghans.

Christina Ruffini and Roxana Saberi contributed reporting.

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In July, California approved the groundbreaking Asian Pacific Islander Equity Budget, a $156.5 million package with victim support and mental health initiatives designed to counter decades of anti-Asian American racism and a spike in hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That expenditure, the largest amount by far of any state passing similar legislation, is the latest symbol of the growing influence of California's 6 million Asian Americans.

"Because we have Asian American legislators, they have formed a strong force," said Russell Jeung, a professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks incidents of hate and discrimination against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. "They quickly recognized the issue of racism facing Asian Americans and they put their money where their mouth is in denouncing that racism and seeking to address it."

Kamala Harris, who served as California's attorney general and then as U.S. senator from the nation's most populous state, is the first vice president of Asian descent. Her mother was born in India and her father is from Jamaica.

Asian Americans' political accomplishments in California could be a harbinger of political developments to come in other parts of the United States. Asian Americans were the nation's fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the past decade, growing by 35.5%, according to 2020 census data released last week.

Nearly 20 million census respondents identified as Asian American, making up 6% of the population. Another 4 million said they were Asian American in combination with some other race. At the same time, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population, much smaller at just under 700,000 and at times lumped in with Asian Americans in government data, grew by 27.8%, the second-fastest growth of any ethnic or racial group in the nation.

U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., cited a Pew Research Center projection that Asian Americans will surpass Hispanics to become the nation's largest immigrant group by 2055, but said the community's influence already is evident.

"What we're seeing are Asian Americans settling in places not just like California and New York, but also states like Georgia, presidential swing states," Lieu said, That is taking Asian Americans from a place of being marginalized to now a place where they can be the margin of victory.

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U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., speaks in the Senate in early 2021 during the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder of demographics data publisher AAPI Data, said rising numbers of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) voters, combined with increased election participation in 2020, spurred in part by statements by then-President Donald Trump perceived as anti-Asian, form a potent combination. Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy at the University of California, Riverside, said Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders vote Democratic by more than a two-to-one margin.

Not only did Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders see the largest increases in their population from 2010 to 2020 of any racial or ethnic group, they also saw the biggest increase in voting turnout between 2016 and 2020. These are not only fast-growing populations, these are populations that are also getting more politically activated in ways weve never seen before," he said.

California is a model for Asian American and Pacific Islander progress

Although still underrepresented in public office based on overall population in California, Asian Americans have established a political beachhead in the Golden State. The leading example is Kamala Harris, the first vice president of Asian heritage, who previously served as the state's attorney general and one of its U.S. senators. (Her mother was born in India.)

California is home to eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives six Democrats and two Republicans  who are of Asian descent. The next closest state, Washington, has two Asian American lawmakers.

With Rob Bonta becoming California's first attorney general of Filipino descent in April, Asian Americans hold three of the state's eight constitutional offices. Bonta quickly established a Racial Justice Bureau to combat hate crimes against all affected groups.

California's equity budget marks a policy success. The $156.5 million package, designed "to address hate" directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, provides support for victims, assistance for those dealing with language issues and calls for better data collection on the AAPI community to fight bullying in schools, said state Sen. Richard Pan, a pediatrician who chairs the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

"That's never happened before," he said. "It's a sign of greater recognition that we need to be organized and also greater recognition from others that the (AAPI) community is a force that needs to be contended with and that more attention needs to be paid."

Despite progress in California, there's room for more representation, Pan said. Only two of 40 California state senators are from the AAPI community, while the group's population percentage should merit six, Pan said. About a third of all Asian Americans, or nearly 7 million people, call California home.

Although Bonta's appointment as the state's top law enforcement official is significant, Pan said Asian Americans are also poorly represented among California's district attorneys, an important post in achieving "a more just, equitable society  where your race doesn't predispose you to disadvantages."

To accomplish goals that may exceed AAPI reach as a voting bloc, coalitions formed with other groups are necessary, said Mary Anne Foo, executive director of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) in southern California.

"You see Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Latinos working together because we share neighborhoods and businesses. We work together," Foo said. "A lot of community organizations, churches, we get together even if we don't speak the same languages  (to) address common issues, especially around immigration, small business development, affordable housing and healthcare."

More than 70% of AAPI adults are immigrants and one-third have limited English proficiency, indicating areas of service needs.

Asian American voters could help swing elections in purple states

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made advances in other parts of the country, too, even though no state comes close to matching California's AAPI population. (Hawaii has a higher percentage, nearly 50%, but in a state with fewer than 1.5 million people.)

Massachusetts has a House Asian Caucus and New York legislators has an Asian Pacific American Task Force, while Illinois last month became the first state to require the teaching of Asian American history in public schools.

A rise in anti-Asian racism and hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders during the COVID-19 pandemic led to protests and rallies and the eventual approval of a national anti-hate crime law.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a political force in New Jersey, Washington and Virginia, among other Democratic-leaning states, AAPI Data's Ramakrishnan said. He said those voters also are becoming a factor in Texas and Georgia, traditionally Republican states where Democratic numbers are growing.

In Texas, Asian Americans account for nearly a quarter of the populations of the large Dallas suburbs of Plano and Irving, according to 2020 census figures. Other cities that saw the fastest-growing Asian American growth include Buffalo, New York (up 153.2%); Omaha, Nebraska (up 123.5%); Fort Wayne, Indiana (up 82.7%); Tampa, Florida (up 80.8%); and Columbus, Ohio (up 75.9%).

If theres a theme that youre seeing in other parts of the country, it is that Asian Americans are rapidly growing, becoming politically influential in many traditional destination states but also (in) a lot of these newer destination states and making politics more competitive in many states, especially in the South, that we havent seen before, Ramakrishnan said.

In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden won Georgia, a longtime Republican stronghold, by 12,000 votes. That year, the number of presidential ballots cast by Asian Americans grew by 84% from 2016.

Since the presidential election, many Republican-led states, including Georgia, have introduced or approved voting-law changes that Republicans say enhance election security while Democrats argue limit ballot access, especially for minority communities likely to vote Democratic, including Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The Georgia election changes, now law, would "disproportionately impact" Asian American voters, said Phi Nguyen, litigation director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, a nonprofit civil rights organization opposing the legislation in court.

"Asian Americans voted early and by mail at high rates and the (legislation) creates barriers to both," said Nguyen, who said long-running and extensive outreach efforts were a main reason for the increased voter turnout.

Anti-Asian hate has motivated Asian American voters and activists

Americans of all backgrounds required information and aid when COVID-19 arrived, but Asian Americans had a special need because of a surge in anti-Asian hate and violence directed at the community by people wrongly blaming them for the pandemic. Stop Asian Hate reported more than 9,000 incidents, ranging from verbal harassment to physical assaults and civil rights violations, from March 19, 2020, roughly the start of the pandemic in the United States, to June 30, 2021.

The spike in anti-Asian violence was receiving renewed attention when eight people were murdered, including six women of Asian descent, in March shootings at Atlanta-area spas. U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, pushed for anti-Asian hate crime legislation. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act became law in May.

The challenges of COVID-19 and the accompanying increase in anti-Asian hate crimes reinforced the need for political involvement, said Gregg Orton, national director of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA).

"I think the last year and a half with the pandemic has shown many within our community that we do have to speak up and step up for ourselves, he said.

U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., seen speaking about the U.S. Census, is chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

Chu said Trump "stoked the flames of xenophobia" with anti-Chinese rhetoric tied to the origins of COVID-19 in that nation, including calling it the "China virus" and "kung flu."

"Even when informed, as he was numerous times, that that was hurting the AAPI population, he actually doubled down on it and used it even more," she said.

The history of blaming and punishing people of Asian descent goes back more than a century in the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act, signed in 1882, prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers; loyalty suspicions led to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II; economic competition with Japan resulted in violence in the 1980s, including the murder of Vincent Chin; and people of South Asian heritage were targeted during a post-9/11 backlash.

Lieu, Chu's House colleague, was heartened by the pushback to the hate crimes surge, from grassroots support of Asian Americans to the federal anti-Asian hate crimes act with a specific focus on anti-Asian racism that was signed into law in May.

"We saw a number of rallies across America in support of the Asian American community. You had all different folks come out to these rallies and then you had the president and vice president visit with Asian American leaders in Georgia and you had Congress pass, on a bipartisan, bicameral basis, a law to address hate crimes against Asian Americans," he said. "If all that had happened in World War II, Im not sure Japanese Americans would have been interned. We're in a different political environment now and youre seeing the increasing political strength of the Asian American community."

Census data, education can help fight anti-Asian American stereotypes

Education about the more than 50 separate ethnic groups that make up the Asian American and Pacific Islander community would cultivate understanding and acceptance, lawmakers and activists said.

"Its incredibly important for folks to understand that we arent a monolith and that there are very distinct and unique aspects of our cultures (and) also the things we face and barriers that we encounter, said Tavae Samuelu, executive director of Empowered Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC), a national social-justice advocacy group based in Los Angeles.

Protesters hold signs as they march along Market Street before a rally to show solidarity with Asian Americans at Embarcadero Plaza on March 26, 2021, in San Francisco. Hundreds of people marched through downtown San Francisco and held a rally at Embarcadero Plaza in solidarity with Asian Americans who have recently been the targets of hate crimes across the United States.

Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have had the highest rates of COVID infections and women in that group have a larger wage gap than AAPI women overall, she said.

"There's a responsibility we have as a community to push media (and) political outlets to have more nuanced and more complex conversations about our communities," Samuelu said.

More information also could help erase persistent stereotypes of Asian Americans as the other, Chu said.

"We are still a minority. We still suffer from stereotypes and probably the most prominent one is that of being the perpetual foreigner. That is, even though there are Asian Americans that have lived in this country for generations, they are still seen by some, in fact by many, as really belonging to another country," with that harm worsened by a wrongful association with COVID, Chu said.

A growing community in America means "more opportunity to show the AAPI population in all our diversity and in all the arenas where we indeed have influence," she added.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Census finds Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders are fastest-growing
More viral imagery out of Afghanistan showed a baby being lifted over a barbed wire wall and into a U.S. Marine's arms. The baby has since been reunited with its father, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

The baby's family asked U.S. troops to give medical care to their child, so the baby was treated at a hospital before reuniting with its father, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said at a Friday press briefing.

I think this was a very humane act of compassion by the Marines, Kirby said.

The viral photo prompted thousands of questions on social media about the infant, its safety and the family's situation.

A U.S. Marine grabs an infant over a fence of barbed wire during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 19, 2021.

The baby was "safe at the airport" in Afghanistan, Marine Corps spokesperson Maj. Jim Stenger told NBC News.

How a group of Afghan girls evacuated: Qatar helped members of girls Afghan robotics team flee Afghanistan amid Taliban takeover

In the week since the Taliban took over Afghanistan's capital, the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul has been flooded by Afghans desperate to flee the Islamic militant group, some clinging to airplanes as they take off.

Photos and videos have also shown U.S. troops helping children evacuate.

US Marines assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit calm infants during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 20, 2021.

Farhad Ansari, a native of Afghanistan now in the U.S., called the evacuation efforts in Kabul a "surreal, heartbreaking scene."

A U.S. Marine assigned to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit calms an infant during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 20, 2021.

"We've all seen the photo of that baby, what we have to understand how desperate a parent must be to hand their child over to a U.S. soldier, a complete stranger," Ansari told USA TODAY. "It's terrifying, seeing my people so utterly scared of what's to come from the Taliban."

Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Marine holding baby in Afghanistan sparked outpouring; family reunited
Rahm Emanuel (AP)

President Joe Biden formally nominated former mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel to be US ambassador to Japan on Friday afternoon amid the deluge of stories about the continuing chaos unfolding in Afghanistan.

Mr Emanuel had a history of being an old party hand long before his electoral career, having served as an aide in the Clinton administration, a congressman from Illinois who ran House Democrats campaign arm, and as Barack Obamas first White House chief of staff.

During that time, he built a reputation for his hard-charging and aggressive attitude, often filled with expletive-filled rants. But over time, this also meant he infuriated not just Republicans, but also Democrats who now control his fate as they hold a majority in the Senate.

When he worked on Bill Clintons first presidential campaign, Mr Emanuels job was mainly to raise money. But he also agreed with Mr Clintons more centrist economic messaging, which means he might be out of line with a Democratic Party that has moved left economically in recent years.

Similarly, he was also criticised by some after the 2008 financial crisis triggered by the housing bubble for serving on the board of Freddie Mac.

While he was a Democratic congressman from Illinois, Mr Emanuel was also chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which is responsible for electing Democrats and frequently clashed with the then-Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean.

Mr Dean wanted to pursue his so-called 50-state strategy to be competitive in every state, while Mr Emanuel wanted a more targeted approach to places where Mr Emanuel was competitive. Eventually, many credited Mr Dean with winning not only majorities in Congress in 2006 but also laying the groundwork for the 2008 Obama campaign victory, making the former Vermont governor a darling of progressives.

But after 2008, it was Mr Emanuel, not Mr Dean, who went to the White House to become Obamas White House chief of staff. During that time, he frequently frustrated progressives for negotiating too much with conservatives and moderates. He also frustrated members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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His loose tongue also landed him in trouble when he called liberal groups the r-word as a slur.

But Mr Emanuels biggest controversy came when he left the White House and became mayor of Chicago. During his 2014 re-election campaign, Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times and killed by police, but Mr Emanuel sought to prevent the dashcam video from being released.

In 2018, Mr Emanuel said he would not seek re-election. When Mr Biden was elected, he was floated as a potential Secretary of Transportation or US Trade Representative. But progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticised the move and little came of it.

Rahm Emanuel helped cover up the murder of Laquan McDonald, she said. Covering up a murder is disqualifying for public leadership.

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Earlier this year, when it was speculated he might become ambassador to Japan, Rep Jamaal Bowman of New York, a member of the Squad that includes Ms Ocasio-Cortez, criticised the idea.

Rewarding Rahm Emmanuel's cover up of Laquan McDonald's murder with an ambassadorship is not an act that reflects a value of or respect for Black lives, Mr Bowman tweeted back in May.

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When the White House made its formal announcement, Mr Bowman again criticised Mr Emanuel.

The last thing we needed to see at the end of this tragic week is this, he tweeted. When elected officials use their power against Black lives, they should not receive this honor.

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Of course, Mr Emanuel needs to be confirmed by the Upper Chamber in Congress. But Democrats control only 50 seats and would need all votes, as well as a tie-breaker from Vice President Kamala Harris. A former partisan operative like him will probably not get much support from Republicans and only a few Democrats need to defect to sink his nomination.

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An Iowa woman was sentenced Aug. 19 to 304 months in prison for federal hate crime charges after she attempted to kill two children because of their race and national origin, the Department of Justice said in a press release Friday.

Nicole Poole Franklin, who is in her early 40s, pleaded guilty to two hate crime charges  one for each victim  in April. She had previously been sentenced in May to 25 years in prison in Iowa state court for attempted murder.

Both attacks took place within one hour in Des Moines on the afternoon of Dec. 9, 2019.

The first victim, a Black boy who was 12 years old at the time, was walking on a sidewalk when Poole Franklin drove her Jeep Grand Cherokee over the curb and struck him, causing "cuts, bruising, and swelling." Poole Franklin told the court that she targeted the child because she believed he was "of Middle Eastern or African descent," according to the press release. She fled the scene following the attack.

Approximately 30 minutes later, Poole Franklin was driving by a high school when she saw her second victim, a girl who was 14 years old at the time, walking on the sidewalk. Believing her to be "a Mexican," according to her statement to investigators, Poole Franklin drove her car into the child and fled the scene. The girl suffered serious injuries, including a concussion.

Poole Franklin was arrested later that day when she attempted to steal several items from a gas station and used racial and ethnic slurs against the employees and witnesses who attempted to stop her from leaving without paying for her items.

Police said that Poole Franklin admitted to having used methamphetamine earlier that day.

"Nicole Poole Franklin attempted to kill two children because of the way they looked and where she believed they came from," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division said in a statement issued alongside the sentencing press release. "Children deserve to walk the streets of their neighborhood without fear of violence because of what they look like and where they come from and deserve to grow up in a world where they are not targeted simply because of who they are."

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New Delhi: Even though Tesla hasnt announced any timeline for its entry into the Indian automobile market, the carmaker was again spied testing the Model S electric car on Indian roads. The recent testing efforts signal that Tesla is now getting all serious about an imminent launch.

The new spy shots of the Tesla Model S have now ignited the murmurs of Teslas launch in the country.

Two Camouflaged Model 3 Test Units. One with testing apparatus as earlier seen also. 337 seems to be new. Is Ground Clearance raised in it or just image thing? : IG wheelsofautomotive0105 #TeslaIndia #TCIN pic.twitter.com/QRtiEJ8kRH  Tesla Club India (@TeslaClubIN) August 17, 2021

Teslas CEO and founder Elon Musk has been calling out the high tax rates, that India charges on the import of cars, as a major delay in the rollout of electric cars in the country.

Following Musk, Volkswagen and Hyundai, among other global brands, also urged the government to lower the duties on the import of electric vehicles in India.

In response, the Central government indirectly signalled that the import duty on electric vehicles could be reduced if the company promises to manufacture luxury four-wheelers in India.

The new spy photos were shared by Tesla Club India on Twitter. In the shared photos, two completely camouflaged Tesla Model S cars were seen parked close to each other. The post suggested that the cars are parked on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, carrying Maharashtra-registered number plates. Also Read: Now you have to memorise 16-digit debit, credit card numbers, expiry, CVV: Heres what RBI says

However, as far the launch is concerned, we dont have any dates yet. The company has registered itself under the name Tesla Motors India. Also Read: Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-backed footwear retailer Metro Brands files IPO papers with SEBI
New Delhi: Microsoft Corp has invested $5 million (INR 37 crore) in SoftBank-backed OYO, according to a regulatory filing, ahead of the Indian hotel chain`s plan to go public. Oravel Stays Pvt Ltd (OYO) approved on July 16 the issue of equity shares and convertible cumulative preference shares amounting to rupee equivalent of $5 million to Microsoft in a private placement, according to a filing by Oyo with the Registrar of Companies.

Last month, a source familiar with the matter had told Reuters that Microsoft was in advanced talks to invest in OYO at a $9 billion valuation.

The hotel aggregator, in which Japanese conglomerate SoftBank owns a 46% stake, endured months of layoffs, cost cuts and losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But with easing travel curbs and increasing vaccinations, travel demand is slowly recovering in India, with local tourism attractions witnessing a higher traffic.

In early July, OYO`s founder and chief executive officer, Ritesh Agarwal, said the firm would consider a potential public offering, but did not provide a timeline.

India is currently witnessing an IPO frenzy. In July, food-delivery firm Zomato saw a stellar debut. Berkshire Hathaway Inc-backed Paytm and ride-hailing firm Ola, which is also backed by SoftBank, are among other Indian startups looking to enter markets. Also Read: OnePlus 9 RT to be launched in October in India: Check features, price and more

Last week, a financial news website reported that OYO had shortlisted JP Morgan, Kotak Mahindra Capital and Citi for a more than $1.2 billion initial share sale. OYO did not respond to a request for comment on the report. Also Read: HDFC Bank online banking services to remain closed from THIS date

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New Delhi: Capital markets regulator Sebi has kept the proposed Rs 4,500-crore initial share-sale of edible oil major Adani Wilmar Ltd (AWL) in "abeyance". However, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) did not clarify further. The company had filed preliminary papers with Sebi on August 3, to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO).

Without disclosing the reason, Sebi said "issuance of observations kept in abeyance" with regard to the Adani Wilmar IPO, according to an update in the SEBI website as on August 13.

In market parlance, observations of Sebi is a kind of go-ahead to float a public issue.

The proposed listing of AWL on the stock exchanges will comprise an IPO in the form of fresh issue of new equity shares by AWL for an amount of up to Rs 4,500 crore (approximately USD 600 million).

There will not be any secondary offering, Adani Enterprises Ltd (AEL), the flagship firm of Adani group, had said in a regulatory filing.

The company, which sells cooking oils under the Fortune brand, is a major player in the edible oil industry.

Proceeds from the IPO are proposed to be used by AWL to fund capital expenditure for expansion of existing manufacturing facilities. The funds will also be utilised for developing new manufacturing facilities, repayment/ prepayment of borrowings, to fund strategic acquisitions and investments, and general corporate purposes.

AWL is a 50:50 joint venture company between the Adani group and the Wilmar group. Also Read: Gold Price Today, 21 Aug 2021: Gold nearly Rs 9,000 down from record highs, check prices in your city

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New Delhi: The annual festival of Onam is celebrated with great pomp and show in Kerala. The festival is full of cultural activities and is celebrated to honour the demon King Mahabali. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that King Mahabali returned to Kerala during this time. Onam is a harvest festival that is not only celebrated in Kerala but in other parts of the country as well. Usually, it falls in the month of August or September.

Falling in the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam as per the Malayalam calendar in the month of Chingam, this year Onam is being celebrated on August 21, 2021. The 10-day long festival culminates with Thiruvonam - the most important day.

Lets take a look at some of the most famous dishes of Onam Sadhya which you would love to relish with your loved ones:

Sadhya includes a platter full of traditional Kerala dishes, satiating your taste buds with delight. It is served on a banana leaf and especially during Onam, Sadhya forms an elaborate meal.

1. Rasam  This is a thin spicy soup kind of thing which is mixed with rice while eating

2. Parippu  This is one of the curries made out of lentil

3. Sambar  This is another curry sort of dish which is made of Lentil and vegetables

4. Avial  It is a thick mixture of 13 vegetables along with coconut oil and curry leaves

5. Kaalan  This is made of coconut, vegetables and curd and its curry is comparatively thick and sourer than Avial

6. Olan: Its a light and subtle-flavored dish prepared from a white gourd or ash-gourd, and black-eyed peas, coconut milk and ginger seasoned with coconut oil

7. Koottukari: It is a yellow curry with banana and coconut, and has a hot and sweet taste.

8. Pachadi: It is a traditional South Indian fresh pickle served as a side dish.

9. Pulisseri: Its a curry that is sweet and sour and has a touch of tamarind and cucumber and is yellow in colour.

10. Thoran: It is a dry dish traditionally made of finely chopped vegetables along with grated coconut.

11. Payasam: It is a sort of Kheer which is served as a dessert and is available in three to four forms that are eaten once the meal is over.

We wish you all a very Happy and safe Onam!


New Delhi: The auspicious and much-awaited festival of Onam is marked this year on August 21. The major harvest festival of Kerala is celebrated to commemorate the annual trip of King Mahabali to the state he once ruled. It falls on the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam.

THIRUVONAM SIGNIFICANCE:

The festival is celebrated in the month of Chingam according to the Malayalam calendar which is equivalent to the Hindu solar calendar followed by people in other parts of India. The festival is spread over 10 days and culminates with Thiruvonam, the most important day.

THIRUVONAM TIMINGS:

Thiruvonam on Saturday, August 21, 2021

Thiruvonam Nakshathram Begins - 09:25 PM on Aug 20, 2021

Thiruvonam Nakshathram Ends - 08:22 PM on Aug 21, 2021

(as per drikpanchang.com)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South celebs and netizens in general took to social media and extended Onam greetings.

Legend of Onam:

It is believed that King Mahabali, the most benevolent Raja of Kerala visits his kingdom to see his subjects happy and prosperous on the occasion of the auspicious harvest festival.

Women participate in Pookolam (rangoli made of flowers) and perform Kaikottikali, a dance form. Dressed in their best fineries, women look resplendent in an off-white Kasavu sari with golden border, teamed up with gold jewellery. The men look dapper in white Veshti (dhoti) and shirts.

People get together to participate in a number of cultural activities to celebrate the festival in unison. Boat race (Vallam Kali), Pulikali (folk dance in the disguise of a tiger) and other dance and art forms specific to Kerala.

Sadhya, an elaborate meal with 26 food preparations adds more fervour to the festivities.

However, celebrations remain low-key nationwide amid the COVID-19 pandemic scare as experts suggest the third wave knocking at the door.

Here's wishing everyone a very happy Onam!
New Delhi: The auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated this year on August 22. The much-awaited festival dedicated to all brothers and sisters is widely celebrated in India.

Making it more auspicious, Rakhi is tied on the wrist of the brothers on special Shubh Muhurat timing by sisters.

Shubh Muhurat to tie Rakhi:

Raksha Bandhan on Sunday, August 22, 2021

Raksha Bandhan Thread Ceremony Time - 06:15 AM to 05:31 PM

Duration - 11 Hours 16 Mins

Aparahna Time Raksha Bandhan Muhurat - 01:42 PM to 04:18 PM

Duration - 02 Hours 36 Mins

Raksha Bandhan Bhadra End Time - 06:15 AM

Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Punchha - 02:19 AM to 03:27 AM

Raksha Bandhan Bhadra Mukha - 03:27 AM to 05:19 AM

Purnima Tithi Begins - 07:00 PM on Aug 21, 2021

Purnima Tithi Ends - 05:31 PM on Aug 22, 2021

(as per drikpanchang.com)

Raksha Bandhan Puja Rituals 2021:

Sisters need to prepare the Rakhi ki thaali. You need a small diya, akshat (rice mixed with turmeric), kumkum, sweets and the Rakhi.

Pray with your entire family. Offer a small pooja at your houses temple.

After offering puja to God. Place a small wooden platform on the floor and put rangoli on all four sides. Make your brother sit on the platform.

Both of you must then pray for each others well being and long life.

Apply a tilak with the kumkum on your brothers forehead.

Then tie the Rakhi around his right wrist.

Wave the arti place in a circular pattern in front of him.

Put the akshat on his head.

Offer the sweet to your brother.

Humbly accept the gift that he has bought for you.

The pattern of performing the ritual may vary from region-to-region, but the principles remain the same.

Enjoy the beautiful estival to celebrate your bond with your sibling.

Happy Raksha Bandhan to all brothers and sisters!
New Delhi: Record rains lashed the national capital on Saturday, crippling the traffic movement and causing heavy waterlogging in many parts of the city, with places like Minto Bridge, Rajghat, Connaught Place, and ITO being inundated. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Delhi recorded 138.8 mm of rainfall, the highest one-day rain for August in last 14 years.

According to IMD officials, Saturday's rainfall of 138.8 mm is the ninth highest in the last 62 years for August and highest after 2007, in the last 14 years (2007-2021) for August.

Meteorological (MeT) officials said that highest ever rainfall for August since 1961 till 2021 is 184.0 mm. It was recorded on August 2, 1961.

The weather office has issued an 'orange' alert, a warning for extremely bad weather with the potential of disruption in commute with road and drain closures and interruption of power supply, for the city.

According to Delhi Police officials, a 60-year-old guard died on Saturday due to electric shock in east Delhi's Anand Vihar area allegedly due to waterlogging.

Public Works Department (PWD) officials said 316 complaints of waterlogging were received at the control room till 4.30 pm on Saturday. The officials said that the field staff was on the ground to address waterlogging complaints on priority basis.

Waterlogging also damaged medicines at a state-run hospital in Rohini as the rain water entered pharmacy of the hospital, an official said.

According to data from the three civic bodies, at least 14 incidents of tree fall were reported in the city.

Commuters had a harrowing experience travelling from one place to another as vehicles crawled on important stretches. People were also seen wading through waterlogged streets in different areas of the national capital.

Stretches that witnessed jams include ITO, Dhaula Kuan, Mehram Nagar underpass near the airport, Vikas Marg, Mathura Road, Ring Road, Mukarba Chowk, Rohtak Road near Peeragarhi, Connaught Place, Barakhamba Road, Dwarka-Palam flyover and Bhairon Marg.

Narrating his tale of traffic woe, a commuter, Vikas Tyagi, said that it took him over four hours to reach Burari from Hapur due to extensive waterlogging on the city streets.

"It is a nightmare to get stuck in a traffic jam. Today's (Saturday) rains literally crippled the traffic movement in the city as almost every street was clogged. Even the tributary roads of key stretches were jammed.

Usually, it is two hours drive between Hapur and Burari but today I reached home in four hours," Tyagi lamented.

Due to the waterlogging, the Delhi Traffic Police in the morning closed several crucial underpasses and traffic moved at a snail's pace at many stretches. The traffic police took to Twitter to inform commuters about road closures.

"Traffic movement on Minto Bridge (both carriageways) has been closed due to waterlogging. Please avoid (the) stretch," the traffic police said in a tweet.

Hours later, it informed people that normal traffic movement had been restored at the Minto Bridge underpass.

Last month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that a "world-class drainage system" would be developed across the national capital.

He had said drainage systems like the one at Minto Road would be replicated across Delhi and drains and sewers would be de-silted regularly.

A senior PWD official said that the main reason behind the flooding of the Minto Road underpass was overflow of a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) sewer line along with a "very high intensity' rain.

"Very high intensity and record rains occurred on Saturday. Which triggered overflow of a DJB sewer line near DDU Marg. This resulted waterlogging in the Minto Road underpass. We have all the system in place so traffic was stopped immediately and water was pumped out," the official said.

He added that the underpass was opened for traffic in three hours.

On Saturday, the traffic police said that underpasses at Azad Market in central Delhi and Azadpur in north Delhi had been closed for traffic, while vehicular movement was affected at Moolchand and Pul Prahladpur underpasses in south Delhi due to waterlogging.

Other places that witnessed waterlogging include the Ring Road near WHO building, near IP Flyover, Tilak Bridge underpass, Lajpat Nagar, Jangpura, AIIMS flyover, Connaught Place, ITO, Pusa Road, Maharani Bagh, GTK DTC depot, yards of New Delhi Railway Station and Old Delhi Railway Station, roads around Pragati Maidan, Rohtak Road, Nand Nagri and Loni Chowk.

Traffic movement was also disrupted on the Mehrauli-Badarpur road in south Delhi.

"Waterlogging at Pul Prahladpur Underpass. Traffic interrupted at MB road diverted on Mathura road. Kindly avoid (the) stretch," the traffic police tweeted.

Another commuter, Kartik Kumar, who works in Connaught Place, said he reached his office late due to traffic jams.

"I was stuck in a traffic jam at two-three places, including ITO, due to heavy waterlogging. Delhi gets flooded even when it receives moderate rain. This causes inconvenience to the public," said Kumar, who lives in Noida.

Several residential areas and markets in Krishna Nagar, Mayur Vihar-2, Babarpur, Mangolpuri, Kirari, Malviya Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Sadar Bazar were also inundated.

A PWD official said, "The intensity of rain this morning was high, so a few areas of the city witnessed waterlogging. Our field staff is on the ground and we are closely monitoring the situation. The Minto Road underpass has been cleared."
New Delhi: As countries rescue citizens stuck in Afghanistan after Taliban captured Kabul, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday (August 21) received a call from his German counterpart Heiko Mass to discuss evacuation challenges in the Afghan nation.

"Appreciate the call from Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas of Germany. Discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan and the policy implications of the changes there," MEA Jaishankar said in a tweet.

Appreciate the call from Foreign Minister @HeikoMaas of Germany.

Discussed the evacuation challenges in Afghanistan and the policy implications of the changes there.  Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 21, 2021

Earlier on Thursday, Jaishankar while addressing reporters at the UN Security Council said India is working with international partners, principally the US, to bring back stranded Indian nationals from Afghanistan.

We are working with international partners in this regard, principally the US, because they control the airport, PTI quoted Jaishankar as saying.

Further, he thanked French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian because France evacuted some Indians to Paris from Afghanistan. So, I think that was the right thing to do. But in terms of the longer perspective, we have a historical relationship with the Afghan people and I think that relationship will continue to guide our thoughts, he added.

India evacuated around 80 Indian nationals from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Saturday, PTI reported. The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan from Kabul, while it is expected to reach Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

India has so far evacuated 200 people including the ambassador and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF after the Taliban took over Kabul on Sunday (August 15).

Meanwhile, 150 Indian citizens, who were stopped by Taliban men and taken to an unknown location near the Kabul airport on Saturday for questioning and verification of travel documents, were subsequently released. Earlier, news reports claimed that the Taliban had abducted some people, including 150 Indians near Kabul airport. The Taliban had rejected the claim.

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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an absconding accused in a bank fraud case from the International Airport in Delhi.

A case was registered on December 16, 2015 against Aarti Kalra, her husband Sunny Kalra and others on the allegations that the accused (Director of White Tiger Steels Pvt Ltd ) fraudulently obtained a bank loan of Rs.10 crore(approx) from Punjab National Bank, Darya Ganj Branch, New Delhi during October 2013.

It was further alleged that after a couple of months, the accused started defaulting the timely interest payment and also malafidely removed the entire goods which were pledged to the bank, due to which the loan account turned NPA. Both the accused were absconding since registration of case.

After investigation, a charge sheet was filed against them and three other officials of Punjab National Bank including the Chief Manager, Manager & AGM. Further investigation was kept open.

As both the accused did not join the investigation, Red Corner Notices were issued against them in the year 2016.

In pursuance of existing RCN, Sunny Kalra (her husband) was apprehended at Muscat, Oman and subsequently, he was deported to India on March 7, 2020.

CBI apprehended the other absconding accused Aarti Kalra on arrival at Delhi International Airport from UAE on August 20, 2021.

The arrested accused was produced before the Competent Court at New Delhi and has been remanded to Judicial Custody.

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Raipur: Two Naxals, one of them allegedly involved in the 2012 abduction of an IAS officer from Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, were arrested in separate operations in Bastar division, police said on Saturday (August 21, 2021).

A joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local police on Thursday apprehended Rava Ganga from Phulbagdi police station area of Sukma, while Sukhram Kawasi (35) was arrested from a forest under Katekalyan police station limits in neighbouring Dantewada, an official said.

Ganga, who had joined the outlawed outfit in 2011, was allegedly part of the Maoist squad that had abducted then Sukma Collector Alex Paul Menon from Manjhipara (Kerlapal) village on April 21, 2012, Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma said.

Menon was later released by the ultras.

Apart from this, the arrested ultra was also involved in triggering an IED explosion, targeting security personnel who were escorting a polling team in 2013, the official said.

Ganga, who was the head of DAKMS (Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan - a frontal wing of Maoists), has served an LOS (local organisation squad) member and militia deputy commander in the banned outfit, he said.

Kawasi was also active as the head of DAKMS in his area, and was allegedly involved in several incidents of violence, such as attacks on police teams, planting IEDs to target polling teams and torching vehicles engaged in road construction work, another official said.

The arrested ultras were carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads, it was stated.

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New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind will honour 44 selected meritorious teachers on Teacher`s Day on September 5 this year.

The Union Ministry of Education, Department of School Education and Literacy, has published a list of the selected teachers from across the country for the National Awards to Teachers, 2021.

Among the selected teachers, this year nine of the awardees are women teachers. The list of 44 selected teachers includes two teachers each from 10 different states including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.

The national honour list also includes two teachers from Rajasthans Birla Balika Vidyapeeth, Jhunjhunu and from Bal Bharati Public School, Dwarka of Delhi among the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools. A teacher from Eklavya model residential school, Bastar, Chhattisgarh also has been selected for the award.

The award is given every year to provide public recognition to meritorious teachers working in primary, middle, and secondary schools.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (August 21, 2021) greeted the people of the nation on the occasion of Onam festival. PM Modi took to Twitter and wished the people on the special occasion.

PM Narendra Modi wrote, "Best wishes on the special occasion of Onam, a festival associated with positivity, vibrancy, brotherhood and harmony. I pray for everyone's good health and wellbeing."

Best wishes on the special occasion of Onam, a festival associated with positivity, vibrancy, brotherhood and harmony. I pray for everyone's good health and wellbeing.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 21, 2021

Additionally, President Ram Nath Kovind also greeted citizens on the eve of Onam on Friday. The president said that the festival of Onam promotes harmony, love, and fraternity in society. "On the auspicious occasion of Onam, I extend my greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens, especially the brothers and sisters of Kerala living in India and abroad, the statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan read.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also extended Onam greetings on Twitter and wrote, "My warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Onam today. It marks the beginning of harvest season in various parts of our country. Onam also honours the memory of great King Mahabali of Kerala, who is celebrated for his nobility & generosity. #Onam. May the vibrant festival bring in peace, prosperity & happiness for all. #Onam #Onam2021.

May the vibrant festival bring in peace, prosperity & happiness for all. #Onam #Onam2021  Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) August 21, 2021

Onam is a harvest festival celebrated especially in Kerala which falls on the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam. According to the ancient legends, the Malayalam festival marks the annual trip of King Mahabali to the state he once ruled.

The festival of Onam is celebrated in the month of Chingam. The festival is celebrated to honour the kind-hearted demon King Mahabali and it is believed that he returned to Kerala during this festival.

Onam festival is a 10-day affair, the three key days started this time with August 20, a Friday, and will end with Avittam on Sunday (August 22), with Thiru Onam on Saturday (August 21) being the most important day.

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New Delhi: Passengers at Uttar Pradesh`s Moradabad and Bareilly railway stations were left stranded midway after four trains, two at each station, were terminated due to the ongoing farmers protest.

Passengers were unable to reach their respective destinations due to the disruption in railway services owing to the protest.

Meanwhile, a railway official said that five counters have been established at the Moradabad Railway Station where passengers can claim refunds for their tickets.

Speaking to ANI over the development, JK Thakur, a railway official at the Moradabad Railway Station, said, "Two trains in Moradabad and two in Bareilly, have been cancelled in view of farmers protest. We've opened 5 counters for passengers to claim ticket refund."

"We were asked to vacate the train as they said that the train won't go forward. I have come to cancel my ticket," added a passenger at one of the refund counters at the Moradabad Railway Station.

This came as farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains.

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New Delhi: At least 32 people were wounded after a bus they were in met an accident in Himachal Pradeshs Solan district on Saturday (August 21). The bus these passengers were travelling in rolled down a cliff in Barotiwala of Nalagarh in Solan district, ANI cited State Disaster Management Authority as saying.

As per The Times of India report, the driver lost control of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus after which it rolled into a ditch.

Himachal Pradesh | 32 people injured after a bus rolled down a cliff in Barotiwala of Nalagarh in Solan district. All injured being treated at a local hospital: State Disaster Management Authority  ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2021

The injured have been taken to a local hospital. No casualties have been reported so far. The rescue operation is underway and the injured are being evacuated, TOI reported.

On Thursday, 43 people were killed and 35 injured after their bus fell into a deep gorge near the Banjar area in Himachal Pradeshs Kullu district.

Earlier, a landslide that occurred in Himachals Kinnaur killed as many as 25 people. A 30-seater Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus, a truck, and four cars were among the vehicles that got struck by the rubble on August 11 in the Kinnaur landslide. It was the second major incident to hit Kinnaur after at least nine people died in multiple landslides in the district in late July. A bridge had also collapsed as a result of boulders rolling down a hill due to the landslide.

(With ANI inputs)

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New Delhi: India recorded 34,457 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Saturday (August 21, 2021). The country also reported 36,347 recoveries in the last 24 hours, taking the total recovery count to 3,15,97, 982. Additionally, the country also reported 375 deaths on Saturday, taking the death toll to 4,33,964.

The number of active cases has dipped to 3,61,340 which is the lowest in 151 days. The recovery rate is at 97.54 percent which is the highest since March 2020. The daily positivity rate is at 2 percent while the weekly positivity rate is at 1.98 percent less than 3 percent for the last 57 days, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

COVID19 | India reports 34,457 new cases, 375 deaths in the last 24 hours; Active caseload stands at 3,61,340; lowest in 151 days pic.twitter.com/pXg40DtxC6  ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2021

A reduction of 2,265 cases has been recorded in the active caseload in a span of 24 hours.

Additionally, As many as 17,21,205 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Friday, taking the total number of tests done so far in the country to 50,45,76,158. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 3,15,97,982, while the case fatality rate stands at 1.34 per cent, the data stated. So far, 57.61 crore COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered under the nationwide vaccination drive.

Meanwhile, the sources told Zee Media that the Serum Institute of India (SII) has filed for World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use listing (EUL) for its upcoming COVID-19 vaccine Covovax. The sources said that the global health body has accepted the application of the Pune-based pharmaceutical company and a pre-submission meeting was also held between the Serum Institute of India and WHO on August 10.

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New Delhi: As the evacuation process is underway in Afghanistan, several media reports on Saturday (August 21, 2021) claimed that as many as 150 people have been kidnapped by the Taliban in Kabul including Indian citizens. The people who have been kidnapped were reportedly awaiting evacuation from the war-torn country.

However, according to the latest reports, they have been released now.

Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesman has reportedly refuted the claims about any kidnapping.

The reports had also said that the Taliban insurgents had kidnapped an Indian coordinator who was in Kabul to help in the evacuation of the people from Afghanistan. As per an eyewitness, the Taliban insurgents asked Zohib for his id card and snatched his mobile phone and slapped him after knowing his identity.

Meanwhile, around 85 Indian nationals were evacuated on Saturday from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The aircraft landed at Dushanbe in Tajikistan after evacuating the Indians and is expected to arrive at the Hindon airbase near Delhi in the evening.

India, notably, has already evacuated 200 people, including the Indian envoy and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul, in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF.

As per a few reports, the total number of Indians stranded in Afghanistan could be around 400. Earlier on August 17, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that their immediate priority is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently in Afghanistan. They had also requested Indian nationals to share the relevant details with MEA's Special Afghanistan Cell at +91-11-49016783, +91-11-49016784, +91-11-49016785, or WhatsApp: +91 80106 11290 or email: SituationRoom@mea.gov.in.

The situation in Afghanistan has worsened since the Taliban took control of Kabul in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US troops after over two decades.

(With agency inputs)

ALSO READ | One of most difficult airlifts in history, says US President Joe Biden on evacuations in Afghanistan

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New Delhi: An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in the upper reaches of the forest area of Nagbaeran Tral of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday (August 21, 2021). The security forces are undertaking the operation, revealed the police.

"An encounter has started in the upper reaches of the forest area of Nagbaeran Tral, Awantipora. Police and Army are undertaking the operation. Details awaited," said Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Three unidentified terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit JeM killed. Search operation underway, further details awaited: Jammu a& Kashmir Police  ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2021

According to the reports by news agency ANI, three unidentified terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfits JeM have been killed. The Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the search operation is underway.

The firefight erupted after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists. Further details are awaited.

Earlier, on Friday, two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Khrew in Pampore area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Arms and ammunition including incriminating material were recovered after the encounter.

(With Agency inputs)

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Srinagar: Security forces on Saturday (August 21) claimed that three terrorists of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit were killed in an encounter in the Nagbaeran jungles of Tral area in Awantipora police district.

Kashmir zone police posted updates on the encounter through their Twitter account.

They tweeted  #TralEncounterUpdate: 03 unidentified #terrorist affiliated with proscribed #terror outfit JeM killed. #Search going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice

A top police officer said that three unidentified Jaish terrorists were killed, their bodies retrieved and we are in process of identification. He added that both terrorists were associated.

Police claimed to have recovered arms and ammunition along with some incriminating material from the encounter spot.

Earlier during midnight on a specific input about the presence of terrorists in the area a joint cordoned and searches were launched by security forces.

A police officer said that as the suspected spot was cordoned the hiding terrorists fired upon the searching party. He added fire was retaliated and an encounter started.

Its the 2nd encounter in Awantipora police district in last 24 hours yesterday 2 Hizb terrorist were killed in Khrew area of Awantipora.

With the killing of these two terrorists the number of killed terrorists this year reached 98.

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New Delhi: Leaders of 19 Opposition parties on Friday (August 20, 2021) launched a scathing attack on the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and made 11 demands including a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the use of the Pegasus spyware.

During a virtual meeting which was attended by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, among other leaders, the opposition parties also said that they will jointly organize protest actions all over the country from September 20 to 30.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, PDP's Mehbooba Mufti and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav also attended the meeting.

The opposition leaders also called upon the people of India to rise to the occasion to 'defend secular, democratic republican order' with all their might.

"Save India today, so that we can change it for a better tomorrow," the joint statement read.

The opposition parties demanded the following from the Central Government:

Augment COVID-19 vaccine production

The leaders made a demand to the Centre to marshall and augment all COVID-19 vaccine production capabilities in India, and to procure vaccines globally and speed up the free universal mass vaccination drive immediately. They also asked the Modi government to proceed to vastly expand the public health care system and provide adequate compensation for those who lost their lives due to COVID-19.

Implement free cash transfers

The opposition leaders demanded that the Central Government must implement free cash transfers of Rs 7,500 per month to all families outside the income tax bracket. They also said that the Centre should distribute free food kits containing all essential commodities of daily consumption to all the needy.

Bring down petrol and diesel prices

They also asked the Centre to withdraw unprecedented hikes in Central Excise duties on petrol and diesel, reduce prices of cooking gas and essential commodities.

Repeal three new agri laws

The leaders asked the Centre to repeal the three new agri laws and called them 'anti-agriculture laws'. They also demanded to compulsorily guarantee MSP to farmers.

Stop privatisation of public sector

The leaders of 19 opposition parties also asked the Centre to stop and reverse the 'unbridled privatisation' of the public sector. They also demanded to repeal the labour codes, which, they said, dilute the rights of the labour and the working class. They also urged the Modi government to restore the rights of the working people to protest and for wage bargaining.

Implement monetary stimulus packages

The leaders asked the Centre to implement monetary stimulus packages for the revival of MSMEs and not the provision of loans. "Increase public investments to build our economic and social infrastructure generating jobs and boosting domestic demand. Fill up the vacancies in government jobs," they said.

Enlarge MGNREGA

Sonia Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, Mamata Banerjee and other leaders also demanded that the Centre should vastly enlarge MGNREGA with an increasing guarantee for 200 days with at least doubling of wages. They said that the Centre should also legislate an urban employment guarantee programme on similar lines.

Prioritise COVID-19 vaccination

The leaders asked the Central Government to prioritise the COVID-19 vaccination of teachers, staff and students to ensure early re-opening of educational institutions.

SC-monitored probe into use of Pegasus and Rafale deal

The opposition parties demanded a Supreme Court-monitored judicial enquiry into the use of Pegasus Spyware for surveillance of people. They also asked for a high-level investigation into the Rafale deal.

Release all political prisoners

They said that the Centre should release all political prisoners, including those under UAPA in the Bhima Koregaon case and anti-CAA protests. "Stop using other draconian laws like sedition/NSA to violate the democratic rights and civil liberties of the people. Release all media personnel detained for exercising their fundamental right of freedom of expression," they said.

Conduct free and fair election in Jammu and Kashmir

The opposition leaders urged the Modi government to release all political prisoners in Jammu and Kashmir and asked to restore full statehood including J&K cadre of central services. "Conduct a free and fair election at the earliest," they said.
Mumbai: A new extortion case has been registered by Mumbai Police against former Mumbai Commissioners of Police (CP) Parambir Singh and five others including suspended police officer Sachin Waze.

According to the FIR copy, the complaint has been registered against Parambir Singh, Sachin Vaze, Sumit Singh alias Chintu, Alpesh Patel, Vinay Singh alias Bablu and Riyaz Bhati, under sections 384, 385, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on Friday in the Goregaon Police station.

A businessman Bimal Agrawal has filed this complaint against former CP. This is the fourth extortion case against Singh and the second filed in Mumbai, according to news agency ANI.

Earlier on July 23, a case of extortion was registered against Param Bir Singh at Kopari Police Station in Thane City Police Commissionerate.

The Enforcement Directorate had previously summoned the former Mumbai Police Commissioner to record a statement in connection with the Rs 100 crore money laundering case against ex-Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

Param Bir Singh, on July 12, sought more time from the ED to appear before it ahead of his summons citing health reasons.

Singh, in his letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, had alleged that Deshmukh had indulged in "malpractices" and asked suspended Mumbai Police officer Sachin Waze to collect Rs 100 crore every month.

Waze was arrested in March in connection with the National Investigation Agency`s (NIA) probe into the case of recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near Mukesh Ambanis house in Mumbai and the subsequent murder of Thane businessman Mansukh Hiran.

The case against the former Home Minister was registered on May 11.

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New Delhi: The mysterious death of two Russian women rocked Goa on Saturday (August 21). In two separate incidents, the women were found dead at their residences at a beach village in North Goa on two consecutive days, the police said.

A 24-year-old Alexandra Djavi was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her rented place late on Thursday, the police informed, while the body of Ekaterina Titova (34) was recovered from her apartment on Friday, PTI cited a senior police officer as saying.

"They were staying at different places in Siolim village. No injury marks were found on their bodies, but we are investigating both the cases from all the angles," the officer added.

As per early investigation, the two deceased women were not related to each other, he said.

North Goa Superintendent of Police Shobhit Saxena, prima facie, ruled out any kind of foul play, IANS reported. "Prima facie cause of death was asserted as hanging and in the other case a 34-year-old Russian passport holder lady was found dead in her bedroom. In both cases we are following legal procedure, which is, we have informed the embassy to appoint a representative and inquest proceedings in the meantime are ongoing," Saxena said.

Meanwhile, a Russian consulate lawyer revealed that Alexandra Djavi was previously harassed in Chennai in 2019 by a photographer for sexual favours. The Goa-based lawyer Vikram Varma said, "Regarding the 24-year-old, Alexandra, we have received information that she had been blackmailed in 2019 for sexual favours and after a preliminary enquiry, the Chennai Police had registered an FIR. But this is preliminary information and we hope that the Goa Police will investigate the matter thoroughly and rule out any possible suspicion in her death.

(With agency inputs)

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New Delhi: The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) released the final answer key of the MPPSC 2020 prelims examination on Friday (August 20). Candidates can visit the official website of the commissions at website- mppsc.nic.in to access the answer key.

The exams were finally held on July 25, 2021, after being postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As many as 3,44,491 candidates appeared for the MPPSC 2020 prelims examination and are awaiting their results. MPPSC has released the answer key for paper 1 and paper 2 for sets A, B, C, and D.

MPPSC 2020 prelims examination: Steps to download answer key

1. Visit the official MPPSC website mppsc.nic.in

2. Home page will open, click on final answer link

3. Click on the State Service & State Forest Service Preliminary Examination 2020 tab

4. Answer key will appear on the screen

5. Download the answer key and take a printout for future reference

The final answer key has been prepared after considering objections raised by the candidates in the provisional answer key released on July 27. Those candidates who clear prelims will have to undertake the main exam which is scheduled to be held from November 23 to 28, 2021. The shortlisted candidates will then be called for final interview round.

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Bengaluru: Expressing deep concerns about the findings of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, climate and socio-economic experts on Thursday observed that Bengaluru city will face acute drinking water shortage in the coming years.

Participating in a webinar entitled Responding to Climate Change: What should Karnataka and India do? that was organised by the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) here, Centre of Economic Studies and Policy, ISEC, Professor Krishna Raj highlighted the issue of high carbon economy that has resulted in rising of temperature by one degree Celsius, which in turn costed around 5 per cent of the GDP.

"If the same trend continues at such alarming levels in change of temperatures, Bengaluru city will face acute drinking water shortage in the coming years with the reduction in water availability in the Cauvery River basin mainly due to variation in precipitation levels," he said.

ALSO READ | Several cities including Mumbai, Chennai can go underwater, warns new IPCC report

He also cautioned that though India wants to increase its forest cover aimed at reducing CO2 levels by 2030, deficient climate finances may limit realising the climate targets.

"As per the Climate Policy Initiative on Global Climate Finance, 2019, 44 per cent and 56 per cent respectively constitute public and private finances. And the main concern is that about 93 per cent of the total public and private finances flow to mitigation activities and adaptation activities receive less than 7 per cent. Therefore, it would be difficult to achieve the desired results," he said and added that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) AR 6 report has concluded that the Earth`s climate is getting so warm that temperatures in about a decade will probably go past the warning level.

Centre for Ecological Economics and Natural Resources, ISEC`s Assistant Professor Balasubramaniam warned that in Karnataka, 65 per cent of the households were highly vulnerable to rising temperatures.

"Global warming`s worst affected population in Karnataka will belong to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, elderly population, women, and children," he said.

ALSO READ | Extreme sea level events could happen every year by end of this century, claims new IPCC report

Centre for Research in Urban Affairs, ISEC Professor Kala S. Sridhar debunked the theory that urbanisation leads to global warming using time series data from World Development Indicators.

According to her, urbanization does not affect agricultural income and in some specifications, urbanization has actually led to increased agricultural income.

"Only way forward to reduce climate change is to increase the need to depend on renewable sources of energy and reduce vehicle emissions in cities by encouraging public transport," she said.

Associate Professor, Centre for Research in Urban Affairs, ISEC Manasi said that over-exploitation of groundwater in peri-urban areas given their positioning since they belong either to rural or urban areas, thus being vulnerable to climate change risks.

Drawing from a micro-level study conducted on vulnerabilities in Karnataka, reference was made to land-use change and groundwater overuse resulting in an increase in defunct borewells and negligence of water bodies. She also indicated the need for micro-level studies for a better understanding of local problems and finding innovative solutions to achieve Climate Action.

Economic Advisor to UP`s Chief Minister, who moderated the discussion Prof KV Raju, in his remarks, stated that further empirical research studies are to be taken up for policy on mining, renewable resources given its importance in the current context.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come up with its revised guidelines on the data storage policy. Meanwhile, the apex bank has rejected the proposal made by payment gateway companies.

These revised guidelines will help in keeping away payment aggregators and merchants like Amazon, Flipkart and Netflix from storing customers cards credentials on their servers or databases.

Picture this, the new change means that customers debit cards or credit cards will have to give their 16-digit card number every time they make a transaction. This is aimed at securing the card information and ensuring that payment operators are not storing the data on the system.

This new change is expected to take place from January 2022 and then customers will be asked to put their 16-digit card number, along with the expiry date and the CVC for each and every transaction. This step is taken to ensure the safety and security of data.

This entire e-commerce payment model functions on data storage and the companies use it to market new items to customer demographics on the basis of the availability of information.

With this new change, UPI might be a possibility for the favoured method of payment. In recent years UPI payment methods have become very popular for their quick and easy payment systems.

The apex bank was supposed to bring in the new guidelines in July but then it had to postpone it by six months as banks were not ready for it.

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New Delhi: The Amritsar Rural Police on Saturday (August 21, 2021) morning foiled a major drug smuggling bid by Pakistan-based smugglers in an operation led by the intelligence wing and based on specific inputs. As many as 39 packets of heroin, weighing 40.81 kg was recovered in the Panjgraian Border Outpost (BOP) area of Amritsar estimated to be worth around Rs 200 crores in the international market.

Joint teams of Punjab Police and BSF successfully seized the huge cache of drugs besides recovering 180 grams of opium and two plastic pipes (manufactured by Super Punjab Pump, Made in Pakistan). The police have also impounded a motorcycle and a Scooty belonging to the smugglers from the smuggling side found stationed at the vicinity.

The operation was supported by the Border Security Force (BSF) as it was carried out in the border area under their control.

Punjab Police had received an input that Nirmal Singh aka Sonu Mayer, a notorious smuggler from Gharinda area, was attempting to smuggle heroin into India through Indo-Pak Border. The information was immediately shared by SSP Amritsar (Rural) Gulneet Singh Khurana and pin-pointed the inputs with BSF.

Meanwhile, a police team comprising DSP Investigation Gurinderpal Singh and DSP Ajnala Vipan Kumar also reached the spot to work with the BSF to nab the drug smugglers and the contraband was seized.

The Police have launched a massive manhunt to arrest Sonu, who is also wanted by the Tarn Taran Police in case of 1 kg heroin recovery in 2020, said SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana. Further, he said that investigations were underway and all accused persons were likely to be arrested soon.

An FIR no 103 dated August 21, 2021 under sections 21, 61, 85 of the NDPS Act, section 14 of the Foreigners Act and sections 3, 34, 20 Indian Passport Act has been registered at Police Station Ramdas, Amritsar, he informed.

Sharing the modus operandi, SSP Khurana said that the smugglers used Pakistan-made plastic pipes to get the heroin across the border fence in the shape of neatly tied packets of heroin contraband.

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Chennai: Popular yesteryear actor Chitra died here on Saturday following a cardiac arrest, sources close to her family said.

The 56-year-old multi-lingual actor, more popularly known as 'Nallennai' (gingelly oil) Chitra following her association with a top oil brand, is survived by husband and daughter. She passed away at her Saligramam residence here.

Family sources said the funeral will take place in the city today. Born in Kochi, Kerala, Chitra who earned the sobriquet 'Nallennai' after the gingelly oil advertisement in which she acted became popular, rose to fame in the Tamil film industry in the 1990s.

She has acted in a number of films alongside top stars including Rajinikanth, Sarathkumar and Prabhu. Introduced as a child artist by Director K Balachander in 1975 in the national award-winning Tamil film 'Apoorva Raagangal,' Chitra starred along with other popular actors like Kamal Haasan and Srividya as well.

She has worked in a number of Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada films as well. Chitra was cast as Mary Kutty along with top stars Prem Nazir, Mohanlal and Lakshmi in her first film Aattakalasham in Malayalam in 1983. She has also starred in some teleserials.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress leader V D Satheeshan, BJP state chief K Surendran and other leaders condoled the demise of the actress.
New Delhi: Google has pointed out that the tech giant is all set to discontinue its current flagship smartphone, the Pixel 5, alongside the Pixel 4a 5G, much ahead of the launch of the new Pixel 6 series.

Both the old models are listed on Google`s online store as sold out, and remaining stock at other retailers likely won`t last long, according to a report by The Verge.

"With our current forecasts, we expect Google Store in the US to sell out of Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 in the coming weeks following the launch of Pixel 5a (5G)," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying

"These products will continue to be available through some partners while supplies last," the spokesperson added.

Google is discontinuing the Pixel 4a 5G makes sense as the company has launched its successor - Google Pixel 5A 5G - a few days back. However, the retirement of the Google Pixel 5 before the launch of Pixel 6 this fall is surprising for all.

Recently, Google announced that it has developed its custom-built chip to power the next generation of Pixel 6 smartphones that will arrive in the market later this year. Called Tensor, the AI-enabled System on a Chip (SoC) has been developed specifically for Pixel phones. Also Read: Tata Tigor EV bookings open ahead of Aug 31 launch: Check features, range and specs of electric car

Using the new chips, the upcoming Google Pixel smartphones could be the fastest smartphones in the Pixel series. The production of its own chipset also brings Google in direct competition with Apple, which uses its own A-series chips in its iPhone. Also Read: Woahh! Asteroid bigger than Burj Khalifa to pass Earth today at 94,000 kmph speed

- With IANS inputs.
Cybercrimes have increased a lot these days, thanks to the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Now the Congress leader and actor Shatrughan Sinha is facing the brunt of it as his Twitter account has been allegedly hacked by cybercriminals. The name of his account was changed to Elon Musk. Apart from that, they have also changed his display profile photo with a photo of the rocket launch.

But it looks like the hackers didnt change the password as Sinha recently tweeted about his party colleague Shashi Tharoor, unaware of the changes to his profile.

In a tweet posted two hours ago, Sinha said, What a fantastic conversation between two popular, respectable, acceptable, able, politicians! The sauve, intellectual par excellence Shashi Tharoor & the outspoken, courageous, forthright TMC leader Mauhua Moitra as he chats with her on India@75. They talk about how times, democracy etc have changed over the years. Your feedback & comments are most welcome. Jai Hind! A not to be missed interview!

It is also unclear whether Sinha has access to his account or not. Recently, Sinha had quit the BJP to join Congress in April 2019 and even contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from the Patna Sahib constituency in Bihar on the partys ticket against BJPs Ravi Shankar Prasad.

It is important to note that this is not the first time that a celebrity had faced such attacks as earlier BJP leader Khushbu Sundars Twitter account was hacked. In July this year, the Twitter account of Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisis party All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was hacked and disguised as the Tesla chief Elon Musk.

Last year in September, one of the Twitter accounts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was compromised.

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New Delhi: Actress Nisha Rawal who had been making headlines after her domestic feud with estranged husband Karan Mehra came into the public domain recently made revelatory comments about him in her latest interview.

Karan, a TV actor as well, had shared a post a few days ago expressing that he had not met his son in 75 days and was terribly missing him. However, it appears Nisha has a different story to tell on his relationship with his son Kavish.

According to her statement, Karan had last called his son on his birthday on June 18 and never sent the gifts that he had posted a picture of on social media.

She told ETimes, "He called just once on Kavishs birthday (June 18) on an actors friends number to wish him. He posted a picture of gifts he had ordered for Kavish on his birthday. I want to know why those gifts never reached our son. Let me tell you, he hasnt called Kavish even once since his birthday."

Recalling the abuse that she would face at the hands of Karan, Nisha expressed that during a heated argument he would often hit her and made sure no cameras were able to capture him in the act.

"Whenever we had a heated argument or he would hit me, he made sure it happened in the bedroom where there were no cameras. She adds, On June 30, I along with my rakhi brother, Rohit Sethia, tried to talk to him about parting ways amicably. One thing led to another and while we were in the bedroom, he slapped me, pulled me by my hair, and banged my head to the wall. Thats when I approached the police, " she added.

For the uninitiated, Nisha Rawal made shocking allegations of domestic violence and extra-marital affair against Karan. He was arrested for allegedly beating up his wife and taken into custody. Later in the day, Karan was released on bail.

In a media interaction, Nisha Rawal made some startling allegations against husband Karan Mehra, stating that he has an extra-marital affair and after she confronted him, he accepted it.

However, Karan alleged that his wife Nisha was the one who began the assault by shouting at him and then spitting on him. He told India Today that the couple had been going through a rough patch for a while and were contemplating parting ways.

He claimed the huge fight erupted as he refused to pay the 'huge' alimony amount demanded by his wife and her brother.

The couple dated for about six years, before tying the knot on November 24, 2012. The duo was blessed with a son in 2017.

Karan Mehra rose to stardom with daily soap Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. He was one of the highest-paid actors in the TV world and also participated in Bigg Boss 10.
New Delhi: Kalyan Singh, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister died due to sepsis and multi-organ failure on Saturday (August 21, 2021) aged 89 at Lucknow's Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS).

Singh, the two-time CM, was said to be in critical health and he had been put on life support system, the hospital said.

Former Uttar Pradesh CM and former Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh passes away at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGI) in Lucknow, due to sepsis and multi organ failure: SGPGI (File photo) pic.twitter.com/lRCv1xHMe2  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 21, 2021

The veteran leader BJP leader was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit on July 4 because of an infection and his consciousness level too reduced. On Friday, the hospital authorities informed that his health status was critical and he was moved on a life-saving support system.

He was Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh during the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences calling Singh 'a statesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader and great human'.

Taking to Twitter, Modi wrote: "I am saddened beyond words. Kalyan Singh Jistatesman, veteran administrator, grassroots level leader and great human. He leaves behind an indelible contribution towards the development of Uttar Pradesh. Spoke to his son Shri Rajveer Singh and expressed condolences. Om Shanti."

Kalyan Singh Ji gave voice to crores of people belonging to the marginalised sections of society. He made numerous efforts towards the empowerment of farmers, youngsters and women.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 21, 2021

Reportedly, CM Yogi Adityanath is on his way to the hospital.

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Faridabad: The image of police has always been a strict and tough one. It was Mumbai Police who started the shift in this. The Mumbai Police in a real witty manner started delivering their messages on Twitter with a pinch of humor and everyone seem to love it. Following their path, Faridabad Police has done something really amusing.

Faridabad Police on Saturday (August 21) posted a tweet about a motorcycle robbery and took to Bollywood while sharing the image of the offender. The tweet referred to the 90s superhit Bollywood song Bholi Si Surat from Shah Rukh Khans Dil To Pagal Hai.

With Bholi si soorat, kaam mein sustee, motorcycle churae, hae (innocent face, laziness to work, steals motorcycle), the Faridabad Police used Bollywood song to deliver a public message in a real funny way. Also adding a creative hashtag to say that the person has been arrested, they wrote: #ab_to_andar_hai.

Twitter folks have appreciated the humor and the quirky use of Bollywood song by police is getting a lot of attention from people. The post has received more than 2900 likes in no time, while some joined the conversation continuing with the song, others shared funny GIFs saying the cops had a savage reply.

Love the humour in our police force https://t.co/LyedLI6Sdq  Shubham Mittal (@mittalshubham_) August 21, 2021
New Delhi: US President Joe Biden on Friday (August 20, 2021) called the evacuation mission in Afghanistan one of the 'largest and most difficult' airlifts in US history. Biden, facing criticism of his handling of the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan after the Taliban's takeover, said that his administration is going to do everything that they can to provide safe evacuation for their Afghan allies and partners.

"Let me be clear, any American who wants to come home, we will get you home," he said in a speech from the White House.

"But make no mistake. This evacuation mission is dangerous. It involves risks to our armed forces, and it is being conducted under difficult circumstances," the US President added.

He also said that the US government is keeping a 'close watch' on any potential terrorist threat at or around the Kabul airport, including from the ISIS affiliates in Afghanistan who were released from prison when the prisons were emptied.

6,000 US troops on the ground

Biden stated that the US has almost 6,000 troops on the ground, including the 82nd Airborne providing runway security, the Army 10th Mountain Division standing guard around the airport, and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit assisting the civilian departure.

Since I spoke on Monday, we have made significant progress on the ground in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/BDtK9kRHeb  President Biden (@POTUS) August 21, 2021

"I cannot promise what the final outcome will be or what it will be  that it will be without risk of loss. But as Commander-in-Chief, I can assure you that I will mobilize every resource necessary," Biden added.

Gut-wrenching

Joe Biden said that the past week has been 'heartbreaking'. He said, "We've seen gut-wrenching images of panicked people acting out of sheer desperation. You know, it's completely understandable. They're frightened. Theyre sad  uncertain what happens next."

"I don't think anyone  I dont think any one of us can see those pictures and not feel that pain on a human level," he added.

Watch live as I deliver remarks on the evacuation of American citizens and their families, SIV applicants and their families, and other vulnerable Afghans. https://t.co/g1Pkeq3gwI  President Biden (@POTUS) August 20, 2021

Biden's comments came amid the Taliban ousting the Kabul government a week ago as US forces withdrew after 20 years.
Karachi (Pakistan): On the outskirts of Pakistan's populous metropolitan city of Karachi is nestled a slum township, which in recent days is seeing an influx of Afghan families fleeing from the Taliban rule in the northern Kunduz province in conflict-ridden Afghanistan. Located on the northern outskirts, just off the super highway outside Karachi, the Afghan basti (slum township), which is made up of concrete and mud houses and even has families residing in tarpaulin tents, is seeing more displaced Afghan families reaching here since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and also took over Kabul.

"We are not surprised and in the last two weeks we have some 500-600 families, which means around 4,000 to 5,000 people including women and children, joining us in the Basti," said Haji Abdullah, an elderly Afghan who has been living in Karachi for the last 25 years. "These families have nowhere else to go and mostly belong to different parts of Kunduz and other provinces where the Taliban have taken control. They have come through the smuggling routes in the border areas of Balochistan," he said.

Omar Tajik, who reached the Afghan basti some five days back with his family of seven said people are fed up with what is happening in Afghanistan. "There is no hope for us. It doesn't matter whether we have Hamid Karzai, Ashraf Ghani or the Taliban. We have not lived a peaceful and prosperous life since the Russian invasion in 1979," said the 50-year old.

Some 200,000 Afghans live in the slum township, while the southern city of Karachi is also home to some 500,000 Afghan refugees who mostly work in the city as labourers or run their own small shops and businesses in Pashtun dominated areas. Many of these Afghans are also well off and run cloth, construction and furniture businesses in upscale areas of Karachi and also reside there in rented houses and apartments. The Afghans in the township mostly speak Pashtun or Tajik languages, while some also converse in the traditional Dari language.

One can see them sitting together and chatting at small tea shops and in the markets in groups. The main topic of discussion these days is the manner in which the US withdrew its troops from Afghanistan, leaving the Taliban free to take over the country and whether the heavily armed radical Islamist group can bring peace to their country. "I don't understand what these Americans have done. For 20 years, they fight against the Taliban and try to rule us through their hand-picked governments. Now when things started looking better, they just deserted us and left us at the mercy of the Talibans," lamented Hafza Bibi, an elderly woman wearing a burqa and sitting on the ground with other women who just reached the Balkh province.

Also read: Why Afghanistan is facing wrath of Taliban; a brief history of dreaded extremist group

She recalls how the Taliban threw bombs into houses and how they escaped the fighting between Taliban and Afghan forces. "We were afraid for our lives and didn't know what was going to happen so we took whatever belongings we could gather and fled on foot," she said, as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Only God knows whether I will be able to return to my motherland again," she said.

Many of the Afghans this correspondent encountered in Karachi and the slum township had the same question: why did the Americans abandon the people at the mercy of the Taliban? They were also uncertain of what was going to happen in their motherland. It is the uncertain situation in Afghanistan for the last 20 or more years which has stopped thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan from returning home and instead preferring to live in refugee camps. There are around 2.8 million documented and undocumented Afghan refugees in Pakistan, making it the world's second-largest refugee population after Syrians in Turkey.

Only around half of the refugees are registered, with the rest living without documents, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which border war-torn Afghanistan.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 4.4 million refugees have been repatriated to Afghanistan since 2002, but many have returned to Pakistan due to ongoing violence, unemployment, and lack of education and medical facilities.

Saleem Khan, the commissioner for the Afghan Basti, said they were expecting more Afghan families as thousands are fleeing from the conflict in Afghanistan. "We are doing whatever we can to accommodate them even if they come here illegally. Many of the families who have reached here already have relatives in Karachi," he said.



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Kabul: After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, local forces have reportedly recaptured three districts - Pul-e-Hesar, Banu, and Deh Salah - in Baghlan province from the terror group`s control, local media reported on Saturday citing local sources.

Afghanistan`s future is hanging in balance as the country`s government collapsed on Sunday soon after President Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul. According to the sources, there are reports of heavy casualties on both sides.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has not yet commented."With the support of God and the mujahideen, three districts were liberated, we are now moving toward Khinjan district and will clear Baghlan province soon," Tolo News quoted Assadullah, the former police chief of Banu as saying.

"With the help of Allah, we inflicted massive casualties to the Taliban, currently Banu district is under the control of public uprising forces," said Ghani Andarabi, the former police commander in charge of the highway in Baghlan.

Sources said that after entering Baghlan, the Taliban went on house-to-house searches, which sparked the people`s retaliation. Although the Taliban officially has not commented, there are unconfirmed reports that the Taliban is preparing to retake these districts, reported Tolo News.

As the Taliban declared its victory over the government on Sunday, efforts are being made to maintain stability in Afghanistan. However, thousands of people are rushing to the airport to flee the nation as they are afraid of the terror group`s brutal atrocities in the nation.

Several countries including India and Germany are evacuating their citizens from the war-torn country as uncertainty and fear following the Taliban takeover grow.

(With agency inputs)
Moscow: Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan praised the conduct of the Taliban on Friday in the days since its takeover, saying there was no alternative to the hardline Islamist group and resistance to it would fail.

The comments by Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov reflect efforts by Russia to deepen already well-established ties with the Taliban while stopping short, for now, of recognising them as the legitimate rulers of a country Moscow tried and failed to control before the Soviet Union withdrew its last forces in 1989.

Russia wants to ensure that the instability in Afghanistan does not spill over into Central Asia, part of the former Soviet Union it regards as its own backyard, and that the region does not become a launch pad for other extreme Islamist groups.

Speaking to Reuters from Kabul by Zoom, Zhirnov said the security situation in the capital was much better than it was before the Taliban took control of it and spoke optimistically about the future.

"The mood in Kabul can be described as one of cautious hope," said Zhirnov.

"There was a bad regime which disappeared and people are hopeful. They say it cant be worse so it should be better. But this is another test for the Taliban to pass. After they restore order, they should start improving the socio-economic situation," he said.

Read more about Taliban here: Taliban's History

Kabul has been largely calm, except in and around the airport where 12 people have been killed since Sunday, NATO and Taliban officials said.

Zhirnov`s comments contrast sharply with those of some Western politicians and rights activists who are deeply skeptical that the Taliban has moderated its violence towards those they see as incompatible with their nascent emirate governed by strict Islamic law.

Zhirnov said the facts on the ground had changed and the Taliban had made a set of encouraging pledges.

"We cant wave reality aside. They (the Taliban) are the de-facto authorities. There is no alternative to the Taliban in Afghanistan," said Zhirnov.

The son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, one of the main leaders of Afghanistan`s anti-Soviet resistance in the 1980s, has pledged to hold out against the Taliban from his stronghold in the Panjshir valley north of Kabul.

Afghan First Vice President Amrullah Saleh has also said he is in Afghanistan and the "legitimate caretaker president" after President Ashraf Ghani fled.

Zhirnov said Saleh`s declaration violated the constitution and that Panjshir-based attempts to resist the Taliban were doomed.

"They have no military prospects. There are not many people there. As far as we know they have 7,000 armed people. And they already have problems with fuel. They tried to fly a helicopter but they have no petrol and no supplies," he said.

Zhirnov also questioned the idea that all of the Afghans trying to flee the country were doing so because of the Taliban.

"Many people now see this situation now as a possible ticket to a new life (in the West) and this may not be related to the Taliban," he said of the chaotic exodus.
Toronto: A healthcare network that operates several hospitals in Toronto, Canada declared that it would sack any staff members who are not fully vaccinated by the end of October.

The University Health Network (UHN), which includes the Toronto General hospital and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, said employees who are not vaccinated by Oct. 8 will be placed on unpaid leave for two weeks.

They will then be terminated if their vaccination status does not change by the end of the month.

Several Canadian companies have mandated in recent weeks that employees must be fully vaccinated by the fall in an effort to fight the Delta variant, according to news agency Reuters.

The federal government last week said it will soon require all federal public servants and many other workers to be vaccinated.

The health network said it had contacted over 900 staff members who hadn`t provided their vaccination status, adding that employees must have received their first dose by Sept 8.

Meanwhile, Canada is considering taking in additional Afghan refugees on behalf of the United States or other allies if asked to do so, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino said on Friday.

"We should keep the door open to all possibilities," Mendicino said in an interview.

Canada has already evacuated nearly 1,000 vulnerable Afghan nationals to date.

(With inputs from news agency Reuters)

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Islamabad: China on Saturday (August 21) asked Pakistan to take effective measures and overhaul the security mechanism to forestall attacks on its nationals working on various projects after a suicide bomber attacked a convoy of Chinese nationals in the restive Balochistan province in the second such attack in over a month.

The Chinese embassy here in a statement strongly condemned Friday's suicide attack on the convoy of Chinese nationals comprising four vehicles in Gwadar, the port city of strategic importance due to the presence of Chinese workers and investment.

In the attack, two children who were playing nearby were killed while one Chinese national was among several others who sustained injuries. The embassy said that it launched the emergency plan immediately, demanding Pakistan to properly treat the wounded, conduct a thorough investigation on the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators.

At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again, it said.

The embassy further said that recently, the security situation in Pakistan has been severe and there have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in the casualties of several Chinese citizens. The Chinese embassy in Pakistan asked its citizens in Pakistan to be vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections.

Pakistan in a statement said that the bomber targeted the convoy of Chinese nationals comprising four Chinese vehicles with integral security details of Pakistan Army and police contingent on East Bay Expressway near Fishermen Colony in Gwadar.

A young boy ran out of the colony once the convoy reached there to target Chinese vehicles. Fortunately, soldiers of the Pakistan Army in plain clothes employed as hang around security rushed to intercept the boy; who immediately, exploded himself about 15-20 metres away from the convoy, according to the statement.

Pakistan said cognizant of hostile designs, it already undertook a comprehensive review of security of the Chinese and was committed to ensuring their safe stay in Pakistan in this journey of progress.

We reaffirm our Chinese brothers our wholehearted endeavours to deal with these threats comprehensively, it said. Earlier, Balochistan government spokesman Liaquat Shahwani said in a statement that he strongly condemns a suicide attack on Chinese nationals' vehicle in Gwadar.

He said the police and official of the Counter-Terrorism Department arrived on the crime scene and launched an investigation. No one has taken responsibility for the attack but in the past, Baloch nationalists and the Taliban militants often carried out such attacks against the security forces.

Gwadar is the culmination point of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A large number of Chinese experts and workers are employed in Gwadar and the surrounding areas to complete various projects under the CPEC.

China is involved in several projects aimed at the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea which is itself part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure project. In the last few months there has been an increase in terror attacks targeting Chinese nationals in Balochistan and Karachi who are working on the CPEC projects and for private enterprises.

At least 13 people, including nine Chinese, were killed in a terrorist attack in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last month. Chinese nationals also came under attack in Karachi last month when they were fired upon by gunmen from a moving vehicle.

For Pakistan, ties with China are crucial due to its increasing economic dependence on Beijing. This year, the two nations are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and more than 100 celebratory events have been planned of which over 60 events have already been held so far.

(With agency inputs)
Marceline: Haitians desperate for food looted a humanitarian convoy on Friday (August 20, 2021) and fought over donations as anger built over the slow pace of aid deliveries almost a week after a devastating earthquake killed more than 2,000 people.

Damaged or impassable roads have hindered efforts to deliver aid to remote parts in the south of the impoverished Caribbean nation, which were hardest-hit by last Saturday`s 7.2 magnitude earthquake. With hundreds still missing, hopes are fading of finding anyone still alive.

Aid organization Food for the Poor said that four of its trucks were attacked by local residents and looted on Friday as they delivered food and water to rural communities in the south.

Neither the drivers nor the trucks were harmed, the charity said, and five other trucks were able to reach their destinations safely.

"Food For The Poor remains committed to its mission of helping those affected by this terrible tragedy," it said in a statement, adding that its staff were working hard to reach the most remote communities in need.

In the hard-hit city of Les Cayes, scuffles broke out after former President Michel Martelly visited a local hospital on Friday afternoon. A member of his staff gave an envelope filled with cash to one person in the crowd to be distributed amongst them, triggering a violent scramble for the money, a Reuters witness said.

Landslides and cracks in the tarmac on the mountain road between Les Cayes and Jeremie to its northwest - two of the worst-affected urban areas - made it harder to dispatch aid to farming communities short of food and drinkable water.

The route was littered with boulders and the occasional stranded truck.

"We are all absolutely overwhelmed," Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in a meeting with the Organization of American States, saying some communities had been flattened. "Every commune, every city, every village in that area was very hard hit."

Henry thanked foreign allies for sending assistance.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000 people.

It was pitched into deeper instability by the assassination on July 7 of President Jovenel Moise by what authorities say was a group of largely Colombian mercenaries.

Last Saturday`s quake destroyed tens of thousands of homes and claimed the lives of at least 2,189 people. Some 332 people are missing, while 12,200 people were injured, authorities said.

A powerful storm this week that triggered landslides made the search for victims even harder.

Many hospitals remained saturated in the worst-hit areas. At Les Cayes` airport, helicopters ferried the injured to the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The kidnapping by gangs of two doctors in the capital, including one of the few trained orthopedic surgeons in Haiti, has added to the strain. Some hospitals shut down temporarily in protest, demanding the doctors be released, local media reported.

DIGGING GRAVES

In the village of Marceline, 25 km (16 miles) north of Les Cayes, hundreds of people gathered to receive food and medical care at a mobile clinic and aid distribution effort organized by Haitian non-profit PWOP.

One of the patients was a girl who had debris embedded in a gash just below her knee, which cut down to the bone. She screamed in pain as the doctors cleaned and disinfected the wound without anesthesia.

Elsewhere in the village, some people dug graves to prepare for funerals, while other residents worked to remove a massive heap of rubble in efforts to find the remains of loved ones. The air smelled of decomposing bodies.

Amerlin Dorcy surveyed the rescue efforts. His mother Seralia Dejoit had been attending a voodoo ceremony in the house when the quake struck.

"She`s still missing. We don`t even have her body to bury," said Dorcy, explaining that his mother had been called upon to sing at the ceremony by the head priestess.

The calamity brought back memories for Dorcy of the 2010 quake, which he survived by fleeing the collapsing three-story building he was inside in Port-au-Prince.

"Now there`s another earthquake and it`s my mother who`s the victim," he said.

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Kabul (Afghanistan): Days after vowing to respect women's rights in Afghanistan, Taliban officials in the restive Herat province have banned co-education in government and private universities, describing it as the 'root of all evils in society'. The decision was taken after a meeting between varsity professors, owners of private institutions, and Taliban authorities, Khaama Press News Agency reported on Saturday (August 21).

This is the first 'fatwa' issued by the Taliban after its swift takeover of Afghanistan last week. Capital Kabul's capture last Sunday (August 15) signified the end of the US's longest war, launched after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. On Tuesday, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban's longtime spokesman in his first-ever public appearance to address those concerns at a news conference, promised the Taliban would honour women's rights within the norms of Islamic law, in an effort to portray a more moderate stance.

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During a three-hour meeting of university professors and owners of private educational institutions, Taliban representative and Head of Higher Education, Afghanistan, Mullah Farid said there is no alternative and co-education must end. He also said virtuous female lecturers would be allowed to teach only female students but not the male ones. Farid called co-education the 'root of all evils in society', the report said.

In the last two decades, Afghanistan has implemented a mixed system of co-education and gender-based separate classes in all universities and institutes. Educationalists said government universities would not be affected by the decision but private institutes would struggle with already a low number of female students. Herat, according to official estimates, has 40,000 students and 2,000 lecturers in private and government universities and colleges.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday (August 20, 2021) said that the United Kingdon would work with the Taliban if necessary after the militants' capture of Afghanistan, and defended his foreign minister who has come under fire for his handling of the situation.

"What I want to assure people is that our political and diplomatic efforts to find a solution for Afghanistan, working with the Taliban, of course, if necessary, will go on," Johnson told media.

Johnson said the situation at Kabul airport, where thousands of desperate Afghans have thronged seeking exodus from the country, was getting "slightly better".

ALSO READ | Ex-UK marine evacuates wife on empty plane as thousands struggle to escape Taliban

The British government said it had secured the evacuation of 1,615 people since Saturday, including 399 British nationals and their dependants, 320 embassy staff and 402 Afghans.

Prime Minister @BorisJohnson updates on the situation in Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/WSrizK1l3u  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) August 20, 2021

Asked if he still had confidence in Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab who has faced calls for his resignation from opponents for his response to the crisis, he said: "Absolutely".

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